During our COVID-19 shutdown, Pastor Zekveld plans to provide a personal reflection each weekday.
A Tale of Two Crowns
It’s a tale of two crowns. That expression comes from an interview Colin Hansen did with John Lennox on his forthcoming book, “Where is God during COVID-19?”
The name COVID-19 stands for Corona Virus Disease 2019 – because that’s the year this particular version of the coronavirus first appeared.
As you likely know, corona is the Latin word for ‘crown.’ It’s called the coronavirus because under a microscope its surface is shaped like a crown.
But the fact that this virus is shaped like a crown makes it no prettier. It’s ugly, it’s nasty, it’s an enemy, and joins a long list of global epidemics that have brought suffering and upheaval to society. We see people isolated, sick and dying. We see markets plunging, businesses closing, and workers losing their jobs. We meet fear and discouragement.
Satan wants this corona to rule our lives and make us its subjects and its prisoners.
But there’s another crown, a far more powerful one to remember today and everyday. It’s the crown of King Jesus. This Sunday we join many churches around the world to celebrate Palm Sunday, the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem and was publicly acclaimed and announced as the King.
As Christians we celebrate His coronation, His corona, His crown. Jesus is our King forever!
And what a great King He is! – not a disease, but our Deliverer. Not a virus, but our Victor. Not a sickness, but our Saviour. Many kings, like a virus, are out to oppress, exploit and trample their people in pursuit of their own glory, wealth and power. But this King is altogether different.
On Palm Sunday about 2,000 years ago He chose to come riding into Jerusalem not on a proud white horse, but on the colt of a donkey, a beast of burden. Jesus is a humble king. His heart is kind; His hand is compassionate. He came to help the poor and needy, to heal the diseased and blind, to raise the dead. He came to forgive sin. He came that we might have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10)
As a King, He came not to be served but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45)
The crown He bore was a crown of thorns and the throne He mounted was a cross. He did this all for us. We deserve eternal suffering, curse and death for our sins against God. But He sent His Son to earth to be our King and rescue us. As our King, Jesus took our place in the agonies of hell in order to lift us up to the glories of heaven. His kingdom is out of this world!
Now that Jesus has rescued us, dressed in His thorn-crown and hanging from His cross-throne, He has been taken up to heaven where He our all-powerful King, continues to hear our prayers, help us, sympathize with us in our sufferings, and strengthen us through life’s journey until we reach our final destination – victory and joy forever and ever with Jesus in God’s heavenly kingdom!
Do you want this Man to be your King and His crown to rule your life? Believe in Him. He will save you from your sins and share His glorious life with you!
These days, coronavirus dominates the headlines, our governments, the markets, our thoughts, our work and conversations. Satan wants this dark and deadly crown to dominate our lives. He wants to drive us to despair.
But the victory belongs to King Jesus who destroyed this diseased crown. He carried its curse with Him to the cross, killed it in His death, buried it in His grave, and then rose again to give life to the world.
Under His crown, we are secure. In His crown, we conquer. For His crown, we live and serve. In Jesus we have a kingdom that lasts forever, even after all the kingdoms, powers and wealth of this world have been destroyed.
So let’s remember the crown of King Jesus today and everyday. No matter how deep the waters and worries all around you, let that King and that crown dominate you. He sees you and loves you right where you are. He has only good stored up for you. Following Him, you will receive a throne and a crown that will never perish.
Take a Sabbath from your worries this Lord’s Day and re-focus your life on King Jesus. Stay in His Word. Stay in contact with His people. Focus on the work He is doing through missionaries around the world. Jesus’ crown and kingdom are infinitely bigger than any other crown that’s trying to rule our world today.