Casting Crowns
In the book of Revelation, the first thing the apostle John saw (after Christ spoke to him about the seven churches) was Almighty God sitting on a throne in heaven. Around the throne were twenty-four elders, each wearing a Golden Crown!
In the center of the circle of elders, close to the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes. Whenever these creatures give glory, honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, the twenty-four elders fall down and worship Him and cast their crowns at His feet.”
The idea of crowns is well documented in the Bible. Just as a soldier is given special medals and ribbons to commemorate bravery, skill, achievements, and service, one day believers will also receive different crowns. There is a Crown of Life (James 1:12,) a Crown of Glory (1Peter 5:4,) a Crown of Righteousness (2Timothy 4:8,) and a Crown of Rejoicing (1Thessalonians 2:19.)
Each believer only gets one crown, but there will be jewels or special markings in our crowns that will clearly show all the awards and honors we’ve received. Some believers think everyone will receive the same reward in heaven, and identical crowns, but that is not true. Christ’s followers are saved by grace through faith and obedience, but rewarded for works.
A good example of this is 1 Corinthians 3:8: “The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.” (NIV) Also, in the parable of the sower of seed in Mark 4:20, the good soil represents those who hear the word, receive it, and produce a crop, some yielding a hundred times, others sixty times, and still others thirty times the amount that was planted.
The Bible makes it clear that those who work hard, make great sacrifices, or keep themselves extra pure will be given special recognition in heaven. In Christ’s instructions to the church in Sardis, He said, “You have some in Sardis who have not soiled their garments with evil deeds. They shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.” (Revelations 3:4.) “Another reason we will cast our crowns at the LORD’s feet is to show that He deserves all the praise. Heaven is about the LORD, not us. He alone deserves the glory.
Casting our crowns at God’s feet is a good way to show that He deserves all the honor, praise, recognition, and thanks…another reason believers will give their crowns back to Almighty God is to show that we didn’t serve Him to get a reward. We served Him out of love. You see, in order to walk with Jesus for any length of time, you must come to the place where you serve Him out of love.” And believers will lay their crowns at Jesus’ feet by the example of the ancient custom of brides and grooms exchanging wedding gifts.
The question is, “What gift can we offer the One who has given us everything? Truth be told, it doesn’t take a lot of effort to say, “I praise you, Lord.” Like the widow in Mark 12, who put all her living into the temple treasury while the others only put in their surplus, sacrifice is the only way to truly impress Jesus. One of the best wedding gifts we can give Jesus is to befriend people who don’t know Him, invite them to a small group, and help them come to Christ.
The apostle Paul told the Thessalonians that they would be his crown of glory in heaven. “What gives us hope and joy, and what is our reward and crown? It is you! Yes, you will bring us much joy as we stand together before the Lord Jesus when He comes back again.” (1Thessalonians 2:19 TEV) How embarrassing it will be for those who have no wedding gift to lay at Christ’s feet in Heaven! For all eternity, they will regret that they failed to store up any treasure in heaven, as the Bible instructs.
1. Why is it important that we come to the place where we serve God out of Love and not just to avoid hell? Love is the greatest motivator in the universe. Believers who serve God so they won’t go to hell soon are distracted by the things of this world and gradually backslide. Fear is not strong enough to force us to serve God.
2. How do acts of sacrifice, like reaching out to lost souls, magnify our praise and make it more meaningful to God than verbal praise alone? In John 14:15, Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will obey what I command.” Talk is cheap. Acts of sacrifices that require us to set aside our own wants and desires are tangible proof that we love Jesus.
3. How does storing up treasure in heaven help keep us saved, and increase the likelihood that we will go to heaven? The things of this world distract us from heaven. In the parable of the sower, the cares of this world and the desire for wealth choked out the Word in some believers, and they backslid [Mark 4:19]. Those who store up treasure in heaven often have their mind on heavenly things—and this helps keep them saved.
4. What wedding gift are you preparing here on earth to present to Jesus at the Wedding Feast of the Lamb in heaven? Souls I have witnessed to and helped save, good deeds, fasting, prayers, etc.
In the center of the circle of elders, close to the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes. Whenever these creatures give glory, honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, the twenty-four elders fall down and worship Him and cast their crowns at His feet.”
The idea of crowns is well documented in the Bible. Just as a soldier is given special medals and ribbons to commemorate bravery, skill, achievements, and service, one day believers will also receive different crowns. There is a Crown of Life (James 1:12,) a Crown of Glory (1Peter 5:4,) a Crown of Righteousness (2Timothy 4:8,) and a Crown of Rejoicing (1Thessalonians 2:19.)
Each believer only gets one crown, but there will be jewels or special markings in our crowns that will clearly show all the awards and honors we’ve received. Some believers think everyone will receive the same reward in heaven, and identical crowns, but that is not true. Christ’s followers are saved by grace through faith and obedience, but rewarded for works.
A good example of this is 1 Corinthians 3:8: “The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.” (NIV) Also, in the parable of the sower of seed in Mark 4:20, the good soil represents those who hear the word, receive it, and produce a crop, some yielding a hundred times, others sixty times, and still others thirty times the amount that was planted.
The Bible makes it clear that those who work hard, make great sacrifices, or keep themselves extra pure will be given special recognition in heaven. In Christ’s instructions to the church in Sardis, He said, “You have some in Sardis who have not soiled their garments with evil deeds. They shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.” (Revelations 3:4.) “Another reason we will cast our crowns at the LORD’s feet is to show that He deserves all the praise. Heaven is about the LORD, not us. He alone deserves the glory.
Casting our crowns at God’s feet is a good way to show that He deserves all the honor, praise, recognition, and thanks…another reason believers will give their crowns back to Almighty God is to show that we didn’t serve Him to get a reward. We served Him out of love. You see, in order to walk with Jesus for any length of time, you must come to the place where you serve Him out of love.” And believers will lay their crowns at Jesus’ feet by the example of the ancient custom of brides and grooms exchanging wedding gifts.
The question is, “What gift can we offer the One who has given us everything? Truth be told, it doesn’t take a lot of effort to say, “I praise you, Lord.” Like the widow in Mark 12, who put all her living into the temple treasury while the others only put in their surplus, sacrifice is the only way to truly impress Jesus. One of the best wedding gifts we can give Jesus is to befriend people who don’t know Him, invite them to a small group, and help them come to Christ.
The apostle Paul told the Thessalonians that they would be his crown of glory in heaven. “What gives us hope and joy, and what is our reward and crown? It is you! Yes, you will bring us much joy as we stand together before the Lord Jesus when He comes back again.” (1Thessalonians 2:19 TEV) How embarrassing it will be for those who have no wedding gift to lay at Christ’s feet in Heaven! For all eternity, they will regret that they failed to store up any treasure in heaven, as the Bible instructs.
1. Why is it important that we come to the place where we serve God out of Love and not just to avoid hell? Love is the greatest motivator in the universe. Believers who serve God so they won’t go to hell soon are distracted by the things of this world and gradually backslide. Fear is not strong enough to force us to serve God.
2. How do acts of sacrifice, like reaching out to lost souls, magnify our praise and make it more meaningful to God than verbal praise alone? In John 14:15, Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will obey what I command.” Talk is cheap. Acts of sacrifices that require us to set aside our own wants and desires are tangible proof that we love Jesus.
3. How does storing up treasure in heaven help keep us saved, and increase the likelihood that we will go to heaven? The things of this world distract us from heaven. In the parable of the sower, the cares of this world and the desire for wealth choked out the Word in some believers, and they backslid [Mark 4:19]. Those who store up treasure in heaven often have their mind on heavenly things—and this helps keep them saved.
4. What wedding gift are you preparing here on earth to present to Jesus at the Wedding Feast of the Lamb in heaven? Souls I have witnessed to and helped save, good deeds, fasting, prayers, etc.
