Devotional
for the Week of 24th March 2008
The
Crown and the Cross
Scripture Text: John
12: 20-28
Introduction
When Jesus announced that “the hour has come”,
His disciples had thought that they were going to
receive their crown and obtain reward and honour.
Their response had been shaped by earlier events
in John 12:12 when Jesus’ made His triumphant
entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, and raised
Lazarus from the dead in John 12:1. They even began
to argue who was the greatest among them.
On
the other hand, Jesus had a very different perspective.
Instead of the crown, He had the Cross in mind.
He told the story about the grain of wheat that
was willing to die and give up its identity as a
seed in order to germinate and bear even more seeds.
Through this, Jesus painted a very different picture
of “the hour” that was to come –
death, instead of glory. Jesus had to lay down His
life for the sake of saving many. Even as He spoke,
His heart grew troubled (John 12:27) but He still
chose to respond in obedience saying, “Father,
glorify your name!” (John 12:28).
Jesus’
death on the Cross had always been in God’s
plans. It was His way of saving mankind (Colossians
1:14) and to provide a way to overcome our sinful
flesh (Romans 6:11). Only through the Cross are
we dead to sin and alive in Christ (Galatians 2:20).
As
humans, we often put the crown before the cross
through several means:
Putting
the Cross before the Crown
We don’t realize that it is precisely all
these “good things” that hold us in
bondage. While Jesus promises us abundance and blessings,
this does not come before the Cross. Even when our
Lord’s heart was troubled, He still persisted
in the Father’s will (John 12:27). From our
Lord, we learn to obey and submit to God even though
the cruel cross is before us. We must follow our
Lord in taking up our cross. While our cross may
not necessarily be like that of Jesus’, we
should still maintain the same attitude in the surrendering
of our wills to our Father. We can do so through
daily submission and obedience to Christ.
It
may appear to the world that we hate our lives for,
by its standards, it is only natural that one guards
one’s own interests. However, we are liberated
to first take up that which God intends. While we
may look and wish for the better things in life,
we, as followers of our Lord Jesus, must place the
Cross before the crown. As we “seek ye first
the kingdom of God, all these things shall be added
unto us.” (Matthew 6:33)
Conclusion
Let us seek the will of God first, willingly giving
up our crowns of ambition, health, career and so
forth, so as to take up our cross and follow our
Saviour wholly.
Prayer
Response
Lord Jesus, You endured great suffering to glorify
our Father’s name. Lord, when I think about
how You laid down Your life for me, I offer up my
life anew to You. Today, I willingly surrender all
the crowns in my life. Where You are, there I also
long to be. Lord, let me take up my cross and follow
You whole-heartedly. May Your wonderful peace be
in my heart. Amen.
Devotional
based on sermon by Pastor Lim Jen Huat