Inspire Bible for Kids Luke Sampler - Book - Page 58
1312 |
LUKE 22:52
Devotion
Carrying the Cross
Who carried Jesus’ cross for
part of the journey to Golgotha?
a. Simon Peter
b. Simon from Cyrene
c. Thomas
In New Testament times,
prisoners who were condemned
to be crucified were often made
to carry their own crosses.
Specifically, prisoners were
required to carry the crossbeam,
which weighed between 75
and 125 pounds. That was not
an easy thing to do, especially
for Jesus, who was exhausted
and weak from hours of being
questioned and then beaten.
Since Jesus was not able to
carry the cross, a man nearby,
named Simon, was chosen
to carry it for him. Simon was
from Cyrene in northern Africa,
and he was probably part of a
Jewish colony who had traveled
to Jerusalem for the Passover.
That was a very long journey,
and Simon never imagined he
would carry Jesus’ cross to the
place of crucifixion. Carrying the
cross made Simon ceremonially
unclean, but God had a greater
purpose for him—carrying a
burden for Jesus.
When Simon made the long
journey for the Passover, he
had no idea that things would
turn out the way they did.
Sometimes we have our own
plans, but God may ask us to do
something different, just as he
did with Simon.
Focus Verse: Luke 23:26
52 Then Jesus spoke to the leading priests, the captains of the Temple guard,
and the elders who had come for him. “Am I some dangerous revolutionary,”
he asked, “that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me? 53 Why didn’t
you arrest me in the Temple? I was there every day. But this is your moment,
the time when the power of darkness reigns.”
Peter Denies Jesus
54 So they arrested him and led him to the high priest’s home. And Peter
followed at a distance. 55 The guards lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard
and sat around it, and Peter joined them there. 56 A servant girl noticed him
in the firelight and began staring at him. Finally she said, “This man was
one of Jesus’ followers!”
57 But Peter denied it. “Woman,” he said, “I don’t even know him!”
58 After a while someone else looked at him and said, “You must be one
of them!”
“No, man, I’m not!” Peter retorted.
59 About an hour later someone else insisted, “This must be one of them,
because he is a Galilean, too.”
60 But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about.” And
immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.
61 At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Suddenly, the
Lord’s words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.” 62 And
Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly.
63 The guards in charge of Jesus began mocking and beating him. 64 They
blindfolded him and said, “Prophesy to us! Who hit you that time?” 65 And
they hurled all sorts of terrible insults at him.
Jesus before the Council
66 At daybreak all the elders of the people assembled, including the leading
priests and the teachers of religious law. Jesus was led before this high council,* 67 and they said, “Tell us, are you the Messiah?”
But he replied, “If I tell you, you won’t believe me. 68 And if I ask you a
question, you won’t answer. 69 But from now on the Son of Man will be
seated in the place of power at God’s right hand.*”
70 They all shouted, “So, are you claiming to be the Son of God?”
And he replied, “You say that I am.”
71 “Why do we need other witnesses?” they said. “We ourselves heard him
say it.”
Jesus’ Trial before Pilate
Then the entire council took Jesus to Pi late, the Roman governor.
2 They began to state their case: “This man has been leading our
people astray by telling them not to pay their taxes to the Roman government and by claiming he is the Messiah, a king.”
3 So Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
Jesus replied, “You have said it.”
4 Pilate turned to the leading priests and to the crowd and said, “I find
nothing wrong with this man!”
5 Then they became insistent. “But he is causing riots by his teaching
wherever he goes—all over Judea, from Galilee to Jerusalem!”
6 “Oh, is he a Galilean?” Pilate asked. 7 When they said that he was, Pilate
sent him to Herod Antipas, because Galilee was under Herod’s jurisdiction,
and Herod happened to be in Jerusalem at the time.
8 Herod was delighted at the opportunity to see Jesus, because he had
heard about him and had been hoping for a long time to see him perform
23
22:66 Greek before their Sanhedrin. 22:69 See Ps 110:1.
Answer: b
