The Divine Conspiracy: A Call to Boldness in Service
Notes
Transcript
A. Rapport for the time
Refuge
In modern life, we take refuge when we:
Lean on a trusted friend or group (Community/Sangha).
Step away from the noise of social media to sit in quiet reflection or prayer (Inner Peace).
Commit to a daily routine or a set of moral principles that keep us grounded when life gets messy (Truth/Dhamma).
Ultimately, taking refuge isn't about escaping reality; it's about finding the steady ground within yourself so you can face reality with courage.
Biblical refuge is found only in the one true God. Refuge is Shelter, protection
God is our refuge in whom we can trust because he is always good and never fails. The boldness needed to lead the christian life doesn’t come from ourselves it comes from finding refuge in the hands of the one who designed us.
B. Reading of the text
C. Review of the text
This is known as a Kingship Psalm written by David. We know this because of:
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?
D. Relevance of the text
As Christians our eternity is based in the savior of the world but he also changes our here and now. Currently we strive to live in obedience to him and his ways that we might live this new life that he has provided for us. This text this morning is for every heart in this room.
T.S.
I. Plot in Vain: Human Futility
I. Plot in Vain: Human Futility
1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”
Nations rage and peoples plot in vain—
Rage—be disturbed, in tumult
Vain—labour without benefit
Kings—set themselves—resist, take a stand
Anointed—Messiah
vs. 3—rejection of divine control and restraint
14 But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’
Human futility—as humans we work and work to gain have things our way. Nations plot to take away from God as though they could. David is point out the silliness of human rebellion.
MacArthur—this is the irony of man’s depravity—devising, conspiring, and scheming emptiness.
10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;
11 no one understands; no one seeks for God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”
9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
As humans we work and work to accomplish the things of God and yet never get anyplace at all. We are left empty and wanted for something more because we know there has to be more than this.
There is a movie that is out running commercials and it say in watching the movie it will make Christians rethink things. That is human futility at its finest. Nothing changes our Jesus and his authority in the world. The God-man is what makes us who we are as Christians. Not our opinion or our authority but his Divine Authority.
TS. The position of power that the Lord has is not like any of us or our plots.
2. Position of Power: Divine Authority
2. Position of Power: Divine Authority
4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.
5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying,
6 “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.”
Derision—contempt, mockery
The wisdom of man vs. the Sovereignty of God the creator. Now that is a huge contrast. God “laughs” at the effort of mankind to escape the laws of God and escape his dominion over the earth. What foreign power has the ability to escape God’s supreme authority over all mankind? What place could we go to hide from God and his authority over all his creation? The nations of this world seek their own power and sovereignty but vs. 5 tells them what God has in store for them if they do not seek him.
God will pour out his wrath upon them and will terrify them with his own fury. Those that want to follow their own way and be their own God will be allowed to do so for a time but the wrath of God through Jesus Christ the son will be poured out upon those who have not repented and believed. For those that have followed their own path, the path of the wicked.
Also, notice that the standard is set by God alone. The LORD holds them in derision. We do not judge God as if he answers to us.
16 You turn things upside down! Shall the potter be regarded as the clay, that the thing made should say of its maker, “He did not make me”; or the thing formed say of him who formed it, “He has no understanding”?
9 “Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots! Does the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’ or ‘Your work has no handles’?
20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?”
21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?
22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,
23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—
6 “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.”
1 The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!
2 The Lord is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples.
22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering,
We are designed to bring Glory to God and worship our designer for he is Lord and we are not.
The Gospel makes the way for that to happen.
T.S. Our Lord Reigns!!
3. Proclamation of the King: Christ's Reign
3. Proclamation of the King: Christ's Reign
7 I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
This goes back to our friend David in:
12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men,
15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you.
16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’ ”
The rule and reign of Christ was given to him by the father.
32 And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers,
33 this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, “ ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you.’
5 For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”?
6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”
All the world comes to God the same way. It is only by the Blood of Christ that we inherit the Kingdom of God.
14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.
We acknowledge our lack of ability to plot our lives and in turn trust in our savior who gives of himself on our behalf and that drives us to reverent service.
4. Pledge of Allegiance: Reverent Service
4. Pledge of Allegiance: Reverent Service
10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12 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.
How gracious is God to us?
Leaders of the world need to recognize they are not God. In your study in Daniel this week what is so amazing to me is that King Darius—who throws a 70 year old Daniel into the lions den didn’t want to do it because he knew the God that Daniel served. Even after God saved Daniel out of the lions den there is not indication that Darius decides to not be a god anymore. He know that he is not capable of doing anything to help Daniel and he is King and tells everyone to worship him but he still never comes to the place or repentance and faith as far as we know.
Beloved, vs. 10-12 is a call to repentance and also a picture of what lies ahead of us who live by faith.
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.
24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.
25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
We live by faith not by sight.
6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord,
7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.
8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
This psalm is calling to repent and believe. Turn away from our silly plots to take control away from God and instead turn to him and repent of our sin against his laws that He alone established.
12 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.
Wrath or refuge
Opposite ends of the spectrum for every human being. Decide this day whom we will serve and then get to serving him.
Refuge in him...oh how sweet it is to give honor to whom it is really due!!
Finally, you could focus on the exhortation to serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling. Convey the urgency of recognizing God's anointed and the need for reverence and commitment in service. Urge believers to approach their mission with humility and joy, embracing the security of salvation offered through Christ. Highlight the blessing awaiting those who take refuge in Him, ensuring that their boldness in service is rooted in the assurance of God's protection and love.
