WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.179 Okay, the reading this morning is from Psalm chapter 2. 00:00:05.600 --> 00:00:11.019 You can follow along in your bulletins or on the screen behind me. 00:00:12.339 --> 00:00:17.179 Why do the nations rage and the people plot in vain? 00:00:18.140 --> 00:00:25.179 The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord 00:00:25.179 --> 00:00:34.820 and against his anointed, saying, Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us. 00:00:36.380 --> 00:00:39.280 He who sits in the heavens laughs. 00:00:40.299 --> 00:00:42.480 The Lord holds them in derision. 00:00:43.280 --> 00:00:49.659 Then he will speak to them in his wrath and terrify them in his fury, saying, 00:00:49.659 --> 00:00:56.219 As for me, I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill. 00:00:58.399 --> 00:01:00.439 I will tell of the decree. 00:01:01.140 --> 00:01:03.819 The Lord said to me, You are my son. 00:01:04.560 --> 00:01:06.879 Today I have begotten you. 00:01:08.019 --> 00:01:15.199 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage and the ends of the earth your possession. 00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:23.240 You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. 00:01:24.879 --> 00:01:27.859 Now therefore, O kings, be wise. 00:01:28.620 --> 00:01:31.100 Be warned, O rulers of the earth. 00:01:31.859 --> 00:01:35.820 Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling. 00:01:36.960 --> 00:01:41.740 Kiss the son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way. 00:01:41.739 --> 00:01:45.140 For his wrath is quickly kindled. 00:01:46.579 --> 00:01:50.879 Blessed are all who take refuge in him. 00:01:51.299 --> 00:01:53.219 This is the word of God. 00:01:54.299 --> 00:01:55.359 Great. Thanks, Ange. 00:01:55.399 --> 00:01:58.739 Let's pray together as we come to this psalm. 00:01:58.819 --> 00:02:05.519 Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, as we come to your word, this great psalm of David, 00:02:05.519 --> 00:02:13.299 Lord, won't you help us to see you more clearly, to see who you are, God, to see your nature and your character. 00:02:13.500 --> 00:02:16.560 Won't you help us to respond appropriately. 00:02:17.699 --> 00:02:24.479 God, we pray whether we've been Christians for many, many years or whether we're here this morning and still seeking, still searching, 00:02:24.680 --> 00:02:31.759 still trying to make sense of Christianity, won't you open the eyes of our hearts to see you and to understand you. 00:02:31.759 --> 00:02:37.120 Won't you help us to follow you and submit to you and to surrender to you. 00:02:38.259 --> 00:02:42.679 Won't you help us to see you as the king, our good and gracious king. 00:02:44.479 --> 00:02:46.500 God, come and have your way in our lives, we pray. 00:02:46.599 --> 00:02:48.180 God, I just pray for us as a church. 00:02:48.859 --> 00:02:50.099 Come and have your way, Lord. 00:02:50.159 --> 00:02:52.239 We do surrender and submit to you. 00:02:52.819 --> 00:02:54.439 You, Lord, are the head of our church. 00:02:55.459 --> 00:02:56.739 Come and have your way, God. 00:02:56.819 --> 00:02:58.159 Lead us where you want us to go. 00:02:58.419 --> 00:03:00.060 Teach us what you want us to know. 00:03:00.060 --> 00:03:04.979 Christ, this morning we, as a church body, we surrender to you. 00:03:05.000 --> 00:03:07.479 As a family, we say, come and have your way, King Jesus. 00:03:08.400 --> 00:03:10.199 We pray this in your awesome name. 00:03:10.879 --> 00:03:11.120 Amen. 00:03:13.140 --> 00:03:17.300 I'm not sure how interested you were in this or whether you watched it, 00:03:17.379 --> 00:03:23.480 whether you watched the coronation of King Charles III earlier this year. 00:03:23.479 --> 00:03:27.280 For many of us in Hong Kong, it maybe wasn't such a big deal. 00:03:27.799 --> 00:03:30.239 It kind of happened over the seas. 00:03:30.780 --> 00:03:33.379 But for those in England, it was obviously a very big deal. 00:03:33.519 --> 00:03:38.199 The first time in many, many, many decades, there was a new monarch on the throne, 00:03:38.679 --> 00:03:41.620 a king for the first time in many years. 00:03:42.060 --> 00:03:43.819 And, of course, there was lots of drama. 00:03:44.000 --> 00:03:45.159 You know, who's invited? 00:03:45.299 --> 00:03:46.099 Who's not invited? 00:03:46.099 --> 00:03:48.719 Is Harry and his wife going to be allowed to come? 00:03:48.780 --> 00:03:50.379 Lots of tabloid drama. 00:03:50.819 --> 00:03:52.379 But also lots of tradition. 00:03:53.400 --> 00:03:58.319 Lots of articles that only get brought out a few times every century, 00:03:58.599 --> 00:04:02.539 like the royal scepter and the golden carriage, the horse-drawn carriage. 00:04:02.900 --> 00:04:05.139 Lots of tradition going on. 00:04:05.359 --> 00:04:06.919 And it was a big deal. 00:04:06.919 --> 00:04:11.399 Well, everybody in England, I imagine, came to a standstill. 00:04:11.559 --> 00:04:18.180 Everything stopped as the whole nation kind of paused and watched the coronation of the king. 00:04:19.319 --> 00:04:22.199 Well, Psalm 2 is a coronation psalm. 00:04:22.699 --> 00:04:27.819 It was written for the kings of Israel, maybe King David. 00:04:28.479 --> 00:04:35.439 It was written for the time it was said and read and proclaimed at the coronation of Israel's kings. 00:04:35.439 --> 00:04:43.360 And in the Old Testament, the king of Israel was described as God's son. 00:04:44.240 --> 00:04:51.480 He was God's special representative who sat on the throne and ruled in God's place as God's representative. 00:04:52.579 --> 00:04:55.980 And this is taken from earlier on in 2 Samuel. 00:04:56.480 --> 00:04:59.600 God speaks to David, who is the kind of greatest king in Israel. 00:05:00.100 --> 00:05:01.300 And he says this to him, 00:05:01.300 --> 00:05:07.220 David, when your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, in other words, when your life comes to an end, 00:05:07.620 --> 00:05:09.480 I'll raise up one of your children after you. 00:05:09.860 --> 00:05:12.600 I will establish his kingdom, the throne of his kingdom forever. 00:05:13.100 --> 00:05:17.519 I will be to him like a father, and he shall be to me like a son. 00:05:18.360 --> 00:05:20.280 And my steadfast love will not depart from him. 00:05:20.319 --> 00:05:23.740 And so God speaks to David, the greatest king ever, and he says, 00:05:23.740 --> 00:05:27.879 your children will, one of your descendants will always be on the throne. 00:05:28.319 --> 00:05:32.600 There will never be a time in Israel when one of your descendants is not on the throne. 00:05:32.720 --> 00:05:35.060 And he will be like my son. 00:05:35.920 --> 00:05:36.379 My son. 00:05:36.460 --> 00:05:39.720 He will rule in my place with my authority. 00:05:40.920 --> 00:05:42.480 And so that's what happens. 00:05:42.720 --> 00:05:50.340 God, Israel appoints these human kings who reign in the place of God as his appointed representative. 00:05:50.339 --> 00:05:52.519 And so that's what we see here. 00:05:52.639 --> 00:05:55.019 If you've got your bulletin, look at verse 7. 00:05:55.739 --> 00:05:57.379 God says, I will tell of the decree. 00:05:57.919 --> 00:06:00.079 The Lord said, you are my son. 00:06:00.739 --> 00:06:02.199 Today I have begotten you. 00:06:02.879 --> 00:06:06.479 That's not the day that, you know, the king was conceived or the day he was born. 00:06:06.839 --> 00:06:08.259 It's the day of his coronation. 00:06:08.399 --> 00:06:09.739 Today you are crowned king. 00:06:10.319 --> 00:06:13.699 Up until now, you've been just a member of society, a member of the nation. 00:06:13.799 --> 00:06:15.179 Now you are the king. 00:06:15.319 --> 00:06:17.120 You are, you've become my son. 00:06:17.399 --> 00:06:20.239 You rule my people on my behalf. 00:06:21.099 --> 00:06:24.759 And so the human king rules on behalf of the sovereign king. 00:06:26.060 --> 00:06:28.319 And so that's what Psalm 2 is all about. 00:06:28.399 --> 00:06:30.060 It's the coronation of Israel's king. 00:06:30.659 --> 00:06:35.120 Now in Israel's day, this psalm was both an encouragement and a great warning. 00:06:35.719 --> 00:06:40.500 It was a warning to those who would rebel against the newly appointed king, right? 00:06:40.859 --> 00:06:41.939 So think about this. 00:06:41.939 --> 00:06:44.399 In the nation of Israel, you've got this. 00:06:44.839 --> 00:06:48.199 Let's say you've got some people that want to rebel and overthrow the king. 00:06:48.199 --> 00:06:51.979 Or maybe there's a province or a tribe and they want independence. 00:06:52.659 --> 00:06:58.959 When is the best time to launch an independence campaign or mutiny? 00:06:59.599 --> 00:07:01.500 It's when you've got a new king, right? 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:06.419 When there's a new king and his authority isn't very established and he's still trying to find his feet. 00:07:06.420 --> 00:07:13.500 That's the time when rebels or military generals or the lords in the provinces would think, 00:07:13.640 --> 00:07:16.740 Hey, now's the time where we can become, get our independence. 00:07:17.580 --> 00:07:21.920 And so the psalm is meant to warn them, you do this at your peril. 00:07:22.000 --> 00:07:22.960 Look at verse 10. 00:07:22.959 --> 00:07:30.620 In other words, pay homage to the king. 00:07:31.180 --> 00:07:33.779 Lest he be angry and you perish in the way. 00:07:34.279 --> 00:07:37.120 This is God's anointed one, God's representative. 00:07:37.740 --> 00:07:40.039 Don't think of rebelling against God's king. 00:07:42.039 --> 00:07:44.299 But Psalm 2 is also meant to be a great encouragement. 00:07:44.300 --> 00:07:50.439 Those who love the king or love the kingdom or love the nation of Israel. 00:07:51.060 --> 00:07:59.460 Those who were frustrated at hearing the stories and the rumors of breakaway tribes and groups wanting their independence. 00:08:00.199 --> 00:08:04.720 It was meant to encourage them that God's chosen one was on the throne. 00:08:05.400 --> 00:08:10.080 That he was put there by God himself and that God would defeat their enemies. 00:08:10.379 --> 00:08:11.160 Look at verse 9. 00:08:11.160 --> 00:08:15.960 He says, you, that's the king, you shall break them with a rod of iron. 00:08:16.380 --> 00:08:18.480 Dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. 00:08:18.900 --> 00:08:20.140 Okay, pretty violent stuff. 00:08:20.660 --> 00:08:20.920 I know. 00:08:21.500 --> 00:08:23.060 Good thing the children are out this morning. 00:08:23.820 --> 00:08:26.360 It's typical coronation hyperbole, right? 00:08:26.720 --> 00:08:29.820 You know at the coronation, people always exaggerate things. 00:08:29.900 --> 00:08:33.800 It's like when the queen is 97 and everyone says, long live the queen. 00:08:34.600 --> 00:08:36.279 Well, she's not going to live too much longer. 00:08:36.399 --> 00:08:37.360 Sorry to break it to you. 00:08:37.680 --> 00:08:40.399 But that's how you speak about royalty, right? 00:08:40.399 --> 00:08:41.720 You exaggerate these things. 00:08:42.179 --> 00:08:43.539 And that's what's going on here, right? 00:08:44.319 --> 00:08:45.579 This is meant to be encouragement. 00:08:45.720 --> 00:08:47.340 It's a warning, but it's encouragement. 00:08:47.980 --> 00:08:49.360 Your enemies will be shattered. 00:08:50.079 --> 00:08:51.360 God will take care of them. 00:08:51.500 --> 00:08:51.899 Verse 6. 00:08:52.299 --> 00:08:55.360 I have set my king on Zion, my holy hills. 00:08:55.439 --> 00:08:57.120 That means I have established his throne. 00:08:57.779 --> 00:08:58.399 Ask of me. 00:08:58.480 --> 00:09:00.419 I will give the nations as your inheritance. 00:09:01.240 --> 00:09:03.019 That means nowhere will overpower you. 00:09:03.980 --> 00:09:06.740 All the nations will come and bow before you, honor you. 00:09:07.500 --> 00:09:09.939 This is a great encouragement to little old Israel. 00:09:10.059 --> 00:09:11.379 I mean, Israel is a small nation. 00:09:11.500 --> 00:09:12.379 They're not very powerful. 00:09:12.919 --> 00:09:14.259 Up in the north, there's Babylon. 00:09:14.480 --> 00:09:15.100 There's Assyria. 00:09:15.199 --> 00:09:16.899 These major military powers. 00:09:17.079 --> 00:09:18.340 Down the south, there's Egypt. 00:09:18.799 --> 00:09:20.480 They're constantly being bombarded. 00:09:21.199 --> 00:09:23.600 And God says, Dari, my king is on the throne. 00:09:23.699 --> 00:09:24.960 The nations will be your inheritance. 00:09:25.199 --> 00:09:27.100 Nobody will wipe you out. 00:09:27.779 --> 00:09:28.800 It's a great encouragement. 00:09:30.560 --> 00:09:34.800 The problem is, of course, that that's not really how things panned out. 00:09:35.560 --> 00:09:39.180 If you know the story of Israel, God makes this amazing promise to David. 00:09:39.279 --> 00:09:42.480 He says, you are the king, and you'll always have someone on the throne. 00:09:43.120 --> 00:09:45.019 David was the king around 1000 BC. 00:09:45.820 --> 00:09:50.659 But even David, the best king that Israel had, well, he wasn't perfect. 00:09:50.920 --> 00:09:52.540 He sinned pretty terribly. 00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:56.019 If you remember the story, one day he has an affair with another man's wife. 00:09:56.019 --> 00:09:57.779 And she falls pregnant. 00:09:57.939 --> 00:09:59.000 And then he tries to kill. 00:09:59.159 --> 00:10:02.879 He actually does kill her husband so that he doesn't get blamed for the baby. 00:10:03.539 --> 00:10:04.960 David messes up terribly. 00:10:05.699 --> 00:10:09.639 And his sin unleashes this chaos and rebellion in the land of Israel. 00:10:10.559 --> 00:10:15.679 And for the next couple of hundred years, the kings of Israel go from bad to worse. 00:10:15.860 --> 00:10:20.500 One king after another walks further and further and further away from God. 00:10:21.059 --> 00:10:23.179 And becomes less and less God's representative. 00:10:23.179 --> 00:10:26.959 And so they are seduced by power and wealth. 00:10:27.279 --> 00:10:29.839 They become just like the nations around them. 00:10:30.599 --> 00:10:33.079 Some of the kings, they worship foreign gods. 00:10:33.139 --> 00:10:37.799 And then they even offer up their children as sacrifices in the fire to these foreign gods. 00:10:38.679 --> 00:10:41.359 And Israel just descends into chaos. 00:10:41.360 --> 00:10:47.259 And so this kingdom in Israel that's meant to be a light to the nations and whole and righteous and just. 00:10:47.620 --> 00:10:53.700 And the kings that are meant to bring righteousness and justice to the land as God's representatives, they're the very worst. 00:10:54.120 --> 00:10:55.379 They're leading the rebellion. 00:10:57.000 --> 00:11:03.019 And so eventually what happens in around 600 BC, the nation of Israel splits into two kingdoms. 00:11:03.200 --> 00:11:04.620 There's a northern kingdom and a southern kingdom. 00:11:04.980 --> 00:11:07.940 The northern kingdom gets completely wiped out by the Assyrians. 00:11:08.080 --> 00:11:09.220 It doesn't even exist anymore. 00:11:09.220 --> 00:11:12.200 And the king, there's no more line of the king. 00:11:12.820 --> 00:11:14.800 These two kingdoms are a rival war. 00:11:14.980 --> 00:11:16.779 They're civil war for hundreds of years. 00:11:17.800 --> 00:11:22.019 And eventually 600 BC, the bottom kingdom is not doing much better. 00:11:22.120 --> 00:11:23.340 It's on the brink of disaster. 00:11:24.040 --> 00:11:26.540 And the final king, his name is Zedekiah. 00:11:26.720 --> 00:11:28.879 He's the last of David's descendants. 00:11:29.860 --> 00:11:30.600 He's a coward. 00:11:31.500 --> 00:11:32.940 Babylon is coming to attack him. 00:11:33.560 --> 00:11:34.540 He wants to run away. 00:11:34.600 --> 00:11:36.399 So in the middle of the night, he tries to flee. 00:11:36.800 --> 00:11:38.220 He leaves all his citizens behind. 00:11:38.220 --> 00:11:39.800 They can get wiped out by Babylon. 00:11:39.899 --> 00:11:41.120 He just tries to save himself. 00:11:41.620 --> 00:11:43.259 But the Babylonians capture him. 00:11:44.240 --> 00:11:48.220 And the last thing that they do is they kill his children in front of him. 00:11:49.300 --> 00:11:55.639 And then they pluck out his eyes that the last thing he sees, his lasting memory, is his children dying before him. 00:11:55.639 --> 00:11:59.379 And then they put a chain collar around his neck, chains on his hands. 00:11:59.379 --> 00:12:00.600 And they march him off to Babylon. 00:12:01.100 --> 00:12:05.939 And he lives the remainder of his lives in exile as a slave to the Babylonians. 00:12:05.940 --> 00:12:08.460 And that's how the kingdom of Israel ends. 00:12:08.460 --> 00:12:14.360 And so having started off so well, Israel's kingdom comes to a devastating end. 00:12:14.360 --> 00:12:19.779 And people would have read Psalm 2 and thought, what an epic failure, right? 00:12:20.379 --> 00:12:21.560 I mean, look at how it starts off. 00:12:21.680 --> 00:12:22.180 Verse 2 says, 00:12:22.320 --> 00:12:25.519 The kings of the earth will set themselves against Israel's king. 00:12:25.759 --> 00:12:29.840 The rulers take counsel together against the Lord's anointed one. 00:12:30.600 --> 00:12:32.379 But God, he's just going to laugh at them. 00:12:33.240 --> 00:12:35.159 Well, it doesn't seem like a laughing matter now. 00:12:36.300 --> 00:12:37.300 Look at verse 8. 00:12:37.299 --> 00:12:40.519 Ask of me, I will make the nations your own heritage. 00:12:40.659 --> 00:12:42.779 The ends of the earth will be your possession. 00:12:43.419 --> 00:12:46.299 You, O king of Israel, you'll break them like a rod of iron. 00:12:47.099 --> 00:12:51.359 Well, it seems the only ones that have been broken and dashed now is Israel. 00:12:52.579 --> 00:12:57.579 And that the kingdom that started off so promising has come to a devastating end. 00:12:58.019 --> 00:12:59.139 It no longer exists. 00:13:01.179 --> 00:13:02.500 And so what should we make of Psalm 2? 00:13:03.259 --> 00:13:05.639 And what do we make of the encouragement and the warning, right? 00:13:05.639 --> 00:13:08.699 Maybe it's just biblical hyperbole, right? 00:13:09.100 --> 00:13:11.699 Maybe it's like the coronation. 00:13:12.279 --> 00:13:15.139 It says some encouraging things, but you can't really take it seriously. 00:13:16.299 --> 00:13:19.039 Maybe Psalm 2 is like those other passages in the Bible, 00:13:19.480 --> 00:13:23.740 where it feels like what God says, and in reality, there's such a big disconnect, 00:13:23.879 --> 00:13:25.699 you almost don't even know how to bring them together. 00:13:27.100 --> 00:13:29.059 I'm sure that's how many in Israel felt. 00:13:31.000 --> 00:13:34.919 Well, just like the book of Job, this is not how the story ends. 00:13:34.919 --> 00:13:42.799 Because what Psalm 2 is ultimately about is not David or Solomon or Hezekiah or any of the kings of Israel. 00:13:43.339 --> 00:13:45.439 It's actually about the true greater king. 00:13:45.959 --> 00:13:47.120 It's about Jesus. 00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:52.459 And when we see Psalm 2 is actually the story of Jesus, it makes sense. 00:13:53.379 --> 00:13:59.099 And so Psalm 2 is all about the great king that God came to bring, King Jesus. 00:13:59.839 --> 00:14:03.379 Look at how the New Testament, the New Testament constantly quotes Psalm 2. 00:14:03.379 --> 00:14:04.259 And look at how it does this. 00:14:04.500 --> 00:14:09.559 In Matthew chapter 3, if you're reading the Watermark Bible reading plan, you would have read this, I think, on Friday. 00:14:10.600 --> 00:14:13.460 Matthew 2, Jesus is about to start His ministry. 00:14:13.939 --> 00:14:18.519 And He goes to get baptized by John the baptizer in the Jordan River. 00:14:18.980 --> 00:14:22.340 And as He comes out of the water, it says, 00:14:22.340 --> 00:14:34.500 That's a quote from Psalm 2 verse 7, where God says, verse 7, 00:14:34.860 --> 00:14:37.320 What's happening? 00:14:37.980 --> 00:14:42.360 As Jesus is about to start His ministry, God says, 00:14:42.360 --> 00:14:44.460 The king has arrived. 00:14:45.080 --> 00:14:49.399 The king that you've been waiting for for a thousand years, the king has arrived. 00:14:49.919 --> 00:14:51.259 This is the reign of the king. 00:14:51.720 --> 00:14:53.800 And the same thing happens in Matthew 17. 00:14:54.340 --> 00:14:54.779 God says, 00:14:55.360 --> 00:14:56.899 This is my beloved son. 00:14:57.539 --> 00:14:58.440 Listen to him. 00:14:59.039 --> 00:14:59.740 Listen to him. 00:14:59.800 --> 00:15:00.820 Why should we listen to him? 00:15:01.399 --> 00:15:02.419 Because he's the king. 00:15:03.680 --> 00:15:06.080 And so this is what Psalm 2 is all about. 00:15:06.180 --> 00:15:08.480 It's the storyline, the plotline, 00:15:08.480 --> 00:15:09.720 of Jesus. 00:15:10.420 --> 00:15:13.180 And Psalm 2 tells us that Jesus is the true king, 00:15:13.500 --> 00:15:16.840 not just of Israel or Judah or the northern kingdom, 00:15:16.899 --> 00:15:17.879 of the whole world. 00:15:18.360 --> 00:15:19.460 Heaven and earth's true king. 00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:22.320 And therefore, don't run from Him. 00:15:22.720 --> 00:15:24.259 Run to Him. 00:15:25.039 --> 00:15:26.320 That's the purpose of Psalm 2. 00:15:26.379 --> 00:15:28.539 If there's one thing you may need to take from this morning, it's this. 00:15:28.980 --> 00:15:30.920 Jesus is heaven and earth's true king. 00:15:31.240 --> 00:15:32.580 Don't run from Him. 00:15:33.159 --> 00:15:34.519 Run to Him. 00:15:35.379 --> 00:15:35.680 Okay? 00:15:36.519 --> 00:15:38.100 Let's see how this works out. 00:15:38.100 --> 00:15:39.759 And there's three parts to the Psalm. 00:15:40.480 --> 00:15:42.680 Verses 1 to 3, we see the rebellion. 00:15:43.320 --> 00:15:46.220 Verses 4 to 7, we see the coronation. 00:15:46.840 --> 00:15:50.779 And verses 8 to 12, we see the declaration. 00:15:51.340 --> 00:15:53.320 I changed that word so many times, I forgot what I wrote. 00:15:53.420 --> 00:15:53.560 Okay. 00:15:53.800 --> 00:15:56.879 The rebellion, the coronation, the declaration. 00:15:57.200 --> 00:15:58.700 So let's take a look at it. 00:15:58.879 --> 00:16:01.120 Have your bulletin or your Bible open. 00:16:01.500 --> 00:16:03.259 We're going to read this together. 00:16:03.660 --> 00:16:05.340 Look at verse 1 to 3 with me. 00:16:05.440 --> 00:16:06.399 The rebellion. 00:16:06.399 --> 00:16:07.980 The people reject the king. 00:16:09.100 --> 00:16:12.899 Why do the nations rage and the people's plot in vain? 00:16:13.500 --> 00:16:20.480 The kings of the earth set themselves apart and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord, against His anointed one. 00:16:20.620 --> 00:16:21.279 That's the king. 00:16:21.680 --> 00:16:24.080 Saying, let us burst their bonds apart. 00:16:24.159 --> 00:16:26.300 Let us throw off their cords from us. 00:16:26.639 --> 00:16:26.820 Okay? 00:16:27.660 --> 00:16:31.040 So, they're kind of rebelling against the king. 00:16:32.039 --> 00:16:36.000 Now, if you're familiar with the Gospels, and if you're new to church, maybe you're not that familiar. 00:16:36.139 --> 00:16:41.179 But if you're familiar with the Gospels, you'll pick up, this is the story of Jesus, right? 00:16:41.240 --> 00:16:44.500 The antagonism and the indignation of Jesus. 00:16:44.500 --> 00:16:49.000 Remember, Jesus in His ministry, the rumors start to spread. 00:16:49.220 --> 00:16:50.279 Could this be the Christ? 00:16:50.740 --> 00:16:51.679 Could this be the king? 00:16:51.960 --> 00:16:53.179 The one we've all waited for? 00:16:53.879 --> 00:17:00.679 And how does the nation, how do the people, especially those in authority, the kings and the rulers, how do they respond? 00:17:00.679 --> 00:17:03.639 With anger, with indignation, right? 00:17:04.419 --> 00:17:06.159 They want to kill Him. 00:17:06.700 --> 00:17:10.399 Matthew chapter 26, we read it earlier this year, just before Easter. 00:17:10.559 --> 00:17:15.819 It says, the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of Caiaphas, the high priest, 00:17:16.279 --> 00:17:22.139 and plotted together how they might arrest Jesus by stealth and kill Him. 00:17:23.039 --> 00:17:27.619 When Jesus starts to get a reputation, the people start to plot and scheme and plan. 00:17:28.299 --> 00:17:29.779 How can we take this man out? 00:17:30.579 --> 00:17:31.859 How can we kill Him? 00:17:32.740 --> 00:17:37.519 And in Acts chapter 4, the apostles, as they're praying this prayer, one day they're gathered, 00:17:37.680 --> 00:17:41.759 and there's persecution, and things aren't going well, and they quote Psalm 2. 00:17:41.819 --> 00:17:42.519 This is what they say. 00:17:42.519 --> 00:17:46.619 O sovereign Lord, through the mouth of David, your servant, you said, 00:17:47.160 --> 00:17:49.960 why do the Gentiles rage and the people plot in vain? 00:17:50.440 --> 00:17:54.019 The kings of the earth set themselves against your anointed one. 00:17:54.500 --> 00:17:59.000 For God, in this city, Jerusalem, they were gathered against your servant Jesus, 00:17:59.000 --> 00:18:04.259 whom you anointed, both Herod and Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the people of Israel. 00:18:05.480 --> 00:18:07.240 So what do the apostles say? 00:18:08.140 --> 00:18:10.579 Who do they say is the king that Psalm 2 is referring to? 00:18:10.980 --> 00:18:11.599 It's not David. 00:18:11.740 --> 00:18:12.220 It's not Solomon. 00:18:12.220 --> 00:18:13.500 It's Jesus. 00:18:14.380 --> 00:18:18.900 Jesus is the anointed one that the leaders of Israel plotted and rebelled against. 00:18:20.120 --> 00:18:22.039 This is the storyline of Jesus. 00:18:22.819 --> 00:18:25.160 And why did they rebel against Jesus? 00:18:25.220 --> 00:18:26.279 Why did they hate Jesus? 00:18:26.440 --> 00:18:27.480 Why did they want to kill Him? 00:18:27.920 --> 00:18:29.380 Well, verse 3 tells us, right? 00:18:29.940 --> 00:18:31.220 Let us burst their bonds. 00:18:31.339 --> 00:18:33.539 Let us cast off His authority from us. 00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:35.160 They don't want to serve the king. 00:18:35.680 --> 00:18:37.120 They want to be their own king. 00:18:37.740 --> 00:18:39.060 They don't want His authority. 00:18:39.820 --> 00:18:42.800 If there's a king in town, it means you need to submit to Him. 00:18:42.860 --> 00:18:43.940 You need to surrender to Him. 00:18:44.700 --> 00:18:46.300 Remember at the beginning of Matthew's Gospel, 00:18:47.019 --> 00:18:49.700 the wise men come to King Herod and they say, 00:18:50.279 --> 00:18:52.460 we hear there's a new king in town, right? 00:18:52.519 --> 00:18:55.940 King Jesus, the long-promised one. 00:18:56.460 --> 00:18:57.660 And what does Herod do? 00:18:58.120 --> 00:18:59.000 He gets upset. 00:18:59.580 --> 00:18:59.920 Why? 00:19:00.460 --> 00:19:02.060 Because if there's a new king in town, 00:19:02.519 --> 00:19:04.140 it means he can no longer be king. 00:19:04.660 --> 00:19:05.920 He's going to have to bow down. 00:19:07.000 --> 00:19:09.880 And friends, Herod doesn't want to bow down to anyone. 00:19:10.480 --> 00:19:11.340 And neither do they. 00:19:11.720 --> 00:19:12.800 They want their independence. 00:19:12.980 --> 00:19:13.800 They want their autonomy. 00:19:14.320 --> 00:19:16.820 They want to be able to do what they want, 00:19:17.120 --> 00:19:17.960 whenever they want, 00:19:18.039 --> 00:19:19.800 without anybody telling them what to do. 00:19:20.420 --> 00:19:23.580 They don't want a king who's going to tell them how to live. 00:19:24.140 --> 00:19:26.440 And so they rebel. 00:19:27.019 --> 00:19:28.220 Down with the king. 00:19:29.920 --> 00:19:31.700 They conspire to get rid of him. 00:19:32.960 --> 00:19:39.740 Friends, do you know that this is the natural condition of every human heart against God? 00:19:40.620 --> 00:19:44.019 That every person, the natural tendency of a heart is to say, 00:19:44.259 --> 00:19:45.279 I don't want to serve the king. 00:19:45.580 --> 00:19:47.080 I want to be my own king. 00:19:48.259 --> 00:19:51.500 I don't know if, again, I didn't watch the coronation of King Charles, 00:19:51.680 --> 00:19:54.300 but afterwards when I was reading some of the news reports, 00:19:54.740 --> 00:19:57.100 I was surprised, but I shouldn't have been surprised, 00:19:57.099 --> 00:20:00.599 at the number of protesters there were at his coronation. 00:20:00.759 --> 00:20:03.480 A bunch of people didn't want him to be king. 00:20:04.179 --> 00:20:09.699 And so while the mall lining to Buckingham Palace is filled with people waving the Union Jack 00:20:09.699 --> 00:20:13.099 and red and white flags and yay for our king, 00:20:13.559 --> 00:20:16.719 there are a whole bunch of other people that have got yellow placards saying, 00:20:17.399 --> 00:20:19.599 not my king, not my king. 00:20:19.719 --> 00:20:20.699 Did anyone else see that? 00:20:21.199 --> 00:20:21.439 Okay? 00:20:21.440 --> 00:20:26.240 Friends, this is the natural posture of every human being. 00:20:27.019 --> 00:20:32.559 Jesus says, I am the king, and we shout, not my king, not my king. 00:20:33.400 --> 00:20:37.120 Oh, we like the idea of a savior who will come and forgive us of our sins 00:20:37.120 --> 00:20:41.380 and make our life more comfortable and help us with our career progression 00:20:41.380 --> 00:20:44.019 and help us with our relationship difficulties 00:20:44.019 --> 00:20:47.660 and take away the anxiety of our hearts when life is a bit difficult. 00:20:47.660 --> 00:20:48.980 We want a savior. 00:20:49.720 --> 00:20:55.400 But when Jesus says, I am the king, I have all authority belongs to me, 00:20:56.060 --> 00:20:58.560 as humanity, we buckle under that. 00:20:59.100 --> 00:20:59.980 Not my king. 00:21:00.660 --> 00:21:01.759 I don't want a king. 00:21:02.560 --> 00:21:04.759 I want to be my own king. 00:21:05.660 --> 00:21:07.540 I don't want anybody telling me what to do. 00:21:08.240 --> 00:21:10.800 I want to do what I want, when I want, 00:21:10.980 --> 00:21:12.920 without anybody telling me how I should live. 00:21:14.300 --> 00:21:15.420 We hate the king. 00:21:15.420 --> 00:21:21.039 And George MacDonald, who was a Christian, passed about 150 years ago, 00:21:21.740 --> 00:21:24.480 not everything he said was good, but he did write this. 00:21:24.560 --> 00:21:27.140 He said, the one principle of hell is this. 00:21:27.600 --> 00:21:28.680 I am my own. 00:21:28.860 --> 00:21:30.080 I am my own king. 00:21:30.400 --> 00:21:31.680 I am nobody's subject. 00:21:32.980 --> 00:21:34.380 And he's right, right? 00:21:34.940 --> 00:21:38.180 It's the one principle that binds, that everybody in hell shares. 00:21:38.320 --> 00:21:39.300 I am my own. 00:21:39.380 --> 00:21:40.259 I listen to nobody. 00:21:41.019 --> 00:21:43.000 But Tim Keller very astutely said this. 00:21:43.000 --> 00:21:46.500 It's also the one principle that creates hell here on earth. 00:21:47.299 --> 00:21:48.279 Hell in our relationships. 00:21:49.059 --> 00:21:50.019 Hell in our careers. 00:21:50.740 --> 00:21:51.599 Hell in our families. 00:21:52.440 --> 00:21:53.259 Hell in our church. 00:21:54.240 --> 00:21:55.400 Hell in our lives, right? 00:21:56.039 --> 00:21:56.900 I am my own king. 00:21:56.980 --> 00:21:58.319 Nobody tells me what to do. 00:21:59.980 --> 00:22:01.819 So in the words of that great hymn, I don't know if you remember, 00:22:01.940 --> 00:22:03.420 Behold the man upon the cross. 00:22:03.799 --> 00:22:05.339 My sin upon his shoulders. 00:22:05.339 --> 00:22:09.899 Ashamed I hear my mocking voice call out amongst the scoffers. 00:22:10.599 --> 00:22:13.379 The hymn says that if we were there on that day that Jesus was crucified, 00:22:13.799 --> 00:22:17.659 many of us, many of us, myself included, would have joined in the crowd saying, 00:22:17.799 --> 00:22:19.240 We have no king but Caesar. 00:22:20.259 --> 00:22:22.480 And when the crowd shouted out, We have no king but Caesar, 00:22:22.559 --> 00:22:23.619 what were they really saying? 00:22:23.980 --> 00:22:25.279 We have no king, right? 00:22:25.899 --> 00:22:27.299 We are our own king. 00:22:28.299 --> 00:22:32.839 Jesus is the king, but we don't like him being our king because we want to be our own king. 00:22:33.859 --> 00:22:34.799 The rebellion. 00:22:35.220 --> 00:22:36.819 Humanity rebels against the king. 00:22:37.500 --> 00:22:39.700 Now look what happens next in the psalm. 00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:41.339 Look at verse 4 onwards. 00:22:41.460 --> 00:22:46.940 How does God respond to the people's threats and the conspiracies and the fits of rage? 00:22:47.000 --> 00:22:48.240 Look at verse 4. 00:22:48.960 --> 00:22:51.559 God is not threatened. 00:22:51.700 --> 00:22:52.039 Verse 4. 00:22:52.039 --> 00:22:54.559 He who sits in the heavens laughs. 00:22:54.920 --> 00:22:56.519 The Lord holds them in derision. 00:22:56.639 --> 00:22:58.279 Derision means he scoffs at them. 00:22:58.899 --> 00:23:00.599 Another translation, the message says, 00:23:01.019 --> 00:23:03.440 The heaven-thrown God breaks out in laughter. 00:23:03.980 --> 00:23:05.720 He's amused at their presumption. 00:23:06.899 --> 00:23:08.079 The coronation of the king. 00:23:08.279 --> 00:23:09.759 I don't know if you've ever seen this. 00:23:10.059 --> 00:23:14.180 It's not really a laughing matter, but sometimes you just can't help yourself but laugh. 00:23:14.720 --> 00:23:17.720 If you've ever seen at the bus queue or taxi queue, 00:23:17.720 --> 00:23:24.779 a two-year-old having a temper tantrum and really upset trying to beat up their parents. 00:23:25.140 --> 00:23:25.940 Have you ever seen that? 00:23:26.460 --> 00:23:27.400 It's kind of a bit sad. 00:23:27.480 --> 00:23:29.220 We shouldn't really laugh at it, right? 00:23:29.839 --> 00:23:31.880 But sometimes it's just so comical. 00:23:32.539 --> 00:23:36.440 You see this little kid trying to beat up their parents, right? 00:23:36.460 --> 00:23:39.880 Because their parents aren't giving them that ice cream or whatever it is, right? 00:23:40.779 --> 00:23:42.380 Something like that is going on here. 00:23:42.380 --> 00:23:49.640 God looks at our futile attempts to dethrone God, and he breaks out in laughter. 00:23:50.280 --> 00:23:51.700 He's not threatened at all. 00:23:52.300 --> 00:23:58.380 He's not in the least bit concerned or worried about humanity's attempts to dethrone God. 00:23:58.760 --> 00:23:59.860 God is not there saying, 00:24:00.060 --> 00:24:03.100 Oh boy, a plan's gone wrong. 00:24:03.860 --> 00:24:05.320 They're going to crucify Jesus. 00:24:05.420 --> 00:24:07.080 Holy Spirit, what should we do now? 00:24:07.840 --> 00:24:09.360 Well, I guess we better come to the plan. 00:24:09.440 --> 00:24:11.100 No, no, God breaks out in laughter. 00:24:11.099 --> 00:24:14.219 But then, verse 6, he says, 00:24:15.000 --> 00:24:38.159 In other words, despite humanity's best attempts to deny Jesus the king, to dethrone Jesus the king, 00:24:38.160 --> 00:24:45.779 to eliminate the king, even to kill the king, despite everything we threw at him, 00:24:46.160 --> 00:24:51.380 Roman crucifixion, the worst of the Roman Empire, hell itself, 00:24:52.779 --> 00:24:58.440 humanity's best attempts could not dethrone or deny the king, 00:24:59.000 --> 00:25:02.960 could not stop Jesus being affirmed and established as the king. 00:25:02.960 --> 00:25:09.660 When humanity threw its worst at God, God established Jesus on the throne. 00:25:10.779 --> 00:25:14.640 Now, you may say, well, when was Jesus enthroned as the king? 00:25:14.980 --> 00:25:16.900 I mean, I don't read that anywhere in the Gospels. 00:25:17.799 --> 00:25:20.240 Okay, maybe Jesus got a crown of thorns put on his head, 00:25:20.299 --> 00:25:22.759 but that doesn't really count because that was done in mockery. 00:25:23.180 --> 00:25:25.160 They weren't really bowing down before him. 00:25:25.160 --> 00:25:28.440 So when was Jesus enthroned the king? 00:25:30.460 --> 00:25:34.180 Do you remember before Jesus goes to the cross, 00:25:34.700 --> 00:25:38.080 he's on trial before Pontius Pilate, and what does Pilate say to him? 00:25:38.120 --> 00:25:39.980 He says, are you really the king? 00:25:40.620 --> 00:25:41.680 Are you really the Christ? 00:25:42.680 --> 00:25:47.820 And while Jesus is on the way to the cross, what do the soldiers do? 00:25:47.819 --> 00:25:50.139 They wrap him in a purple robe. 00:25:50.419 --> 00:25:53.279 They bow down before him and they say, hail the king. 00:25:53.399 --> 00:25:54.200 They're mocking him. 00:25:54.519 --> 00:25:59.279 But then when he's on the cross, the passers-by mock Jesus and they say, 00:25:59.679 --> 00:26:02.579 if you're the king of Israel, why don't you bring yourself down? 00:26:03.240 --> 00:26:04.379 You said that you're the king. 00:26:04.439 --> 00:26:05.539 Why don't you save yourself? 00:26:06.419 --> 00:26:09.799 And how does Jesus respond to all of those things? 00:26:10.839 --> 00:26:11.919 He stays silent. 00:26:13.000 --> 00:26:13.799 You know why? 00:26:13.799 --> 00:26:20.359 Because Jesus' kingdom wasn't established with words of argumentation 00:26:20.359 --> 00:26:24.799 or with soldiers with spears, but by an empty tomb. 00:26:25.960 --> 00:26:26.799 You see that? 00:26:27.720 --> 00:26:29.539 When was Jesus established the king? 00:26:30.379 --> 00:26:32.619 It was when the grave was left empty. 00:26:33.680 --> 00:26:37.799 Jesus didn't establish his kingdom by evading death on the cross, 00:26:37.879 --> 00:26:40.519 but by going through death and defeating it. 00:26:40.519 --> 00:26:44.859 And so Ephesians 1 tells us, when God raised him from the dead 00:26:44.859 --> 00:26:47.779 and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 00:26:48.099 --> 00:26:51.500 far above all rule and authority and a power and dominion, 00:26:51.759 --> 00:26:54.700 above every name that is named, not only in this age, 00:26:54.920 --> 00:26:56.400 but also in the one to come. 00:26:57.139 --> 00:27:00.259 When Jesus was raised from the dead, he was crowned the king. 00:27:00.920 --> 00:27:02.799 Pilate says, Jesus, you're not the king. 00:27:02.879 --> 00:27:03.099 Really? 00:27:03.839 --> 00:27:05.799 And Jesus says, I'll show you I'm the king. 00:27:06.200 --> 00:27:09.160 And the soldiers say, come, if you're the king, save yourself. 00:27:09.160 --> 00:27:10.940 And Jesus says, I'll show you. 00:27:11.820 --> 00:27:13.140 How was Jesus enthroned? 00:27:13.779 --> 00:27:14.560 The empty tomb. 00:27:16.940 --> 00:27:22.480 In Acts chapter 13, the apostles and Paul are telling some people about the gospel 00:27:22.480 --> 00:27:24.779 and they're calling them to follow Jesus as the king. 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:25.700 And this is what they say. 00:27:25.759 --> 00:27:26.920 It's a little long, but listen to it. 00:27:27.000 --> 00:27:29.580 It says, they say, for the rulers in Jerusalem, 00:27:30.060 --> 00:27:33.140 because they did not recognize Jesus as the Christ, 00:27:33.279 --> 00:27:36.160 nor understand the words of the prophets in the Old Testament, 00:27:36.600 --> 00:27:37.620 they condemned him. 00:27:37.619 --> 00:27:41.019 And though they found no guilt in him worthy of death, 00:27:41.199 --> 00:27:43.279 they asked Pilate to have him executed. 00:27:44.000 --> 00:27:48.539 And when they carried out all that was written of him in the Psalms and the prophets, 00:27:48.939 --> 00:27:52.039 they took him down from the cross and they laid him in a tomb. 00:27:52.659 --> 00:27:54.919 But God raised him from the dead. 00:27:55.299 --> 00:27:59.339 And we bring you the good news that what God promised to our forefathers, 00:27:59.739 --> 00:28:00.779 this he has fulfilled. 00:28:00.779 --> 00:28:03.519 By raising Jesus from the grave, 00:28:03.519 --> 00:28:05.960 as it is written in the second Psalm, 00:28:06.559 --> 00:28:07.660 you are my son. 00:28:08.099 --> 00:28:09.660 Today I have begotten you. 00:28:10.339 --> 00:28:11.779 So the apostles, they go around preaching, 00:28:11.899 --> 00:28:12.200 they say, 00:28:12.379 --> 00:28:14.859 God raised Jesus from the dead, 00:28:15.240 --> 00:28:16.599 just as the second Psalm, 00:28:16.700 --> 00:28:17.980 Psalm chapter 2 said he would. 00:28:18.259 --> 00:28:19.460 And then they quote Psalm 2. 00:28:19.539 --> 00:28:20.339 And what do they quote? 00:28:20.720 --> 00:28:23.119 Today you have become my son. 00:28:23.119 --> 00:28:26.419 Now that doesn't mean that the day Jesus was raised from the dead, 00:28:26.479 --> 00:28:28.159 he became the second member of the Trinity. 00:28:28.439 --> 00:28:29.939 He was always the member of the Trinity. 00:28:30.439 --> 00:28:33.879 It means his resurrection was his coronation ceremony. 00:28:35.339 --> 00:28:37.279 It's the day his kingdom was established. 00:28:38.119 --> 00:28:39.359 Despite all the opposition, 00:28:39.519 --> 00:28:40.459 all the conspiring, 00:28:40.859 --> 00:28:42.199 the crucifixion on the cross, 00:28:42.579 --> 00:28:45.659 his resurrection proved he's heaven and earth's true king. 00:28:45.660 --> 00:28:48.140 Friends, don't you see? 00:28:48.800 --> 00:28:53.660 The more humanity tried to eliminate and deny Jesus the king 00:28:53.660 --> 00:28:55.320 and kill the king, 00:28:55.560 --> 00:28:57.820 the more they played along God's plan 00:28:57.820 --> 00:28:59.060 and established him the king. 00:29:00.300 --> 00:29:02.380 And God who sits in the heavens 00:29:02.380 --> 00:29:06.060 laughs at humanity's feeble attempts to dismiss Jesus. 00:29:06.779 --> 00:29:09.300 Because for all their rejection of Jesus as king, 00:29:09.620 --> 00:29:12.220 all they did was they confirmed him 00:29:12.220 --> 00:29:13.540 as the coronation of the king. 00:29:13.539 --> 00:29:15.759 Does that make sense to you? 00:29:15.960 --> 00:29:17.099 Do you understand what's going on here? 00:29:17.519 --> 00:29:18.740 So the nations rebel. 00:29:19.279 --> 00:29:19.759 They rebel, 00:29:19.879 --> 00:29:21.839 but actually the rebellion leads to his death. 00:29:22.299 --> 00:29:23.700 His death leads to his resurrection, 00:29:23.899 --> 00:29:24.839 which is his coronation. 00:29:24.920 --> 00:29:26.099 That proves he is the king. 00:29:27.059 --> 00:29:29.159 He who sits in the heavens laughs. 00:29:29.720 --> 00:29:30.079 He says, 00:29:30.159 --> 00:29:30.639 As for me, 00:29:30.960 --> 00:29:32.859 I have set my king on Zion, 00:29:33.000 --> 00:29:33.799 my holy hill. 00:29:34.700 --> 00:29:35.819 You are my son. 00:29:35.960 --> 00:29:37.839 Today I have begotten you, 00:29:37.960 --> 00:29:38.639 established you, 00:29:38.759 --> 00:29:39.659 crowned you as king. 00:29:40.319 --> 00:29:40.960 Ask of you, 00:29:41.039 --> 00:29:42.940 I will make the nations your heritage. 00:29:43.539 --> 00:29:44.480 The ends of the earth, 00:29:44.539 --> 00:29:45.039 your possession. 00:29:45.960 --> 00:29:46.420 In other words, 00:29:46.500 --> 00:29:47.359 you are crowned king, 00:29:47.559 --> 00:29:48.480 not just of Israel, 00:29:49.039 --> 00:29:50.039 not just of the Jews, 00:29:50.180 --> 00:29:51.039 not just of Jerusalem, 00:29:51.539 --> 00:29:52.619 of the whole world. 00:29:53.200 --> 00:29:55.119 From Hong Kong to Houston, 00:29:56.019 --> 00:29:57.319 from New York to New Zealand, 00:29:57.480 --> 00:29:59.180 everywhere and everyone in between, 00:29:59.680 --> 00:30:01.740 you are heaven and earth's true king. 00:30:01.740 --> 00:30:06.059 Psalm 2 tells us the story of Jesus, 00:30:06.259 --> 00:30:08.240 rejection to coronation. 00:30:09.740 --> 00:30:10.140 Finally, 00:30:10.579 --> 00:30:12.880 Psalm 2 leads us with declaration. 00:30:13.279 --> 00:30:14.220 Look at the last part of it. 00:30:14.240 --> 00:30:16.420 Look at verses 10 onwards. 00:30:17.380 --> 00:30:18.519 How are we going to respond? 00:30:18.519 --> 00:30:20.799 Now therefore, 00:30:21.079 --> 00:30:21.359 kings, 00:30:21.480 --> 00:30:22.099 be wise, 00:30:22.220 --> 00:30:22.819 be warned, 00:30:22.940 --> 00:30:24.119 O rulers of the earth. 00:30:24.720 --> 00:30:25.900 Serve the Lord with fear, 00:30:26.039 --> 00:30:26.980 rejoice with trembling. 00:30:27.759 --> 00:30:28.400 Kiss the son, 00:30:28.519 --> 00:30:29.279 lest he be angry, 00:30:29.339 --> 00:30:30.519 and you perish in your way. 00:30:30.940 --> 00:30:32.700 For his wrath is quickly kindled, 00:30:33.160 --> 00:30:35.619 but blessed are those who take refuge in him. 00:30:36.799 --> 00:30:38.940 This psalm ends off where we began this morning, 00:30:39.160 --> 00:30:40.779 encouragement and warning. 00:30:41.539 --> 00:30:43.039 It's an encouragement to those of us 00:30:43.039 --> 00:30:44.900 who love the Lord Jesus as king, 00:30:45.519 --> 00:30:47.480 who long to see his kingdom established, 00:30:48.040 --> 00:30:49.480 who long to see many people 00:30:49.480 --> 00:30:51.100 come to know him as king. 00:30:51.980 --> 00:30:54.240 And the psalm tells us that nothing, 00:30:54.620 --> 00:30:55.220 not death, 00:30:55.500 --> 00:30:56.820 not Roman crucifixion, 00:30:57.180 --> 00:30:58.220 not hell itself, 00:30:58.580 --> 00:31:00.440 can stop Jesus being crowned king 00:31:00.440 --> 00:31:01.240 and Lord of all. 00:31:01.940 --> 00:31:02.380 And therefore, 00:31:02.500 --> 00:31:03.259 there's great encouragement, 00:31:03.400 --> 00:31:04.300 great comfort, right? 00:31:04.900 --> 00:31:07.160 What will Jesus do to his great enemy, 00:31:07.680 --> 00:31:08.060 Satan, 00:31:08.820 --> 00:31:09.460 Leviathan? 00:31:09.460 --> 00:31:10.240 What does he do? 00:31:11.000 --> 00:31:11.440 Well, actually, 00:31:11.500 --> 00:31:11.780 interesting, 00:31:11.900 --> 00:31:13.120 Revelation chapter 12 00:31:13.120 --> 00:31:14.519 describes how Jesus 00:31:14.519 --> 00:31:16.779 conquers this great dragon, 00:31:16.900 --> 00:31:18.119 this beast like Leviathan, 00:31:18.240 --> 00:31:18.920 called Satan. 00:31:19.539 --> 00:31:21.460 And it quotes Psalm chapter 2, 00:31:21.579 --> 00:31:22.119 verse 9. 00:31:22.240 --> 00:31:22.660 It says, 00:31:23.339 --> 00:31:25.099 you will break him with a rod of iron 00:31:25.099 --> 00:31:26.400 and dash him in pieces 00:31:26.400 --> 00:31:27.799 like a potter's vessel. 00:31:28.740 --> 00:31:28.980 Friends, 00:31:29.059 --> 00:31:30.559 Jesus died and rose again 00:31:30.559 --> 00:31:31.900 and is seated on the throne 00:31:31.900 --> 00:31:33.599 of the right hand of God in glory 00:31:33.599 --> 00:31:36.720 and will overcome all opposition forever. 00:31:38.279 --> 00:31:39.539 The psalm is a great encouragement. 00:31:40.920 --> 00:31:42.240 Do you sometimes feel like 00:31:42.240 --> 00:31:43.480 God's kingdom is shrinking? 00:31:44.519 --> 00:31:45.660 Jesus is on the throne 00:31:45.660 --> 00:31:47.039 and he will be victorious. 00:31:48.240 --> 00:31:49.859 The psalm is also a great warning 00:31:49.859 --> 00:31:51.759 to those of us 00:31:51.759 --> 00:31:53.220 who reject Jesus as king 00:31:53.220 --> 00:31:53.819 and as Lord, 00:31:54.720 --> 00:31:56.319 who refuse to bow down to him. 00:31:57.359 --> 00:31:58.599 He warns us against 00:31:58.599 --> 00:31:59.859 his judgment to come. 00:32:00.779 --> 00:32:01.299 And so, friends, 00:32:01.379 --> 00:32:02.299 the psalm leaves us 00:32:02.299 --> 00:32:03.039 with this question. 00:32:04.039 --> 00:32:05.619 Do you know Jesus as king? 00:32:06.900 --> 00:32:07.779 That's the question 00:32:07.779 --> 00:32:09.019 Psalm 2 asks us. 00:32:09.819 --> 00:32:10.960 Do you treat him as king? 00:32:11.960 --> 00:32:13.480 Do you revere him as king? 00:32:14.660 --> 00:32:16.600 Do you bow down to him as king? 00:32:17.700 --> 00:32:19.779 Do you worship him as king? 00:32:21.380 --> 00:32:22.420 Jesus comes and he says 00:32:22.420 --> 00:32:23.860 to each and every one of us, 00:32:23.960 --> 00:32:25.120 if you want to know me, 00:32:25.180 --> 00:32:26.819 if you want to receive my grace, 00:32:27.539 --> 00:32:28.559 you must acknowledge 00:32:28.559 --> 00:32:30.779 that I am heaven and earth's true king. 00:32:31.640 --> 00:32:33.319 And the way to receive my grace 00:32:33.319 --> 00:32:33.980 is to acknowledge 00:32:33.980 --> 00:32:35.579 that you don't own yourself, 00:32:35.680 --> 00:32:36.880 you belong to me. 00:32:37.660 --> 00:32:39.660 Because I am heaven and earth's true king. 00:32:40.740 --> 00:32:41.260 So, dear friend, 00:32:41.320 --> 00:32:42.580 is he your king this morning? 00:32:44.240 --> 00:32:45.340 Have you followed him? 00:32:46.620 --> 00:32:47.760 Maybe you've been coming to church 00:32:47.760 --> 00:32:48.480 for a long time, 00:32:48.560 --> 00:32:49.380 many, many years. 00:32:50.100 --> 00:32:50.860 Maybe you grew up 00:32:50.860 --> 00:32:51.660 in a Christian family 00:32:51.660 --> 00:32:52.360 and you feel like, 00:32:52.460 --> 00:32:53.600 I've always been a Christian. 00:32:53.720 --> 00:32:54.680 I was born a Christian. 00:32:55.460 --> 00:32:56.180 No, friends, you weren't. 00:32:56.220 --> 00:32:56.980 You were born a rebel. 00:32:57.920 --> 00:32:58.760 You become a Christian 00:32:58.760 --> 00:32:59.720 when you surrender 00:32:59.720 --> 00:33:00.880 to Jesus as king. 00:33:01.640 --> 00:33:02.220 And that's actually 00:33:02.220 --> 00:33:03.340 what Kirsten and Michael 00:33:03.340 --> 00:33:04.100 are going to be 00:33:04.100 --> 00:33:05.560 demonstrating next week. 00:33:05.559 --> 00:33:06.940 As they baptize, 00:33:07.019 --> 00:33:08.240 they are going into the water 00:33:08.240 --> 00:33:08.619 saying, 00:33:09.059 --> 00:33:10.079 my old life 00:33:10.079 --> 00:33:11.059 where I was lord 00:33:11.059 --> 00:33:11.839 and I was king 00:33:11.839 --> 00:33:12.720 and I was master, 00:33:13.139 --> 00:33:14.220 that life is dead 00:33:14.220 --> 00:33:15.200 and buried in the grave. 00:33:15.279 --> 00:33:16.500 And as I come out of the water, 00:33:16.559 --> 00:33:17.799 I'm raised to new life. 00:33:18.079 --> 00:33:18.899 I've been transferred 00:33:18.899 --> 00:33:20.200 from the kingdom of self 00:33:20.200 --> 00:33:21.899 to the kingdom of Christ. 00:33:22.279 --> 00:33:23.740 I used to live for myself. 00:33:24.240 --> 00:33:25.980 Now I live for Jesus. 00:33:27.059 --> 00:33:28.079 I've switched allegiance 00:33:28.079 --> 00:33:29.159 from the kingdom of self 00:33:29.159 --> 00:33:30.319 to the kingdom of Christ. 00:33:31.200 --> 00:33:31.460 Friends, 00:33:31.460 --> 00:33:32.980 what else has taken Christ's place 00:33:32.980 --> 00:33:33.799 as lord and king 00:33:33.799 --> 00:33:34.740 and God in your life? 00:33:35.559 --> 00:33:36.679 In ancient times, 00:33:36.779 --> 00:33:37.779 the gods and the kings 00:33:37.779 --> 00:33:38.859 were bloodthirsty 00:33:38.859 --> 00:33:40.039 and hard to please. 00:33:40.779 --> 00:33:41.659 Even still today, 00:33:41.759 --> 00:33:42.379 modern kings 00:33:42.379 --> 00:33:43.119 and modern gods 00:33:43.119 --> 00:33:43.839 and idols are. 00:33:44.659 --> 00:33:45.599 But there is a king, 00:33:45.759 --> 00:33:46.019 Jesus, 00:33:46.659 --> 00:33:48.599 who didn't demand your blood 00:33:48.599 --> 00:33:50.159 but gave his own. 00:33:50.980 --> 00:33:52.339 He's the most gracious king. 00:33:52.960 --> 00:33:54.200 He's the most gentle king. 00:33:54.799 --> 00:33:56.379 He's the most merciful king 00:33:56.379 --> 00:33:57.299 you can ever find. 00:33:58.000 --> 00:33:59.000 But he's still the king. 00:34:00.039 --> 00:34:00.259 Friends, 00:34:00.339 --> 00:34:01.139 will you come down? 00:34:01.139 --> 00:34:03.139 Will you come and bow before him? 00:34:04.020 --> 00:34:04.680 Jesus speaks 00:34:04.680 --> 00:34:06.060 and he issues an invitation 00:34:06.060 --> 00:34:07.140 but also a warning. 00:34:07.860 --> 00:34:08.900 An invitation to come 00:34:08.900 --> 00:34:09.740 and find refuge 00:34:09.740 --> 00:34:10.500 and shelter 00:34:10.500 --> 00:34:11.619 in his lordship 00:34:11.619 --> 00:34:12.660 as king 00:34:12.660 --> 00:34:14.240 or to suffer 00:34:14.240 --> 00:34:15.660 the consequences. 00:34:16.700 --> 00:34:17.420 The psalm begins 00:34:17.420 --> 00:34:18.180 with the turmoil 00:34:18.180 --> 00:34:19.200 and the chaos 00:34:19.200 --> 00:34:19.900 in the nations 00:34:19.900 --> 00:34:21.079 but it ends 00:34:21.079 --> 00:34:21.800 with the blessing 00:34:21.800 --> 00:34:22.519 of those who 00:34:22.519 --> 00:34:23.800 find refuge in him. 00:34:23.860 --> 00:34:24.880 Verse 12, 00:34:25.039 --> 00:34:25.840 blessed are those 00:34:25.840 --> 00:34:27.180 who take refuge in him. 00:34:28.019 --> 00:34:28.740 And so what the psalm 00:34:28.740 --> 00:34:29.720 teaches us is this, 00:34:29.719 --> 00:34:30.799 that Jesus Christ 00:34:30.799 --> 00:34:31.559 is heaven and earth 00:34:31.559 --> 00:34:32.119 true king. 00:34:32.679 --> 00:34:34.279 You can't run away from him. 00:34:35.039 --> 00:34:36.000 There's no place 00:34:36.000 --> 00:34:36.519 in the universe 00:34:36.519 --> 00:34:37.619 you can run from him. 00:34:38.459 --> 00:34:39.899 You can't escape him. 00:34:40.139 --> 00:34:41.439 You can't run from him 00:34:41.439 --> 00:34:43.519 but you can run to him. 00:34:44.359 --> 00:34:44.759 And so friends, 00:34:44.859 --> 00:34:45.519 don't avoid him. 00:34:46.339 --> 00:34:46.919 Embrace him. 00:34:47.579 --> 00:34:48.559 Don't reject him. 00:34:49.279 --> 00:34:50.439 Open yourself up to him. 00:34:50.959 --> 00:34:52.159 Don't shut him out. 00:34:52.899 --> 00:34:54.239 Open up your heart to him 00:34:54.239 --> 00:34:55.579 and let him in. 00:34:56.339 --> 00:34:57.119 His mercy 00:34:57.119 --> 00:34:58.039 truly 00:34:58.039 --> 00:34:59.259 is more. 00:35:00.000 --> 00:35:00.919 Let's pray together. 00:35:05.299 --> 00:35:05.939 Maybe actually 00:35:05.939 --> 00:35:06.679 before we pray, 00:35:06.779 --> 00:35:06.919 sorry, 00:35:08.199 --> 00:35:09.379 we've got three questions 00:35:09.379 --> 00:35:10.259 on the screen there. 00:35:10.279 --> 00:35:11.079 Maybe I can give us 00:35:11.079 --> 00:35:11.759 just two minutes 00:35:11.759 --> 00:35:13.819 to reflect and ponder. 00:35:13.939 --> 00:35:14.559 Let's think about 00:35:14.559 --> 00:35:15.259 these questions. 00:35:16.019 --> 00:35:16.179 Friends, 00:35:16.219 --> 00:35:16.980 is Jesus Christ 00:35:16.980 --> 00:35:17.779 truly your king? 00:35:19.279 --> 00:35:20.739 How is Jesus' kingship 00:35:20.739 --> 00:35:21.980 encouraging to you 00:35:21.980 --> 00:35:22.480 at the moment? 00:35:23.959 --> 00:35:25.359 How is Jesus' kingship 00:35:25.359 --> 00:35:26.579 challenging to you? 00:35:27.879 --> 00:35:28.639 Why don't you take 00:35:28.639 --> 00:35:29.239 a few minutes 00:35:29.239 --> 00:35:31.139 and just quietly reflect 00:35:31.139 --> 00:35:31.619 and think 00:35:31.619 --> 00:35:32.179 and ponder 00:35:32.179 --> 00:35:33.819 when you ask God 00:35:33.819 --> 00:35:34.299 the Holy Spirit 00:35:34.299 --> 00:35:35.059 to speak to you 00:35:35.059 --> 00:35:35.919 and then I'll lead us 00:35:35.919 --> 00:35:36.319 in prayer. 00:35:36.319 --> 00:35:36.399 Amen. 00:35:36.400 --> 00:36:06.380 Thank you. 00:36:06.400 --> 00:36:36.380 Thank you. 00:36:36.400 --> 00:37:06.380 Thank you. 00:37:06.400 --> 00:37:08.400 Thank you. 00:37:08.400 --> 00:37:12.700 Lord Jesus, we come before you this morning. 00:37:12.860 --> 00:37:13.940 We humble ourselves. 00:37:13.940 --> 00:37:28.400 God, we get on our knees, as it were, and acknowledge joyfully, willingly, that you are heaven and earth's true king. 00:37:28.400 --> 00:37:29.780 You're not just the king of Israel. 00:37:29.780 --> 00:37:35.660 Yes, you're a descendant of David in the flesh, but you are more than that. 00:37:35.720 --> 00:37:37.060 You're the king of all creation. 00:37:37.059 --> 00:37:42.539 And God, one day, every knee will bow down and acknowledge that. 00:37:42.699 --> 00:37:47.840 Some joyfully, some begrudgingly, knowing it's too late. 00:37:47.840 --> 00:37:56.420 God, this morning, I pray, won't you help us to bow the knee before you? 00:37:56.420 --> 00:38:01.599 Lord, you help us to see, God, that you are a good and a gracious king. 00:38:01.599 --> 00:38:05.579 That Jesus, you died and you rose again. 00:38:05.679 --> 00:38:07.199 You've been enthroned king of all. 00:38:07.279 --> 00:38:13.799 And there's this period of amnesty where you offer us the chance to come and switch allegiance to your kingdom. 00:38:13.800 --> 00:38:17.480 God, help us to do that. 00:38:19.600 --> 00:38:24.820 Help us to do that, not just on a Sunday morning, but Monday through to Saturday. 00:38:25.680 --> 00:38:27.519 Sunday through Saturday, every day of the week. 00:38:27.640 --> 00:38:30.300 Lord, to live devoted to you. 00:38:36.700 --> 00:38:42.940 God, I pray that for us as a church, one of the things that will mark us is that we are a humble people. 00:38:42.940 --> 00:38:45.300 That bow down before your kingship. 00:38:46.300 --> 00:38:50.320 That we declare you as heaven and earth's true king, but also the king of our hearts. 00:38:51.760 --> 00:38:54.440 God, I pray, won't you help us to do that this morning? 00:38:57.059 --> 00:39:02.460 Friends, maybe there are some of you that are not Christians, or maybe you came here this morning and you weren't a Christian. 00:39:03.720 --> 00:39:08.700 The scripture is clear that the only way to become a Christian is to surrender to Jesus as king. 00:39:09.320 --> 00:39:12.519 To acknowledge that he really is Lord of all. 00:39:13.480 --> 00:39:17.740 To acknowledge that you, like all of us, have rebelled against his kingdom. 00:39:17.920 --> 00:39:19.139 You have lived for yourself. 00:39:20.460 --> 00:39:22.039 The Bible describes that as sin. 00:39:23.119 --> 00:39:27.099 And if you acknowledge that, if you say, Jesus, it's true, actually I've lived for myself. 00:39:27.240 --> 00:39:28.720 But I now see that you are the king. 00:39:29.720 --> 00:39:30.679 He will forgive you. 00:39:30.760 --> 00:39:31.980 He will welcome you into his kingdom. 00:39:32.760 --> 00:39:33.940 He will save you. 00:39:34.760 --> 00:39:37.039 He will change your life and transform it forever. 00:39:37.039 --> 00:39:43.880 Friends, if you came here this morning, not a Christian, why don't you bow down to Jesus this morning? 00:39:43.940 --> 00:39:46.099 Why don't you invite his lordship into your life? 00:39:46.179 --> 00:39:53.320 Why don't you, for the very first time, acknowledge him as king and let him be your king? 00:39:53.900 --> 00:39:55.259 And choose to follow him? 00:39:57.759 --> 00:39:58.960 Why don't you do that today? 00:39:59.679 --> 00:40:01.039 Jesus will change your life. 00:40:06.480 --> 00:40:08.480 Christ, come and have your way in our life, we pray. 00:40:09.340 --> 00:40:10.320 In your great name. 00:40:10.320 --> 00:40:11.519 Amen.