Sermon: Easter - How Jesus (God) became King!
Easter Sunday Reading (Before Sermon)
It was evident that the people were desperate for more than just “any king” but for “The King.” The king who had come to save them.
During King Herod’s reign he expanded and built up the temple of God in Jerusalem so that the Jewish people would believe that he was the one God had chosen. He wanted to prove that he was God’s anointed ruler. But, to quell another rebellion he ends up killing John the Baptist, the messenger preparing the way for God’s king.
A political leader focused on self-preservation… certainly not the king we needed.
Another rival for the throne was Jesus Barabbas. In Mark 15 it says, “Now a man called Barabbas was in prison with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection”. Riot. Murder. He was not just a thief; he was a leader of a group that wanted to overthrow Rome and put a new king in its place. He met force with force, and the people liked it. They yelled for Pilate to free Barabbas instead of Jesus. Murder, riots, violence… that’s not the king we needed.
Then there’s… Jesus. He goes out of his way to keep his identity secret. It’s as if he’s waiting for the right time. He’s put on a mock trial, silent before his accusers, and unjustly sentenced to death. The only time Jesus is named “King” is when Pilate puts a sign over his head as he hangs on the cross “Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews”.
A king would get a crown, a robe, and a scepter to show his power and royalty. Jesus gets a crown of thorns, a robe of shame, and is beaten in public. The soldiers mock him. Even the Jewish Priests laugh at Jesus on the cross and say, “Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross.” But for him, death wasn’t the end. Where Barabbas brought insurrection, Jesus brings resurrection. And 3 days later, this King of Glory does what no one expected.
His crucifixion becomes his coordination. The grave displayed his grandeur. The resurrection proved his royalty.
Surely not the King we expected, but exactly the king we needed.
Summary of Palm Sunday and Good Friday Sermons:
The coronation of a new king is a major event in any kingdom - you will observe this on May 6 if you watch the coronation of King Charles the III and Queen Camilla - “The King and Queen of England” - you will see it is going to be a worldwide historic event.
But Jesus coronation was the greatest in the history of the world and few at that time even knew it happened! But His fame continues to grow as He “Reigns” from heaven and all across this world people are taking notice , but one day He will return to set up His “Realm” on this earth. It is coming sooner than most of us think.
• Jesus is the most famous King of all time, but His coronation looked so different than all other earthly king’s coronations! Less hype and pomp yet more eternal meaning and power.
• The world’s coronations are marked with gold crowns, rubies, diamonds, elegant robes, expensive scepters, lush palaces, expensive banquets and elaborate parades. I shared last week that Prince Charles III’s coronation will cost the UK 120 million dollars.
• Jesus was marked with a humble parade, a cross, beatings, mocking and yes, a crown of thorns!
• Old Testament kings and even modern-day kings were publicly anointed with oil, such will happen at the coronation of Prince Charles’s at Westminster Abbey on May 6 in that solemn moment he will be anointed with oil for His service to the Kingdom - then afterwards he will accede to the throne of England to take his position of authority.
• After the oath, Charles is expected to be anointed with holy oil by the Archbishop of Canterbury, who will pour the oil onto a spoon and anoint Charles' hands, head and breast. Then, Charles will be given the royal robe, the orb, the coronation ring, the scepter and the rod of his kingly position.
• Jesus’ anointing by Mary set the stage for the eventual coming of the Messiah, "the Anointed One." He is “The King of Kings” who sits on the throne of the earth in Heaven! Jesus was anointed. But He was stripped of His robe, given No ring – he was given no scepter only a crown of thorns, but yet His Kingdom means eternally more than King Charles coronation or kingdom reign will ever mean.
• David was promised that his house and his throne would endure forever by God in the Bible. But the earthly kings of Israel ceased with the Babylonian captivity of 586 BC because their lives and nation were overrun with sin, so it was clear that the writings of the prophets pointed to a future heavenly King who would come to reestablish this throne.
• Jesus is this sinless King and He retook the throne back from Satan by living a sinless life and by choosing to die on the cross for the sins of the world. His resurrection proved His kingship from and over death. His ascension into Heaven led him right into heaven to take His rightful place on the throne next to God the Father!
• In connection with the birth of Jesus, several events in the New Testament testified that He was Christ the Lord, the King of the Jews.
• His fulfillment of numerous prophecies proved this and His entrance on Palm Sunday set His coronation into process!
• Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit at His immersion in the Jordan and was thus manifested to Israel as the Messiah.
• His entrance into Jerusalem riding on a donkey to a parade of praise was to reveal Jesus is the King of Kings. Jesus entered Jerusalem as the fulfillment of the promised Coming King of Kings! The King who would bring peace and forgiveness to all who believed.
• Appearing before Pontius Pilate, Jesus made it clear that His kingdom was not of this world.
• Jesus’s Kingdom will be established ‘His Realm” here on the earth at His Second Coming! He is “Reigning” today in Heaven over this earth but His “Realm” will be established on the earth at His Second Coming. That is the promise of the Bible – Jesus is coming again.
• When Jesus ascended to heaven from earth following His resurrection from the dead, a cloud received Him out of the sight of the apostles. But on the heavenly side, in accordance with Old Testament prophecies, He came into the court of the Ancient of Days and received His kingdom. So, Jesus is the ruler and King of all things!
• One preacher stated: Then Jesus ascended while their wondering eyes looked on. From earth’s perspective, the narrative is simple; "a cloud received Him out of their sight" (Acts 1:9). From heaven’s perspective, the greatest event in the history of the universe occurred. The prophet Daniel foresaw the blessed event: "I kept looking in the night visions," he wrote, "and behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and men of every language might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away, and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed" (Daniel 7:13-14).
• We also catch a vision of this in Revelation 4 and 5 as well.
• The preaching of the gospel message on Pentecost as recorded in Acts chapter 2 centers on Jesus’ resurrection to His heavenly throne.
• Preaching the gospel for the first time in the history of the world, the apostle Peter established the death of Jesus on the cross. What was more difficult to prove was the resurrection of the Lord. Quoting from Psalm 16, the apostle noted that the prophecy was of One whose flesh could abide in hope because His soul would not be abandoned to Hades, nor would He undergo decay. The first thought of many in the audience that day would be that David, the author of the psalm, was speaking of himself. Peter and the Holy Spirit forestall that argument, pointing out that David’s "tomb is with us to this day." Since David’s tomb was a visible part of Jerusalem, David’s body had obviously undergone decay, and he was not the one of whom the psalm referred. The reasoning proceeded as follows: "And so, because [David] was a prophet, and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants upon his throne, he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay" (Acts 2:26-31). Jesus, in simple terms, was resurrected from the dead to ascend Heaven and take His place as King of Kings.
• Jesus will be seen in the future coming with His divine majesty, power and glory – He will come riding on a White horse – representing a King coming for war against the forces of evil who oppose His Kingdom. At this time, He will defeat them and take complete control of this world, and all will bow to Him.
• Jesus is the legitimate rightful King of this world - not Satan! Jesus will come to set up His “Realm” at the appointed time.
• Jesus is seated on His throne right now and His time is coming!
• One teacher stated, “Men haven’t changed in the last two thousand years, and neither has the message of God. The Lamb was slain to purchase men from every tribe and tongue, but has been exalted to the throne as King. "The King was dead," shouts the eternal host. "Long live the King!"
• "Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen" (1 Timothy 1:17).
• All New Testament preaching carried the hearers beyond the cross of Christ and His bodily resurrection to the very throne of God in heaven. Revelation reveals what this day looked like, currently looks like and what it will look like soon!
• The maximum power of God is defined in the exaltation of Christ to His right hand, and from that position the King continues to exhort His disciples to make more disciples, promising that He would be with them to the end of the age.
• Jesus wants all of us to see the truth and follow His leadership. We are to believe in Him as the King of Kings and then we too will inherit the promise of reigning with Him forever and forever.
Thesis: Jesus proved He was the King of Kings through His birth, life, ministry, death, resurrection and ascension. God recognized Him as “The King” and coronated Him with the crown of glory, honor and power. Many just refused to see it! But here is the “Good News” because of what Jesus did on the cross - you too have the opportunity to be coronated (crowned) as part of Jesus’ royal family with 5 different crowns.
Did you know that? When King Charles III is crowned on May 6th as King of England he fulfills his calling – but you too can experience what it is like to be crowned as part of the royal family of God in heaven at God’s throne – which is all of the faithful believers of the Kingdom of Heavens calling.
Does that speak to your heart, mind and soul? Do you understand that as you serve the Lord here on this earth you are in line to receive five royal crowns reserved for those who faithfully serve the Kingdom of Heaven on this earth? Do you believe you could receive a blessings like this from Jesus? Jesus desires to bless us with crowns!
Story Illustration from sermoncentral.com:
Story time, folks from Suresh Manoharan on sermoncentral.com – His sermon: The Crowning Glory:
But this is no run of the mill, bedtime story to lull you to sleep, instead it is a true account guaranteed to stir one’s soul. You may have heard it before; however it always brings a tear to the eye, every single time it is retold. In the late 19th century, one night it was very nasty and stormy as heavy rains lashed a small hotel in Philadelphia. An elderly man and woman approached the registration desk. Their question was, “Do you have room for us tonight?” Then with a slight pause, the woman briefly explained, “We have been to some of the larger hotels, and they are all full.”
The clerk, namely George C. Boldt explained that there were several conventions in town at the time, and indeed no rooms were available anywhere in Philadelphia that night. He also pointed out to them that all the rooms in his hotel were full as well. But the clerk went on, “I wouldn’t feel right about turning you out on such a nasty night. Would you be willing to sleep in my personal room?”
The couple was taken back at the generous offer and didn’t know how to respond, the young man insisted that he would be able to get along just fine if only they would use his room.
The next day as the elderly couple was checking out, the man told the young clerk, “You are the kind of man who should be the manager of the best hotel in the country. Maybe someday I’ll build one for you.” They all smiled at the little joke, and then the clerk helped them carry their bags out to the street to load into their car.
Two years later, the clerk received a letter from the old man. The clerk had almost forgotten the incident, but the letter recalled that night and his kindness. The letter also included a round trip ticket to New York City with the request that he come to be their guest for a visit.
When the young clerk reached New York City, there to meet him was that elderly couple. The old man drove him to the corner of Fifth Avenue and Thirty-fourth Street and pointed to a beautiful new building. It was like a palace of reddish stone with turrets and watchtowers like a castle. The older man said, “That is the hotel I have built for you to manage.”
“You must be joking,” the young man said. He couldn’t believe what he heard.
The old man said, “I am not joking.” And simply stood there and smiled.
The young man asked, “Who are you that you can do this?”. The old man in all humility and poise replied “William Waldorf Astor”- one of the richest man in the world during his time. This was the Original Waldorf-Astoria of New York City, the hotel made just to return a ‘kindness’ given.
And here he was, Mr. George C. Boldt, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Boldt) the young clerk with a big heart and he went on to become the proprietor of that historic hotel.
Here is the point of this story - if a good, aristocratic man would keep his word when it came to rewarding a kind act, would not the Almighty God, who is oh-so-rich fulfill His promises? (Joshua 21:45) God is the one who keeps His word – He never breaks it – and yes in the matter of giving crowns to His faithful ones’ – if He says it, “He will do it?”
So, believe it – you have an opportunity to be coronated if you choose to be – How? - by following Jesus with your whole heart, mind and soul.
Introduction:
The Bible speaks of crowns, and they have always been the sign of authority, royalty, blessing and King/Queen ship! We as fully devoted followers of Jesus will ourselves be blessed with crowns – possibly up to 5 of them (did it say that 😊). But we are to be faithful in following and serving Jesus to receive these crowns of blessings.
Understand this - The crowns we get bestowed on our heads in heaven will be of far greater value than any earthly crown:
• King Charles III crown at his coronation which is called - “The St Edward’s Crown” is valued at 3.4-5.7 billion dollars.
• Queen Elizabeth’s crown, the one she regularly wore, is valued to be worth 20 million dollars.
• Charlemagne, whom historians say should deserve to be called "great" above all others, wore an octagonal crown. Each of the eight sides was a plaque of gold, and each plaque was studded with emeralds, sapphires, and pearls. The cost was the price of a king’s ransom they said.
• Richard the Lion-Hearted had a crown so heavy that two Earls had to stand, one on either side, to hold his head.
• Edward II once owned nine crowns, something of a record when it comes to owning crowns.
o Put all the crowns of the world together, from all of Europe, Asia, Africa, South America and from the archives of the East, all of them are but trinkets compared to Christ’s crowns and the crowns promised to His faithful followers.
Revelation 19 says Jesus had many diadems or crowns on His head. He wears a crown of righteousness. He wears a crown of glory. He wears the crown of life. He wears a crown of peace and power. Among those crowns, one outshines the rest. It was not formed by the skilled fingers of a silversmith, nor created by the genius of a craftsman. It was put together hurriedly by the rough hands of Roman soldiers. It was not placed upon its wearer’s head in pomp and ceremony, but in the hollow mockery of ridicule and blasphemy. It is a crown of thorns!
The amazing thing is that “The Crown of Thorns” belonged to you and me not him. I deserved to wear that crown not Jesus. I deserved to feel the thrust of the thorns and feel the pain surge through my scalp and feel the blood running down my face. I deserved that pain not Jesus. But Jesus chose to take my crown of thorns and now promises me that if I remain faithful to Him, I will be crowned in Heaven at “The Throne” with up to 5 different crowns. Can you imagine that – can you even comprehend that truth?
Illustration: When D. L. Moody, the great evangelist, was dying, his last words were, "Earth is receding, heaven is approaching; this is my crowning day." He knew he was going to be crowned by Jesus for being faithful to the end!
Today Easter is a celebration of the Resurrection of Christ which is our reminder that we need to have no fear of death. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.” But instead of fearing death we should be eagerly expecting a day of honor and glory when we get crowned for the things we have done for Jesus Christ with our lives. It’s not that hard to see when we have a proper view of Jesus in His glory, in His exalted position spoken of in the book of Revelation that this seems so farfetched. We need to see the coronated King of Kings today and understand serving Him brings huge blessings and even royal crowns.
Scriptures: Revelation 19
Revelation 19:11-16
11Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.13He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
If you read the book of Revelation you see Jesus as: King Jesus, glorified Jesus, crowned Jesus, having a position of ultimate power – yes that Jesus, you see Jesus crowned and honored before the throne of God as “The One Great King of the earth.”
If you want to see this – just read Revelation chapters 4 and 5!
When you read about Jesus coronation in Heaven and all majestic scenery, you see angels singing “HOLY!” You see colors that will dazzle you! You see and hear the multitudes praising Jesus – the slain lamb – if you can see this you just say “Wow!” I say “That’s my Jesus!” I just want to say, “Buckingham Palace will never have anything which matches Jesus coronation as revealed in Daniel and Revelation!” There is no comparison!
Promise of Scripture: But because of Jesus death, resurrection and ascension we too can receive and be a part of HIS royal family – we can be honored - we too can receive crowns – yes you heard me right – we are princes, princess of “The King” - WHY because of Jesus – This is why I exhort you to accept Him as your Lord and Savior today – WHY – because you too can be welcomed into the royal family of God with open arms. The Bible is clear that those who serve the Kingdom with honorable service of their life – they will receive royal rewards and blessings like crowns. I see in Scripture there are 5 crowns we can receive:
• The Crown of Life
• The Incorruptible (imperishable) Crown
• The Crown of Righteousness
• The Crown of Glory
• The Crowns of Rejoicing (soul winners crown)
T.S. - These five crowns or blessings can be earned by believers, according to the New Testament, as "Rewards for faithfulness in this life to the Kingdom of God".
I. The 5 Crowns of Scripture waiting for those who serve the Kingdom of God with distinction and honor.
a. The Crown of Life, also called the Martyr's Crown!
i. It is referred to in James 1:12 and Revelation 2:10; it is bestowed upon "those who persevere under trials." Jesus references this crown when he tells the Church in Smyrna to "not be afraid of what you are about to suffer... Be faithful even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life."
1. James 1:12: (NIV) 12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
2. Revelation 2:10: (NIV) 10Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.
a. This wonderful reward awaits those saints who suffered in a noble manner during their earthly life.
i. Story of Polycarp!
1. Polycarp, venerable bishop of Smyrna was a personal friend and pupil of John the Apostle. When he was age 86, he was urged by the Roman proconsul to deny Christ and be set free.
2. “Eighty and six years have I served Him and He never did me any injury. How then can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?”
3. The proconsul said: “I have respect for your age. Simply say, ‘Away with the Atheists’ and be set free.” Polycarp solemnly said, “Away with the Atheists”—pointing to the pagan crowd.”
4. He joyfully went to the stake, were he was burned alive, as he was burning he was thanking God for counting him worthy to be numbered among the martyrs.
b. The significance of this reward is not only related to the ones who persevere under trial but who pressed on in their love for the Lord through hard times.
ii. Life needs to be understood in the context of blessings and suffering – we should all have a theology of suffering along with a theology of blessings. Why, because after you have worn the crown of thorns for a while (the crown of suffering), in this life, you will receive the crown of eternal life as a reward – you just cannot give up in life but instead press to the end.
1. You and I were created for more than just this earthly life!
2. You and I were created for more than what you are experiencing right now in your life – good or bad.
3. You and I were created for eternity – not a temporary existence – the truth is you and I will rule with the Lord in Heaven and on the new earth. The Bible teaches me this truth!
a. But – we must persevere under trial; if we endure to the end of this life – you and I will step into eternity and experience real life – eternal life!
iii. Pastor Andy Grossman from sermoncentral.com states, “See - this life is kind of what the caterpillar stage is to a butterfly. A butterfly was created to fly – to soar above the flowers and drink the sweet nectar of blossoms – not to grub around in the dirt. In the same way, this life is the caterpillar stage for us. We were meant to fly; to create; to live in glory – not pain. And if you hang in there with your crown of thorns – you will receive a crown of eternal life. And this is where we will REALLY live!”
1. Do you want to really fly one day? Persevere to the end! You are promised “The Crown of Life!”
b. Incorruptible (imperishable) Crown (The Crown of self-denial)
i. The Incorruptible Crown is also known as the Imperishable Crown, and is referenced in 1 Corinthians 9:25. This epistle, written by Paul of Tarsus, deems this crown "imperishable" in order "to contrast it with the temporal awards Paul's contemporaries pursued". It is therefore given to those individuals who demonstrate "self-denial and perseverance".
1. I Corinthians 9: 24-25: (NIV)
a. 24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
2. One teacher on sermoncentral.com - Suresh Manoharan states, “Take out discipline from an athlete’s life and he becomes, as it were a “toothless tiger” and by the same yardstick take out spiritual discipline from a Christian’s life and he becomes a Popeye without a dose of spinach, falling flat at the feet of an adversary (Eph 6:12) … In the above verses, Apostle Paul alludes to the athletic events in the games which were celebrated every fifth year on the isthmus, or narrow neck of land, which joins the Peloponnesus, or Morea, to the mainland; and were thence termed the Isthmian games. The events were running, wrestling, boxing, and throwing the discus…”
a. He adds, “The crown won by the victor in the Olympian games was made of wild olive; in the Pythian games of laurel; in the Nemean games of parsley; and in the Isthmian games of the pine. These were all corruptible, for they began to wither as soon as they were separated from the trees or plucked out of the earth. In stark contrast to these, for ALL CHRISTIANS exercising spiritual discipline the INCORRUPTIBLE CROWN would be given and never perish and die – it would live with them forever.”
3. This crown is received for exercising self-control in all the Kingdom’s of God’s self-discipline training.
a. Jesus said in Luke 9:23-25: “23Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. 25What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?”
ii. This crown is a reward promised to those who victoriously run the race of life with self-disicpline.
1. This reward will be awarded to those believers who consistently bring the flesh under control and choose to be servants of the Kingdom of God.
2. These servants refuse to allow sinful nature to take control of their lives, instead they live life led by the Holy Spirit.
3. These Christians live out the truth found in Romans 6:6-14:
a. They are dead to sin but alive for the purpose of God.
b. They do not let sin reign in their mortal bodies.
c. They do not yield their lives to unrighteous acts but yield to the direction of righteousness.
4. They do not allow sin to dominate them, nor do they live a life of sin.
c. Crown of Righteousness
i. The Crown of Righteousness is mentioned in 2 Timothy 4:8, and is promised to "those who love and anticipate" the Second Coming of Christ. These Christians desire intimacy with God.
1. 2 Timothy 4:8 (NIV) Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearance.
ii. This crown is received for standing approved before God – being in right standing with Him – it is given for the one who rightly is dividing God’s Word in their lives. Yet also looking for Him in eager expectation.
1. This crown is available to all born-again believers who love Jesus and yearn for His 2nd coming and seek out His presence in their lives.
2. This crown will be awarded to those who live each day, loving
3. and anticipating Christ’s imminent return…those who conduct their earthly lives with eternity’s values in view.
d. Crown of Glory (Crown reserved for the faithful pastor-shepherd of God’s Flock)
i. The Crown of Glory is discussed in 1 Peter 5:4 and is granted to True Godly Christian clergy, who "shepherd the flock in unselfish love by being a good example to others" 1 Peter 5:2–4.
1. 1 Peter 5:1-4:
a. 1To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 3not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. 5Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.
2. This crown is received by the leaders within the body of Christ who are faithful in leading and feeding God's people His Word of Truth.
a. This reward is promised to those who faithfully “Shepherd” the flock in keeping with the requirements spelled out in verses 2 and 3. These shepherds proved to be:
i. Willing to serve the Body of Christ.
ii. Dedicated to sacrificing for the sheep.
iii. Humble in heart.
iv. Led by the Holy Spirit and a role-model for the sheep.
e. Crown of Rejoicing (Soul Winners Crown)
i. The Crown of Rejoicing is also known as the Crown of Exultation, or Crown of Auxiliary. Spoken of in 1 Thessalonians 2:19 and Philippians 4:1, it is given to people who engage in evangelism of those outside the Christian Church. In the New Testament, Paul earns this crown after winning the Thessalonians to faith in Jesus.
1. 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20: (NIV) For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? 20Indeed, you are our glory and joy.
2. Philippians 4:1: (NIV) 1Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!
ii. People we win for the Lord would constitute our Crowns of rejoicing in Heaven.
iii. This crown is received for winning people to the Lord Jesus Christ after we have rightly divided the Word.
1. Please note: The Information on 5 crowns taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_crowns
iv. This crown will be one over which its recipients will glory and rejoice in forever. This is the “Soul Winners Crown.”
1. It is claimed by Paul because of the work he did with two bodies of believers whom he had led to Christ Jesus.
a. The two for Paul were the Philippians and Thessalonians.
2. Jesus will distribute this crown to those servants who are faithful to declare the Gospel, lead souls to the Kingdom and then disciple them.
3. We need to remember that eternal rewards will be handed out at the Judgment Seat of Christ and will be based on quality not quantity (1 Cor. 3:13).
f. Question: “Are you living a life that puts you in line to receive a crown?”
Conclusion: Lead message into the song “Forever” by Kari Jobe – drama happens during the song and in the middle of the song the following spoken word is spoken:
EASTER SPOKEN WORD: (After the sermon)
THE KING… Is… Risen.
But Who is this King?
Kings and Kingdoms have come and gone for generations.
But the Father’s intention, from creation, unfolds a different Manifestation
Humanity had a need for more than just “any king” but for “The King.”
But this wasn't just a king whose kingdom and rule would come and go,
This wasn't a king, that would bring atrocity and burden onto his people.
But this is a King, THE King, that came to set all the captives free, forever.
This KING’s Name is Jesus
The Creator, and The Ruler overall, sent His Son Jesus Christ as the word,
Living proof, He is the Image of the Invisible God, The First Born of all Creation.
For by Him all things were Created, Giving nothingness, Formation.
He knew no sin became sin, that His people would be washed clean.
He defeated death and the grave, setting the reality of Eternity in its place.
Because of this, our King has the power to set… us… free…
Free from Depression, Anxiety, Rejection, Self-hatred, and Despair,
He breaks the claim of Suicide, Addiction, Lust, and Resentment
He heals the affliction of Sickness, Abuse, and Deception
He brings restoration out of devastation,
This King proved His love in this presentation of SALVATION.
This KING delivered us from the domain of darkness.
and transferred us to the kingdom of THE beloved Son,
in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
And by His Word He sustains in the power if His Name,
For He is Before all things, and above all things HE Reigns. Holy is His Name!
The Humble Son of God Becoming the Perfect Sacrifice
In relentless love gave up His life, A King that truly paid the ultimate price,
Death at crucifixion brought life at Resurrection, He willingly stood in our place.
And he lovingly endured the grave,
He battled our enemy, and on the third day rose in Victory,
He is everything that was promised, The One True Risen King
Earthly rulers bring peace for a moment, BUT OUR KING…. JESUS,
BRINGS PEACE FOREVER!
NOW STAND UP AND SING WITH US, SING TO THE KING!
SING TO THE KING WHO BRINGS PEACE IN THE MIDST OF CHAOS!
SING TO THE KING WHO GIVES FORGIVENESS TO ALL WHO WILL BELIEVE!
SING TO THE KING WHO TURNS DEATH TO LIFE!
SING TO THE KING WHO PROVIDES HEALING AND DELIVERANCE!
SING TO THE KING THAT OFFERS TRUE SALVATION!
SING TO THE KING OF KINGS AND THE LORD OF LORDS!
SING TO THE KING… WHO…. REIGNS…. FOREVER!!!
