“…the twenty-four elders fall down before the one seated on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne and say, “our Lord and God, you are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because you have created all things…”
Revelation 4:10
Our church is doing an expository study of the book of Matthew. Right now, we’re in Matthew 2, where we are reminded of the high-value, symbolic gifts of the Magi (or wise men). Gold to represent His royalty as King of Kings, Frankincense to represent Jesus as both God and High Priest, and Myrrh, a bitter spice commonly used for embalming. It is clear the wise men knew of Jesus’ fate as our Savior—to take the death penalty for our sins.
We are not Magi. Instead, we are merely human. When young in our faith, our focus on being a Christ-follower is often how it benefits us. Isn’t that the message of the Gospel? We’re all sinners in need of a Savior so we can have eternal life with the One who gave us life.
The adage, “It is more blessed to give than to receive,” is true. When we find that our true purpose in following Jesus is to be a part of His mission on earth, something shifts. Or it should. It becomes less about “me” and more about Him.
Then what should our gifts be?
The Revelation verse above gives us a hint as to what it will look like when we are standing face-to-face with Jesus. Where did these crowns come from that the twenty-four elders cast at Jesus’ feet?
There are several scripture verses that indicate the “symbolic” crowns as heavenly rewards we can earn here on earth. Crowns that we will then one day lay at the feet of our Savior, in worship and honor to Him. Just as the wise men offered their gifts to the Christ child.
Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 9:25-27 that there is an Incorruptible Crown awarded to those who master self-discipline.
The Crown of Rejoicing, in 1Thessalonians 2:19 is for those who lead others to Christ.
The Crown of Righteousness in 2 Timothy 4:8 is awarded to those who long for Christ’s appearance.
James 1:12 assures those who endure trials, temptation or persecution (unto death) will receive the Crown of Life.
And 1 Peter 5:4 assures those who are faithful shepherds and leaders, nurturing God’s children, that they will be awarded the Crown of Glory.
These symbolic crowns may not matter to many of us. Our reward will be eternity with Jesus. Some of us might get there by the skin of our teeth, but we will be there, nonetheless. But imagine how it feels to show up to a party empty-handed. All of the other attendees shower the honored guest with beautiful gifts, and yet, you have nothing.
Now, consider how it feels to find the perfect birthday or Christmas gift for someone you love. You can’t wait for them to open it, because you put so much thought and attention into a symbol of your affection. And truly, it’s not the financial cost of the gift that matters; it’s the heart behind it.
Ezekiel 36:26 “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”
Our God is in the business of heart transplants; don’t be late for the party.
Heavenly Father, we desire to live a life that honors You, where we can one day lay the crowns You so graciously offer us at the feet of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Help us to seek after the things of You rather than what the world desires from us. We pray this in the most holy and worthy name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
