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A Crown of Life, Glory and Righteousness II Timothy 4:6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. The Apostle Paul knew that the time of his martyrdom was very close. He is writing to Timothy to encourage him to be bold in preaching the gospel. Paul gave Timothy an apostolic charge that was witnessed by the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the judge of the living and the dead. We were also given such a charge by the Lord Jesus Himself. We are to go into the whole world, preaching, baptizing, healing the sick and casting out demons Mt. 28:19-20; Mk. 16:15-16. If we slack off and fail to fulfill our commission, what will we tell our Judge when we appear before Him? Timothy is to make full proof of his ministry by preaching the word. Let me repeat that, PREACH THE WORD! He is to reprove (convince), rebuke and exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. The time would be coming when men would not endure sound doctrine. Because of their itching ears they would turn to fables, preferring that their prophets would prophesy smooth things and deceits (Isa. 30:10). Isn’t that very prevalent today? You’d better believe it. Timothy is to do the work of an evangelist, watching in all things and enduring afflictions. Paul wasn’t telling Timothy to do anything that he hadn’t done himself. When Paul was struck down on the road to Damascus, Jesus showed him the things that he would have to suffer for his name (Acts 9:16). This didn’t deter Paul one bit. He actually rejoiced in his sufferings. He didn’t feel that our present suffering could be compared to the future glory that will be revealed in us (Rom. 8:18). Peter also told us to rejoice when we suffer for Christ, as we look for His glory that will be revealed. At that time we’ll forget the suffering and have exceeding joy (I Peter 4:13). After the apostles had been beaten and forbidden to speak in the name of Jesus, they rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name (Acts 5:41). In II Corinthians 11:23-28, Paul describes some of the things he had suffered. He states that he had labored much harder than others and had been beaten and imprisoned more than they and had been subject to death more often. Five times he had been whipped with thirty nine stripes. Three times he had been beaten with rods. Once he was stoned and three times he suffered shipwreck. He traveled much and was subject to perils of water, robbers, the heathen and his own people. Perils in the city and the wilderness, and worst of all, perils of false brethren. Besides all that he had the care of the churches. Our small sufferings don’t really compare, do they? Christians in the past have suffered and been martyred for the name of Jesus and people around the world are still suffering and dying. We in the western world are largely immune from this. However, we shouldn’t be unmindful and insensitive to their sufferings. Paul was looking forward to seeing Jesus and receiving a crown of righteousness. (In other places it is referred to as a crown of life (Ja. 1:12) and a crown of glory (I Pet. 5:4; Rev. 2:20). This crown of righteousness was reserved not only for him, but for all of those who looked forward to the coming of Jesus with anticipation. I believe that our crown will be much more than what we may wear on our heads. I believe we will be crowned with God’s approval. Malachi 3:17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. We will be crowned with eternal life: I Timothy 6:19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. We will be like Jesus, when we see Him as He is (I Jo. 3:2). We will receive a crown of glory. I believe that we will share in the glory of God that illuminates the heavenly city. Ancient crowns were worn by royalty to denote their exalted position. Crowns were awarded to generals who were victorious in battle. Some were awarded for heroic deeds and others to winning athletics. While some crowns were made of gold, others were simply wreaths of various vegetation and others of assorted woods. These materials would decay over time. Not so our everlasting eternal crown! I Peter 5:4 tells us that we have an undefiled and incorruptible inheritance reserved in heaven for us, that will never fade away. Another aspect of a crown is authority. Scripture tells us that we will be kings and priests unto God and that we will reign on the earth (Rev. 1:6, 5:10). Jesus said that his servants who had been faithful over a few things, would be rulers over all His goods (Mt. 25:45,47). In the parable of the talents a certain nobleman (Jesus) went into a far country to receive a kingdom. He gave his servants various sums of money to invest until he returned. One servant had been given ten pounds and gained another ten. He was made ruler over ten cities. Likewise the servant who was given five pounds and made another five, was given authority over five cities. However, one fellow was fearful and failed to invest the money he had been given. His Lord wasn’t very pleased. He took his one talent and gave it to the man who had ten. In Matthew 25, there is a similar parable involving pounds. There, the unprofitable servant was cast into outer darkness, where there would be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Mt. 25:30). Which servant do we want to be? Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Revelation 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they [also] which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. 1John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. Heb. 12:21 ¶ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. So, let us run with patience the course that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith, (Heb. 12:1-2). The course that is set before me is obviously different than that which was set before the apostles, but I do have a course to run nonetheless. Our tasks may seem small and insignificant compared to some great evangelist, but if they weren't necessary, they wouldn't have been assigned to us. This devotional may seem small to some, but I feel it is an assigned task from the Lord and I pray that I'll always be faithful to what God has given. We are now in our ninth year and our subscriber list seems to hover just over 600. Naturally I would like for it to be bigger, but it's up to the Lord to determine that. Marie and I have a Saturday bible study at a senior assisted living facility. I get more joy and satisfaction from this simple task than I ever felt preaching to a larger crowd. Most of these folks are in their nineties, but the word of God was embedded in their hearts long ago, and it is such a joy share the word and fellowship with them. Whatever the task, we look for the day that we hear Jesus say, “Well done, [thou] good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” It has been said: No Cross, No Suffering, No Crown. Free Ebooks That You Can Download. An Expository Study on the Book of Colossians The I AMs of Jesus Your thoughts and Inquiries Contact@About-Him.Com Subscribe to this devotional? Subscribe to About-Him Devotional Keep Looking Up! Don and Marie Spooner About Him! Ministries The purpose of About-Him.Com is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ whom we preach as the Almighty God manifest in the flesh. It is our desire that everything presented on these pages increases your faith in our God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 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