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Christian
Education Pre-K-12
Richmond Academy
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Crowns for Worship
As Jesus walked the earth He spoke to multitudes, but few
were willing to follow Him. Not all chose to leave their homes, but many
believed upon Him and kept His words. In the account of Lazarus and his sisters,
we find that Jesus had been traveling when He heard the news of Lazarus’ death.
When Jesus returned to the place that Lazarus had lived, He called Lazarus out
of the grave and brought him back to life. Jesus will be coming back again some
day for all that will believe upon Him and keep His words; and when He comes,
there will be rewards for those who have been faithful. Among those rewards will
be crowns. Those are crowns that we will both wear and cast before His feet in
worship.
The Crown of Life
James 1:12-15 (KJV) “Blessed [is] the man that endureth temptation: for when
he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to
them that love him. (13) Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God:
for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: (14) But every
man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. (15) Then
when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished,
bringeth forth death.”
The Crown Incorruptible
1 Cor 9:24-27 (KJV) “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but
one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. (25) And every man that
striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they [do it] to obtain
a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. (26) I therefore so run, not as
uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: (27) But I keep under
my body, and bring [it] into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have
preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”
The Crown of Rejoicing 1Thess 2:19-20 (KJV) “For what [is] our hope, or joy, or
crown of rejoicing? [Are] not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ
at his coming? (20) For ye are our glory and joy.”
The Crown of Righteousness
2 Timothy 4:7-8 (KJV) “I have fought a good fight, I have finished [my]
course, I have kept the faith: (8) Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of
righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day:
and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”
The Crown of Glory
1 Peter 5:1-7 (KJV) “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an
elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the
glory that shall be revealed: (2) Feed the flock of God which is among you,
taking the oversight [thereof], not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy
lucre, but of a ready mind; (3) Neither as being lords over [God's] heritage,
but being ensamples to the flock. (4) And when the chief Shepherd shall appear,
ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. (5) Likewise, ye
younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all [of you] be subject one to
another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth
grace to the humble. (6) Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of
God, that he may exalt you in due time: (7) Casting all your care upon him; for
he careth for you.”
Eternity is going to be so great for those who are prepared for it, and now is
the time to prepare. We must remember that things are not always going to be the
same as they are now. Jesus experienced times and events that could have seemed
unfair, and He could have chosen the temporary over the eternal; but He remained
faithful to God the Father and the call that was upon His life.
The Crown of Thorns
John 19:5 (KJV) “Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the
purple robe. And [Pilate] saith unto them, Behold the man!”
Though some of mankind would mock and cheapen the things of God in this
temporary realm, it is only our individual decisions that can determine our
destiny.
Lamentations 5:16 (KJV) “The crown is fallen [from] our head: woe unto us
that we have sinned!”
We all have the same opportunity; we have been given the choice to follow the
will of the Lord, or to choose a much lesser fate. The much lesser fate was
already there before we were offered the great opportunity, but are we willing
to believe and keep Jesus as Lord until the end? This story in the book of
Esther illustrates the importance of our faith in action and the rewards that
are pending.
Esther 1:10-12 (KJV) “On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was
merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha,
Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of
Ahasuerus the king, (11) To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the
crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she [was] fair
to look on. (12) But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment
by [his] chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned
in him.” Esther 2:16-17 (KJV) “So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus
into his house royal in the tenth month, which [is] the month Tebeth, in the
seventh year of his reign. (17) And the king loved Esther above all the women,
and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so
that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.”
We need only to show forth our love and faith for Jesus now, by believing upon
Him and keeping His words, and by letting our lights shine forth with His life.
Then, we will have crowns to cast before Him in worship for eternity.
Revelation 4:10-11 (KJV) “The four and twenty elders fall down before him
that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast
their crowns before the throne, saying, (11) Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive
glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy
pleasure they are and were created.”
-Kurt Thurston
April Newsletter 2008 |
Spiritual Healing
Pastor's Journal April 2007|
Crowns for Worship |
Caution
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Biblical
Counseling for Leaders
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