2024-05-05 Sermon 1 - Daniel Lyons' Notes

type:
  - "[[Sermon Notes|Sermon Notes]]"
speaker: "[[Archibald Allison]]"
date: 2024-05-05
location: "[[Emmaus Orthodox Presbyterian Church]]"
passage: "[[Matt-27#v29|Matthew 27:29]]"
sermon series:
sermon link:
subjects:
title: Jesus Crowned with Thorns
takeaways:
publish: true

💡Big Idea

Takeaways and Next Steps

Remember Jesus' crown of thorns.

📖Bible Passage

Matthew 27:29

v29

They braided a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand; and they kneeled down before him and mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!"

Points

The soldiers mocked and tortured Jesus before His crucifixion.
As part of their mocking they placed a crown of thorns on Him:
- This was a mockery of Jesus' Kingly identity:
  - They gave Him a scarlet robe
  - They gave Him a crown of thorns
  - They gave Him a reed (presumably to be used as a sort of sceptre)
  - They taunted Him, sarcastically: Hail, King of the Jews!
- If Jesus is King why did He not stop this abuse?
  - The answer is because it was necessary that these things should be fulfilled.
    - These things were prophesied
      - e.g. Psalm 22. Isaiah 53
      - Yet these men were still responsible for their own wickedness.
        
        God is never the author of sin.
      - The sinfulness of these mocking soldiers is a reflection of our own sinfulness.
        
        Every one of our sins is another thorn in Christ's crown
        
        We mock Him when we make hypocritical professions of allegiance to Him.
        
        Every time we mock someone else, or treat them as anything less than the image of God, we are mocking God.
        
        If you are not saved today, then you are no better than these soldiers.
The crown shows us that Jesus is the great high priest
- Historically, the great high priest in the temple has always worn a crown, a magnificent headpiece. But Jesus's crown is quite unique, made of thorns.
- The thorn is the symbol of God's curse against us sinners.
  - Genesis 3:17-18 : the land will yield thorns. This was God's curse against sinful man.
  - Hebrews 6:7-8: but if it bears thorns and thistles, it is rejected and near being cursed, whose end is to be burned.
- These soldiers are taking the symbol of sin and crowning God with it.
  - ❓ How could God who cannot overlook sin, allow His Son to be crowned with the very symbol of sin?
- Christ the great high priest comes to represent man, with a crown of thorns upon His head.
  - This is the crown that we deserved, the crown of substitution.
- Thank God! That we as sinners never need to know the pain of wearing the crown of thorns, because Jesus has worn it for us in our place.
- Though it was the soldiers who placed this crown, it was God who was working behind them and through them to make this happen.
  - Yet Jesus did not, could not, and would not respond to this abuse.
    - Though He could have called down fire from Heaven, obliterating God's enemies with just a word, yet He did not. Why?
      - so that He would be a suitable substitute for us sinners.
      - Jesus was the second Adam.
        
        Through the first Adam we receive the curse of thorns.
        
        But through Jesus, the second Adam, we receive blessing through the crown of thorns.
What should our response to this be?
- First we should consider what we actually deserved.
- Second, we should consider what grace we received and how greatly is cost Christ.
Is Christ your substitute?
- Perhaps you think I have met many difficulties, and I have endured through them all without Jesus.
  - Can you endure the wrath of punishment for your sins without Jesus?
    - Surely you have earned your crown of thorns.
- No, do not go on as you are. You need this crowned Savior
  - You will either live by the cross or perish by the cross.
The crown shows us that Jesus is the King
- Jesus was hailed as King: Matthew 27:29, 37
- We need not only a priest and a prophet to intercede for us.
- We also need a King to rule over us and guide us and love us.
  - If Jesus is willing to give this much for you, then you can be certain that He will do all that is necessary, until He accomplishes your finished salvation.
    - Hebrews calls this so great a salvation
The crown shows Jesus' incomprehensible love for us.

Application

use this crown as medicine for
- all your spiritual ailments
  - When you are afflicted remember, none of my afflictions even begin to compare to the affliction on Christ
- all your temptations
  - Will I flirt with sin after He gave me so great a love and salvation
- remember that Christ is also an example:
  - If Christ was silent while reviled, then so should I be.
  - 1 Peter 2:21-23 : When he was cursed, he didn't curse back. When he suffered, he didn't threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously.
- use this crown of thorns as a call to justice
  - crown Him with many crowns
  - profess Jesus Christ as our only King
  - Give Christ the crown He deserves, not this mocking crown.
- rest in the safety of this crown of thorns.
  - There is no safer place.
    - Revelation 22:3-5 : There will be no curse any more.

Further Study

💬Discussion Questions

2024-05-05 Sermon 1

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