Getting Ready for Jesus (3)

TEXT: Psalm 2

TOPIC: GETTING READY FOR JESUS, part 3

Pastor Bobby Earls, Northgate Baptist Church, Florence, SC

Sunday morning, December 13, 2020

For one final time I am going to ask you to open your bible to the second Psalm. We have been looking at the message, “Getting Ready for Jesus,” from the second Psalm of the Old Testament.

I will ask you to remember one last time that the premise of Psalm 2 is the world’s hate for God while at the same time we see God’s hope for the world.

We have seen that the world and by that I mean mankind, has been in REBELLION against God since the fall of man in sin.

We have seen it to be a planned rebellion. Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing?" (v.1)

Verse 2 tells us this is also a political rebellion. The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed. (v.2)

And it is a popular rebellion, v. 2b. It is not just the kings and the rulers, but we are told it is also the "nations and the peoples."

Last of all, this rebellion of mankind against God is a pointed rebellion. Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us." (vv 2b-3)

As we break down this psalm we saw a Triune Response of God in heaven. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit weigh in on the matter with basically one message: "Get ready for Jesus!” The first Sunday we heard the confronting voice of God the Sovereign.

I. THE CONFRONTING VOICE OF GOD THE SOVEREIGN

God the Sovereign responds to man’s rebellion in three ways:

A. Derision, v. 4

He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision, v.4

B. Displeasure v.5

Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure.

C. Determination v.6

Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion.

Then last Sunday we heard from the confident voice of God the Son, the second Person of the Trinity.

II. THE CONFIDENT VOICE OF GOD THE SON

God the Son speaks with confidence because He knows the immutable word of God stands forever. He speaks of three realities concerning His position, His possession and His power.

A. His Exalted Position, v. 7

I will declare the decree; the Lord has said to Me, You are My Son, today I have begotten You.

And last Sunday I told you that only Jesus is seen in the bible as Prophet, Priest, and King. That is his exalted position.

B. His Expected Possession, v. 8

Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession.

The events of human history only serve to bring the world to Jesus! The world and all that exists is His rightful possession.

C. His Exhibited Power, v. 9

You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

This world, in one final battle, is going to array all of its military might, manpower, and missiles against the Lord Jesus Christ. But those kingdoms are going to crumble like a clay pot struck by an iron rod.

T/S—We have heard the confronting voice of God the Sovereign and we have heard the confident voice of God the Son. In this last message, please hear the confirming voice of God the Spirit.

III. THE CONFIRMING VOICE OF GOD THE SPIRIT

I believe you hear in verse 10, the voice of God's dear Holy Spirit: Now therefore, be wise, O kings; Be instructed, you judges of the earth. You see, the Holy Spirit is called in Isaiah 11:2, "the Spirit of wisdom." In this verse, he gives one of his favorite messages.

In effect, what the Holy Spirit says is this: "Wise up, Jesus is the King of King; the King is coming, therefore you had better get ready for Jesus."

The Holy Spirit graciously, compassionately, lovingly, reveals to us those things that are necessary to be right with God, and to be ready for His dear Son.

A. A Fear of The Lord, v. 11

Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

The spirit of wisdom tells us that the beginning of wisdom is fear. Psalm 111:10 says, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."

I have a message today for the pleasure- hungry people in Hollywood; the prosperity-hungry people on Wall Street; and the power-hungry people in

Washington. You had better wise up and fear the Lord.

B. A Fellowship with The Lord, v. 12

Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little.

That is one of the sweetest invitations in all the Bible, "Kiss the Son." In days of antiquity, there was a practice of paying homage to the king by kissing his hand, and even kissing his feet. When you did that, you were simply telling the king of your love, your submission, your obedience, and your total commitment to him. I would invite you this very moment, all over again, to kiss the feet of the dear Lord Jesus in surrender and submission.

C. A Faith in The Lord, v. 12b

Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

The only way you can be ready for Jesus is to put your trust in Him. This world may scorn Jesus, scoff at Jesus, refuse, rebuff, and reject Jesus. But one thing you can count on, this world has not seen the last of Jesus.

If you have ever been to a symphony to hear an orchestra, it's quite an event. If you go to a symphony early, the musicians will begin to drift out from the stage sides. They'll be in shirt sleeves for the most part. Each man or woman will go up to his instrument and begin to tune it. Quite frankly, it sounds horrendous!

The folk with the fiddles too big to put under their chins, will saw back and forth, and it sounds horrible. Then those with the little violins, they'll put them under their chins and squeak the thing up and down, and it sounds like nails scratching a blackboard. Then you've got those that I call the ones with a lot of brass; the ones with the horns. They'll come out and blow on those things and nothing will be in harmony. It's just a bunch of confusion.

But then they will disappear out through the wings of the stage. But shortly after that, and all of a sudden the lights come on, the platform lights ignite, the musicians walk out. This time they have on their coats, their ties, their dresses. Each one comes out and sits at his particular instrument. There's a hush in the auditorium, a spotlight is focused on the wings, and the conductor steps out.

When he does, there is thunderous applause. Usually he bows, then he comes to the podium, picks up a thin little stick. He turns around again to the audience and bows, turns his back to the audience; and he lifts that little stick and he brings that little stick down, and when he does, you will feel the goose pimples begin to march like an army up your arms. Because you have never heard such music, such harmony, such melody, in all of your life.

We are living in a world today where every man is tooting his own horn. Every group wants to be heard. Everybody wants to tell you what he thinks. Everybody is playing his own little fiddle, and it is a medley of discord. Everything is out of tune.

But one of these days the spotlight is going to come on. The mighty conductor, the Lord Jesus, is going to step on stage! He's going to lift his scepter and everything that is out of tune with Him is going to be removed; and when He comes down with that scepter, oh the harmony that is going to be in this universe.

I am so grateful that my life is in tune with Him, that He is my Savior and Lord. I'm ready for Jesus. I hope you are too.