Objects of Easter: The Crown and Robe – Pain and Courage (Part III)

Sermon Title: Objects of Easter – Pain and Nobility: The Crown and Robe

Good News Statement: Jesus offers us a meaning of Easter through what we see

Summary: The Easter story is filled with touching moments that have changed the world, but it is also filled with objects that have changed our life; and these objects add depth and meaning to the resurrection, which we count on happening.

Preached: Sunday, March 15^th, 2026 at Dogwood Prairie UMC & Seed Chapel UMC

Pastor Daniel G. Skelton, M.Div.

 

Scripture (NRSV): John 19:1-6 Today’s scripture reading comes from the Gospel of John. At the beginning of John 19 we read of the mockery of Jesus: placing upon his head the crown of thorns and draping over him a purple robe. From these words we are reminded of why Jesus wore the crown of thorns and why the purple robe was a sign of courage. Our reading comes from the Gospel of John, Chapter Nineteen, and Verses One thru Six. May the hearing and reading of this scripture add understanding and meaning to your life?

 

Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. ² And the soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they dressed him in a purple robe. ³ They kept coming up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and striking him on the face. ⁴ Pilate went out again and said to them, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no case against him.” ⁵ So Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!” ⁶ When the chief priests and the police saw him, they shouted, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him; I find no case against him.”

 

This is the Word of God for the People of God; and all God’s people said, “Thanks are to God.”

 

 

Introduction:

Everywhere you look, you see something, an object that has changed the world. According to Nature, an online news source, “nails, wheels, springs, magnets, lenses, string, and pumps are seven everyday objects that have made the modern world.”[1] Just sitting in this room, I bet you can spot a majority of those objects.

Have you ever given any thought to the objects in your life? Have you thought about how at one point in history that object didn’t exist? Have you ever wondered what your life would be like if you didn’t have a certain object that you have today? Have you ever taken a step back and said, “My, how things have changed.” We live in a society, in a culture, in a world where life thrives on objects; and the objects we have today, much like in the past, will be replaced by other objects that would confuse us today but will make life easier in the future. Our life has been, is, and will be consumed by the objects in which we seek.

For a moment, listen to this list of objects that have not only changed our life but have also changed the world:[2] the nail, the wheel, string and rope, magnets, the compass, and lenses, the printing press, vaccines and penicillin, concrete, steel, batteries, electricity, the light bulb, airplanes, automobiles, trains, boats, farm machinery, refrigerators, the microwave, and the sewing machine, credit cards, zippers, Velcro, GPS, computers, smartphones, and the internet. These objects created global interconnection, increased personal mobility, and transformed the ability to store, use, and transfer energy and information. This is not an exhaustive list—and it certainly doesn’t account for every object ever made that changed the world—but it is a list of objects in which many of us have access to today that do in fact change our life.

At this point you may be wondering what all this has to do with Easter, since we are in the Easter Season. Well, the Easter Season is filled with objects that have changed the world. There are Easter Eggs, Baskets filled with gifts and treats, bunny cakes, special candies and sweets, and we can’t forget about the Easter Bunny. But there are other objects related to Easter that have also changed the world. And these objects aren’t just any objects but objects found in scripture during the last days and hours of Jesus’ life. But sadly, sometimes we overlook these objects because, as song writer AJR states, we want “to skip to the good part”[3] which is the resurrection of Jesus Christ—the moment when the stone is rolled away, the cloth is folded, and the tomb is empty. So, for the next few weeks, we are going to explore certain objects of the Easter Story that have not only changed our life but have changed the world.

 

Body:

The remaining days and hours of Jesus’ life on earth are composed of objects: objects that bring forth tears, torture, and trauma, objects that offer renewal, restoration, and rejuvenation, and objects that administer hope, faith, and encouragement. In scripture, specifically in the Gospel accounts—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—there is a plethora of objects that bring to life the remaining hours of Jesus life; and every object mentioned is an object used to change our life and deepen the meaning of the days leading up to Jesus’ last breath from the cross.

As one walks with Jesus during what we call “Holy Week”[4]—a sacred week spanning the final days of Jesus’ life—one will encounter palm branches, cloaks, a donkey, an upper room, a sacred meal, foot washing, a basin of water, the garden of Gethsemane, instruments used for torture, a crown of thorns, a robe, the cross, nails, spears, sponges, a torn veil, anointment used for burial purposes, the folded cloth, the rolled away stone, and a tomb hewed out of stone. The Easter season is filled with objects that add meaning and depth to the story we not only long to hear but count on happening in our life.

For the next couple of weeks leading up to Easter, in no specific order, we are going to look at some of these objects and ask ourselves, “How does this object help me better understand the meaning and significance of Jesus’ remaining days on earth?” Today, we turn our attention from places involved in the Easter story and more toward the objects of Easter. The objects we are focused on are the crown of thorns put upon Jesus’ head and the purple or red cloak or robe of a Roman soldier draped over Jesus. This crown of twisted thorns is not the crown that we are promised, but yet Jesus wears it in front of the crowd and on the cross; and the robe upon which Jesus is draped with is a symbol of authority that he hopes that one day we will receive. Why are these two objects important to the Easter Story? Why are these objects placed upon Jesus? Why would Jesus wear these objects on our behalf? This is where we find ourselves today.

 

Movement One: The “Upper Room” (kataluma) and the Courtyard Recap…

Two weeks ago we began a new sermon series focused on the “objects of Easter” that appear during the week, days, and hours leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Two Sundays ago, we spent time in the “upper room” as mentioned in Mark 14:12-16. Based on biblical descriptions and historical context the “upper room”[5] in Jerusalem—a “large” (Mark 14:15), “furnished” (Luke 22:12), and “ready” (Mark 14:15) space—located on the second floor was used to escape noise, often had improved ventilation, was sometimes where guests stayed, and was where women in the household resided. It was in the upper room where Jesus had one last meal with his disciples, what we call today Holy Communion or the Last Supper; and it’s where Jesus washed the feet of his disciples showing them what it means to serve and not be served (Matthew 20:28). Later on, according to the Book of Acts, the disciples—a total of 120—gathered at Pentecost in the upper room as they “were filled with the Holy Spirit…” (Acts 2:4).[6] The upper room, that two disciples sought out and required upon Jesus’ request, was more than just a room.[7]

Today, the upper room is an object that changed the world because at one point it rejected Mary and Joseph—there was now room in the upper room (Luke 2:7)—but then it became a place that was available to Jesus, to the disciples, to the 120, and now available to us. At one point in time, the upper room, the kataluma, was a place of rejection but now is a place of acceptance: a place where one is able to accept the presence of Christ in their life.

To this, I invited you to contemplate the following questions: “Where is your upper room? Where do you allow yourself to feel the presence of Christ in your life?” Having an upper room in your life is essential not only for your faith but for your relationship with Jesus Christ. It’s in your upper room, whatever that may be, that you allow yourself to experience the presence of Jesus Christ. So this Easter, find that space and enjoy it.

Last week, we found ourselves in the courtyard with Peter, who was caught denying Jesus three times before the rooster crowed twice (Mark 14:66-72).[8] It’s in the courtyard surrounding the palace, around a fire, in which Peter denies Jesus three times. In denying Jesus, Peter also denies the past three years of his life; he denies who he is and what he had become, a follow of Jesus; and he does something in which he thought he would never do: protect himself before protecting Jesus. Peter’s denying is important because it calls us to consider all the times in which we have denied Jesus to some degree in our life. But that is not the only thing that takes place in the courtyard.

We read “And he broke down and wept” (Mark 14:72). Peter wept. The one who walked on water and the one who saw Jesus transfigured, wept. The one who chose to follow Jesus and who decided to give up his fishing nets to fish for people, wept. The one who became the rock—something firm and strong and brave and courageous—wept. The one who identified who Jesus was, wept. Peter wept. He wept because he realized what he had done. But he also realized what we have come to believe today: Jesus forgives us and Jesus loves us.

In the courtyard, Jesus put Peter’s wrongs to right and he can also put our wrongs to right. Jesus can forgive everything we have ever thought, said or done wrong. Even when we deny him—get upset with him, don’t agree with him, talk back to him, don’t listen to him—he is still willing to forgive us. In the courtyard with Peter, we learn the power of Jesus’ forgiveness and are reminded of how much he loves us: he loves us even when we aren’t perfect, even when we weep.

No matter how many times we deny Jesus, his love is far greater than our denial. It’s in our denying that we realize that we do love him far more deeply than our words can ever say. Peter felt the love of Christ in that courtyard. And this love is extended to each of us as we find ourselves standing in that same courtyard with Peter reflecting on all the times we have denied Jesus. Are you willing to be in the courtyard with Jesus?

 

Movement Two: Our Text for Today – John 19:1-6…

This leads us to our scripture lesson for today.  Today we find ourselves not in the courtyard surrounding the palace but rather inside the palace of King Herod as Jesus is crowned and robed. Prior to this moment, Jesus had one last meal with his disciples before washing their feet; Jesus prayed for himself (John 17:1-8), prayed for his disciples (John 17:9-19), and prayed for all believers (John 17:20-26) in the Garden of Gethsemane before he was arrested (John 18:1-11) and taken to the Praetorium; Jesus was put on trial and Peter was caught denying Jesus (John 18:12-27); and then Jesus is found in the presence of Pontius Pilate for the first time (John 18:28-40). Keep in mind, all this has happened in the span of less than 24 hours.

John 19:1-6 is often titled “Jesus before Pilate the Second Time.” It’s during this second appearance before the Roman Governor that Jesus is mocked as an earthly king by receiving a crown made of thorns, a purple (John 19:5; Mark 15:17, 20) or red (Matthew 27:28) or shining (Luke 23:11) robe, and, according to Mark 15:18, was saluted by the soldiers as they shouted, “Hail, King of the Jews.” Prior to being saluted and receiving kingly-earthly objects, we can read as John records that it was during the second appearance before Pilot that Jesus was flogged. According to Biblical Scholar Gary M. Burge, “Roman law recognized three types of flogging: fustigatio, flagellatio, and verberatio, each representing ascending levels of severity.”[9] The lowest form (fustigation) was reserved for troublemakers who simply needed to be punished and warned. The highest level (verberatio) was the most severe and served as a part of a capital sentence, generally as a preparation for crucifixion. It’s the highest level of flogging in which Jesus gets: beaten and tortured nearly to death.[10]

Since the task of flogging generally belonged to the duty of the soldiers—quite possibly performed by the centurion soldier by the foot of the cross who proclaims Jesus’ innocence (Mark 15:39)—the same soldiers also began to mock Jesus and brutally hurt him. As noted by Burge, the soldiers made a mock crown out of twigs and thorns “woven into a circular”[11] shape and pressed down upon Jesus’ head to inflict pain. It may have been made of the thorny date palm, whose thorns can exceed twelve inches in length. This is not a crown of peace and love but of humiliation and pain and torture.

After pressing the crown of thorns upon Jesus’ head, the soldiers then drape a robe over him. John and Mark describe the robe as being purple (John 19:5; Mark 15:17, 20) in color while Matthew describes it as being red (Matthew 27:28). And in Luke, the robe is shining (Luke 23:11). Burge elaborates on the robe. He shares, “The robe is likely a soldier’s robe thrown on him, completing the picture of mock royalty. Since purple was expensive the robe was likely dark red, imitating the royal purple of kings.”[12] With this costume on Jesus, the soldiers shout, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and strike him yet again as they salute him. Mark adds that the soldiers also hit him with a reed scepter, spat on him, and bowed down before him in a mock form of worship (Mark 15:19). After the beating and mocking, Pilate escorted Jesus outside to be presented to the crowd with the intention to put on display the cruel submission performed by his men, bearing the marks of his punishment.

A lot took place in the palace. But why is that all four Gospels mention the crown of thorns and the robe? What do these items of Easter reveal to us today; and what is their significance?

 

Movement Three: The Significance of the Crown…

Growing up, I remember taking trips to Burger King with my family. It was a special treat for all of us to go out to eat. My dad and mom would order the Jr. Whopper, my eldest brother would get a double whopper, my other brother would get the crispy chicken sandwich, and occasionally my sister would get a premade salad. And I would get something from the kids menu so that I could get one of Burger Kings iconic cardboard crowns, which are still available today.

Doing a little research, the Burger King chain first introduced the iconic crown in the 1970s, and as of 2024, has initiated a policy for employees to offer a cardboard crown to customers of all ages to boost engagement, often accompanied by the phrase “You Rule.” Let me tell you, wearing that crown, I felt as if I was ruling the world—until I got home! That crown was something special, something unique, and something that opened my eyes to a whole new world. I felt like a king! When we think of Jesus wearing a crown, we think of a crown similar to that of the Burger King crown: bronze or gold in color, reaching into the heavens with its pillars, decorated with precious jewels, and symbolic object of royalty. But that’s not what Jesus receives while on this earth, just hours away from his death.

Before we get to the meaning of the earthly crown, let’s explore what the Bible says about heavenly crowns in general. In the Bible, a crown (often stephanos in Greek) symbolizes royalty, honor, and, primarily a reward for faithfulness and victory in the Christian life, rather than just physical regal authority. In Proverbs 17:6 we read that grandchildren are the “crown of the aged.” In Isaiah, God is described as a crown of beauty (Isaiah 28:5). Now the New Testament expands upon “crown” by identifying five specific crowns for believers. First, the Apostle Paul identifies an imperishable crown in 1 Corinthians 9:25 which is awarded for self-discipline and mastery over sinful desires.[13] Second, Paul, writing to the Thessalonians, highlights that we are given a crown of rejoicing which is awarded to those who win others to Christ and for joyful evangelism (1 Thessalonians 2:19).[14] Third, in a letter to Timothy, Paul tells us that a crown of righteousness is promised to those who love and look forward to the return of Jesus (2 Timothy 4:8).[15] Fourth, in 1 Peter 5:4, a crown of glory is for leaders and shepherds who faithfully feed the flock of God[16] which is exactly what Christ, in his resurrection form, calls Peter to do in John 21:15-17: “Feed my lambs…. Take care of my sheep….Feed my sheep.” Lastly, in both James and Revelation, we are given a crown of life that is awarded to those who endure temptation, trials, and persecution unto death.[17]

The crown that rests upon the head of Christ in heaven, is not described by what it looks like, which is different than the crown of thorns, but is described by what it represents. It represents something that is imperishable and eternal; it represents the act of rejoicing; it represents righteousness; it represents glory; and it represents life. These are all characteristics of Jesus Christ; and these are things by which we have access to if we choose, as Matthew notes, to “deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow [Christ]” (Matthew 16:24). That’s the crown that we long to wear and the crown that we know rests upon the head of Jesus in heaven, but on earth that is not the crown that Jesus was given. He was given a crown that was perishable, painful, punishing, degrading, and lifeless. However, that crown, although evil in nature, still has meaning for us today.

The crown of thorns is a symbol of misery, pain, sin, and death. The crown of thorns is a symbol of mockery and kingship. The soldiers placed the crown on Jesus to mock his title as “King of the Jews,” turning a symbol of royalty into one of shame, humiliation, and injustice. Additionally, the crown of thorns was a sign of pride, dishonor, and self-degradation, the opposite of what Jesus preached. The crown of thorns was a sign of evil, wickedness, and death and Jesus wore this. Jesus wore our sin upon his head. As a matter of fact, our sin was pressed into him as the thorns pierced him. The soldiers wanted to ridicule and embarrass Jesus because he spoke openly to Pilate that he was a king, but his kingdom was not of this world. What is astonishing is that Jesus didn’t try to remove it: he wore it. He wore it to remove humanity’s pain, to remove humanity’s sin, and to remove humanity’s suffering. Jesus wore the crown of thorns for you.

I never thought much about the status of Jesus’ crown of thorns until hearing, during the devastating fire at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in 2020, that a courageous priest ran into the burning church and rescued the crown. Apparently, there is little evidence for the crown’s whereabouts following Jesus’ death until the fifth century when St. Paulinus of Nola (354-431) referenced the relic of the crown in his writings. The crown of thorns then spent over 500 years in Saint-Chapelle, until the French Revolution, and thereafter made its way for safekeeping at Notre Dame in Paris. The crown of thorns is so precious that the priest risked his life—ran into the fire—to save it. Why? Because that crown symbolizes what Jesus was willing to do for you: to save and redeem you. And that crown symbolizes how much Jesus loves you.[18]

I am extremely thankful that Burger King stuck to handing out cardboard crowns that didn’t cause pain but rather of joy and excitement. I am also thankful for the crown of thorns as it represents the love that Christ has for each of us. It is made with torture in mind, but deep down it symbolizes our freedom from sin as Jesus wore our sins to the cross.

 

Movement Four: The Significance of the Robe…

What about the robe that was draped upon Jesus, supposedly belonging to one of the soldiers who was beating him? Biblically, the robe was a sign of nobility, power, and authority. Robes were often worn by royalty, such as kings. Again, the robe being placed upon Jesus was just another measure taken to humiliate him. However, it represents much more.

Let me take you back to the upper room. Remember, while Jesus washes the feet of his disciples, we are told by John that Jesus took off his robe, humbling himself and becoming a servant. In 1 Samuel 18:4 we read that Jonathan, a friend of David, removed his robe and armor, giving them to David—granting David the nobility to serve the people.[19] In both cases, the act of removing the robe signified a covenant of love and the voluntary transfer of power. Jesus, by removing his robe and putting on a towel, lowers his status to a servant and passes along his earthly work to the disciples who in turn have passed it along to us. And now, at the end of his life, Jesus is draped with another robe to suggest to the crowd that his “kingship” is not of servitude but of earthly royalty. That’s the robe; but what about the color of the robe.

According to Matthew the robe draped over Jesus was red in color, more likely a deep red color which from a distance may have looked purple. But both John and Mark indicate that the robe was purple. Science tells us that the color purple has a variety of effects on the mind and body, including: lifting our spirits, calming our minds and nerves, enhancing our feelings of spirituality, increasing nurturing tendencies and sensitivities, and encouraging imagination and creativity. How many of you don’t dislike the color purple?

Historically, purple was the most expensive dye, reserved for emperors and royalty to indicate political power. In the Roman Empire, the color purple was associated with triumph. It was a color reserved only for emperors. At the time of Jesus, the dye used for making the color purple had to be extracted from a tiny Mediterranean Sea snail gland. Each snail produced only a single drop of the needed fluid. So, to produce a pound of the dye, it took thousands of sea snails (one resource said it took millions). That’s why purple dye was reserved only for royalty. In the Bible, the word itself represents (and is synonymous with) wealth, prosperity, and luxury. Roman soldiers used the costly, royal color to mock Jesus as a fake “King of the Jews,” but it actually signified Jesus’ true identity as the King of Kings, sacrificing himself for humanity and bearing our sins.

Furthermore, purple has been chosen to symbolize other things. The United States military awards the Purple Heart, for example, to soldiers wounded in battle. It has come to be the color of courage. If you think about it, what Jesus did for you, for all of us, took courage. In the Garden of Gethsemane, while three of the disciples were sleeping, Jesus prayed to God, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). There was a moment in the Garden when Jesus, taking in the situation and realizing the pain that he was going to have to endure and understanding fully his three predictions of his death, wanted God to remove the cup—to stop what has been predicted. The human side of Jesus didn’t want to experience death. He wanted to live. But instead of arguing with God, he submits his life to God. Through courage, Jesus did the unthinkable. Through courage, Jesus decided to sacrifice his life for you. Through courage, Jesus received the eternal purple robe of divinity so that you could be set free from your sins. Through courage, Jesus changed the world just hours before his death. That’s courage.

You know who else resembles courage? Adam and Eve telling the truth about their actions. Moses confronting Pharaoh to demand the release of the Israelites so that he could lead them to the Promised Land. Esther risking her life by approaching King Xerxes without being summoned to save the Jewish people from genocide. Daniel continuing to pray to God openly knowing it would result in being thrown into the lion’s den. David fighting Goliath. Joshua fighting the battle of Jericho. Rahab protecting the spies, putting her family at risk. Elijah standing alone against 450 prophets of Baal. The disciples choosing to follow someone they really didn’t know. Peter walking on water and appearing in the courtyard. The centurion soldier at the cross publicly announcing the innocence of Jesus. Simon of Cyrene carrying the cross of Jesus. Stephen dying as a martyr for his faith. Paul the Apostle continuously preaching the good news knowing very well that the Jewish people wanted him put on trial and condemned to death. Mary of Bethany washing the feet of Jesus; and Mary Magdalene and the bleeding woman of twelve years approaching Jesus for help. And Mary, the mother of Jesus, being present at the cross as her son breathed his last breath. And the list goes on. Each of these people, and so many others, in their own right, were wearing the purple robe of courage.

Church, friends, whether you want to believe it or not, you too have worn or are currently wearing a purple robe as well. For example, if you made it through the week—no matter how that week was—it took courage: it took courage to overcome challenges, and trials, and uncertainties, and doubts, and worries. If you have ever admitted you made a mistake that took courage. If you have ever asked for forgiveness or forgiven anyone that took courage. If you have ever asked for help that took courage. If you have ever endured something tragic or heartbreaking and are here today that took courage. If you have ever done something for someone that took courage. If you have ever gone somewhere knowing very well that you didn’t want to go that took courage. If you have ever showed up for someone that took courage. If you have ever paused your agenda and routine to make yourself present for someone that took courage. If you have ever fallen in love that took courage. If you have ever fallen and gotten back up that took courage. If you have ever changed something in your life, taken a leap of faith, done something not really knowing the outcome, then you have performed an act of courage. When you decided to follow Jesus that took a whole lot of courage. Your life is filled with courageous moments. Why? Because Jesus wore the physical purple robe so that all of us could wear the spiritual purple robe that is with us in ever issue, every moment, and every situation. You have courage. It’s no wonder that we are told in scripture, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). The purple robe you wear today is a reminder of courage and that God is with you wherever you go.

In her book The Color Purple, Alice Walker has the character Celie say, “I think it [upsets] God if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don’t notice it.”[20] Purple has a unique quality of majesty and beauty. It is regal. It symbolizes royalty, elegance, spiritual depth, and wholeness. And it is God’s reminder of the courage that you have through Him. Don’t miss the purple color.

 

Movement Five: “I Got a Robe”…

So what does this all mean for us today? What does it mean that Jesus wore a crown of thorns and a purple robe? And what are we supposed to do now?       First, the crown of thorns was originally viewed as an object of mockery and humiliation. It was also an object of torture made from twisting date palms together into a circular shape, and then pressed, most likely with force, upon the head of the victim. And these date palms could have had thorns on them up to twelve inches in length. The crown of thorns that Jesus wore is not the crown he wears today, but it was a crown that carried our sins. The thorns represent the sins of the people; and Jesus wore our sins to the cross. Why would he do that? Because he knew that we needed to be set free from the “thorns” in our own life. Today, we aren’t meant to want to wear the crown of thorns, but rather seek—through the teachings and sayings and love and grace and forgiveness of Jesus Christ—a heavenly crown that guarantees us righteousness and salvation.

Second, much like the crown of thorns, the purple robe was an object of mockery. However, it means much more than a simple piece of clothing later gambled on near the cross. The robe is a sign of Jesus’ authority, his power, and the fulfillment of his heaven title, “The King of Kings.” It is also a representation of what Jesus has given to us: he has taken his robe off so that we understand the call to serve and not be served. The robe is a symbol of servitude. Now the color purple, aside from meaning royalty, lordship, and wealth, represents courage. It took courage for Jesus to commit to the will of God, be betrayed, put on trial, questioned, beaten and tortured nearly to death, and placed upon the cross. Purple represents courage; so when Jesus was draped with the purple robe it was a visual sign to all of us of the courage that Jesus has draped over us. This courage allows us to deny ourselves, carry our cross, follow Jesus, love our enemies, love our neighbors as we love ourselves, turn the other cheek, pray for those who persecute us, and simply do what Christ needs us to do. This courage allows us to live the life that we have been so graciously gifted.

Now as followers of Christ, as his church, and as his hands and feet on this earth, we are charged with not seeking to wear the crown of thorns nor to give one out, but to constantly seek forgiveness of our sins, to know that Jesus wore our sins on the cross, and to seek ways to help others understand that the crown of thorns that they carry with them can be replaced by the crown of righteousness. As for the purple robe, how will you choose to “wear” courage in your life? What do you need to do to remind yourself that you do in fact have courage?

 

Conclusion:

I want to bring this message to a close. In high school, while in chorus, I sang an African-American Spiritual titled, “Going to Shout All Over God’s Heaven” or more commonly known as “I’ve Got a Robe.” This spiritual was often sung by slaves, who, through the words, talked about freedom in terms of “God’s heaven.” And when they get to God’s heaven they are going to “shout all over.” I was thinking about this song this past week, and believe it still speaks to us today.

The verses included: “I’ve got shoes, you’ve got shoes, all of God’s children got shoes.… I’ve got wings, you’ve got wings, all of God’s children got wings…. I’ve got a harp, you’ve got a harp, all of God’s children got a harp…. I’ve got a song, you’ve got song, all of God’s children got a song…. I’ve got a prayer, you’ve got a prayer, all of God’s children got a prayer.” The spiritual also includes, “I’ve got a robe, you’ve got a robe, all of God’s children got a robe…. I’ve got a crown, you’ve got a crown, all of God’s children got a crown.” After each of these verses is the chorus, “Everybody talking ‘bout heaven ain’t goin’ there; heaven, heaven, goin’ to shout all over God’s heaven.”

Church, I want you to shout! I want you to shout from the mountaintop that you have a crown and that you have a robe! Jesus wore both the crown and robe on this earth so that we can be set free and be filled with enough courage to follow him all the days of our life as we face tomorrow. Put on the crown and shout! Put on the robe and shout! Shout because, through Jesus, you have been given a new life! Your sins went to the cross and the courage of Jesus is now draped upon you. So shout!

The Easter Season, as portrayed in scripture through the events of Holy Week, is filled with objects that add depth and meaning to the remaining days and hours of Jesus’ life. From the palm branches to the upper room to the garden to Calvary and to the empty tomb, everything we encounter along the way teaches us more about how much we need the meaning of Easter in our life so that we not only wait for it but count on it happening.

 

Let it be so…

 

Closing Prayer:

Let us pray: Dear Jesus, thank you for wearing the crown of thorns and bearing our sins with you to the cross so that we can be set free from the thorns in our life. Jesus, thank you for wearing the robe of mockery as it represents for us today a transfer of power, a call to servitude, and the promise that with you in our life we are draped with courage. Help us to live a life by which we can shout knowing that we have been given a crown and robe in our life. In your salvific name we pray, Amen.

 

Benediction:

Church, the crown of righteousness has been given to you, shout! The robe of courage has been passed down to you, shout! What are you going to do knowing that you have received both forgiveness and courage? May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; and May the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26). In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit go forth counting on the resurrection of Christ to happen. And all God’s people said, Amen. Amen. Amen.

 

 

[1] Anna Novizky, “Seven everyday objects that made the modern world,” Nature online. March 06, 2023: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00643-8#:~:text=Nails%2C%20wheels%2C%20springs%2C%20magnets,By  Accessed: February 24, 2026.

[2] the nail (enabling construction), wheel (transportation), string/rope (securing tools), magnets/compass (navigation), and lenses (optics/microscopy), the printing press (information sharing), vaccines/penicillin (medicine), the steam engine (energy-into-motion), which fueled factories and trains, alongside concrete and batteries, electricity, the light bulb, airplane, automobile, farm machinery, refrigerator, and the sewing machine, credit cards, zippers, Velcro, GPS, computers, smartphones, and the internet. These objects created global interconnection, increased personal mobility, and transformed the ability to store, use, and transfer energy and information.

[3] AJR, “The Good Part”, The Click, 2017. Streamed on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music.

[4] Holy Week (or Semana Santa) is the most sacred week in Christianity, spanning the final eight days of Jesus’ life, from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. It is a time of intense reflection, prayer, and liturgical services commemorating the Passion, Crucifixion, and Resurrection. Key days and events during Holy Week include: Palm Sunday: Commemorates Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem; Holy Thursday: Celebrates the Last Supper and the washing of feet; Good Friday: Solemnly marks the crucifixion and death of Jesus; Holy Saturday: The day of the Easter Vigil, leading into the celebration of the Resurrection: Easter Sunday: Celebrates the Resurrection.

[5] In Greek anagaion meaning upper room or cenaculum meaning dining room.

[6] Also in the Book of Acts, we read that Paul, before departing Ephesus, is found preaching from within an upper room, in which someone falls asleep and tumbles out of the window (Acts 20:7-12). Later on, in Philemon, Paul requests that a guest room—an upper room—be prepared for him: “One thing more: prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping through your prayers to be restored to you” (Philemon 1:22). But even before the previously mentioned events in the Book of Acts, we read that it was in the upper room that Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resurrection to greet them and show them his hands and his side (John 20:19-29), removing Thomas’ doubt (John 20:26-27), after saying “Peace be with you” (Luke 24:36-49).  Even before all these events, the upper room is where the prophet Elisha stayed: the room was furnished with a bed, table, chair, and a lamp (2 Kings 4:10).

[7] It represented a “place set apart,” symbolizing a space for personal communion, spiritual empowerment, and a precursor to the first Christian gathering places.

[8] After Jesus spends time in the upper room and then prays in the Garden of Gethsemane as three of his disciples fall asleep, Jesus is betrayed by Judas with a kiss (Mark 14:43-50).^[8] It’s after this kiss that Jesus is turned over to the Roman authority and transported by night to the Praetorium, the palace, of King Herod where Roman Governor Pontius Pilate was staying.

[9] Gary M. Burge, The NIV Application Commentary on John, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000, pg. 502.

[10] However, it’s important to note, as several scholars have—such as Gary M. Burge—that the highest degree of flogging was not, was not, what Pontius Pilate initially ordered. Pilate merely ordered for Jesus to receive the lowest form of flogging (John 19:1) simply to teach Jesus a lesson to be more prudent in the future and to satisfy the crowds. Nevertheless, once the crowds began chanting, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!,” the flogging became more intense and life threatening.

[11] Gary M. Burge, Ibid., pg. 503.

[12] Ibid., pg. 503.

[13] “Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one.”

[14] “For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?”

[15] “From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”

[16] “And when the chief shepherd appears, you will win the crown of glory that never fades away.”

[17] “Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord^[a^] has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12). “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Beware, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison so that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have affliction. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).

[18] Linda Olsen, “A Reflection on Jesus’ Crown of Thorns,” Plainville/Wrentham Catholic Collaborative, https://pwc.church/news/a-reflection-on-jesus-crown-of-thorns  Accessed March 10, 2026.

[19] It’s also robes that are placed on the ground before Jesus as he rode into Jerusalem on a donkey with palm branches waving high in the air.

[20] Robin McGonigle, “Reclaiming the Symbols of Lent: Purple Robe,” Riverside Christian Church, February 28, 2024: https://www.riversidedisciples.org/blog/reclaiming-the-symbols-of-lent-purple-robe–17  Accessed March 10, 2026.