WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.240 Great. Thank you, Neil. Good morning. Good morning. So good to be with you this morning. 00:00:07.240 --> 00:00:16.940 Thank you for letting me come along and join you and sing with you and pray with you and praise the Lord together with you. 00:00:18.219 --> 00:00:22.920 Let me keep the theme going here this morning. OK, I love Sundays. 00:00:23.700 --> 00:00:28.740 I so, so, so love even when it's your main working day. I still love Sundays. 00:00:29.759 --> 00:00:33.380 It's such an amazing thing. What a blessing. Listen, think about it. 00:00:33.380 --> 00:00:37.840 Think about it. What a blessing that that God invites us. 00:00:38.500 --> 00:00:51.480 And, you know, sometimes it's hard to get up on a Sunday morning, but that God invites us to to to to be able to punctuate just the craziness of our lives and the busyness and and all of that. 00:00:52.300 --> 00:00:57.680 Sometimes the battle, sometimes the battle. Right. We're we're we're we're out there for Jesus. Amen. 00:00:58.640 --> 00:01:02.440 Right. We're out there. That's that's that's what life looks like a lot of the time. 00:01:02.439 --> 00:01:08.159 We're we're ambassadors for Christ. We're out there for Jesus. And and and, you know, it hits you. 00:01:08.280 --> 00:01:13.079 It hits you. You get tired. It's it's sometimes wearying. It's hard. It's hard to fight. 00:01:13.840 --> 00:01:20.019 Right. It's hard to fight. And just to be able to. So the Lord prepares this. 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:25.159 The Lord prepares this. And I'm so glad you said that this morning, Graham. 00:01:25.219 --> 00:01:28.259 I just got it started here. And Pete followed up on that. 00:01:28.260 --> 00:01:32.840 I thought I better say something. Right. Just just to remind us. 00:01:33.040 --> 00:01:35.660 Don't take it for granted. All the people around you here. 00:01:36.420 --> 00:01:39.460 Great bunch. Great bunch. Some of you used to be a crubbers. 00:01:41.380 --> 00:01:48.920 Great bunch. And just just delighted to share fellowship in the gospel together with you guys and to be able to be in this great city. 00:01:48.920 --> 00:01:53.740 And to serve the Lord together and pray for us. Pray for you. Pray for us. 00:01:53.820 --> 00:01:56.359 We've got that. We're right there on the high street, smack in the middle of the high street. 00:01:56.500 --> 00:01:59.719 And the festivals come in. And every year we've got this great opportunity. 00:01:59.900 --> 00:02:03.980 We call it There is Hope. A couple of weeks of just opening the doors and playing music. 00:02:04.359 --> 00:02:07.400 And and we don't have to do a whole lot. People just come in. 00:02:07.400 --> 00:02:14.280 And you've got it here. You've got your food bank and different stuff going on that that that's our it's our duty. 00:02:14.439 --> 00:02:17.759 It's our joy. It's our privilege. It's our passion. 00:02:17.879 --> 00:02:21.520 I hope just to be able to do these things for for Christ. 00:02:22.379 --> 00:02:26.439 So God bless you as you as you do that. And don't take it for granted. 00:02:26.599 --> 00:02:29.060 Don't take each other for granted. Don't take this precious time for granted. 00:02:29.740 --> 00:02:37.219 OK, Psalm 45. So in your Bible, wherever you've got it there, turn to Psalm 45 so that so that you can look at this. 00:02:37.699 --> 00:02:42.060 Just as we we we go through it. Not near in us. Never is near. 00:02:42.240 --> 00:02:47.159 Every preacher says not near enough time to to do everything we want to do with God's word. 00:02:47.159 --> 00:02:53.579 But surely for this psalm, you may read it and just kind of, you know, just kind of glance over it a bit. 00:02:53.659 --> 00:03:02.079 There is so much in this psalm. There's a great picture here that I hope we can get at a little bit on a couple of different levels. 00:03:02.080 --> 00:03:12.340 There's a few things going on here. I'd like to suggest to you in this psalm that are just so encouraging, so exciting, so profound for us. 00:03:12.380 --> 00:03:16.880 As we we look at God's word, the psalms in particular are like that. 00:03:16.939 --> 00:03:19.720 I assume you're going through the psalms. Right. 00:03:19.719 --> 00:03:25.460 I don't think you've done all 45 up to now. Probably a wee kind of sampling of the psalms. 00:03:25.539 --> 00:03:29.819 Is that what you're what you're doing? OK. And and so this morning, Psalm 45. 00:03:30.340 --> 00:03:34.360 Psalm some just great, great stuff, isn't it? Great stuff. 00:03:34.360 --> 00:03:42.940 I mean, the stuff that the saints have have just immersed themselves in, poured over their weary lives. 00:03:43.280 --> 00:03:52.920 Right. For for for literally for centuries, centuries, they've gone to this book for for good reason, for good reason. 00:03:52.980 --> 00:04:00.260 One of the richest books here, Psalms, one of the richest books of poetry and praise and and prayer anywhere in the Bible. 00:04:00.259 --> 00:04:06.519 Rich, rich, rich, rich stuff here in Psalms. And in fact, it is literally it is literally Psalms. 00:04:06.639 --> 00:04:09.759 It's Psalms. So it's literally a hymn book of worship. 00:04:09.759 --> 00:04:15.099 It's literally a hymn book of worship. And it's, I would say, to a textbook for prayer. 00:04:15.239 --> 00:04:20.620 It's just a great example of if you want to just grow in your prayer life, go to Psalms. 00:04:20.740 --> 00:04:24.019 And it did most of these their songs to God. 00:04:24.180 --> 00:04:27.079 Their songs about God, but their prayers to God. 00:04:27.079 --> 00:04:30.979 So so lots to learn here as well about prayer. 00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:38.500 And it's one of the most diverse. It's got one of the most diverse tables of context, contents, I think, anywhere in the Bible. 00:04:38.879 --> 00:04:42.740 Short Psalms. Right. Long Psalms. Happy Psalms. Sad Psalms. 00:04:43.060 --> 00:04:46.519 Praise Psalms. Lament Psalms. Royal Psalms. Wisdom Psalms. 00:04:47.139 --> 00:04:50.919 Imprecatory Psalms. Confession Psalms. Kingdom Psalms. Messianic Psalms. 00:04:50.920 --> 00:04:57.740 And this morning, a love psalm. A love psalm. Listen, is that not good? 00:04:58.840 --> 00:05:02.120 Come on, guys. Come on. Come on. It's good. Yes. Yes, it is good. 00:05:02.379 --> 00:05:05.020 It's what I'm looking for. Yes, it's good. A love psalm. 00:05:06.259 --> 00:05:10.100 A love psalm. In fact, right up front. Right up front. We've we've seen this. 00:05:10.200 --> 00:05:12.379 Neil, write it for us. Right up front in the title. 00:05:13.220 --> 00:05:15.740 And they want us to see this. Writer wants us to see this. 00:05:15.840 --> 00:05:20.020 Right up front in the title. The writer tells us that this is a love song. 00:05:20.019 --> 00:05:23.139 Did you see it? He tells us this is a love song. 00:05:23.699 --> 00:05:27.699 The Hebrew says a song of one beloved. That's literally what it says. 00:05:27.740 --> 00:05:32.139 A song of one beloved. The NIV translates it. A wedding song. 00:05:33.680 --> 00:05:37.579 A wedding song. Some other some other versions will translate. 00:05:37.719 --> 00:05:39.379 If you have another version, a love song. 00:05:40.159 --> 00:05:44.859 But listen, how utterly appropriate. Isn't it? 00:05:45.379 --> 00:05:49.299 How utterly appropriate. Because what's the Bible? 00:05:50.979 --> 00:05:52.859 What's the Bible? You say, well, the Bible is God's word. 00:05:53.019 --> 00:05:55.139 And the Bible is a revelation of God. 00:05:55.199 --> 00:05:57.779 And the, you know, the redemptive work of God. 00:05:57.819 --> 00:06:01.919 But what's the love? What is another way you could look at the Bible? 00:06:02.599 --> 00:06:03.919 What is it? What kind of story is it? 00:06:04.019 --> 00:06:06.120 It's a love story. 00:06:06.120 --> 00:06:10.579 It's a love story. Of course it is. Of course it is. 00:06:10.759 --> 00:06:12.459 What's one of the most famous verses in the Bible? 00:06:12.879 --> 00:06:18.060 For God so loved the world. 00:06:18.060 --> 00:06:24.780 This weary, lost, wayward, tired, evil. 00:06:25.439 --> 00:06:27.540 All of that. All the days are evil. 00:06:27.740 --> 00:06:28.780 Make the most of your time. 00:06:29.339 --> 00:06:33.399 But just this broken world. 00:06:33.399 --> 00:06:36.279 God loves that. 00:06:38.399 --> 00:06:40.679 The people we're tempted to hate. 00:06:41.219 --> 00:06:42.859 Guys. Right? 00:06:43.579 --> 00:06:45.339 The people we're tempted to hate. 00:06:45.620 --> 00:06:46.239 God loves. 00:06:48.199 --> 00:06:48.659 God loves. 00:06:48.819 --> 00:06:49.560 Because I'll tell you something. 00:06:49.679 --> 00:06:51.039 Some people are tempted to hate us. 00:06:51.839 --> 00:06:52.399 Right? 00:06:53.159 --> 00:06:54.579 Some people are tempted to hate me. 00:06:54.699 --> 00:06:55.979 For whatever reason. 00:06:56.159 --> 00:06:56.919 I've met them. 00:06:56.920 --> 00:06:59.060 I've met them. 00:06:59.640 --> 00:07:02.199 I'm so thankful God loves me. 00:07:03.379 --> 00:07:06.400 And so why not a wedding song in the Psalms? 00:07:06.460 --> 00:07:07.900 In fact, we should be expecting one. 00:07:08.439 --> 00:07:08.980 Shouldn't we? 00:07:09.020 --> 00:07:10.100 We should be expecting one. 00:07:10.180 --> 00:07:10.800 And this Psalm. 00:07:11.560 --> 00:07:12.420 Psalm 45. 00:07:12.420 --> 00:07:15.840 This Psalm is very, very unique. 00:07:16.180 --> 00:07:17.520 Among the Psalms. 00:07:17.920 --> 00:07:19.740 It's very unique among the Psalms. 00:07:19.879 --> 00:07:21.900 Because almost everywhere else. 00:07:22.060 --> 00:07:24.580 Not exactly everywhere else. 00:07:24.819 --> 00:07:26.860 But almost everywhere else. 00:07:27.180 --> 00:07:27.939 In the Psalms. 00:07:28.259 --> 00:07:30.100 The authors of the Psalms. 00:07:30.220 --> 00:07:30.939 And you'll get this. 00:07:30.960 --> 00:07:32.240 You'll get this when you read the Psalms. 00:07:32.480 --> 00:07:33.680 Almost everywhere else. 00:07:33.720 --> 00:07:34.699 The authors of the Psalms. 00:07:35.020 --> 00:07:36.740 They're ranting and raving. 00:07:37.060 --> 00:07:37.720 And wrestling. 00:07:38.040 --> 00:07:38.840 And reasoning. 00:07:40.040 --> 00:07:41.819 And then hopefully for most of them. 00:07:41.860 --> 00:07:42.560 Other than a couple. 00:07:42.900 --> 00:07:44.400 They finally are resting. 00:07:45.860 --> 00:07:48.100 In God. 00:07:48.580 --> 00:07:50.639 That's what the Psalms are all about. 00:07:50.639 --> 00:07:51.819 It's a lot of struggle. 00:07:52.620 --> 00:07:53.860 When you read the Psalms. 00:07:53.960 --> 00:07:54.160 Fair? 00:07:54.840 --> 00:07:55.600 You've read the Psalms. 00:07:55.660 --> 00:07:56.560 It's a lot of struggle. 00:07:57.360 --> 00:07:59.680 There's a lot of whys going on in the Psalms. 00:07:59.740 --> 00:08:00.920 And how longs. 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:01.580 And you know. 00:08:01.640 --> 00:08:02.360 Oh my goodness. 00:08:03.199 --> 00:08:03.920 You feel it. 00:08:03.960 --> 00:08:04.420 You feel it. 00:08:04.460 --> 00:08:05.040 It's gutsy. 00:08:05.120 --> 00:08:05.900 It's gutsy. 00:08:06.360 --> 00:08:07.800 It's real life stuff. 00:08:07.800 --> 00:08:11.400 But this one's really interesting. 00:08:11.540 --> 00:08:12.860 This one is just a love song. 00:08:13.860 --> 00:08:14.660 There's none of that. 00:08:14.819 --> 00:08:15.460 Really here. 00:08:16.379 --> 00:08:16.860 There's none of that. 00:08:16.900 --> 00:08:17.819 It's very, very unique. 00:08:17.939 --> 00:08:19.000 It's just a love song. 00:08:19.079 --> 00:08:21.720 This is just a song about a king and his bride. 00:08:23.180 --> 00:08:23.540 Right? 00:08:23.660 --> 00:08:25.860 At face value. 00:08:26.100 --> 00:08:27.139 Take it at face value. 00:08:27.639 --> 00:08:27.920 Right? 00:08:27.960 --> 00:08:28.560 At that level. 00:08:28.639 --> 00:08:30.780 It's just a song about a king and his bride. 00:08:30.779 --> 00:08:34.360 Some think just an arbitrary king of Israel. 00:08:34.500 --> 00:08:36.319 Just one of the kings of Israel. 00:08:37.059 --> 00:08:38.159 Some think it's David. 00:08:39.360 --> 00:08:40.480 That it's about David. 00:08:41.220 --> 00:08:42.899 Some think it's the king. 00:08:42.899 --> 00:08:47.799 And his bride. 00:08:48.220 --> 00:08:48.679 Who's that? 00:08:48.740 --> 00:08:49.519 Who are we talking about? 00:08:50.340 --> 00:08:52.379 Jesus and the church. 00:08:52.480 --> 00:08:53.399 Jesus and the church. 00:08:53.620 --> 00:08:53.799 Right? 00:08:54.220 --> 00:08:56.019 I think Psalm 45. 00:08:56.459 --> 00:08:59.439 I think Psalm 45 does in the Old Testament. 00:09:02.620 --> 00:09:06.439 Exactly what Ephesians 5 does in the New Testament. 00:09:06.439 --> 00:09:09.059 Where the writer blends the two. 00:09:10.019 --> 00:09:12.539 There's a lot of blending going on in this Psalm. 00:09:13.120 --> 00:09:14.220 If you dig deep. 00:09:14.319 --> 00:09:17.019 I think this is very similar to what Paul does in Ephesians 5. 00:09:17.179 --> 00:09:18.799 And he blends the two. 00:09:19.759 --> 00:09:21.100 He blends the two. 00:09:21.240 --> 00:09:24.959 And he takes the example of a marriage in this world. 00:09:25.079 --> 00:09:25.639 Just a marriage. 00:09:25.720 --> 00:09:26.419 King and his bride. 00:09:27.399 --> 00:09:28.399 Husband and a wife. 00:09:28.579 --> 00:09:31.740 He takes just the example of a marriage in this world. 00:09:31.939 --> 00:09:33.519 The king and queen in the Old Testament. 00:09:33.659 --> 00:09:36.000 Husband and wife in the New Testament. 00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:42.879 And he uses it to teach us something about a far greater marriage. 00:09:43.899 --> 00:09:45.079 I think that's what he's doing here. 00:09:45.659 --> 00:09:47.480 In fact, about the marriage. 00:09:47.539 --> 00:09:48.919 About the marriage. 00:09:49.579 --> 00:09:53.860 That every human marriage is actually created to reflect. 00:09:54.799 --> 00:09:56.759 That's when we have our weddings and stuff. 00:09:56.879 --> 00:09:59.139 Particularly in Bible churches. 00:09:59.799 --> 00:10:01.459 That's something that we should realize. 00:10:01.679 --> 00:10:03.019 That every couple is doing. 00:10:03.139 --> 00:10:04.220 We're happy for them. 00:10:04.879 --> 00:10:05.199 Right? 00:10:05.840 --> 00:10:07.980 I've got two more coming up this month. 00:10:09.660 --> 00:10:11.080 And we're happy for them. 00:10:11.740 --> 00:10:13.259 But there's something bigger going on. 00:10:13.520 --> 00:10:13.700 Amen? 00:10:14.660 --> 00:10:15.720 There's something bigger going on. 00:10:15.759 --> 00:10:16.379 And just in life. 00:10:16.420 --> 00:10:16.920 In life. 00:10:17.480 --> 00:10:18.060 In life. 00:10:18.140 --> 00:10:19.620 We see in one level. 00:10:19.740 --> 00:10:20.560 We see this world. 00:10:20.700 --> 00:10:21.720 We know our own issues. 00:10:21.720 --> 00:10:22.500 In our jobs. 00:10:22.580 --> 00:10:23.100 In our families. 00:10:23.379 --> 00:10:24.860 And stuff that's coming up. 00:10:24.960 --> 00:10:25.360 And ranting. 00:10:25.500 --> 00:10:25.759 Raising. 00:10:25.759 --> 00:10:26.139 Raving. 00:10:26.259 --> 00:10:27.379 And wrestling ourselves. 00:10:27.759 --> 00:10:29.279 But something bigger is going on. 00:10:29.279 --> 00:10:29.759 Isn't it? 00:10:30.519 --> 00:10:31.259 Something bigger is. 00:10:31.300 --> 00:10:33.399 And that's what we rejoice in. 00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:37.160 That's what gives us the power to be joyful in all of this. 00:10:37.220 --> 00:10:37.340 Right? 00:10:37.399 --> 00:10:41.680 We gave Paul the power to say rejoice in the middle of a prison cell. 00:10:41.779 --> 00:10:42.960 And again, I say rejoice. 00:10:43.460 --> 00:10:44.660 So it's similar here. 00:10:44.700 --> 00:10:48.040 It's similar here, I think, with marriage and with wedding. 00:10:48.220 --> 00:10:52.120 And we're looking at this greater marriage. 00:10:53.800 --> 00:10:56.620 Which is Ephesians 5.32 tells us. 00:10:57.160 --> 00:10:58.980 Paul says right at the end of that great chapter. 00:10:58.980 --> 00:11:00.440 He says, this mystery. 00:11:00.580 --> 00:11:01.540 And I think he's talking about there. 00:11:01.620 --> 00:11:02.700 This mystery, he says. 00:11:03.000 --> 00:11:04.800 Two humans becoming one. 00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:06.780 It's a mystery. 00:11:07.340 --> 00:11:09.000 Two humans becoming one. 00:11:09.679 --> 00:11:13.500 This mystery, he says, is great. 00:11:13.500 --> 00:11:16.100 And a lot of you who are married would be saying amen. 00:11:16.259 --> 00:11:16.899 It is a mystery. 00:11:17.779 --> 00:11:18.759 Marriage is a mystery. 00:11:19.620 --> 00:11:19.860 Right? 00:11:20.539 --> 00:11:21.539 It's a love story. 00:11:21.600 --> 00:11:23.600 But it's sometimes a mystery story as well. 00:11:23.720 --> 00:11:24.200 Isn't it? 00:11:24.799 --> 00:11:26.440 Trying to figure out your spouse. 00:11:27.120 --> 00:11:29.960 And, you know, Sarah and I have had a week like that this week. 00:11:30.019 --> 00:11:32.200 And so we've had a weekend of reconciliation. 00:11:32.779 --> 00:11:33.899 It's good to confess your sins. 00:11:34.000 --> 00:11:35.960 Thank you for letting me come here and confess my sins. 00:11:36.500 --> 00:11:37.539 We've had one of those weeks. 00:11:37.539 --> 00:11:39.120 And I've been a mystery to her. 00:11:39.179 --> 00:11:39.899 And she's been a mystery. 00:11:40.059 --> 00:11:41.559 This mystery is great. 00:11:41.699 --> 00:11:42.639 And it is. 00:11:42.799 --> 00:11:44.860 Like marriage and like that. 00:11:45.659 --> 00:11:48.139 But I'm speaking to you, Paul says, with reference to. 00:11:48.879 --> 00:11:50.339 What do you say in Ephesians 5? 00:11:50.539 --> 00:11:52.059 Christ and the church. 00:11:52.500 --> 00:11:52.599 Right? 00:11:52.679 --> 00:11:54.360 So something far bigger, something far greater. 00:11:54.439 --> 00:11:54.839 And so listen. 00:11:55.120 --> 00:11:55.659 First and foremost. 00:11:55.740 --> 00:11:56.639 Only two points this morning. 00:11:56.939 --> 00:11:57.839 First and foremost. 00:11:58.259 --> 00:12:00.539 This psalm is about the greatness of the king. 00:12:00.919 --> 00:12:01.659 Did you get that? 00:12:01.899 --> 00:12:03.019 A couple things going on here. 00:12:03.019 --> 00:12:08.220 But first and foremost, this psalm is about the greatness of the king. 00:12:08.919 --> 00:12:09.460 All right? 00:12:09.500 --> 00:12:10.559 And let's take it at two levels. 00:12:10.579 --> 00:12:11.579 Just at face value. 00:12:11.899 --> 00:12:15.740 It's not at all uncommon in the Old Testament to talk about the greatness of a king. 00:12:16.360 --> 00:12:19.919 It wasn't at all uncommon for the Israelites to talk about the greatness of a king. 00:12:20.059 --> 00:12:21.120 Not just the king. 00:12:21.179 --> 00:12:21.480 The king. 00:12:21.539 --> 00:12:22.120 The human king. 00:12:22.360 --> 00:12:22.659 It's not. 00:12:22.759 --> 00:12:25.220 That's not uncommon to read in the Bible. 00:12:25.220 --> 00:12:29.560 People talking about his greatness, even if he's human. 00:12:29.620 --> 00:12:31.580 Because he was supposed to be. 00:12:32.040 --> 00:12:34.120 Think about the king and who God intended him to be. 00:12:34.340 --> 00:12:38.840 He was supposed to be the paragon of glory and majesty. 00:12:38.840 --> 00:12:39.460 Wasn't he? 00:12:40.420 --> 00:12:41.840 That's what he was supposed to be. 00:12:41.980 --> 00:12:44.980 That's the kind of example he was supposed to set. 00:12:46.680 --> 00:12:49.980 He was supposed to maintain justice and righteousness. 00:12:50.180 --> 00:12:51.360 That's what he was supposed to do. 00:12:51.360 --> 00:12:56.139 He was supposed to model integrity and faithfulness. 00:12:57.259 --> 00:13:00.100 He was supposed to mediate God's character. 00:13:00.360 --> 00:13:02.560 He was supposed to master God's truth. 00:13:02.800 --> 00:13:04.180 That's what he was supposed to do. 00:13:05.480 --> 00:13:09.560 And so it's like the psalmist just can't wait when it opens up. 00:13:09.800 --> 00:13:13.180 It's like the psalmist just can't wait to get this song out of his mouth. 00:13:13.259 --> 00:13:13.980 Did you see that? 00:13:14.240 --> 00:13:15.000 See how he starts? 00:13:15.159 --> 00:13:18.279 It's just like he can't wait to get this song out of his mouth. 00:13:18.279 --> 00:13:22.419 My heart, he says, is overflowing with a good theme. 00:13:23.459 --> 00:13:26.459 This guy is ready to go to church, isn't he? 00:13:27.259 --> 00:13:28.299 He's ready to go to church. 00:13:28.419 --> 00:13:29.360 Get with me, guys. 00:13:30.039 --> 00:13:30.720 Get with me. 00:13:31.220 --> 00:13:33.559 I was in the States recently and the pastor just came saying, 00:13:33.659 --> 00:13:34.799 I wish I had a church to preach to. 00:13:35.539 --> 00:13:36.740 I wish I had a church to preach to. 00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:38.879 He just can't wait to go to church. 00:13:39.139 --> 00:13:41.679 His heart is overflowing with a good theme. 00:13:41.679 --> 00:13:48.199 He says, my tongue is the pen of a ready writer, he says. 00:13:48.259 --> 00:13:49.379 And then off he goes, right? 00:13:49.459 --> 00:13:50.059 Off he goes. 00:13:50.179 --> 00:13:52.979 He just, he says, I can't wait to sing this song. 00:13:53.059 --> 00:13:53.620 And then off he goes. 00:13:53.859 --> 00:13:55.120 You're fairer than the sons of men. 00:13:55.219 --> 00:13:58.099 Grace is poured upon your lips. 00:13:58.299 --> 00:14:00.679 Gird your sword in your thigh with glory and majesty. 00:14:00.799 --> 00:14:06.219 In your majesty, ride prosperously because of the truth, humility, and righteousness. 00:14:06.339 --> 00:14:07.319 Listen, what a guy. 00:14:07.419 --> 00:14:08.519 He's talking about this king. 00:14:08.779 --> 00:14:09.439 What a guy. 00:14:09.599 --> 00:14:10.199 What a guy. 00:14:10.200 --> 00:14:12.820 What a high and holy calling for every king. 00:14:13.180 --> 00:14:14.620 And yet, listen, listen. 00:14:15.220 --> 00:14:16.340 None of them lived up to it. 00:14:18.340 --> 00:14:18.900 Did they? 00:14:20.080 --> 00:14:20.660 You know the kings? 00:14:21.379 --> 00:14:22.540 We're reading Psalms here. 00:14:22.759 --> 00:14:24.060 You've read Kings and Chronicles. 00:14:24.300 --> 00:14:25.060 None of them lived up to it. 00:14:25.060 --> 00:14:25.780 Very few. 00:14:27.120 --> 00:14:28.340 None in the northern kingdoms. 00:14:28.460 --> 00:14:28.680 None. 00:14:29.780 --> 00:14:31.080 Few in the southern kingdom. 00:14:31.540 --> 00:14:33.180 But none of them lived up to this. 00:14:33.440 --> 00:14:34.480 Not even David. 00:14:36.520 --> 00:14:37.400 Not even David. 00:14:37.540 --> 00:14:39.360 None of them lived up to this. 00:14:40.340 --> 00:14:42.000 Strange, strange, strange, wasn't it? 00:14:42.000 --> 00:14:46.019 That all these kings were just, all these human kings, they were just so very human. 00:14:46.919 --> 00:14:47.340 Weren't they? 00:14:47.940 --> 00:14:49.180 They were just so very human. 00:14:49.320 --> 00:14:50.840 And we're supposed to see that, guys. 00:14:50.919 --> 00:14:51.860 We're supposed to see that. 00:14:51.899 --> 00:14:52.720 We're supposed to get that. 00:14:52.899 --> 00:14:54.460 There's a bigger story going on here. 00:14:54.700 --> 00:14:58.060 The Holy Spirit wets our appetites with this stuff. 00:14:58.300 --> 00:14:59.060 To look deeper. 00:14:59.240 --> 00:14:59.879 To go deeper. 00:15:00.200 --> 00:15:01.060 To think higher. 00:15:02.820 --> 00:15:03.940 None of these guys. 00:15:03.940 --> 00:15:05.220 Not even David. 00:15:05.340 --> 00:15:06.640 Man after God's own hearts. 00:15:07.400 --> 00:15:08.780 And I think that's why. 00:15:08.880 --> 00:15:09.120 Listen. 00:15:09.340 --> 00:15:09.500 Here. 00:15:09.580 --> 00:15:10.160 Look at this Psalm. 00:15:10.380 --> 00:15:11.340 I think that's why. 00:15:11.440 --> 00:15:12.240 Almost certainly. 00:15:12.760 --> 00:15:13.620 Almost certainly. 00:15:13.800 --> 00:15:15.540 Even though the Psalmist could. 00:15:16.580 --> 00:15:23.340 And maybe even sometimes does attribute some of this Psalm to Israel's great kings. 00:15:24.300 --> 00:15:28.019 Ultimately, he has to look beyond that. 00:15:28.480 --> 00:15:28.980 Doesn't he? 00:15:29.399 --> 00:15:30.800 He has to look beyond it. 00:15:30.800 --> 00:15:33.560 He has to look beyond the human kings of Israel. 00:15:33.720 --> 00:15:35.580 To the great king of Israel. 00:15:35.860 --> 00:15:36.840 He has to. 00:15:37.480 --> 00:15:38.980 If he's going to get to the bottom of it. 00:15:39.000 --> 00:15:39.860 He has to. 00:15:40.100 --> 00:15:41.120 He has to. 00:15:41.800 --> 00:15:44.460 He has to look to the great king of Israel. 00:15:44.460 --> 00:15:47.379 Who in the Old Testament is called the Messiah. 00:15:49.399 --> 00:15:53.700 And in the New Testament is called Jesus. 00:15:54.980 --> 00:15:55.420 Right? 00:15:55.480 --> 00:15:56.460 Has to be looking there. 00:15:56.540 --> 00:15:56.980 Has to be. 00:15:57.180 --> 00:15:58.960 There's got to be in this Psalms. 00:15:59.060 --> 00:15:59.600 Got to be. 00:16:00.080 --> 00:16:02.980 If he's really going to be serious about what he's saying. 00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:05.720 And take it to its logical conclusion. 00:16:05.720 --> 00:16:08.100 He has to be blending the two here. 00:16:08.340 --> 00:16:10.620 He's got to be blending human and divine. 00:16:10.759 --> 00:16:11.779 And we'll think about this in a minute. 00:16:12.080 --> 00:16:13.660 Because I think the gospel is here. 00:16:14.899 --> 00:16:18.840 The gospel is the gospel because it's a blending of human and divine. 00:16:20.060 --> 00:16:21.420 And I think that's what he's doing here. 00:16:21.519 --> 00:16:22.860 That's what the Bible does. 00:16:24.139 --> 00:16:25.899 And the gospel only makes sense. 00:16:26.200 --> 00:16:27.899 Because in the beginning was the word. 00:16:27.960 --> 00:16:28.899 And the word was with God. 00:16:28.940 --> 00:16:30.000 And the word was God. 00:16:30.700 --> 00:16:31.960 But he took on flesh. 00:16:32.000 --> 00:16:32.759 And he became man. 00:16:32.840 --> 00:16:34.560 What a crazy thing. 00:16:34.560 --> 00:16:35.300 But it's the gospel. 00:16:35.299 --> 00:16:39.599 Anyway, that's a bigger thing for maybe another time. 00:16:39.939 --> 00:16:42.599 But it has to be talking about Jesus here. 00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:45.259 Because Jesus is fairer than the sons of men. 00:16:45.319 --> 00:16:46.019 Look at what he says. 00:16:46.379 --> 00:16:48.839 Jesus is the guy who's fairer than the sons of men. 00:16:48.859 --> 00:16:49.299 Isn't he? 00:16:50.159 --> 00:16:51.139 Jesus is the guy. 00:16:51.339 --> 00:16:55.099 Jesus' lips are perfectly filled with grace. 00:16:56.779 --> 00:16:59.419 Jesus is blessed by God forever. 00:16:59.620 --> 00:17:01.740 Jesus is girded with splendor and majesty. 00:17:01.740 --> 00:17:02.460 Verse 3. 00:17:02.620 --> 00:17:07.039 Jesus rides forth prosperously in the cause of truth and humility and justice. 00:17:07.200 --> 00:17:07.880 Verse 4. 00:17:08.120 --> 00:17:11.240 Jesus achieves awesome deeds with his right hand. 00:17:11.539 --> 00:17:15.380 And Jesus is the one at whose feet every nation falls. 00:17:15.539 --> 00:17:16.339 Listen, you get it. 00:17:17.299 --> 00:17:17.980 You get it. 00:17:18.039 --> 00:17:18.299 It's here. 00:17:18.380 --> 00:17:18.799 It's here. 00:17:19.000 --> 00:17:20.079 See, I'm not making this up. 00:17:20.079 --> 00:17:23.500 I'm not, you know, I'm jumping off the pages of scripture and going somewhere else. 00:17:23.539 --> 00:17:24.039 It's here. 00:17:24.539 --> 00:17:24.980 It's here. 00:17:25.059 --> 00:17:26.519 When you look at this, what the Bible does. 00:17:26.939 --> 00:17:27.799 It's what the Bible does. 00:17:28.720 --> 00:17:30.339 One guy was listening to recently. 00:17:30.460 --> 00:17:33.220 He calls some of the Bible writers Bible ninjas. 00:17:33.539 --> 00:17:34.139 They're ninjas. 00:17:34.299 --> 00:17:35.779 They're like, they get behind. 00:17:35.980 --> 00:17:39.639 They try to get you looking at other angles and deeper. 00:17:39.640 --> 00:17:45.560 And I think that goes on so often everywhere in the Bible, particularly here in the Psalms. 00:17:46.800 --> 00:17:48.180 It's all here. 00:17:48.320 --> 00:17:51.080 And so there's no, if that's really what's going on. 00:17:51.160 --> 00:17:52.000 Okay, watch this here. 00:17:52.060 --> 00:17:52.680 Watch this here. 00:17:52.860 --> 00:17:56.220 If that's really what's going on, then no surprise at all. 00:17:57.840 --> 00:18:04.240 No surprise at all that the author here in Psalm 45 takes this massive leap in verse 6. 00:18:04.340 --> 00:18:04.920 Did you see it? 00:18:04.920 --> 00:18:12.640 Now, he takes this massive leap in verse 6, and he starts saying things that are never said about any human king. 00:18:13.140 --> 00:18:15.000 Can't be said about any human king. 00:18:15.080 --> 00:18:15.580 You see it. 00:18:16.380 --> 00:18:18.840 Verse 6, he's still addressing the king, and he says, 00:18:19.320 --> 00:18:22.320 Your throne, king, your throne, O God. 00:18:24.140 --> 00:18:24.580 Right? 00:18:24.700 --> 00:18:25.060 Wait a minute. 00:18:26.080 --> 00:18:26.820 Wait a minute. 00:18:27.080 --> 00:18:28.200 Your throne, he's still addressing the king. 00:18:28.360 --> 00:18:29.779 Your throne, O God. 00:18:29.820 --> 00:18:30.920 What is he addressing him as? 00:18:30.940 --> 00:18:32.100 He's addressing him as a god. 00:18:33.759 --> 00:18:34.800 He's addressing him as a god. 00:18:34.799 --> 00:18:35.460 And I'll show you in a minute. 00:18:35.599 --> 00:18:39.639 I know that's how he's addressing him because there's another passage in the Bible that confirms this. 00:18:40.039 --> 00:18:42.079 It's like a commentary on this passage. 00:18:42.599 --> 00:18:46.740 Your throne, O God, he says, will last forever and ever. 00:18:47.000 --> 00:18:49.859 And a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. 00:18:50.180 --> 00:18:50.940 Your love. 00:18:51.519 --> 00:18:52.240 Or you love, rather. 00:18:52.339 --> 00:18:53.659 You love righteousness. 00:18:53.960 --> 00:18:55.159 And you hate wickedness. 00:18:55.180 --> 00:18:56.039 Of course he does. 00:18:56.180 --> 00:18:57.399 That is who our God is. 00:18:57.460 --> 00:18:58.339 That's what he's like. 00:18:58.899 --> 00:19:00.039 Therefore, God. 00:19:01.159 --> 00:19:01.379 Right? 00:19:01.480 --> 00:19:01.960 You see it? 00:19:02.779 --> 00:19:05.059 He's talking to the king here, but he addresses him as God. 00:19:05.360 --> 00:19:06.279 Therefore, God. 00:19:06.740 --> 00:19:07.519 Now watch this. 00:19:07.740 --> 00:19:08.400 You're God. 00:19:08.519 --> 00:19:09.259 Now hang on a minute. 00:19:09.380 --> 00:19:11.039 There's more going on here than just one. 00:19:12.279 --> 00:19:13.299 Yeah, Bible ninjas. 00:19:13.460 --> 00:19:14.039 Think about it. 00:19:14.640 --> 00:19:15.319 Think about it. 00:19:15.740 --> 00:19:18.660 In fact, I think there's a big Trinitarian thing going on here as well. 00:19:19.200 --> 00:19:20.840 But therefore, God. 00:19:20.880 --> 00:19:22.059 He says, you're God. 00:19:22.120 --> 00:19:22.720 So you're God. 00:19:22.759 --> 00:19:23.400 And there's God. 00:19:23.620 --> 00:19:24.340 Well, it's just. 00:19:24.819 --> 00:19:25.840 Are you guys, are you with me? 00:19:26.119 --> 00:19:27.819 It's a bit heavy for a Sunday morning, isn't it? 00:19:27.939 --> 00:19:29.079 But this is good stuff. 00:19:29.980 --> 00:19:30.839 This is good stuff. 00:19:30.919 --> 00:19:32.240 You've got to pull this out of the Bible. 00:19:32.339 --> 00:19:33.099 You've got to pull this out of the Bible. 00:19:33.399 --> 00:19:34.179 Therefore, God. 00:19:34.299 --> 00:19:40.480 Your God has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy. 00:19:41.039 --> 00:19:42.019 And we'll come back to that in a minute. 00:19:42.179 --> 00:19:44.240 But we'll anoint you with the oil of joy. 00:19:44.299 --> 00:19:45.099 Listen, have you got it? 00:19:45.659 --> 00:19:46.220 Have you got it? 00:19:46.259 --> 00:19:47.619 Do you see it? 00:19:47.619 --> 00:19:48.679 Do you see what he's talking about? 00:19:48.679 --> 00:19:49.119 Do you see it? 00:19:49.139 --> 00:19:50.679 Or is it you're looking at me like it's just me? 00:19:51.620 --> 00:19:53.120 Like you're not getting any of this. 00:19:54.620 --> 00:19:55.980 This excites me. 00:19:56.160 --> 00:19:57.060 This excites me. 00:19:57.880 --> 00:19:58.740 You see what he's talking about? 00:19:58.740 --> 00:19:59.400 He's talking about Jesus. 00:19:59.820 --> 00:20:00.539 He's got to be. 00:20:00.620 --> 00:20:01.279 He's got to be. 00:20:01.480 --> 00:20:02.060 He's got to be. 00:20:02.360 --> 00:20:04.240 Talking about Jesus here. 00:20:04.980 --> 00:20:06.019 Has to be Jesus. 00:20:06.160 --> 00:20:07.060 Has to be Jesus. 00:20:07.580 --> 00:20:10.259 Because Jesus is God, but he's also the son of God. 00:20:11.720 --> 00:20:14.240 Father, son, right? 00:20:14.380 --> 00:20:17.720 And he's being anointed here by the oil of gladness. 00:20:18.140 --> 00:20:18.620 Hmm. 00:20:19.279 --> 00:20:20.080 I wonder. 00:20:21.120 --> 00:20:21.940 I wonder. 00:20:22.440 --> 00:20:23.480 Who do you think that is? 00:20:24.759 --> 00:20:26.019 Holy Spirit, right? 00:20:26.080 --> 00:20:31.620 The Holy Spirit so often in the Bible is an anointer. 00:20:31.779 --> 00:20:32.480 He's an anointer. 00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:36.160 Well, listen, it's worth a thought anyway. 00:20:37.160 --> 00:20:37.480 Right? 00:20:37.700 --> 00:20:38.680 It's worth a thought. 00:20:39.080 --> 00:20:41.779 Even if I'm bordering on heresy, it's worth a thought, isn't it? 00:20:41.880 --> 00:20:46.259 You can confirm or whatever in your own heart, in your own mind here. 00:20:46.440 --> 00:20:48.620 But it's amazing what he does here. 00:20:48.619 --> 00:20:58.839 And I think it is proven out because the only time that this psalm is ever quoted in the New Testament, anybody? 00:20:58.839 --> 00:21:02.319 Hebrews 1, verse 8. 00:21:02.419 --> 00:21:04.819 The only time this psalm is ever quoted. 00:21:04.859 --> 00:21:07.299 A lot of psalms are quoted in a lot of New Testament passages. 00:21:07.399 --> 00:21:09.779 The only time this psalm is quoted in the New Testament. 00:21:09.899 --> 00:21:13.480 Hebrews 1, verse 8, where the writer takes this very passage. 00:21:13.859 --> 00:21:15.220 Psalm 45, verses 6 and 7. 00:21:15.220 --> 00:21:18.700 Takes this very passage and uses it to prove the deity of Christ. 00:21:19.759 --> 00:21:20.339 You read it. 00:21:20.559 --> 00:21:22.400 We don't have time to go into that this morning, but read it. 00:21:22.620 --> 00:21:23.900 He uses this to prove the deity. 00:21:23.960 --> 00:21:24.920 That's what Hebrews is doing. 00:21:25.039 --> 00:21:27.160 The first chapter, he's greater than the prophets. 00:21:27.279 --> 00:21:28.120 He's greater than Moses. 00:21:28.299 --> 00:21:29.019 He's greater than the angels. 00:21:29.180 --> 00:21:32.380 He's there to prove the deity of Christ. 00:21:33.319 --> 00:21:40.000 And the writer of Hebrews tells us that the psalmist here is ultimately pointing us to the beauty and the majesty and the greatness of Jesus. 00:21:40.120 --> 00:21:40.799 He tells us that. 00:21:40.799 --> 00:21:42.960 He tells us that. 00:21:43.519 --> 00:21:48.279 But what about all this stuff in the psalm about the king and his bride? 00:21:49.220 --> 00:21:49.940 Did you see that? 00:21:49.980 --> 00:21:52.099 Because it's not just all about the king, is it? 00:21:52.399 --> 00:21:55.259 What about all this stuff here about the king and his bride? 00:21:55.379 --> 00:21:57.240 What's that all about? 00:21:57.759 --> 00:22:00.339 Now, see, some of you, the wheels are already turning. 00:22:02.379 --> 00:22:04.720 Tell me the wheels are already turning on that. 00:22:05.180 --> 00:22:05.980 I'll guarantee. 00:22:07.139 --> 00:22:08.759 Because here's the greatness of the king. 00:22:08.759 --> 00:22:11.839 But then number two, finally here, is the beauty of his bride. 00:22:12.779 --> 00:22:13.539 The beauty of his bride. 00:22:13.599 --> 00:22:14.519 That's what this psalm is about. 00:22:14.579 --> 00:22:17.539 The greatness of the king and the beauty of his bride. 00:22:17.619 --> 00:22:18.700 Do you see it here? 00:22:18.799 --> 00:22:21.799 Because Psalm 45 is not just about how great the king is. 00:22:22.200 --> 00:22:23.920 This is a royal wedding song. 00:22:24.000 --> 00:22:24.940 It's a wedding song. 00:22:25.000 --> 00:22:27.960 And it's not just the groom that's in the wedding, is it? 00:22:28.779 --> 00:22:29.079 Right? 00:22:29.180 --> 00:22:30.119 That would be sad. 00:22:30.680 --> 00:22:31.440 Poor guy. 00:22:32.140 --> 00:22:32.400 Right? 00:22:32.660 --> 00:22:36.140 I mean, you've seen rom-coms where the poor guy's left at the altar or whatever. 00:22:36.140 --> 00:22:39.420 But a wedding is a wedding. 00:22:40.160 --> 00:22:40.900 This is a wedding. 00:22:41.160 --> 00:22:41.920 We're told that. 00:22:41.980 --> 00:22:43.080 It's a wedding song. 00:22:43.500 --> 00:22:45.000 This king has a bride. 00:22:46.140 --> 00:22:47.680 This king has a bride. 00:22:47.759 --> 00:22:48.520 What do you know about that? 00:22:48.580 --> 00:22:49.440 End of verse 9. 00:22:50.740 --> 00:22:53.080 And at your right hand is the queen. 00:22:53.380 --> 00:22:55.940 Newton and I.V. translates it to royal bride. 00:22:56.920 --> 00:22:57.940 The queen, the royal bride. 00:22:58.840 --> 00:23:01.060 Clothed in the gold of a fear. 00:23:01.059 --> 00:23:05.220 And so whoever this king is, he has a queen. 00:23:06.619 --> 00:23:07.240 See it? 00:23:07.440 --> 00:23:09.259 Whoever this king is, he has a queen. 00:23:09.919 --> 00:23:12.740 And according to Psalm 45, look at this. 00:23:12.960 --> 00:23:13.859 She's beautiful. 00:23:16.099 --> 00:23:17.700 Every bride is beautiful. 00:23:17.879 --> 00:23:19.240 But this bride is beautiful. 00:23:19.579 --> 00:23:20.619 She's glorious. 00:23:22.899 --> 00:23:26.240 And really interesting here, she's immaculately dressed. 00:23:26.240 --> 00:23:29.359 Are the wheels still turning for you guys? 00:23:30.220 --> 00:23:32.859 Are you following me where I think this has taken us? 00:23:34.220 --> 00:23:36.519 She's immaculately dressed. 00:23:37.559 --> 00:23:39.180 And she lives with the king. 00:23:40.120 --> 00:23:41.039 Wow, man. 00:23:41.859 --> 00:23:42.299 Wow. 00:23:42.400 --> 00:23:42.960 What do you know? 00:23:43.579 --> 00:23:44.140 What do you know? 00:23:44.259 --> 00:23:44.799 What do you know? 00:23:45.539 --> 00:23:49.319 If we take this analogy to the limit, then Jesus has a bride. 00:23:50.940 --> 00:23:54.880 If we take this analogy where I think the author here wants us to take it, 00:23:54.880 --> 00:23:57.420 then Jesus has a bride, doesn't he? 00:23:57.560 --> 00:24:00.420 And the New Testament is just full. 00:24:00.540 --> 00:24:03.860 It's just replete with references and descriptions and injunctions 00:24:03.860 --> 00:24:06.780 and information about the bride of Christ, 00:24:07.080 --> 00:24:10.440 who is also known as the church. 00:24:11.120 --> 00:24:11.740 The church. 00:24:13.280 --> 00:24:14.160 The church. 00:24:15.840 --> 00:24:16.720 You guys. 00:24:17.660 --> 00:24:18.420 You guys. 00:24:18.420 --> 00:24:24.180 All of us here who have put our faith and trust in Christ and Christ alone 00:24:24.180 --> 00:24:27.240 for the forgiveness of our sins and our reconciliation with God. 00:24:27.340 --> 00:24:27.480 Amen? 00:24:28.259 --> 00:24:29.080 All of us here. 00:24:29.279 --> 00:24:29.900 This is us. 00:24:30.420 --> 00:24:31.120 This is us. 00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:32.180 Come on, give me a smile. 00:24:32.539 --> 00:24:33.640 You don't have to shout hallelujah. 00:24:33.779 --> 00:24:34.940 Just give me a smile. 00:24:36.320 --> 00:24:37.259 This is us. 00:24:38.080 --> 00:24:39.220 And it's all over the New Testament. 00:24:39.320 --> 00:24:40.100 Ephesians 5.25. 00:24:40.320 --> 00:24:41.140 We've gone there already. 00:24:41.539 --> 00:24:42.360 Ephesians 5.25. 00:24:42.519 --> 00:24:43.180 Any husbands here? 00:24:44.460 --> 00:24:45.340 Any husbands here? 00:24:45.580 --> 00:24:45.900 Husbands? 00:24:46.220 --> 00:24:46.540 Husbands? 00:24:47.019 --> 00:24:47.900 Husbands, raise your hands. 00:24:48.200 --> 00:24:49.300 Husbands, Ephesians 5.25. 00:24:51.660 --> 00:24:52.480 Ephesians 5.25. 00:24:54.940 --> 00:24:56.140 That's pretty poor, guys. 00:24:57.860 --> 00:25:01.460 Wives, when you get home today, you take them to Ephesians 5.25. 00:25:02.340 --> 00:25:02.640 All right? 00:25:02.680 --> 00:25:05.320 When somebody comes, one of our young guys at Corrobras comes to the door 00:25:05.320 --> 00:25:10.360 on a Sunday morning, and he's locked in arm-in-arm with a girl, 00:25:10.900 --> 00:25:14.860 and he's throwing her hand out there so that I can see something going on, 00:25:14.859 --> 00:25:16.339 you know, like this. 00:25:16.819 --> 00:25:18.179 Oh, you're engaged, right? 00:25:18.240 --> 00:25:19.779 The first thing I'll ask the guys, right? 00:25:20.079 --> 00:25:20.959 Ephesians 5.25. 00:25:21.159 --> 00:25:21.500 Tell me. 00:25:23.039 --> 00:25:23.579 Tell me. 00:25:23.659 --> 00:25:24.159 What is it? 00:25:24.959 --> 00:25:26.299 Ladies, don't, don't, don't. 00:25:26.379 --> 00:25:28.459 You make sure that that guy knows what it is. 00:25:28.619 --> 00:25:30.479 Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church 00:25:30.479 --> 00:25:32.740 and gave himself up for her. 00:25:33.199 --> 00:25:34.859 It's exactly, I think, what's going on in this psalm. 00:25:35.299 --> 00:25:36.419 I think that's what's going on in this psalm. 00:25:36.500 --> 00:25:37.219 What a beautiful, beautiful. 00:25:37.459 --> 00:25:38.399 Jesus has a bride. 00:25:38.799 --> 00:25:39.639 Jesus has a bride. 00:25:39.839 --> 00:25:40.779 Gave himself up for her. 00:25:40.779 --> 00:25:42.299 Revelation 19, verse 7. 00:25:42.359 --> 00:25:46.480 Let us rejoice and exult and give God the glory for the marriage of the Lamb. 00:25:46.519 --> 00:25:47.119 Who's the Lamb? 00:25:48.279 --> 00:25:49.240 He's getting married. 00:25:50.079 --> 00:25:51.220 He's getting married. 00:25:53.359 --> 00:25:54.259 To the church. 00:25:54.379 --> 00:25:56.099 The marriage of the Lamb has come, 00:25:56.200 --> 00:25:58.180 and his bride has made herself ready. 00:25:58.440 --> 00:25:59.799 2 Corinthians 11, verse 12. 00:25:59.879 --> 00:26:00.200 Paul says, 00:26:00.200 --> 00:26:03.720 I betrothed you to one husband, he said, 00:26:04.400 --> 00:26:08.740 to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 00:26:09.480 --> 00:26:10.519 Okay, it's all there. 00:26:10.600 --> 00:26:14.480 Listen, the Bible tells us that the king has chosen a beautiful bride. 00:26:16.240 --> 00:26:19.220 You may not think that you look all that beautiful 00:26:19.220 --> 00:26:20.980 because you don't see yourself like God does. 00:26:22.880 --> 00:26:24.440 Oh, to see ourselves like God sees us. 00:26:24.480 --> 00:26:24.640 Amen. 00:26:25.380 --> 00:26:26.960 Oh, to see ourselves like God sees us. 00:26:27.960 --> 00:26:28.819 And it's right. 00:26:28.860 --> 00:26:29.840 We need to confess our sin. 00:26:29.839 --> 00:26:30.819 We need to, you know, 00:26:30.879 --> 00:26:33.039 be reminded of how beautiful the gospel is 00:26:33.039 --> 00:26:36.459 when we look at just how ridiculously easy it is 00:26:36.459 --> 00:26:39.399 for us to just wander away or whatever it is. 00:26:40.359 --> 00:26:45.939 But amazing that God in Christ sees us in a different way. 00:26:46.019 --> 00:26:48.000 Every man, every woman, every boy, girl 00:26:48.000 --> 00:26:50.659 who's ever placed his or her faith in Christ, 00:26:50.759 --> 00:26:51.399 in Christ alone, 00:26:51.500 --> 00:26:53.119 the shed blood of Christ alone 00:26:53.119 --> 00:26:54.399 for the forgiveness of their sin 00:26:54.399 --> 00:26:56.859 and their reconciliation with God 00:26:56.859 --> 00:26:59.979 becomes part of Jesus' bride. 00:26:59.980 --> 00:27:02.140 part of Jesus' bride. 00:27:02.140 --> 00:27:05.440 And is wed to him forever. 00:27:05.740 --> 00:27:06.559 Listen, what a thought. 00:27:07.700 --> 00:27:08.240 What a thought. 00:27:08.360 --> 00:27:09.519 Wed to him forever. 00:27:09.740 --> 00:27:14.240 Loved, led, and bound to Christ for eternity. 00:27:14.740 --> 00:27:16.240 And according to verse 10, look at this, 00:27:16.299 --> 00:27:17.759 almost finished, almost there. 00:27:18.360 --> 00:27:20.480 According to verse 10, look at verse 10, 00:27:21.099 --> 00:27:21.279 right? 00:27:21.360 --> 00:27:22.480 This bride comes to Christ. 00:27:22.559 --> 00:27:24.299 According to this, to verse 10, 00:27:24.299 --> 00:27:26.299 what does this bride do? 00:27:26.399 --> 00:27:27.319 What does she do? 00:27:28.799 --> 00:27:30.139 She's going to come to Christ, 00:27:30.259 --> 00:27:32.220 but what is God asking her to do 00:27:32.220 --> 00:27:36.259 as she becomes his bride? 00:27:36.339 --> 00:27:36.940 Look at verse 10. 00:27:37.119 --> 00:27:37.879 What does she do? 00:27:38.819 --> 00:27:39.759 Verse 10, look at it. 00:27:40.819 --> 00:27:41.899 There's a number of different ways 00:27:41.899 --> 00:27:42.859 you could articulate this. 00:27:43.119 --> 00:27:44.059 What does she do? 00:27:44.059 --> 00:27:46.919 She leaves everything. 00:27:47.480 --> 00:27:48.379 She leaves everything. 00:27:51.799 --> 00:27:52.980 You're going to read Jesus' bride. 00:27:52.980 --> 00:27:54.759 She leaves everything. 00:27:54.860 --> 00:27:56.579 She forgets her people in her father's house 00:27:56.579 --> 00:27:57.660 is the way it's put here. 00:27:57.680 --> 00:27:58.339 Isn't that something? 00:27:59.220 --> 00:28:00.200 She leaves everything, 00:28:00.420 --> 00:28:02.779 and she honors the king 00:28:02.779 --> 00:28:06.039 because he is her Lord. 00:28:06.339 --> 00:28:07.180 Are you getting it, guys? 00:28:08.640 --> 00:28:09.599 Are you getting it? 00:28:10.140 --> 00:28:10.819 Can you see it? 00:28:11.000 --> 00:28:11.819 Is it making sense? 00:28:12.660 --> 00:28:13.039 It's here. 00:28:13.180 --> 00:28:13.519 It's here. 00:28:13.620 --> 00:28:15.539 Jesus says in John 12, 25, 00:28:15.819 --> 00:28:18.440 whoever loves his life loses it, 00:28:19.460 --> 00:28:22.160 but whoever hates his life in this world 00:28:22.160 --> 00:28:23.940 will keep it for eternal life. 00:28:24.000 --> 00:28:25.080 If anyone serves me, 00:28:25.220 --> 00:28:26.740 he must follow me, 00:28:26.900 --> 00:28:27.880 and where I am, 00:28:28.220 --> 00:28:29.820 there will my servant be also. 00:28:29.900 --> 00:28:32.400 There will my bride be also. 00:28:32.519 --> 00:28:33.000 You get it. 00:28:33.380 --> 00:28:33.920 You get it. 00:28:34.060 --> 00:28:38.080 You know how much of his bride Jesus wants? 00:28:38.400 --> 00:28:39.920 Do you know how much of his bride he wants? 00:28:40.060 --> 00:28:41.380 How much of his bride does he want? 00:28:42.080 --> 00:28:42.840 All of her. 00:28:43.640 --> 00:28:44.980 Guys, he wants all of us. 00:28:44.980 --> 00:28:47.500 He wants all of us, 00:28:47.539 --> 00:28:48.360 every part of us, 00:28:48.380 --> 00:28:49.839 and I know there's the little closets, 00:28:50.180 --> 00:28:51.079 and, you know, 00:28:51.579 --> 00:28:52.960 my house, God's home, 00:28:53.059 --> 00:28:53.700 that little booklet, 00:28:53.819 --> 00:28:54.099 and whatever. 00:28:54.680 --> 00:28:56.140 You know, it takes time. 00:28:57.839 --> 00:28:59.120 Don't kick yourself too hard. 00:28:59.880 --> 00:29:01.420 The Holy Spirit will do a good enough job 00:29:01.420 --> 00:29:02.960 of doing that for you, right? 00:29:02.980 --> 00:29:04.059 Don't kick yourself too hard. 00:29:04.759 --> 00:29:05.680 It takes time, 00:29:06.039 --> 00:29:07.240 but that's what he wants. 00:29:09.120 --> 00:29:10.079 He wants all of us. 00:29:10.099 --> 00:29:10.960 He wants everything, guys. 00:29:12.039 --> 00:29:12.960 He wants everything, 00:29:12.960 --> 00:29:15.500 and I'm fighting the flesh just like you are. 00:29:15.980 --> 00:29:16.140 Amen? 00:29:16.759 --> 00:29:16.980 Right? 00:29:17.120 --> 00:29:18.440 The flesh is a, man, 00:29:18.980 --> 00:29:19.680 it's a monster, 00:29:20.279 --> 00:29:21.759 but he wants all of us, 00:29:21.860 --> 00:29:22.500 and I think it's right. 00:29:22.559 --> 00:29:24.880 I think it's a beautiful part of this psalm here. 00:29:25.279 --> 00:29:25.980 He wants everything. 00:29:26.120 --> 00:29:28.559 He wants all of his bride. 00:29:29.279 --> 00:29:32.720 Jesus is not happy to share his bride 00:29:32.720 --> 00:29:34.120 with any other lovers. 00:29:36.240 --> 00:29:37.319 He's not going to do that. 00:29:39.100 --> 00:29:40.019 He's not going to do that, 00:29:40.039 --> 00:29:40.720 not in your life. 00:29:40.720 --> 00:29:46.900 God is white, hot, fiercely jealous 00:29:46.900 --> 00:29:49.380 for his woman. 00:29:51.400 --> 00:29:51.799 Right? 00:29:52.339 --> 00:29:53.880 Husbands, we ought to be that way 00:29:53.880 --> 00:29:54.920 for our women. 00:29:55.339 --> 00:29:56.680 White, hot, fiercely jealous 00:29:56.680 --> 00:29:58.000 for his bride, 00:29:58.120 --> 00:29:59.500 and he is never going to let us go. 00:30:00.220 --> 00:30:01.380 He's never going to let us go. 00:30:01.460 --> 00:30:03.279 He's never going to give up on us 00:30:03.279 --> 00:30:05.500 until we look like him. 00:30:06.100 --> 00:30:07.500 He's not going to give up on us, 00:30:07.900 --> 00:30:09.160 but he wants total commitment. 00:30:09.160 --> 00:30:11.400 He wants total commitment. 00:30:11.820 --> 00:30:12.900 Listen, what's the greatest commandment? 00:30:13.200 --> 00:30:14.060 And you shall what? 00:30:14.340 --> 00:30:15.080 What's the greatest commandment? 00:30:15.519 --> 00:30:17.360 You shall love the Lord your God with? 00:30:18.779 --> 00:30:20.100 All your soul, all your mind, 00:30:20.120 --> 00:30:20.660 all your strength. 00:30:20.740 --> 00:30:21.180 All of it. 00:30:21.320 --> 00:30:21.700 All of it. 00:30:21.740 --> 00:30:22.380 It's the greatest commandment. 00:30:22.519 --> 00:30:24.200 The guy asked Jesus what it is. 00:30:24.259 --> 00:30:24.759 He told him. 00:30:25.720 --> 00:30:26.580 It's the greatest commandment. 00:30:27.060 --> 00:30:28.120 But listen, please don't think, 00:30:28.400 --> 00:30:29.200 don't get this wrong. 00:30:29.279 --> 00:30:30.279 Don't get it the wrong way around. 00:30:31.360 --> 00:30:31.720 Right? 00:30:31.840 --> 00:30:34.000 Please don't think that 00:30:34.000 --> 00:30:37.700 it's my love for Jesus that keeps me. 00:30:38.019 --> 00:30:38.660 Don't think that. 00:30:39.559 --> 00:30:40.160 Don't think that. 00:30:40.240 --> 00:30:41.799 It's not my love for Jesus. 00:30:42.160 --> 00:30:44.180 If it was, I'd be lost a thousand times a day. 00:30:44.700 --> 00:30:47.579 It's not my love for Jesus that keeps me 00:30:47.579 --> 00:30:49.079 or that saves me. 00:30:50.579 --> 00:30:51.759 Or that saves me. 00:30:51.839 --> 00:30:53.059 It's my faith that saves me. 00:30:54.079 --> 00:30:55.480 My passion for him. 00:30:55.599 --> 00:30:56.759 I mean, that's a fight. 00:30:56.859 --> 00:30:57.480 That's a fight. 00:30:58.480 --> 00:30:59.299 It's a fight. 00:31:00.200 --> 00:31:01.879 It's Jesus' love for us 00:31:01.879 --> 00:31:03.399 that keeps us forever. 00:31:03.559 --> 00:31:04.680 It's Jesus' love for us. 00:31:04.980 --> 00:31:06.759 It's his sacrifice that saves us 00:31:06.759 --> 00:31:08.919 and it's love that keeps us forever. 00:31:09.039 --> 00:31:09.799 Read Romans 8. 00:31:09.899 --> 00:31:10.579 We don't have time. 00:31:11.279 --> 00:31:12.740 However, God does want our hearts. 00:31:13.440 --> 00:31:14.680 And he's going to do whatever it takes 00:31:14.680 --> 00:31:16.259 to make sure that his children 00:31:16.259 --> 00:31:18.279 are totally satisfied in him alone. 00:31:19.500 --> 00:31:21.480 Totally satisfied in him alone. 00:31:22.299 --> 00:31:23.059 The psalm finishes. 00:31:23.639 --> 00:31:24.339 Psalm 45. 00:31:24.659 --> 00:31:26.200 It kind of starts to finish up 00:31:26.200 --> 00:31:27.960 not just with the obedience of his bride, 00:31:28.079 --> 00:31:28.879 but with her beauty. 00:31:28.880 --> 00:31:29.640 Did you see this? 00:31:29.800 --> 00:31:30.880 It finishes with our beauty. 00:31:31.040 --> 00:31:31.920 And I love this. 00:31:32.720 --> 00:31:35.000 That beauty that's delivered by his grace. 00:31:35.360 --> 00:31:36.080 This is the gospel. 00:31:36.540 --> 00:31:37.120 This is the gospel. 00:31:37.240 --> 00:31:40.160 Did you see the mix here of human and divine? 00:31:40.800 --> 00:31:42.000 There's the king here, 00:31:42.060 --> 00:31:43.000 but there's Jesus here. 00:31:43.460 --> 00:31:46.360 And Jesus is divine, but he's human. 00:31:47.020 --> 00:31:49.120 And it has to be for the gospel, doesn't it? 00:31:49.300 --> 00:31:51.180 Has to be for the gospel to work. 00:31:52.120 --> 00:31:54.540 Because any human who's not divine 00:31:54.540 --> 00:31:56.240 has their own sin they've got to cope with 00:31:56.240 --> 00:31:56.940 and deal with. 00:31:56.940 --> 00:31:58.440 But Jesus had no sin. 00:31:59.560 --> 00:32:01.400 And so he could be the sacrifice for the world. 00:32:01.800 --> 00:32:02.940 And so the gospel works. 00:32:03.440 --> 00:32:04.180 The gospel works. 00:32:04.500 --> 00:32:04.960 And it's here. 00:32:05.620 --> 00:32:06.240 And when he does, 00:32:06.300 --> 00:32:07.440 and he brings that bride to himself, 00:32:07.580 --> 00:32:09.620 boy, is she beautiful. 00:32:10.440 --> 00:32:11.480 Boy, is she beautiful. 00:32:11.640 --> 00:32:12.160 And this psalm, 00:32:12.280 --> 00:32:14.000 it kind of finishes up with the beauty 00:32:14.000 --> 00:32:15.300 of his, by God's grace. 00:32:15.440 --> 00:32:16.080 Let the king, 00:32:16.140 --> 00:32:16.980 look at this, verse 11. 00:32:17.360 --> 00:32:19.920 Let the king be enthralled by your beauty. 00:32:20.420 --> 00:32:22.120 Let the king be enthralled by your beauty. 00:32:22.120 --> 00:32:22.680 I love that. 00:32:22.680 --> 00:32:25.740 Let God be enthralled by how beautiful you are. 00:32:26.060 --> 00:32:26.900 What a thought that is. 00:32:27.000 --> 00:32:27.820 What a thought that is. 00:32:28.240 --> 00:32:29.720 Let God be enthralled. 00:32:30.060 --> 00:32:33.660 That you could enthrall God with how beautiful you are. 00:32:35.420 --> 00:32:36.840 In your new clothes. 00:32:36.839 --> 00:32:39.619 which is what? 00:32:40.500 --> 00:32:41.740 The righteousness of Christ. 00:32:42.399 --> 00:32:43.139 Not our righteousness, 00:32:43.319 --> 00:32:44.459 the righteousness of Christ. 00:32:44.939 --> 00:32:46.159 One commentator says this, 00:32:46.160 --> 00:32:49.519 it's not just that God loves us as unworthy sinners 00:32:49.519 --> 00:32:51.019 and redeems us in Christ. 00:32:51.759 --> 00:32:52.460 But here, 00:32:52.600 --> 00:32:54.120 God's love is depicted as a love 00:32:54.120 --> 00:32:56.580 that actually desires and chooses us 00:32:56.580 --> 00:32:58.120 and delights in us. 00:32:58.580 --> 00:33:00.700 And do we dare say it this way? 00:33:00.820 --> 00:33:02.000 Is in love with us. 00:33:03.019 --> 00:33:03.420 Ultimately, 00:33:03.540 --> 00:33:05.019 the story of the Bible is a romance. 00:33:05.820 --> 00:33:07.120 We are not only saved, 00:33:07.300 --> 00:33:08.120 we are wooed. 00:33:08.800 --> 00:33:09.900 We're not only redeemed, 00:33:09.900 --> 00:33:10.820 we're desired. 00:33:11.300 --> 00:33:12.259 Listen, take that one home 00:33:12.259 --> 00:33:13.779 and just think about it over lunch. 00:33:16.160 --> 00:33:17.140 Think about that over lunch. 00:33:17.759 --> 00:33:18.940 Folks, by God's grace, 00:33:19.060 --> 00:33:19.779 in God's love, 00:33:19.880 --> 00:33:21.120 through Christ's sacrifice, 00:33:21.460 --> 00:33:23.060 we are made beautiful in His sight 00:33:23.060 --> 00:33:25.519 because we are immaculately dressed 00:33:25.519 --> 00:33:27.420 in the impeccably pure, 00:33:27.620 --> 00:33:28.519 dazzlingly white, 00:33:28.720 --> 00:33:29.580 immensely majestic, 00:33:29.759 --> 00:33:30.860 eternally secure, 00:33:31.560 --> 00:33:33.100 perfect righteousness of Christ. 00:33:34.860 --> 00:33:35.800 And so Paul says, 00:33:35.980 --> 00:33:37.759 I've suffered the loss of all things 00:33:37.759 --> 00:33:40.080 and count them mere rubbish 00:33:40.080 --> 00:33:42.220 so that I may gain Christ 00:33:42.220 --> 00:33:44.140 and may be found in Him, 00:33:44.400 --> 00:33:46.100 not having a righteousness of my own, 00:33:46.160 --> 00:33:48.400 derived from the law, 00:33:49.100 --> 00:33:52.500 but that which is through faith in Christ, 00:33:53.320 --> 00:33:56.240 the righteousness which comes from God 00:33:56.240 --> 00:33:58.660 on the basis of faith. 00:33:58.880 --> 00:33:59.759 Anybody want to say amen? 00:34:00.800 --> 00:34:01.320 Amen? 00:34:01.660 --> 00:34:01.880 Amen. 00:34:02.320 --> 00:34:04.900 Lord, thank you for this time this morning. 00:34:04.980 --> 00:34:05.940 Thank you for this psalm. 00:34:06.060 --> 00:34:09.340 Thank you for the beauty of your word, 00:34:09.440 --> 00:34:10.360 the depth of it, 00:34:10.440 --> 00:34:11.599 but more than anything, 00:34:11.800 --> 00:34:13.000 thank you this morning for Jesus 00:34:13.000 --> 00:34:16.579 and for His love for us. 00:34:17.239 --> 00:34:19.980 Lord, our love for you is only a response. 00:34:20.500 --> 00:34:22.599 We love because you first loved us. 00:34:23.579 --> 00:34:24.980 And we thank you for that love 00:34:24.980 --> 00:34:26.500 and pray that that love would motivate us 00:34:26.500 --> 00:34:28.000 and move us and change us 00:34:28.000 --> 00:34:30.699 and help us and direct us. 00:34:31.400 --> 00:34:32.960 And we know it will keep us 00:34:32.960 --> 00:34:35.099 for all the endless ages of eternity. 00:34:35.199 --> 00:34:36.280 Lord, help us to get out there 00:34:36.860 --> 00:34:38.200 and with the life that we have 00:34:38.200 --> 00:34:39.140 to share this love. 00:34:39.700 --> 00:34:40.860 In Christ's name, amen.