Jesus doesn’t wink at sin

[0:00] Focus this evening. Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?

[0:12] The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his anointed one. Let us break their chains, they say, and throw off their fetters.

[0:30] The one enthroned in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them. Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, I have installed my king on Zion, my holy hill.

[0:50] I will proclaim the decree of the Lord. He said to me, you are my son. Today I have become your father.

[1:02] Ask of me and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. You will rule them with an iron scepter.

[1:14] You will dash them to pieces like pottery. Therefore, you kings, be wise. Be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling.

[1:30] Kiss the son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way. For his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all those who take refuge in him.

[1:45] In Psalm 33, verse 10, just down to verse 17. The Lord foils the plans of the nations.

[1:59] He thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever. The purposes of his heart through all generations.

[2:12] Blessed is the nations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. The people he chose for his inheritance. From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind.

[2:27] From his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth. He who forms the hearts of all who considers everything they do.

[2:37] No king is saved by the size of his army. No warrior escapes by his great strength. A horse is a vain hope for deliverance.

[2:51] Despite all its great strength, it cannot save. This is the word of the Lord. Amen. Amen. Psalm 2 is an important psalm in God's word.

[3:08] It's quoted seven times in the New Testament. And I want to say something that emerges from Psalm 2 about God's certain judgment and his amazing grace.

[3:24] But before that, I want to put Psalm 2 in some sort of a context. We could say that the world knows Jesus in a way.

[3:38] As he appeared in his first coming to earth. They know him as the baby in the manger. They know him as the man on the cross.

[3:49] Helpless baby. Helpless victim. Helpless baby. Presenting little threat. Pictures of weakness to them. But sound thoughts of Jesus for them, for the world, are lost amid superficial celebrations of Christmas and Easter.

[4:11] And it all gets muddied with thoughts of Santa Claus and Easter eggs. Thereby missing the point and the purpose of Jesus' coming.

[4:23] The Bible speaks of two comings of Jesus, two advents. Regarding the first, John has this to say in chapter 3 and verse 17.

[4:35] God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. That is, the primary purpose of his incarnation was not to judge the world.

[4:52] Paul adds, 1 Timothy 1.14, this is a trustworthy saying deserving of full acceptance. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.

[5:04] Sinners. John again, 1 John 3 and verse 8. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

[5:15] The devil who introduced sin and death to the human race. And Luke chapter 4 records Jesus in the synagogue on the day he was chosen to read the Old Testament scriptures publicly in the synagogue.

[5:33] And he reads, the set reading for that day was Isaiah 61, 1 and 2. And Luke quotes it, quotes the passage that Jesus read thus, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.

[5:54] He sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives, to recover the sight of the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.

[6:12] And then he concluded the reading with the amazing claims, Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. Isaiah 61 then is a wonderful summary from Jesus' own lips of his mission on earth.

[6:38] But you may know that Jesus stopped the reading at a comma, which is not usual. But that's a fact. He omitted what Isaiah added, the second verse of Isaiah 61, the day of vengeance of our God.

[7:01] And he omitted that intentionally and deliberately so, because his first coming was a time of grace, not of judgment. He didn't make a mistake when he did the reading.

[7:15] He came as the only begotten of the Father into the world, full of grace and truth. The law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came by Christ Jesus.

[7:29] John 12, 47, As Jesus said, As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him.

[7:43] For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words.

[7:55] The very word I have spoken will condemn him in the last day. His word, his teaching, his gospel is the judge.

[8:08] At his first advent, Jesus came to seek and redeem those who were lost, to go about doing good, to befriend sinners, to call them to repentance, to mend broken hearts, to bind up their wounds, to preach the gospel to the poor, to eat, drink, and talk with publicans, tax collectors, and prostitutes, to heal the sick, to cleanse the leper, to comfort, to renew, and forgive, to restore sight to the blind, to unstop the ears of the deaf, to loosen the tongues of the dumb.

[8:44] He came to serve, not to be served, to endure insult, pain, rejection, and give his life a ransom for many. That's why he came, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, he came down to lay, came to lay down his life for the sheep, to save to the uttermost, all those who come to God by him.

[9:09] Many followed Jesus, and those who were sick, he healed. Gentle, compassionate, merciful, Jesus, through him, God, would reconcile, alienated people, to himself.

[9:30] For believing, and repentant sinners, 2 Corinthians 5, 19, God would not count their trespasses against them, for our sake, God made Christ to be sin, who knew no sin, that we might be the righteousness of God in him.

[9:48] Mark 1, 38, Jesus said, let's go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came, to preach evangelistically.

[10:01] Good news was delivered to the world, through Jesus Christ. He went throughout Galilee, Galilee preaching in the synagogues, calling people to believe on him.

[10:14] And so, the good news is this, John 3, 18, whoever believes in him, is not condemned, but whoever does not believe, is already condemned, because he has not believed, in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

[10:36] So, on hearing his searching words, and seeing his mighty works, people made up their minds about him, and he gave them that opportunity.

[10:48] But Jesus, in an act of grace, added this warning, gracious warning, John 8, 24, unless you believe that I am he, you'll die in your sins.

[11:02] His time on earth, was one then of opportunity, during which the blind, saw the dead in trespasses and sins, were raised to life. That's his first coming.

[11:15] His second coming, will be different. When he comes again, all decisions made about him, and his claims, are final and fixed.

[11:27] And the grace of which we have spoken, is withdrawn. Our rejection of him now, will one day seal, his rejection of us.

[11:42] The purpose of his second coming, is to complete the salvation, of those who have already, put their trust in him. For those not eagerly, waiting for him, there is judgment.

[11:54] The day of grace, has ended. The day of vengeance, of our God, will come. So that's the background.

[12:06] There's grace, and there's judgment, mentioned in Psalm 2. The angel Gabriel, confirmed the reason, for Jesus' first advent, the Christmas event, to Mary, referring to, the long-term future, he said to Mary, this son you will conceive, in your womb, shall be called Jesus.

[12:30] He will be great, and be called, the son of the most high, and the Lord God, will give to him, the throne of his father David, and he will reign, over the house of Jacob, forever, and of his kingdom, there shall be no end.

[12:44] And again, Psalm 2, brings that out. So that's, that's the end of the introduction. Folks, sorry, been a long one, but I wanted to put the psalm, into context, and I promise not to be, too long.

[12:57] What did we finish here? It's up to me, that's dangerous. With this background, painted in, we now turn to Psalm 2. And there are four, three verse sections, I want to look at.

[13:14] Verses 1 to 3, the rebellion of the nations. Secondly, 4 to 6, verses 4 to 6, the response of the Lord.

[13:25] Thirdly, 7 to 9, the reign of the sun. And fourthly, verses 10 to 12, the remedy of repentance. So there we are.

[13:36] First of all, the rebellion of the nations. The psalmist describes how the rulers of this world of nations are universally hostile. they conspire in deliberate opposition to the rule of God on earth.

[13:51] Except for one nation, divinely chosen and ruled by a divinely appointed and anointed man after God's own heart, David, king of Israel and Judah.

[14:02] All other nations, without exception, were at enmity with God. Psalm 1 speaks of the traits of the wicked individual. Psalm 2 speaks of the attitude of the wicked nations.

[14:17] Well, let me put a question to you. Is there one nation on earth today that is not in some measure hostile to God and his kingly rule? You'll tell me afterwards. At one time, we may have been inclined to cite Britain or the United States of America as possible exceptions.

[14:36] Not today. No nation on earth can be described as overtly Christian. We call ourselves a Christian nation.

[14:46] Folks, it's not true. There's a heritage there, certainly. Self-serving, cruel despots rule many nations. The church is under continual attack culturally, academically, religiously, politically.

[15:01] We're under attack. And the world does not share God's divine standards of right and wrong. The one creator God has not changed his mind, folks, about morality, about adultery, about deceit and theft, about marriage.

[15:21] He hasn't changed his mind. He's not in favor of a man marrying a man. That's overthrowing God's standards of morality.

[15:32] He's against fornication, homosexuality, greed and murder. They are God's standards. They're eternal. In the 21st century, God has not modified his moral laws.

[15:46] The world considers itself enlightened if it goes along with their idea of morality. It is not true that God winks at these signs, these sins and signs, and does not take them seriously.

[16:03] Such an unholy God is a fiction of human imagination. Man, God created in man's image. Psalm 51, Psalm 50, verse 21, These things you have done, and I have been silent, says God.

[16:19] You thought that I was altogether like you. Thinking God didn't care about evil practices. God, the glory of Israel, does not lie or change his mind.

[16:33] He is not a man that he should change his mind. God says, My thoughts are not your thoughts. No hand or voice lifted against him can ever ultimately succeed.

[16:47] Therefore, what the conspiring rulers of Psalm 2 imagine is a vain thing. Nor is there any just basis for their hatred and rebellion against the Lord.

[17:04] His ways are perfect. His love is unfailing. His kindness beyond question. His faithfulness is consistent. So why do the nations rage against him conspiring against the Lord and his anointed?

[17:21] Well, verse 3 explains, it's because they have believed the same lie that Satan whispered to Eve in the Garden of Eden, that God's word and God's command bring us only bondage.

[17:35] They want to throw off the shackles of God that lead to misery and lead to their impoverishment. That's what the devil said to Eve. His commands are grievous, says the world.

[17:51] And that's a lie that's deceived us all, you and me. How many of our contemporaries believe that the Christian life is a miserable existence to be avoided at all costs?

[18:04] Turn anywhere in Psalm 119 and you'll find that not to be the case. This is what David says. God's commands are my delight. Blessed, happy are those who walk in the way of the Lord, who keep his commandments.

[18:20] I find delight in your commandments, which I love. I believe in and long for your commandments. They're all true and they're right. Happy, oh happy, is that people whose God is the Lord.

[18:33] You know, once I wasn't a Christian, then I became a Christian. I've never had so much fun as a Christian.

[18:44] Yet the devil persuades men that God is a killjoy. I discovered after a little while, I went to a church and the preacher was actually humorous.

[18:57] Oh dear, oh dear. The people were laughing, laughing in church. And I thought, well, this is a new experience. Laughing out loud, Chuck Swindoll writes a lot of books that Christians love to read and there's great depth in what he has to say but he's a great humorist.

[19:22] He writes in one of his books of a young lady, well, not so young, who longed for a partner, a spouse. That's a matter I would never joke about but he makes reference to her positive attitude.

[19:39] One young lady who at the age of 31 met Mr. Wright and went on to have 12 children. She said she never worried about this matter.

[19:50] She said, I left my future in God's hands and this and then added that it was a matter about which she prayed every night. every night she folded a pair of men's trousers at the end of her bed neatly and prayed, Father in heaven, hear my prayer and grant it if you can.

[20:13] I've hung a pair of trousers here, now fill them with a man. And, yeah, we can be lighthearted. We're not, we're not killjoys.

[20:23] It was God who invented pleasure, you know. Don't forget that. Chuck Swindle quoted this one Sunday morning in his sermon and listening was a father who saw the humor of it but his young son looked rather serious.

[20:42] Mother wasn't at church that morning but a week later mother expressed her concern to her husband about a certain matter. She says, did you know that that son of yours has taken to hang in a bikini at the end of his bed every night?

[20:59] I only do that to show that we've got, we're not miseries, you know. It's not all bondage and misery. Would you dread living in a world where people loved and followed the Ten Commandments?

[21:16] can you imagine a world where everybody's, in everybody's life God comes first and because of this no one ever steals anything.

[21:30] No one murders anyone. No one ever tells lies. No one ever commits adultery. No one ever rapes anyone. No one is greedy or covetous of what other people have.

[21:43] a world where Sunday is a special day for everyone, where children always honor and obey their parents, a world without violence of any kind.

[21:54] How miserable such a world would be? I think not. A world in which all of our neighbors were loved by us as much as we love ourselves.

[22:07] Would it not rather be next to heaven when God's will is done on earth? My son had his bike stolen when he was studying at university here in Edinburgh in one of the Warrander flats and never chained to the banister but it was stolen and I thought did we?

[22:30] No. Is there a Christian around here? That must be a Christian who's stolen the bike. No. That's just a silly illustration. We don't say that.

[22:42] The Keswick Convention. You know years ago did you know this to be a fact that they gave the policemen their holidays during the Keswick Convention because the crime rate dropped to almost zero.

[22:59] That's the sort of world that God would have us live in. Jesus said to his disciples you'll be delivered up to tribulation and put to death.

[23:16] You'll be hated by all nations because of me. The world hates the church.

[23:27] Why? If the world hates you, Jesus said know this it hated me before it hated you. concerning the final judgment which the psalm goes on to speak about when the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him he will sit on his glorious throne before him will be gathered all nations.

[23:54] See the emphasis on all nations and he'll separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. the goats. Psalm 2 is prophetic of the second coming of the Messiah.

[24:11] Between the first and second comings of Christ the church and he will be hated by the nation. So don't be surprised at what Islamic State are doing.

[24:24] If they're a Christian kill them they're infidels. the rulers have decided they want to be set free from the Lord and his anointed. They will not have God's man to rule over them.

[24:37] Cast their bonds away. They view the moral standards of God as expressed in the Decalogue as bondage.

[24:49] Now quickly secondly the Lord's response much more briefly. does almighty God cower before the uproar of the nations?

[25:00] How does he respond? Verse 4 he laughs and that's not the laughter of humor. There's nothing funny about it.

[25:13] Said someone once I prefer God's wrath to God's laugh. Shaking a fist against God is a most silly move.

[25:25] the Lord laughs, Psalm 37 says, at the wicked for he knows their day is coming. God's laughter precedes his anger.

[25:37] Verse 5 God will speak to them in his wrath and terrify them in his fury. His decree concerns the enthronement of his appointed king. I'll put my king in place.

[25:49] that's his response to the challenge. Verse 6 I've set my king in Zion. Thirdly the reign of the sun.

[26:03] Verse 7 the Lord said to me, you are my son, today I've begotten you. That is at a certain point in time when was this today?

[26:15] What does it refer to? The Bible explains it was the time of Christ's exaltation on successfully completing the work God sent him to do.

[26:26] Romans 1 2 God promised beforehand through his prophets in holy scripture concerning his son descended from David according to the flesh declared irrefutably to be deity the son of God in power according to the spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead.

[26:45] Jesus Christ our Lord about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations among all the nations God raised him from the dead and we bring you good news as Acts 1332 that what God promised to the fathers he has fulfilled to their children by raising Jesus as it is written in the second psalm you are my son today I have begotten you so we put that in the context of the resurrection the nations were given to him at his not at his incarnation but at his resurrection to whom did the nations belong to before that before they were given to him well the answer is found in the temptation of Christ

[27:50] Christ is tempted by the prince of this world Luke chapter 4 verse 5 you remember the devil led Jesus up to a high place and showed him in an instance all the nations of the world all the kingdoms of the world and said to him I will give you authority over all the nations of the world for it has been given to me and I can give it to anyone I want to so if you worship me it will all be yours so says the devil it's interesting that Jesus did not contest Satan's claim or challenge his offer this world does lie in the evil one and there's abundant evidence for it Satan offered to Jesus what Jesus came to reclaim from Satan through his work done in God's way the earth in a sense was Satan's domain the god of this age the prince of this world

[29:02] Satan said to Christ you can have the nations the easy way and you can have them now compare this offer with Jesus words to the disciples after his resurrection Matthew 28 verse 18 all authority now has been given to me in heaven and on earth but not given by Satan with this the last stage of history began Jesus now ruling from the father's right hand as king priest to bring his enemies under his feet Peter says through the resurrection Jesus Christ has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God with angels authorities and powers having been subjected to him Jesus is Lord appointed

[30:03] Lord of earth as well as heaven and he can now say to his disciples with all authority now you go to those hostile nations and make disciples out of all the nations and in that great day all rebellious nations will be represented in heaven Ephesians 1 19 according to the working of God's great might that he worked out in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand far above all rule and authority and power and dominion one more thing then verses 10 to 12 the warning stands but there's a remedy to their rebellion it's the remedy of repentance his wrath may soon be kindled but the final section of Psalm 2 is a kind word to undeserving nations the very people with whom

[31:21] God is angry he's spoken in anger now he speaks in amazing grace extending mercy showing kindness and love judgment is delayed mutinous nations are offered hope retribution hasn't happened yet and at this moment tonight there is a refuge for repentant sinners now is the time of salvation before the sword falls God who is angry with the wicked every day issues a warning with such tender words do you notice the word kiss the son kiss and make up kiss a kiss is a move of reconciliation very often we can have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ rejoice with trembling in joy in godly fear that's the message to all those who today are at enmity with God kiss the son the second advent of Jesus may occur at any time soon but attitudes can change and are changing in the hearts of many before that event happens and God will accept genuine repentance as the message to all men all nations everywhere is to repent change your mind that's what the metanoia word means in Greek a change of mind a change of direction once we're we were all enemies in our minds we're against the ways of God the only refuge from him and his wrath is in him to bow to his government to take his yoke upon us to learn his laws and his ways so blessed are all those who take refuge in him happy oh happy is that people whose

[33:43] God is the Lord God has highly exalted him given him a name above every name that one day every nation shall bow to him Richard Dawkins Stephen Fry all the atheists in our government and in our political parties one day they will bow the knee to him whether they choose to or not but best to do it voluntarily now to take the opportunity because there's coming a day when every tongue every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father so that's my little exposition of Psalm 2 wonderfully encouraging God doesn't wink at sin he never winks at sin but he's a

[34:47] God of all grace Jesus said whoever comes to me I will not turn him away but the emphasis the Psalm leaves us with is this now is the accepted time bow the knee to the Savior tonight maybe you've done that already well keep doing it keep submitting to his lordship because that's what the Christian life is all about folks if I kept you late forgive me let's pray together Father we thank you for the truths that we find in your word not least in Psalm 2 your goodness and severity are there revealed we see you as the God of grace as well as the God of justice the God of mercy the God of righteousness but we hold on to the truth that you have spoken that you are not willing that any should perish but that all should come to life repentance we rejoice as you assure us that there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in

[36:00] Christ Jesus oh Lord that we might all be in that glorious position tonight before we allow sleep to come to our eyes so we thank you for your word for its power and for changing our lives through it we give you thanks in Jesus name Amen Amen what's our closing the Lord is the Lord is