Looking Forward by Looking Back: Kiss the Son

Psalm 2 ESV

Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers 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, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Prayer

Have you ever wondered why it seems that the world is in such opposition to Christ and his purposes?

Illustration

Like when you’re watching a movie and out of nowhere a character decides to take the Lords name in vain.

Of all the names that person could utter.

They choose to utter our Lord Jesus‘s name in place of an expletive.

The Bible is abundantly clear of man’s rebellion.

Our text today will be directly addressing this.

Why does it seem the world is in such opposition to God?

What is God’s response to human rebellion?

What confidence does a Christian have in this world?

What is the correct response to the Lordship of Christ?

Psalm 2:1 NET 2nd ed.

Why do the nations rebel? Why are the countries devising plots that will fail?

Why does it seem the world is in such opposition to God?

Scene I: The Nations

“The Nations”

Illustration

In the movie, the Chronicles of Narnia.

I remember watching it for the first time, and the scene that is called “The Great Battle.”

It depicts a battle between the White Witches army and Aslan’s army.

When you hear the Psalmist talking about the nations raging in the peoples plotting in vain I want you to imagine the White Witches army.

Her army consists of all the evil creatures in Narnia.

Black Dwarves,

Werewolves,

Giants,

Ghouls,

Minotaurs

Evil creatures who plot and scheme against Aslan and His army.

Psalm 2:1–2 NET 2nd ed.

Why do the nations rebel? Why are the countries devising plots that will fail? The kings of the earth form a united front; the rulers collaborate against the Lord and his anointed king.

The nations are all gathered together and they have one sole purpose.

Notice the text says that they serve a “united front”

They are united with one aim, to rebel before God.

If you were to ask the Psalmist, what every nation has in common?

It would be this one thing: they are in rebellion.

From the Amazon jungles,

to the streets of the largest cities on earth,

to the rural countryside.

They are united by this: The Quest for Freedom.

Notice what the nations gathered together say....

Psalm 2:3 NET 2nd ed.

They say, “Let’s tear off the shackles they’ve put on us. Let’s free ourselves from their ropes.”

The Quest for “Freedom”

Since Adam and Eve were in the garden, humanity has always sought freedom.

Now we live in America and we just instinctively think that freedom is a good thing.

But unlimited freedom is actually a very bad thing.

It may be surprising to you to think about the nations raging and the peoples plotting in vain and their battle cry is,

“Let’s free ourselves from their ropes!”

“Let’s free ourselves from the oppression of God and His Anointed!”

I want you to see two aspects of humanity’s quest for freedom…

Autonomy

“Self-Governing”

The word autonomy is made up of two words

“autos” which can be rendered his self

“nomos” which can be rendered as law.

Autonomy is literally a self-law.

It’s one desire to be a law unto oneself.

Psalm 2:3 NET 2nd ed.

They say, “Let’s tear off the shackles they’ve put on us. Let’s free ourselves from their ropes.”

Let me give you an example of what this freeing oneself sounds like.

There’s a kind of counseling within the counseling world referred to as Rogerian counseling.

It’s a kind of counseling that does not see advising someone as the role of the counselor.

This translates to...

“Don’t ever tell someone what to do.”

“Don’t ever instruct someone from God’s Word.”

Rather...

“Help them discover for themselves what they should do.”

Competent to Counsel Chapter VI: Nouthetic and Rogerian Counseling

Advice-giving is not an adequate counseling function because it violates the autonomy of personality

Competent to Counsel Chapter VI: Nouthetic and Rogerian Counseling

It has been agreed that personality must be free and autonomous; how, then, can one person justifiably pass ready-made decisions down to another. Ethically one cannot do it; and practically one cannot-for advice from above can never effect any real change in the other’s personality. The idea never becomes part of him, and he will cast it off at the earliest convenience.

(Adams, Jay Edward. 1986. Competent to Counsel: Introduction to Nouthetic Counseling. Grand Rapids, MI: Ministry Resources Library.)

Application

We as Christians should never look at others and think...

“They are just pursuing freedom!”

“You do you”

“It’s their life, you can live it however you think best...”

These are utterly un-christian things.

When we see the world around us, pursuing a self governing attitude, or seeking to throw off the “bonds” they feel.

We should never support them.

Now I’m not saying we take up arms against them.

But we should see the folly of this self governing autonomy.

Notice the second feature....

Psalm 2:1–2 NET 2nd ed.

Why do the nations rebel? Why are the countries devising plots that will fail? The kings of the earth form a united front; the rulers collaborate against the Lord and his anointed king.

Rebellion

“Freeing Oneself”

The reality of this is simply that all of us at one time were on the side of the White Witches army.

All of us at one time or another have hated God and His Anointed One.

George McDonald, a writer that C.S. Lewis deeply looked up to once commented on what he thought the principle of hell is…

“I am my own. I am my own king and my own subject.

I am the centre from which go out my thoughts; I am the object and end of my thoughts; back upon me as the alpha and omega of life, my thoughts return.

My own glory is, and ought to be, my chief care; my ambition, to gather regards of men to the one centre, myself.

My pleasure is my pleasure. My kingdom is — as many as I can bring to acknowledge my greatness over them. My judgment is the faultless rule of things.

My right is — what I desire. The more I am all in all to myself, the greater I am.”

-George McDonald (Referenced in Tim Kellers sermon on Psalm 2).

This is a good representation of human rebellion.

It’s not literally taking up arms.

It is a hatred of God that says, I want to do what I want to do and I despise anything which is not my own.

What is God’s response to human rebellion?

Psalm 2:4 ESV

He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.

Scene II: The Enthroned LORD

“The Enthroned LORD”

Psalm 2:4 NET 2nd ed.

The one enthroned in heaven laughs in disgust; the Lord taunts them.

So if you were to write up a list of things that make God laugh, how many of us would think “His enemies”?

God Laughs

“Laughing and Mocking”

When the Lord surveys the field of his enemies and sees, the nations clamoring with swords and weapons.

His response is not one of fear.

It’s one of laughter.

Not the kind of laughter that is a nervous chuckle.

But the kind of laughter that a Potter would do if he saw his clay pots forming themselves to attack him.

The kind of laughter that would take place if the New York Yankees were to seriously play a T-Ball baseball team.

When the LORD’s enemies gather against them, He doesn’t even stand up.

He laughs at their feeble weakness.

But the Lord does not only laugh at them…

Psalm 2:4–5 NET 2nd ed.

The one enthroned in heaven laughs in disgust; the Lord taunts them. Then he angrily speaks to them and terrifies them in his rage, saying,

God Speaks

“Speaking in Wrath”

When the Lord finally does speak...

He speaks from His anger.

The kings of the earth are terrified from His great rage.

As Jim Hamilton pointed out, this is the same kind of terrified fury that Joseph’s brothers felt when they realized their brother who they tried to kill was the king.

Genesis 45:3 NET 2nd ed.

Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” His brothers could not answer him because they were dumbfounded before him.

They realized that they had utterly no hope.

They realized that the one they tried to kill was now the king.

Their only response was a dumbfounded and horrified expression because of Joseph’s potential anger.

Notice though what the LORD from His throne speaks...

Psalm 2:6 ESV

“As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.”

The LORD on His throne in heaven points to his king on the throne in Zion.

Zion would have been the place where the Davidic throne was.

This is why the Psalm is referred to as a coronation Psalm.

A psalm which would have been sung when the king was crowned king.

Scene III: The Anointed Son

“The Anointed Son”

The word that is translated, “Anointed”, is the Hebrew form of the NT equivalent “Christ”

Hebrew - Anointed

Greek - Christ

These are synonymous words.

Psalm 2:7 ESV

I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.

Verse seven is quoted many times in the New Testament in reference to the Lord Jesus.

The Son’s Rehearsal

“Rightful Place”

The son, who is sitting on the kings throne on earth is rehearsing what God has said to him from Heaven.

Now the insightful Bible reader will immediately jump to the New Testament, and remember Jesus’s baptism

Matthew 3:16–17 ESV

And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Illustration - Breaking the Chain of Command

(Johnston, James A. 2015. Preaching the Word: The Psalms: Rejoice, the Lord Is King—Psalms 1 to 41. Edited by R. Kent Hughes. Vol. 1. Preaching the Word. Wheaton, IL: Crossway.)

In battle when an officer would come to take authority, they would need to show they have the right to be in charge.

This is what it means in the military when the way they talk of breaking the chain of command.

In military terms, there is a term called “breaking the chain of command.”

To break the chain of command means that you were undermining the authority of those above you.

We also see the Son’s inheritance...

Psalm 2:8 ESV

Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.

The Son’s Inheritance

“Rightful Possession”

God, the father is giving as an inheritance to his Son the nations.

We need to have this in mind when we remember Christ lordship over all.

Application

It is not a purposeless lordship.

It is a purposeful lordship.

He has a specific purpose amongst the nations which is that the nations will one day be his inheritance.

This means that you don’t make Jesus Lord of your life, he already is Lord.

Now, when you submit to his lordship, you were acknowledging the true reality of the world.

Psalm 2:9 NET 2nd ed.

You will break them with an iron scepter; you will smash them like a potter’s jar!’ ”

The Son’s Victory

“Righteous Conquest”

Some may take verse 9 to say that we should have a holy war.

But to take it in that direction is to misunderstand the way the New Testament applied it.

What confidence does a Christian have in this world?

If you remember in the book of acts, when Peter and John were brought before the council,

they were charged not to speak of the Lord Jesus,

and they were threatened.

English Standard Version Chapter 4

“Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, 25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit,

“ ‘Why did the Gentiles rage,

and the peoples plot in vain?

26  The kings of the earth set themselves,

and the rulers were gathered together,

against the Lord and against his Anointed’—

27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.

What do you think we would pray for after this?

Safety? Health? Security?

Acts 4:29–30 ESV

And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

These believers saw the Lords victory on the cross, and concluded that since he is, Lord of all, then they should pray for boldness to speak, and to act in accord with his victory.

They concluded rightly.

They asked for boldness.

And God granted the request in verse 31.

Acts 4:31 ESV

And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

May we be people who see the oppression from the enemies of God...

Then look upon the victory of Christ, and conclude that we need boldness.

We know there is NO refuge from Christ’s victory.

May we boldly proclaim the refuge found in Christ.

May the mature in Christ think this way!

Since there is NO refuge from Him, you must find your refuge in Him.

This Psalm concludes with one last scene....

What is the correct response to the Lordship of Christ?

Psalm 2:10–12 ESV

Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers 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, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Scene IV: Wisdom for the Nations

“Wisdom for the Nations”

The Psalmist concludes with an exhortation for all the nations.

He’s declaring what it means to be wise for the kings of the earth.

Psalm 2:11–12 (ESV)

Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled.

When the Psalmist encourages the nations to kiss the son, he is essentially saying what the NET version says in verse 12,

Psalm 2:12 (NET 2nd ed.)

Give sincere homage!

Illustration: Kissing the Kings Ring

In olden days, when a person with kiss the kings ring, it meant that he was submitting to his reign in rule

Kissing the son would be an act of reverence.

I want to distinguish between two kinds of kissing the Son.

The first is a hypocritical, kissing the Son.

Hypocritical Kiss

“Self-Seeking”

We see this in people like Judas, who came into the garden of Gethsemane and kisses the sons cheek.

It’s serving the Son to get something from the Son.

Mark 14:43–46 ESV

And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard.” And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, “Rabbi!” And he kissed him. And they laid hands on him and seized him.

Application

There is a very real temptation for you to associate yourself with the son of God for your own personal gain.

Judas is the quintessential example of this.

He was also the one in charge of the money bag within the disciples. (John 12:6-8)

He was also the one who was offended when he saw an expensive ointment lavished on the Son.

Brothers and sisters, every vein hypocritical kiss of the son of God will be revealed.

“I’ll obey you, “if”...”

Since there is no refuge from him, you must find your refuge in him.

How do we respond then?

The answer for us resides in this, we need to be wise, and warned to serve the son of God by faith.

Kiss the Son

“Wise Response”

Brothers and sisters, you are an enemy of God.

In your flesh, apart from the sacrificial blood of Jesus shed for you.

In your flesh, apart from the substitutionary sacrifice in your place.

You are an enemy of God.

The good news of the gospel is that God in Christ Jesus has a first befriended us.

We at this time, as long as today is called today, have the opportunity to respond.

Befriend the Son

Which leads the writer of the book of Hebrews to say..

Hebrews 2:1–3 (ESV)

Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.

For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution,

how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?

Don’t neglect this great salvation!

Since there is no refuge from him, you must find your refuge in him.

Psalm 2:12 ESV

Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.