Walk Of Life – Day 5, March 2021- C R O S S Of The Calvary
CROWN AT THE CROSS
The crown on King David’s head is amazing to know that it weighed almost seventy-five pounds. However, in countries where travel is usually by foot and goods are often carried on the head, seventy-five pounds would not be unusual. I personally have seen young men carrying the rear axles of cars balanced on their heads!
Imagine what a glorious crown it must have been—pure gold encrusted with precious stones. If we travel through time a thousand years, we read of another King who had a crown placed on His head. This crown, however, was not gold nor encrusted with jewels. It was a crown of thorns, plaited by Roman soldiers and forced on the brow of Jesus of Nazareth (John 19:2). He was forced to stand before these mocking soldiers, blood running down His face, as they derisively bowed and shouted, “Hail, King of the Jews!” Jesus was willing to suffer humiliation and even give His life on the cruel cross to save mankind from the wages of sin (Romans 3:23; 6:23). Because He did, God “crowned him with glory and honor” and “put all things in subjection under his feet” (Hebrews 2:7–8). Truly, Jesus is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.
There is still more. Let us travel ahead to another time. It may be tomorrow, next week, next year, or ten thousand years from now. It is the time when Jesus appears at His second coming. The dead in Christ will be resurrected from the grave, and along with the living Christians, will be changed and meet Christ in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:13–18). Then there will be a great accounting, the Day of Judgment (Matthew 25:31–46). On that day, Jesus will hand out crowns to His faithful servants. Paul wrote, “Finally, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day: and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:6–8).
We can receive a crown, not from a man, but from the King of kings and Lord of lords Himself. Paul referred to this crown as an “imperishable crown” (1 Corinthians 9:25). James and John referred to it as the “crown of life” (James 1:12; Revelation 2:10), and Peter called it the “crown of glory” (1 Peter 5:4). They all represent the wonderful gift of the eternal life with God for His faithful servants. Will you receive a crown? Can God count you as one of His faithful? Ada Powell penned the following words, “There’s a crown for your cross, there is gain for your loss; You’ll be given a crown for your cross. There’s a beautiful crown when your cross is laid down; You’ll be given a beautiful crown.”
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross
The emblem of suffering and shame
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross (rugged cross)
Till my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged cross
And exchange it some day for a crown
