Kiss the Son
Notes
Transcript
Tuesday is election day. I’m not going to stand up here and tell you who to vote for. But, if you want my opinion, I’ve got strong opinions that I’ll tell you about if you ask. Especially for the election for school board in the Neligh-Oakdale district. But, I’m not going there right now.
Election day is an important day in America. Even if you vote by mail or vote early, election day itself is an important day. It is the day that we the people get to declare who is king in America. 250 years ago, the American colonies got together to throw off the rule of King George III of England and declared a new system of government. Not a democracy. Not a republic. But a democratic republic, based upon the rule of the people, but with checks in place to guard against the depravity of the people.
Thomas Paine in his book Common Sense wrote at that time:
“But where says some is the King of America? I’ll tell you, Friend, he reigns above, and doth not make havoc of mankind like the Royal Brute of Britain. Yet that we may not appear to be defective even in earthly honors, let a day be solemnly set apart for proclaiming the charter; let it be brought forth placed on the divine law, the word of God; let a crown be placed thereon, by which the world may know, that so far as we approve of monarchy, that in America the law is king. For as in absolute governments the King is law, so in free countries the law ought to be King; and there ought to be no other. But lest any ill use should afterwards arise, let the crown at the conclusion of the ceremony be demolished, and scattered among the people whose right it is.”
We are what is called sovereign subjects. Yes, because of our respect for the law, we willingly subject ourselves to the governing authorities, giving respect even to those we do not find respectful. But, every few years, we gather at the ballot box and declare that those governing authorities are responsible to us for their actions and we have the ability and the duty to hold them accountable.
Interestingly, 25 million Christians do not consistently vote. That is about 1 in 3. So, look around the room. Count out 3 people. For each group, one does not consistently vote. If they did, think about the impact that could be made.
So, I urge you, if you are old enough to vote and are still alive, vote. Don’t let this day go by, because so much is riding on it.
With that in mind, I’m not going to preach from Ecclesiastes. I am going to preach from Psalm 2. This is what is called an Election Day sermon.
Why do the nations conspire
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord and against his anointed, saying,
“Let us break their chains
and throw off their shackles.”
The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord scoffs at them.
He rebukes them in his anger
and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
“I have installed my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.”
I will proclaim the Lord’s decree:
He said to me, “You are my son;
today I have become your father.
Ask me,
and I will make the nations your inheritance,
the ends of the earth your possession.
You will break them with a rod of iron;
you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”
Therefore, you kings, be wise;
be warned, you rulers of the earth.
Serve the Lord with fear
and celebrate his rule with trembling.
Kiss his son, or he will be angry
and your way will lead to your destruction,
for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
Will you pray with me?
1. Background of the Passage
1. Background of the Passage
Before we talk about elections, we should probably discuss the background of the passage.
Psalm 2 is a royal psalm, sung at coronations of the Davidic kings, written by King David.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary Psalm 2
In a word, the psalmist exhorted the pagan nations to abandon their rebellious plans against the Lord and His anointed king and to submit to the authority of the Son whom God has ordained to rule the nations with a rod of iron.
In verse 2, when David speaks of the anointed, he is referring to the king of Israel. Whenever God sent a prophet to call a new king onto the throne, that king was called the anointed because the prophet literally anointed him with oil, symbolizing God’s call, God’s protection, and God’s authority.
However, the nations around do not like the authority of this king, because he calls them to follow the one true God. But God, scoffs at those pagan nations as vv 4-5 state.
“I have installed my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.”
The singer proclaims the decree in the following verses that God has blessed this king so much that he literally adopted him as his son, and he promises to give the nations as the king’s inheritance.
Finally, the singer warns the nations around to not fight against this anointed king, but to serve the one true God before it is too late and to “kiss his son” the king. That term kiss the son speaks of worship and service. It is better to come underneath the chosen king of Israel, because those who do find refuge in him, safety and not harm.
A great Psalm that doesn’t just apply to David and his royal line until the destruction of the temple by the Babylonians. Jewish commentators up until the time of Christ said that this Psalm was about the coming Messiah. The term anointed one is the Hebrew word “Messiah.” They knew that someone was coming to redeem the people of Israel and restore the world to how God created it to be.
This is one of the prophecies that they pointed to.
So, when Jesus came and performed all those miracles and taught all those wise things, so many people pointed back to Psalm 2 and said: he is the fulfillment of this Psalm.
Which is why the Apostles could pray in front of everyone outside the temple:
When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:
“ ‘Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord
and against his anointed one.’
Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
And Paul could stand before the Jews in Pisidian Antioch:
“We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm:
“ ‘You are my son;
today I have become your father.’
So, yes, Psalm 2 is a royal Psalm sung at the coronation of the Davidic kings, but it is ultimately a song about Jesus, the final Davidic king, calling all nations and peoples and rulers to bow and worship him as king of kings and lord of lords. To Kiss the Son.
2. Kiss the Son
2. Kiss the Son
Now let’s talk about elections.
A. People as Rulers
A. People as Rulers
Who is the king in America? Ultimately, we the people are. As I said, we show that rule on election day by removing and installing governments from among the people. We show that rule all the rest of the days as we petition government officials, attend meetings, join boards, protest if we need to.
Those are sacred duties. But in those duties, we need to ask ourselves whether we are submitting to Christ.
a. On Election Day
a. On Election Day
I know that some of you have already voted. So, I am too late. You can’t run back to the County Clerk and ask to change your vote. They tend to look down on that and plus it is a statisticians nightmare. Both sides are already using statistics to jump through all sorts of hoops to prove their own narrative.
Some of you haven’t voted yet. Whether you have or not, whether you’re voting in this election or another, what does it mean to kiss the son in the voting booth?
As you are about to color in that weird little oval next to your candidate of choice, ask yourself this simple question: would Jesus vote for this person?
Now, don’t get all in a huff with me, as if I were bashing your candidate. I didn’t mention anyone by name. But if you are feeling guilty about voting for the person you are thinking about voting for, that isn’t me putting that guilt in your mind.
How do we know who Jesus would vote for?
Well, the Bible is exceptionally clear about some issues. Lying is one of them. Not supposed to do that. Those that do are called children of Satan. Abortion is another issue, we are not supposed to murder. God said that he would personally judge all those who act unjustly against the least in society, that would include the unborn.
We could talk about religious freedom, free speech, parental rights and other family issues, Israel. All things that the Bible is clear on.
Should we look at a person’s character as we vote? Definitely. Because this person by nature of the position influences how the next generation acts. What the government officials do presents the standard norm for what society agrees is alright.
But, we should also look at policy. Because policy is character too.
Andrew T. Walker, an Ethics & Public Theology Professor at Southern Seminary, recently wrote:
“Policy – the type of policy that has real-world implications on others – may be a more accurate barometer of one’s deepest convictions that have a formative or deformative effect on character than even the words that come out of one’s mouth,”
We need to submit to Jesus Christ on election day, as we fill in our ballot, to elect a person who champions the policies that are Biblical. Don’t rage against him and his ways. Kiss him and find refuge.
b. After Election Day
b. After Election Day
After election, the sun will rise Wednesday morning. Even if the candidates of our choice do not get elected. Even if the election is too close to call. Even if people are crying foul and declaring all sorts of malfeasance. The sun will still rise and Jesus will still be king of kings and lord of lords.
Why do the nations conspire
and the peoples plot in vain?
The thing about our elections: yes, we vote. And yes others vote too. But ultimately, God raises up our rulers and removes them.
He changes times and seasons;
he deposes kings and raises up others.
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the discerning.
God is the ruler on high.
Before him all the nations are as nothing;
they are regarded by him as worthless
and less than nothing.
With whom, then, will you compare God?
To what image will you liken him?
So, after the election, we need to show that we are following God.
Serve the Lord with fear
and celebrate his rule with trembling.
We are serving the Lord, not our favorite candidate. Whoever is elected, we need to declare that God was the one who raised that person up. Because that is what Scripture teaches.
If we get angry or depressed or cry foul, we are not submitting to Christ but popular culture. The church of Jesus Christ in America will show who they are truly following by how they react to this election.
We serve the Lord by declaring that God is ultimately in charge.
We serve the Lord by calling our elected officials to account. Sometimes we can get into immoral thinking, declaring that our candidate can do no wrong and if we call them on something we are being a traitor to them.
However, they are not king. We don’t ultimately serve them. We serve Jesus. So, part of kissing Jesus is calling our elected officials to do so as well.
Kiss his son, or he will be angry
and your way will lead to your destruction,
for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
Just like a pastor needs a congregation to hold him accountable, so elected officials need those in his district to hold him accountable: to preach the Gospel, to encourage truth, and to pressure moral policies for the sake our true king.
B. Elected Officials as Rulers
B. Elected Officials as Rulers
Now, I don’t know if any elected officials are ever going to listen to this message.
But, I need to speak to them, just in case.
As elected officials in America, your job is to serve the people who have elected you.
As Abraham Lincoln observed, this is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
But, even more, your job is to serve the king of kings.
Therefore, you kings, be wise;
be warned, you rulers of the earth.
Serve the Lord with fear
and celebrate his rule with trembling.
Jesus Christ is on the throne and he demands worship. And those who do not worship him will bring judgement on themselves.
Kiss his son, or he will be angry
and your way will lead to your destruction,
for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
But those who do worship him will bring blessing. And it is so simple to worship him. His yoke is so incredibly light. He doesn’t require anything from us but belief. We are all sinners and cannot do anything to change our circumstances. That is why Jesus came to us and died on the cross for our sins. The sinless for the sinners. The creator for the created. The ruler for the subjects.
We are called to believe and receive. To turn to him in faith and cry: save me. And those who do will be saved.
If you have not accepted Christ as your savior. Today is the day of salvation.
Follow him and gain wisdom for policies and interactions with colleagues and constituents, and everything else that we need.
In addition to worshiping him, we are called to follow him. To live lives that are pleasing to him and to enact policies that are moral. There is no middle ground to this. We either kiss Jesus or we don’t. Open up the Bible and allow it to change you.
And, when you don’t: no amount of Political correctness can change past actions and choices. Own up to it and change what you do in the future. Do better. For the sake of this nation. For the sake of your soul.
Kiss the son. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. Whether you are a candidate or not. Kiss the son. This election day and all the days into the future until the king of kings and lord of lords appears in the eastern sky to rule over all.
