ROYALTY (4)
Crown of Rejoicing
As we continue our conversation on becoming royalty, let’s focus on the
fourth crown: Crown of Rejoicing. 1 Corinthians 9:25-27 says, “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For you are our glory and joy.”
(1 Thessalonians 2:19-20)
The Five Crowns
“Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which
the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:8)
“Blessed is the
man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to
those who love Him.”
(James 1:12)
“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.” (1 Corinthians 9:25)
“For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For you are our glory and joy.”
(1 Thessalonians 2:19-20)
“and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the
crown of glory that does not fade away.” (1 Peter 5:4)
The Crown of Rejoicing is for everyone who is a believer
in the Lord Jesus Christ who brings others to the saving knowledge of Him as their personal Savior. That’s
why it is also known as the “Soul Winner’s” crown.
So, the question you
must ask yourself: “Am I soul winner for Christ?
Well, to receive this reward, we must understand what the
qualifications are. As always, look to what the Word of God says. 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20,
“For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is
it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For you are our glory and joy.” What is the believer’s
hope? A believer’s hope is a confident expectation that Jesus is who He says He is, that He will
do what He said and that He is coming back again. Our hope can only be found in the one true God, Jesus Christ.
Genuine hope is not wishful thinking, but a firm assurance about things that are unseen and still in the future.
“For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man
seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for
it.” (Romans 8:24)
What is a believer’s joy?
A believer’s joy is more than happiness, which is based off of your feelings. A believer’s
joy is a strength that only comes from the Lord and that rises above our circumstances and focuses on the character of God.
“…for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah
8:10) A believer’s joy is supernatural and it is a choice to activate that supernatural strength
through faith. The Bible tells us to “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again
I say, Rejoice.” (Philippians 4:4)
The Crown
of Rejoicing actually is the joy of the believer who leads others to the knowledge of the Lord. It
is our hope, joy or rejoicing that we will see the souls we won for Christ in heaven with us. And we all
will get to meet Jesus Himself, face to face!
How can you be a “Soul Winner”?
- Win souls with your life: “Ye
are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:” (2 Corinthians 3:2) Your life should exemplify the
one who you say you believe in. One of my favorite quotes is from John Murray, “What
or whom we worship determines our behavior.” Question: When people
see you or “read” you, can they tell you’re a follower of Jesus Christ? If not,
why not?
- Win souls with your mouth: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses,
telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the
earth.” (Acts 1:8) Question: Do
you tell everyone you meet about Jesus and the sacrifice He made on the cross? If not, why not?
- Win souls with your
tithes and offerings:
“Remember this—a
farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous
crop.” (2
Corinthians 9:6) Question: Are you supporting your church’s vision
and mission by giving with joy to support the spread of the Gospel? If not, why not?
Don’t sit on the sidelines! Get involved with your life’s work here on
earth by bringing others into the light of salvation. We must develop the same type of love for the lost
as God has—we shouldn’t want anyone to perish. “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering
toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) “ For God so loved
the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) We must realize that the greatest work
that we have been given is to lead others to the saving power of Jesus Christ! Then, we can receive the
Crown of Rejoicing.
Next time we will discuss the final crown that we can receive, the Crown of Glory.
