The Tyrannical Tenants.

Opening:

Good-morning again Connection Church. It is so good to be here with you. I am so happy to be gathered together to Worship our King. We come together to worship Christ. Jesus is King. There is no ruler higher than Christ. Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, we come together to honor the King. Christ is King. We come to hail the name of Jesus above every other name. To Him be all glory, and honor, and power, forever and ever. This is why we are here.

Introduction of the Text:

With this in mind, open with me to Matthew 21:33-46. Matthew wrote his gospel account to a primarily Jewish audience in the first century. He wrote it so that his readers would know that Jesus is the Messiah. He is the fulfilment of all of the Old Testament prophesy about redemption. Jesus is the fulfilment of God’s covenant promise to David. Jesus is the King from the line of David who will rule for ever and ever. Matthew has emphasized again and again the authority of Christ. This has been one of the primary themes within the book of Matthew.

Reading of the Text:

I would ask the congregation to stand with me for the reading of God’s Word.

Matthew 21:33-46.

PARABLE OF THE VINE‑GROWERS

33 “Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard and put a wall around it and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and rented it out to vine-growers and went on a journey.34 Now when the harvest time approached, he sent his slaves to the vine-growers to receive his fruit.35 And the vine-growers took his slaves and beat one, and killed another, and stoned a third.36 Again he sent another group of slaves larger than the first; and they did the same thing to them.37 But afterward he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’38 But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’39 And they took him, and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.40 Therefore when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-growers?”41 They said to Him, “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end, and will rent out the vineyard to other vine-growers who will pay him the proceeds at the proper seasons.”42 Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures,

‘The stone which the builders rejected,

This became the chief corner stone;

This came about from the Lord,

And it is marvelous in our eyes’?

43 Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation, producing the fruit of it.44 And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.”45 And when the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they understood that He was speaking about them.46 And although they were seeking to seize Him, they feared the crowds, because they were regarding Him to be a prophet.

Behold, the Word of God, let’s Pray.

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for who you are. We thank you for your Word. May you open our hearts to hear you speak. Humble us as we approach your Word. Speak to us Lord as we listen to and ponder your Words.

Give us wisdom as we dive into the study of what you have spoken through your servant Matthew. We ask this in Jesus Name, Amen.

Transition:

It has been remarked that this parable contains the entire history of redemption more fully than almost any other parable. Our Lord weaves together a masterful example of the entire scope of redemption, and He does it with yet another agricultural example. Jesus often would use imagery that was familiar to the common people of Israel. He would use earthy language. I have remarked numerous times before that when reading Scripture, it often smells of fresh tilled soil. Jesus uses examples and pictures that are easily accessible to the people of His day. And this is no exception. But there is more here than a simple earthy example.

Explanation:

First, let us set the stage.

Setting the Stage:

We must remember what has taken place in the past several passages. I have been remarking that everything in the gospel of Matthew escalates on our arrival at chapter twenty one. This is when things become vastly challenging and difficult. We are now in what is commonly called, “Holy Week.” This is the week leading up to the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. It begins with the Triumphal Entry.

The Triumphal Entry.

If you remember, the triumphal entry was an event of cosmic proportions. This was the moment that Jesus declared Himself to be King. He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, mirroring kings of old. Jesus’ actions are not accidental. Here He was declaring Himself to be the promised King of the Jews. He was openly claiming to be the promised Messiah. And the people joined in on this. If you will recall, the people were crying out and quoting a Messianic Psalm. They were in all likelihood singing at least a section of Psalm 118. Specifically they cried out or sang Psalm 118:22-25.

They sang Psalm 118:22-25.

22 The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief corner stone.

23 This is from Yahweh;

It is marvelous in our eyes.

24 This is the day which Yahweh has made;

Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

25 O Yahweh, save!

O Yahweh, succeed!

This is where the quote “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of Lord” comes from. From the triumphal entry, Jesus then cleansed the Temple. The King had come to Jerusalem.

Jesus Cleansed the Temple.

This was a dramatic display of authority. Jesus had just declared Himself King. Now, by cleansing the temple, He was directly claiming authority over the temple. Jesus was claiming divine authority over the way worship was conducted. Jesus was directly claiming to be Lord over the temple. But the most shocking thing is that Jesus was right. He is Lord of the Temple. This is why His anger was justified. He had the right to flip tables. He had the right to drive people out with a whip. Jesus was righteous to do this. From there Jesus cursed the fig tree.

Jesus Cursed the Fig Tree.

Here, Jesus again showed His authority over nature. He was Lord of creation. When He cursed the fig tree, it withered and died. However, Jesus was using this as a physical parable. He was pronouncing judgement on Israel, and all those who did not bear fruit. Beware the fruitless tree! You will be cursed and die. After this, Jesus was questioned by the religious leaders.

Jesus Was Questioned by the Religious Leaders.

After all this, the religious leaders questioned Jesus asking Him what authority He had to do these things. Jesus asked them where John the Baptist’s message had come from. Did it come from God or from man? They refused to answer. Jesus then told a parable. He told them a parable that was a direct condemnation against them. They were wicked sons who refused to repent. And now Jesus is still speaking to the religious leaders.

Jesus is Still Speaking to the Religious Leaders.

Jesus is telling them a second parable. This one will be another and greater condemnation on them.

Retelling of the Story:

Jesus begins this parable by saying that there was a landowner who planted a vineyard. The owner then leases out the vineyard.

The Owner Leases Out the Vineyard.

This was not uncommon. In those days wealthy men would often build vineyards on their own lands and then lease them out to others to run them. Vineyards were great ways to make much money. They took a large cost to build, but they would normally produce a great amount. Often the investment was earned back quickly. It was a good investment in that day. The economy of Israel was built much on olive oil, figs, and wine. Jesus again is using an illustration that would have been very clear to the audience listening. After leasing out the vineyard, the owner sends slaves to collect what is His.

The Owner Sends Slaves to Collect What Is His.

Again, this was a common practice. When one leased out a vineyard, one expected to receive the agreed upon payment. The owner and the tenants would have agreed about the price. Likely it was a monetary amount and included a large portion of grapes and wine. The time of payment had come, so the owner sends his slaves to collect what is owed. On a side note, these slaves are not what we think of when we think of slavery. This was not the wicked, dehumanizing form of slavery that has been common throughout almost all human history. This is a form of indentured servitude. That means that these were men who wilfully went to work for the master for a set time to pay off a set debt. Often, these slaves would willingly stay with their master after the time was done. It was more similar to a working contract. However, the descriptor “slave” still applies. But, what do the tyrannical tenants do to the slaves? They abuse and kill the slaves.

The Tenants Abuse and Kill the Slaves.

The owner sends two groups of slaves to collect the produce. The first seems to contain three slaves. The tenants beat one, killed one, and stoned another. So, we have one beaten and two dead. Then the owner sends a larger group thinking this larger group would dissuade the wicked tenants from doing the same. However, the tyrants did the same thing to the other group as well. The other gospels seem to hint that Jesus told the story of each slave separately. Matthew groups the accounts into two groups. Both groups are treated wickedly. The slaves are beaten and killed. Then, the owner sends the Son.

The Owner Sends the Son.

Here, the owner sends the chief representative. The heir was the highest representative. The heir spoke on direct behalf of the Father. The Son spoke the words of the Father. So the Father sends the son to deal with these wicked tyrannical tenants. But the tenants did not care. They ought to have been in terror. The Owner’s Son had the full authority of the Owner. But the wickedness of the tenants was not yet complete. The tenants killed the Son.

The Tenants Kill the Son.

Here we see the fullness of the tyranny. They wanted the vineyard for themselves. They sought to own what was not theirs. They wanted to rob the owner. They saw the Son coming and plotted. They wanted to lie in wait and kill him. Then, they thought, the field would be theirs. They thought they would own the vineyard if they would just kill the Son. But here, Jesus stops the parable. He shifts and asks the religious leaders a question. What will the owner do?

What Will The Owner Do?

The religious leaders answer well. Verse 41 tells us 41 They said to Him, “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end, and will rent out the vineyard to other vine-growers who will pay him the proceeds at the proper seasons.” This is the right answer. What vengeance would be reserved for those who put to death the Owner’s Son? Justice would be served. They would face the true and righteous judgement from the Owner. They did not know how true their words were. This is why Jesus pronounces Judgement on the tyrannical tenants.

Jesus Pronounces Judgement on the Tyrannical Tenants.

Jesus finishes out this account by pronouncing judgement on the wicked religious leaders.

He quotes to them Psalm 118: 22-23.

22 The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief corner stone.

23 This is from Yahweh;

It is marvelous in our eyes.

This alone is a stinging rebuke. Notice what Psalm this is from. This is from Psalm 118. What Psalm were the people singing to Jesus during the triumphal entry and in the Temple after the cleansing? Psalm 118. In fact, these are the very preceeding verses to the ones that the people were shouting to and about Jesus. Listen to this.

“22 The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief corner stone.

23 This is from Yahweh;

It is marvelous in our eyes.

24 This is the day which Yahweh has made;

Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

25 O Yahweh, save!

O Yahweh, succeed!

26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of Yahweh;

We have blessed you from the house of Yahweh.” Psalm 118:22-26

So when Jesus asks the chief priests and scribes and pharisees, “Have you never read the Scriptures?” and then quotes this Psalm; we must see it at the scathing rebuke it was. Not only would these religious leaders have the entire Psalter memorized, they had just heard the people singing this Psalm! “Oh Yahweh Save! Oh Yahweh Succeed!” That is what Hosanna means. the people had been singing this Psalm to and about Jesus. Jesus is basically asking the religious leaders if they were so stupid that they could not even hear what was being sung. This is a scathing and harsh rebuke. It stings with a sting that only sarcasm from the mouth of God can deliver.

But Jesus does not stop there. Jesus then pronounces the true harsh judgement. Jesus declares that the kingdom of God will be taken away from them and given to others who will bear fruit.

He then quotes Isaiah 8:14-15. 14 Then He shall become a sanctuary; But to both the houses of Israel, a stone to strike and a rock to stumble over, And a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15 And many will stumble over them; Then they will fall and be broken; They will even be snared and caught.”

Again, this is a judgement. Jesus is saying that He is the stone. And as this stone, He will crush those who do not repent. He will break those who are proud. And the religious leaders knew exactly what He meant. They knew what Jesus was saying. And they left, longing to fulfil the words of Jesus. They left longing to make the parable a reality. They wanted to kill the Son.

Argumentation:

This is a masterful parable. It is an account that is filled with passionate rebuke. There is fire and fervor in this passage. We can almost feel the depth of these words. The vineyard is the Kingdom of God.

The Vineyard is the Kingdom of God:

Jesus declares that the vineyard is representative of the kingdom of God. God is building His kingdom. He started with the Jews. He began it back at the election of Abraham to be the one from whom everyone on earth would be blessed. God has built His church.

God Has Built His Church.

Yes, we are the church. We are the ones who are set apart for the worship of God. But we must remember that it did not begin with us. God began this with the people of Israel. They were His church. He established worship. He gave rules and bounds. He established how He was and was not to be worshipped. He established leaders over this Kingdom. He established those who were to work it. You see, the tenants were the religious leaders.

The Tenants Were the Religious Leaders.

God had established leaders over the Jewish church. But these leaders were wicked. They were tyrants. They sought out their own kingdom rather than the kingdom of God. But God had not been silent. God had sent His slaves. The slaves were the prophets.

The Slaves Were the Prophets.

God had sent His prophets to correct and pronounce judgement on the wicked leaders of Israel. But the tenants would not listen. The leaders hated the prophets.

This is where the heartbreak of Christ comes from when He says “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you did not want it.” In Matthew 23:37.

God had sent His prophets to His people and they had killed them. This is why I find the account of Luke and Mark so interesting. Matthew groups the slaves together, but those two seem to show Jesus telling the story of the slaves. Can you imagine Jesus linking the slaves with the prophets in detail. We don’t know if this is how it happened, but what if Jesus described one slave that was thrown into a sewer by the tenants. Can you imagine the horror of the religious leaders when they realized at the end that Jesus was telling them of Jeremiah. But Jesus tells them how men just like them had rejected and killed the prophets. And now, the Son has come. Clearly, the Son is Christ.

The Son is Christ.

The Owner of the Vineyard is God. And Here is His Son. He has sent the Son. But notice the implication. God knew what would happen to Christ. The Father knew that the Son would be hung on the cross. In fact, Christ knew what would happen to Him. But it was not just knowledge. This was all part of God’s sovereign plan of redemption. This was directly part of God’s plan.

In fact, Peter, preaching with likely some of the same religious leaders present says this, “22 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God did through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know⁠—23 this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of lawless men and put Him to death.24 But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.” (Acts 2:22-24)

This was no accident. The Father did not unwittingly send the Son to His Death. The Son did not come without knowing what the plan of the Father was. Christ came in full authority to enact the will of the Father. And This is why His words carry such weight. God is removing the tyrannical tenants.

God is Removing the Tyrannical Tenants.

Jesus declares that the time of these tenants is over. God is enacting judgement against them. No longer will they possess this vineyard. It is being handed over to others. And see here the patients of God. God has been patient with these men. For hundreds and hundreds of years, God has been patient with these wicked tenants. These tyrants rules wickedly for a long, long time. And now, the Son is here to declare the judgement of the Father on these tyrants. These words are from the mouth of God and ought to have filled them with abject terror. But they did not fear God. Instead, they played right into the hands of God’s sovereign plan. They played their part perfectly. As God had ordained, these men left plotting how to make this come to pass. They sought to kill the Son, so that they could stay in power. These men hated God. They knew what He did. They knew who He was. They knew. They simply hated Him.

I have called these men tyrants. And this is what they are. But what is a tyrant. Let me define for you what a tyrant is.

What is a Tyrant?

A tyrant is anyone who takes authority that is not theirs. They seek to have what has not been given them. This means that anyone who exercises authority they do not have is a tyrant. From a dogcatcher who tries to go beyond his bounds to a president who tries to declare wicked law. Both are tyrants. And that is what these men were. God had given them real authority. They were the rulers of the Jewish church. But they sought what was not theirs. They sought to be God. And this is what all rulers who seek what is not theirs do. They are attempting to to be God. This is a very foundational Christian principle. Yet it is one that we often neglect for the sake of safety and comfort. God establishes all rulers, therefore all rulers are subject to Him.

God Establishes All Rulers, Therefore All Rulers are Subject to Him.

God establishes all rulers. No power on earth has not been put in place by God. God establishes the kings of earth.

Daniel 2:20-21.Daniel answered and said, “Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and might belong to Him. 21 And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding.

Jesus says to Pilate in John 19:11 “You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.”

The Teacher says in Proverbs 21:1 “The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of Yahweh; He turns it wherever He pleases.”

There is no authority on earth except that which God has established. And this means that all authority is subject to Him. God is King over all. God is the LORD. He is the King. If God establishes all rulers, then all rulers are subject to Him. He is the high King. Or as Scripture puts it, He is King of kings and Lord of lords. And what does Jesus say right before His ascension?

Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,20 teaching them to keep all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

How much authority does Jesus have? All. How much authority has the Father given to Christ? All of it. Where is this authority? In heaven alone? No, in heaven and on earth. Christ is King!

Christ Is King.

This was the fight of the early church. Caesar was claiming to be God. He did this in many ways but one of the chief blasphemies was when emperor Nero attempted to force ever person to say “Kaiser Kurios.” This means “Caesar is Lord. However, the church refused. The early Christians would rather face death than this. It is not Kaiser Kurios, it is Christos Kurios! Christ is Lord. What does this mean? It means that Jesus is Lord over every single sphere of government. God has established several spheres of government. We see this in Scripture. But all of these governments are lesser rulers under Christ, and they are to act like it. What are these sphere’s of government? They are often referred to as “Sphere Sovereignty.” This means that they are legitimate governments and must function as God has commanded.

First, Christ is King over the self government.

Christ is King over the Self Government.

This is the basic government. Everyone must rule themselves well. Every person is required to obey and submit to God in their own personal life. We are all required to rule our own lives as God commands. Christ is King over every single person, weather they recognise it or not. And when someone denies Christ’s Lordship over their life, they are tyrants attempting to make themselves god over their own lives.

Secondly, Christ is King over the family government.

Christ is King Over The Family Government.

God has established the family. The family is headed up by the father, supported and nurtured by the mother. The Father is to rule the house well. Here is where education happens. Here is where love and nurture happens. Here is where medical care is decided. Here is where work is done. And the family structure is a lesser government under the Kingship of Christ. Christ is King over the family. Anytime a father is negligent or a dictator, he is being a tyrant. He is attempting to rule how he wishes, rather than how the King commands. Anytime a wife or mother tries to do what she ought not, she is being a tyrant. Families ought to submit to Christ as King. If they will not, they are attempting to say that they are gods unto themselves.

Christ is King over the church government.

Christ is King Over the Church Government.

Here we see the direct application of our text. Christ is King over the church. The church government is real. God has established it and it is a legitimate governing source. Here is meant to be worship and training in righteousness. Here are the sacraments of baptism and communion. Here is meant to be discipline. Here is meant to be the house of God and the hope of the world. The church is to tell all the other spheres of government what God commands. But Christ is King of the Kirk. The Pastor and elders are under shepherds for Christ. We rule for Him. And anytime we claim an authority that is not ours, we are being tyrants. We are attempting to be a god in the church. We must never step beyond our authority that the King has given us.

Fourth, Christ is King over the civil government.

Christ is King Over The Civil Government.

Here is the section that causes so many people such stress. Christ is Lord over caesar. And caesar ought to act like it. God has established the civil governments. They have real authority. They wield the sword to punish wicked and protect innocent. They also have the right to tax in order to do this. That is what God has given to them and they ought to exercise those two things how God has commanded. Christ is king over the civil governments. And as the church, we are to be the voice and call the civil government to repentance when they do not do this. When the government does things against God’s command, they are being tyrants and attempting to establish themselves as gods. They want to be god. This is wicked and vile.

But there is good news! Those who seek to dethrone Christ will not only fail, but will face judgement.

Those Who Seek to Dethrone Christ Will Not Only Fail, But Will Face Judgement.

How is this good news you ask? It is good news because Christ is King. And we are His people. We bow down to Christ. We submit to Christ. We cry out Christos Kurios! Christ is Lord. Jesus is King. As Christians, where we see areas that we are being tyrannical, we repent. We turn away from that and submit to the Lordship of Christ.

But there is a judgement. There is a real judgement for those who want to be tyrants. The tyrants will face the judgement of God. And they must know that.

Application:

This was the warning for the religious leaders Jesus was speaking to. They were tyrants and Jesus warned them of the judgement coming. But they were hard hearted. They wanted to kill Christ and keep their authority. But they were judged. God judged them. Those men who sought to be tyrants without repentance are in hell facing the full judgement of God. This warning was for them specifically. So how can we apply this to us? This passage is about the religious leaders. But we must see the warning contained within. We are fully capable of committing the same sin as these men. And in this sense, this passage is a warning to all in authority.

This Passage is a Warning to All in Authority.

Whatever authority you are in, this passage stands as a warning for you. What sphere of authority do you stand in? Be warned. God will not be mocked. God will not stand for tyranny. You may get away with it for a while, but you will face judgement. You may “get away” with it for your whole life. But when you die, you will face the judgement of God. God will not stand for tyranny. I say this to all of you as a warning, repent and trust in Christ. Repent of being a tyrant!

This must start in the first sphere of government. It must start within you. Each of you must not be tyrants of your own heart. Pastor Toby Sumpter put it this way, “You must first defy the little tyrant within yourself before you can defy other tyrants.” This is true. Are you holding out any authority over yourself? Are you saying, “This is mine and I am Lord of it!” Then you are a tyrant. How do you view the Word of God? Do you pick and chose what you believe and accept? Then you are a tyrant attempting to be god. Repent and trust in Christ. Submit to the Lordship of Christ. Jesus is King.

Next, this moves into the family. Are you a husband, wife, father or mother? Then you are to submit to the Lordship of Christ in that position. Are you a man who is neglecting the role God has commanded you to take? Are you being a passive man? Then you are claiming to be lord in your own right. You are a tyrant. Are you a man failing to properly love your wife and kids? Then you are a tyrant! Repent and trust in Christ! Submit to the Lordship of Christ. Are you a wife or a mother who is offended that God commands you to submit to your husbands? Then you are a tyrant claiming to be god. Repent and trust in Christ! Submit to the Lordship of Christ!

This affects the church as well. Pastors are to be what God commands them to be. God gave clear guidelines in the book of Timothy and that must be obeyed. A man, is he married? Then he must be a one woman man. He must rule his house well. He must be well thought of. He must be faithful. He must preach the truth of Scripture. Anyone who does not fit this and is attempting to rule to house of God is a tyrant! Anyone attempting to set themselves up as their own authority over the church is a tyrant. They must repent and trust in Christ! They must submit to the Lordship of Christ.

This is true in the civil government as well! God has established rulers over us and they are to submit to God. Sadly, as a whole, they do not. The civil government has attempted set themselves up as god. They are wicked and must repent. They must repent and trust in Christ! They must submit to the Lordship of Christ!

The question is not “if” Christ is King. That is not the question. Christ is King. The question is, will you submit to Christ the King, or will you be a tyrant?

Will You Submit to Christ the King, or Will You Be a Tyrant?

No matter what sphere of government you are in, will you submit to Christ as King? Have you ever repented of your sins and trusted in Christ as King? If you have never turned away from your tyranny, then I must warn you, there is a coming judgement. You will be judged by God. Do not be found to be a tyrant on that day. Do not be found to be lost. Trust in Christ as your savior. Turn away from your sin and trust in Christ! This is what repenting means. It means that you are going one way, in sin, and you turn away from your sin. This is not a separate act from trusting in Christ. It is one and the same. To turn to Christ is to turn away from your sins. You confess to Him that you are a sinner, you ask for forgiveness and you trust in Christ as Lord of all.

Weather you accept it or not, Jesus is King. But if you are saved, and yet you are still living as a tyrant, I call you to repent in the name of Jesus! Turn away from your sin and wickedness! Turn to Jesus! What you are doing is against God. You are attempting to set yourself up as a god. You are not a god. We are the people of God! We bow to Christ as King. We bow to no one else. No King but Christ. No one can change this. As Christians, our commitment is to Christ.

Do what you must, Christ is King.

Set us afire. Christ is King.

Crucify us. Christ is King.

Behead us. Christ is King.

Command us to disobey Him, we will not.

Command us to stop worshipping Him, we will not.

We will defy tyrants. Christ is King.

We will defy our own little tyrant. Christ is King.

We will obey Christ. Christ is King.

What ought all people to do? Kiss ye the Son.

Kiss Ye The Son.

Psalm 2 speaks of the Lordship of Christ. This is the call to all people. It is the call to the highest king. It is the call to the lowest peasant. Kiss the Son.

Why do the nations rage

And the peoples meditate on a vain thing?

2 The kings of the earth take their stand

And the rulers take counsel together

Against Yahweh and against His Anointed, saying,

3 “Let us tear their fetters apart

And cast away their cords from us!”

4 He who sits in the heavens laughs,

The Lord mocks them.

5 Then He speaks to them in His anger

And terrifies them in His fury, saying,

6 “But as for Me, I have installed My King

Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”

7 “I will surely tell of the decree of Yahweh:

He said to Me, ‘You are My Son,

Today I have begotten You.

8 Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance,

And the ends of the earth as Your possession.

9 You shall break them with a rod of iron,

You shall shatter them like a potter’s vessel.’”

10 So now, O kings, show insight;

Take warning, O judges of the earth.

11 Serve Yahweh with fear

And rejoice with trembling.

12 Kiss the Son, lest He become angry, and you perish in the way,

For His wrath may soon be kindled.

How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!

Amen. Let’s pray.

Prayer:

Closing Hymn:

Closing Benediction:

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,20 teaching them to keep all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”