The crown could be yours
When it comes to eternal rewards, Jesus and the New Testament writers used a number of analogies to describe the kinds of rewards which God will bestow on those who faithfully partner with Him. One particular word picture that shows up several times is receiving a crown. Sometimes, crown-rewards are specific to particular groups, while earning other crown-rewards are open to all believers.
Crowns designate both power and authority. Some commentators have equated God bestowing a crown with our modern-day practice of a soldier earning a medal. The medal itself does not contain valor, but instead declares the owner to have earned the reward through courage, bravery, or heroism.
The first crown we’ll look at is available for those who have put in the effort to care for and disciple other believers. Take a look at what Peter had to say:
1 Peter 5:1-4
I exhort the elders among you as a fellow elder and witness to the sufferings of Christ, as well as one who shares in the glory about to be revealed. Shepherd God’s flock among you, not overseeing out of compulsion but willingly, as God would have you; not out of greed for money but eagerly; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.
And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
The first thing I notice is that Peter confidently states there will be glory revealed in the future, and for those who shepherd God’s flock, it is possible to have a share of that glory.
How cool would that be? When the Chief Shepherd appears, when Christ returns, those who have faithfully led in his stead will receive the unfading crown of glory. Those who have devoted time and effort to developing others will be publicly recognized by God and clearly identifiable for everyone else!
But this isn’t just “lead a Sundy School class for 6 months and get a crown” type of thing. This isn’t a participation ribbon everyone can receive…Peter says that our motives are part of the evaluation:
1 Peter 5:2-3
Shepherd God’s flock among you, not overseeing out of compulsion but willingly, as God would have you; not out of greed for money but eagerly; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.
So, God will not only consider where we lead, but also how we lead. Selfish motives will disqualify us from earning the crown of glory. This reminds me of a similar warning from James, the brother of Jesus:
James 3:1
Not many should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we will receive a stricter judgment.
Stepping into leadership in God’s family is not to be taken lightly. But the rewards are great – participating in someone’s spiritual growth, helping them think/speak/act like Jesus is absolutely incredible. Investing in others and seeing them grow is personally satisfying and fulfills Jesus’ Great Commission command. God thinks this kind of work is incredible, too, and He has a special reward for those who partner with Him to shepherd His flock.
But what if that’s not you? What if you have other gifts/talents/abilities that do not focus on leadership/discipleship? First, there are many different rewards (and crowns!) that are still available. We’ll go over them in the coming weeks.
And second, what can you do to support those in your church who do the hard work of shepherding? I’m sure they can use some encouragement, and all of us can be encouragers. How great would it be to see the pastors and leaders of your church earn this crown?
Keep Pressing,
Ken