Sermon Extras

SERMON NOTES

Summer in the Psalms: Psalms 2

REVIEW> WE are taking our summer like we normally do and spend time in the Psalms! We learned about Psalm 1 last week and  how that functions as a gateway to the Psalms for us. We learned about Biblical Meditation (Show graphic) and How to do it (Show Graphic) 

INTRO> This week maybe this introduction will help: In 2017 The Huffington Post wrote an article (PIC) with the headline, “Burger King’s “Who is the King?” Vote reportedly angers the Belgium royal.” Set to open its first location in Belgium, Burger King launched an online publicity campaign that asks users “Who’s the King?” and allows them to vote for who they want to be their king: a cartoonized version of the real Belgian King Phillipe or the fictional Burger King. “Two kings, one single crown, who shall reign?” asks the website.

CONTEXT> The Fast food restaurant asked a deeply profound question, “Who shall reign?” You see that’s what Psalm 2 is entirely about. It answers that very question. There are some things we need to know about this Psalm though: 

• Psalm 2 is quoted or alluded to at least 18x in the NT. The most of any other Psalm. 
• This is a royal Psalm. Sung at the coronation of Israels kings. 
• This is a Messianic Psalm (v2 the word “anointed) which means that it is ultimately about Jesus. (Acts 4:25-36)

APP> There is a big significance here in the order of these two Psalms. Psalm 1 is about meditating on God’s Word and Psalm 2 is about God’s Son Jesus Christ. Proper meditation of the Word of God leads to a clear picture of the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

CONTEXT> The Psalm breaks down in a very natural way with 4 voices in it. There are four parts. We will see 1) What the World says 2) What the Lord says 3) What the King says 4) What the psalmist says 

1. What the World Says v1-3

• It’s a rhetorical question. The word “plot” is the same word for meditate in Psalm 1, this is what the world as a system is consumed with! 
• “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us!” This is it, this is the anthem of the world, The word is that there is a LORDS anointed, and the kings of the earth HATE this message. To say it another way.. 

APP> The world says, True freedom is found in forsaking all authority. 

• “Freedom without authority is anarchy.”- Warren Wiersbe Is a fish free out of water? Is a tree free when it is uprooted? 

*ILL> In God’s Sovereignty we are studying this passage on the 4th of July! Congress made it a Holiday in 1870. On this day, the United States celebrates it’s freedom from the tyranny of Britain! But… what happened on this day in history?  On July 2nd 1776, voted in favor of independence, and two days later delegates from the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson. But soon after that document was signed what is our other founding document? The Constitution! written in 1787! Why is this important?

APP> True freedom is found in submission to Gods will. 

2) What God the Father says. v4-6

• “He who sits in the heavens laughs; the LORD holds them in derision” I LOVE this! The bible is being a bit sarcastic right? *ILL> It’s like when my kids wrestle with me and they go to the other side of the room and make a plan to get Daddy?!

APP> God the Father says, “Even in the greatest act of rebellion, my Son reigns!” 

“We are not simply expected to understand what this rebuke means; we are meant to feel a sense of visceral terror when we hear it. The God who made the world and in whose hand is our very breath is furiously angry at rebellion. No! he says, “I have made a decision; I have installed, with no appeal, no second thoughts, no votes, I have installed MY king, the anointed one!” – Christopher Ash, Psalms for you! 

3) What God the Son says. v7-9

• You might ask, “Pastor, how do you know this is Jesus? Well, I’m glad you asked that! The writer of the book of Hebrews actually tells us that, “So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”..” Hebrews 5:5
• The clearest place that we see that this Psalm is about Jesus is when Paul using this Psalm as his text for a sermon in Acts 13:32-34, “And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, 33 this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, “‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you.’ 34 And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption,

APP> God the Son says, “I am the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe!”

4) What God the Holy Spirit says. v10-12

• These verses and this response make complete sense now in light of knowing who this King is! These verses give us our application, it tell us 3 things:

1. Serve the King.
2. Worship the King.
3. Submit to the King, while you still can. 

*ILL> Do you Remember the very first Avengers movie? I know, kinda hard to do! There is a scene where Loki captures these group of people and tells them to bow to him, Here is what he says, “Loki: [to crowd] Kneel before me. I said… KNEEL! Is not this simpler? Is this not your natural state? It’s the unspoken truth of humanity that you crave subjugation. The bright lure of freedom diminishes your life’s joy in a mad scramble for power. For identity. You were made to be ruled. In the end, you will always kneel.

APP> Do you know what, he is right. Listen if Psalm 1 was asking us, “What path are you walking down” then Psalm 2 is asking us…. 

Big Idea > Who are you bowing to? 

Almighty God,
You are to be desired by all nations, yet You gave great freedom to this country. With celebration for our nation’s birth, we come before You with thanksgiving for the freedom bestowed on each of us. Praise be to God who granted and preserves our independence! 

We confess that we have forgotten that you are our deliverer, refuge, and fortress. It is You alone, our Creator, who endows us with the right to the life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. God we confess that true freedom is not granted by a piece of paper, but through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our Savior.

We ask that you would heal our land, humble our hearts and strengthen our hands to do your will through the power of your Holy Spirit in us. 

We ask these things in the name of our King and Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.