THE CROWN

Week Five, 2019

Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. Rev. 2:10

Recently at my check-up, my dentist told me I needed a crown, so I made an appointment. He ground away most of my teeth and then I was amazed at the next step. He put a small camera in my mouth which showed on the computer monitor as he built a 3d color picture and then he proceeded to “build” a crown image on the computer.

The next step fascinated me as he placed a small block of porcelain in a small machine which in full view physically built the crown in six minutes. Then it had to bake thirty minutes while I sipped on some coffee and read my email. Then the new crown was ready to install and cement in place. Then I was done.

Same day service for a crown. That is almost instantaneous. How can you beat that? Well Jesus can as we accept Him and instantaneously receive the crown of life.

Jesus references this crown when he tells the Church in Smyrna to “not be afraid of what you are about to suffer…Be faithful even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Eternal life is a free gift to everyone and anyone who believes in Jesus for it. You do not have to work your way to eternal life. Eternal life cannot be earned or kept by good works. The Crown of Life, however, is a reward for special acts of service and perseverance under trial.

The Crown of Life is a special reward for a special act of service and dedication to the King. So if you are experiencing severe temptation, trials, or persecution, be encouraged and persevere through them.

Just as a runner perseveres through the difficulties of the race so that he reaches the finish line and receives the reward, Jesus wants to put the Crown of Life upon your head when you reach the finish line after persevering through pain, trials, and persecution.

By offering this Crown, Jesus encourages us to stay strong, keep the course, and remain faithful, no matter what trials we face.

Keep your eyes on Jesus and serve him until you finish the race of earthly life.

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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

The Unchurched Next Door

1. 10% Highly Receptive to the Gospel

2. 27% Receptive to the Gospel

3. 36% Neutral to the Gospel

4. 21% Resistant to the Gospel

5. 5% Hostile to the Gospel

According to the A. C. Nielsen Company, the most esteemed media research group in the world, the typical American logs more than five hours in front of the TV every single day. In case you’re not a fan of math, I’ll do the calculating for you: That’s thirty-five hours a week, or seventy-seven days a year of uninterrupted idiot box watching. If Average Andy manages to keep up that prolific couch potato pace until he is eighty, he will have spent more than thirteen years of his life glued to the tube.

According to a Barna study, 64 percent of Americans think pro athletes have more influence in society than pastors.

Americans spend $100 billion on sports each year.

In 1965 less than 10 percent of college students said they “never” attend any religious services, compared to nearly 30 percent today. The Pew Research Center’s Michael Lipka reported that about 35 percent of adult millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) identify as atheist, agnostic, or “nothing in particular.” Far more Millennials say they have no religious affiliation compared with those who identify as evangelical Protestants (21%), Catholics (16%) or mainline Protestants (11%)

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QUOTES YOU CAN USE

He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have. —Socrates

Our God Is Able To Do Far More Abundantly Beyond All That We Ask

Bring your most daring petition, bring your most impossible requests, add others to them; let the whole church join together in their wildest desires and demands. There is no danger of exceeding the limits, His power is beyond all that we can ever ask. Martyn Lloyd Jones

God in His sovereignty has chosen to accomplish His mission through His church as they give, pray, love, serve, and go.

Some people should use a glue stick rather than a chapstick.

I haven’t lost my mind. Half of it wandered off and the other half is out looking for it.