All of us have turning point in our lives which can either be good or bad based on how we allow it to define us. Last Monday, 19 Sept, the world farewelled Britain’s longest reigning monarch. Her state funeral was attended by over 2,000 guests, including prime ministers and world leaders from across the world, diplomats, and celebrities. Some online newspapers estimated that around 4 billion watch this event globally. The turning point in the life of QE was 6 Feb 1952 when her father King George VI died. Her coronation 18 months later was a point of no return.
In watching her state funeral for hours, what stood for me was her faith and devotion to Jesus. Throughout her 70 years reign, Jesus was the secret of her personal and corporate leaderships. She confessed and I quote, ‘For me the teachings of Christ and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life.’ Queen Elizabeth was 26 years old when the imperial crown was placed on her head. The crown is adorned with 2,800 diamonds and is heavy. Not only that it was literally heavy on her head, but it also defines what she can, and she cannot do. She gave up some if not all her rights to choose for herself, to live like everybody else. I could only imagine how many times she died to herself, her desires, her wishes only to serve her
imperial family.
1) NO amount of PRESSURE IS STRONG ENOUGH to make her leave her duty to serve. 2) No temptation is strong enough to lure her away from her devotion to the crown. 3) NO testing or trial was unbearable enough for her to leave the crown. RESPECT AND HONOR - We will never know the total impact of her dedication to the crown. No doubt, its massive - 1952 to 2022.
IMPERIAL CROWN VS THE CROWN OF JESUS - The Bible talks of a crown that was not made of jewels nor diamonds. It was a crown of thorns, a crown of shame, before it becomes a crown of glory! This is the crown that the Roman soldiers pushed down on Jesus’ head causing his head to bleed. Acts 9:4-6 record a turning point in
Paul’s life that made him a martyr to the crown of Jesus. Paul said, 20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. WHEN SAUL HEARD A VOICE FROM HEAVEN ASKING HIM “Saul,
Saul, why do you persecute me?” He knew that THERE WAS NO TURNING BACK FOR HIM FROM THAT DAY. That voice was so clear, no mistaking it was the Lord! He heard the voice of Jesus instruct him in his commission as a minister and witness to the Gentiles (vv. 14–18).
THE PERSECUTOR WOULD BECOME THE PERSECUTED! Since that day he had proclaimed Jesus (Acts 9:20), speaking boldly in the name of the Lord (v 27).
1) NO amount of PRESSURE IS STRONG ENOUGH to make him leave Jesus.
2) No temptation is strong enough to lure him away from Jesus.
3) NO testing or trial was unbearable enough for him to leave the crown of glory.
There is NO turning back even if Paul had a lot to lose, even if he had to lose his privileges attached to his position in society and religion, and city life.
SAUL/PAUL: A LIFE OF PRIVILEGE/A LOT TO LOSE
- a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin/a Pharisee (Acts 22:3; Acts 23:6; Galatians 2:15; Phil 3:5)
– he described himself as one “circumcised on the 8th day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews (Phil 3:5)
- a city boy (Tarsus of Cilicia) (Acts 9:11; 21:39)
- born and raised by religious parents (Acts 22:3
- trained in religion (Acts 22:3; Acts 5:33-40; Gal. 1:14)
- a linguist - Hebrew/Aramaic/Greek (Acts 21:40; Acts 23:6;Phil. 3:5-6)
- a Roman citizen (Acts 22:22-23:11)
NO TURNING BACK TO HIS OLD LIFE; NO TURNING AWAY FROM THE CROWN OF JESUS even if Jesus had to send him in isolation for almost 13 years which had been God’s preparing him for ministry. According to Gal 1:17, 18, Paul left Damascus three years after his conversion. Following this, Paul returned to Damascus and then visited Peter in Jerusalem for 15 days (Gal 1:17–18).
NO TURNING BACK EVEN IF Even if believers in Jerusalem had doubts on him because everybody knew who he was. (Acts 9:26-28). Nothing can twist Paul’s arm – His identity is intact. He is not at the mercy of any influential human being for example, by a politician, philanthropist, no one got a hold of his ministry except Jesus Christ! He
is completely free because he does not answer to anyone but God who gave him the office, the message (gospel), the deployment, and the authority. He is acting on his master’s will and desire. Paul knew who he
was and who he answers. He is indebted to Christ!
Gal 1:1-2 / NLT - This letter is from Paul, an apostle. I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead.
Galatians 1:11-12
11 Dear brothers and sisters, I want you to understand that the gospel message I preach is not based on mere human reasoning. 12 I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ.[d]
There is no turning back - “I (Paul) have been crucified with Christ” … I Even when everyone was going back to their old life and religion of laws (circumcision), leaving the teachings they heard about Jesus, Paul sticks
up for Jesus.
Galatians1:6-7 - I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. [c] You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News 7 but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ.
NO TURNING BACK EVEN IF All-hell-broke-loose. Not a bed of roses -
2 Cor 11: 22-31 Paul Talks About His Sufferings - But if anyone dares to boast, I will too. (I am talking like a fool.) 22Are those people Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites[c]? So am I. Are they from Abraham’s family? So am
I. 23Are they serving Christ? I am serving him more. (I am crazy to talk like this.) I have worked much harder than they have. I have been in prison more often. I have been hurt more in beatings. I have been near death many times. 24 Five times the Jews have given me their punishment of 39 lashes with a whip. 25 Three different times I was beaten with rods. One time I was almost killed with rocks. Three times I was in ships that were wrecked, and one of those times I spent the night and the next day in the sea. 26 In my constant traveling I have been in danger from rivers, from thieves, from my own people, and from people who are not Jews. I have been in danger in cities, in places where no one lives, and on the sea. And I have been in danger from people who pretend to be believers but are not. 27 I have done hard and tiring work, and many times I did not sleep. I have been hungry and thirsty. Many times, I have been without food. I have been cold and without clothes. 28And there are many other problems. One of these is the care I have for all the churches. I worry about each group of believers every day. 29 I feel weak every time another person is weak. I feel deeply upset every time another person is led into sin.
30 If I must boast, I will boast about the things that show I am weak. 31God knows that I am not lying. He is the God and Father of the Lord Jesus, and he is to be praised forever. You can take everything away from Paul, but you can never take Jesus out of his heart.
OH, THE CROWN OF JESUS IS WORTH ALL THE STRUGGLES
V20) “So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Trusting God means freedom!!! We need to guard our freedom in Christ. We must not give in to temptations to go back our old ways. Do not for a moment get your eyes back to yourself and take it away from Jesus – all excuses – why you made me like this, why don’t you send somebody else – YIELD!
We must persevere. The war is real! Don’t be frightened by those who oppose you -whether they are social
media, not of the same faith – don’t leave Jesus ---- not only to believe in Him but also to suffer for him. Some people have been hurt by words, etc. compromise etc but He calls you to love Him no matter that the cost, whether your friends desert you, etc. I lay down the fear of being mock, misunderstand, the fear of being not
having enough, at your feet and I stop bargaining, I lay down the fear of men, death, the fear of being tortured, the fear of being poor at your feet.
“I am not a victim, but a victor because Jesus Christ saved me.”
21 I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could me us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.” If you really know Jesus, you can lay your life down at the altar. Go wherever He sends. Do whatever He tells you to do. If you have to endure and suffer for it and to look foolish – do it coz Jesus is worth all of it, even if I look ridiculous – Christ is worth it! Let us not put our confidence in the flesh but in God who gave His grace. The grace of God that saved us is the same grace of God that will keep us in winning the game.
Philippians 3 - No Confidence in the Flesh
3 Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. 2 Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. 3
For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put
no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reasons for such confidence.7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I
may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in[a] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ— yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
2 Cor 10:3-6 (Living Bible) -
3 It is true that I am an ordinary, weak human being, but I don’t use human plans and methods to win my battles. 4
I use God’s mighty weapons, not those made by men, to knock down the devil’s
strongholds. 5 These weapons can break down every proud argument against God and every wall that can be built to keep men from finding him. With these weapons I can capture rebels and bring them back to God and change them into men whose hearts’ desire is obedience to Christ. 6I will use these weapons against every rebel
who remains after I have first used them on you yourselves and you surrender to Christ.
Ephesians 6:10-18 (NIV) 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the
Spirit, which is the word of God.18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
BROTHERS AND SISTERS, God knows how to use us! RESURRECTION DAY FOR YOU! OUT OF PAINFUL BUBLLE THAT HOLD YOU DOWN! THE LOVE OF JESUS DETERMINES WHAT THE NEXT CHAPTER OF YOUR LIFE BE
GOD IS ALL WORTH YOUR LIFE AND MINE. FROM CENTURIES TO CENTURIES, PEOPLE HAD GIVEN UP THEIR LIVES FOR CHRIST AND HIS GOSPEL, EVEN TO THE POINT OF DEATH. WHAT IS JESUS ASKING YOU TODAY? IS HE ASKING YOU TO LAY DOWN YOUR LIFE TO THE
CROWN OF GLORY? IS HE ASKING YOU NOT TO GO BACK TO YOUR FORMER LIFE EVEN IF IT MEANS LOSING A LOT? LOSING THE PRIVILEGES OF THIS WORLD? YOUR TITLE, YOUR POSITION. POWER, FAME, PRESTIGE, COMFORT, VICES? Is Jesus asking you not to return to your old ways even if people have doubts on you because of your track record? NO TURNING BACK EVEN IF All-hell-broke-loose. You can take everything away from Paul, but you can never take Jesus out of his heart. Can this be true to you? Is He asking you TO STICK YOUR HAND FOR THE CROWN OF JESUS even if Jesus must send you in isolation? On her 21st birthday, she pledged to dedicate her life to the service of the Commonwealth: (SLIDE 16) “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether be it long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our imperial (relating to an empire) family to which we belong.” IF A MORTAL CAN DEDICATE HER LIFE in serving a cause or a conviction that will
be consumed altogether at the second coming of Christ, shall we dedicate our life in the service of Christ?
