1Co 3:10-15 “According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise
masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every
man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than
that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold,
silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made
manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire
shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath
built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”

Crown number one is the victor's crown,

1 Cor. 9:25 "And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible". What is he talking about? He's talking about this: an athlete trains, an athlete disciplines himself, he doesn't have a fish and chips every night, he goes running every day, he trains, he disciplines himself, he masters himself, he controls his body and he doesn't give into the temptation of lying-in in the morning, or missing a training session - he goes for gold, and he does that for a corruptible crown, a crown that will fade away. Paul says we as Christians, we ought to compete, we ought to buffet our bodies, control our bodies, we ought to resist temptation, we ought to have the victory in Christ, and if we do it Paul says, we will receive at the day of judgement an incorruptible crown - or the victor's crown for those who resist temptation

Crown number two, the soul winner's crown

1 Thess 2:19 "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?". The crown of our rejoicing, the crown - he is rejoicing at the fact that some of these souls in Thessalonica will be there at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ - why? Because he led them to Jesus Christ. The soul winner's crown

Crown number three is the crown of righteousness,

2 Tim. 4:8 : "Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing". This is the crown of righteousness, for those who love the Lord's return. It's not for those who live their life away everyday, 'As it was in the day of Noah so it shall be at the coming of the Son of Man', when everybody's living, eating, drinking, sleeping as if the Lord will never return again, as if the Lord's judgement will never come - but those who look, those who wait, those who are watching, those who meditate upon it, those who study the Lord's return, will receive a special crown for doing so. This crown is for those who love the Lord's return

Crown number four is the crown of glory

1 Peter 5:2-4 "Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away". The fourth crown is the crown of glory, it is a crown for shepherds, those elders who look after the flock of God.

Crown number four is the crown of life, the martyr's crown,

Rev 2:10 "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life". The crown of life is the martyr's crown, the martyr's crown. Those who suffer for Christ, those across the world - who suffer, some of them dying for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I want to say this to you; can one who never has victory over temptation, can one who falls at every sin that comes along their way, can one like that - a Christian who never has victory in his life - can that person receive the victor's crown? Can one who never led a soul to Christ, can one who never plucked a brand from the burning, who never saved a soul from hell, can one like that receive the crown of rejoicing, the soul winner's crown? Can one who never thinks about the Lord's return and only lives for down here, and never talks about it, never enthuses about it, never looks for His return - every day looking out the window and thinking 'Lord, perhaps today?' - can one like that receive the crown of righteousness? Can the shepherds who never feed the flock, who never feed them the Word of God, who never tend [them] but beat them, who never care for them, can a shepherd like that receive the crown of glory? Can one who never suffers for Jesus Christ receive a reward like unto the crown of life in heaven? I hope that the Holy Spirit is bringing to all who read this: 'Will there be any crowns for me in heaven?'. After salvation this must be one of the most important questions: are there any crowns for you in heaven? Or will you suffer loss, 1 Cor 3:15 tells us you will suffer loss but you yourself will be saved, you'll be saved alright but it says 'yet so as by fire'. Do you know what one translation puts that like? 'Yet so as by fire', like this: that we as Christians have run down the corridors of humanity with the flames licking at our heels. Imagine standing before the judgement seat of Christ and receiving nothing! Just to be saved, just to get in to heaven by the skin of your teeth!