The Ultimate Victory
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
We recently started examining our current theme “Lessons From The Psalms.”
Last week we studied Psalm 19 wherein we noticed how “God Can Be Found.”
He can be found in his creation, in his revelation, and in his salvation.
Today, we turn our attention to Psalm 2.
There is no doubt this psalm is what is typically called a “Messianic Psalm.”
In other words, it is a psalm prophesying about the “coming Messiah,” Jesus.
Another interesting tidbit about this psalm is that it three different speakers are presented.
You have David, the inspired writer (Acts 4:24-30), in verses 1-3.
You have God the Father in verses 4-6.
And you have God the Son in verses 7-9.
With that in mind let’s dive into our lesson this evening.
The Nations’ Resistance
The Nations’ Resistance
The Inquiry.
The Inquiry.
David looks around at the other nations of the world and wonders…
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,
To David it seems almost impossible that any nation would consider it a “good idea” to rage against the LORD and plot against him, which is foolishness.
David notices that they are trying so hard to “cut their cords” from God and his anointed one.
3 “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”
The longer my life goes the more I see people striving to “break their bond and cord from their Creator.”
This isn’t anything new, as it has been going on since the beginning.
The flood was a direct result of this mentality.
5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
This happened during days of the judges, as the last verse in Judges reads…
25 In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
The apostles and early church applied this passage in Psalm 2:1-2 to the efforts of Herod, Pilate, the Gentiles, and Israelites who were persecuting God’s way.
23 When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, 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?
26 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’— 27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.
29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
Summary
Summary
Why would anyone want to rage against God and plot against him?
Because where sin is involved rational and logic thinking are missing.
There is no reason why anyone of “sound-mind” would want to be “disconnected from their God” but sin isn’t about being of “sound-mind” but rather that of impairment.
However, as we will see next God isn’t fazed by man.
Notice…
God’s Response
God’s Response
God Simply Laughs.
God Simply Laughs.
I love God’s reaction to that of these nations and their desire to be “freed from him.”
Psalm 2:4–5 (ESV)
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…
I was well aware of this verse but had no idea how many times the bible mentions God’s laughter at the wicked and their futile efforts to (1) try and thwart him or (2) think they are in control instead of God.
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming.
8 But you, O Lord, laugh at them; you hold all the nations in derision.
26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you,
Why does God “laugh” at this?
Why does God laugh at those that think they can do anything other than sin without God’s blessing?
Because…
God Will Do His Will.
God Will Do His Will.
Mankind cannot stop God’s will from being done.
It’s interesting that God, right after laughing at the foolishness of these nations, turns around and says…
6 “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.”
When Jesus came to this earth the nations raged against him.
The Gentiles “washed their hands” of Jesus when they found no guilt in him.
The Jews screamed, “crucify him, crucify him” when they could have freed him.
The apostles all said “we will never leave you” but all eventually turned and ran.
Though all this God’s will was done.
The gospel of Jesus Christ was accomplished.
Summary
Summary
No nation, empire, or global icon can stop God’s will from being done.
In fact, striving to do so only guarantees certain failure for mankind.
We then are blessed with Jesus “telling of the decree” given to him for mankind, even the “raging nations” that will want him dead.
Jesus Declares God’s Will
Jesus Declares God’s Will
Jesus Will Be God’s Son.
Jesus Will Be God’s Son.
Jesus then speaks forth, starting in verse 7 and pronounces that which defies earthly wisdom.
7 I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.
How can nations “rage against” and plot against that which they cannot even fathom.
God, would become flesh (John 1:1; John 1:14), being born of a virgin (Matthew 1:23; Galatians 4:4) and grow up to be murdered by his own creation.
Jesus starts by pointing out that the “will of God” that the nations are raging against cannot even be comprehended by them.
He then declares that all that rage is for not because as we read…
Jesus Will Have All Authority.
Jesus Will Have All Authority.
When Jesus gave up heaven to come to this earth as a human he was stripped of his glory and authority for a time.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
3 But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
There is no doubt that Satan and his followers (thought they won) when Jesus died.
But as Jesus declared here in Psalm 2:8-9 they couldn’t be further from the truth.
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.”
Before Jesus even came to this earth God’s will was already fixed, that Jesus would gain all authority over every nation and if they raged against him they would crumble like a rod of iron against a potter’s vessel.
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Summary
Summary
God’s will was not stopped and though the nations raged “the only begotten Son of God” did indeed become “King of kings and Lord of Lord.”
Conclusion
Conclusion
David, upon hearing God the Father and God the Son speak to the nations makes an obvious but wise observation.
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.
The wise of this world will seek refuge in God, not want to break away from him and will serve him with reverence, not rage against him.
Why, because Jesus, the one with all authority, is pleading for those he died for “come to him.”
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Invitation
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.