Our God Reigns

Introduction:

This weekend has been a time of focus on the amazing and awesome life-altering work of God through His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus dying on the cross and taking the place of our sin, conquering sin and death, is truly an noncomprehending act. Why would someone who the Bible describes throughout as a king, live as a servant and die a horrific death that every person to ever live deserves? From a human standpoint, the day Christ died we can understand why so many followers were dejected. They did not fully understand the comfort of Jesus’ words in John 14. Thousands of years ago today, Christ made what he told the disciples and many others, come true! He arose from the dead! Paul says that because of Christ’s resurrection we are to live standing firm and immovable, daily/always abounding in the work of the Lord because our labor is not in vain. The King of kings is alive and well. He will come back and set up his kingdom. What we also know is that though Christ has not come back yet. We know that His kingdom is not here yet, God the almighty Father reigns above!

Our world is rampant with people living for themselves. We fall prey to the notion that our life and opinions matter more than the other person. We question the validity and motives of everyone. As Christians we live in a world that is chaotic. Unfortunately, as Christians we have not been immune to the chaos. Rather, we have given in to the chaos and respond in a way that does not acknowledge God. Our responses are a trust in our own reasoning and logic. We rule our lives under the guise of righteousness but are truly not trusting and obeying the sovereign God who reigns above. We dislike the notion that we do not have the right to rule our own lives. We become depressed and discouraged over life’s circumstances that do not go our way. We fight and argue among ourselves thus placeing ourselves on the throne rather than truly letting God’s reign impact and direct our lives.

Our theme for this year is to Fear God and to Stand in Awe of Him! Fearing God, standing in awe of him truly should make us be still and know God more! In our passage this evening, we are going to look at 5 verses speak of God’s reign. They speak of his power and character!

In a different way tonight I am going to share the primary application for us with each main truth we look at from the text.

Transition: Psalm 93 glorifies God’s eternal, universal kingdom which is providentially administered through Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.[i]) This Psalm looks at the character of God with three truths about God from which we will derive a main principle to take home with us this evening.

The first is:

I. God reigns preeminently – v.1-2

(similar wording of point is used by Warren Weirsbe in commentary on Psalm 93)

Psalm 93 could have very well been written during the return of the remnant to Judah. They faced opposition in rebuilding both the temple and the walls of the city. If this is the background, it is a time in Israel’s history they needed encouragement. This Psalm is definitely encouraging regardless of it immediate background. See regardless of the background, the truths declared are exceptional and encouraging!

God does reign at the highest level. No one rules over God. No one has more authority than God. God is preeminent and supreme in his rule and he does so mightily and eternally. No one is more powerful and his rule always has been and will always be, it will never end!

We see this in the first couple verses.

a. God reigns mightily – v.1

i. God’s stability is seen in his might. His might allows each of us to see him in his majesty and splendor! First, take a picture of Mt Rainier (show pics on slide). The sheer power to create this majestic conglomeration of rock and snow and vegetation. His very being is clothed in his strength and might. Not a single part of God is weak.

One commentator had this to say, “The majesty of earthly princes, compared with God’s terrible majesty, is but like the glimmerings of a glow-worm compared with the brightness of the sun when he goes forth in his strength. Are the enemies of God’s kingdom great and formidable? Yet let us not fear them, for God’s majesty will eclipse theirs.[ii]”

We truly and all to often struggle with not trusting God with those who oppose Him and everything that pertains to him. We should never be okay with sin but too often we live in fear of it and in shock that an unsaved world acts as God tells us in his Word that they will react. In that fear and a lack of trust in God’s might we soften our practical stand of sin in those we know or we allow ourselves to get distracted by trying to change society rather than sharing the most powerful example of God’s might we can share—the awesome news of Jesus Christ dying on the cross and rising again the 3rd day as Christ said! God through the prophets even foretold of it!

So what about you? Are you struggling to truly trust the power and strength of God? Are you finding your self defaulting to trying to live in your own strength? Well, God not only is all-mighty but eternal!

b. God reigns eternally – v. 2

No one can overthrow God! His reign is sure! One day God will send His only Son back to earth to set up a physical kingdom for 1,000 years. His reign does not end there, it continues into eternity. Not even Satan himself after being bound for a 1,000 years in a bottomless pit will attain the victory and satisfaction of victory over God. Satan himself cannot act outside of God’s sovereign and eternal plan and will.

i. God’s right to rule the world is founded in his making it; he that gave being to it, no doubt, may give law to it, and so his title to the government is incontestable: Thy throne is established; it is a title without a flawin it. And it is ancient: it is established of old, from the beginning of time, before any other rule, principality, or power was erected, as it will continue when all other rule, principality, and power shall be put down, 1 Co. 15:24. 2. The whole administration of his government was settled in his eternal counsels before all worlds; for he does all according to the purpose which he purposed in himself; The chariots of Providence came down from between the mountains of brass, from those decrees which are fixed as the everlasting mountains (Zec. 6:1): Thou art from everlasting, and therefore thy throne is established of old; because God himself was from everlasting, his throne and all the determinations of it were so too; for in an eternal mind there could not but be eternal thoughts.[iii]

ii. It was God who allowed Nebuchadnezzar to attack and conquer the kingdom of Judahand to destroy the temple and the holy city. The Lord used Daniel in Babylon to teach this basic truth to Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 1–4; see especially Dan. 4:17, 25, 32), but Nebuchadnezzar’s successor Belshazzar learned it when it was too late (Dan. 5).[iv]

iii. He is enthroned in heaven, robed in the majestic robes of glory, and armed with all the power He needs to humble puny rulers. His eternal throne is majestic, strong and firmly established (65:6; 104:1), and the world He created is also firmly fixed (24:2; 78:69; 119:90)[v]

No matter what happens to human rulers on earth, the throne in heaven is safe and secure.[vi] –

No one can overcome God, therefore we can enter into His presence with assurance and encouragement that God is always working and wants to work through you.

In what way does God’s mighty, eternal supreme reign impact us?

We can live safe and secure in the arms of God.

We all too often worry about tomorrow or the next week or the next month or the next year. We allow fear of health and financial security to control our emotions and decision making. Worry is a sin. Worry will eat away at your joy. Worry will eat away at your physical body. When God chose to lead our family away from Illinois and to a new ministry God chose in his timing for us to go through a period of testing and waiting on him that was much longer than I or Liz would have desired or planned. I remember during a portion of this period of time that I struggled to trust and acknowledge the security and plans of God even though I did not understand everything He was doing. I did not respond right and allowed worry to creep in and eventually it kind of rushed in…over a 3-4 day period I lost 10 lbs because I was so worried about our finances and when would God open the next ministry opportunity that I did not want to eat and barely drank. I stayed awake at night running human calculated scenarios to get through the trial. After two or three days of going deeper into God’s Word and battling my flesh’s desire to worry, God through his spirit granted me that victory. This specific Psalm along with a few others God used to wake me from my selfish doldrums and say that I need to rest in the safety and security of God’s loving and righteous arms.

Nothing and no one can hold you more secure than God. God is on the throne of all creation. He is all-mighty. He is eternally mighty! He is and always will be undefeated. Nothing is greater than God. No one is greater than God! He is the Father of our Sovereign Lord and Savior! He holds the world in his hands. He spoke us into existence!

The weakness of our flesh in trusting our lives to THE ALMIGHTY GOD is appalling and wicked. We need to stop trusting in our own abilities in life. We need to realize that our reasoning and logic of our lives and getting through life will not get rid of worry. It will not get you past the unknowing reasons for trials in your life. God never gave Job and answer to his why! He only answered with “who”.

The answer to feeling sure and secure in this chaotic and self-absorbed world is resting in the arms of God!

As God reigns preeminently he also reigns in victory!

II. God reigns victoriously – v. 3-4

The concept of victory is amazing when you are on the winning side! This weekend is a popular professional golf tournament called The Masters. To win this tournament would be a high mark of a golfers life. After two rounds if you do not have a certain determined score (called the cut), you do not get to play the final two days of the four day tournament and do not get paid. One of the top 10 players in the world played very poorly on the last few holes of his second round and missed the cut and does not advance to the final two rounds. His face was despondent and defeated.

All too often we as Christians life despondent because we have been defeated by our sinful flesh. We as Paul struggle and struggle and find ourselves losing the battle with our flesh. Why? Because we have stopped living in the victory we have in Christ. We have forgotten what Christ did for us on the cross! God’s victorious reign has looked defeated but the reality is that God has sovereignly and providentially allowed for sins existence while he seeks and saves those whom he has chosen!

Think of all creation. As one commentator put it: “The raging seas and the pounding waves are often used as symbols of the rise and fall of the nations and the great noise that rulers make as they try to impress people (imagery of rebellion against God).” (See 46:1–3, 6; 60:5; 65:6–7; 74:13–14; Isa. 17:12–13; 51:15; 60:5; Jer. 31:5; 51:42; Dan. 7:1–3; Luke 21:25; Rev. 13:1; 17:15.)[vii]

Yahweh is not in a struggle against the waters, like the gods in other ancient Near Eastern literature—He is already established securely as ruler. In its ancient Near Eastern context, this psalm would have emphasized Yahweh as superior God and King of all.[viii]

Be Exultant God Is Greater than Our Circumstances (vv. 3–4)

No matter how stormy the nations on earth may become, God is still on His throne and is not frustrated by the foolish words and deeds of “great leaders” who are only made of clay. Do not focus on the threats around you; focus on the throne above you (see 29; Isa. 6; Rev. 4–5).

Nothing in this world is more steadfast than God’s reign over the world! Nothing can defeat God. One day a full out battle will be waged against God and Christ will speak and the battle will be won! No power of sinful flesh or Satan can defeat the power of God!

How does this impact you and I?

We can live safe and secure in the arms of God no matter the circumstances

Transition: God reigns preeminently and victoriously. The third truth to God’s reign for us this evening is God’s reign is characterized by truth and holiness!

III. God reigns in truth and holiness – v. 5

a. God reigns in truth!

As God is able to protect his church, so he is true to the promises he has made of its safety and victory. His word is passed, and all the saints may rely upon it. Whatever was foretold concerning the kingdom of the Messiah would certainly have its accomplishment in due time. Those testimonies upon which the faith and hope of the Old-Testament saints were built were very sure, and would not fail them.[ix]

Be Exultant God Always Keeps His Word (v. 5)

When the tempest is around us, we look by faith to the throne of grace above us and the Word of God before us. The truth about what is going on in this world is not in the newspapers but in the Scriptures.

False prophets, false teachers, and scoffers abound (2 Peter 2–3), but God’s promises will all be fulfilled in their time, and God’s children live by promises, not explanations.[xi]

Psalm 33:11

Psalm 33:11 (NASB95)

11 The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to generation.

Why can we trust in God’s reign the his decisions? God’s judgments are consistent and eternal. They are unchanging. God’s promises always come to fruition. God’s statements of what will take place in the coming days is true and faithful.

God’s precepts and principles by which we are to live are perfect and righteous according to Psalm 19.

Psalm 19 (NASB95)

For the choir director. A Psalm of David. 1 The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. 2 Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech, nor are there words; Their voice is not heard. 4 Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their utterances to the end of the world. In them He has placed a tent for the sun, 5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber; It rejoices as a strong man to run his course. 6 Its rising is from one end of the heavens, And its circuit to the other end of them; And there is nothing hidden from its heat. 7 The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. 10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. 11 Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward. 12 Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults. 13 Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins; Let them not rule over me; Then I will be blameless, And I shall be acquitted of great transgression. 14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.

The truth of God’s character and judgments should bring us to an awe and fear of him. It should draw us to love him more knowing that God is 100% trustworthy in every way.

We live in a world where truth in an essence does not exist. The society of the world we live in has proclaimed truth is whatever you want truth to be for you. Absolutes are invalid and judgmental. Unfortunately, this thinking has also invaded our churches. We fail to see sin as sin. We refrain from challenging each other to live right in our responses to each other; a parents failure to see their child as the sinner they are and rather than dealing with the sin they blame it on a circumstance or another person; we “bend” truth to fit our narrative...

This approach to truth is not living out the character of God’s absolute truth in our lives and it is not living holy as God is holy. Holiness is the benchmark and identifying mark of God’s abiding place.

b. God’s Temple is Holy!

In the OT it was the place where God’s presence rested in the midst of Israel.

In the NT through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life the temple/presence of God now resides in the believer (1 Cor 6:19)

If holiness marks the residing of God and God himself then surely His people are to be holy. One commentator said, “Therefore, It is a holy people that makes the temple holy, and “the beauty of holiness” (29:2) is the greatest adornment for any structure dedicated to the Lord.”[xiii]

When we gather together we are adorning the presence of God and ought to strive to live in a way that only befits God forever. This living ought to be holy, set apart to glorify God in every way possible!

As we can completely trust him, and as we trust him in fear and awe, he will shape us in his holiness. Holiness is a character trait of those who worship God. God is holy and set apart from the whole of creation in every way. He then calls for us as his church, his child to live holy in our lifestyle. In every way that we can we are to be holy amid a unholy world. When we have sin between us and another Christian we need to humble ourselves and resolve that conflict biblically. When we have sinned through misplacing God’s priorities behind our priorities we must confess and live holy. When we fail to read God’s Word daily and spend time with God, we need to ask for forgiveness and change our affections and set our mind on Christ. When we fail to make disciples through the obedience to God’s commission for each of us we need to ask for forgiveness and for a change of heart in a stronger love for both saved and unsaved.

We are to be set apart and not like the rest of the world. Our affections are to be on Christ who died in our place and rose again victorious over sin and death.

God’s reign is a reign of truth and holiness! What about you? Are you obeying God’s truth? Are you seeking to live out the command to live holy as God is holy?

So how does this impact us?

We can live safe and secure in the arms of God no matter the circumstances in only a way that glorifies God.

Conclusion:

God is reigning. God has always been reigning. God will always be reigning!

We need to live trusting God in every situation in the way that glorifies God! The psalmist in Psalm 34:1-3 talks about consistently praising and magnifying God! God is good and we need to bless and magnify God for being our refuge! It is because of His reign we can have confidence to live righteously! Let’s glorify God by praising God continually!

Psalm 34:1–3 (NASB95)

1 I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. 2 My soul will make its boast in the Lord; The humble will hear it and rejoice. 3 O magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together.

Is your worship distinguished and different from how the world worships their idols of self, pleasure, materialism, sports, entertainment, politics, family, identity, and status?

We live for God. We do not need to worship all these various things plus many not even mentioned. We have a God and King and Father who knows the very best for us. He is faithul and true. He never changes in all who he is and what he does. He reigns preeminently, victoriously, with truth and in holiness!

It is because of this, it is because of his faithful fulfillment of sending Jesus Christ to die in our place and rise again three days later that we can live righteously and holy in this world. We can live confident in living righteous. We can live confidently in the difficult stretches of life. No matter the situation and circumstance we can glorify God and joyfully magnify Christ because we know that our God is reigning above all, victorious over all in absolute truth and holiness!

We can live safe and secure in the arms of God no matter the circumstances in only a way that glorifies God.

[i] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Col 1:17. [ii]Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994), 879. [iii]Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994), 879. [iv]Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Exultant, 1st ed., “Be” Commentary Series (Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications Ministries, 2004), 22. [v]Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Exultant, 1st ed., “Be” Commentary Series (Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications Ministries, 2004), 22. [vi]Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Exultant, 1st ed., “Be” Commentary Series (Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications Ministries, 2004), 22. [vii]Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Exultant, 1st ed., “Be” Commentary Series (Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications Ministries, 2004), 22. [viii]John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible(Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Ps 93:3–4. [ix]Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994), 879. [x]Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Exultant, 1st ed., “Be” Commentary Series (Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications Ministries, 2004), 22. [xi]Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Exultant, 1st ed., “Be” Commentary Series (Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications Ministries, 2004), 23. [xii]Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Exultant, 1st ed., “Be” Commentary Series (Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications Ministries, 2004), 23. [xiii]Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Exultant, 1st ed., “Be” Commentary Series (Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications Ministries, 2004), 23.