Sermon Title: “JESUS CHRIST: KEY TO TRUE JOY!” Sermon Text: Psalm 2 Introduction: GOOD MORNING TO ALL! FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT WITH US LAST SUNDAY, WE ARE NOW IN A SERIES ENTITLED “PONDERING THE PSALMS: FINDING MEANING & PURPOSE IN THE PANDEMIC!” LAST WEEK, WE LOOK AT THE IMPORTANCE OF DELIGHTING OURSELVES IN THE WORD OF THE LORD. THIS IS THE PATH OF TRUE SUCCESS AND HAPPINESS. TODAY, WE ARE GOING TO STUDY A VERY SPECIAL PSALM, PSALM 2. IT IS A ROYAL PSALM; THAT IS, ONE THAT IS USED FOR THE CORONATION OF DAVIDIC KINGS. BUT LATER, IT CAME TO BE KNOWN AS A MESSIANIC PSALM BECAUSE IT HIGHLIGHTS THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE COMING EXALTED ROYAL SON OF GOD, HIS ANOINTED ONE, THE MESSIAH. AS I HAVE SHARED TO YOU LAST SUNDAY, THE BOOK OF PSALMS WAS HIGHLIGHTED BY OUR LORD JESUS, IN LUKE 24 AS ONE THAT PROPHESIED OR TEACHES ABOUT THE COMING MESSIAH. THUS, THIS BOOK IS A VERY IMPORTANT BOOK IN UNDERSTANDING THE WORK AND MINISTRY OF THE COMING SAVIOR AND MESSIAH EVEN OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. PSALM 2, AS PART OF THE INTRODUCTION OF THE BOOK OF PSALMS, TOGETHER WITH PSALM 1, TEACHES US TO SUBMIT OUR LIFE TO THE COMING MESSIAH. IF PSALM 1 TEACHES US TO DELIGHT IN GOD’S WORD, PSALM 2 TEACHES US TO DELIGHT IN GOD’S SON. WE ARE TO ENTHRONE HIM AS KING IN OUR HEART. LET US PRAY…LET US READ PSALM 2… A. THE FATHER REIGNS OVER ALL! “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand, and the rulers conspire together against the Lord and his Anointed One: “Let’s tear off their chains and throw their ropes off of us.” (vv. 1-3) THE OPENING VERSES OF PSALM 2 (VV. 1-3) TELL US OF THE REBELLION OF THE NATIONS AGAINST THE LORD. BUT THE LORD, IN SPITE OF MAN’S REBELLION, IS STILL LORD OF THE UNIVERSE. HE REIGNS AS CREATOR AND LORD OF ALL. 1) He scoffs at man’s rebellion (v. 4). “The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them…” AS THE SOVEREIGN LORD, HE SCOFFS AT MAN’S REBELLION. TO “SCOFF” IS TO “MOCK” OR TO “LAUGH AT.” INDEED, THIS IS RIDICULOUS BECAUSE HOW CAN THE POT REBEL AGAINST THE POTTER? HOW CAN SUCH MERE PUNY CREATURE TELL HIS CREATOR, “I HATE YOU AND DON’T WANT TO OBEY YOU?” THIS IS SCANDALOUS! BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THIS IS WHAT MANKIND DID TO GOD. WE REBELLED AND DISOBEY THE LORD AND WE ARE NOW REAPING THE CONSEQUENCES OF OUR REBELLION AND SINS. 2) He secures His rule over His creation (vv. 5-6). Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, "I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill." (vv. 5-6) KNOWING THIS REBELLION AND UNGRATEFULNESS, THE LORD SECURES HIS RULERSHIP BY INSTALLING HIS KING. THIS WAS THE PLAN OF THE FATHER TO SEND HIS ONE AND ONLY SON, OUR LORD JESUS TO BE THE MESSIAH, THE ANOINTED ONE, THE MESSIAH WHOM THE FATHER HAS ORDAINED TO BE MAN’S MEDIATOR, SAVIOR AND LORD. IN OTHER WORDS, THE FATHER WILL RULE THIS WORLD THROUGH HIS MESSIAH, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. B. THE FATHER RULES THROUGH HIS SON. THIS WAS THE REASON WHY THE BIBLE WAS WRITTEN – TO REVEAL TO MAN GOD’S PLAN OF SALVATION AND HOW THE LORD WILL RESTORE GOD’S RELATIONSHIP WITH MAN THAT HAD BEEN SEVERED OR BROKEN BY SIN. THE OT PROPHESIED ABOUT THE COMING OF THIS MESSIAH. MOSES AND THE REST OF THE OT PROPHETS SPOKE ABOUT THE COMING OF THIS ANOINTED ONE OF GOD. THIS INCLUDES THE BOOK OF PSALMS AND THE MOST PROMINENT ONE IS THIS PSALM THAT WE ARE STUDYING TODAY. IN THE NT, THE MESSIAH WAS REVEALED. HE IS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. JOHN TELLS US THAT HE IS THE ETERNAL WORD WHO BECAME FLESH AND DWELL AMONG US. TO THE DISCIPLES AND PAUL, HE IS THE RISEN LORD JESUS. LISTEN TO WHAT THE WRITER OF HEBREWS: 1In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. 3The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. 5For to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father[a]"[b]? Or again, "I will be his Father, and he will be my Son"[c]? 6And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him."[d] (Heb. 1:1-6) 1) Jesus is destined to be “KING.” "I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill…" (v. 6) NOW, OBSERVE THAT DAVID REFERS TO THE COMING ROYAL SON AS THE “ANOINTED ONE” “KING” AND “SON.” REMEMBER THAT WHEN JESUS WAS BORN, THERE WERE WISEMEN LOOKING FOR THE “KING OF THE JEWS” THAT WAS BORN. WHEN JESUS WAS ASKED BY PILATE, “ARE YOU A KING?” JESUS SAID, “I AM BUT MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD…” WHEN JESUS DIED AND ROSE AGAIN FROM THE GRAVE, THE APOSTLE PAUL REFERRED TO HIM AS THE KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. THEREFORE, DAVID, THE PSALMIST, FORETELLS OF THE COMING OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WHEN HE SPOKE THESE WORDS. IN ACTS 4:25FFG, LUKE SAW THE ARREST OF PETER AND JOHN AND THE PERSECUTION OF THE CHURCH AS THE FULFILLMENT OF THIS PSALM AS THEY PRAYED FOR BOLDNESS AND COURAGE TO PROCLAIM THE NAME OF JESUS AS SAVIOR AND LORD. 2) Jesus is declared as “SON”& “RULER.” I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father. 8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. 9 You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery." (vv. 7-9) BUT NOT ONLY AS “KING” THE MESSIAH IS ALSO “SON” AND “RULER.” WHEN JESUS WAS BAPTIZED BY JOHN THE BAPTIST, WE READ THAT HEAVEN OPENED AND A VOICE WAS HEARD. “THIS IS MY SON TO WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED…” A LITTLE WHILE HEBREWS REFERS TO JESUS AS THE SON. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT HE IS NOW OUR SAVIOUR AND LORD. HIS FIRST COMING IS A TIME OF GRACE AND SALVATION. HE IS NOW A SAVIOR. BUT HIS COMING AGAIN WILL BE A TIME OF JUDGMENT. HE WILL BE A JUDGE. SO, THE PSALMIST OR DAVID EXHORTS US TO BEHAVE ACCORDINGLY. WE ARE COMMANDED AND EXPECTED BY THE FATHER TO OBEY AND SUBMIT TO JESUS AS OUR LORD. C. THE FATHER REQUIRES OBEDIENCE TO JESUS. I SAW TWO IMPORTANT INSIGHTS IN DAVID’S EXHORTATIONS – A WORD OF PRECAUTION AND A WORD OF PROMISE. 1) A Word of Precaution—Be wise! Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment…” (vv. 10-11) KNOWING WHO REALLY JESUS IS, THEREFORE, WE ARE TO BE WISE. AND TO BE WISE, ACCORDING TO DAVID, IS TO FIRST TO SERVE JESUS. WE ARE TO SERVE JESUS WITH FEAR AND JOY. NOT ONLY TO SERVE BUT TO SUBMIT TO JESUS. AT THIS POINT, LET ME POINT YOU AGAIN TO THE WORDS OF DAVID. “BE WISE….BE WARNED…” DO YOU REMEMBER HOW THE BIBLE DESCRIBED THE BIRTH OF JESUS IN MATT. 2, HOW HEROD AND THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS LEARNED ABOUT THE BIRTH OF THE MESSIAH. THEY EVEN CONFIRMED IT AMONG THEMSELVES AND YET THEY DID NOTHING ABOUT IT. UNLIKE THE WISEMEN WHO SEARCH DILIGENTLY FOR JESUS, THEY DID NOTHING. THEY KNOW BUT IT DID NOT TRANSFORM THEIR LIVES. THEY DID NOT SERVE JESUS NOR SUBMIT TO JESUS AS LORD. BE WARNED BROS. AND SIS. BE WISE! 2) A Word of Promise—Be blessed! “Blessed are all who take refuge in Him…” (v. 12) THERE IS ALSO A WORD OF PROMISE HERE. ONE COULD ALMOST MISS IT IF YOU ARE NOT CAREFUL IN YOUR READING. AGAIN, DAVID GIVES A DEFINITION OF A TRULY HAPPY MAN. HE IS NOT ONLY THE PERSON WHO DELIGHT IN GOD’S WORD, BUT HE IS ALSO THE ONE WHO DELIGHTS IN GOD’S SON. IN OTHER WORDS, WE MUST PLACE OUR HOPE, OUR TRUST, OUR CONFIDENCE IN JESUS CHRIST, OUR MESSIAH...AND BE BLESSED! PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: (1) BECAUSE WE LIVE IN A DIFFICULT & UNCERTAIN TIMES, LET US STAY SPIRITUALLY SAFE & HEALTHY BY STAYING “H.O.M.E.” IN JESUS CHRIST! NOW, WHAT DO I MEAN BY “H.O.M.E.”? THIS ACRONYN STANDS FOR THE FOLLOWING: o LET US HONOR JESUS AS KING & LORD OF OUR LIFE! "I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill…" (Psalm 2: 6) “In the presence of God, who gives life to all, and of Christ Jesus, who gave a good confession before Pontius Pilate, I charge you to keep this command without fault or failure until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.