← Back to sermon library

good morning everyone welcome to Free Grace Baptist Church special welcome to the visitors amongst us good to see John and Sue back from the island John and Molina are here too from Honduras wonderful to have you back a couple of announcements before we get started tonight is the joint service with Surry reform Baptist Church that starts here at 4 pm not 5 p.m 4 P.M this evening there'll be a time of fellowship and food afterwards Wednesday night's our regular Bible study at 7 30 p.m and then the annual work day takes place this year on Saturday May 20th that will begin at 8 30 in the morning so for our call to worship this morning turn in your Bibles to Isaiah 42. Isaiah chapter 42 will begin reading in verse 1. through verse 9. behold my servant whom I uphold my elect one in whom my soul Delights I have put my spirit upon Him He will bring forth Justice to the Gentiles he will not cry out nor raise his voice nor cause his voice to be heard in the street a bruised Reed he will not break and smoking flax he will not quench he will bring forth Justice For Truth he will not fail nor be discouraged till he has established Justice in the earth and the Coastland shall wait for his law thus says God the Lord who created the heavens and stretched them out who spread forth the Earth and that which comes from it who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk on it I the Lord have called you in righteousness and will hold your hand I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the peoples as a light to the Gentiles to open blind eyes to bring out prisoners from the prison those who sit in darkness from the prison house I am the Lord that is my name and my glory I will not give to another nor my praise to carved images behold the former things have come to pass and new things I declare before they spring forth I tell you of them amen for our first hymn this morning we're seeing Psalm 110 from the psalter psalm 110 a as in Alpha please stand with me as we sing [Music] away your eyes [Music] foreign [Music] and you may be seated let us turn to our great God In Prayer gracious and merciful God we thank you for this beautiful day we thank you for the creation that surround us surrounds us we thank you for your works of Providence that you have spared us and provided for us again throughout this past week thank you that you have brought us together thank you that you've been merciful and kind and thank you for Redemption thank you for the fact that the the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin thank you for the mercy that you have shown upon us even in the past week thank you that we can be here that we can have Fellowship one with another that we are called together in one family thank you for this privilege of corporate worship and we pray that your blessing would rest upon it this day we pray that you would be present in our midst and that you would that your spirit would apply thou the word to our hearts as a balm as the balm in Gilead I pray oh God that you would encourage and comfort those in need of encouragement and comfort I pray that you would chastise those in need of chastisement I pray that you would call out of Darkness into glorious light those who have not yet embraced the truth those whose eyes have not yet been opened be gracious to us this day I pray and Lord what we pray for our congregation here we pray for the church throughout the world we know there are great great multitude of people that you have called out of Darkness into Marvelous Light in every nation and we know that on that great day there will be people from every tribe every tongue every people group that stand before the throne and sing your praises and we pray your blessings upon the entire church we know that there are many who do not have the same privileges we have of of freedom and being able to gather like this Lord we pray for those who have to gather in secret those who have to gather even in fear be merciful to them o God be merciful to those who are being persecuted and those who have been singled out and are in prison for the sake of Christ and for the gospel help your Saints oh God to persevere to the very end be merciful to your people I pray Lord I pray that you would be gracious to our sister churches we thank you for the privilege we have this afternoon and evening of visiting with our Brethren from Surrey we pray that your blessing would rest upon them this morning as they gather and as they worship together less Pastor Kirkpatrick this morning and as he speaks this evening I pray God your your hand of Mercy would rest upon him and the spirit would guide his every word bless the congregation there and the congregation in the north Okanagan I pray that you'd bless Pastor melgar's encourage that group continue to cause them to grow in unity and in strength and bring amongst them those that are to be saved and Lord we pray for the church plant out in Ontario in Dryden we pray that this group of people would soon be constituted soon have a a qualified Elder to lead them and thank you for the men that are providing leadership at this moment and we pray your blessing upon them thank you that John and Molina are able to be with us this morning and we thank you for the work that you were doing down in Honduras we pray that you would continue to bless that congregation and encourage them and cause them to be a true lighthouse in that Nation Lord we pray that you would continue to cause the church to grow Lord we pray that we would see more people more men trained and sent out not only from here but from the various Church plants we long to see solid Biblical churches planted all across this country all across this nation Lord we do pray for our nation that you would be merciful to Canada we know that there's an uh antithesis to the gospel we know there are many people who hate your word and hate your people and though we don't see the active persecution that we see in other countries we know that there's no middle ground we pray o God that you would bless your people and protect your people and continue to help us to use the Privileges that you have given us wisely Lord we pray the magistrates in our nation that you would be gracious and that you would cause them to rule in righteousness and Truth we pray O Lord those who have set their hearts on wickedness and have set their hearts on destroying the good that has been done in this country in the past we pray that you would save them or remove them from office we pray Lord that we would be able to live in peace and continue to see the the gospel go forward and see the church multiplied thank you for your grace and your mercy continue with us in worship this morning I pray bless those who are not able to be with us who are listening online who are or who are ill be merciful to them I pray I see things in Jesus name amen for our next hymn we're going to turn to Psalm 46 in this altar Psalm 46 selection c as in Charlie please stand with me again as we sing [Music] please [Music] I'm ready [Music] we are [Music] here we still glorious [Music] we may be seated for our morning New Testament scripture reading we're turning to Revelation chapter 16. Revelation 16 we will read the entire chapter then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the Earth so the first went and poured out his bowl upon the Earth and he fowl and loathsome sore Came Upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped His image then the second Angel poured out his bowl on the sea and it became blood as of a dead man and every living creature in the sea died then the third Angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water and they became blood and I heard the angel of the waters saying you are righteous O Lord the one who is and who was and who is to be because you have judged these things for they have shed the blood of saints and Prophets and you have given them blood to drink for it is their just do and I heard another from the altar saying even so Lord God Almighty true and righteous are your judgments then the fourth Angel poured out his Bull on the sun and power was given to him to Scorch men with fire and men were scorched with great heat and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues and they did not repent and give him glory then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the Beast and his kingdom became full of darkness and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain they blasphemed the god of Heaven because of their pains and their sores and did not repent of their deeds then the sixth Angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates and its water was dried up so that the way of the Kings from the East might be prepared and I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon out of the mouth of the Beast and out of the mouth of a false prophet for they are spirits of demons performing signs which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather them to the Battle of that great day of God almighty behold I am coming as a thief blessed is He Who Watches and keeps his garments lest he walk naked and they see his shame and they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew Armageddon then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air the loud voice came out of the Temple of Heaven from the throne saying it is done and there were noises and thunderings and Lightnings and there was a great earthquake such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth now the great city was divided into three parts and the cities of the Nations fell and great Babylon resort was remembered before God to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his Wrath then every island fled away and the mountains were not found and great hail from Heaven fell upon men each Hailstone about the weight of a talent men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail since that plague was exceedingly great amen Father in heaven you control time and history and all that happens on this Earth and Lord we know that you choose men for blessing and you choose men for damnation we see here even those these severe plagues were not able we're not to turn these men's Hearts towards repentance because they had been hardened Lord we pray that you would give us a soft heart that each and every person in this place would call upon the Lord while it is time we ask this in Jesus name amen for our last hymn we'll sing number 352 352 Man of Sorrows what a name please stand with me as we sing and as far away [Music] there is very strong [Music] as we [Music] it is in his trust is right now because [Music] come on [Music] well you can turn with me in your Bibles to Psalm 2. I'm going to take a little break from our exposition of John's gospel to look at psalm 2. fact as you read through John's gospel you get the the sneaking suspicion that it's scripted in other words what we find in the Old Testament concerning the coming of the son of man is played out on the pages of the Gospel of John and Matthew Mark and Luke as well and in fact the early church the Apostolic Church prayed and cited this particular Psalm in terms of Herod and pilate and the Gentiles and the Israelites opposition to an enmity against our Lord Jesus Christ so it's a very fitting Psalm in light of our studies in John's gospel so a read beginning in verse 1. why did the Nations 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 anointed saying let us break their bonds and 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 them in his wrath and distress 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 Nations 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 sun 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 let us pray our gracious God and Father we thank you for the Lord's day we thank you for the Blessed privilege that is ours to gather together as the people of God to worship you father Son and Holy Spirit we pray now for the ministry of the holy spirit to guide our thoughts as we consider this Psalm we see it as a prophecy concerning the blessed savior who had come to save his people from their sins we ask that you would help us to find great encouragement and comfort at the fact that our savior Reigns and rules over all things for the good of his church and does well God May Sinners today hear the the argument of the psalmist to come to kiss the son to Bow before him in faith we ask that you would forgive us for all sin and all unrighteousness and transgression cleanse Us in that precious Fount that is open for sin and uncleanness we thank you for your goodness we thank you for your graciousness we thank you for your mercy and your majesty and your glory and we pray that you would be honored now and we ask through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well as we look at Psalms one and two many see these two Psalms together as sort of the introduction to the entirety of the psalter there's certainly some overlap and there's certainly a lot of connection going on in these first two Psalms but specifically in terms of Psalm 2 it's four stanzas of three verses each so we're going to look at it in that particular manner we'll look first at the Rebellion against God in verses one to three secondly the appointment of the Son of God in Verses 4 to 6 thirdly the revelation of the decree of God in verses 7 to 9 and then finally the exhortation to kiss the Son of God in verses 10 to 12. so the psalmist does not leave us on our own he not only gives us the truth but he calls us to respond he calls Sinners to kiss the sun he calls Saints to Marvel in the rain and in the rule of that son and with reference to its identification here we see in Acts 13 that Paul the Apostle preaching in presidian Antioch calls it the second Psalm and it is a in fact a Psalm that David composed but it doesn't concern David there might be some similarities in terms of his Earthly Reign but it points forward to David's greater son that Messiah who would come forth to save his people from their sins so let's look first at the Rebellion against God not necessarily the most happy subject that's certainly a subject that we need to appreciate if the rest of the psalm makes sense but notice the identification of the rebels and then we'll look at the nature of the Rebellion look at the rebels according to verse one why do the Nations rage in the people plot a vain thing and I don't think that why is rhetorical I think David under inspiration of the holy spirit is musing on the reality why what kind of people do you think you are as finite creatures resisting the infinite God The God Who made you the God who created The God Who sustains you the God who gives you life and and breath and so sustenance and water why do people do this why do they mount their opposition against the the living and the true God in fact the Prophet Jeremiah asks this question in chapter 10 verse 7. who would not fear You O King of the Nations for this is your rightful do for among all the wise men of the Nations and in all their kingdoms there is none like you Revelation 15 4 John the Apostle says something very similar to Jeremiah who shall not fear You O Lord and glorify your name for you alone Are Holy for all nations shall come and worship before you for your judgments have been manifested now certainly as God's people we would imitate this why why do the Nations rage why do the people plot a vain thing but it's not just the people it's not just the Nations collectively but it's also the leadership it's the political class it's it's those who have charge over God's creation notice in verse 2 the kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together so the kings of the earth set themselves against God most high that's the issue the psalmist here is depicting the Mutiny of man against the living and the true God so the kings of the earth they set themselves and then notice that the rulers they take counsel together and as I've mentioned the New Testament applies this to life and Ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ remember in Luke's gospel in chapter 23 when pilate finds out that Jesus belonged to herod's sort of uh uh uh constituency he sends Jesus there and you see that Herod and pilate become friends men that were normally are formerly not friends Luke's gospel tells us in chapter 23 at verse 12. that very day pilate and Herod became friends with each other for previously they had been at enmity with each other so whatever the differences might be in terms of political class or in terms of rule or in terms of government in terms of legislation over Nations this one thing we see in common with the political class of our day they remain in opposition to the living and the true God in Acts 4 27 and 28 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 the apostles recognized this wasn't Rogue it wasn't Renegade it wasn't Maverick it wasn't the case that in the Providence of God these men just happen to oppose the Lord Jesus Christ now this happens according to the Sovereign plan of God the decree of God the controlling factor in all of the universe nevertheless we see that application of Psalm 2 in the ministry of Our Lord so as we follow him in teaching in the temple as we follow him resisted and opposed by the political slash religious leadership in terms of the Sanhedrin we are to expect that the old Covenant the Old Testament prophesied a Man of Sorrows and one acquainted with grief in his first first coming it wouldn't be with absolute overwhelming power to subjugate the Nations that was an Earthly sort of expectation on the part of the Jews it's an Earthly expectation on the partisan and the Christian church today but we look forward to that imposition of overwhelming Force at the second coming of our savior so in that first coming he had no form no comeliness when we looked upon him there was nothing that Drew our eye to him again he was a Man of Sorrows he was acquainted with grief but we know that that was the nature of his task we know that he was sent from heaven for us man and for our Salvation to live for us to die for us and to rise again and so when you read Psalm 2 if you're not a Believer here this morning Psalm 2 prophesies it testifies it it gives evidence to what we find in the New Covenant God is in the business of saving Sinners God is about saving Sinners God is in Christ according to Paul reconciling the world to himself God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son not all men without this exception but all men without distinction as our brother prayed as he cites Revelation 5 and 7. every tribe every tongue every people every nation so we ought not to get this idea that he came down for us man and for our Salvation that it was just a handful just a small group no there is profuse Grace to be had in our blessed God remember the Apostle celebrates the riches of God's grace and in Ephesians 1 7 he says in him we have Redemption through his blood the Forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace when we come to the end of this particular Psalm you'll see a benediction pronounced blessed are all those who put their trust in him if you're not a Believer today that's the exhortation that's the encouragement to look unto the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation because you are part of these nations you part of these Confederates that rage against God most high and notice that that's the target of their position if the nation's rage and the people plot a vain thing and the kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together if there's this kind of solidarity upon the Earth their enemy must be menacing it must be something bad it must be something terrible in her effect but it's not it's just the opposite it's against the Lord God most high and is Christ man hates God so when we ask the simple question what the psalmist why do the Nations rage and the people plot a vain thing when we ask with Jeremiah and with John why uh who would not fear thee O King of the Nations for indeed it is I do we know why it's sin it's depravity it's wretchedness it's Rebellion it's transgression it is the Mutiny of man that is depicted here in verses one to three they rage against God they Rage Against the Lord Christ they despise his rule they despise his Reign and look at the particular nature of that Rebellion so the target is the Lord and his anointed or his Christ or his Messiah and then notice in verse 3 let us break their bonds and pieces and Cast Away their cords from us this is a rejection of the law of God most high as the people of God we imitate David in Psalm 119 97. oh how I love your law it is my meditation all the day or Jesus says in John 14 15 if you love me you will keep my Commandments we don't Grimace against that we don't hate that we hate the fact that we don't comply as we ought but in terms of compliance we see the utility we see the blessedness we see that this is what God made us to do or John in first John 5 3 says for this is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not burdensome compare the Yoke of Christ in Matthew's gospel come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden take my what my yoke upon you well see here's the fundamental problem with mankind it's not economics it's not uh ethnicity it's not anything other than Rebellion against God you know when you watch the news you read the internet news and you see all of these pundits talking about all the problems going on in the world today you can follow it back to one filthy Fountain man is deceitful his heart is wicked he is a rebel and a transgressor against Yahweh and against his Christ so notice this complaint let us break their bonds and pieces and Cast Away their cords from us the bonds and the chords reflect God's concern for his creatures right why does he put these bonds and these cords upon the creature to restrain them to to not harm them to make sure they don't kill themselves and yet man and sin wants to throw these things off he he rejects it he resists it there's no desire for the law of God in the hearts of man the Nations rage and the people plot a vain thing because they don't want to pursue sexual Fidelity the Nations rage and the people plot of anything and they're assisted by the Kings and the rulers because they don't want to esteem life they resist God most high at every step of the way they engage in idolatry and in blasphemy they don't care one bit about the Sabbath day they're insubordinate in terms of his authority they're murderers they're adulterers they're Liars they're they're they're they're uh thieves and Covetous men this is what marks the problem so if somebody says boy the world is a mess what do you think the problem is well it's very simple Psalm 1 Psalm 2 1-3 man is in Rebellion against the living and the true God and and this whole idea that his bonds and and his cords are somehow restrictive let me ask you parents do you tell your children to run around the house with scissors do you tell your children to lick their finger and put it in the socket do you tell your children yeah go ahead and shimmy over this this fence and go play with that gorilla at the zoo no of course not you put bonds over them you put cords on them you want to restrict them if you are driving home from church today to use an illustration from Jay Adams and you see a train off the track wielding its way through the through the fields a farmer's field do you think that's good oh no the the the train needs to be on the track God's creatures need restraint and God provides that but man despises it he rejects it he Rebels against it and then notice not only is this a rejection of his law but it's an attempt to escape from his rule let us break their bonds and pieces and Cast Away their cords from us so that we can be free so we can be in independent so that we can be autonomous a moment's reflection shows you that this has been tried in the history of the world what do Adam and Eve do when they sin against God they run and try to hide in the trees that God made how's that going to work out you think the God who made the trees aren't isn't going to say that you're hiding in the trees remember Aiken when he stole the loot he coveted it he stole it he hid it underneath his tent or what about David David figures or reckons that he could cover adultery with a conspiracy to commit murder the the the the wise man Solomon says whoever or he who hides his transgression shall not Prosper whoever confesses and forsakes it will find Mercy so you see this Confederacy of Godless men that are resisting Yahweh and his Christ need Yahweh and his Christ in order to comply with God and that's what we see as the same shifts so we move from the Rebellion against God to the appointment of the Son of God in Verses 4 to 6. notice first his wrath that holy revulsion against that which is ungodly that which is a contrary to his perfect nature notice what it says in verse 4. he who sits in the heavens shall laugh now that's kind of an interesting turn a phrase and I'm reminded I think Shane shared it with me Pastor Albert n Martin was sort of trying to illustrate this I think it was in Revelation but it certainly fits here if you opened up your front door and you see a a a line of ants on your porch and they're in Rebellion against you they're gonna take you down they're gonna hurt you they're going to remove they're going to liquidate you are you shaken by that do you care about that what's your response you laugh at that you hold them in derision the ants don't have the wherewithal they don't have the ability they don't have the potential but I would suggest those ants could take you down sooner than the creature could take down the Creator see this response of laughter it is paralleled in Proverbs 1. wisdom laughs at the Calamity of men who continue to reject and rebel against God most high I think Spurgeon speaks well to this he says Mark the quiet Dignity of the omnipotent one so you've got this Mutiny you've got the Nations raging you've got the people plotting a vein saying you've got this scene on Earth and then the scene shifts up into heaven what do you see you don't see a nail-biting God you don't see a god with knees knocking you don't see a God calling for a special counsel because I got to be able to deal with this Confederacy no he he laughs at them he he shall hold them in derision Spurgeon says Mark the quiet Dignity of the omnipotent one and the contempt which he pours upon the princes and their raging people he has not taken the trouble to rise up and do battle with them he despises them he knows how absurd how irrational how futile are their attempts against him he therefore why laughed at them that is the appropriate response from the omnipotent God to Rebel Sinners who think they're going to Dethrone God who want to transgress against him who want to despise him and his Christ who's stationed at his right hand and then notice we see that revelation of his wrath in verse 5 then he shall speak to them in his wrath and distress them in his deep displeasure it's no accident that Romans begins with the revelation of God's Wrath in a book intended to reveal the the righteousness of God in chapter 3 verse 21 it starts off with the bad news it starts off with the wrath of God it starts off with the wrath of God revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth and unrighteous our own right unrighteousness this is the righteous response of a holy God to Rebel Sinners you know we think about that everybody wants to celebrate the love of God and well we should John defines God that way God is love not God has love God can love God does love once in a while but God's Essence is love he is his Perfections all that is in God is God but we don't ever think about his wrath we don't think about his righteousness we don't think about his Justice we don't think about the reality that Sinners who transgress his law are setting themselves up for a fall look at 1 6 Psalm 1 6 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous but the way of the ungodly Shall Perish that's the reality of living in a moral Universe your God is Holy your God is righteous your God expresses mercy and Grace in and through his son the Lord Jesus Christ but if that mercy and Grace is rejected if it is despised if it is resisted there is wrath there is punishment there is hell we like to celebrate and preach about heaven but we don't typically warn about hell but hell is the contrast to Heaven you continually despise the Son of God you continually resist the Son of God you continue to join the Confederate Rebels you will be the one who suffers that's the the intention of the psalmist here is to underscore that but then notice what we find in terms of the appointment of the Son of God in verse six yet I have set my king on my Holy Hill of Zion think about the logic the rebel Sinners don't want Yahweh and they don't want his son so what you always responds I'm going to set my son on my Holy Hill I'm going to put my son in the position of authority and power and Universal Reign I'm going to station my son over them what what's the implication God knows us better than we know ourselves we want no God we want no Christ so what does God do in terms of response I'm going to set Christ over that it's like in second Timothy chapter four preach the word convince rebuke and exhort with all long-suffering and teaching why Paul because the time will come when they will not endure sound Doctrine wouldn't it be wise if they don't want sound Doctrine to then entertain them they don't want sound Doctrine have therapy sessions if they don't want sound Doctrine just kind of encourage each other no they don't know what they need and we don't go based upon what they want we go based upon God's holy will so preach the word even though they don't want sound Doctrine what they desperately need is sound Doctrine even though they don't want yahweh's Christ that is what they desperately need so even in this we see the response of God yes wrath yes Justice yes righteousness but Mercy Grace loving kindness to needy Sinners the psalm that begins with this Mutiny of man ends with the pronunciation A pronouncement of benediction upon all those who who trust in him so we might survey that David has an Evangelistic thrust in view yes he's going to tell us what's wrong with the world yes he's going to tell us the response of Yahweh to that world and yes that God has wrath but that God is full of mercy and Grace the fact that he installs his son on that Holy Hill of Zion underscores that reality yet I have set my king on my Holy Hill of Zion now Zion there is not exclusive of everything else I think J.A Alexander describes it well distinguished from all other Hills and other places as the seat of the theocracy the Royal residence the capital city of the Lord and of his Christ often times in the New Testament Church is referred to as Zion we see that in Hebrews chapter 12. you've not come to Sinai but you've come to to Zion and so what it underscores is the authority of King Jesus Christ at the right hand of God most high to execute not only the wrath of God upon these Rebel Sinners but to execute mercy and uh kindness and and Grace upon those who by Grace Look to Him in faith blessed are all those who who put their trust in him now that brings us to the third scene the third stanza notice it's the revelation of the decree of God this is the third speaker that we have here notice we've got David speaking to us in verses one to four we have Yahweh speaking to us in verse 6 but intriguingly in verses 7 to 9 we have a third speaker we have another one we know who that is and we'll see that in more detail but again Alexander says as the first stands a one to three closes with the words of the insurgents and the second verses four to six with the words of the Lord so the third verses 7 and 9 contains the language of the king described in the preceding verse announcing with his own lips the law or constitution of his kingdom so God's response is to laugh God's response is to hold them in derision God's response is the revelation of his wrath but then God's response is the installation of his son I have set my king on my Holy Hill of Zion that King Sat by the father on The Holy Hill of Zion is now going to come and talk to us and he indicates for us or he describes Divine dialogue if you want the technical terminology to this it's called prosopological exegesis prossipon is the Greek word for person and you find this in the Old Testament you find the father and the son speaking to one another you find Revelation from the Son about the father and it's given to us we're the we're the the stand the standards by that sort of get to peer in and see behind the scenes so God the Father announces the installation of this King and now this King steps up in verses 7 to 9 to reveal to us the decree behind it why is this happening is this haphazard is this plan B is this plan C is this just the best possible opportunity at this time no everything that is has been determined by our Sovereign god listen to Spurgeon concerning this he says we have looked into the council chamber of the wicked and to the throne of God and now we behold the anointed declaring his rights of sovereignty and warning the traitors of their Doom so verses 7 to 9 is the son revealing to us this decree notice I will declare the decree he's letting us in what happened between the father and the son that brings light to Bear upon this Mutiny of man and their Rescue by this King I will declare the decree the Lord has said to me you are my son today I have begotten you I think this is a reference to what we call the Covenant of redemption the reality that the father gave to the son a great multitude that no man can number the son was then obligated to take on our Humanity for whatever is not assumed is not redeemed he lives for us he dies for us and he's raised again for us Christ is not first and foremost an example Christ is a substitutionary curse Bearer Christ is an accomplisher of righteousness Christ does everything we stand in need of and so Christ as I said pulls back the veil and and gives us this Revelation concerning what the father and the son intend about the salvation of his elect and say notice what we have the relation of the son to the father you are my son today I have begotten you turn back to the book of second Samuel second Samuel chapter 7 The davidic Covenant promises a Son of God who will build the house of God second Samuel chapter seven you remember the scene David is sitting in his Palace David is musing on his victories David is rejoicing in his wealth and then he says I dwell in a house a palace made with with cedar and and God lives in a tent so David wants to build a house for the Lord and of course he's discouraged from doing that he's a man of war he's got to set the stage for that man of Peace Solomon to come in and to build that house for God and that's what God tells that I'm not going to have you build a house for me David but rather I'm going to build a house out of you a dynasty a succession of King things and that King that comes from your loins is is then going to build me a house so notice in second Samuel 7 at verse 12. when your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers I will set up your seat after you who will come from your body and I will establish his kingdom he shall build a house for my name and I will establish the Throne of his kingdom forever I will be his father and he shall be my son it's quoted in the book of Hebrews at chapter 1 verse 5 apply to the son to show us superiority his super dignity his his Excellence over those old Covenant Norms but here specifically we have this son of God that will build a house for God it should remind us if you've been with us anytime you've heard me make this connection Matthew chapter 16 who who do men say that I the son of man am of course the disciples give various answers about the things that were in Vogue about this Jesus of Nazareth and then Jesus presses them the disciple group but who do you say that I am what does Simon Peter say Thou Art the Christ the son of the Living God and then Jesus says well good for you you've stumbled on this truth no blessed are you Simon barjona for Flesh and Blood did not reveal this but my father who is in heaven and then he says you are Peter and on this rock I will do what I will build my church we have a son of God tasked with building the house of God realized in David's greater son so when we go back to Psalm 2 we see lots of biblical data sort of being pulled together in this wonderful depiction of the messiah's Reign so I will declare the decree the Lord has said to me you are my son today I have begotten you as we've moved through John's gospel we know that the only begotten son is the son not by creation not by adoption but by Nature he's only begotten no one has seen God at any time but the only begotten son who is in the bosom of the father has declared him you see the this language applied to Jesus the only begotten we see in the Cradle history of the church this is how you distinguish the persons of the godhead the father is unbegotten the son is begotten and the spirit proceeds from the father and the son this maintains the distinction between the three persons of our Triune God but with reference to this particular text you are my son today I have begotten you Paul quotes this in Acts 13 33 and applies it to the resurrection so which is it Resurrection or the Eternal generation of the sun I think it's both you know how Matthew Henry does that you'll read Matthew Henry you want answers and he'll give you the two or three options and then he doesn't tell you which one he takes or sometimes you say it's both that's what I'm doing right right now I think it's both and I think the the the the the warrant for that is Romans 1 3-4 concerning his son Jesus Christ Our Lord who was born of the seed of David according to the Flesh and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holy is by the resurrection from the dead when Paul applies Psalm 2 7 to the resurrection of Jesus in Acts 13 Paul explains in Romans 1 how he does that the only begotten Son of God that one who is God from God light from light true God from true God took on our humanity and when he died in our stand when he died in our place when he was placed in that tomb he rose again from the dead and that declared that he was in fact the Son of God with power so back to Psalm 2 notice we not only have the relation to the son of the father but notice the pleasure of the father in the son so I said it was a dialogue Jesus is rehearsing the decree Jesus is telling us what happened in terms of the father and the son notice ask of me and I will give you the Nations for your inheritance and the ends of the Earth for your possession I think it's a legitimate application preaching say through Ephesians 1 or Philippians 2. to see how the father responds to the ministry of our Lord Jesus and then exhort the people of God to do likewise in other words the father is well pleased with the son at the very baptism of Christ this is my beloved Son and in whom I am well pleased and then on the Mount of transfiguration same thing as repeated and then hear him well the father was so pleased with the work of the son that he exalted him to the right hand of the father he gave him a name that is above every name he gave him Universal sovereignty and Empire he gave him that Dominion he gave him absolute unfettered Authority and that is precisely what is highlighted here so ask of me and I will give you the Nations for your inheritance and the ends of the Earth for your possession it's one of the parts of the Covenant of redemption the father gives a miserable lot of Sinners to the son the son covenants to go and rescue them and as a reward as a blessing as the sea signal of exaltation what does the father do he raises him from the dead he stations him at his right hand and he gives him that absolute Authority as the Messianic King it is a wonderful thing a brother read the first or one of the servant songs at the outside of worship in Isaiah 42 there's another one in Isaiah 49 verse 6 it is too small a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel I will also give you as a light to the Gentiles that you should be my salvation of the ends of the Earth what's the father saying I'm going to give you this band of Sinners but it's not going to be confined to the Lost tribes of Jacob You're So Glorious so awesome so wondrous so Majestic and so blessed I'm going to give you as a light to the Gentiles as well Isaiah 53 another servant song verses 10 and 11. yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him the father bruises the son he was delivered up by Lawless hands according to the predetermined plan of God Almighty so Isaiah can say it please the Lord to bruise him he has put him to grief when you make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed he shall prolong his days and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand he shall see the labor of his soul and be satisfied by his knowledge my righteous servant shall justify many for he shall bear their iniquities so you not only have this unique relation between the son to the or the son to the father do you have the father's Delight in the sun you have the fathers of approval of the son the father's approbation of the son the fact that he is well pleased in the son to the point where he says ask of me and I will give you the Nations ask of me and I will give you the uttermost parts of the Earth this is why in Revelation 5 and 7 we get men from every tribe every tongue every people every nation this is why in Matthew 28 Jesus says all authority in heaven and on Earth has been given to me go therefore and do what Make Disciples of the tribes of Jacob no Make Disciples of all the nations baptize them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit and then teach them to observe all that I have commanded you and know that I'm with you always even to the End of the Age so Jesus does that because the father had given him the Nations the father had given him the Earth you see that promise to Abraham Genesis 12. Genesis 13 Genesis 15 Genesis 17. Genesis 22. you see it moved on to Isaac and to Jacob what does it concern it concerns the Seed of Abraham who would bring blessing to the Earth who would bring blessing to the world Genesis 13 specifically Abraham is told to go out look North look South look East look West what's he seeing is he just seeing the confines of Israel is he just seeing that ancient piece of dirt no according to Paul in Romans 4 13 he received the promise that he would inherit the world it is the worldwide mission of the church that we are engaged in go therefore and Make Disciples of all the nations this isn't confined to the New Testament we see the Old Testament taproots we see it all the way back to Genesis chapter 9 in the Oracle of Noah that uh uh uh uh there would be jephthah would find comfort in the tents of uh uh Hashem yeah there would be that Gentile inclusion in the Covenant Covenant of Grace you see that in a few Ephesians 2 and 3 we've been rehearsing that in our our evening services so back to verse 8 ask of me I will give you the Nations for your inheritance and the ends of the Earth for your possession now brethren in terms of our tasks our responsibility our duty we're just supposed to go we're not supposed to question oh but Lord the the Nations don't seem Pleasant the Nations don't seem like they're receptive the Nations don't seem to want that again it's not what the nations want it's what God says they need and so the church today simply needs to be obedient relative to the Great Commission we need to make much of preaching Christ and in crucified we need to make much of teaching the people of God what they're supposed to do as his people or to encourage that shining his lights in a crooked and perverse generation and encourage that holding forth the word of Truth we have the absolute authority of Jesus Christ calling upon the church not to entertain men not to be a social place not to simply be another club in a city but to be that body in which evangelism and calling Sinners to repentance and faith is one of the primary emphases and of course the worship of God on the part of the people of God is another primary emphasis there's no at odds here it's not a either or we get to do both and preach justification by faith the needy centers and preach sanctification by the spirit to the people of God who have been conquered teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you and lo I am with you even to the End of the Age so when we ask the question what's our job as the church be faithful what's our job as the church in light of government encroachment well it's still be faithful what's our job in light of the fact that the church doesn't always want to do what the church is supposed to do be faithful steadfast persevering fighting going forward and fighting I'm not suggesting C4 vests in the local bank so we can send everybody to the other side that's not what I mean spiritual fighting the weapons of our Warfare are not carnal they're not C4 vests they're not AR-15s but they're Mighty for the pulling down of strongholds and taking every thought captive to The Obedience of Jesus Christ Our Lord so when it comes to the church's Mission the Lord Christ has said to go and make disciples of all the nations well why would he say that because of this decree ask of me and I will give you the Nations for your inheritance and the ends of the Earth for your possession but then notice we see that wrath element again in verse 9. you shall break them with a rod of iron you shall Dash them to pieces like a Potter's vessel turn back to Exodus chapter 34. Exodus chapter 34. we have that wonderful scene where Moses asks to see the glory of God almighty he does that in chapter 33 at verse 18. he said please show me your glory then God says in verse 19 I will make all my goodness pass before you interesting wherein lies the glory of God certainly it's in his wrath it's in his Justice it's in his righteousness but it's in his goodness and he he says that I will make all my goodness pass before you and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will have compassion on whom I will have compassion but he said you cannot see my face for no man shall see me and live and the Lord said here is a place by me and you shall stand on the Rock so it shall be while my glory passes by that I will put you in the cleft of The Rock and I will cover you with my hand while I pass by then I will take away my hand and you shall see my back but my face shall not be seen so then we skip to the revelation of God's glory look at 34 5. now the Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there and proclaimed the name of the Lord and the Lord passed before him and proclaimed again this is a demonstration a manifestation a revelation of his glory slash goodness the Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abounding in goodness and Truth just so you know this is the Old Testament this is the Book of Exodus lots of people think that the Old Testament is only filled with blood and wrath and fury and destruction look at the grace look at the mercy look at the patience look at the goodness of God in terms of the revelation of his glory so backing up just one more time the Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abounding in goodness and Truth keeping Mercy for thousands forgiving notice the three terms here iniquity and transgression and sin that is beautiful he doesn't come to save us from some of our sins but he will save his people from their sins and then notice forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin but then by no means clearing the guilty visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and the fourth generation I say this simply to say that God is not a pushover there is Grace there is Mercy there is the installation of the Son of God at the right hand of God wherein Sinners can come for forgiveness and a righteousness that will Avail with God but again God's not a pushover the stability the moral order depends on God's justice and righteousness when you get to the Book of Revelation what happens in that New Jerusalem the people of God are there the people of God are basking in the glory of God the people of God are there they don't need sun and moon because the the lamb is its light but who's outside it's the Cowardly it's the idolater it's the the murderer it's the Abominable they're in the lake that burns with fire why because a truly righteous place is only consummate when all the wicked is cast out never forget the moral government of our Sovereign God there is Grace there is Mercy but the son has an iron Rod by which he shatters Rebel Nations I think that should serve to encourage the people of God we don't Rejoice necessarily in the demise of our fellows but we do rejoice in the execution of God's justice we rejoice in the execution of God's righteousness remember II Thessalonians 1 the Apostle says it's right with God to afflict those who have Afflicted you in other words the righteous justice of God most high is as wonderful to embrace as is his love and his mercy and his long-suffering and his forgiveness but in Psalm 2 9 we see that the response to the Confederate Nations is the Judgment of our blessed savior you shall break them with a rod of iron you shall Dash them to pieces like a Potter's vessel that phrase comes out in Revelation 2 Revelation uh 12 and then again in Revelation chapter 19. told you before Revelation is in a book of dark foreboding and sorrow and misery it's about Christ as king So it seems legitimate and appropriate for the Apostle John to reach back to Psalm 2 7 and to apply that to the reigning Christ at the right hand of the father there are Confederate nations in the Book of Revelation Revelation 13 the beast from the sea the beast from the land what's going to happen to them are they going to overtake the world no the Son of God who's got the iron Rod of God is going to smash them and dash them into pieces Davis I think summarizes this decree well he says the appointed King verse 7 with World Wide sway verse 8 to be established an overwhelming Force verse 9. that is the decree that is controlling history and we may not see that we may not see Confederate Nations dashed down by the the the power of Jesus Christ but we have the promise of God most high that it's going to obtain we have the promise of God most high that it is going to happen in the early Church in the New Testament era what was the most quoted or alluded to Psalm it was Psalm 110 1. the Lord said to my Lord sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool a brethren we we cite that and we reflect upon that basic truth that you know the early church was sort of animated by that promise that that Yahweh said to my Lord Jesus sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool what was going on in the Roman Empire oh it was just righteous and everybody loved each other and everybody cared for one another and they tended to one another it was Bloody it was horrific we we've been abortion today it was practiced in the Roman Empire you take a girl baby out and throw it on the trash heap if the dogs got it the dogs got it if a guy came and took her away to make her a sex slave the guy took her away and made her a sex slave there was an abandoned man of the sixth commandment there was an abandonment of the seventh commandment you think our age is the first age that has seen this kind of promiscuity that is seen this kind of perversion that has seen this kind of lawlessness and wickedness no they saw it in the early Roman Empire they saw it the Believers and nevertheless Yahweh said to my Lord sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool see Brethren we've lost something in terms of the kingly office of our blessed savior we need him as a prophet to speak to us because we're ignorant we need him as a priest to die for us because we're wretched but we need him as a king to rule over us to defend us to guide us to protect us and not to lose sight of the fact that he has all authority in heaven and on Earth and he will Dash those Nations down like a Potter's vessel and then that brings us to the exhortation to kiss the son of God I love the the writers of the Bible they don't just throw out this Doctrine and say okay let's go home now or let's go have our coffee there's there's buns up in the fellowship hall let's enjoy that's not what they do they get practical that they get real that they bring it to Bear upon the hearer and notice that David is just like that he'd be a great preacher in the apostolic church he does the same thing he highlights the depravity of man he highlights the sovereignty of God and then he calls upon depraved man to come to that God through faith in Jesus Christ so notice what David says he addresses the audience in verse 10. we started off with the Nations raging and the people plotting a vain thing the kings of the earth setting themselves and the rulers taking counsel together so who does David address he doesn't shun the political he doesn't say well I can't make this application because if I do then I'll be reprimanded no he addresses those kings that rule in the Nations around him notice there now therefore be wise o Kings what does that imply it implies that they're not wise it implies that they're filled with falling it implies that to resist God and His Christ is not some sign of of of academic Brilliance it's not some sign of autonomous Excellence it's a sign that you're dumb it's a sign that you're foolish it's a sign that you've got bigger problems than you ever even imagined you need to be wise this could be applicable even to non-kings non-rulers could be applicable to Children could be applicable to young people could be applicable to all of us be wise why would you live the way that you're living when you know that its end is death and destruction why would you live the way that you're living when you know the end is the Wrath and fury of God Westminster Shorter Catechism asks the question what does every sin deserve every sin deserves God's wrath and Paris both in this life and that which is to come that's as clear as clear can be and if you know that and you understand that and yet you live in light of you know I just want to do my own thing I don't want Jesus I don't want religion I'm only here because my parents make me I'm only here because my wife or my husband makes me I'm only here because that's what I'm sort of supposed to do culturally I'm only here for those reasons you need to be wise and I think what's implied here is repentance stop the foolish thinking where you stand opposed to Yahweh and just Christ you need to listen to King David you need to listen to the Apostle Paul you need to listen to those people who by Grace have tasted and seen that the Lord is good when you consider King David as he issues as it were this Evangelistic appeal understand that he wasn't a guy that was raised in Sunday school and he was blemish free he wasn't raised in such a way that he had no knowledge of sin that he was just this spotless pure fellow that in the grand scheme of things yes it it is wise to side with God later in Psalm 32 he'll rejoice in the fact of being one to whom the Lord has not imputed inequity he knew sin but he also knew Grace Newton said I'm a great sinner but I have a great savior I don't think Newton was original in that thought I think David had that thought I think David codifies that thought so when he tells you to be wise he knows what he's talking about when your parents tell you to be wise they know what they're talking about when your converted spouse tells you unconverted spouse to be wise they know what they're talking about in him we have Redemption through his blood the Forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace by Grace we have tasted and seen that he is good by Grace he has taught our hearts to fear so David says to be wise get rid of the Folly turn your back on that Godless that God Godless pseudo wisdom so he says now therefore be wise o Kings be instructed you judges of the earth and then he gives this exhortation verse 11. serve Yahweh with fear and rejoice with trembling curious phrase isn't it the serve again I think has to do with repentance we're going to see Faith justification by faith specifically highlighted in verse 12. what's the the other side of the coin of faith is repentance we believingly repent and we repentingly believe so he's highlighting those Evangelical Graces that are given by God but but he says specifically now therefore be wise o Kings be instructed you judges of the earth serve Yahweh with fear and rejoice with trembling so so don't oppose Yahweh don't hold your fist up against him and his Christ don't say no God I love the the gloss that Edwards gives on Psalm 14. the fool says in his heart know God we just take that as your garden variety expression of atheism Edward says no he says in his heart no God he wants to cast off the bonds he wants to cast off the cords he wants to try to hide he has no concern for the law of God he has no concern for the the Providence of God he wants to run from him but with reference to this serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling those two things are consistent in the people of God aren't they when we come into the presence of God there ought to be reverence there ought to be fear we're not dealing with a fellow we're not dealing with a creature we're not dealing with a better version of ourselves we're dealing with the most high there ought to be fear there ought to be reverence there ought to be that respect paid to God most high and that is perfectly consistent with joy in Matthew 28 the women run from the empty tomb with fear and joy in Acts 9 31 we get a summary statement concerning the churches in a particular region it was Judea they continued in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit see if we don't have that fear we're treating God incorrectly if we don't have that Joy we're not saved because if we come before this God we're happy right I I hope there's an expectation for this afternoon when we meet our Brethren from Surrey and we have preaching and we have fellowship and we're in the presence of God we're in the household of God we're celebrating the the pillar and ground of the truth there's there's fear there's there's joy there's there's happiness virgin says there must ever be a holy fear mix with the Christian's Joy this is a sacred compound yielding a sweet smell and we must see to it that we burn no other upon the altar fear without Joy is torment and joy without holy fear would be presumption he's right bang on absolutely spot on and I'm going to lean on Spurgeon for verse 12. I don't think you can do better in terms of verse 12. there is a command there is an argument and there is a benediction notice the command kiss the sun lest he be angry well kiss the sun that's the command what's that suggest well there's passages in the Old Testament that compare that that sort of bring together this kissing with worship you see it with reference to Idols I've got 7 seven thousand knees who haven't bowed to bail or kissed him first Kings chapter 19. you see a similar use of people kissing their idols and in Hosea chapter 13. you see it as a sign of of respect and and subjugation in first Samuel chapter 10 and verse 1. so you've got this you know serve the Lord with fear this this this be wise this this repentance but you've got this submission this Faith this justification by faith alone kiss the sun doesn't mean you take a plane up into heaven and you you plant a big one on his cheek it means to bow to him to confess him as Lord it is to see him as all together lovely and chief among ten thousand it is to see him as the righteous servant of God most high who saves his people uh from their sins so that's the command kiss the son notice the argument again he always does this this concept of Wrath this concept of judgment let me make sure gospel preaching today is not devoid of that reality we don't want to terrify people into the kingdom of God as long as they go into the kingdom of God I'm not sure they care how they got there the fear of the Lord is the beginning of Life as brockle says there's a lot of different ways that Sinners come to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ some are wooed by love some are terrified by the concept of the wrath of God so do we not go angling with that bait from time to time of course we do especially with prouder arrogant men that are in Confederacy against God you need to understand that this current path in the language of Solomon leads to destruction the way of the transgressor is hard the way of the treacherous is heart the way of the Unfaithful is heart it doesn't benefit you to not be wise it doesn't benefit you to be foolish so notice the command kissed the Sun the argument lest he be angry and you perish in the way when his wrath is kindled but a little and then the benediction blessed are all those who put their trust in him turn to Romans 10 we're just about done Romans chapter 10. where you see a similar concept blessed are all those who put their trust in him look at chapter 10 in Romans at verse 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead you will be saved for what the heart One Believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation for the scripture says whoever believes on him will not be put to shame isn't that what David says to the to the rebel Kings and the rebel judges surrounding Israel in that context blessed are all those who put their trust in him Brethren it's been well said that our people die well Christians die well that doesn't mean they don't get cancer it doesn't mean they don't get bullets in the head it doesn't mean they don't get hit by Mac trucks but it does mean they die well in terms of anticipation in terms of understanding what their future is and whatever life they may have lived with all the hardship with all the woe with all the Affliction with all the difficulty you ask that dying Saint in that 11th Hour do you ever regret having come to the Lord Jesus Christ you know what you're not going to hear oh yeah what a mess it made of my life what ruination it brought to me what horrible things I suffered no the people of God die well because their savior died for them and was raised again and is going to receive them unto himself when they pass from physical death into life blessed are all those who put their trust in him for the scripture says whoever believes on him will be or will not be put to shame goes on for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek for the same Lord over all is Rich to all who call upon him forever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved well for the believer I hope you're encouraged at a survey of the righteous reign of the Son of God he's got absolute Authority he has absolute control he knows what the rebellion of man is he knows what the nation's raging is he knows the plotting of vain things he knows that he is the the target of their opposition he's got this he's in control he's over all things to the church according to Ephesians 1 23. so for the people of God Marvel afresh at the Divine son the close sort of connection between Father and Son here underscore the Divinity of the Savior the Eternal generation of the son indicates the Divinity of the Savior yes he was man but he was divine the word became flesh and dwelt among us we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth so Christian be encouraged Christian March Faithfully unto Zion March faithfully and perseveringly in spite of the the Confederacy of man that opposes Our God he's got it he's in control and he is affecting his purposes in this world and for the non-Christian listen once again to David kiss the son kiss him believe on him look to him in faith whoever calls on the name of the Lord Romans 10 shall be saved be wise be instructed and come to the blessed savior well let us pray Our Father in heaven we thank you for your word we thank you for the clarity of Psalm 2 we see it fleshed out in the pages of the New Testament we see it in the Gospel of John we see this Mutiny we see this Rebellion we see this rejection but we see the purpose of God being fulfilled we see the other sheep not of this full we see the the the Supreme supremacy of our blessed savior God made these things go forth today all over the Earth and may your spirit attend and may you save and may you sanctify and strengthen and we ask through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well you can turn in your hymn books to 568 will stand and sing the doxology of praise to our Triune God foreign [Music] oh Lord the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all amen Lord go with us now bless us cause your face to shine upon us and keep us by your grace and For Your Glory and we pray this through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well please be seated for a brief time of meditation