What Kind of Crown for a King is This?

o      Thorny crown unsuited to King of Kings (Mt 27:29)

o      Crown represents what Jesus surrendered for our sake

II. The Perimeter of the Branches—The eternal entered time

o     Crown cyclical, but God eternal (Ps 90:2; Job 36:26)

o     'stallion of heaven’ shut into the corral of time

III. The Plaiting of the Crown—The boundless was bound

o    Weaving/twisting of thorny branches very deliberate (Mt 27:29 NASB / NIV / MSG)

o     Christ over creation submitted to bodily confines (Col 1:15)

o     Contrasts God’s omnipresence (Ps 139:7ff; Jer 23:24)

o     “Long walk part of gift”

IV. The Point of the Thorns—The sinless became sinful

o      Sin in Eden resulted in thorns and thistles (Gen 3:17f; Prov 22:5)

o      Governor’s misbehaviour prompts shameful resignation

o      Thorny lives indicative of inner evil (Mt 7:16; Heb 6:8)

o      Jesus’ cry on cross of forsakenness due to His becoming sin for us (Mt 27:46)

V. The Promise of the Crown—The unrighteous become right

o      Better crown of righteousness awaits those who long for Jesus’ appearing (2Tim 4:8)

o      Jesus Himself now crowned with glory and honour instead of thorns (Heb 2:9)

The Sacrificial Visitor

o      Eddie Rickenbacker kept saying ‘thanks’ to seagulls in old age

o      Miraculous answer to prayer saved lives of lost crew