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The Christian's Crown Of Life
SHALL IT BE MINE?
We have here an object, at once beautiful and immensely valuable. It is a crown-the crown of life. In Rev. ii. 10, we read, "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. Crowns are worn by earthly sovereigns to denote their royal character, official dignity, and dominion. On state occasions, crowns, sparkling with courtly splendor, deck the brows of princes, kings, and queens. The Christian has the promise of a crown. He is now a king in his minority. "There is laid up for me a crown of righteousness," is his triumphant utterance. 2 Tim. iv. 8. It is waiting for him in the "crownchamber" above. This crown will never fade away. The laurel wreath that rests upon the victor's brow withers, and he soon casts it aside as worthless. The brightest diadem of earth soon loses its lustre. But this crown always remains untarnished. "Ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." 1 Pet. v. 4. Try to win this crown. The worldling's crown is "corrupt BLACKBOARD ILLUSTRATIONS, &c. ible," the Christian's "incorruptible." 1 Cor. ix. 25. This crown is invested with great value.
Many things in this world are prized because they are rare and costly. "The Queen of England wears a crown of gold, filled with diamonds and precious stones, worth $20,000,000." One of the Queen's crown jewels alone is valued at $1,500,- 000. But here is a crown surpassing the value of all the crowns of earth combined. It outshines them, outweighs them, outlasta them.
Remember that the crown is to follow the cross. One ha. said, "After the cross cometh the crown." Bear the cross, if you would wear the crown. "Forty brave soldiers of the Thundering Legion were called to adjure Christ or die. One of them said, 'Let us forty ask God to send us to our crowns together." "--Foster. They laid down forty crosses and took up forty crowns. A dying saint caught a glimpse of the crownchamber, and shouted, "Crowns! crowns! crowns of glory shall adorn this head of mine ere long." Ask the question earnestly, "Shall the crown be mine " Hold fast, that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown." Rev. iii. 11. "The crown that worldlings covet, Is not the crown for me; Its beauty fades as quickly As sunshine on the sea." "So run that ye may obtain." 1 Cor. ix. 24.