Christ: The Ruler of The Nations

“The Bible is not my book nor Christianity my profession. Abraham Lincoln

“I don’t need religion to be ethical. I have empathy.” Kamala Harris

“I’m an atheist and I think Religion is just mental slavery.” Bill Maher

Friends, we live in a culture that is antagonistic towards God. They do not want God. They do not want his law and his word. They want to be rulers of their own lives. They see his laws and words as burdensome and restrictive! As Maher expressed “Mental slavery.” A slavery that they are trying to escape from so they can find freedom!

However, it is not freedom from sin, but freedom to sin!

That is exactly what we will see in our text this morning!

I. The Nation’s Freedom Riot ( Psalms 2:1-3)

II. God’s Reality Check to the Nations (Psalms 2:4-9)

III. God’s Final Warning & Promise to His People (Psalms 2:10-12)

I. The Nation’s Freedom Riot ( Psalms 2:1-3)

Nations Rage- Hebrew “To noisily assemble” together. They are coming together in an uproar. In other words they have gathered together to Riot against God and his anointed which is Jesus.

How do I know he is talking about Jesus in this text? Because Luke tells us in Acts 4:24-29. This is after Peter and John were released from prison from preaching the gospel. Acts 4:24-29

Acts 4:24–29 (ESV)

And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, 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? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’— 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, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.

So these nations people are trying to overthrow God and Christ.

What exactly are they saying in their riot? (V3)

No more restraints! We are tired of the rules and regulations God. We do not want you to tell us what we must do how we must do it! We want freedom! However, as I said before they want freedom to sin, not from sin!

They are coming together to dethrone God and enthrone themselves. They want to take away the “bondage” that God and Christ bring.

But Friends, we know that Christ did not come to give us bondage and slavery, but to deliver us from the bondage and slavery of sin!

They do not see God as Bondage breaker, but Bondage giver!

“To a graceless neck the yoke of Christ is intolerable, but to the saved sinner it is easy and light.. We may judge ourselves by this, do we love that yoke, or do we wish to cast it from us?” Charles Spurgeon

Christ’s yoke is easy and his burden is light!

II. God’s Reality Check to the Nations (Psalms 2:4-9)

I have Set my King in Zion

The Ends of the Earth are his possession Isaiah 9:6-7

Isaiah 9:6–7 (ESV)

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

3. He will break the nations into pieces Isaiah 11:1-5

Isaiah 11:1–5 (ESV)

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins.

III. God’s Final Warning & Promise to His People (Psalms 2:10-12)

Warnings

Be wise

Serve the Lord with Fear

Rejoice with Trembling

Kiss the Son

Great Promise

Those Who take refuge in him are blessed!

The act of trust cannot be more beautifully or forcibly described than as the flight of the soul to God. They who take shelter in God need fear no kindling anger. They who yield to the King are they who take refuge in Jehovah; and such never know aught of His kingdom but its blessings, nor experience any flame of His wrath, but only the happy glow of His love. Alexander MacLaren

Application:

Have you bowed to the King? or are yous till trying to cast off his constraints?

Christ is ruling and reigning will you preach the goodnews?

Regardless of your troubles take refuge in Christ. He will be your help and your justice