Subject – The Five Crowns
Text – Ephesians 2:10 (read 1-10)
Sermon delivered by:
Pastor Henry S. Cotton, Jr. of St.James Missionary Baptict Church in Philadelphia.
Introduction – There are some people who believe that when Phillipians 2:12 says . . .”-continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,” this means that we are to perform works in order to obtain, or secure our salvation . . .nothing could be further from the truth (expound). Let us examine the text:
Ephesians 2:10 reads – “ For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Expound)
However, as the scripture says in Hebrews 6:10: “ For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” This verse helps us to realize that the Lord is watching us, and will recognize us for the works that we have done. We know that the Lord has prepared work for us to do, and we know that the Lord believes in paying those whom He has hired. There is a time coming in Glory when the Lord is going to give out some rewards in the form of CROWNS! There are five (5) crowns that we as believers may look forward to receiving:
A. The VICTOR’S CROWN – 1 Cor. 9:24 – 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.
1.) When the world gives out its’ awards, only one person wins.
2.) The world’s rewards will tarnish and fade away.
3.) This is for the believers that hold out to the end of the race. In verse 27, we see where the reference to what the Believer does with his/her body is emphasized. You see, just like the athlete who trains their body to do what she/he wants it to do, Believers who do the same thing can look forward to this reward (expound).
B. The CROWN OF REJOICING – 1 Thess.2:19 – 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?
* This a Soul Winners crown. Those Believers who have been about leading others to the Lord; doing that which the Lord has commissioned him/her to do. (expound)
C. The CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS – 2 Timothy 4:8 – 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.
1.) For those who have endured afflictions
2.) For those who have evangelized
3.) For those who have utilized all the gifts the Lord gave them.
4.) For those who have done this well (expound)
D. The CROWN OF LIFE – James 1:12 – 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. Rev. 2:10 – Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
* This is for those who yield not to temptation simply because of their love for the Lord; who despite the taunting, ridiculing, and even being ostracized by friends and family alike, still continued in the faith because of their love for the Lord. (expound).
E. The CROWN OF GLORY – 1 Peter 5:1-4 – And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.*
* This kind of my favorite one. This for those who are Elders; those who are sent to feed the Lord’s flock (expound).
CONCLUSION – Let us understand that it is God who knows the hearts of man, and He knows the reasons why we do what we do. Some of us think that it is enough to just perform works for the rewards. What we do should be done for the cause of Christ and because of the love of God. Otherwise we will be reminded of what the Gospel says: Matthew 6:1 – “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.” And also in Galations 6:9 we are reminded:
“9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”
We do not want our good works to be in vain. I am reminded of this Missionary team of husband and wife who was returning back to the states by ship from having spent years Evangelizing in the dangerous jungles of Africa, and happened to be coming back on the same ship as one of our famous presidents who was known for his great hunting escapades. There was a great flock of people and reporters gathered around the President, but for this couple who have been busy doing the work of the Lord there was no one. The husband told his wife that he was very disappointed about this. As they were heading back to the States, it seemed like the husband was feeling more and more depressed about the attention the President was getting (how many of us feel this way when we see that there appears to be so many unbelievers doing so well while you are struggling as you go about doing the Lord’s work?) (expound).
Well, the ship finally reaches the states, and once again there is a throng of people gathered around the President. When the Missionaries get to the apartment they found, the husband told his wife that he felt that the Lord was not treating them fairly. His wife told him that he should go in the room and talk to the Lord about how he felt. After a while, the husband came out of the room with a whole different look and attitude. His wife asked him what happened, and he said to her: “the Lord simply reminded me that I wasn’t home yet!”
I want to leave you with this final thought. The book of Revelation states that:
Rev. 4:10 – The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
- 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.
After everything that the Lord has allowed the Believer to go through, after being brought from Earth to Glory, and after brought before the very presence of the Lord with crowns that we have been rewarded with, it is then that we will realize what the Lord meant when He told Abram in Gen. 15:1:
“After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.”
The Believer will realize that even though the Lord has blessed us with the reward of a crown, He is our exceeding great reward! To be able to spend eternity with our Lord is reward enough! (conclude)
