Untitled Sermon (31)

There are many problems that are facing people today. Money problems, health problems, family problems.

There is one problem that we all have that the Bible teaches is our biggest problem.

Our biggest problem is our spiritual problem. Our separation from God, bondage to sin and oppression by Satan.

The human race needs help. It needs a Saviour. This Saviour needs to be more than a man. But he must be a man in order to rescue men. He must be a King and a Priest.

We need a king to deliver us from our bondage to sin and the oppression of Satan. We need a king to rule over us and lead us. His Kingdom must be one that doesn’t end and cannot be defeated.

We need a priest to bring us to God. He must be able to atone for the sins we have committed. He must be able to plead with God on our behalf and represent us to him. He must be able to put is in right standing with God and he must be able to do this forever.

We need a God-man who is a priest-King.

In Psalm 110 we learn about someone just like that.

This psalm is the opposite of Ancestry.com. Ancestry.com is Looking back at your descendents to find out your family history and who you are related to.

Rather than looking back David is looking forward to what one of his descendents will be like. This is a prophecy and the work and kingdom of the Messiah, God’s promised Saviour and King. It tells us what Jesus was going to do.

You may be wondering how could David know this about someone who wasn’t going to live for another 1000 years. The Lord Jesus says in Matthew 22:43. that David spoke these words by the Holy Spirit. In other words he was divinely inspired when he wrote this psalm.

This psalm tells us who Jesus is according to David, or more accurately according to the Holy Spirit.

Here we see Jesus is the Saviour everybody needs. He is God’s Priest-King.

King, priest, judge.

Jesus reigns, Jesus saves and Jesus wins.

I. Jesus reigns v.1-3

The first section tells us the Messiah is going to be a King.

What do we learn about the Kingship of Jesus Christ?

a)He is a divine King v.1a

The LORD says to my Lord

He is a greater King than David. He is David’s Lord, yet he is his descendent.

Mark 12:35-37 If the Messiah is David’s son why does he call him Lord?

Heb 1:13. He is not only greater than David but greater than the angels. To which of the angels did he ever say these words?

Jesus is the divine King.

b) He has the highest authority v.2

He is seated at the Father’s right hand

He is seated on the throne with God the Father having equal share in authority, power and glory.

Enemies being made his footstool is a picture of his enemies being humbled before him. Joshua 10:24.

Acts 2:32-36. Peter uses this passage to preach the resurrection and ascension. He has been exalted.

Heb 10:12-13

This Psalm is a prophecy of the exaltation of Jesus Christ. He humbled himself and became a man, he lived a sinless life. He suffered on the cross for our sins, he was placed in the tomb. Then on the third day he was raised from the dead. Then he ascended into heaven.

Philippians 2:8–11 “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Despite what our world thinks of Jesus, this is the reality.

c) He reigns now v.3

i) His kingdom is growing-

The LORD will extend your mighty scepter from Zion-

scepter symbolises his reign and authority.

His reign and authority is being extended.

Matthew 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”

ii) His kingdom exists in the midst of opposition

Rule in the midst of your enemies

Jesus taught this truth in his parable of the wheat and the tares.

This cannot refer to his future kingdom- Sin will be non existent there.

d) He reigns in the hearts of his people v.3

Your troops will be willing-

Troops- People

He works sovereignly in people’s hearts. He makes them willing to come to him and submit to him as Lord. Then he reigns in them by His Spirit and subdues their sins and makes them more like himself.

Application

Christians can rejoice in their King.

Unbelievers must stop rebelling against this King.

II. Jesus saves v.4

a) Appointed priesthood

The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind-

He is a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek- Hebrews 6:20–7:10.

He isn’t from the tribe of Levi.

Hebrews 7:3 “without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.”

Melchizedek is a picture of which Jesus is the fulfilment.

b) Eternal priesthood

Priest forever means he gives an eternal salvation -Hebrews 5:9 “And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,”

i) As Priest he atones

Hebrews 7:27 “who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.”

Preach cross- 1 John 1:9-2:2.

ii) As Priest he intercedes

Hebrews 7:24–25 “But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

Application

Sin brings us under the just wrath of a Holy God. We cannot atone for this ourselves the offering is too great and we cannot pay.

We need someone who is qualified. This person must be without sin. They must be divine and human. They must be able to pay our debt and satisfy God’s justice. They must be able to intercede on our behalf forever.

Jesus is all of these things and this is what he did when he died on the cross and rose from the dead and is what he is doing in heaven as I speak.

Christian-

Before the throne of God above I have a strong and perfect plea A great High Priest whose name is love Who ever lives and pleads for me My name is graven on His hands My name is written on His heart I know that while in heav'n He stands No tongue can bid me thence depart

Unbeliever-

Has Jesus atoned for your sin? Is he interceding on your behalf?

You need him to. Call upon him.

III. Jesus wins v.5-7

In this section the work of God and his Messiah blend together-

One person notes- The previous verses of this Psalm are the book of Hebrews, now we are in the book of Revelation.

Rev 19:11-21.

a) There is a day of His wrath v.5-

2 Thessalonians 1:7–10 “ when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe”

b) He will execute kings

c) He will judge among nations

Matthew 25:31–33 ““When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.”

He will crush the rulers of the whole earth

He will pursue his enemies to the last man

He will drink from the brook along the way is a picture of a pursuing army stopping by a stream to drink so they can be refreshed and keep pursuing their enemies

Christ will pursue them so he will lift his head high- He will have victory over his enemies.

Application

Jesus is a loving King who delivers his people from sin and Satan and then he rules over them as a Shepherd who is gentle and lowly. He is the great high priest who achieves never ending salvation for everyone who believes in him.

But we also see here he is a coming judge who will one day judge the world in his just wrath.

Calvin- as a shepherd is gentle towards his flock, but fierce and formidable towards wolves and thieves; in like manner, Christ is kind and gentle towards those who commit themselves to his care, while they who wilfully and obstinately reject his yoke, shall feel with what awful and terrible power he is armed.

Christian- 1) Comfort in the face of great evil- protection and justice. 2) Urgency in warning people.

Illustration- Pilgrims progress- Christian learns about the coming judgement and doesn’t know what to do. He meets evangelist who asks why he is so upset. Christian says

"Sir, I perceive by the book in my hand that I am condemned to die, and after that to come to Judgment; and I find that I am not willing to do the first, nor able to do the second."

He says he’s scared to die because the burden of sin on his back will sink him beyond the grave into hell.

Then Christian is asked by evangelist why he is standing still if this is true.

Then said EVANGELIST, "If this be thy condition, why standest thou still?" He answered, "Because I know not where to go." Then he gave him a parchment roll; and there was written within, "Flee from the wrath to come!"

Unbeliever- take the words of this psalm seriously. God has a 100% track record for fulfilled prophecy- over 300 prophecies about Jesus first coming were fulfilled all of the ones about his second coming in judgement will be true as well.

Conclusion

There are many problems that are facing people today. Money problems, health problems, family problems.

There is one problem that we all have that the Bible teaches is our biggest problem.

Our biggest problem is our spiritual problem. Our separation from God, bondage to sin and oppression by Satan.

The human race needs help. It needs a Saviour. This Saviour needs to be divine. But he must also be man in order to rescue men. He must be a King and a Priest.

We need a God-man who is a priest-King.

Do you know anybody like that?

This Psalm reminds us that this is who Jesus is.

What should our response be?

Comfort for Christians.

Repentance for unbelievers.