Dale Partridge - Psalm 2 Kiss the Son, Lest He be Angry

00:00:00.000 Well, amen. Good morning, church. It's a blessing to be able to be with you this morning and to be

00:00:14.280 able to talk about this very important psalm together. This sermon this morning is going

00:00:23.760 to act as an introduction. It's going to be an introduction to an eight-part series that

00:00:30.120 Pastor Dale is going to give us on eschatology. Now, if you've never heard the word eschatology

00:00:36.220 before, it simply means the study of or the theology of the end times. The study of the

00:00:45.840 End Times is often a neglected study for Christians. It's neglected because it's very

00:00:53.560 complex, and sometimes it can be scary. As Christians, we often hear the sentiment

00:01:02.000 that the world is getting worse. That the world's getting worse culturally, politically,

00:01:09.840 and morally.

00:01:13.360 We've heard sermons that say,

00:01:15.880 we lose down here.

00:01:18.820 And pastors proclaiming that the church will suffer

00:01:21.480 more and more as time progresses.

00:01:25.820 Many believe that with each passing day,

00:01:29.800 Christ is shrinking in the world.

00:01:34.160 And that it's going to take a cataclysmic shift

00:01:37.740 at the return of Jesus Christ

00:01:40.520 for the world to be righted,

00:01:44.360 for righteousness to reign.

00:01:48.600 We've been baptized into a belief of defeatism

00:01:53.160 and a church that backslides.

00:01:58.100 But the question is,

00:02:00.400 is this the narrative that the Bible paints for us?

00:02:05.120 Is this the story that the scriptures tell us of the end of the world?

00:02:13.140 I think not.

00:02:15.320 I think it's important for us this morning to understand that the scriptures teach a progressive kingdom.

00:02:22.700 A kingdom of God that progresses in the world farther and farther.

00:02:30.040 To do this, we're going to look at Psalm chapter 2.

00:02:35.120 In this psalm, we're reminded that the reign of Christ is not just a future hope only.

00:02:44.640 It's not just something we're looking forward to.

00:02:47.860 We are looking forward to the physical reign of Christ.

00:02:51.580 But that's not all that it is.

00:02:54.900 Christ's reign is a present-day reality.

00:03:00.220 It's something that we are experiencing right now.

00:03:04.480 We're not merely awaiting some future deliverance from this world.

00:03:10.480 But we are tasked with the conquering of this world in Christ's name.

00:03:18.460 That is what the Great Commission is.

00:03:22.640 That is your Christian mandate. 1.00

00:03:26.580 A gospel of conquering.

00:03:29.300 even when the world appears chaotic and rebellious it's important for us to remember

00:03:37.520 that god has set his king on his holy hill in zion and his kingdom is advancing today

00:03:44.760 thinking about recent events in america we came perilously close to receiving the judgment that

00:03:54.280 we deserved in seeing the rise of Kamala Harris to the presidency. God could have given

00:04:03.340 us a ruler that would have perpetuated wickedness, depravity, anti-Christian morality throughout

00:04:15.160 america but in god's mercy he gave our nation a break when we deserved no break

00:04:27.560 he gave us an opportunity to repent of our past wickedness

00:04:35.700 to recognize his lordship and his kingship over our country

00:04:41.500 he's giving us the opportunity to turn around

00:04:48.080 to stop with our wicked ways

00:04:52.180 and to be a nation after his own glory

00:04:56.740 according to psalm 2

00:05:01.520 even if kamala harris would have become president

00:05:06.480 it would not have advanced the kingdom of darkness even a centimeter.

00:05:15.440 The kingdom of darkness will never prevail against the Lord or against his Messiah.

00:05:23.460 As believers, we know that we're not immune to the discouragement that comes

00:05:30.240 when we look around the world and see a world that's lost. 0.76

00:05:33.400 When we see homosexuality raised up to a level of celebration in our country,

00:05:41.520 this discourages us.

00:05:45.320 It's a hard thing to be a part of as a nation.

00:05:50.260 We see the growing rejection of Christian values in the public sphere,

00:05:55.440 and we revile at it.

00:05:59.020 it's easy to feel like the kingdom of christ is losing ground

00:06:05.320 that the forces of evil are gaining momentum in our time

00:06:10.900 the pessimistic eschatology is understandable because often this world doesn't feel like it's

00:06:18.760 getting any better at all the media amplifies this narrative putting a microscope on some of

00:06:28.080 the worst parts of society.

00:06:31.600 They actually get paid to do this.

00:06:37.300 This sentiment is so pervasive

00:06:39.360 that it can sometimes feel as though we're on the defense.

00:06:45.080 That we're fighting to hold on to a world

00:06:47.620 that's slipping through our fingers.

00:06:51.660 But this psalm this morning offers

00:06:54.060 a stark contrast to this prevailing mindset.

00:06:58.080 in the United States,

00:06:59.640 it challenges us to look beyond

00:07:02.180 the circumstances that we see.

00:07:07.880 To look beyond the apparent chaos,

00:07:11.740 the turmoil, and the struggle,

00:07:15.200 and believe in a kingdom that's unshakable.

00:07:21.380 The king is on his throne,

00:07:23.980 according to Psalm 2.

00:07:24.900 the kingdom that he has established cannot be moved

00:07:29.700 while it may seem like america and the world

00:07:34.980 is teetering on the brink of destruction due to its wickedness

00:07:40.860 we are reminded this morning that god is not surprised by these events

00:07:46.980 the wicked rulers of the earth may plot and conspire

00:07:52.160 But their rebellion is in vain.

00:07:58.400 Christ, the anointed king, has already been given all authority.

00:08:05.080 And his kingdom cannot be overthrown.

00:08:09.200 As we look back on the recent election and the moral crossroads we've encountered,

00:08:14.960 it's clear that God has spared us.

00:08:17.180 not because of our righteousness but because of his mercy and faithfulness to his people

00:08:25.000 this gives us hope

00:08:28.220 knowing that the kingdom of christ is not something merely to be hoped for

00:08:33.920 in the distant future but something that's actively advancing in our time

00:08:39.040 The church, empowered by the Holy Spirit, is called to engage with the world, proclaiming the truth, preaching the gospel, building institutions that last, and seeing the kingdom grow over the whole earth as the waters cover the sea.

00:09:02.260 so with that i want to open psalm chapter 2 if you haven't already opened your bibles

00:09:09.840 turn there to psalm chapter 2 this morning we also sung it this morning and it's almost a word

00:09:16.300 for word in your liturgy this morning so you can read it there we'll begin with verses 1 through 3

00:09:24.100 It says,

00:09:54.100 a question. Why do the nations rage? In some of your translations, it may say, why do the heathen

00:10:04.980 nations rage or the Gentile nations rage? It's telling you that all the nations over all the 0.88

00:10:14.960 earth are in focus here. It's not just Israel that God is focused on or even just Israel's

00:10:22.680 surrounding enemies, but all the nations. If you call yourself a Gentile, you're included in that

00:10:32.240 verse. It also says that they rage. In Hebrew, the word rage here is the same word in Psalm 1 1.00

00:10:43.780 that's translated meditate. For the righteous, they meditate on God's law day and night.

00:10:53.660 In contrast, the heathen nations meditate or rage against the Lord and against his anointed. 0.69

00:11:03.640 It's something that's constantly on their mind.

00:11:07.980 Something that never leaves their thoughts.

00:11:10.720 They're meditating on this rebellion.

00:11:14.260 while the immediate context refers to the kings who opposed david's reign

00:11:24.020 the true fulfillment of this psalm is found in the reign of jesus christ

00:11:30.840 as the new testament clearly affirms acts 4 23 through 31 quotes this passage and relates it

00:11:40.280 to jesus christ we know that david wrote this psalm and that it's a psalm about the messiah

00:11:47.480 when it says against the lord and against his anointed you'll notice anointed is capitalized

00:11:55.140 it means messiah it's the the chosen one the one who's coming to save his people

00:12:05.420 just as the rulers in david's day sought to thwart god's plan by opposing his kingdom

00:12:14.500 so too do the rulers today resist the lordship of jesus christ

00:12:19.580 but what does it mean that these nations rage and plot against the lord and his messiah are they

00:12:29.100 really sitting in all these nations thinking about how to undermine the kingdom of god

00:12:34.980 the answer is simple every time they reject the rule of Christ over them by not submitting to

00:12:45.480 his law they plot and conspire against the Lord every time a nation enacts a law that is sinful

00:12:57.000 or counter to the law of God they plot and conspire against the Lord

00:13:03.020 our own country is a good example of this on the back of a dollar bill what does it say

00:13:13.300 in god we trust

00:13:16.420 when our country was founded this was true

00:13:21.460 america as a nation trusted in god we had schools with catechism in it shocking i know

00:13:30.920 We had schools with catechism in it.

00:13:34.300 In every courthouse, the Ten Commandments were posted publicly.

00:13:38.620 We had national days of prayer, holidays of repentance,

00:13:45.740 of celebrating what God has done in the world as a nation.

00:13:52.120 Some of the first things that were built in any town settled in America

00:13:55.740 were a church and a school.

00:14:00.920 We were a Christian nation.

00:14:06.140 But can that be said of us anymore?

00:14:10.960 Is it still fitting to have, in God we trust, on the back of our money?

00:14:17.420 Should it not rather say, in us we trust?

00:14:22.140 In man we trust?

00:14:25.200 In materialism we trust?

00:14:27.740 At least we wouldn't be lying.

00:14:30.920 at least then we could be honest about the present state of our country

00:14:38.160 we have been a nation in rebellion and conspiring against the lord and against his anointed

00:14:44.620 for generations at this point we've enacted laws that celebrate the distortion of marriage 0.68

00:14:55.840 and homosexuality. 1.00

00:15:01.240 We've allowed women to murder 1.00

00:15:03.300 their babies in the womb. 1.00

00:15:07.560 We've allowed the church

00:15:09.240 to be persecuted in this country.

00:15:12.400 We've removed catechism from schools,

00:15:16.220 taken down the Ten Commandments

00:15:17.760 out of courthouses,

00:15:19.360 no longer teach the scriptures publicly.

00:15:23.420 We don't have national days of prayer.

00:15:30.820 We are a nation that has conspired against the Lord.

00:15:39.140 This is something we need to repent for.

00:15:44.420 Though we as individuals may not have supported these things,

00:15:49.140 in our covenant with our nation, we have.

00:15:53.420 and therefore we must repent.

00:15:59.060 We have to turn away from this path of wickedness.

00:16:04.340 We have to cease with our conspiring for sin and lawlessness.

00:16:14.220 This is going to be difficult.

00:16:18.140 This is going to take a long time for America to repent.

00:16:23.420 on a aircraft carrier when they need to turn around is it on a dime

00:16:31.380 do they turn immediately 180 no it's a slow tug as the the nose of the ship

00:16:43.000 is slowly turning around and trying to go back the way it came

00:16:47.500 It takes a lot of effort, with waves crashing against it,

00:16:54.400 feeling as though you're going against all the power of the sea.

00:16:59.680 This is what our country ought to feel right now.

00:17:04.400 This heavy resistance to turning away and repenting,

00:17:12.200 coming back to the righteousness of God,

00:17:15.820 of a care for His law.

00:17:21.040 We as the church need to do better

00:17:23.180 about preaching this.

00:17:26.600 About saying to our neighbors

00:17:28.360 that we are a nation in sin.

00:17:33.480 That we are not a holy people.

00:17:38.600 We are a people who have wandered

00:17:40.840 from our first love.

00:17:45.820 In verse 3, it says,

00:17:51.100 Let us burst their bonds apart and cast their cords from us.

00:17:57.020 This imagery of breaking off bonds and casting off cords

00:18:02.200 reveals these wicked kings' desire

00:18:06.060 to free themselves from the perceived restrictions of God's law.

00:18:12.640 Well, righteousness always feels this way.

00:18:18.180 It always feels like a restriction when you want to sin.

00:18:26.660 It feels like an external burden on you.

00:18:32.400 That you should not be allowed to do certain sins feels restrictive.

00:18:38.820 This is a good thing.

00:18:40.160 this is a blessing

00:18:43.100 when we're caught in sin we feel as though god's commandments are chains sometimes

00:18:50.500 when in reality they are bonds of love according to the scriptures

00:18:57.320 hosea 11 verse 4 says i led them with cords of kindness with bands of love and i became

00:19:08.760 to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws, and I bent down and fed them.

00:19:19.100 God's bonds are bonds not of oppression, but of love.

00:19:27.160 When he tells us that we ought not do a thing, it's not because he's trying to restrict our

00:19:33.960 freedom. He's trying to love us, to prevent us from sinning in ways that we

00:19:43.060 ought not sin. The New Testament reveals that we are slaves of Jesus Christ, that

00:19:52.520 we are bound to him. We are a people who are not our own. We belong to the

00:20:00.720 sovereign king over all the nations and it's our duty to reflect not a

00:20:08.160 reluctant submission but a joyful one when we submit it's not supposed to feel

00:20:17.060 like pulling teeth it's supposed to feel as though we are loving God we are to

00:20:29.380 reflect a submission of joy and thankfulness.

00:20:33.420 But every time

00:20:34.680 we don't pray without ceasing,

00:20:39.200 every time we don't discipline our children

00:20:41.420 in the nurture and admonition of the Lord,

00:20:44.080 every time we don't want to gather together with the saints

00:20:47.180 on Sunday morning, we say

00:20:50.180 effectively, let us cast off

00:20:53.380 these cords, these bonds

00:20:56.520 on us.

00:20:59.380 Let's do as we please, rather than what God says.

00:21:06.700 And we wind up conspiring with wickedness.

00:21:14.940 As God's people, we cannot do this.

00:21:19.520 As God's people, we ought to call God's law beautiful, loving, joyful.

00:21:30.380 Something that we desire to obey.

00:21:36.180 We ought not seek for ways to go around it.

00:21:42.540 The next section I've titled, The Lord's Response to the Wicked.

00:21:47.160 This is where God responds to these wicked kings in their rebellion.

00:21:52.300 Listen to what he says.

00:21:55.560 He who sits in heaven laughs.

00:21:57.620 and the Lord holds them in derision.

00:22:02.500 Then he will speak to them in his wrath

00:22:04.600 and terrify them in his fury, saying,

00:22:08.000 As for me, I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill.

00:22:13.000 I will tell of the decree the Lord said to me,

00:22:16.740 You are my son. Today I have begotten you.

00:22:20.840 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage

00:22:24.620 and the ends of the earth your possession. 0.97

00:22:27.620 You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel. 0.97

00:22:37.820 It's striking that the Lord's first response to these wicked kings is to laugh. 0.98

00:22:45.780 While the kings of the earth may plot and rage and meditate on how to rebel against the Lord,

00:22:53.420 the Lord looks on them and laughs.

00:22:57.620 Their efforts are utterly futile in the face of God's sovereign rule.

00:23:04.900 God remains unshaken, seated in the heavens, it says.

00:23:11.860 He didn't even get up from his throne.

00:23:15.520 He's undisturbed by their rebellion, by the rebellious antics of these earthly rulers.

00:23:23.780 He takes no care in what they have to say.

00:23:30.140 It's like when a parent watches their child throw a tantrum.

00:23:35.240 Is that a danger to your dominion in your home when they throw a tantrum?

00:23:42.480 No.

00:23:44.460 Sometimes it's kind of funny.

00:23:46.120 despite the child's anger hopefully we remain in control we don't lose it

00:23:56.080 we are able to remain firm even when our children kick and scream and rage against

00:24:08.220 whatever it is we told them to do.

00:24:13.140 The same is true of God.

00:24:16.700 God's rule is not in danger

00:24:18.380 when these kings conspire to do wickedness.

00:24:23.520 He's not anxious about the state of the world.

00:24:27.380 He doesn't sit in heaven wringing his hands,

00:24:30.960 waiting to see what happens.

00:24:32.300 i know this because psalm 2 reinforces the truth

00:24:38.820 that he has established his king on his holy hill

00:24:44.520 this is not something that god would do if he was waiting to see the response of the kings

00:24:52.360 this is a preemptive measure of god he did not leave the rule of the world up to those who would

00:25:01.060 conspire in wickedness. He gave the kingdom to his son. As John Calvin observes in his commentary

00:25:12.160 on this psalm, he says, the rulers of the earth are like grasshoppers in comparison to God's

00:25:20.060 eternal throne. Matthew Henry, in his commentary, says, the moon walks in brightness.

00:25:31.060 Though the dogs bark at it.

00:25:35.640 It's all to show this stark contrast.

00:25:39.540 These thrones and these kingdoms that we're talking about this morning

00:25:42.940 are not even on a par with one another.

00:25:48.220 The kingdom of God is so expansive,

00:25:52.200 so all-powerful,

00:25:54.440 so mighty and above everything that we see,

00:25:57.840 that the only appropriate response to their rebellion is to laugh.

00:26:04.780 It's funny that you think you could come against the Lord.

00:26:10.820 It's funny that you think you will have dominion over this earth.

00:26:17.480 It's funny that you think that you can rebel

00:26:19.860 and it will cause me one inch of sorrow.

00:26:22.860 The kingdom that God is establishing cannot be beaten back.

00:26:30.560 Their efforts are in vain.

00:26:36.160 This truth brings peace to us as believers.

00:26:42.040 It tells us that even in a world where tyrants come to power,

00:26:47.640 where wicked kings sit on the throne,

00:26:50.400 We have nothing to worry about.

00:26:56.340 Christ is still on his throne, which is seated above theirs.

00:27:04.100 This truth is echoed in Isaiah 8.10.

00:27:09.540 Isaiah reminds us that the plans of the wicked will come to nothing.

00:27:16.260 The schemes of the rebellious nations may seem powerful for a moment,

00:27:20.400 but they are destined to fall.

00:27:25.320 This counters any notion that there will be an advancing kingdom of darkness on the earth today.

00:27:34.280 You cannot believe that God can sit in the heavens

00:27:37.300 and laughs at the plots and plans of these wicked rulers

00:27:42.020 while simultaneously believing that the kingdom of darkness is expanding in the world today.

00:27:48.380 God would not allow this.

00:27:53.920 Jesus affirms this by giving an analogy that we all know very well.

00:28:00.240 He says in Matthew 16, verse 18,

00:28:05.300 The gates of hell shall not prevail against the church.

00:28:12.740 Now I have a question.

00:28:14.100 Are gates offensive or defensive?

00:28:18.380 measures. They're defensive, right? They're defensive measures because they are to protect

00:28:26.680 against an attack. That's what gates are for. Jesus picks his analogies very well.

00:28:35.260 The kingdom of darkness is defending. But what are they defending against?

00:28:42.160 they're defending against the church

00:28:46.440 they're defending against the expansion

00:28:49.940 of the kingdom of Christ in the earth

00:28:52.340 those gates will not prevail

00:28:55.880 they will not stand

00:28:57.300 against the church's onslaught

00:29:00.580 of expansion

00:29:02.540 through the preaching of the gospel

00:29:04.640 how could they?

00:29:08.800 our king sits in heaven and laughs

00:29:11.800 He mocks these kings.

00:29:14.860 He's undisturbed by what they do.

00:29:17.580 And he has sent his saints into the world

00:29:19.920 to preach a truth that takes over the world.

00:29:27.900 Christ's kingdom is growing.

00:29:30.640 And there is no rebellious power in existence today

00:29:35.220 that will be able to stop its expansion.

00:29:38.880 Period.

00:29:40.920 This is something we have to believe as Christians.

00:29:46.200 We have to reject the eschatology of pessimism.

00:29:52.500 We have to reject the belief that Christ's kingdom is in retreat.

00:30:02.440 That we're in the days of Elijah where there's only going to be a few left on the earth

00:30:07.480 who worship God.

00:30:11.900 This idea is a very modern, new idea

00:30:16.160 that does not belong in biblical church history.

00:30:23.340 The church has always believed

00:30:25.360 that the kingdom of God is advancing.

00:30:31.800 That though we may die and suffer,

00:30:34.540 though we may lose our very lives,

00:30:37.660 and maybe even our own kingdoms,

00:30:39.500 It will not put the kingdom of God in retreat.

00:30:47.440 This is something we have to believe in our modern time.

00:30:52.480 Our faithfulness depends on it.

00:30:58.380 In verse 5, the Lord speaks to these rebellious nations in wrath,

00:31:05.360 promising to punish them for their disobedience.

00:31:09.500 This judgment is not only for individuals.

00:31:13.700 He's not just addressing individuals in these nations.

00:31:17.700 Don't read your Bibles as an American.

00:31:20.480 Don't read in individualism.

00:31:23.560 He's dealing with the covenantal nation as a whole.

00:31:30.380 These nations are going to be called to judgment

00:31:34.160 for whether or not they submitted to the reign and rule of Jesus Christ.

00:31:39.500 As Christians, we need to understand that this is not merely a spiritual kingdom,

00:31:46.460 but it is also a physical kingdom.

00:31:51.160 It's something that we are seeing with our own eyes.

00:31:56.160 Not just in hearts, but in actuality.

00:32:02.660 It is possible for a nation to be a Christian nation.

00:32:10.460 The Lord will not allow these nations to continue in their rebellion.

00:32:15.780 And his kingdom will triumph over all their opposition.

00:32:20.340 This kingdom is not a mere hope for the future.

00:32:24.580 But it's something that we are actively working towards in our day.

00:32:29.820 Every time we take a town for Christ, it's now a physical Christian town.

00:32:36.860 Every time we take a state for Christ, it is now a physical Christian state. 0.64

00:32:47.940 This is often the distinction between amillennialism and postmillennialism. 0.78

00:32:54.840 In amillennialism, they believe that the kingdom of God is merely spiritual.

00:33:01.780 That we're not going to see much of its physical fruition.

00:33:07.760 Postmillennialism doesn't believe that.

00:33:10.240 We believe it is spiritual and physical.

00:33:15.420 That your hearts and minds will be changed spiritually.

00:33:20.360 So will your counties and cities and states and countries.

00:33:28.200 We believe that the world, both spiritually and physically, belongs to Jesus Christ.

00:33:34.300 I had a sermon several weeks ago where I quoted

00:33:39.500 that there's not one square inch over the cosmos

00:33:44.960 over which Christ does not cry,

00:33:47.520 Mine.

00:33:51.060 It all belongs to Him.

00:33:54.700 If His throne is truly an eternal throne

00:33:57.340 and set over the earth,

00:33:59.960 then that includes everything on the earth as well.

00:34:04.300 The kingdom of God is both a spiritual and physical kingdom.

00:34:15.480 We know that at Jesus' first coming, he was inaugurated to this throne.

00:34:24.560 It's something that we saw clearly because the New Testament reveals it.

00:34:28.980 If you look in your Bibles at Luke chapter 1, Luke chapter 1, verses 32 through 33,

00:34:42.080 the angel Gabriel announces to Mary that Jesus' throne will be established at his first coming.

00:34:51.180 It says in verse 32,

00:34:56.500 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High.

00:35:04.220 And the Lord will give to him the throne of his father David.

00:35:08.460 And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. 0.58

00:35:12.420 And of his kingdom there will be no end. 0.93

00:35:17.840 This is right before Jesus came.

00:35:21.140 As he was announcing, as the angel was announcing to Mary that the Messiah was coming.

00:35:26.500 that the king whom everyone was waiting for was coming.

00:35:34.160 This is not a kingdom that we're just waiting for in the future,

00:35:38.280 for his second coming.

00:35:39.640 It came when he came the first time.

00:35:45.320 This reign was not delayed until the end of time.

00:35:49.260 It was inaugurated with his birth, his death, his resurrection, and ultimately his ascension to the throne.

00:36:02.660 Hebrews 10, 12-13 further emphasizes this reality.

00:36:09.000 It says,

00:36:09.680 But this man, after he had offered sacrifices for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.

00:36:17.820 from that time, waiting till his enemies are made his footstool.

00:36:27.760 Jesus is currently reigning right now.

00:36:33.100 He's waiting as the church progresses in the world, 0.60

00:36:37.640 takes it over, subdues his enemies, and makes them his footstool.

00:36:42.640 So, is this the common interpretation that you've heard in America?

00:36:53.340 That Christ is on his throne, watching as the church covers the earth?

00:37:00.500 That all of his enemies are going to be made his footstool and then he returns?

00:37:06.060 That's not what I heard growing up.

00:37:09.560 I heard that we are a kingdom in retreat.

00:37:12.640 That we're waiting until the rapture.

00:37:18.080 That we're waiting to be saved again from this wicked place.

00:37:25.840 That when Jesus returns, he's coming back to a kingdom in retreat. 1.00

00:37:31.920 With very few Christians on the earth. 0.99

00:37:35.300 that does not make sense 0.80

00:37:39.960 when you look at Psalms 2 and Hebrews 10.

00:37:46.520 This is a kingdom that's expansive. 0.91

00:37:50.860 That is bringing wickedness and rebellious kings

00:37:55.180 to their knees.

00:37:59.880 The kingdom is not yet fully realized.

00:38:02.440 it's something we're working for but it's growing and expanding

00:38:09.480 it's expanding to await christ returning when he comes his his throne will be on earth forever

00:38:19.820 and to it there will be no end we still are awaiting that day

00:38:25.460 but until we come to that day we must be faithful as god's people

00:38:32.160 we must preach the gospel we must take this world for christ and not believe that it is lost

00:38:43.060 we cannot retreat to our places of safety and not engage when wicked rulers come to power

00:38:52.060 We can't sit back and watch as our nation is run over by people who hate God.

00:39:06.000 This would not be faithful as a Christian.

00:39:11.760 This would allow the forces of evil to do their work. 1.00

00:39:18.080 This would be counter to everything you've been told to do in the scriptures. 1.00

00:39:22.060 don't do that Christian 1.00

00:39:24.960 raise your families 1.00

00:39:27.500 in the nurture and admonition of the Lord

00:39:29.660 run for political office

00:39:32.700 work heartily

00:39:34.700 as if unto the Lord

00:39:36.460 build

00:39:38.780 institutions that outlive you

00:39:41.840 think about your great great

00:39:45.680 grandchildren

00:39:46.360 and the legacy that you're leaving for them

00:39:49.500 this is how you participate in the expansion of the kingdom

00:39:54.780 if you have the gift of writing then write if preaching then preach if encouragement then

00:40:02.880 encourage do your work in this world and we will see the kingdom of god expand

00:40:11.420 lastly the final few verses verses 10 through 12 it says now therefore o kings be wise

00:40:27.820 be warned o rulers of the earth serve the lord with fear and rejoice with trembling

00:40:35.720 Kiss the son, lest he be angry and you perish in the way.

00:40:41.840 For his wrath is quickly kindled.

00:40:44.560 Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

00:40:50.100 In these final verses, God offers these rebellious kings a choice.

00:40:57.960 He's offering terms of peace, telling them to be wise.

00:41:02.720 this is his only offer

00:41:06.920 the choices are this

00:41:09.940 and they are non-negotiable

00:41:11.760 repent 0.96

00:41:14.380 or die 0.99

00:41:16.360 be wise 0.99

00:41:20.920 or be destroyed

00:41:23.800 the warning is clear

00:41:29.480 Without allegiance to Jesus Christ, whole nations will fall.

00:41:39.940 Let me say that again.

00:41:42.900 Without allegiance to Jesus Christ, whole nations will fall.

00:41:52.360 This is true.

00:41:55.320 God will not allow the rebellion to continue.

00:41:59.480 God will not allow rebellious nations to continue forever.

00:42:05.800 He will remove from them their ability to rule.

00:42:10.560 And woe to those people who allowed such wickedness to reign in their country.

00:42:21.660 Verse 11 presents a paradox.

00:42:24.520 It says, serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling.

00:42:28.380 Now, how can you rejoice with trembling?

00:42:32.380 How can you have joy and tremble at the same time?

00:42:38.640 If you put yourself in the shoes of these wicked rulers,

00:42:42.860 and if one of them actually decided to be wise and repent,

00:42:47.500 they would absolutely have joy while being a little afraid.

00:42:53.740 Wouldn't you?

00:42:54.600 you've plotted and worked and conspired

00:43:00.080 against the mighty king of kings

00:43:02.920 and he offers you terms of peace and you accept them

00:43:07.480 and repent? Would you not

00:43:11.040 tremble a little bit while being exceedingly

00:43:15.300 thankful?

00:43:18.500 All of us should know this joyful trembling.

00:43:24.600 Because every one of us have conspired against the Lord at times.

00:43:31.980 Every one of us should understand the exceeding joy of being in Christ

00:43:38.140 while a little afraid that our lives have not been perfect.

00:43:46.800 We all know what it means to rejoice with trembling.

00:43:50.120 Finally, verse 12

00:43:55.280 The psalmist urges the kings

00:43:59.020 to kiss the sun

00:44:00.640 In modern years

00:44:03.300 we don't always know what that means

00:44:05.720 But to kiss a king

00:44:09.140 is to show signs of loyalty

00:44:11.820 of submission and honor

00:44:14.240 I'm sure you've heard

00:44:16.540 kiss the ring

00:44:17.280 this is the imagery that should be in your minds

00:44:22.600 that these kings should come before the throne

00:44:26.580 and kiss the ring

00:44:27.760 bow the knee to Christ

00:44:31.200 this is why it's so egregious

00:44:35.760 that Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss

00:44:39.060 he betrayed him with a sign of loyalty and love

00:44:44.820 those who refuse to honor christ will face judgment if we do not come and kiss the ring

00:44:58.200 and if whole nations do not come and kiss the ring they will be destroyed according to psalms 2

00:45:03.180 those who trust in god will be blessed but those who rebel against god will be destroyed

00:45:12.820 there's no other options for these nations there's no world where secularism continues

00:45:23.900 where all these nations that do not bow the knee to christ get to hold their positions of authority

00:45:31.820 the invitation to trust in christ is extended to every single nation of the earth

00:45:39.000 not one of them is left out.

00:45:44.900 In the end, Psalm 2 calls us

00:45:47.140 to recognize a sense of urgency

00:45:50.180 in the mission of the church.

00:45:54.960 It tells us that Christ is not waiting passively

00:45:58.300 but is working through the church

00:46:00.340 to cover the earth.

00:46:04.520 That his kingdom is advancing.

00:46:06.260 that there will be no end to it.

00:46:11.980 As his followers, we're called not to retreat in fear

00:46:15.380 or resign ourselves to the idea that the world is beyond hope.

00:46:20.880 Instead, we must boldly proclaim the gospel.

00:46:26.520 We must trust in the message that Christ has sent into the world,

00:46:31.500 that it will do its good work,

00:46:33.880 that it's powerful,

00:46:37.120 That the word of God is truly as sharp as Hebrews says that it is.

00:46:43.120 That there is no kingdom that can stand against the might and power of the word of God.

00:46:50.500 These are things we have to believe in as Christians.

00:46:54.800 For too long we've believed a gospel of defeat.

00:47:00.100 Of losing.

00:47:02.420 Backsliding.

00:47:02.980 that we don't have true power.

00:47:07.980 That the words that we say will fall on deaf ears.

00:47:13.560 Christian, this is not true.

00:47:17.520 This is not what the scriptures tell us about our mission.

00:47:22.480 This is not how Jesus believes that the world will end.

00:47:28.520 The world will be conquered.

00:47:30.340 The nations will bow the knee to Jesus Christ.

00:47:37.740 All the peoples of the earth will be blessed

00:47:40.320 because of the rule and reign of Jesus Christ.

00:47:45.400 And it is your and my Christian duty

00:47:49.140 to work towards those ends

00:47:51.960 and to participate in the mission of God in the world.

00:47:58.620 Live with this hope.

00:48:00.340 live with this joy

00:48:03.660 and watch what the Lord does

00:48:06.800 through this church and in your life.

00:48:09.900 Amen?

00:48:12.100 Amen.

00:48:13.100 Let me pray.

00:48:17.920 Father in heaven,

00:48:22.960 Lord,

00:48:24.320 your mission in the world

00:48:27.420 is a big mission.

00:48:30.340 It encompasses hundreds of nations, billions of people.

00:48:45.060 It encompasses the entirety of what we know.

00:48:52.780 And Lord, we are so thankful that this gospel that you've given to us to preach to the world

00:49:00.020 is a gospel of victory.

00:49:06.660 A gospel that will accomplish the work

00:49:09.760 that you have set out for it to do.

00:49:14.140 A gospel that will tear down kingdoms

00:49:16.820 that will not bend the knee

00:49:18.600 and will raise up righteous kingdoms that will.

00:49:26.260 Lord, I pray that you would make your church faithful.

00:49:30.020 in preaching this truth.

00:49:33.380 I pray that you would make us all zealous

00:49:35.660 to accomplish your ends in the earth.

00:49:43.620 That we would believe that the kingdom is now.

00:49:48.340 And that we have an active role to play in its expansion.

00:49:54.720 Lord, help us as we seek to honor you in all that we do.

00:49:58.200 and make our lives useful for your glory.

00:50:03.980 We ask this in Jesus' name.

00:50:05.660 Amen.

Dale Partridge - March 25, 2025

Psalm 2 Kiss the Son, Lest He be Angry

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