We're thinking this week on Things Unseen about some of the people who form part of the drama of Jesus' journey to the cross.

We've got a great deal to learn from them. But we've even more to learn from Jesus himself

and the great issues involved in either trusting him or rejecting him. Today I want to think

with you about a what if. You probably know what I mean by that. I have a book that imagines

some of the what if moments in history. What if Julius Caesar

had never crossed the Rubicon? What if the Emperor Constantine had never been converted? What if

Mohammed had been ignored? What if Martin Luther had decided to keep his 95 Theses to himself?

And we all have personal what-ifs, don't we?

What if we'd arrived late?

What if that person had changed his plans?

Maybe you wouldn't have the job you have, or live where you do, or, at least humanly speaking, even be married to the

person who's your husband or wife.

I wonder if you can guess from that introduction who's on my mind today.

Well, think about these words from Mark chapter 15, verse 21.

Simon of Sirene, who was coming in from the country.

Most of us have to consult a reference book even to know where Sirene was.

It's in what we call Libya.

And in our Lord's day there was a large Jewish population there.

And it looks as though Simon was visiting for the Passover.

Jerusalem would have been crowded and maybe he'd found the Palestinian equivalent of an Airbnb somewhere out of town.

And there he is casually, perhaps happily, making his way to the temple.

He was on holiday, because these were holy days.

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