The Object Lesson – Paper Plate Worship
Kings have been around for hundreds of years. When you hear the word, your brain crafts a picture of man seated on a throne in a room surrounded by his servants. A robe hangs from his shoulders and a jewel filled crown rests on his brow. This is what a king is supposed to look like.
We often talk about Jesus as the King of kings or the king of our heart, but the reality is the only earthly crown he ever wore was one woven of thorns. This crown was not designed to honor or glorify Jesus, but to mock and disgrace him. The soldiers were twisting the claims of Jesus and using them as weapon to humiliate the man they called the King of the Jews. Jesus looked nothing like an earthly king.
You will need paper plates, pens, and scissors. Draw lines on the bottom of the paper plate dividing the plate into 6 or 8 “pie pieces,” and poke a hole in the center of the plate bottom. If you are performing this from the stage, you will only need one plate, but this activity is ideal for group participation. Providing pens, scissors and plates for everyone in the group and allowing them to make their own crowns makes the lesson more powerful.
Write a word or sentence in each “pie piece” that describes the honor and glory Jesus has received. For example, he is honored because of His sacrifice. He should be glorified because of His holiness. When you have filled each of the pieces, use your scissors and cut on each line, leaving approximately a 1 inch border around the outside. Fold up each of the triangle “pie pieces” and create a crown. You have now crafted your own crown of glory and honor for Christ our King (see video for a visual demonstration).
The Bible Connection – A Crown of Thorns & Glory
There’s a wonderful passage in Hebrews 2 that speaks of the glory that awaits us as followers of Christ, and the glory that Christ has already received. In Hebrews 2:9 it says, “But we do see Jesus—made lower than the angels for a short time so that by God’s grace He might taste death for everyone—crowned with glory and honor because of His suffering in death.” The author of Hebrews is telling us something profound here.
While the soldiers were mocking Jesus with their crown of thorns, God was preparing a crown of glory and honor. The very act the world saw as Jesus’ defeat was actually his royal coronation. He was crowned with glory and honor because of His suffering in death. Everything is different in the kingdom of heaven, and Jesus’ reign as king is certainly unique. His kingship is marked by suffering, sacrifice, and love, and because of his humble submission he has been crowned with glory and honor.
Other Scriptures to Study
This is, at its heart, an Easter message. It would be worth your time to study some of the Passion narrative about Jesus’ humiliation, as well as the many passages that speak about his kingship. Here are a few places you could start.
Good Friday Humiliation – John 19:1-16
Jesus was crowned with thorns, draped in a purple robe, called names, spit upon, and crucified. His suffering led to our salvation, and His ultimate glory.
The Descent and Ascent – Philippians 2:5-11
Paul outlines Jesus’ humiliation and ultimate exaltation in his text. Jesus became a man, suffered a humiliating death, and then was exalted by God to a place of great honor.
King of Kings – Revelation 17:14
Revelation has a lot to say about kings. Many of the passages talk about the kings of the earth and how they will use their power and influence, but Revelation 17:14 makes the ending abundantly clear. Jesus is the King of kings, and no other king has power or authority over him.
