Our Thorns Crown Our King

Last Sunday of the Church Year

Christ the King Sunday

November 23, 2014

Matthew 27:27-31

Our Thorns Crown Our King

†

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

A crown of thorns You're wearing,

My shame and scorn You're bearing

That I might ransomed be.

My bondsman, ever willing,

My place with patience filling,

From sin and guilt has made me free.

Paul Gerhardt

Upon the Cross Extended

Lutheran poet Paul Gerhardt wrote of the shameful-looking Jesus with our sins laid upon Him on the cross. He pictures the crown of thorns as our sin, our shame and scorn. Shame over the sins which we alone are aware, yet trouble us. Scorn from others, especially our family, for sins that hurt them. Shame and scorn are the fruit of our sinfulness. And Jesus takes up our sin-soaked crown and wore it to set you free from sin, shame, and scorn.

Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around Him. They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in His right hand and knelt in front of Him and mocked Him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" they said. They spit on Him, and took the staff and struck Him on the head again and again. After they had mocked Him, they took off the robe and put His own clothes on Him. Then they led Him away to crucify Him. 

Matthew 27:27-31

So many awful and amazing things here. These Roman soldiers are cruelly creative in mocking Jesus. But in their mockery they couldn't help but tell the truth about Jesus. They dressed Him as a king to ridicule Him, but their mockery, which ended 2,000 years ago, stands for all time as the truth that Jesus is the King.

Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now My kingdom is from another place."

"You are a king, then!" said Pilate.

Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." 

John 18:36-37

Jesus is the King, but He doesn't rule with laws or swords. He is a King who rules with the Truth. He came to Bethlehem and into this world in the flesh to preach the truth: that all humans are thorny sinners and that He is the One who saves sinners from their thorns by being crowned with them and wearing them on the cross.

But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.

Isaiah 53:5

His faithful sheep listen to Him, who is the Truth. And the truth is that our sharp thorns pierce Jesus. This means that Jesus suffered the painful awful punishment for our countless sins so that we will never go to the cross. Jesus willingly was crowned with the thorns we make. By His crown of our thorns, we will never be abandoned by our heavenly Father.

In the past many kings have been captured in battle and take prisoner. Their nobles and subjects then had to gather up heaps of treasure to pay the ransom.

Our superb King turns the tables forever. Instead of dying for king and country, our King died for all nations. Instead of demanding our treasure before He will save us, He ransomed Himself to His own justice and offered His own precious blood as the price for our freedom. Praise be to the King, who wears our crown of thorns!

A crown of thorns You're wearing,

My shame and scorn You're bearing

That I might ransomed be.

My bondsman, ever willing,

My place with patience filling,

From sin and guilt has made me free.

Paul Gerhardt

Upon the Cross Extended

In the name of the Father

and of the † Son

and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.