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[Music] good morning to everybody a welcome to free grace Baptist Church welcome to visitors with us this morning it's a joy to have you with us in the house of God just a couple announcements before we begin worship this morning first if you would like to be added to the email list you can just let let Jim know or let the Deacons know and they can let let us know to add you to the email list just so that you get the updates and that sort of a thing so if you haven't been getting them and you'd like to be added to that you can send an email to to Jim secondly the you may have seen the email regarding the directory of the updated directory project that's going on right now there are some directory forms at the back that you can fill out over the course of the next number of Lord's days those are just at the back at the table there as well Jonathan will be taking some photos so don't don't be worried about those though you'll look great and everybody it's it's an exciting project to have our directory expanded to include more than just a line of text so it's a it's a it's a good project that's being undertaken so directory forms are there some photos will be taken over the course of the next number of Lord's Day is a growing church it's good to to put faces to names and that sort of a thing so we can thank Jonathan for his work on that and facilitating him would be a good thing well let's begin our worship then if you can turn in your Bibles with me to Psalm 2 Psalm often read at the outset of worship Psalm 2 measure of applicability of course to the book of Acts and the things going on in the growth of the early church Psalm 2 beginning in verse 1 this is the word of God why did the nation's rage and the people plot a vain thing the kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his Christ saying let us break their bonds in pieces and cast away their cords from us he who sits in the heavens shall laugh the Lord shall hold them in derision then he shall speak to in his wrath and distressed them in his deep displeasure yet I have set my king on my holy hill of Zion I will declare the decree the Lord has said to me you are my son today I have begotten you ask of me and I will give you the nation's for your inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession you shall break them with the rod of iron you shall dash them to pieces like a Potter's vessel now therefore be wise o Kings be instructed you judges of the earth serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling kiss the son lest he be angry and you perish in the way when his wrath is kindled but a little blessed are all those who put their trust in him amen well let's stand together and sing our first hymn in your larger Trinity hymnal is 227 - a familiar tune that's 227 let's stand together [Music] please be seated let's go to our God in prayer let us pray Heavenly Father we rejoice on this Lord's Day Sabbath to gather in the house of God we thank you that we have this freedom and this opportunity to so gather to bring rejoicing and praise and honor to Father Son and Holy Spirit we pray once again that in this place your name would be hallowed that your name would be praised we pray once again throughout the world Lord God that this would be the case at those gathered Saints throughout the nations would have gathered together and would be now gathering together to worship Father Son and Holy Spirit to rejoice in the gospel of amazing and victorious grace we do pray that you would strengthen your saints you would give them that measure of the Spirit that their hearts might arise to a true and proper worship Lord God that you might be worshiped in spirit and in truth we rejoice in the gospel of Jesus Christ our Savior and we thank you for that precious truth that in the fullness of the times you did send forth your son born of a woman and born under the law to redeem those who are under the law and we rejoice along with those words of the Apostle Paul that this is a faithful saying worthy of all acceptance that Christ Jesus came into this world sinners to say we thank you knowing that we are not saved by deeds of righteousness which we have done we're not saved by our own holiness but much rather were saved solely and alone by the perfection of the work of Jesus Christ our Savior that one that precious one who lived a life of obedience to your law in the place of everyone who believes in his name that when he died upon Calvary's cross a death that was sacrificial that was substitutionary that curse bearing death upon Calvary's cross wherein our Savior took upon himself the wrath that was due for all who believed in his name he died for our sins and we rejoice in that truth we thank you for that vindication in the resurrection for the exaltation of our Savior Jesus Christ to your right hand we sing the praises of so glorious a gospel and we pray now that you would humble our hearts before an awesome God that we might give you though praises those those honoring z' that are due unto your most high name we thank you lord once again that we can gather here in freedom we pray for our brothers and sisters throughout the world that cannot so gather like we can that are affected by the tyranny of governments that are affected by the opposition of their own countrymen and we do pray that you would come for their hearts that you'd give them peace in the risen Christ that however they may be afflicted and persecuted that you would cause them to know that their God is near that they have a God of all comfort and you would cause them to be strengthened by the knowledge of the risen and exalted Jesus Christ that one who has been given a name which is above every name we pray Lord God that you would comfort our dear brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the world we know that there is much persecution we would pray God that you would deal with those who persecute our fellow Saints God that you would save many who are presently opposed to you that you would come to them with gospel preaching and the power of the Holy Spirit and they would turn from the madness of their idolatry in opposition to Jesus Christ our Savior be found in him we do pray God for those who would continue in in opposition and in rebellion against the living and true God we pray that you would take them out of the way so that they would no longer bring violence against the people of Christ we pray God for those who rule over us we remember those that the admonition of the Apostle Paul to pray for the kings and those who are in authority that we may live peaceable lives we do pray for those who rule over us God that they would do so in justice and righteousness in a proper equity and we pray that you would take those out of the way even Lord God and in political in political positions who would seek to pervert the nation's who would seek to bring the nations down we pray that you had replaced them with people who would act according to a proper righteousness we pray that you would cause your people to be in prayer for this throughout the lands a Lord God that your gospel may go forth victorious and that your people may live peaceable lives able to proclaim with great joy and with great freedom the riches and the excellencies of Jesus Christ we would ask God that you'd be with those who we prayed for this morning struggling with illness and disease and sickness the list is long Lord and we do pray that you tend to each and every one that you'd strengthen them in body that you would as the great physician bring healing to your saints we ask God that in the midst of physical affliction you would cause them nevertheless to rejoice in their God to find sweet promises in your truth and the Holy Word we do pray God that in the midst of affliction your the Saints would be lifted up to high thoughts of their God we do pray for those struggling spiritually Lord that you would restore them that you would strengthen them that you would give them that grace to to see the joy of their salvation God and to lift them up from those dark places and cause them to rejoice in our Christ we do pray that you would then now be with us and worship God as we rejoice in the freedom to gather to sing the praises of father son and spirit and to rehearse the glories of our Savior Jesus Christ we pray that you'd be with us in worship be with pastor Butler as he preaches your word once again strengthen the minister in the pulpit that he might know the divine aid of father son and spirit and that he might proclaim with great courage the things of your word and we do pray that the spirit would be active in this place stirring the hearts of the saints instructing us according to your word and we pray God for salvation today that those who entered in outside of Christ in unbelief young or old God that you would bring them forth by victorious grace and cause them to bend a knee with great joy to the king of kings and Lord of lords and it's in the name of Jesus Christ we pray amen let's stand and sing again this time in the same hymnal hymn number 81 that's him 81 let's stand and sing together as a church [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] you turn in your Bibles with me to the Gospel of Luke chapter 22 Luke 22 when you get there you can turn to verse 47 we'll begin reading there Luke 22 beginning at verse 47 once again the word of the triune God and while he was still speaking behold a multitude and he who was called Judas one of the twelve went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss him but jesus said to him Judas are you betraying the Son of man with a kiss when those around him saw what was going to happen they said to him Lord shall we strike with the sword and one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear but jesus answered and said permit even this and he touched his ear and healed him then jesus said to the chief priests captains of the temple and the elders who had come to him have you come out as against a robber with swords and clubs when I was with you daily in the temple you did not try to seize me but this is your hour and the power of Darkness having arrested him they led him and brought him into the high priests house but Peter followed at a distance now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together Peter sat among them and a certain servant girl a certain servant girl seeing him as he sat by the fire looked intently at him and said this man was also with him but he denied him saying woman I do not know him and after a little while and others saw him and said you are you also are of them but Peter said man I am NOT then after about an hour had passed another confidently affirmed saying surely this fellow also was with him for he is a Galilean but Peter said man I do not know what you are saying immediately while he was still speaking the rooster crowed and the Lord turned and looked at Peter then Peter remembered the word of the Lord how he had said to him before the rooster crows you will deny me three times so Peter went out and wept bitterly now the men who held Jesus mocked him and beat him and having blindfolded him they struck him on the face and asked him saying prophesy who is the one who struck you and many other things they blasphemously spoke against him as soon as it was day the elders of the people both chief priests and scribes came together and led him into their council saying if you are the Christ tell us but he said to them if I tell you you will by no means believe and if I also ask you you will by no means answer me or let me go hereafter the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of the power of God then they all said are you then the Son of God so he said to them you rightly say that I am and they said what further testimony do we need for we have heard it ourselves from his own mouth amen well it's quite a scene here we don't or we do know how the scene finishes with the restoration of Peter but what a what a sobering moment here for the disciple Peter he denies the Lord three times as the Lord had been taken away and we read in verse 61 the severity of the moment being brought to the fore here and the Lord turned and looked at Peter what a moment that would have been for the one who had just thrice denied his master we see here then Peter remembered the word of the Lord how he had said to him before the rooster crows you will deny me three times so Peter went out and wept bitterly it's a great a moment of humiliation for the Apostle Peter here we know how the story ends though don't we Christ had already prayed prior to this occasion that he he knew that Satan sought to sift Peter like wheat yet he says I have prayed for you the interceding power of the Lord Jesus Christ Peter I have prayed for you and when that your faith would not fail and when you have returned strengthen the Brethren we have following this that occasion where Peter is strengthened he did weep bitterly at this point but being restored by his Christ and being empowered by the Holy Spirit he preaches with great boldness on that that day of Pentecost and we see here the humiliation of our Savior our Christian hearts ought to be humbled and ought to be at the same time warmed when we read these wonderful verses here at the same time grieving and yet at the same time the stuff of our salvation verse 63 now the men who had held Jesus mocked him and beat him and having blind fell'd at him they struck him on the face and asked him saying prophesy who is the one who struck you and many other things they blasphemously spoke against him we have the opposition here to our Christ but this is our Christ in his vicarious curse bearing and his obedience going about the business of our salvation it is at the same time grieving yet at the same time sweet because we're casting our eyes upon a tax that speaks to his perfect saving work and we see here our blessed Savior going through this in the stead of all who believe in his name and then if you're interested in in a minute in 37 seconds these sorts of tests texts that follow were used by the early church to argue for what's called the unity of Jesus Christ that is he is very God and very man yet one price not a divided not two divided price it's not two persons not two subjects but one in the same Christ we see here the question being asked if you are the Christ to help us and the answer is wonderfully here he answers telling him that essentially he is and that he is the one who will be exalted to the right hand of the Majesty on high never make the mistake of not connecting this to Daniel 7:14 that prophecy about the one who would be given glory Dominion in a kingdom on the heels of his victorious saving work here after the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of the power of God and then we have the language of son of God they all said are you then the Son of God and he said to them you rightly say that I am I love the Lord Jesus Christ's resolve in his diligence here unto his cross death but we see here son of man son of God yet one price the only mediator between God and men here speaking victorious the end in conquest prior to his cross death and this is the Savior that we come to worship this Lord's day as his people this is our Christ our son of man our son of God our mediator and let us rejoice in him Heavenly Father we pray that you would help us to rejoice in our Christ that we would sing the praises of our God as we continue in worship be with us help us Lord to give you that honor and that praise that is do your most high name we do pray that in this place your praises would be sung and God that you would now instruct us by the continual singing of hymns by a prayer by the reading of your word and by the preaching of your word might the Saints be edified in this place might sinners be saved and like this all once again be an exercise done to your glory we pray in Christ's name Amen our final him before the preaching then if you'll stand with me is 295 and the large Trinity hymnal again 295 [Music] [Music] well please turn with me in your Bibles to the book of Acts we're in Acts chapter 4 Acts chapter 4 we'll look at the prayer of the church in verses 23 to 31 but I do want to begin reading in Acts chapter 4 at verse 1 to set the larger context to remind us where we've been and what's actually going on in this particular section but beginning in Acts chapter 4 at verse 1 now as they spoke to the people the priests the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead and he laid hands on them and put them in custody until the next day for it was already evening however many of those who heard the word believed and the number of the men came to be about 5,000 and it came to pass on the next day that their rulers elders and scribes as well as anise the high priest caiaphas john and alexander and as many as were of the family of the high priest were gathered together at Jerusalem and when they had set them in the midst they asked by what power or by what name have you done this then Peter filled with the Holy Spirit said to them rulers of the people and elders of Israel if we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man by what means he has been made well let it be known to you all and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom you crucified whom God raised from the dead by him this man stands here before you whole this is the stone which was rejected by you builders which has become the chief Cornerstone nor is there salvation in any other for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were uneducated untrained men they marvel and they realized that they had been with Jesus and seeing the man who had been healed standing with them they could say nothing against it but when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council they conferred among themselves saying what shall we do to these men for indeed that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem and we cannot deny it but so that it spreads no further among the people let us severely threaten them that from now on they speak to no man in this name so they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus but Peter and John answered and said to them whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God you judge for we cannot but Speak the things which we have seen and heard so when they had further threatened them they let them go finding no way of punishing them because of the people since they all glorified God for what had been done for the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed and being let go they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them so when they heard that they raised their voice to God with one Accord and said Lord you are God who made heaven and earth and the sea and all that is in them who by the mouth of your servant David have said why did the nation's rage and the people plot vain things the kings of the earth took their count a stand and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ for truly against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together to do whatever your hand and your purpose determined before to be done now Lord look on their threats and grant to your servants that with all boldness they may speak your word by stretching out your hand to heal and that signs and one maybe done through the name of your holy servant Jesus and when they had prayed the place where they were assembled together was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and they spoke the Word of God with boldness amen let us pray father we thank you for the written word and we pray now for the ministry of your Holy Spirit we thank you God for your grace and your mercy and your power as it's revealed in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ thank you for so great a salvation thank you that you've changed our hearts that you've given us faith and repentance you've caused us to see that Christ is altogether lovely and chief among 10,000 and may we now stand amazed at what happened in the early church in terms of its continued opposition to our Lord of glory and may you encourage us in our 21st century setting knowing that there is increasing opposition to the gospel of our Lord help us in in like manner to pray to you and help us to see the emphasis in this passage on the necessity of the Word of God do forgive us now for our sins and our transgressions Lord open eyes and hearts to receive the truth of the gospel for any who have come this morning dead in their trespasses and sins we pray that the voice of God the voice that is able to crush the Cedars of Lebanon would come and speak to the hardened hearts of men and women and boys and girls and you would bring so great a salvation and we ask in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ amen well this particular section the prayer of the church concludes what began in chapter 3 at verse 1 remember in chapter 3 at verse 1 and following we see the healing of this man who had been lame who had been by the gate called beautiful and who had been begging alms Peter has nothing to give him in terms of silver or gold but rather what he has he gives him in the name of Jesus Christ this man is healed on the basis of that Peter then stands in Solomon's porch and preaches Christ he preaches the person and the work of the Lord Jesus the religious leaders get wind of and they are disturbed and troubled by this and so they arrest Peter and John you would think that Peter and John had been printing and distributing pornography at the at Solomon's porch but rather they had been preaching the truth of the gospel but that arouses the suspicions of the religious leadership and so they do arrest them and then they call upon them to stand before the council and give a defense so Peter and John do that and then the council is faced with a great problem they cannot deny that a notable miracle is taking place because the man who had been lamed is now standing right before their eyes again it's a it's a wonderful problem that the council is faced with at that particular time they'd love to deny it they'd love to stipple the app stifle the Apostolic preaching but they can't the man who had been lame is now standing right before their eyes so they have recourse to threaten the Apostles you can no longer speak in this name that name which is a threat that name which is opposition to these religious leaders but they threatened the Apostles the apostles of course say we are not going to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard so again they're threatened and now Peter and John returned to their own and I want to look at three things with reference to this section first the return to their brethren in verses 23 and 24 secondly the prayer of the Brethren in verses 24 to 30 and then finally the response from the Lord in verse 31 so we're given a bit of a glimpse here into an apostolic prayer meeting we're given a glimpse into a corporate prayer meeting in this first century context when the people of God have been threatened from preaching the Word of God now note their release in verse 23 and being let go the Sanhedrin couldn't punish them the Sanhedrin couldn't keep them in prison the Sanhedrin couldn't beat them at this particular point so they let them go and it says that they returned to their own companions is supplied it's literal they return to their own in other words other believers end up to this particular point we have the Twelve Apostles we have the hundred and twenty that are gathered in Acts chapter one we have three thousand added on the day of Pentecost and then we have that number five thousand in Acts chapter three so we're not sure just who it is that is in view at this particular juncture whether it's just the fellow apostles whether it's the larger community of God's people I would probably take the position that it's the larger community of God's people these two chief spokesman Peter and John have been arrested they come back to the people of God now to tell them what had occurred and essentially what they would have said is this they threatened us they told us to no longer speak in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ they tried to exert pressure upon us they exerted their control over us or have tried to and they want us to be silent with reference to our Lord Jesus Christ so they make that report and then notice what the people of God do at this particular time says they reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them so when they heard that they raised their voice to God with one Accord and said now most likely what's in view here is that one man free up raise and all of the people are unified behind it I don't think some special gift was given so that everybody gathered together said exactly the same sort of thing the idea is probably that one of them and it might have most likely been Peter or one of the Apostles pray to God notice that it's vocal this is corporate prayer this isn't private prayer this is something you could have heard this is something that was audible this was something that was voiced to God and there was this one Accord Ness in other words the people of God were unified when it came to their address to God and that's going to be very important for us to observe as we move through this the people of God are unified at the throne of grace when they bring this petition to the Lord most high but in terms of their response in terms of their prayer I think it's very interesting to note the priority of prayer they were threatened to no longer speak in the name of Jesus notice what they did not do they didn't go home and get their guns and assault the Sanhedrin they didn't go home and get their grenades and lob one into the Sanhedrin they prayed brethren that was their priority and John Gill makes this observation that this news concerning a threat on the one hand shouldn't paralyze them but on the other hand it ought not to promote sluggishness he says and being on the one hand not over much terrified we shouldn't imagine that the government threatens us to no longer speak in the name of the Lord Jesus were not supposed to go run and hide we're not supposed to go live on the top of a mountain were supposed to obey God rather than man the Lord's were not supposed to be over much terrified Oh they've told us not to preach the gospel we obey God rather than men always and in every situation when man's word comes to try and subjugate God's Word we always follow God that should be a given with us if it's ever threatened by our government that we can no longer gather in the name of Jesus we're still gonna gather in the name of Jesus there will still be services of the church as long as we have breath in our lawns but back to Gill and being on the one hand not over much terrified and cast down and on the other hand not sluggish careless and secure they betake themselves not to plots conspiracies and seditions nor to arms to defend and avenge themselves though their numbers were large if it was in fact the five thousand people they would have had the numbers to gun down you know metaphorically speaking the 71 member Sanhedrin he says nor two nor two arms to defend and avenge themselves though their numbers were large but to prayer that they might not be deterred by threatening x' from speaking boldly the word of the Lord see what they do they're threatened from the council they're told not to speak in the name of the Lord Jesus and what do they do think they pray now as we move to this prayer there's three parts in this prayer there is first invocation secondly there is exposition and thirdly there is supplication now I'm not certain that every prayer that we ever pray ought to include exposition but we'll see how it functions in this particular situation they're comforting themselves with the Word of God they're providing stability for their souls in light of the reality that God's Word had prophesied this very sort of thing it's kind of local Peter does before the Sanhedrin he invokes psalm 118 verse 22 he uses that as the theological rationale for their opposition to the Apostles because they chief builders were refusing or rejecting the very cornerstone and so they utilized Psalm 2 in that kind of a way but note first the invocation this is one of the reasons why the doctrine of creation is so important because it brings us into contact with the creator notice if we believed in evolution if we believed in even theistic evolution we wouldn't be able to invoke God the way they invoke God in this particular instance notice in verse 24 it says so they are when they heard that they raised their voice to God with one Accord and said Lord you are God who made heaven and earth and the sea and all that is in them why do you think they do that or why do you think they would invoke God with that reality that he's creator because he's created her because he's governor because he's Lord he saw Brent the Greek word in verse 24 is not the typical correos it's the word despot now despot in English always connotes something negative or typically it connotes something negative but not so in Greek it means the the absolute authority the sovereign over the universe such that when we face trials such that when we face afflictions such that when we have a 71 member council threatening us to no longer speak in the name of the Lord Jesus we find our comfort in this reality that God made the world that God even made these man and as a result God is sovereign over these men it's the doctrine of creation that provides steel to the soul it's the doctrine of creation that affords comfort to the peace of God it is the doctrine of creation by which or in which they invoke God in this instance and this isn't unique in Scripture you see it Nehemiah chapter 9 in terms of a covenant renewal ceremony when they pray to God they first of all highlight God as creator you see it in Psalm 146 6 you see it in the prophet Isaiah 42 verse 5 but you see it uniquely in the prophet Isaiah in chapter 37 which is also 2nd Kings chapter 19 in a situation that in many respects parallels what the Apostles are facing at this particular time remember godly Hezekiah Hezekiah was the ruler over Judah he was the monarch over Judah and Sennacherib the king of the Assyrians wanted to bring Judah down and so Hezekiah prays and how do you think he addresses God in light of the threat of Sennacherib king of Assyria he addresses God as creator he thinks in terms of that reality brethren it is that doctrine which through the history of the church has afforded great comfort to the people of God the fact that he is over all things that he has made all things that we are on his side ought to really encourage us whatever the affliction whatever the trial whatever the difficulty may be the thought that our God made everything and holds it together by the word of his power is something that ought to produce a smile in the heart of all God's people and that is precisely how they are utilizing it here Matthew Poole says the creation and government of the world is a good consideration to confirm us under all things that befall us here in other words when we invoke God we don't just do it in a manner that is consistent with church history we don't invoke God simply in a traditional way you know when Jesus tells us in the Lord's Prayer to invoke God as our Father it's not a routine that Christ is holding out to us it's not rote it's not pattern but it's rather blessed comfort and assurance we call God our Father but by the same token when we consider creation the fact that God made all things by the word of his power in the space of six days and all very good whatever we're facing whatever issue confronts us whatever threats we may be undergoing God's over at all see the doctrine of creation is intimately connected to the doctrine of sovereignty and we as Calvinists or we as perform people love that doctrine of sovereignty a brethren a God who is not sovereign in terms of creation is not sovereign in terms of Providence or redemption it's a packaged deal and God Most High made all things now know their exposition in verses 25 to 28 they cite Psalm 2 Lord you are God who made heaven and earth and the sea and all that is in them who by the mouth of your servant David have said another affirmation of divine inspiration of holy scripture they do this in acts 1 at verse 16 notice in acts 1:16 men and brethren this scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas acts 2 30 day vyd is identified as a prophet so whatever else we may say about song - this must much we must say it's given by divine inspiration it is the authoritative Word of the Living God and that authoritative Word of the Living God which contained a prophetic announcement has specific application at the time of the Apostles notice they quote Psalm two one and two and in this particular Psalm it's a messianic song now kids that simply means that while on the one hand it may be about David in some small way it's mainly about David's Lord when you hear that messianic Psalm it means that the subject of the psalm is Jesus Christ and Psalm 2 is a psalm wherein the subject is Jesus Christ and it deals with the the rage of the nation's the opposition of the enemies of God and of his Christ they take their stand together they they take counsel together and they resist the moral government of Yahweh and of his Christ who stationed in his right hand and then the Christ speaks and talks about his installation at the right hand of the Father the fact that he is the the son of the Father and then the psalm ends with King David given specific instructions to the nation's surrounding Israel at that time that they should kiss the son that they should bow to the Lord Jesus instead of opposing instead of resisting instead of shaking your fist at him rather bow to him and if you're here this morning in your one that joins in this rage against Yahweh and against his Christ listen to David be wise be instructed David says kiss the son lest he be angry and you perish in the way when his wrath is kindled but a little and the psalm ends on this high note blessed are all those who trust in him you may not be blessed or you may not feel yourself blessed as you come to church on this Sunday the pathway to blessing is not primarily the church but the pathway to blessing is primarily Jesus the Messiah of Psalm 2 the one stationed at the right hand of the Father the one who is royal the one who is glorious the one who is exalted the one who is from everlasting to everlasting that blessed Jesus that we were reminded of in the scripture reading who stood before godless men who was treated with absolute contempt by godless man he didn't do that because of his own sin or his own crimes he did it for the sins and the crimes of his people you see blessing is found in Jesus beautiful thing isn't it Psalm 2 is is all about that theme you can see how it would be useful in this context because Psalm 2 contains a prophetic announcement that there would be this enmity against Yahweh and against his Christ Psalm 2 prepared the people of God for what would transpire when Messiah comes into the world other words on the one hand as we read through the passion narratives we ought to be shocked and surprised and and stand amazed at the the contempt shown to our Savior but on the other hand having read the prophet Isaiah which tells us that he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief we hid as it were our faces from him there was nothing desirable in him that we should gaze at him we should be prepared for this and certainly Psalm 2 wet when is that gonna take place but when Messiah is manifested the kings the nation's the rulers the Gentiles they're all going to stand in opposition against Yahweh and against is Christ you need to remember something that's happening here specifically what's happened with Israel as a body politic what's happened with unbelieving Israel they have taken their place alongside pagans in their opposition to Yahweh and is Christ it's a terrible irony that is going on in this particular particular section it's the nation's that rage against God it's the nation's that oppose Jesus Christ and notice that the Apostle goes on not only to cite the psalm but as well to apply it with reference to Christ notice in verse 27 for truly against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and there it is the people of Israel the tables have turned dramatically haven't they the people of Israel at the time of Psalm 2 should have been great recipients of Yahweh and His Christ but here Christ comes to his own his own received him not instead of his own bowing and confessing him as Lord and Savior they've cried away with him away with him crucify him but you can see the function of this quotation in this particular situation they're comforting their hearts with what's happening this isn't a surprise this isn't a shock this isn't something that's supposed to run us away and cause us to hide and to fret and to never ever engage again in the preaching of the name of the Lord Jesus no God told us this was going to happen but what's the grand emphasis in Psalm 2 it's not only a record of the opposition of the nations against Yahweh and against his Christ but it's also the record of their loss it's a record of their defeat in other words when you read Psalm 2 you don't come out at the end saying wow the nation's win that's not what happens is it you do not read Psalm 2 with the idea that the nation's when you read Psalm 2 with the absolute certain conviction that God and His Christ when see why the Apostles are citing this see why the apostles are are applying this see why the apostles are fetching out from Scripture words of comfort for their tried souls now brethren if the doctrine of creation ought to provide stability and comfort and and security in the hearts of God's people at the throne of grace so should scripture in other words how do we pray to God pray His Word right back to him God loves his word God delights in his word and a prayer-meeting ought to be about god's word prayer closets ought to be saturated with God's Word family altars ought to be saturated with God's word church prayer meetings ought to be saturated with God's Word why because the people of God need comfort they need stability they need grit and determination what affords them that schastye stories from Chatty preachers know it's the written word of God Most High given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit the Spirit spake through David for the good of your souls why don't you memorize scripture why don't you come to God with Scripture why don't you think scripture and bring the comfort that that affords to the soul and notice with reference to the application for truly against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate you can read that only Luke records the the treatment with Eric Matthew Mark and Matthew Mark and John all record for us Peter before Jesus before Pilate Luke tells us in Luke chapter 23 7 to 12 that when Pilate heard that Herod might have jurisdiction Pilate does what every politician ever since has done he passes the block don't think that's new right what do politicians do they pass the block their political they don't give answers they don't give direct statements they don't affirm and deny they consider if I affirm what ramifications will it have if I do not just answer the questions to see politicians like to pass the buck and the moment that Pilate a two-bit governor and a two-bit province in the Roman Empire hears that Herod might have some jurisdiction well let's send him there because you see Pilate faced a problem as well something akin to what this council faced when they saw a rather one Pilate saw Jesus hadn't done anything wrong this mob wants him to die but he's not done anything wrong but Pilate knows which side of the his bread is buttered on and so he wants to appease the crowd again another gutless wonder that found his place in politics the few that actually take courageous stands are persons we ought to praise God for for the most part they're gutless wonders and they want to pass the buck and that is precisely what Pilate does but intriguingly at the end of that narrative section it says that Pilate and Herod now were friends because they had formerly been opposed to one another what's the point the point is that enmity against Christ makes some strange bed fellows Herod and Pilate will put down their animosity toward one another as long as their target is Jesus you see that's what the people of God face the people of God face the mutiny of man the meaner that the people of God face the rage of the nations China America and Canada and you know all the countries of the world have this one thing in common in terms of unbelievers they hate God right that is that what we're facing today yes that's precisely what we're facing when we see our so-called liberties being being stripped away and freedom of speech and freedom of religion stripped away what's the endgame it's to silence that what that tells us there's only one king and his name is Jesus see that's what happens in Thessalonica the believers are brought on trial why because they preached another King Jesus see that was an offense in the Roman Empire it didn't matter them if you worshipped a thousand gods but when you worship the one true and living God that's the problem you see these in comfort themselves with the word of truth they get song two out of its out of its place and into their heart and then notice what else they do god you're the creator god you're the one who's given us Psalm to God you're the one who has announced that this sort of thing would take place but God we know and acknowledge it's according to your plan that it happened this way you see brethren prayer you see sometimes crazy book titles like prayer changes God no it doesn't prayer does not change God I the Lord do not change James 1:17 there is no variation or shadow of turning in our God if prayer changes God then prayer is an exercise in futility because if you and I have the potential to change God what are we gonna change him into I shudder at the thought prayer doesn't change God preached ages us prayer brings us in conformity to the will of God prayer brings soothing and comfort to our tired souls prayer helps us and what more help could we possibly gain than invoking the God of creation acknowledging that his written word has spoken to this eventualities and as well that this rage of the nation's the mutiny of man shutting themselves against God and against his Christ nevertheless is according to the plan and purpose of God you see that notice in verse 28 to do what are to do whatever your hand and your purpose determined before to be done you'll hear that sometimes too