The Crown of Thorns

Crowns usually mean achievement; something earned, admired, lifted high... But the crown Jesus wore was made of thorns, and it wasn’t placed on His head in celebration, but in mockery. Even so, it became the symbol of His glory.

Isaiah saw it long before it happened:

“He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole; by His wounds we are healed.”      — Isaiah 53:5

Centuries later, Jesus knelt in a garden and prayed,

“Not my will, but Yours be done.”

That quiet prayer changed everything. The King of heaven chose obedience over escape, love over power, surrender over safety. And in doing so, He redefined victory forever.

Real strength doesn’t crush; it kneels. Real freedom isn’t control, it’s trust. The King’s wounds still heal the world.

Encouragement & Application

Most of us want to trust God’s plan until His plan costs us something. Surrender sounds beautiful in worship lyrics, but in real life, it can feel like loss.

This is why the events in the garden matter. Jesus didn’t skip the moment of struggle, He prayed through it. He was sweating. He wept. He waited. And then He obeyed.

When life presses hard this week, when a decision looms, or peace feels out of reach, or control starts slipping through your fingers, remember this: surrender is not giving up. It’s giving over. You can whisper the same prayer He did:

“Not my will, but Yours be done.”

That sentence doesn’t end things; it opens them. It’s how resurrection starts before the tomb is even sealed. So take a breath!

You’re not losing when you let go, you’re joining the same rhythm that turned a crown of thorns into the hope of the world.

Reflection

Where in your life is God inviting you to stop striving and start trusting? What would it look like to obey first and understand later?

Join Us This Sunday

Week Three: The Crown of Thorns
10:00 AM | Billings Vineyard Church

Come and see the King whose victory came through surrender— and whose love still wears the scars that set us free.

“The King has come, and His surrender is still our victory.”

Adam Greenwell
Lead Pastor
Vineyard Church
www.billingsvineyard.org