Crowned with Glory

By Pastor Chad

As a pastor that has to prepare and present multiple messages and lessons each week, I understand the weight of bringing a fresh word with each sermon/lesson I give. To ensure I am always supplying a message that is spiritually beneficial and God-honoring, I stay very close to the text of Scripture. In fact, I am what is called an expository preacher. On Sunday mornings, I simply attempt to tell you what a passage of Scripture is saying–in the clearest, most effective way I can. Thus, my preaching ministry focuses on Sacred Scripture because as it promises: its word will never return void (Isaiah 55:11). 

The focus of Scripture itself is the gospel of Jesus Christ. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is pointing us to the redemptive work of Christ on the cross. And if we had to pinpoint a main element of the gospel, I would say it is the atonement. The atonement (to put it very simply) is the fact that Jesus died for our sins. He took our punishment. He bore the wrath of God in our place. The author of Hebrews says it quite nicely: “But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:9). This is an extraordinary statement. Here, we see a clear declaration that the death of Christ is sufficient to atone (or pay) for the sins of all of mankind. This gets to the heart of the gospel. Jesus died so that we can live. Jesus died so that we may be saved.

The good news of the good news is that Jesus died so that we may live. He died so that one may be removed from the wrath of God by repenting and believing in the gospel (i.e., the good news). And because of this triumph over sin and death, Jesus again reigns in heaven “crowned with glory and honor.” One’s inability to visibly see His cosmic heavenly reign in no way diminishes His dominion. One day, however, we can be assured that we will see Christ reign in fullness. On that day, all who follow Him will rule and reign with Him in the kingdom He has established.