John 15:18-19: “If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”
During the days of the Crusades, there was a man named Godfrey de Bouillon who was a victorious leader in battle. As he and his soldiers came into the city of Jerusalem his soldiers wanted him to wear a crown of gold to proclaim his victory but Godfrey refused to wear it stating, “how can I wear a crown of gold in the city my Lord wore a crown of thorns?” His statement reminds us that we should not seek honor or fame from a world that hated, rejected and killed our King, Jesus Christ.
True disciples of Jesus should not seek or expect a world that is poisoned and corrupted by sin to treat us with honor or respect. If they hated Jesus and “killed the Author of life” (Acts 3:15), they will do the same with all of the true disciples of Jesus. Christians must not be shocked when the world rejects, hates and even puts a crown of thorns on them! True disciples of Jesus must never seek to be loved by the world!
I John 2:15: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
The world mocked Jesus as a king by crushing a crown of thorns on His head and then hitting Him with a reed. Those who believe in the one who wore the crown of thorns as their Savior and Lord are not only forgiven of sins but also made righteous in Christ. II Corinthians 5:21: “For our sake (believers), He (Father) made Him (Jesus) to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”
The crown of thorns signify that sin and God’s wrath was placed upon Jesus so that “all who receive Him, who believe in His name, He gave the right to become children of God who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God.” (John 1:12-13)
The crowns of thorns was temporary worn by Jesus to pay the price of sin. One day Jesus will return to earth riding a white horse as a conquering King and wearing His true crowns of glory, righteousness, justice and judgment!
Revelation 19:11-13: “Then I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire and on His head are many diadems (crowns) and He has a name written that no one knows but Himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood and the name by which He is called is The Word of God.”
Revelation 19:16: “On His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”
Even though we receive a crown of thorns from the world one day King Jesus will exchange this crown with crowns of reward that we will have the joy of casting at the feet of Jesus in worship saying, “Worthy are You our Lord and God to receive glory and honor and power for you created all things and by your will they existed and were created.” (Revelation 4:11)
What a blessed gift of God’s grace to be rejected by the world but received by God through Jesus Christ the King of kings and Lord of lords. Jesus is the only one who wears the Eternal Crown of Glory!