Royal Robes

I was excited to see the coronation of King Charles recently in the UK. I enjoyed the visual spectacle of the crimson and purple robes, trimmed with fur, the golden crowns, sceptre and orb, all set with precious jewels, and the colourful uniforms and beautiful dresses. I loved the extraordinary sight of the coach and horses, the military bands and the cheering crowds. It was a day of celebration with singing, music, and solemn religious ceremony.

Within Westminster Abbey, there were reminders that our Lord Jesus Christ had experienced a very different sort of coronation on earth. The Roman soldiers had put a crimson robe on Him, a reed sceptre in His hand, and a crown of thorns on His head. They had pretended to kneel down before Him and pay homage to Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews”. Then they spat on Him, struck Him on the head with the reed, and stripped away the robe and put His own clothes back on Him.

Finally, before being hung on a cross to die an agonisingly painful death, He was stripped naked. The notice of His crime which was erected over His cross was intended to be further ridicule and mockery, as it proclaimed, `This is Jesus, the King of the Jews`.

 God the Father`s eternal purposes for salvation of the world were accomplished that day, as Jesus made atonement for our sins and took upon Himself the punishment due to us. He was the sacrificial Lamb, who was pure and spotless, and had never sinned.

Now all of us can enter into eternal salvation, as we acknowledge Jesus as our Saviour, confess our sins, and ask for forgiveness. It says in the Bible that `If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness` (1 John 1:9).