A crown of thorns

John 19:2-3

And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, [3] And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands.

Every day that we live we should adore, worship, and thank our wonderful Savior for that which He endured on our behalf. Pilate was the governor of the region when Jesus lived, and after examining Jesus, could find no fault in Him at all. But as we can see through the story of Christ’s sufferings, Pilate capitulated to the crowds and to the leaders of the Jews. It was easier to crucify Jesus than to try to deliver Him from the angry, insolent mob. Therefore, he acquiesced and gave Him over to their hands. That is to say, he handed Jesus over into the hands of the evil, murderous, and morally depraved Roman soldiers. These men had nothing to lose, and would have a hay-day executing their diabolical plot against Jesus. Let us be clear, it was the Jews who betrayed Jesus, delivered Jesus to be crucified, and demanded that it be so done. But the Romans were the ones who actually executed the act. Therefore, we see that the Jews and the Gentiles both and equally had part in the crucifixion of the Lord of glory.

Now these evil men conceived of the worst ways possible to torture their captives. Therefore they platted a crown of thorns and placed it upon His head. Now, we must understand that these long and spiny thorns would have pierced the brow of the Lord, and dug deep into His flesh. Blood would run down immediately across His eyes and face. And they had a spiteful and wicked bout of glee when they began to mock His holy name. They said, with the thorns upon His head, “Hail, King of the Jews!” This they said, not because they believed Him to be a king, but because they were mocking what they believed to be an attempt to be the King of the Jews. But they did not know, that they were, in fact, crucifying the King of glory! The King of the Jews and Gentiles alike! The gentile Son of God who will one day rule as KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS! What a great awakening will come that day when Jesus comes in the clouds, and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him! What a day it will be when every knee will bow to Him, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord! They will not be bowing in mockery or ridicule, but with abject and lowest humility and fear, with not an ounce of pride present. What a glorious day when Christ reigns as King!

And now, as we mediate on these truths this morning, let us take the time to worship our wonderful Savior—the true King of the Jews, and the supreme ruler of all the Gentiles—the great King of all. Let us thank Him for the undeserved sufferings that He endured for us. Let us worship Him with bending knee and bowing heart, willingly worshipping the wonderful Son of God. Through His sufferings and through His humility and death, we now have salvation. If you read this today without having committed your life to Christ, and without having bent your knee to Him, you are advised with the utmost gravity to bend your knee now to Him. If you do not now, you will bend it to Him later, in the day that you will be judged and forever punished. You may escape the dread of the day by repenting and submitting to Him now. Do not wait! For the Christian, I say, worship Him now! Remember and never forget what He did for you!

“Dear Lord Jesus, how we praise and thank and worship you sincerely this day for the wonderful and amazing love that has bought our souls. And how we praise you for the sufferings that you endured on our behalf. We worship your precious name. We rejoice in our lovely King. May those who have never bowed before you be beckoned and compelled to turn to Christ this day. And may every Christian, small or great, worship their King anew, the One who was crowned with a crown of thorns. One day that crown shall not be thorny, but shall be forever glistening and forever glorious, crowning our Lord as the King of all! Keep our minds on this truth today! In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.”