Four times in the Gospels mention is made of another crown. It was the crown worn by our Lord Jesus Christ””THE CROWN OF THORNS. How intensely significant! In a book which speaks so often of crowns this is the only one mentioned in the four Gospels.
Does if not remind us, there could be no glory for us apart from the sufferings of Christ? "No cross, no crown” is true in a deeper sense than is often meant. He endured the cross. He bore our sins and the judgment which we deserved when hanging on the tree. He put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. He glorified God about the whole question of sin and sins there; and now, on the throne at God’s right hand, He is worthily crowned with glory and honour. Faith sees that crown of splendour upon His brow. In Him we have redemption through His blood; and there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus; nothing can separate them from the love of God which is in Him; and the place which is His in the favour and glory of God is theirs also. The right understanding of this will not lead to laxity, or to being "at ease in Zion”; but rather to spiritual energy, as the apostle said, "We are always confident . . . wherefore we labour” (2 Cor. 5:6, 9). In every way, as he hastens onward, the true soul seeks to be agreeable to the One who suffered for him, who wore the crown of thorns, but who now wears the crown of glory and honour.
At the present time we may hear little of such extreme suffering for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, yet we are urged on to diligently care for His interests, for we are told in 1 Peter 5:4, "THE CROWN OF GLORY” awaits those who do so. Shepherding the flock of God with ready and willing service, not in a lordly way as is so popular in Christendom, but as examples to our brethren in Christ; then, Peter says, "When the chief Shepherd is manifested ye shall receive the unfading crown of glory.” We have spoken of that time of manifestation, of His appearing when every eye shall see Him, and we are told also that all those who love His appearing shall receive "THE CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.” It is the Apostle Paul who mentions this crown, even as he named the first we spoke of, the incorruptible crown. James and John speak of the crown of life. Peter wrote of the third””the crown of glory. There are seven in all pertaining to the saints of God as we shall see. Paul, at the close of his course of service for Christ, looked forward with happy confidence to receiving from "the Lord, the righteous Judge,” the crown of righteousness. His time to be released from this world had come. The good fight he had fought successfully till the end! The race upon which he so earnestly entered he had run to the close, and the faith which meant so much to him he had kept to the finish! Now he looks away to that day when he shall receive from His well-loved Lord the crown which shall be rendered, he tells Timothy, "Not only to me, but also to all who love His appearing” (2 Tim. 4:8).
The fifth crown is mentioned by John in Revelation 3:11. The sixth and seventh by Paul in Philippians 4:1, and 1 Thessalonians 2:19. It is not easy to describe the fifth; and yet, we see its importance in the words, "I come quickly”””"hold fast”””"that no man take thy crown.” These words are addressed to those who bear the marks of Philadelphia; not to the overcomers. They are specially spoken to in the next verse. Therefore, with this qualification, we will abide by the word of the Spirit, who names it thus, "THY CROWN.” Is it yours? Is it mine? It is if we have the characteristics described in the earlier verses. The fact is, there is need of a great awakening. A man is not likely to hold this precious crown if he sleeps. The Lord says, Hold fast! How can I do this if I am asleep? He says also, I come quickly! Is our path ordered in view of that moment? Is our service for the Lord ordered according to the revealed will of God? or is it governed by the mind of man? We are told, a man is "not crowned unless he strive lawfully” (2 Tim. 2:5). God is not behind man. He has His own order for His work, and this He approves in those who conform to it. May we all have grace to see to our present ways in view of the soon coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.