Address—R. Reeves
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General Meetings Wheaton, July 1982. Gospel by Ron Reeves.
Would you please stand with me and sing a couple of hymns?
You'll be sitting for 30 or 40 minutes and so.
It would probably do us all good to stand up and sing.
Let's start singing #17.
Have you any room for Jesus?
He Who bore the Load of Sin.
As he knocks and seeks admission, Sinner, will you let him in?
#17
have you?
Seen.
Sailor, will you like him in?
When my hearts are widely.
On the wild.
How are you at a time?
Party's house.
Sitting crazy calls again.
Oh, today is time at Saturday.
Tomorrow.
You can call in pain.
Fall for Jesus Walao.
Hey.
Swear.
Let's remain standing and sing #23. Behold, behold the Lamb of God.
On the cross for us he shed his precious blood.
On the cross?
University.
Of.
Dreams.
On the road.
Book of Hebrews, chapter one.
A book of Hebrews, chapter one.
God.
Who at sundry times?
And in divers manners.
Spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets.
Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son?
Whom he hath appointed heir of all things.
By whom also he made the world's.
Tonight we're going to talk about God.
We have just read some very wonderful things.
We have read that God.
Spoke in different ways.
He spoke through different people, His prophets.
But we're told that at the end of that period.
Of speaking through His prophets.
That he spoke.
In a very wonderful manner.
It says he spoke to us by his son.
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It is that that I would like to speak to you about tonight.
That God has spoken to us.
In his son.
I might illustrate that this way.
It would be.
An honor to receive.
A message from the president of this country.
By means of one of his staff members.
It would certainly be an honor.
But how much greater an honor it would be to have the president himself speak to us.
And I believe that's the thought we have in the verses which we have read.
That after that period of time when God had spoken.
In different times and in different ways, by means of different servants.
The time came when he spoke.
To us by his own son.
And dear friends, that's equivalent to say that God has.
Spoken unto us directly.
And so we are very honored.
And we are very responsible.
That God himself.
The very Son of God.
Who is God should speak to us.
Now I would like to.
Go to verse 3, which really forms the main subject that I would like to speak about.
And I would like to notice in this third verse.
That there are.
3 crowns.
Given to us.
And I would like to spend the next few minutes that we're together.
Speaking about the three crowns.
Of our Lord Jesus Christ.
There is the crown of his deity.
There is the Crown of Thorns.
That speaks to us of His sacrifice.
And there is the crown of glory and honor that he now wears.
And so let's consider these three crowns.
And we'll find them in this third verse.
It says, who being the brightness of his glory.
That is a part of his.
Crown of deity.
The Lord Jesus Christ is gone.
He is a member of the Divine Trinity.
That Trinity which is composed of Father, Son.
And Holy Spirit.
All three are God.
All three are divine persons. All three are Co equal.
The Lord Jesus Christ is the divine Eternal Son.
Of God.
He is God.
He deserves the crown of deity.
And part of that crown of deity is He is the brightness.
Of the glory of God.
Let's talk a little bit about the brightness.
Of the glory of God.
In our minds, let's go back to the.
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Old Testament.
When God was preparing his servant Moses.
For our work of blessing to God's people.
Moses.
Was out in the field.
And he noticed a very unusual sight.
He noticed a Bramble Bush which was burning.
And it says that Moses turned aside to see the Bush which was burning.
And was not consumed.
And when Moses drew near to watch that unusual sight, he heard a voice.
Which said.
Take off your shoes from off your feet.
For the place whereon you stand is holy ground.
I believe one reason why Moses was told to take off his shoes.
Was that there might not be any elevation of himself.
Above the level of the earth.
He must take his true place before God.
As part of the dust.
And even if his shoes should raise him.
1/4 of an inch above the level of the dust, it was too high.
And so God said, take off your shoes, Moses.
You're in my presence, and the place where on you stand is holy ground.
And Moses did so.
And from that flaming Bush, he heard other words.
God spoke to him, and God told Moses that his name.
Was I am.
I am.
Jehovah God.
The one who was the one who is the one.
Who always shall be and in that flaming Bush?
In the presence of the Lord.
The one whom we have learned to know and the one about whom I want to speak.
We have learned to know him that great I am as the Lord Jesus.
That was the brightness of his glory.
But that was found in the Old Testament.
And when we come to the New Testament, we find something very, very wonderful.
One day a man by the name of Saul of Tarsus.
Was walking on a road that led him away.
From God.
His heart was filled with hatred for Jesus Christ.
Whom many in this room have learned to love.
And suddenly something very unusual happened.
As he walked down that road.
Suddenly there was a light that shone down upon that man from heaven.
And he heard a voice calling unto him, And it said, Paul's or Saul, Saul.
Why are you persecuting me?
Paul, who saw the light and heard the voice said. Who art thou?
Lord and the voice responded and said.
I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest.
On that road to Damascus, Paul, who was, whose name became Paul.
Which means little.
On that road.
He came into contact with this blessed person who is the brightness of the glory of God.
Later on in the life of Paul when he told the story of his conversion.
The first time he retalled it, he said. It was a great light.
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The last time he told the story of his conversion, he said it was a light.
Brighter than the noonday sun.
Oh dear friend on that road, that man who did not love Jesus.
Came into contact with Jesus, who loved him and the brightness of his.
Divinity.
Shone down upon him.
And made a change in his life all the brightness.
Of his glory.
Dear friends, that's a part of the crown that belongs to the one I'm speaking about tonight.
The Lord Jesus, He is God.
The brightness of his glory.
In this verse three of our chapter it says and the express image.
Of his person.
This is another part of that crown of his divinity.
The Lord Jesus Christ was the exact image.
Of the invisible God.
Oh, that's a blessed truth.
In the book of Colossians, it says Who is the image of the invisible?
God.
Yes, he wears that crown of divinity.
With every right and title to have it, Jesus is God.
In the book of Luke.
The announcement was made at the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.
It says that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son.
Of God.
He told his disciples, He that has seen me.
Has seen the father.
All my friends.
This glorious truth is for you to enjoy.
To believe.
That Jesus is the exact image of God.
The express image of his person.
God has been manifested in the flesh.
Eternal life has been displayed in human form in the person.
Of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In John's Gospel, chapter 10, we read these words.
That they sought to stone him.
Because he said that God was his father.
The Jews said that makes him equal with God.
The Jews were not.
Confused about what Jesus taught them.
When he said I am the Son of God, they realize that he meant that he was equal with God.
And when I say he is the Son of God, that's what I mean too.
Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus is equal with God. He is the Son, a member of the Trinity. He wears the crown of divinity. He is God.
Later on in John's Gospel, we read the story about a man whose name was Thomas.
And he did not attend a meeting that he could have attending attended.
And he told his friends, he said, if I don't see the print of the nails.
If I don't see the mark of the spear, I won't believe.
And later on he was with the other disciples at a later time.
And the Lord Jesus, after his resurrection, was there, And our blessed Lord Jesus said to Thomas.
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Thomas, reach forth your hand and behold the print of the nails.
And you know what Thomas said to Jesus?
My Lord and my God.
Oh dear friend, Jesus wears the crown.
Of divinity.
With every right and title to wear it because he's gone.
Oh, what a majestic person.
The brightness of his glory.
They expressed image of his person and now another part of that crown of his divinity is this.
Upholding all things by the word of His power.
Or the power of his word.
Who was it that night?
On the ship and in the storm.
That got up from his cushion and said to the wind and the waves. Be still, Who was it that said that?
It was Jesus the Lord.
Who else could talk to the wind? Who else can speak to the waves?
Except their creator.
Upholding all things by the word of His power.
Who was it that walked upon the water?
It was the Lord Jesus.
Who was it that was able to give sight to the blind?
To tell a man who could not work because his arm was withered, stretch it out.
Who was it that was able to go to a leper or a man with an incurable disease?
Whose body was filled with corruption? Who was it that touched him and said be clean?
Ah, it was Jesus.
The word of his power.
Dear friends, this is God.
Displayed in human form.
Who was it that stood by the grave of a man who was dead 4 days?
And justice with one word, said Lazarus. Come forth.
And the dead came out. Who was that?
It was this blessed person who wears the crown of divinity, who is God.
Who is this man who raised his arms?
In blessing upon his loved ones.
And defied the laws of gravity and went straight back home to his father's house.
And ascended into the heavens. Who was that? Ah, this is Jesus.
Upholding all things by the word of His power.
Dear friends, Jesus is God and he wears the crown of divinity.
With right and title.
Now let's go down in this verse to the second crown that I would like to speak about this evening.
In verse 3, the middle of the verse, it says.
When he had by himself purged our.
Sins.
Now I want to talk.
About the Crown of Thorns.
And because I want you to see with your own eyes what God has to say about that crown of thorns.
And the one that wore it.
Please turn to the 19th chapter of John's Gospel.
Kindly keep the place in Hebrews 3 because we will come back to it.
But let's go to John's Gospel, chapter 19.
And let's read about the crown of thorns. Sometimes, in order to mark a place that I want to come back to in my Bible, I just take about four or five sheets near that and just fold it over. And it serves as a very good marking place so that I can go back to it very easily. And you might learn to do that too, because it will help you in such times as this.
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John's Gospel, chapter 19.
Then Pilate therefore took Jesus verse one and scourged him.
And the soldiers planted a crown of thorns and put it on his head.
And they put on him a purple robe.
And said Hail King of the Jews.
And they smote him with their hands.
Pilate therefore went forth again, and said unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that you may know that I find no fault in him.
Then came Jesus forth.
Wearing the crown of thorns.
And the purple robe, Pilot said into them. Behold the man.
My dear friends, I want to say that tonight.
I want you to visualize in your mind.
The Lord Jesus.
Behold the man with the crown of thorn.
I'm sure you have all seen thorns.
I wonder if you've ever noticed the thorns that are on the stems of roses.
Next time you see a stem of roses, please notice the thorns that are on it.
And please notice that they look like they have just been stuck on there with Elmer's glue.
It looks like they don't belong there.
That they have been added.
That they weren't made that way, That somebody is just glued to thorns on the roses.
Oh, you say. I don't like the thorns. I like the Rose, but I don't like the thorns.
And that's what the people say when they go to pick the red raspberries too. They say I like the raspberries, but I don't like the thorns.
And what when you cut down a locust tree, you don't enjoy the thorns either that are on the trunk?
And the limb.
Thorns.
Came as a result of sin.
When our first parents.
Sinned, they plunged the entire human race.
Into sin and death and judgment.
And the Lord had to say about the very earth.
That thorns also and thistles shall they bring forth unto thee.
And if you've ever tried to go out into the garden and pull up a Thistle.
I recommend that you wear gloves when you do so.
They're sharp.
They're useful, useful for nothing that I know about.
Thistles are a symbol of desolation.
Sin leads to desolation and thorns and wounds.
Thorns are a picture of the curse that came from sin.
And here these soldiers who had no love for the Lord Jesus.
Or they said if he's a king, he should have a crown.
And so they scurried around and found.
A thorn Bush and made a crown for him, but it was a crown of thorns.
Now.
I had the advantage of knowing what I was going to talk about tonight.
And so I was able to read up a little bit on the subject of the thorn.
And I found out that.
The Crown of Thorns is mentioned in the book of Matthew.
It is mentioned in the book of Mark.
It is not mentioned in the book of Luke.
But it is mentioned twice in the book of John.
Once in Matthew, once in Mark, twice in John.
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And I thought, why is that?
And then I decided I didn't know.
But one thought has come to me.
That so precious is the Lord Jesus to his Father.
And so awful was this thing that happened at Calvary's cross.
That the crown of Thorns is mentioned twice in the book of John.
Which tells us about the eternal Son of God.
Behold a man with the crown of thorns.
Now another thing that I noticed as I was reading about the crown of Thorns.
That after they put the crown of thorns upon him, they also put upon him a purple robe.
And gave him a Reed.
And it says in the word of God that they took off.
The Royal Rogue.
It says in the word of God that they took away his Reed and struck him on the head with.
With it.
But I read very carefully in all of the Gospels.
And I could not find one reference where they took off the crown of Thorns.
My dear friend, listen. Behold the man with the crown of thorns.
That was taken to a cross, and whose arms was outstretched and nails driven through his hands and his feet.
Behold the man on Calvary's cross.
Who died for you?
Wearing that crown of thorns.
The sun refused to shine for three long hours.
During those three hours of darkness, well in the Lord Jesus was on the cross.
All the judgment that God had against sin came down upon his holy head.
And our Lord Jesus suffered for the sins of every believer.
Of all ages during those awful dark hours.
As he wore the crown of thorns.
And I love to read it.
In this very same gospel.
It said when he had fulfilled every part of the word of God.
It said. He cried. It is finished.
And he bowed his head.
And he gave up the ghost.
And on his head was a crown of thorns.
And it says, dear friends, that a soldier with a spear.
Came up to the side of that precious savior whose every movement, whose every thought.
Whose every word was love.
A soldier came up, and with a spear pierced his blessed side, and out of that wound came blood and water.
Blood to wash away sins, water to bring in a new beginning.
Oh dear friends at Calvary's cross, the Lord Jesus.
Died as a sacrifice for sin, that you and I.
Sinners that we are might be washed.
And might be cleared from every charge.
Of sin.
I tried to find out who took the crown of thorns from the blessed head of my Savior.
And the Word of God does not say.
But I really believe that the one that took the crown of thorns from his precious brow.
Was none other than Joseph of Arimathea.
Wicked hands put Jesus on the cross, but loving hands took him down.
And I believe with all my heart that that dear warm hearted lover of the Lord Jesus, whose name was Joseph.
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Gently lifted that awful crown from his precious brow.
And laid it aside because the work was done. Oh dear friends, the work is done.
It is finished are the words of Jesus. Nothing more to do. The blood has been shed. The work is over.
Oh, I'm so happy to tell your friends that he died, that you might live. The word of God tells us that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. There is none that doeth good. No, not one.
But something has been done about this in question.
And the one that did something about it is the one that wore the crown of thorns.
The one that died, and the one that rose again and saw those loving hands of Joseph took off the crown of thorns without a doubt, took that precious body down and removed it from the nails and laid it in his own clean and new tomb. And all I love to think about Joseph that day.
With those loving hands, he could look at that grave and he said that was a grave that was made for me.
But he's in there instead.
Died for me. He died for me. Oh dear friend, I'm so glad to tell you that he died for me too, and he died for you. Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.
God commendeth his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Isn't it wonderful? When we were yet without strength, Christ died for the ungodly. Maybe somebody here tonight says I'm not sure he died for me.
Are you one of the ungodly? Then you have the word of God for it.
That he died for you. Christ died for the ungodly.
All that crown of thorns.
Speaks of his sacrifice, through which a Sinner like you.
And like I am can be saved from our sins.
And be made children of God.
Well, now let's go back to our first chapter of the book of Hebrews.
And I would like to speak about the Third Crown.
That is on my heart tonight.
And that's the crown of glory and honor.
And all my friends, I want you to know.
That the Lord Jesus wears that crown with every right entitled to have it.
Upon his blessed head tonight.
The latter part of verse three, it says when he had by himself purged our sins.
Sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high.
Sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high, crowned with glory and honor.
All the resurrection of Christ.
Is the answer to the needs of your soul, but it is also the display of God's approval of His sacrifice.
In the book of Romans it says he was delivered for our offenses, but he was raised again for our justification and the very fact that Jesus sits on the throne of God tonight.
Is a proof that you as a believer have a receipt for the debt being paid.
I've got a file at home in my cabinet which says receipts.
And I keep those receipts.
Oh dear friend, if you're here tonight as a believer in the Lord Jesus.
You've got a receipt in heaven, and that receipt is the blessed person of the Lord Jesus.
Crowned with glory and honor, sitting down at the right hand of the majesty on high.
Notice in your Bible you're not far from chapter 2, verse 9.
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We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor.
Crowned with glory and honor. Oh, I'm so happy to tell you tonight that he wears the victor's crown.
The crown of the one who has gone into the battle and who has won.
The one who deserves our praise, our love.
Our admin duration and worship forever crowned with glory.
And honor.
In the second chapter of the book of Acts, Peter speaking to those whose hands were stained with the blood.
Of their dead Messiah. And he said, listen, God has made that same Jesus.
Whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Crowned with glory and honor.
In the Book of Revelation, chapter 19, we read the words concerning the same blessed person, the Lord Jesus in a coming day, who will come riding on a White Horse of victory, and it said he had on his head many crowns and on his vesture and on his thigh a name written King of Kings.
And Lord of Lords.
Crowned with glory and honor.
Now I would like to ask you.
To turn with me for the last scripture that I intend to read this evening.
And it's in connection with the Crown that now.
Rests with such right and title on the brow of our Lord Jesus.
That crown of glory and honor.
Please turn with me to the book of Romans, chapter 10.
You won't have to turn anymore pages, just turn to Romans 10.
And we're still talking about this crown of glory and honor.
But I want to bring the subject right home to every heart in this room.
You see, there's no doubt.
About him rightfully having the crown of divinity.
He deserves it because he's God.
And there is no doubt that he once wore the crown of thorns.
And there's no doubt that the Lord Jesus now wears the crown of glory and honor.
As he sits down at the right hand of the majesty on high and friends, listen, do you know what it means to sit down at the right hand? That's the hand of power. That's the hand of wisdom. That's the hand of skill. And the Lord Jesus, crowned with glory and honor at the right hand of God, is the active agent of accomplishing God's purpose in this world. He's at the right hand.
Of power.
And someday you're going to meet him. You've got to do with Jesus.
Neutral you cannot be.
But I'm going to ask everyone in this room tonight.
Have you been willing to?
To go along with his crown of glory and honor.
Are you willing to give him his rightful title as Lord?
Now you see, it doesn't make any difference whether you do or not as to he having that crown.
He will wear that crown regardless of your decision because he has a right to it.
But my question is this.
Has every boy in this room acknowledged Jesus as Lord?
Has every girl in this room said?
To Jesus.
Lord Jesus.
Has every man.
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Has every woman in this room said Lord to Jesus?
Have you given him his rightful place?
As Lord.
Please read with me Romans 10 and 9.
This is the way of salvation.
If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus.
And shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead.
Thou shalt be saved.
Have those precious words ever come from your lips?
Lord Jesus.
Oh, if you're here tonight and you've never said to Jesus, Lord.
It's the longing of my soul and I would do most anything.
To encourage you to acknowledge Jesus as Lord tonight.
Oh, what a day it was in my life when I said to Jesus Lord.
Lord.
I asked one of the members of the Bible Truth publishers to do a favor for me.
I said I.
I want to close my meeting with an illustration.
And those of you know who know the Bible truth, Publishers.
Are well acquainted with the fact that there's a staff of people there who are laying down their lives for the brethren.
And.
You can't ask them to do something for you and not have them do it.
So I asked Paul Roberts if he would make me a crown.
And of course, he said he would.
Paul made me a crown.
But he didn't make it for me.
He made it according to my specifications, that is, he made it according to the way I asked him to make it.
And here is a crown made out of paper.
And hold it up so you all can see it.
And it says on it, Lord.
Lord.
Now my question is this.
Who deserves to wear this crown?
That says Lord.
Would you be willing to take this crown if you could? That says Lord on it.
Would you be willing to take this crown and place it upon the head of the Lord Jesus?
Now, you can't do it really, but this is an illustration that I hope no one will ever forget tonight in this gospel meeting.
I ask you this night in the presence of God.
And he will record your decision. Would you be willing to stand up and take this crown and place it on the head of the one that deserves it?
Who deserves this crown? That says, Lord? Oh, you say, Mr. Reeves. Only one man deserves that crown.
That crown belongs to Jesus. He is the Lord.
How about it, boys? How about it, boys who've got a Christian dad and mom that brought you to this conference?
Would you be willing tonight to say, Mr. Reeves, I'd be willing to stand up and put this crown on the head of Jesus because he's the Lord? How about it, girls? Would you be willing to stand up and take this crown from my hand if you could and say yes?
I don't think I ever did it before, But you've showed me tonight, Mr. Reeves, that there's only one person deserves that crown and it's Jesus. Yes, Mr. Reeves, I'll take that crown and I'll put it on the head of Jesus.
Would you do that in your heart? Would you?
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Or with joy, if I could, it was if it was in my power.
I would take a crown like this and put it on the blessed head of the one that died for me.
Ken Brimlow.
If you would be willing to put this crown on the head of Jesus, would you stand up?
I knew you'd stand up.
I knew he would stand up and I could call out names.
Of 100 other people that would do the same thing, they'd say yes, I'd be glad to stand up.
And take the crown that says Lord on it and put it on the head of Jesus.
Now you know, I believe that.
People have to come to a point of decision in their lives.
I believe that young people who are raised in Christian homes have to come to a time when they make a decision about Jesus.
I hope this is denied tonight. Tonight, I hope this is the night when you'll make a decision about Jesus.
And you'll say, Mr. Reeves, I'd stand up too.
I'd be willing to stand up and take that crown and put it on the head of the one that deserves it. I'd be glad to put it on the head of Jesus. He's the Lord.
Would you do that?
I'm going to give you a chance to make a decision.
That only you know about.
Now here's the way it's going to work. Now listen close.
I hope I am not too complicated.
Mr. Brimlow, if I'm too complicated, raise your hand.
I'm going to ask the entire audience here tonight.
I'm going to ask you in a few minutes.
To stand and sing #12.
And later on when I say please stand.
I would like to ask everyone of you to stand with me and to sing #12.
And so if I see you standing.
Then I'll say.
Well, she was cooperating. He was cooperating.
They're standing to sing with me #12.
But I'm going to give everyone in this room tonight a chance to make another decision.
That when I say the words, please stand.
Everyone of you, now listen, boys, I'm talking to you. Listen.
Listen girls, this is for you.
I'm going to ask you this.
I want you to make a decision tonight.
Would you be willing to stand up?
And say, Mr. Reeves, I'd be willing to put that crown on the head of the one that deserves it.
I'd be willing to take the crown that says Lord.
And put it on the head of Jesus.
And I'm asking everyone here tonight who would be willing to do that to stand too.
When I say stand and so when I just give the request to stand.
It's a question of motivation in your soul.
Are you going to stand just because you want to sing that song with me #12?
Or are you going to stand because you would be willing to put this crown on the head of Jesus and acknowledge him as Lord?
Now when I look at you and I see you standing, I won't know whether you got up on your feet because you were willing to put the crown on his head and acknowledge him. Lord.
I won't know whether you did that.
Or whether you just stood up to sing with me.