When my husband and I first walked through the village of Coralstone before becoming snow birds I was immediately impressed by the beautiful lush foliage and flowers that seemed to be everywhere! House plants were outdoor plants on steroids. They were everywhere! As we walked through there was one particular plant that stood out to me amongst all the rest. It was peculiar with beautiful red flowers that seemed to peek out, from amongst the myriad of other plants.
As I looked closer, I was shocked to see that these flowers were on creepy looking stems that were loaded with sharp needle like thorns! It amazed me that these pretty flowers adorned such a terribly ugly brown and dead looking vine. While I loved the beautiful red flowers that had caught my eye the pedestal they sat upon did not encourage cutting to display these interesting flowers in the middle of my dining room table! I asked a neighbor what they were, and was told that they were called the “crown of thorns.”
I had heard that name before! I had read about the “crown of thorns” that was placed on the head of Jesus during His crucifixion. This vine had an eerie resemblance to the thorny crown used to mock the King of the Jews. I had seen pictures, of that sorrowful event, of blood dripping out of open puncture wounds and into the eyes of Jesus from that evil looking crown that had been forced down upon His head. Those wounds inflicted deep into the forehead of Jesus were minor compared to the spear wounds in His side.
I soberly stared for a moment, at this plant with the ugly, creepy brown looking vine with long, sharp, needle like spikes. I thought a lot about the crucifixion of Jesus I’d read about and seen in movies, but never thought much about the “Crown of Thorns”. I was paralyzed for a moment as a new reality of what Jesus had gone through, willingly for me, seeped deep into my heart.
As I learned more about the plants in our Coralstone village I learned that legend actually does associate this plant with the crown of thorns that was placed on the head of Jesus. It is also known as “Christ thorn” or “Christ plant.” It is native to Madagascar, and considered in many circles to be good luck. (I don’t necessarily believe in luck. I prefer to look at L U C K as the acronym for Living Under Christ kindness!)
The crown of thorns was considered an evergreen and the deep green leaves in which the bright red flowers nestled on the end of the vine stayed green all year long and never seemed to die. In my mind this plant and its distinctive characteristics run parallel to the death and life, of our Lord King JESUS who also never died after His death on the cross.
Just as at the end of that spiny, ugly dead looking vine, there is a beautiful beautiful red flower with its deep evergreen leaves on the top-So it is that by the ugly death of Jesus on the cross and painful thorny crown He wore was transformed as He rose from the grave, crowned with glory to offer us magnificent , everlasting life, if we choose to accept what He did for us on the cross!
God, so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not die, but have everlasting life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”
Yet many do not accept and believe. From scripture it is evident that even Pilate believed Jesus was who He said He was.
John 19:11-15
Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”
12 From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.” 13 When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). 14 It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon.
“Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews.
15 But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”
“Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked.
“We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered.
In the inscription above the cross Pilate wrote “JESUS THE NAZARENE, KING OF THE JEWS” this was written in three different languages, Hebrew, Latin, and in Greek.
John 19:21 says this “the chief priests of the Jews were saying to pilot, “do not write, the king of the Jews; but that he said, I am king of the Jews”. Pilate answered in verse 22 “what I have written I have written”
Hence He was crowned with a “crown of thorns.” But the graves could not hold this, Heavenly King!
Matthew 28:6
6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.
Luke 24:12, 14-35
12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
On the Road to Emmaus
14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.
17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”
They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
19 “What things?” he asked.
“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”
25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.”
Today I am humbly reminded of God’s grace and overwhelming love. Christs sacrifice for me, is beyond my comprehension. He suffered extreme pain and wore the “crown of thorns” for my sins And the sins of the entire world! However death did not defeat Him! Today we celebrate the victory of our risen savior! And life, everlasting, if we believe! Do YOU believe that Jesus who wore the “crown of thorns,” and exchanged it on the third day, for the “crown of glory,” was who He said He was?
Have a blessed Resurrection day, as we celebrate our King of kings!
This is the time of year when there is MUCH talk about being grateful and thankful. But lets face it. Life is hard! We don’t always feel like being thankful and content in our circumstances. We get into our little funks and before we know it the grass is looking much greener on the other side of the street;
March 26, 2020
OK so how is everybody doing? Praying for all of you! Life has taken on a new normal…
jeannie's Cross Road 