The LORD Reigns

Turn in your copy of God's word to Psalm 93.

Psalm 93.

Hear the word of Our Lord.

The Lord Reigns. He is clothed with Majesty. The Lord is closed. He has girded himself with strength. Surely the world is established so that it cannot be moved. Your throne is established from of old, you are from Everlasting. The floods have lifted up O Lord the floods have lifted up their voice the floods lift up their waves. The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many Waters than the mighty waves of the sea. Your testimonies are very sure Holiness, adorns, your house o'lord forever. So when's the reading of God's word, may he bless? The reading and now the preaching to our hearts. This song. Kicks off. What, what is often called by commentators and Scholars in Throne meant Psalms. It is one. In the Salter that pictures a shift in emphasis for the next six or so. Psalms. Where there is a specific and explicit emphasis on the Lord as king. On the Lord Seated. On his throne.

I said, we are going to take this up. Because as the church we are citizens under the Lord's rule. We are citizens of his kingdom and we find ourselves and we exist in this world and in the world to come. As Citizens under this great king. That's what we're going to look at the Lord's rain. We're going to look at three aspects of his Reign first as seen in verses 1 and 2 that the Lord reigns with Sovereign acceded. I'll Define a society when we get, when we get to it, To that the Lord reigns with exalted might. And then finally, the Lord Reigns by his word

So, let's start with the first point, the Lord reigns with Sovereign a society. Notice how the song begins it begins by making this very short yet. Very clear statement. The Lord Reigns This tells us a couple things right out the gate first. It tells us who it is, that is on the throne. Who is the king, who is raining, it is not you and it is not our presidents. It is not any other world leader. It is not any theological system or ideological system. It is the Lord, the Lord himself, the Lord Reigns, And what does it mean? When it says that the Lord Reigns will quite simply as I am sure, you have already gathered. It means that the Lord is King. He is the ruler. He is the one who governs this world and the universe in which we live. He reigns And this rain is described. As. First, he is clothed with Majesty.

Clothes with Majesty or that is that he is exalted. He is transcendent. He is above all the world, all the created world, the universe and everything in it. He is, by his very nature. Exalted above his creation, He is outside of his creation. He is majestic. He's closed with Majesty.

We're also told that the Lord is clothed with strength. He is clothed with strength so that anything that he needs to do anything that ought to be done in the ruling of the governing of the world over which he rules. He has the strength and the ability to do he is not lacking. He has no need to go outside of himself. Looking for anything. The Lord Is girded with strength. I don't want you to notice. Who it is, who clothes the Lord with majesty and who it is? Who clothes him with strength?

We are told that he has girded himself. And we can take that and we can extend it to. What was previously said about clothing with Majesty that the Lord has closed himself and this gets to the idea of a society which is that God has all that he needs within himself, all that he is, he is perfectly within himself, it is his self existence and part of that self-existence means he has no need for anything. Or anyone, he has nothing or no one who can add to his strength, who can add to his majesty, because he has strengths and he has Majesty in fullness within himself.

Now, think about this by comparison for just a moment in order for you and I to be exalted, we have to be esteemed by others. We have to be lifted up in a certain sense by others in order for us to grow in strength, we have to take active steps to grow in strength because our strength as it is, is not a perfect strength and there is always room for more strength, right? But God, the Lord has no one who could add Majesty to himself because he is perfectly Majestic in and of himself. He has no one or nothing that could add to his strength because he is perfectly strong in and of himself.

And we see one display of this strength in the foundation and establishment of the world. The psalmist goes on. Surely the world is established so that it cannot be moved. Who was it, who established the world and who fixed it on this Firm Foundation such that it can't be moved. It was the Lord himself. That is a display of his great strength. and the reason that he can go and establish the world such that it cannot be moved, is because his throne Has always existed. He has always been and will always be the ruler. the governor, the king over the world, his throne is, as the psalmist says, from of old and his throne is from of old, because he is from Everlasting, There is not a single square inch of this world that is outside of God's Sovereign Rule, and his Sovereign control. And that is why we refer to this rain in this first point as a sovereign, a city. Because God is Sovereign over all of the world. He reigns over all of the world and he does so based upon who he is in himself, he needs nothing outside of himself, in order to accomplish that rain and that rule

One implication of this. Is that God doesn't need us. Now, this can be, I think both. Comforting. And humbling at the same time you see in in ancient mythology the gods needed their subjects in order to have their power in order to have their Majesty such that. If you look at Greek and Roman mythology, they would lose strength and they would lose majesty and the ability to govern if they're people did not worship and pray to them.

So this is where it gets comforting. God does not lose strength. Because we do not worship or because we do not pray, he has all that he needs within himself.

But then it's also humbling because wild God does not need us. God does not need us for the advancement of his kingdom here on Earth. He does not need us for the Dominion being exercised over the world, but God has chosen to include the people that he created. Into his plans for this universe. Not because not because we have any special gifted. All the gifting that we have, God gives to us. God chooses, to let us have a roll out of his abundant love and kindness and his desire to show us his majesty to show us his strength to show us his creative. I and ultimately to show us of his great salvation.

So the Lord Reigns and he reigns with Sovereign a seating. in the next two verses we learned that the Lord Reigns With exalted might. It is a bit providential that over the last several weeks. There have been floodings and various parts of the nation. And in our texts today, We read about the floods. The floods we are told have lifted up, they've lifted up their voice. They lifted up their waves. I want you to think for a moment. I want you to think think about the sound of waters. Maybe think about the sound of water, going over a waterfall and the great noise that it makes think about the destructive power of water and how it can go and it can form crevasses and rivers and it can destroy communities. And then we get an idea of the great, and awesome Terror that water can be. Think about the Grand Canyon as Christians, we believe the Grand Canyon was formed during the flood and so it was formed as water was coming crashing upon the land and moving away, rocks and dirt. No, some commentators have taken the mention of floods and Waters and they they believe that refers to the rebellious and wicked Nations and rulers of the world.

now, I will confess there's not There's not anything in the text that requires us to view it that way. At the same time, it doesn't take away anything. If we do, I think we can understand it either. As speaking of littoral waters or as wicked nations of the Earth, in either case we have seen throughout the history of the world. The destructive force that water can be whether it's through local floods, like those that were taking place in Kentucky, is as my family and I were traveling down to Virginia or if we think of the various hurricanes and tsunamis that have hit various places and cities around the world water can be a very destructive force. I mean, even in scripture, we have the account of the flood, right? Which was a very destructive force. But we can also look to Wicked rulers and wicked Nations. And we can see the great wickedness and the destruction that they can cause we don't have to go all too far back in history to see examples. We can look around the world. We can even look in our own Nation. To see how Wicked rulers impact a nation and Destroy. Its people and its values.

I'm still in the midst of this notion of waves of whether it's literal water or rebellious Nations. Here's what we find in the center of these versus the floods lift up their voice, the floods lift up their waves, the Lord is on high and he is mightier. The Lord on high. The Lord is exalted even above the highest waves. He's exalted even above the highest flood waters. There is no flood that could come, that would be able to touch the Lord in his exalted position. So the Lord is exalted. He is on high and the Lord on high is mightier. He is mightier than the noise of waters. I don't know if you've been to Niagara Falls. If you have then, you know, that being at that waterfall, it is almost deafening, the sound of the, of the falls, the sound of the waters. And yet, we are told here that the Lord himself, who is Seated on high, the Lord is mightier than the noise. Not just of one water or one Falls. He's mightier than the noise of many Waters. But not only is, is the Lord mightier than the noise of many Waters. He's also mightier than the mightiest waves of the sea. and, If you want an interesting little assignment, go and look up. Mighty tsunamis It wouldn't take very much, you go to YouTube Type in the world's largest tsunami. And look at the, the height of the waves and when you think about the height of those waves with the destruction that those waves cause we could then get this very clear picture, not of the extent of God's strength but of one bar of how strong and mighty he is because we'll never be able to grasp exactly how strong and mighty our God is. So we can get little glimpses and the psalmist here gives us this glimpse of saying the Lord on high is mightier than the mightiest waves of the sea. So what's the point, why is he telling us this while he's telling us this? And this is our second implication because the Lord God cannot be overthrown. There isn't a force. There isn't a force in this universe in all of the created world. That is strong enough to remove God from his throne. There isn't a force in the world, whether it is natural forces or forces of, man, that is able to actually present the remotest challenge to God for his throne. And that's the exact picture that song. Two paints for is right that the Lord. When the rulers of the earth declare that we will break the bonds and we will cast him off his throne. We are told the Lord sits in heaven and laughs that he mocks them, he holds them in derision because the idea that any created person that any created forced could ever possibly could ever possibly get to a point where they could remove God from his throne is absolutely laughable. now, this ought to be encouraging for us, because what it means is, as we see our nation, Going down a path that will end in destruction. As we see a nation that is casting off. God and seeking to rebelled against God with this arrogant idea that it can somehow remove God from his throne. We have this reminder that there's not a force on the earth that could ever possibly even present the slightest challenge.

There is no Force. That is able. To remove God's throne but there's also no force. That is able to stop the work that God is doing. I want you to think for a moment about the church and how many times the church has faced persecution. and Mild persecution like the kind we are facing in America. I'm talking severe persecution. We're either simply owning a copy of the scriptures or merely call Associated yourself with Christian could result in execution. How many times have Wicked rulers? Tried to Stamp Out the church, trying to burn our scriptures and utterly destroy them. And what happens time and time again, every time there is that attempt The Church Groves. Now, that makes no sense that as it makes no earthly sense. Anyway, that as the world assaults, the church and kills its members and kills its pastors and teachers. And as the world assaults, God's word and seeks to destroy it. The inevitable result time. And time again, is not even a diminishing of the church. The church continues, not only to exist but to thrive and to grow And really, that ought to that ought to be a word of caution to Any Nation in Rebellion, to the Lord because any time a nation has rebelled against the Lord. There are two things that have happened. First, they are unsuccessful in destroying the church. And second that Nation folks. Because the Lord. Who is mightier than the noise of the waters in the mighty waves of the sea? The Lord cannot be overthrown. He cannot be stopped.

And then finally, we read here.

That the Lord Reigns by. His word verse five. Your testimonies are very sure.

Let's reflect upon that for a moment, God's testimonies as if he needed to go and an ad redundancy. They're not just short testimony, they're not just searching, they are very sure. You're very certain now, this

I want you to think about this for a moment. What does it mean that the testimonies of the Lord are? Very sure that they are certain what what it means is that all that God says, first will be a reflection of who he is. That's so if we understand that God is perfect in Majesty, he's perfect and strength. Then we should also understand that his word provides perfectly for his people. His word gives us all that we need for Faith and life. His word does not give us a textbook of world history because that is not the intent of the word of God. History is given as God sees is necessary for our understanding and grasping of this Plan of Salvation,

for the point of scripture is not merely an encyclopedia of world events. The point of scripture is to show us who God is that he is strong and mighty and a while, he needs no one and he needs nothing yet. He provides salvation for wicked men. But also tells us is testimonies being sure that everything in the scripture is trustworthy because God himself is perfectly trustworthy. And so scripture being that reflection of who he is, it will perfectly reflect who he is and how he works. If you want to know, God better than you go to scripture. If you want a more intimate relationship with God, you learn about God in scripture. You read your Bible, you study. That is how we grow in our relationship with God. We are not to go seeking after extra Revelation. There are books sadly that are sold in Christian book. Stores that actually seek to draw us away from God. They draw us away from scriptures to these other extra Revelations, extra Revelations. One popular one, which I would warn you against is by Sarah Young called Jesus calling and it emphasizes it emphasizes that God can be known apart from God's word. That is not true.

God's testimonies. Are you sure?

And when we think about this with it, within the context of his raining and his ruling, what, this tells us then first is that God, the Lord being the one who Reigns as the song starts out, he has the right He has the right to issue commands. He has that, right? They are not suggestions their commands and not only does he have the right to issue commands. He has the right to expect obedience to those commands. So then in this statement that gots testimonies are true, that means they call us to obedience, because being a reflection of who he is. His testimonies, his commands cannot lead us astray. And as men and women who live each and every day under the rule of the lord, we are obligated by being his creation. We are obligated to walk in obedience to his commands. We have that obligation and what happens as we walk in obedience out of a love for God to his commands. Well, that's what the second part of verse 5. Tells us that Holiness adorns your house,

also, if you recall from AR reading in Revelation, 19.

Notice what it says in verse 8 to her. That is the church. The bride of Christ. It was it was granted to be arrayed in fine, linen clean and bright. And what's the next line? For the fine. Linen is the righteous acts of the Saints. We're to take from that. And from this, and from this passage, that beauty ultimately is found in holiness. But you cannot have true beauty apart from Holiness. There is no such thing as an ugly holiness. Holiness and Beauty are intended by God to be intimately tied together. Do not even like two cords that are woven together. They are simply two sides of the same coin.

Holiness adorns. Your house O Lord. Forever.

this also, calls us to acknowledge the fact that holiness, Is a requirements for the people of God. It is a requirement. We must pursue Holiness. Holiness? In life, Holiness, in action. No, we know. Of course, since we are sinful creatures, that Holiness is something which God creates in us, and it God creates this desire to walk in accordance with his commands. It is gone. Also who enables us to actually walk Faithfully according to his commands and as the Apostle John says, for the times when we sin, Not if we send when we send that God because of the work of Jesus Christ on the cross in his perfect living and then perfect dying for us. Christ makes it so that every time, every time we send there is also forgiveness, John tells us that when we send, we have a mediator, the Lord Jesus Christ, and that he is faithful. And just to forgive us of all unrighteousness.

so, beloved Let me ask you this question. As we start to wrap up.

Or you. Are you submitting to the rule of the Lord in your life? Do you know what it means to submit to the Lord's rule? And are you pursuing that submission in Humble Reliance upon his grace? Let me touch for a moment, a few ways in which, we submit to the rule of God in our life. So that you are not asked to answer a question without an idea of what is expected.

First, the way that we the first and most important way that we submit to God's rule is an acknowledgment of who God is in and of himself that he is the Lord that he is. The Lord on high who Reigns that he is our creator that we are creatures. We have been created. That's the first step because you cannot submit to the rule of a king. If you're not acknowledging that King, if you're not acknowledging his rightful claim to the throne, you cannot submit To his rule. So the first is, do you acknowledge the Lord as king second? Do you strive to know this king's commands? Do you strive to know them because we cannot obey commands? That we do not know.

Think about that. And especially with so many young children. How ridiculous would it be? For us to go and to discipline our kids. when we have not given commands,

Late. Then, we're expecting obedience. We're expecting them to know what we have. Not communicated. No God. Has communicated with us. He has given us his word. And in his word, we find his commands. And so in order for us to know God's commands, we must know his word. So are you reading your Bible? Are you studying, your Bible? Are you seeking day in and day out to come to a greater knowledge of each verse in the Bible? Not eat verse at the same time, of course. But each verse Throughout our life. Are you striving after them? Not just a surface-level sound bites? I can do all things through a verse taken out of context, sort of knowing your Bible. What are you striving to know God's word in context? What it means and how it applies And if you need help with that, then reach out to either me Steve or Jim. That's literally part of our job as Elders is to help to help you be able to study God's word.

and then, finally,

Are you meeting with God and with his people? I emphasize this a lot. And I do that because scripture and precise, is it a lot that we have a responsibility and God has provided as one of those means through which we grow in our love for him. And our understanding of his work, God has provided for us the worship, the public worship of the Lord on Sundays and also the Fellowship of the Saints. And so are you engaging regularly and worship? Are you teaching your kids to engage in worship? And remember, we all took vows We all promised that we would assist one another in raising our children to know the Lord and to walk in the fear and admonition of the Lord. So it's not just, are you teaching your kids? It's are you helping teach the kids in the church? How to worship the importance of worship? Are you assisting one another in that and are you taking advantage? Of the times of Fellowship. Already available in the church and are you looking for more? We have this obligation as being part of God's people. We have this obligation to God. We have this obligation towards one another. And this beloved is how these are some ways how we submit to the rule and reign of Our Lord?

Not to go in a legalistic manner. It's not to be done because that's what good Christians do. It's to be done because we love the Lord because we love his people. And that love for the Lord in that love for his people is to then drive our interactions our commitment to any times of study and teaching on the Lord's day as well as any times of Fellowship available or that we can make available or that we can create. So that we may spend more time with God's people and have more opportunity to grow in our knowledge of our great king in our submission, to his righteous rule, Butter spray.

The fathering. We confess that that we do not always come to you. We do not always Gather in this place. Because we desire to submit. To your Reign and Rule.

Sometimes.

Perhaps more often than we even realize. We come because it's a good Christian thing to do.

because we want to retain perhaps our reputation as a Christian in the community.

Father, we ask that you would be growing within us. A love for you. And a love for you. That results in a love for your word. A love for your commands and a tender-hearted this towards your people. Father, help us. Help us to view. To view these times of worship and study as gifts from you.

A gift first and foremost because we get to be in a special way in your presence.

And then also a gift because we get to know you who you are, how you work. In a deeper way. Father, we ask that you would help us to Value The Fellowship of the church.

Help us to view the life of the body. Not merely as this thing that we can this extra activity that we can tack on to our already busy weeks, but father, help us to see it as vital. For continued and sustained. Christian walk.

Father, you created us. and in the beginning, when you created Adam, You gave that declaration that it is not good, that man should be alone and then all throughout the rest of your sacred word. You continue bringing your people together into a Covenant Community. And so help us to Value into love that Covenant Community out of a love for Christ. Our Savior, who is extended salvation to each one of us and out of a love for the Holy Spirit, who has applied that salvation in our hearts. Father grow Us in love for one another as we grow in our love for you. Oh, blessed. Triune God. and this we pray that Christ Our Savior would be exalted as the Holy Spirit Works in our hearts and in our midst Hey man.

Will let us turn now to