WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.000 Father, we confess before you that... 00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:10.300 Father, I guess I'm sort of forcing us to confess before you 00:00:10.300 --> 00:00:13.480 that most of the time we think we know who we are 00:00:13.480 --> 00:00:15.359 and we sort of recognize ourselves. 00:00:15.720 --> 00:00:18.679 But, Father, you know that many times we, in fact, 00:00:18.740 --> 00:00:21.379 don't really understand or recognize ourselves. 00:00:22.400 --> 00:00:25.560 And we ask, Lord, that your Holy Spirit would do a very gracious 00:00:25.560 --> 00:00:28.539 but powerful and gentle work in each one of our lives 00:00:28.539 --> 00:00:30.980 and in the life of our church as a whole, 00:00:31.660 --> 00:00:33.640 that your Holy Spirit would work in our lives, 00:00:33.939 --> 00:00:36.780 that you would bring this word deeply into our hearts 00:00:36.780 --> 00:00:39.619 and that you would bring the gospel deeply into our hearts 00:00:39.619 --> 00:00:42.159 so that we would see who we really are 00:00:42.159 --> 00:00:44.659 and that in seeing who we really are, 00:00:44.820 --> 00:00:47.899 we would call out to you and flee to you for refuge. 00:00:48.560 --> 00:00:50.620 And we give you thanks and praise, Father, 00:00:50.780 --> 00:00:53.420 that when we find refuge in you, 00:00:53.759 --> 00:00:57.340 we start to become as you truly intended us to be 00:00:57.340 --> 00:00:59.020 and you fit us for heaven. 00:00:59.660 --> 00:01:01.700 So we ask, Lord, that you would do this gentle 00:01:01.700 --> 00:01:03.920 but merciful and powerful work in our lives. 00:01:04.120 --> 00:01:05.579 And we ask this in the name of Jesus, 00:01:05.740 --> 00:01:06.719 your Son and our Savior. 00:01:07.219 --> 00:01:07.520 Amen. 00:01:08.320 --> 00:01:09.120 Please be seated. 00:01:09.120 --> 00:01:18.560 Actually, it's sort of a very fitting analogy for the sermon, 00:01:18.760 --> 00:01:22.880 but this is very unbalanced and it's very, very disconcerting, 00:01:22.960 --> 00:01:23.939 which I'll try to ignore. 00:01:24.060 --> 00:01:26.320 But it's probably just in the providence of God 00:01:26.320 --> 00:01:28.659 that it's here like this because it sort of fits with the sermon. 00:01:29.920 --> 00:01:31.880 As many of you know, or some of you know, 00:01:31.960 --> 00:01:35.560 I spend a lot of time in coffee shops and I work on my sermon 00:01:35.560 --> 00:01:39.799 and eventually get into different conversations with people about that 00:01:39.799 --> 00:01:41.400 where they find out I'm a pastor 00:01:41.400 --> 00:01:45.280 and they'll ask me questions about what it means to be a pastor. 00:01:45.420 --> 00:01:48.659 It's very common when I speak to people who are under 40 00:01:48.659 --> 00:01:52.219 that they have never been to a church service, 00:01:52.560 --> 00:01:53.780 like in their entire life. 00:01:54.420 --> 00:01:56.560 The little tiny things they might know about churches 00:01:56.560 --> 00:01:58.300 is if they happen to watch a church, 00:01:58.620 --> 00:02:00.700 something in the movies or television 00:02:00.700 --> 00:02:02.280 that shows a bit of a church service, 00:02:02.280 --> 00:02:05.400 but they've never been and they don't really know what goes on. 00:02:05.480 --> 00:02:07.680 So sometimes they'll ask me, like, what I do? 00:02:08.500 --> 00:02:10.120 What do we do on a Sunday morning? 00:02:10.180 --> 00:02:12.680 Like I always invite them to come or to watch online 00:02:12.680 --> 00:02:14.659 and maybe one of them are watching online today. 00:02:15.479 --> 00:02:19.680 And so one of the things sometimes I try to describe a sermon to them 00:02:19.680 --> 00:02:24.120 and I have to confess most of the time I flub it. 00:02:24.280 --> 00:02:25.580 I don't do a good job. 00:02:26.120 --> 00:02:27.840 So it's after I've failed 00:02:27.840 --> 00:02:31.500 and I try to sort of recalibrate in my mind how to talk about it. 00:02:31.500 --> 00:02:34.840 And so sometimes what I say is I'll say something like this. 00:02:34.900 --> 00:02:38.039 And I'd say a different thing if I'm talking to a devout Buddhist 00:02:38.039 --> 00:02:41.599 or a devout Jew or a devout Muslim. 00:02:42.539 --> 00:02:46.719 They have sort of different categories that I have to try to talk to. 00:02:48.080 --> 00:02:52.400 But often what I'll try to say, if I have my wits about me, 00:02:52.460 --> 00:02:53.539 is I'll say something like, 00:02:54.080 --> 00:02:58.879 it might surprise you to know that we Christians agree with agnostics 00:02:58.879 --> 00:03:01.419 and skeptics about something very, very important. 00:03:01.900 --> 00:03:03.799 We're in 100% agreement with them. 00:03:04.259 --> 00:03:07.219 We're in 100% agreement with agnostics and skeptics 00:03:07.219 --> 00:03:10.659 that the idea that human beings, mere human beings, 00:03:11.039 --> 00:03:15.400 could somehow ascend up to a big transcendent God 00:03:15.400 --> 00:03:19.500 and somehow or another come up with terms and ideas 00:03:19.500 --> 00:03:23.079 and concepts that sort of fit or capture him, 00:03:23.080 --> 00:03:26.360 that that's sort of like a vain type of thing 00:03:26.360 --> 00:03:29.340 in terms of it's vain you think you're special, 00:03:29.540 --> 00:03:30.900 but vain because it's fruitless. 00:03:30.920 --> 00:03:32.100 It can't possibly work. 00:03:32.160 --> 00:03:34.340 If God is this big transcendent God, 00:03:34.400 --> 00:03:37.220 there's just no way that we human beings could actually reach 00:03:37.220 --> 00:03:40.060 him, her, it, or whatever. 00:03:40.840 --> 00:03:43.020 And I said, we actually Christians, 00:03:43.200 --> 00:03:44.260 it's probably going to surprise you. 00:03:44.260 --> 00:03:45.580 It usually does surprise them, actually. 00:03:45.660 --> 00:03:47.600 They don't expect me to say that we agree 00:03:47.600 --> 00:03:49.560 with agnostics and skeptics about that. 00:03:50.480 --> 00:03:52.520 But then I say, but the difference is, 00:03:52.680 --> 00:03:54.340 and I said, if you think about it for a second, 00:03:54.420 --> 00:03:54.939 it makes sense. 00:03:55.020 --> 00:03:59.060 The difference is that we think that God has spoken to us. 00:04:00.260 --> 00:04:01.080 Like, if you think about it, 00:04:01.100 --> 00:04:03.740 if God is really that big and all-knowing, 00:04:03.820 --> 00:04:05.980 it's possible that he could speak to us. 00:04:06.400 --> 00:04:08.520 He could pick the right words for us to know. 00:04:09.400 --> 00:04:10.480 And then I say, you know, 00:04:10.620 --> 00:04:12.600 some other time we can talk about why we believe that, 00:04:12.660 --> 00:04:13.880 but that's what Christians believe. 00:04:13.879 --> 00:04:16.139 So I said, if you think about it, 00:04:16.159 --> 00:04:18.939 it makes sense that when we gather together, 00:04:19.839 --> 00:04:22.779 that part of what we do when we gather together 00:04:22.779 --> 00:04:26.100 is actually take something that God has spoken to us 00:04:26.100 --> 00:04:28.100 and try to think about it 00:04:28.100 --> 00:04:30.339 and see how it applies to our lives. 00:04:32.019 --> 00:04:34.379 And often people say, oh, like, 00:04:34.540 --> 00:04:35.959 I mean, obviously they've never thought about it. 00:04:36.019 --> 00:04:38.139 They've never been to a church in their entire life. 00:04:38.480 --> 00:04:40.379 And they go, oh, I mean, that's sort of, 00:04:40.379 --> 00:04:41.120 you know, different. 00:04:41.120 --> 00:04:44.699 And so, you know, and then I'll say, 00:04:44.759 --> 00:04:45.819 but there's a bit of a problem. 00:04:46.360 --> 00:04:48.180 And I said, part of the problem is, 00:04:48.240 --> 00:04:49.079 because they'll maybe say, 00:04:49.120 --> 00:04:50.560 well, I thought the Bible was written long ago. 00:04:50.620 --> 00:04:52.280 And I'll talk a little bit about how, 00:04:52.399 --> 00:04:53.300 if you think about it, 00:04:53.340 --> 00:04:55.259 that if God really is, 00:04:55.360 --> 00:04:56.360 if there really is a God, 00:04:56.420 --> 00:04:57.459 like the triune God, 00:04:57.540 --> 00:04:59.420 that's big and all-powerful and all-knowing, 00:04:59.459 --> 00:05:01.340 then it's possible for him to say words 00:05:01.340 --> 00:05:03.040 that could speak to every generation 00:05:03.040 --> 00:05:04.040 and every people group. 00:05:04.660 --> 00:05:06.160 And I said, but then sometimes, 00:05:06.360 --> 00:05:08.399 in fact, I just recently had a bit of a conversation 00:05:08.399 --> 00:05:10.060 just a couple of weeks ago with somebody. 00:05:10.139 --> 00:05:12.299 I said, so part of the thing that we need to do, 00:05:12.379 --> 00:05:14.979 I said, is you sort of have to make a bit of a bridge. 00:05:15.979 --> 00:05:19.399 And I said, you know, 00:05:19.439 --> 00:05:21.919 and it's not that surprising, 00:05:21.919 --> 00:05:23.060 because sometimes, you know, 00:05:23.779 --> 00:05:25.599 people say things, 00:05:25.679 --> 00:05:27.379 and we don't think it really applies to us. 00:05:27.419 --> 00:05:27.979 And then later on, 00:05:28.019 --> 00:05:29.659 we realize it really does apply to us. 00:05:29.699 --> 00:05:30.919 And I said, so part of what I do, 00:05:30.939 --> 00:05:32.839 when you see me here trying to look up in this space, 00:05:33.579 --> 00:05:35.519 trying to, looking a bit confused, 00:05:35.519 --> 00:05:36.500 and all of that, 00:05:36.560 --> 00:05:38.639 I'm trying to think of how do I bridge, 00:05:39.259 --> 00:05:42.259 how do I get that piece of what God has said 00:05:42.259 --> 00:05:45.240 that might have been written a long time ago, 00:05:45.379 --> 00:05:46.819 and how do I get people 00:05:46.819 --> 00:05:48.759 who are sitting in Ottawa in 2022 00:05:48.759 --> 00:05:50.959 to realize it's speaking to them? 00:05:53.659 --> 00:05:54.919 So, for instance, 00:05:55.259 --> 00:05:56.180 like if you put the, 00:05:56.419 --> 00:05:57.560 we're going to look at Psalm 2, 00:05:57.639 --> 00:05:58.939 you're going to see instantly what I mean 00:05:58.939 --> 00:06:00.099 as a perfect example, 00:06:00.180 --> 00:06:01.259 if we just look at Psalm 2, 00:06:01.319 --> 00:06:02.819 which is the psalm I'm looking at today, 00:06:02.819 --> 00:06:05.680 it's the beginning of a summer series, 00:06:05.839 --> 00:06:06.379 or sort of the, 00:06:06.920 --> 00:06:07.740 yes, in many ways, 00:06:07.800 --> 00:06:08.879 the beginning of a summer series, 00:06:08.920 --> 00:06:10.939 we're going to look at different psalms 00:06:10.939 --> 00:06:11.620 over the summer. 00:06:12.480 --> 00:06:14.040 And if you turn to Psalm 2, 00:06:14.819 --> 00:06:16.139 here we're reading something 00:06:16.139 --> 00:06:17.980 that was written 3,000 years ago, 00:06:18.079 --> 00:06:19.319 give or take a couple of years, 00:06:19.659 --> 00:06:20.659 3,000 years ago, 00:06:20.740 --> 00:06:21.500 and you listen to it, 00:06:21.500 --> 00:06:22.379 and here's how it begins. 00:06:22.500 --> 00:06:23.000 Verse 1, 00:06:23.560 --> 00:06:25.439 Why do the nations rage, 00:06:25.939 --> 00:06:27.939 and the peoples plot in vain? 00:06:28.500 --> 00:06:30.420 The kings of the earth set themselves, 00:06:30.420 --> 00:06:32.560 and the rulers take counsel together 00:06:32.560 --> 00:06:33.480 against the Lord, 00:06:33.840 --> 00:06:34.860 and against his anointed, 00:06:35.080 --> 00:06:35.360 saying, 00:06:35.780 --> 00:06:37.699 let us burst their bonds apart, 00:06:37.819 --> 00:06:40.420 and cast away their cords from us. 00:06:41.020 --> 00:06:42.240 Like, look at verse 1 again, 00:06:42.360 --> 00:06:43.600 why do the nations rage, 00:06:43.640 --> 00:06:44.860 and the peoples plot in vain? 00:06:45.620 --> 00:06:47.220 So, if you think about it, 00:06:47.560 --> 00:06:48.379 just for a second, 00:06:48.800 --> 00:06:50.759 take off your holy hat, 00:06:51.420 --> 00:06:52.980 take off your holy clothes, 00:06:53.520 --> 00:06:54.980 and it just doesn't seem true. 00:06:56.920 --> 00:06:57.400 Right? 00:06:58.040 --> 00:06:59.340 I mean, it just doesn't seem true. 00:06:59.339 --> 00:07:01.039 Or maybe you think of it, 00:07:01.119 --> 00:07:01.479 and you say, 00:07:01.560 --> 00:07:02.619 you know, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, 00:07:02.619 --> 00:07:03.419 that describes, 00:07:03.739 --> 00:07:07.039 that describes the MAGA Trump people. 00:07:07.679 --> 00:07:08.819 Or, depending on your other, 00:07:08.919 --> 00:07:09.879 you know, that describes 00:07:09.879 --> 00:07:11.379 all those people going out 00:07:11.379 --> 00:07:13.079 and demonstrating right now, 00:07:13.179 --> 00:07:14.679 you know, against Roe versus Wade. 00:07:14.759 --> 00:07:16.159 Yeah, that describes them. 00:07:17.259 --> 00:07:19.279 Like, and so maybe we look at it 00:07:19.279 --> 00:07:21.059 and think about how it describes them, 00:07:21.079 --> 00:07:22.199 but we don't look at it 00:07:22.199 --> 00:07:23.739 and think about how it describes us. 00:07:23.759 --> 00:07:25.299 It seems like it's too big a gap. 00:07:25.359 --> 00:07:27.379 It doesn't seem like a realistic thing to say. 00:07:27.379 --> 00:07:27.420 Okay. 00:07:27.899 --> 00:07:29.060 Well, here's the thing. 00:07:30.240 --> 00:07:32.219 Now, I meant to have my service, 00:07:32.379 --> 00:07:32.779 my phone, 00:07:33.040 --> 00:07:35.399 my family brought me my phone 00:07:35.399 --> 00:07:37.540 just at the very start of the service, 00:07:37.620 --> 00:07:38.779 so I didn't have a chance to look it up, 00:07:38.819 --> 00:07:39.819 but it maybe is even better 00:07:39.819 --> 00:07:40.980 that I don't look it up. 00:07:41.560 --> 00:07:42.540 There's a song 00:07:42.540 --> 00:07:45.500 that if I start to say the words to it, 00:07:46.159 --> 00:07:48.379 it is so well known to you 00:07:48.379 --> 00:07:50.360 that, in fact, 00:07:50.379 --> 00:07:52.759 if I started to sing the first verse, 00:07:52.759 --> 00:07:55.139 most of you could sing along with me 00:07:55.139 --> 00:07:56.939 even though the words aren't up on the screen. 00:07:58.939 --> 00:08:01.439 And even though I didn't have my phone with me, 00:08:01.480 --> 00:08:02.620 if I had a whiteboard, 00:08:03.199 --> 00:08:04.939 I'd probably by myself 00:08:04.939 --> 00:08:05.899 be able to put down 00:08:05.899 --> 00:08:07.759 most of the lyrics to the song, 00:08:08.579 --> 00:08:11.560 but I'd be willing to bet $100 00:08:11.560 --> 00:08:14.420 that with none of us looking at our phones, 00:08:14.920 --> 00:08:17.339 we could put all of the lyrics of the song 00:08:17.339 --> 00:08:18.199 up on the whiteboard 00:08:18.199 --> 00:08:19.399 within about a minute or two, 00:08:19.399 --> 00:08:21.159 and we could do it effortlessly. 00:08:23.359 --> 00:08:24.379 And it's a song 00:08:24.379 --> 00:08:26.519 which virtually every Canadian knows, 00:08:26.659 --> 00:08:27.500 and my guess is 00:08:27.500 --> 00:08:29.579 that almost every single one of you knows, 00:08:29.699 --> 00:08:30.779 and you know it very well. 00:08:32.720 --> 00:08:34.079 Imagine there's no heaven. 00:08:34.779 --> 00:08:36.139 It's easy if you try. 00:08:36.759 --> 00:08:37.980 No hell below us. 00:08:38.459 --> 00:08:40.240 Above us, only sky. 00:08:41.840 --> 00:08:43.259 Imagine, and it goes on. 00:08:45.179 --> 00:08:46.299 Am I not correct? 00:08:46.299 --> 00:08:49.839 Imagine there's no heaven. 00:08:50.459 --> 00:08:52.759 It's easy if you could all join up with me in singing it, 00:08:52.779 --> 00:08:54.219 and we'd all be able to put it up on the screen. 00:08:55.059 --> 00:08:57.539 And here's the other thing about that song. 00:09:00.099 --> 00:09:01.299 And I... 00:09:02.299 --> 00:09:05.899 It's not just that we know the lyrics to the song, 00:09:06.679 --> 00:09:08.419 but that most people, 00:09:08.579 --> 00:09:09.819 when they sing the song, 00:09:09.899 --> 00:09:12.359 have a deep emotional connection to that song. 00:09:12.360 --> 00:09:14.440 In fact, in an odd way, 00:09:14.539 --> 00:09:16.779 there's almost something transcendent 00:09:16.779 --> 00:09:18.279 or religious 00:09:18.279 --> 00:09:20.560 about that song. 00:09:21.680 --> 00:09:22.919 It moves you. 00:09:23.000 --> 00:09:24.519 It tugs at your heart. 00:09:25.300 --> 00:09:26.440 Imagine there's no heaven. 00:09:26.560 --> 00:09:27.700 It's easy if you try. 00:09:27.820 --> 00:09:28.279 No hell. 00:09:28.899 --> 00:09:31.019 No hell below us. 00:09:31.159 --> 00:09:32.379 Above us, only sky. 00:09:32.539 --> 00:09:33.840 It speaks to us 00:09:33.840 --> 00:09:34.980 at a very deep level. 00:09:34.980 --> 00:09:39.740 But that song 00:09:39.740 --> 00:09:41.500 is actually saying 00:09:41.500 --> 00:09:44.240 what verses 1 to 3 said 00:09:44.240 --> 00:09:47.620 in a modern singable form 00:09:47.620 --> 00:09:49.340 that tugs at your heart. 00:09:51.220 --> 00:09:53.480 Why do the nations rage or plot 00:09:53.480 --> 00:09:54.680 and the peoples plot in vain? 00:09:54.759 --> 00:09:55.659 That's God's comment. 00:09:56.560 --> 00:09:57.960 We work together, 00:09:58.100 --> 00:09:59.500 but the bottom line is, 00:09:59.580 --> 00:10:00.240 verse 3, 00:10:00.659 --> 00:10:03.080 let us burst their bonds apart, 00:10:03.080 --> 00:10:03.960 that is the God, 00:10:04.080 --> 00:10:04.820 that is the Lord 00:10:04.820 --> 00:10:05.520 and is anointed, 00:10:05.940 --> 00:10:08.160 and cast away their cords from us. 00:10:08.980 --> 00:10:09.960 Let us live. 00:10:10.759 --> 00:10:11.900 Let us live 00:10:11.900 --> 00:10:13.400 as if 00:10:13.400 --> 00:10:15.080 there is no God, 00:10:15.560 --> 00:10:17.600 there is no hell below us, 00:10:17.820 --> 00:10:19.379 there is no heaven up above, 00:10:19.500 --> 00:10:20.379 there is just us. 00:10:20.480 --> 00:10:22.100 Let us live in that way. 00:10:22.540 --> 00:10:23.340 And when we sing 00:10:23.340 --> 00:10:24.420 or hear that song, 00:10:24.500 --> 00:10:25.360 it tugs at our heart, 00:10:25.400 --> 00:10:26.460 it speaks to us. 00:10:26.820 --> 00:10:27.500 In fact, 00:10:27.500 --> 00:10:29.580 that song shows 00:10:29.580 --> 00:10:31.000 that verses 1 to 3 00:10:31.000 --> 00:10:32.800 of Psalm chapter 2 00:10:32.799 --> 00:10:33.939 are deeply true. 00:10:34.599 --> 00:10:36.359 Not only are they deeply true 00:10:36.359 --> 00:10:37.919 of most Canadians, 00:10:38.399 --> 00:10:39.679 it is deeply true 00:10:39.679 --> 00:10:40.339 of you and me. 00:10:41.399 --> 00:10:42.719 Because if we're honest, 00:10:43.879 --> 00:10:45.699 there's something in that song 00:10:45.699 --> 00:10:46.959 that tugs at our heart too. 00:10:49.000 --> 00:10:50.039 To cast, 00:10:50.259 --> 00:10:52.319 to live as if God does not exist, 00:10:52.679 --> 00:10:54.339 to cast off his bonds, 00:10:54.799 --> 00:10:56.379 to cast off his cords. 00:10:56.379 --> 00:11:02.899 Now one of the things 00:11:02.899 --> 00:11:03.500 about the Bible 00:11:03.500 --> 00:11:04.439 is that as I, 00:11:04.519 --> 00:11:05.939 I think I learned it 00:11:05.939 --> 00:11:07.080 from Jackie Hill Perry 00:11:07.080 --> 00:11:07.759 that the Bible 00:11:07.759 --> 00:11:08.500 is both a window 00:11:08.500 --> 00:11:09.059 and a mirror. 00:11:10.120 --> 00:11:12.080 And it's a window 00:11:12.080 --> 00:11:13.019 in the sense that 00:11:13.019 --> 00:11:14.600 it opens up the door, 00:11:14.740 --> 00:11:15.539 the window to us 00:11:15.539 --> 00:11:16.460 to start to understand 00:11:16.460 --> 00:11:17.179 and see the world 00:11:17.179 --> 00:11:17.960 as it really is. 00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:18.679 And it's a mirror 00:11:18.679 --> 00:11:20.379 because it begins 00:11:20.379 --> 00:11:21.379 to reveal to us 00:11:21.379 --> 00:11:22.600 what we really look like 00:11:22.600 --> 00:11:23.519 and what we're really like 00:11:23.519 --> 00:11:24.559 at the level of the heart 00:11:24.559 --> 00:11:25.359 in the context 00:11:25.359 --> 00:11:26.319 of the living God. 00:11:27.139 --> 00:11:28.479 And that's what this psalm 00:11:28.479 --> 00:11:29.500 does in a very, 00:11:29.619 --> 00:11:32.619 very powerful way. 00:11:33.239 --> 00:11:34.779 It's a psalm that, 00:11:35.479 --> 00:11:35.919 with this, 00:11:36.039 --> 00:11:36.619 with Psalm 1, 00:11:36.719 --> 00:11:37.599 which we're going to look at 00:11:37.599 --> 00:11:38.139 next week, 00:11:38.179 --> 00:11:39.059 it's the introduction 00:11:39.059 --> 00:11:39.819 to the Psalter. 00:11:39.919 --> 00:11:41.139 It tells us how to enter 00:11:41.139 --> 00:11:41.959 into the Psalter. 00:11:42.579 --> 00:11:44.039 The Psalter is the book of Psalms 00:11:44.039 --> 00:11:44.959 and the book of Psalms 00:11:44.959 --> 00:11:46.859 are the songs 00:11:46.859 --> 00:11:49.319 that God wants us to sing. 00:11:50.099 --> 00:11:50.879 They're the prayers 00:11:50.879 --> 00:11:52.259 that God wants us to pray. 00:11:52.819 --> 00:11:53.679 And at the same time 00:11:53.679 --> 00:11:54.399 they teach us 00:11:54.399 --> 00:11:56.179 and they inform us. 00:11:57.779 --> 00:11:59.439 And one of the reasons 00:11:59.439 --> 00:12:00.360 that we can see 00:12:00.360 --> 00:12:01.319 why this psalm 00:12:01.319 --> 00:12:02.639 is here right at the beginning 00:12:02.639 --> 00:12:07.519 is it teaches us 00:12:07.519 --> 00:12:08.399 that while we're trying 00:12:08.399 --> 00:12:09.299 to learn how to sing 00:12:09.299 --> 00:12:10.199 the songs that God 00:12:10.199 --> 00:12:11.379 wants his people to sing 00:12:11.379 --> 00:12:12.319 and to pray the prayers 00:12:12.319 --> 00:12:13.539 that God wants us to pray, 00:12:14.360 --> 00:12:15.939 there is a part of us 00:12:15.939 --> 00:12:17.340 that doesn't want God 00:12:17.340 --> 00:12:18.120 to exist. 00:12:21.079 --> 00:12:21.519 Pascal, 00:12:21.860 --> 00:12:22.840 who wrote a famous 00:12:22.840 --> 00:12:24.019 sort of collection 00:12:24.019 --> 00:12:24.720 of thoughts 00:12:24.720 --> 00:12:26.080 of apologetics, 00:12:26.580 --> 00:12:27.519 I think it was 00:12:27.519 --> 00:12:28.960 in the 17th century, 00:12:29.060 --> 00:12:29.560 but I can't remember 00:12:29.560 --> 00:12:30.399 if it was the 17th 00:12:30.399 --> 00:12:31.340 or the 18th century 00:12:31.340 --> 00:12:31.920 in France. 00:12:32.620 --> 00:12:34.040 He has this very powerful thing 00:12:34.040 --> 00:12:34.740 where he says 00:12:34.740 --> 00:12:35.899 that if you want to talk 00:12:35.899 --> 00:12:37.120 about the Christian faith 00:12:37.120 --> 00:12:37.840 to people who are 00:12:37.840 --> 00:12:38.940 outside the Christian faith, 00:12:39.019 --> 00:12:39.460 you have to deal 00:12:39.460 --> 00:12:40.259 with two issues. 00:12:40.759 --> 00:12:41.720 One issue is that 00:12:41.720 --> 00:12:42.899 everybody has reasons, 00:12:43.040 --> 00:12:44.220 often very good reasons, 00:12:44.220 --> 00:12:45.480 why the Christian God 00:12:45.480 --> 00:12:46.160 cannot be true. 00:12:46.240 --> 00:12:47.420 But the other thing, 00:12:47.800 --> 00:12:48.580 which most people 00:12:48.580 --> 00:12:49.220 don't recognize, 00:12:49.220 --> 00:12:50.080 is that most people 00:12:50.080 --> 00:12:50.620 don't want 00:12:50.620 --> 00:12:51.840 the triune God 00:12:51.840 --> 00:12:52.340 to exist. 00:12:52.840 --> 00:12:53.580 They don't want 00:12:53.580 --> 00:12:54.800 Christianity to be true. 00:12:55.300 --> 00:12:55.980 They will accept 00:12:55.980 --> 00:12:56.759 just about anything 00:12:56.759 --> 00:12:58.220 other than accept 00:12:58.220 --> 00:12:59.420 the Christian faith. 00:12:59.600 --> 00:13:00.200 And Psalm 2 00:13:00.200 --> 00:13:01.700 is expressing that to us 00:13:01.700 --> 00:13:03.000 as a way for us 00:13:03.000 --> 00:13:04.240 as we enter into 00:13:04.240 --> 00:13:05.300 worship and prayer 00:13:05.300 --> 00:13:06.740 is to acknowledge 00:13:06.740 --> 00:13:08.240 that there is part of us 00:13:08.240 --> 00:13:11.040 that likes to cast off 00:13:11.040 --> 00:13:12.200 God's bonds 00:13:12.200 --> 00:13:13.240 and his courts. 00:13:14.500 --> 00:13:15.840 So how does God react? 00:13:15.840 --> 00:13:19.980 That we wouldn't 00:13:19.980 --> 00:13:21.600 want him to exist. 00:13:22.660 --> 00:13:24.420 All of verses 4 to 12 00:13:24.420 --> 00:13:25.139 talk about it, 00:13:25.180 --> 00:13:25.840 but we'll look at it 00:13:25.840 --> 00:13:26.280 in chunks. 00:13:26.399 --> 00:13:27.920 Let's look at the first thing 00:13:27.920 --> 00:13:29.160 is going to be very surprising. 00:13:30.060 --> 00:13:30.840 And actually, 00:13:31.080 --> 00:13:33.060 many of us find it troubling 00:13:33.060 --> 00:13:34.680 and many of us 00:13:34.680 --> 00:13:35.940 probably find it offensive. 00:13:36.139 --> 00:13:36.920 Look at verse 4. 00:13:37.759 --> 00:13:38.860 He who sits 00:13:38.860 --> 00:13:40.320 in the heavens 00:13:40.320 --> 00:13:41.560 laughs. 00:13:43.600 --> 00:13:44.340 One moment. 00:13:44.340 --> 00:13:47.620 So some of us 00:13:47.620 --> 00:13:48.759 don't want to recognize 00:13:48.759 --> 00:13:49.639 the fact that we 00:13:49.639 --> 00:13:50.660 have part of us 00:13:50.660 --> 00:13:51.460 that really 00:13:51.460 --> 00:13:53.259 the song imagined 00:13:53.259 --> 00:13:54.180 speaks to us 00:13:54.180 --> 00:13:54.940 at a deep level. 00:13:56.660 --> 00:13:57.139 And others, 00:13:57.360 --> 00:13:57.600 of course, 00:13:57.639 --> 00:13:58.100 would be very, 00:13:58.200 --> 00:13:59.040 very public about, 00:13:59.160 --> 00:13:59.300 you know, 00:13:59.340 --> 00:14:00.160 I've seen people 00:14:00.160 --> 00:14:00.680 about saying 00:14:00.680 --> 00:14:01.139 how they're looking 00:14:01.139 --> 00:14:02.040 forward to going to hell 00:14:02.040 --> 00:14:03.259 because all the cool people 00:14:03.259 --> 00:14:04.019 and their best friends 00:14:04.019 --> 00:14:04.560 will be there. 00:14:04.740 --> 00:14:05.920 And people can be 00:14:05.920 --> 00:14:07.480 very sort of, 00:14:07.480 --> 00:14:07.740 you know, 00:14:07.920 --> 00:14:08.759 ha-ha about it. 00:14:08.900 --> 00:14:09.960 And that's fine. 00:14:10.480 --> 00:14:11.840 But the surprising thing 00:14:11.840 --> 00:14:12.840 here is what the psalm 00:14:12.840 --> 00:14:13.940 reveals is that 00:14:13.940 --> 00:14:16.120 God laughs at this. 00:14:17.160 --> 00:14:17.500 But look, 00:14:17.680 --> 00:14:18.660 and it's a bit offensive. 00:14:18.800 --> 00:14:18.900 Look, 00:14:19.000 --> 00:14:19.220 again, 00:14:19.280 --> 00:14:19.640 verse 4, 00:14:19.720 --> 00:14:20.260 he who sits 00:14:20.260 --> 00:14:20.700 in the heavens 00:14:20.700 --> 00:14:21.260 laughs. 00:14:21.400 --> 00:14:22.460 The Lord holds 00:14:22.460 --> 00:14:23.320 them in derision. 00:14:24.520 --> 00:14:24.740 I mean, 00:14:24.820 --> 00:14:25.460 he just, 00:14:25.560 --> 00:14:26.120 he laughs 00:14:26.120 --> 00:14:27.020 like because 00:14:27.020 --> 00:14:27.720 it's ridiculous. 00:14:29.220 --> 00:14:29.920 Verse 5, 00:14:30.000 --> 00:14:30.860 then he will speak 00:14:30.860 --> 00:14:32.020 to them in his wrath. 00:14:32.460 --> 00:14:33.660 And that's a troubling 00:14:33.660 --> 00:14:34.920 idea for Canadians. 00:14:34.920 --> 00:14:36.660 And terrify them 00:14:36.660 --> 00:14:37.360 in his fury, 00:14:37.560 --> 00:14:37.940 saying, 00:14:38.840 --> 00:14:39.520 as for me, 00:14:40.560 --> 00:14:41.200 I have set 00:14:41.200 --> 00:14:42.720 my king 00:14:42.720 --> 00:14:43.780 on Zion, 00:14:44.060 --> 00:14:44.820 my holy hill. 00:14:45.200 --> 00:14:46.220 So it's interesting 00:14:46.220 --> 00:14:47.780 that this verse 00:14:47.780 --> 00:14:48.520 4 to 6, 00:14:48.620 --> 00:14:49.660 it begins with a picture 00:14:49.660 --> 00:14:50.540 of heaven laughing 00:14:50.540 --> 00:14:51.740 and it ends up 00:14:51.740 --> 00:14:52.860 with God's response, 00:14:53.040 --> 00:14:54.380 not just as laughing, 00:14:54.560 --> 00:14:55.600 but there's also anger 00:14:55.600 --> 00:14:56.480 at what's going on 00:14:56.480 --> 00:14:57.980 by whether we human beings 00:14:57.980 --> 00:14:58.560 would live in this. 00:14:58.680 --> 00:14:59.580 And his response 00:14:59.580 --> 00:15:00.380 is that he sends 00:15:00.380 --> 00:15:01.040 his king 00:15:01.040 --> 00:15:02.420 to the earth. 00:15:03.320 --> 00:15:04.120 It begins 00:15:04.120 --> 00:15:04.660 with something 00:15:04.660 --> 00:15:05.620 transcendent 00:15:05.620 --> 00:15:06.440 and it ends 00:15:06.440 --> 00:15:07.000 with something 00:15:07.000 --> 00:15:07.340 very, 00:15:07.460 --> 00:15:08.279 very much 00:15:08.279 --> 00:15:08.879 among us. 00:15:10.179 --> 00:15:11.759 But we're bothered 00:15:11.759 --> 00:15:12.940 by some of this stuff. 00:15:13.080 --> 00:15:13.700 Well, in terms of, 00:15:13.759 --> 00:15:14.740 let's look at the thing 00:15:14.740 --> 00:15:15.399 about the laughing. 00:15:15.519 --> 00:15:16.179 We think this is 00:15:16.179 --> 00:15:17.060 sort of wrong for God, 00:15:17.139 --> 00:15:17.560 but it's something 00:15:17.560 --> 00:15:18.279 that we can actually 00:15:18.279 --> 00:15:19.860 deeply relate to. 00:15:20.500 --> 00:15:21.519 Imagine for a moment 00:15:21.519 --> 00:15:23.940 between the two services 00:15:23.940 --> 00:15:26.600 the places may be empty. 00:15:27.399 --> 00:15:28.220 And that's what it's like. 00:15:28.259 --> 00:15:28.799 We have a service 00:15:28.799 --> 00:15:29.080 at 8, 00:15:29.120 --> 00:15:30.120 very small little, 00:15:30.340 --> 00:15:31.940 very 1662, 00:15:32.080 --> 00:15:32.919 book of common prayer, 00:15:33.039 --> 00:15:33.180 the, 00:15:33.259 --> 00:15:33.419 thy, 00:15:33.519 --> 00:15:33.700 thou, 00:15:33.799 --> 00:15:34.519 dost language. 00:15:34.519 --> 00:15:35.699 And then there's 00:15:35.699 --> 00:15:36.460 a period of time 00:15:36.460 --> 00:15:37.039 when there's nobody 00:15:37.039 --> 00:15:37.960 here between the 9 00:15:37.960 --> 00:15:39.079 and the 10 o'clock service. 00:15:39.159 --> 00:15:40.279 And let's say Barbara's gone. 00:15:40.600 --> 00:15:41.439 And I think I'm here 00:15:41.439 --> 00:15:42.319 all by myself. 00:15:42.679 --> 00:15:43.480 And I start to do 00:15:43.480 --> 00:15:44.620 my best imitation 00:15:44.620 --> 00:15:47.819 of U2's Bono singing 00:15:47.819 --> 00:15:49.539 interspersed with how, 00:15:49.720 --> 00:15:51.419 what's the guitarist's name? 00:15:51.600 --> 00:15:53.120 Slash or something like that. 00:15:53.379 --> 00:15:55.439 How Slash plays his guitar. 00:15:55.740 --> 00:15:56.740 So I'm up here 00:15:56.740 --> 00:15:57.740 singing away, 00:15:57.879 --> 00:15:59.340 thinking I'm all by myself, 00:15:59.480 --> 00:16:00.360 playing the guitar, 00:16:00.539 --> 00:16:01.639 doing all the moves. 00:16:01.939 --> 00:16:02.840 And all of a sudden 00:16:02.840 --> 00:16:04.379 I discover that the 00:16:04.379 --> 00:16:05.220 more needs have all 00:16:05.220 --> 00:16:06.440 come in very quietly 00:16:06.440 --> 00:16:08.519 and are watching me. 00:16:11.680 --> 00:16:12.600 They could turn off 00:16:12.600 --> 00:16:13.240 all the lights, 00:16:13.320 --> 00:16:13.899 the room would be 00:16:13.899 --> 00:16:14.700 a bright red 00:16:14.700 --> 00:16:16.240 from the color of my face. 00:16:17.180 --> 00:16:18.000 Now they wouldn't 00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:18.740 all laugh at me 00:16:18.740 --> 00:16:19.660 because they're very nice, 00:16:19.780 --> 00:16:20.660 but imagine it was 00:16:20.660 --> 00:16:21.560 somebody else. 00:16:22.440 --> 00:16:23.440 And they would just think 00:16:23.440 --> 00:16:24.000 I'm completely 00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:25.139 and utterly ridiculous. 00:16:25.920 --> 00:16:26.840 Here I am, 00:16:27.240 --> 00:16:29.580 a man of a certain age, 00:16:29.840 --> 00:16:30.680 acting as if I'm 00:16:30.679 --> 00:16:31.819 a super rock star 00:16:31.819 --> 00:16:32.919 and it's just ridiculous 00:16:32.919 --> 00:16:33.679 and you would laugh 00:16:33.679 --> 00:16:34.719 and you all understand it. 00:16:34.779 --> 00:16:35.179 Well, that's, 00:16:35.539 --> 00:16:36.159 now you understand 00:16:36.159 --> 00:16:36.859 a little bit about 00:16:36.859 --> 00:16:39.159 your pretension and mine 00:16:39.159 --> 00:16:41.559 that I don't need God, 00:16:41.659 --> 00:16:42.639 I don't need a creator, 00:16:42.899 --> 00:16:44.219 I don't need a sustainer, 00:16:44.339 --> 00:16:45.919 I don't need oxygen. 00:16:46.319 --> 00:16:46.879 Whoa, whoa, whoa, 00:16:46.939 --> 00:16:47.500 that's wrong. 00:16:48.519 --> 00:16:49.279 Yes, you do. 00:16:49.719 --> 00:16:50.979 I don't need gravity. 00:16:51.719 --> 00:16:52.939 I'm just the God 00:16:52.939 --> 00:16:53.579 of the universe. 00:16:54.339 --> 00:16:56.459 No, no wonder God laughs. 00:16:56.599 --> 00:16:57.579 And what about the anger? 00:16:58.360 --> 00:16:59.400 I was talking to somebody 00:16:59.400 --> 00:17:00.660 about this just about 00:17:00.660 --> 00:17:01.600 a month or so ago 00:17:01.600 --> 00:17:02.040 and I said, 00:17:02.100 --> 00:17:02.460 imagine, 00:17:03.060 --> 00:17:04.079 I said that you had 00:17:04.079 --> 00:17:05.299 had some kids 00:17:05.299 --> 00:17:06.740 and they're your kids 00:17:06.740 --> 00:17:07.960 and so, you know, 00:17:08.120 --> 00:17:09.220 you changed their diapers 00:17:09.220 --> 00:17:10.200 when they were young, 00:17:10.380 --> 00:17:11.319 you, you know, 00:17:11.400 --> 00:17:13.420 you cared for them, 00:17:13.500 --> 00:17:14.519 you got them to school, 00:17:14.680 --> 00:17:15.940 you gave them sporting events, 00:17:16.039 --> 00:17:16.940 you gave them allowance 00:17:16.940 --> 00:17:18.360 and then for whatever reason 00:17:18.360 --> 00:17:19.220 you're very wealthy 00:17:19.220 --> 00:17:20.579 and you just continue 00:17:20.579 --> 00:17:21.400 to give them money 00:17:21.400 --> 00:17:22.900 and they don't work 00:17:22.900 --> 00:17:23.799 and you put them up 00:17:23.799 --> 00:17:24.980 in a very, very fine house 00:17:24.980 --> 00:17:26.059 and they get all the money 00:17:26.059 --> 00:17:26.960 they want every time 00:17:26.960 --> 00:17:27.919 they go to their bank account 00:17:27.919 --> 00:17:28.599 the money's there 00:17:28.599 --> 00:17:29.359 that they need 00:17:29.359 --> 00:17:30.919 and they live in a house 00:17:30.919 --> 00:17:32.599 and every single thing 00:17:32.599 --> 00:17:33.700 is coming from you 00:17:33.700 --> 00:17:34.659 and you are completely 00:17:34.659 --> 00:17:36.119 and utterly supporting them 00:17:36.119 --> 00:17:37.559 and then you discover 00:17:37.559 --> 00:17:38.899 that what they do 00:17:38.899 --> 00:17:39.619 is they go around 00:17:39.619 --> 00:17:40.480 telling people 00:17:40.480 --> 00:17:41.899 how bad and evil 00:17:41.899 --> 00:17:43.500 and how much you suck 00:17:43.500 --> 00:17:45.799 and how they're responsible 00:17:45.799 --> 00:17:46.879 for all this money, 00:17:46.980 --> 00:17:47.720 they're making it, 00:17:47.799 --> 00:17:48.720 they're sustaining it 00:17:48.720 --> 00:17:49.460 and you might be 00:17:49.460 --> 00:17:50.619 very angry at them. 00:17:50.659 --> 00:17:51.259 In fact, 00:17:51.720 --> 00:17:52.339 if you would be 00:17:52.339 --> 00:17:53.159 like most people, 00:17:53.160 --> 00:17:54.200 if you hear how much 00:17:54.200 --> 00:17:56.060 they're disparaging you 00:17:56.060 --> 00:17:57.180 and saying how they, 00:17:57.580 --> 00:17:57.860 you know, 00:17:57.980 --> 00:17:58.920 they're an orphan 00:17:58.920 --> 00:18:00.519 and that you're dead, 00:18:00.900 --> 00:18:02.279 they don't even have a dad, 00:18:02.540 --> 00:18:03.420 like you might just say, 00:18:03.500 --> 00:18:04.100 well, I've had enough 00:18:04.100 --> 00:18:04.259 of them, 00:18:04.259 --> 00:18:05.060 I'm going to cut them off, 00:18:05.100 --> 00:18:06.400 you'd be angry at them. 00:18:06.500 --> 00:18:07.680 So God's response 00:18:07.680 --> 00:18:08.580 to human beings 00:18:08.580 --> 00:18:09.360 thinking that we can 00:18:09.360 --> 00:18:10.380 be our own gods 00:18:10.380 --> 00:18:12.580 is actually very, 00:18:12.920 --> 00:18:13.620 that makes, 00:18:13.880 --> 00:18:14.460 like that's not 00:18:14.460 --> 00:18:15.500 an outrageous thing 00:18:15.500 --> 00:18:16.480 for God to do. 00:18:16.480 --> 00:18:20.319 But it isn't just 00:18:20.319 --> 00:18:21.120 that he laughs 00:18:21.120 --> 00:18:22.019 and it isn't just 00:18:22.019 --> 00:18:22.819 that he's anger, 00:18:22.960 --> 00:18:24.160 there's something deeper 00:18:24.160 --> 00:18:26.019 that's going on here. 00:18:27.319 --> 00:18:28.980 Now, just before I read 00:18:28.980 --> 00:18:29.680 the next bit, 00:18:29.819 --> 00:18:30.700 and if you have your Bibles 00:18:30.700 --> 00:18:31.660 you can already see it, 00:18:31.700 --> 00:18:32.360 but if you're just looking 00:18:32.360 --> 00:18:32.920 up on the screen 00:18:32.920 --> 00:18:33.620 you have to wait. 00:18:35.140 --> 00:18:35.880 You know what I tell 00:18:35.880 --> 00:18:37.039 my Jewish friends is, 00:18:37.319 --> 00:18:37.500 you know, 00:18:37.599 --> 00:18:39.259 we Christians accept 00:18:39.259 --> 00:18:40.779 what you call the Tanakh 00:18:40.779 --> 00:18:41.360 and we call it 00:18:41.360 --> 00:18:42.039 the Old Testament 00:18:42.039 --> 00:18:42.819 and we accept 00:18:42.819 --> 00:18:44.180 that that's God speaking. 00:18:44.180 --> 00:18:46.180 but we obviously, 00:18:46.400 --> 00:18:47.240 we believe that 00:18:47.240 --> 00:18:48.039 because of Jesus 00:18:48.039 --> 00:18:49.360 and his coming, 00:18:49.960 --> 00:18:51.160 because he is the Messiah, 00:18:51.320 --> 00:18:52.259 the anointed one, 00:18:52.779 --> 00:18:54.380 that there's also now 00:18:54.380 --> 00:18:55.779 more words 00:18:55.779 --> 00:18:57.039 that God has spoken to us 00:18:57.039 --> 00:18:57.660 and we call that 00:18:57.660 --> 00:18:58.340 the New Testament. 00:18:59.060 --> 00:19:00.100 And you might or might 00:19:00.100 --> 00:19:00.840 not know this, 00:19:01.000 --> 00:19:03.080 but what we call 00:19:03.080 --> 00:19:03.759 the New Testament 00:19:03.759 --> 00:19:05.039 quotes parts 00:19:05.039 --> 00:19:05.900 of the Old Testament 00:19:05.900 --> 00:19:07.799 or makes allusions to it. 00:19:08.279 --> 00:19:09.600 And the Bible text 00:19:09.600 --> 00:19:10.680 in the Old Testament 00:19:10.680 --> 00:19:11.600 that's most quoted 00:19:11.600 --> 00:19:12.340 in the New Testament 00:19:12.340 --> 00:19:13.720 is Psalm 110. 00:19:14.620 --> 00:19:15.759 It is found 00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:17.019 directly quoted 00:19:17.019 --> 00:19:17.820 or alluded to 00:19:17.820 --> 00:19:18.600 far more than 00:19:18.600 --> 00:19:19.580 any other text 00:19:19.580 --> 00:19:20.620 in the Old Testament. 00:19:20.759 --> 00:19:22.580 And the second most quoted text 00:19:22.580 --> 00:19:24.360 in the New Testament 00:19:24.360 --> 00:19:25.660 from the Old Testament 00:19:25.660 --> 00:19:26.500 is Psalm 2. 00:19:27.600 --> 00:19:28.480 Well, look at these 00:19:28.480 --> 00:19:29.200 next few verses 00:19:29.200 --> 00:19:30.380 and you'll understand why. 00:19:30.740 --> 00:19:31.660 Look at verse 7. 00:19:32.220 --> 00:19:33.420 So this is the king, right? 00:19:33.480 --> 00:19:33.900 As for me, 00:19:33.940 --> 00:19:34.799 I have set my king 00:19:34.799 --> 00:19:35.240 on Zion, 00:19:35.340 --> 00:19:36.080 my holy hill. 00:19:36.279 --> 00:19:37.660 And the king is now saying, 00:19:37.799 --> 00:19:39.100 I will tell of the decree. 00:19:39.099 --> 00:19:41.379 The Lord said to me, 00:19:41.699 --> 00:19:42.759 you are my son. 00:19:42.919 --> 00:19:44.259 Today I have begotten you. 00:19:46.319 --> 00:19:47.000 Ask of me 00:19:47.000 --> 00:19:47.599 and I will make 00:19:47.599 --> 00:19:48.139 the nations 00:19:48.139 --> 00:19:48.879 your heritage 00:19:48.879 --> 00:19:49.519 and the ends 00:19:49.519 --> 00:19:49.939 of the earth 00:19:49.939 --> 00:19:50.539 your possession. 00:19:51.199 --> 00:19:52.119 You will break them 00:19:52.119 --> 00:19:53.079 with a rod of iron 00:19:53.079 --> 00:19:55.139 and dash them in pieces 00:19:55.139 --> 00:19:57.079 like a potter's vessel. 00:20:00.079 --> 00:20:00.799 Now you can, 00:20:00.980 --> 00:20:01.519 those of you 00:20:01.519 --> 00:20:02.539 who are Christians, 00:20:02.699 --> 00:20:03.459 you can see that 00:20:03.459 --> 00:20:04.879 Jesus quotes that directly. 00:20:04.880 --> 00:20:06.140 It's part of the text 00:20:06.140 --> 00:20:07.260 in the New Testament 00:20:07.260 --> 00:20:07.920 to use about 00:20:07.920 --> 00:20:08.940 the divinity of Jesus. 00:20:09.220 --> 00:20:10.100 A riddle, 00:20:10.480 --> 00:20:11.000 a puzzle 00:20:11.000 --> 00:20:11.720 which is there 00:20:11.720 --> 00:20:12.800 in the Old Testament 00:20:12.800 --> 00:20:14.040 that only Jesus 00:20:14.040 --> 00:20:15.780 actually answers. 00:20:17.000 --> 00:20:18.900 But we're very bothered 00:20:18.900 --> 00:20:20.060 by this idea 00:20:20.060 --> 00:20:23.520 that the coming of God 00:20:23.520 --> 00:20:24.680 and of his Messiah 00:20:24.680 --> 00:20:25.200 to earth 00:20:25.200 --> 00:20:26.000 would lead to things 00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:26.860 being smashed. 00:20:27.720 --> 00:20:29.220 But here's a way 00:20:29.220 --> 00:20:30.120 to see it. 00:20:30.180 --> 00:20:30.700 In fact, actually, 00:20:30.820 --> 00:20:31.620 I've sort of jumped ahead 00:20:31.620 --> 00:20:32.160 a little bit 00:20:32.160 --> 00:20:34.160 in terms of the overall sermon. 00:20:34.880 --> 00:20:35.580 The sermon, 00:20:35.700 --> 00:20:36.360 the big idea 00:20:36.360 --> 00:20:37.060 of the sermon 00:20:37.060 --> 00:20:39.040 is that human rebellion 00:20:39.040 --> 00:20:42.620 against the triune God 00:20:42.620 --> 00:20:44.820 will only have 00:20:44.820 --> 00:20:46.440 one of two ends. 00:20:47.580 --> 00:20:47.980 Ruin, 00:20:48.640 --> 00:20:49.420 you are ruined, 00:20:49.940 --> 00:20:51.700 or you seeking refuge in him. 00:20:53.460 --> 00:20:54.660 You are ruined, 00:20:55.900 --> 00:20:56.920 or you realizing 00:20:56.920 --> 00:20:58.620 that you're heading to ruin, 00:20:59.160 --> 00:21:00.780 you seeking refuge in him. 00:21:01.560 --> 00:21:03.020 So imagine for a second 00:21:03.020 --> 00:21:03.720 you don't like 00:21:03.720 --> 00:21:04.700 the law of gravity. 00:21:05.180 --> 00:21:06.600 You hate the law of gravity. 00:21:06.760 --> 00:21:07.980 You find the law of gravity 00:21:07.980 --> 00:21:08.980 deeply offensive. 00:21:09.200 --> 00:21:10.480 You think it shouldn't be there. 00:21:10.880 --> 00:21:12.280 You think that by your power 00:21:12.280 --> 00:21:13.080 of your mind 00:21:13.080 --> 00:21:14.280 that it should not be there. 00:21:14.360 --> 00:21:15.420 You should be able to fly. 00:21:15.580 --> 00:21:16.680 You should be able to soar. 00:21:16.780 --> 00:21:18.200 You should be able to be like a god. 00:21:18.520 --> 00:21:19.740 And you can say that 00:21:19.740 --> 00:21:20.780 as you step off 00:21:20.780 --> 00:21:22.060 of a 12-story building. 00:21:22.540 --> 00:21:23.900 And you can shake your fist 00:21:23.900 --> 00:21:24.860 at gravity 00:21:24.860 --> 00:21:26.040 all the way down. 00:21:26.580 --> 00:21:28.260 You can scream at gravity. 00:21:28.260 --> 00:21:29.660 You can curse gravity. 00:21:29.820 --> 00:21:31.320 You can pretend you're flying. 00:21:31.319 --> 00:21:32.779 But you are falling. 00:21:33.200 --> 00:21:33.960 And you will end 00:21:33.960 --> 00:21:35.819 dead on the ground. 00:21:35.819 --> 00:21:39.740 The fact of the matter is 00:21:39.740 --> 00:21:40.759 that if in fact 00:21:40.759 --> 00:21:41.599 the triune god 00:21:41.599 --> 00:21:42.619 does exist 00:21:42.619 --> 00:21:46.679 and because every human being 00:21:46.679 --> 00:21:47.259 will die 00:21:47.259 --> 00:21:49.619 coming face to face 00:21:49.619 --> 00:21:51.619 with the triune god 00:21:51.619 --> 00:21:54.139 is an unavoidable reality. 00:21:54.919 --> 00:21:55.919 And you will either 00:21:55.919 --> 00:21:56.980 crash 00:21:56.980 --> 00:21:59.399 against that triune god 00:21:59.400 --> 00:22:01.180 in fact actually 00:22:01.180 --> 00:22:02.880 if up until now 00:22:02.880 --> 00:22:04.540 up until the end of verse 9 00:22:04.540 --> 00:22:05.519 all you can see 00:22:05.519 --> 00:22:06.600 is the only option 00:22:06.600 --> 00:22:07.300 is smashing. 00:22:08.360 --> 00:22:10.080 That you have your pretensions 00:22:10.080 --> 00:22:11.480 about God not existing 00:22:11.480 --> 00:22:13.580 and whether or not 00:22:13.580 --> 00:22:14.620 that's very conscious 00:22:14.620 --> 00:22:15.960 or whether or not 00:22:15.960 --> 00:22:18.259 it's something unconscious 00:22:18.259 --> 00:22:19.900 that you never recognize 00:22:19.900 --> 00:22:20.980 others might see in you 00:22:20.980 --> 00:22:21.519 or at times 00:22:21.519 --> 00:22:22.360 you start to realize 00:22:22.360 --> 00:22:23.540 that you don't 00:22:23.540 --> 00:22:24.100 you know 00:22:24.100 --> 00:22:25.960 like this is my body 00:22:25.960 --> 00:22:27.460 you know my body myself 00:22:27.460 --> 00:22:28.060 good grief 00:22:28.059 --> 00:22:28.460 I mean 00:22:28.460 --> 00:22:32.279 my body myself 00:22:32.279 --> 00:22:39.039 and if the psalm 00:22:39.039 --> 00:22:39.779 was just to end 00:22:39.779 --> 00:22:40.700 at verse 9 00:22:40.700 --> 00:22:43.259 it would present 00:22:43.259 --> 00:22:45.159 a very bleak 00:22:45.159 --> 00:22:46.379 and despairing 00:22:46.379 --> 00:22:47.519 view 00:22:47.519 --> 00:22:48.619 of the human 00:22:48.619 --> 00:22:49.519 project 00:22:49.519 --> 00:22:53.899 that all we human beings 00:22:53.899 --> 00:22:54.359 can do 00:22:54.359 --> 00:22:55.659 is to rebel against God 00:22:55.659 --> 00:22:56.940 whether conscious or not 00:22:56.940 --> 00:22:58.220 wish that he wasn't there 00:22:58.220 --> 00:23:02.559 and at the end of the day 00:23:02.559 --> 00:23:04.400 really all we are 00:23:04.400 --> 00:23:05.340 is people falling 00:23:05.340 --> 00:23:06.900 from a 12 story building 00:23:06.900 --> 00:23:08.039 railing against 00:23:08.039 --> 00:23:09.140 gravity 00:23:09.140 --> 00:23:10.420 and we lose 00:23:10.420 --> 00:23:11.799 gravity wins 00:23:11.799 --> 00:23:12.980 and we will be ruined 00:23:12.980 --> 00:23:14.980 but the psalm 00:23:14.980 --> 00:23:15.480 doesn't end 00:23:15.480 --> 00:23:16.080 at verse 9 00:23:16.080 --> 00:23:17.340 it has one more section 00:23:17.340 --> 00:23:18.900 one more trio 00:23:18.900 --> 00:23:19.380 of verses 00:23:19.380 --> 00:23:20.600 let's look at what they are 00:23:20.600 --> 00:23:22.279 now therefore 00:23:22.279 --> 00:23:23.140 verse 10 00:23:23.140 --> 00:23:24.660 oh kings be wise 00:23:24.660 --> 00:23:26.279 oh there's a possibility 00:23:26.279 --> 00:23:26.840 of wisdom 00:23:26.840 --> 00:23:28.040 be warned 00:23:28.040 --> 00:23:29.660 oh rulers of the earth 00:23:29.660 --> 00:23:31.040 serve the lord 00:23:31.040 --> 00:23:31.779 with fear 00:23:31.779 --> 00:23:33.060 and rejoice 00:23:33.060 --> 00:23:33.880 with trembling 00:23:33.880 --> 00:23:35.900 kiss the sun 00:23:35.900 --> 00:23:38.040 lest he be angry 00:23:38.040 --> 00:23:38.720 and you perish 00:23:38.720 --> 00:23:39.240 in the way 00:23:39.240 --> 00:23:40.540 for his wrath 00:23:40.540 --> 00:23:41.800 is quickly kindled 00:23:41.800 --> 00:23:43.600 and what's the final word 00:23:43.600 --> 00:23:45.620 blessed are all 00:23:45.620 --> 00:23:46.500 who take refuge 00:23:46.500 --> 00:23:46.940 in him 00:23:46.940 --> 00:23:49.940 what is the final word 00:23:49.940 --> 00:23:50.620 before you start 00:23:50.620 --> 00:23:51.200 to read the rest 00:23:51.200 --> 00:23:51.779 of the psalter 00:23:51.779 --> 00:23:52.420 is blessed 00:23:52.420 --> 00:23:54.420 are all 00:23:54.420 --> 00:23:55.299 who take refuge 00:23:55.299 --> 00:23:55.779 in him 00:23:55.779 --> 00:23:58.960 now 00:23:58.960 --> 00:24:01.580 one of the things 00:24:01.580 --> 00:24:02.019 that the rest 00:24:02.019 --> 00:24:02.700 of the psalter 00:24:02.700 --> 00:24:03.920 you know 00:24:03.920 --> 00:24:05.420 many of us 00:24:05.420 --> 00:24:06.340 and this is where 00:24:06.340 --> 00:24:06.819 that song 00:24:06.819 --> 00:24:07.319 imagine 00:24:07.319 --> 00:24:09.319 is so powerful 00:24:09.319 --> 00:24:10.299 right 00:24:10.299 --> 00:24:11.600 imagine there's 00:24:11.600 --> 00:24:12.100 no heaven 00:24:12.100 --> 00:24:12.559 it's easy 00:24:12.559 --> 00:24:13.160 if you try 00:24:13.160 --> 00:24:14.100 no hell below us 00:24:14.100 --> 00:24:15.140 above us only sky 00:24:15.140 --> 00:24:15.759 and you go on 00:24:15.759 --> 00:24:16.259 and on and on 00:24:16.259 --> 00:24:17.120 imagine all the people 00:24:17.120 --> 00:24:17.600 and you know 00:24:17.600 --> 00:24:18.039 all of this 00:24:18.039 --> 00:24:18.740 etc etc 00:24:18.740 --> 00:24:19.660 and the idea 00:24:19.660 --> 00:24:20.640 of serving the lord 00:24:20.640 --> 00:24:21.480 with fear 00:24:21.480 --> 00:24:22.019 and rejoicing 00:24:22.019 --> 00:24:22.579 with trembling 00:24:22.579 --> 00:24:23.599 is deeply offensive 00:24:23.599 --> 00:24:24.299 that's not what 00:24:24.299 --> 00:24:24.960 we want to hear 00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:25.960 and one of the things 00:24:25.960 --> 00:24:26.400 that the rest 00:24:26.400 --> 00:24:27.079 of the psalter 00:24:27.079 --> 00:24:27.799 will make clear 00:24:27.799 --> 00:24:28.279 to us 00:24:28.279 --> 00:24:29.500 is that human beings 00:24:29.500 --> 00:24:30.720 don't have a choice 00:24:30.720 --> 00:24:32.279 about serving 00:24:32.279 --> 00:24:33.059 and the other word 00:24:33.059 --> 00:24:33.660 for serving 00:24:33.660 --> 00:24:34.400 is worshipping 00:24:34.400 --> 00:24:34.920 that the fact 00:24:34.920 --> 00:24:35.200 of the matter 00:24:35.200 --> 00:24:35.519 is 00:24:35.519 --> 00:24:36.519 is that I don't 00:24:36.519 --> 00:24:37.339 have a choice 00:24:37.339 --> 00:24:38.319 between serving 00:24:38.319 --> 00:24:39.259 the triune god 00:24:39.259 --> 00:24:39.960 and not 00:24:39.960 --> 00:24:41.140 the choice 00:24:41.140 --> 00:24:41.960 between me 00:24:41.960 --> 00:24:42.960 is that I'm 00:24:42.960 --> 00:24:43.519 going to serve 00:24:43.519 --> 00:24:44.099 somebody 00:24:44.099 --> 00:24:44.960 or something 00:24:44.960 --> 00:24:48.319 I can't help 00:24:48.319 --> 00:24:49.000 but serve 00:24:49.000 --> 00:24:49.940 something 00:24:49.940 --> 00:24:51.940 or somebody 00:24:51.940 --> 00:24:53.620 and I might be 00:24:53.620 --> 00:24:54.620 serving my ego 00:24:54.620 --> 00:24:55.539 I might be serving 00:24:55.539 --> 00:24:56.240 my career 00:24:56.240 --> 00:24:57.299 I might be serving 00:24:57.299 --> 00:24:57.759 art 00:24:57.759 --> 00:24:58.720 I might be serving 00:24:58.720 --> 00:24:59.160 money 00:24:59.160 --> 00:25:00.700 I might be serving 00:25:00.700 --> 00:25:02.779 my politics 00:25:02.779 --> 00:25:03.960 I might be serving 00:25:03.960 --> 00:25:04.700 a certain type 00:25:04.700 --> 00:25:05.360 of ideology 00:25:05.360 --> 00:25:06.640 I might be serving 00:25:06.640 --> 00:25:08.220 technology 00:25:08.220 --> 00:25:08.980 or science 00:25:08.980 --> 00:25:09.500 or whatever 00:25:09.500 --> 00:25:10.700 I might be serving 00:25:10.700 --> 00:25:11.460 my wife 00:25:11.460 --> 00:25:12.420 or living in 00:25:12.420 --> 00:25:13.160 complete and utter 00:25:13.160 --> 00:25:13.980 terror about what 00:25:13.980 --> 00:25:14.559 my kids 00:25:14.559 --> 00:25:15.299 or my neighbors 00:25:15.299 --> 00:25:15.559 say 00:25:15.559 --> 00:25:16.399 and I am serving 00:25:16.399 --> 00:25:16.980 something 00:25:16.980 --> 00:25:18.500 so the question 00:25:18.500 --> 00:25:19.579 isn't will I serve 00:25:19.579 --> 00:25:20.019 or not 00:25:20.019 --> 00:25:20.919 is what are you 00:25:20.919 --> 00:25:21.759 in fact serving 00:25:21.759 --> 00:25:22.460 and the rest of the 00:25:22.460 --> 00:25:23.179 Psalter will start 00:25:23.179 --> 00:25:23.679 to make that 00:25:23.679 --> 00:25:24.419 very clear 00:25:24.419 --> 00:25:25.700 as you read 00:25:25.700 --> 00:25:26.119 through it 00:25:26.119 --> 00:25:26.759 and as you pray 00:25:26.759 --> 00:25:27.179 through it 00:25:27.179 --> 00:25:27.859 and as you sing 00:25:27.859 --> 00:25:28.419 through it 00:25:28.419 --> 00:25:30.720 and this particular 00:25:30.720 --> 00:25:32.079 thing of kiss the sun 00:25:32.079 --> 00:25:32.700 one of the things 00:25:32.700 --> 00:25:33.759 here which the psalm 00:25:33.759 --> 00:25:34.319 is remembering 00:25:34.319 --> 00:25:35.980 and one of the 00:25:35.980 --> 00:25:36.579 problems I have 00:25:36.579 --> 00:25:37.399 sometimes when I'm 00:25:37.399 --> 00:25:38.119 talking to people 00:25:38.119 --> 00:25:38.759 about the Christian 00:25:38.759 --> 00:25:39.940 faith is I realize 00:25:39.940 --> 00:25:41.079 I can start to talk 00:25:41.079 --> 00:25:41.700 about the Christian 00:25:41.700 --> 00:25:42.419 faith as if it's 00:25:42.419 --> 00:25:43.279 just ideas 00:25:43.279 --> 00:25:44.639 if it's just 00:25:44.639 --> 00:25:45.519 principles 00:25:45.519 --> 00:25:46.420 it's just certain 00:25:46.420 --> 00:25:47.240 things about how 00:25:47.240 --> 00:25:48.759 culture or morality 00:25:48.759 --> 00:25:50.839 or philosophical 00:25:50.839 --> 00:25:52.220 types of ideas 00:25:52.220 --> 00:25:53.200 but it's not 00:25:53.200 --> 00:25:54.500 it's about a person 00:25:54.500 --> 00:25:55.899 I mean it is about 00:25:55.899 --> 00:25:56.579 those things 00:25:56.579 --> 00:25:57.660 there are ideas 00:25:57.660 --> 00:25:59.440 there are concepts 00:25:59.440 --> 00:26:00.399 and precepts 00:26:00.399 --> 00:26:01.079 and practices 00:26:01.079 --> 00:26:01.899 and processes 00:26:01.899 --> 00:26:03.759 and that matter 00:26:03.759 --> 00:26:05.119 but at the end of the day 00:26:05.119 --> 00:26:06.339 it's a person 00:26:06.339 --> 00:26:07.480 and this word 00:26:07.480 --> 00:26:08.259 kiss the sun 00:26:08.259 --> 00:26:09.279 it's an image 00:26:09.279 --> 00:26:10.000 of homage 00:26:10.000 --> 00:26:12.619 of acknowledging 00:26:12.619 --> 00:26:13.379 your sovereign 00:26:13.379 --> 00:26:14.000 lord 00:26:14.000 --> 00:26:15.480 to whom 00:26:15.480 --> 00:26:16.200 it is 00:26:16.200 --> 00:26:17.460 proper for you 00:26:17.460 --> 00:26:19.140 to serve 00:26:19.140 --> 00:26:19.940 and bring glory 00:26:19.940 --> 00:26:20.539 and to listen 00:26:20.539 --> 00:26:21.299 to and to follow 00:26:21.299 --> 00:26:22.859 and it's an intimate 00:26:22.859 --> 00:26:23.379 image 00:26:23.379 --> 00:26:26.339 I had 00:26:26.339 --> 00:26:27.539 some people 00:26:27.539 --> 00:26:28.019 who were from 00:26:28.019 --> 00:26:29.279 a French background 00:26:29.279 --> 00:26:30.440 who were at the 00:26:30.440 --> 00:26:31.279 earlier service 00:26:31.279 --> 00:26:32.519 and I shared with them 00:26:32.519 --> 00:26:32.859 and I said 00:26:32.859 --> 00:26:34.099 in a French culture 00:26:34.099 --> 00:26:35.339 you don't just 00:26:35.339 --> 00:26:36.000 sort of say 00:26:36.000 --> 00:26:36.319 you know 00:26:36.319 --> 00:26:37.079 like this 00:26:37.079 --> 00:26:38.099 or shake your hand 00:26:38.099 --> 00:26:38.599 it's the 00:26:38.599 --> 00:26:39.579 the kiss 00:26:39.579 --> 00:26:40.660 on either side 00:26:40.660 --> 00:26:41.299 it's close 00:26:41.299 --> 00:26:42.000 it's personal 00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:43.900 you're in their space 00:26:43.900 --> 00:26:46.539 it's a sign 00:26:46.539 --> 00:26:47.259 of the fact 00:26:47.259 --> 00:26:47.859 that you're willing 00:26:47.859 --> 00:26:48.740 to be completely 00:26:48.740 --> 00:26:49.200 and utterly 00:26:49.200 --> 00:26:49.920 defenseless 00:26:49.920 --> 00:26:50.599 and close 00:26:50.599 --> 00:26:52.200 and that's the image 00:26:52.200 --> 00:26:53.000 the psalms 00:26:53.000 --> 00:26:53.880 when they're prayed 00:26:53.880 --> 00:26:55.059 and as they're 00:26:55.059 --> 00:26:55.700 sung 00:26:55.700 --> 00:26:56.259 and as they're 00:26:56.259 --> 00:26:57.140 reflected on 00:26:57.140 --> 00:26:58.960 it's not just ideas 00:26:58.960 --> 00:26:59.900 there's a king 00:26:59.900 --> 00:27:01.779 who creates a kingdom 00:27:01.779 --> 00:27:03.460 and his kingdom 00:27:03.460 --> 00:27:04.779 is all centered 00:27:04.779 --> 00:27:05.720 around him 00:27:05.720 --> 00:27:07.579 and it's 00:27:07.579 --> 00:27:08.940 it's relating to him 00:27:08.940 --> 00:27:10.000 it's not a kingdom 00:27:10.000 --> 00:27:10.620 where you just 00:27:10.620 --> 00:27:11.339 sort of do things 00:27:11.339 --> 00:27:11.980 as if the king 00:27:11.980 --> 00:27:12.420 is gone 00:27:12.420 --> 00:27:13.319 that's the beginning 00:27:13.319 --> 00:27:14.039 of the psalm 00:27:14.039 --> 00:27:14.940 casting his bonds 00:27:14.940 --> 00:27:15.420 asunder 00:27:15.420 --> 00:27:16.960 there's always a king 00:27:16.960 --> 00:27:17.620 that we are to be 00:27:17.620 --> 00:27:18.180 close to 00:27:18.180 --> 00:27:19.019 and intimate with 00:27:19.019 --> 00:27:19.500 and that we are 00:27:19.500 --> 00:27:20.579 to pay homage to 00:27:20.579 --> 00:27:21.880 and when it says 00:27:21.880 --> 00:27:22.880 that his wrath 00:27:22.880 --> 00:27:23.640 in verse 12 00:27:23.640 --> 00:27:24.480 is quick 00:27:24.480 --> 00:27:25.079 that we might 00:27:25.079 --> 00:27:25.640 get 00:27:25.640 --> 00:27:26.839 we experience his anger 00:27:26.839 --> 00:27:27.759 that we might perish 00:27:27.759 --> 00:27:28.799 and that's the thing 00:27:28.799 --> 00:27:29.400 about the ruin 00:27:29.400 --> 00:27:30.100 and then his wrath 00:27:30.100 --> 00:27:31.100 is quickly kindled 00:27:31.100 --> 00:27:32.240 the image there 00:27:32.240 --> 00:27:32.920 isn't that God 00:27:32.920 --> 00:27:33.920 is very very thin 00:27:33.920 --> 00:27:34.400 skinned 00:27:34.400 --> 00:27:35.840 can fly into a rage 00:27:35.840 --> 00:27:36.360 in a moment 00:27:36.360 --> 00:27:37.920 the issue is this 00:27:37.920 --> 00:27:40.259 that in the next 30 seconds 00:27:40.259 --> 00:27:41.900 I could have an aneurysm 00:27:41.900 --> 00:27:42.720 and to your shock 00:27:42.720 --> 00:27:43.700 collapse dead 00:27:43.700 --> 00:27:48.900 that we don't know 00:27:48.900 --> 00:27:51.460 when we will appear 00:27:51.460 --> 00:27:52.060 before God 00:27:52.060 --> 00:27:52.740 face to face 00:27:52.740 --> 00:27:53.460 we might think 00:27:53.460 --> 00:27:53.820 we know 00:27:53.820 --> 00:27:54.600 I might think 00:27:54.600 --> 00:27:54.800 you know 00:27:54.800 --> 00:27:55.580 I'm having to plan 00:27:55.580 --> 00:27:56.900 eventually for my retirement 00:27:56.900 --> 00:27:57.280 and all 00:27:57.280 --> 00:27:58.000 and you know 00:27:58.000 --> 00:27:59.100 I think I'll plan 00:27:59.100 --> 00:28:00.280 a retirement plan 00:28:00.280 --> 00:28:01.120 until I'm 95 00:28:01.119 --> 00:28:01.959 and all of that 00:28:01.959 --> 00:28:02.500 type of stuff 00:28:02.500 --> 00:28:03.259 but I don't know 00:28:03.259 --> 00:28:04.359 I don't know 00:28:04.359 --> 00:28:05.079 if I'm going to die 00:28:05.079 --> 00:28:05.919 on my way home 00:28:05.919 --> 00:28:06.639 I don't know 00:28:06.639 --> 00:28:07.879 part of the thing 00:28:07.879 --> 00:28:08.879 that gets people 00:28:08.879 --> 00:28:10.019 like if you 00:28:10.019 --> 00:28:12.679 in Acts chapter 5 00:28:12.679 --> 00:28:13.379 there's this sort of 00:28:13.379 --> 00:28:14.319 scary story 00:28:14.319 --> 00:28:14.699 of a man 00:28:14.699 --> 00:28:15.079 by the name 00:28:15.079 --> 00:28:16.179 of Ananias and Sapphira 00:28:16.179 --> 00:28:17.000 who dropped dead 00:28:17.000 --> 00:28:19.959 and it's a whole other topic 00:28:19.959 --> 00:28:20.959 for another sermon 00:28:20.959 --> 00:28:21.659 but one of the things 00:28:21.659 --> 00:28:22.739 that commentators 00:28:22.739 --> 00:28:23.379 and all try to do 00:28:23.379 --> 00:28:24.299 is try to make it look 00:28:24.299 --> 00:28:24.779 like what 00:28:24.779 --> 00:28:26.759 what Ananias and Sapphira 00:28:26.759 --> 00:28:28.399 did was so unbelievably 00:28:28.400 --> 00:28:29.820 terribly wrong 00:28:29.820 --> 00:28:31.200 that God had to kill them 00:28:31.200 --> 00:28:32.240 but that is not 00:28:32.240 --> 00:28:33.240 the point of the story 00:28:33.240 --> 00:28:34.540 the fact of the matter is 00:28:34.540 --> 00:28:35.420 is that it was 00:28:35.420 --> 00:28:36.820 a garden variety 00:28:36.820 --> 00:28:38.340 type of bad thing 00:28:38.340 --> 00:28:40.960 just garden variety 00:28:40.960 --> 00:28:42.400 the simple little 00:28:42.400 --> 00:28:43.080 white lie 00:28:43.080 --> 00:28:43.800 that you or I 00:28:43.800 --> 00:28:45.019 take or make 00:28:45.019 --> 00:28:45.860 and we never even 00:28:45.860 --> 00:28:47.280 give it a second's thought 00:28:47.280 --> 00:28:48.519 and the point 00:28:48.519 --> 00:28:49.540 of the story is 00:28:49.540 --> 00:28:50.500 you never know 00:28:50.500 --> 00:28:51.220 when you're going to appear 00:28:51.220 --> 00:28:52.220 before the living God 00:28:52.220 --> 00:28:53.700 you just don't 00:28:53.700 --> 00:28:55.800 it can spring up 00:28:55.800 --> 00:28:56.180 in a moment 00:28:56.180 --> 00:28:56.880 and you're there 00:28:56.880 --> 00:28:59.240 I'm driving along 00:28:59.240 --> 00:28:59.740 thinking how 00:28:59.740 --> 00:29:00.540 I'm going to do this 00:29:00.540 --> 00:29:01.280 I'm going to do that 00:29:01.280 --> 00:29:02.160 I'm so great 00:29:02.160 --> 00:29:02.800 I'm do this 00:29:02.800 --> 00:29:03.580 and the next thing I know 00:29:03.580 --> 00:29:04.840 I'm before the living God 00:29:04.840 --> 00:29:07.200 I'm before him 00:29:07.200 --> 00:29:07.980 all of a sudden 00:29:07.980 --> 00:29:11.260 in the blink of an eye 00:29:11.260 --> 00:29:12.740 in the twinkle of an eye 00:29:12.740 --> 00:29:16.400 but notice how the psalm ends 00:29:16.400 --> 00:29:20.200 right now George 00:29:20.200 --> 00:29:22.620 if you are outside of Christ 00:29:22.620 --> 00:29:24.440 you are a man 00:29:24.440 --> 00:29:25.380 who stepped off 00:29:25.380 --> 00:29:26.420 of the tallest building 00:29:26.420 --> 00:29:27.160 in the world 00:29:27.160 --> 00:29:29.240 and you are falling 00:29:29.240 --> 00:29:31.080 and you might think 00:29:31.080 --> 00:29:31.600 you're God 00:29:31.600 --> 00:29:32.240 you might think 00:29:32.240 --> 00:29:32.780 you're flying 00:29:32.780 --> 00:29:34.020 you might shake your fist 00:29:34.020 --> 00:29:35.080 at the true and living God 00:29:35.080 --> 00:29:36.320 but the fact of the matter is 00:29:36.320 --> 00:29:37.020 is that you only have 00:29:37.020 --> 00:29:38.080 one destiny 00:29:38.080 --> 00:29:38.980 and that is to land 00:29:38.980 --> 00:29:39.560 in the ground 00:29:39.560 --> 00:29:42.160 but the psalm said 00:29:42.160 --> 00:29:43.240 there is another option 00:29:43.240 --> 00:29:45.740 why did God send 00:29:45.740 --> 00:29:47.340 his son 00:29:47.340 --> 00:29:48.400 his anointed one 00:29:48.400 --> 00:29:49.280 to his anointed 00:29:49.280 --> 00:29:51.320 to his Zion hill 00:29:51.320 --> 00:29:54.200 the hill where he died 00:29:54.200 --> 00:29:56.440 why did he send 00:29:56.440 --> 00:29:57.920 his only begotten son 00:29:57.920 --> 00:29:59.759 why did he send 00:29:59.759 --> 00:30:00.700 our king 00:30:00.700 --> 00:30:03.900 and he sent 00:30:03.900 --> 00:30:04.840 his king 00:30:04.840 --> 00:30:06.200 that he might drink 00:30:06.200 --> 00:30:06.740 the cup 00:30:06.740 --> 00:30:07.980 that you deserve 00:30:07.980 --> 00:30:10.019 he sent his son 00:30:10.019 --> 00:30:10.740 and his king 00:30:10.740 --> 00:30:12.360 that you and I 00:30:12.360 --> 00:30:14.240 might find refuge in him 00:30:14.240 --> 00:30:18.779 you and I 00:30:18.779 --> 00:30:21.799 by simple act of faith 00:30:21.799 --> 00:30:23.740 might find our refuge 00:30:23.740 --> 00:30:24.299 in him 00:30:24.299 --> 00:30:30.819 just as I sort of bring 00:30:30.819 --> 00:30:32.639 the sermon 00:30:32.639 --> 00:30:34.879 to a close 00:30:34.879 --> 00:30:37.779 what if you think 00:30:37.779 --> 00:30:38.799 back to verse 2 00:30:38.799 --> 00:30:39.759 let us burst 00:30:39.759 --> 00:30:40.720 their bonds 00:30:40.720 --> 00:30:41.579 apart 00:30:41.579 --> 00:30:42.700 and cast away 00:30:42.700 --> 00:30:43.359 their cords 00:30:43.359 --> 00:30:43.940 from us 00:30:43.940 --> 00:30:45.659 what is it 00:30:45.659 --> 00:30:46.299 you discover 00:30:46.299 --> 00:30:48.319 when you come 00:30:48.319 --> 00:30:48.759 to the Lord 00:30:48.759 --> 00:30:49.559 for refuge 00:30:49.559 --> 00:30:50.919 what are those 00:30:50.919 --> 00:30:51.599 cruel 00:30:51.599 --> 00:30:53.259 and irksome 00:30:53.259 --> 00:30:55.119 terrible bonds 00:30:55.119 --> 00:30:56.000 and cords 00:30:56.000 --> 00:30:57.139 that the Lord 00:30:57.139 --> 00:30:57.859 has for you 00:30:57.859 --> 00:30:58.299 and me 00:30:58.299 --> 00:31:02.559 truth 00:31:02.559 --> 00:31:06.519 the Lord wants 00:31:06.519 --> 00:31:07.059 to bind us 00:31:07.059 --> 00:31:07.700 with truth 00:31:07.700 --> 00:31:10.079 what do I want 00:31:10.079 --> 00:31:11.960 in the vanity 00:31:11.960 --> 00:31:13.139 of my imaginations 00:31:13.139 --> 00:31:14.119 I want lies 00:31:14.119 --> 00:31:16.679 he wants to bind 00:31:16.679 --> 00:31:17.539 me with the truth 00:31:17.539 --> 00:31:19.799 he wants to 00:31:19.799 --> 00:31:20.799 bind me with love 00:31:20.799 --> 00:31:21.720 when I want to hate 00:31:21.720 --> 00:31:22.539 he wants to bind 00:31:22.539 --> 00:31:23.339 me with goodness 00:31:23.339 --> 00:31:25.220 when I would 00:31:25.220 --> 00:31:26.299 rather do things 00:31:26.299 --> 00:31:27.159 which are purely 00:31:27.159 --> 00:31:27.639 and utterly 00:31:27.639 --> 00:31:28.839 pursuing my ego 00:31:28.839 --> 00:31:29.639 he wants to 00:31:29.639 --> 00:31:30.659 bind me with beauty 00:31:30.659 --> 00:31:31.500 when I want to 00:31:31.500 --> 00:31:32.879 choose ugliness 00:31:32.879 --> 00:31:34.339 ugliness from my lips 00:31:34.339 --> 00:31:34.940 or ugliness 00:31:34.940 --> 00:31:35.720 in my mind 00:31:35.720 --> 00:31:36.579 or in my imagination 00:31:36.579 --> 00:31:37.680 he wants to bind 00:31:37.680 --> 00:31:38.440 me with beauty 00:31:38.440 --> 00:31:39.599 he wants to bind 00:31:39.599 --> 00:31:40.420 me with justice 00:31:40.420 --> 00:31:40.940 when I would 00:31:40.940 --> 00:31:41.480 rather have 00:31:41.480 --> 00:31:41.980 injustice 00:31:41.980 --> 00:31:42.799 he wants to 00:31:42.799 --> 00:31:43.799 bind me with mercy 00:31:43.799 --> 00:31:44.639 when I would 00:31:44.639 --> 00:31:45.200 rather show 00:31:45.200 --> 00:31:45.799 no mercy 00:31:45.799 --> 00:31:46.519 he wants to 00:31:46.519 --> 00:31:51.859 bind me with the gift of forgiveness, when I would rather show no forgiveness but show resentment. 00:31:52.420 --> 00:31:57.039 Those are the terrible, terrible, terrible, atrocious things that the living, true and 00:31:57.039 --> 00:32:03.240 living God wants to bind you and me with. Those are the cords we want to cast away. 00:32:06.420 --> 00:32:12.220 And the Lord looks at you and me and says, gosh, George, you need to find refuge in me, 00:32:12.220 --> 00:32:20.079 the way, the truth, and the life, the true, the good, the beautiful. I who am just yet merciful, 00:32:21.160 --> 00:32:28.940 whose goodness is beauty and whose beauty is goodness. And we need that. We don't need to 00:32:28.940 --> 00:32:38.100 have those cast aside. I need those to bind me. And you know the wonderful thing? I was sharing 00:32:38.100 --> 00:32:41.940 this with somebody. We got on a bit of a sidetrack. This is a non-Christian. This is a couple of 00:32:41.940 --> 00:32:45.539 months ago. And I said, you know, one of the wonderful things about the Bible and things 00:32:45.539 --> 00:32:51.700 like this is if you think about it for a second, all the Bible says is you shall not tell a lie. 00:32:52.380 --> 00:32:56.840 And my implication is it tells you you should tell the truth. But you think about it for a 00:32:56.840 --> 00:33:02.480 second. You can sing. You can write poetry. You can write a novel. You can write laws. 00:33:02.480 --> 00:33:10.500 Just don't tell lies. Just don't tell lies. Like it's not free. It's not like it's so 00:33:10.500 --> 00:33:16.120 binding me as if I can only say one thing, you know, quack, quack, quack, quack. No, 00:33:16.539 --> 00:33:23.599 the whole universe is open. Write about economics. Write about statistics. Write beautiful songs 00:33:23.599 --> 00:33:33.000 and sing them. Just don't tell lies. Speak the truth. It doesn't tell you how to love. 00:33:33.459 --> 00:33:38.619 Love your children one way. Love your husband or your wife another way. Love your neighbor 00:33:38.619 --> 00:33:44.179 another way. Love the barista who's serving you another way. It doesn't tell you how to. 00:33:44.579 --> 00:33:51.480 You see what I mean? It's like these things aren't things which bind us. And that's the thing 00:33:51.480 --> 00:33:57.440 which the Psalms are going to now unfold. That now that you realize, okay, I have a sin problem. 00:33:57.519 --> 00:34:02.140 There's something in me. There's some significant part of me that's always going to be rebelling 00:34:02.140 --> 00:34:10.300 against God. That my refuge in him is a work of his grace, not of my accomplishment. And now the 00:34:10.300 --> 00:34:15.079 Psalm is going to help me to sing out of finding refuge in him and wanting to have deeper refuge in 00:34:15.079 --> 00:34:21.280 him and understanding how these chords and bonds that his word provides are completely trustworthy. 00:34:21.480 --> 00:34:27.199 And do not destroy me, but make me more fully myself and make me free and whole. 00:34:27.659 --> 00:34:33.159 We are all on one level. Fundamentally, we know that we are more ourselves in truth than in lie, 00:34:33.280 --> 00:34:38.119 more ourselves in goodness than in evil, more ourselves in beauty than in ugliness, 00:34:38.480 --> 00:34:47.539 more in ourselves in justice rather than injustice, more ourselves in mercy rather than in hatred. 00:34:47.539 --> 00:34:53.639 And that is what the Lord calls you and me to invite you to stand. 00:34:53.639 --> 00:35:06.819 Let's bow our heads in prayer. And just before I pray, if you're here or if you're watching online, 00:35:09.319 --> 00:35:13.400 if you either maybe you're not sure where you are with the trying God, but after hearing this, 00:35:13.500 --> 00:35:17.639 you realize there's been a tug in your heart that you don't want to have imagined tug on your heart, 00:35:17.639 --> 00:35:23.879 that you'd rather have the true and living God tug on your heart, that you'd rather not want to cast off his bonds, 00:35:23.940 --> 00:35:29.639 but you want to find refuge in him so that the bonds of truth and love and goodness and mercy and beauty and justice 00:35:29.639 --> 00:35:34.019 are the bonds that begin to actually keep you together and whole. 00:35:34.159 --> 00:35:38.039 There is no better time than right now to just call out to the true and living God and say, 00:35:38.039 --> 00:35:45.739 Jesus, please be my Savior and Lord, and I want to find my refuge in you and never let me go. 00:35:45.779 --> 00:35:48.420 And there's no better time than now just to call out to him and say that. 00:35:49.259 --> 00:35:50.460 Let's bow our heads in prayer. 00:35:51.960 --> 00:35:55.960 Father, we thank you that your word makes clear who we are. 00:35:55.960 --> 00:36:04.199 And we ask, Lord, that you create within us a hunger for you, a hunger for Jesus, 00:36:05.659 --> 00:36:09.420 that the message of the gospel and of your mercy, that it humble us, 00:36:09.500 --> 00:36:12.539 that it helps us to die to our pride and vain glory. 00:36:13.720 --> 00:36:17.480 We give you thanks and praise that you want us to find refuge in you, 00:36:17.519 --> 00:36:22.099 that you are our refuge, and that when we find our refuge in you through your grace, 00:36:22.099 --> 00:36:27.819 that, well, Father, that from the perspective of your grace, as we hear your words, 00:36:27.920 --> 00:36:32.039 we begin to understand that you just want us to be bond. 00:36:33.779 --> 00:36:35.440 You want to bind us with truth. 00:36:35.619 --> 00:36:36.880 You want to bind us with love. 00:36:36.980 --> 00:36:38.279 You want to bind us with joy. 00:36:38.599 --> 00:36:41.659 You want to bind us with peace and mercy and justice and beauty. 00:36:42.599 --> 00:36:46.219 And so, Lord, we ask that you create not only a hunger and longing and yearning for you, 00:36:46.299 --> 00:36:48.599 but a hunger and longing and yearning for your word, 00:36:48.599 --> 00:36:53.900 hunger and longing and yearning to know the psalms and have the psalms form us, 00:36:53.980 --> 00:36:56.460 to guide us in our prayer and the singing of our praises. 00:36:57.019 --> 00:37:00.779 We ask, Lord, that your word have a deep hole and root in our lives. 00:37:00.819 --> 00:37:05.219 And we ask all of these things in the name of Jesus, your Son and our Savior. 00:37:06.159 --> 00:37:06.519 Amen.