Our Crown Of Rejoicing

“For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy.” (1Th 2:19-20 AV)

 

One of the deepest sources of joy for the saint is the lives he or she has touched with the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The crown of rejoicing is often referred to as the soulwinner’s crown.  One of the five crowns associated with the faithful saint.  It is often spoken these five crowns are those which are cast at the feet of Jesus upon our arrival to glory and following the judgment seat of Christ.  Paul is referring to the people he and his team have won to the LORD.  Specifically, he is speaking of those who have been converted and are part of the church at Thessalonica.  These people are the product of Paul’s great sacrifice while preaching on the mission field.  These dear folks responded to his ministry and grew in the LORD.  When hard times came and joy was scarce, he could ponder the lives he was privileged to impact for the glory of God.  When persecutions arose, no matter what the torture, there was something his haters could not take.  That is the souls who would be in heaven because of his faithfulness to preach the gospel.

It is also important to let those with whom you have had a ministry to, just how important they are to you and how much of a source of joy they are.  Ministry is difficult.  Ministry exacts costs that cannot be foreseen and if known beforehand, probably would not have been paid.  There are highs and lows in ministry.  There are great meetings when the LORD really moves and many hearts are changed.  There are other times when it seems like the congregation is not very unified.  There are times the baptismal waters stir.  Other times it seems like the only thing that is stirring is opposition to your churches’ presence.  There are times of wonderful fellowship.  There are many more times of deep loneliness.  There is a multitude of times of self-doubt or relevance.  One asks self-abasing questions like:  does it really matter that I am here?  How many lives have I really impacted?  Someone else could do a better job than me.  Or, we can begin to be discouraged over one soul that falls away rather than the 99 that are still there.  We wonder if our effort is really worth it.  We ponder if ministry truly matters at all.  What impact do I really make?  If all of a sudden, I was missing, would I really be missed?  There are times of personal defeat.  Times that we fall into sin and wonder if God would ever use us again.  We become overly critical of our lack of faith and begin to doubt our future.  We hear gossip, read a FB post, or notice those who were with you are no longer.  We look at the negative of ministry and almost want to call it quits.  How do we get through it?

In part, we contemplate on those lives that have been changed.  As we sit in persecution with little to no opportunity, we rejoice that along life’s way, God used us to lead someone else to Christ and they are still standing strong.  Those who have no joy in life may be those who impact others the least.  Recently, a good friend of mine related how his entire Sunday School class he had a decade ago, was all in church on the same Sunday.  Now, there is a crown of rejoicing!  The world will continue to be a black and dark place.   But that doesn’t mean we lack anything in which to rejoice.  We can have joy unspeakable and full of glory as we mull over in the mind years of faithful service resulting in a changed life here and there.  It is a good thing to remember.  It is a good thing to look at those pictures of days gone by and recall how wonderful it was to teach a Sunday School class, lead and youth class, or win someone to Christ.