Wednesday, April 5
Read Matthew 27:26-37.

The Suffering Servant
“And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!” (v. 29).

The cross of Jesus had to be carried to Golgotha. Another person around the crucifixion after Jesus was before Pilate and crowned with thorns and carrying his cross was Simon of Cyrene. He was “compelled to bear his cross” (v. 32). Dr. Ralph Earle comments: “Jesus started out carrying His cross. But weakened by all He had gone through, He was unable to carry it far, so the soldiers picked out a passerby and placed it on his shoulders.”
When we are saved or born again, we have a “cross” to bear, identifying with Jesus as our Savior and Lord. Our “cross” includes dying to our selfish ways, identifying with His mission, and being His witness to others. Jesus told us, “let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). (David Fruth)
Must Jesus bear the cross alone,
And all the world go free?
No, there’s a cross for ev’ry one,
And there’s a cross for me.
--- Thomas Shepherd and others

Are you bearing your cross daily?