The Five Crowns – Part 5
“You will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.” 1 Peter 5.4 NKJV
The fifth crown is the crown of glory. Peter wrote: “The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away” (vv. 1-4 NKJV). This crown seems especially designed for pastors and Christian leaders. That doesn’t mean you have to be an official pastor or a member of a church staff. As one pastor explains: “You might be the shepherd of a small group. Your flock might be your family…It might be your Sunday school class…The Lord often gives us responsibility for the spiritual well-being and maturing of others, and what an opportunity to serve Him!” This raises an interesting question: What are we going to do with these crowns? Revelation 4.10-11 describes a great worship service that will occur when we arrive in heaven. “The twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: ‘You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power’” (NKJV). Imagine kneeling before the Lord and laying your crown at His feet, overwhelmed with gratitude for all that He has done for you.
PRAYER: Dear Lord God, while I look forward with hope and anticipation to that day when I receive all 5 of these crowns in heaven, I also rejoice in casting them at your feet in honor of what you have done and continue to do for and through me. In Jesus’ Name. AMEN.
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