Stop Raging Series

Stop Raging

Psalm 2:1-12

- We’re continuing our study through the book of Psalms.

- This week, we’re going to look at the rage of unbelievers against God.

- I’m reminded of an incident that happened back when I was in Middle School.

- In gym class, we were playing flag football.

- It was supposed to be for fun and everyone was supposed to be included.

- Unfortunately, I wasn’t very good at sports, and the other kids in my class knew this.

- So as everyone is on the field having a fun time, enjoying the game, I’m on the field standing off to the side, trying not to get in the way.

- At one point, I was the only person open, so the Quarterback threw the ball to me.

- I should have caught it because it was a really good throw, but the problem is I didn’t keep my eyes on the ball.

- So, when the ball got to me, I closed my eyes, and I felt the ball bounce off my fingers and fall to the ground.

- I was so embarrassed that I didn’t catch the ball.

- But then, there was a kid on the other team, named Casey.

- Casey had a twin named Connor, and both of them were really good athletes at pretty much everything they played.

- Casey started laughing at me and said he couldn’t believe I’d missed such an easy catch.

- At this point, I got really angry.

- I remember the blood boiling up inside of me, and I decided I was going to make him pay for what he did.

- So, on the next play, when the quarterback hiked the ball, I ran as fast I could and slammed full force into Casey.

- It felt like I’d hit a brick wall.

- When I hit him, it moved him back just a little bit, but not much.

- At this point, he started laughing at me even more and I was more embarrassed than I had been before that.

- I’ll never forget how I felt that day.

- The rage boiled up inside of me and caused me to do something I wouldn’t normally do.

- I was just a scrawny little guy, and Casey was a tall, athletic, strong guy.

- So I learned on that day that rage is never a good thing.

- Let’s look at this Psalm now and see what we can learn about the rage of the ungodly.

I.) Their rage has them deceived- Vs 1-3

- Not too long ago, there was a video online of a UFC fighter who was on a rampage.

- Apparently, the other fighter and his team did something to make this man angry.

- The video shows him chasing these guys to their bus in the parking garage.

- As the bus is trying to drive away, this fighter is yelling, and swearing, and rushing toward the bus, smashing against it, even though it was in motion.

- The guys around him who are part of his team tried to calm him down and hold him back, but he was in such a rage that they couldn’t stop him.

- At one point, he picks up a big guardrail and hurls it at a window of the bus, which smashed the window open.

- When the guardrail goes through the window, it hits one of the passengers in the head, which sent him to the hospital with a huge, bleeding wound.

- Obviously, this was a crazy thing for him to do, and he got arrested for it, possibly even ending his fighting career.

- Of course, at the time of his rage, he wasn’t thinking about the consequences.

- That’s kind of what we find here with the nations of the world.

- David asks, “Why do the nations rage?”

- It’s an honest question he asks, because it’s mind-boggling…

- The fact is that God created those very same people who are raging against Him.

- God provides air for them to breathe…

- He provides water for them to drink…

- He makes food abundantly available for them to eat…

- They benefit from His law of gravity, instead of being hurled out into space.

- They benefit from His hand upon the earth, protecting all of earth’s inhabitants from burning up from the sun or freezing to death.

- The list goes on and on…there is absolutely no reason these people should be raging against their Creator, God Almighty!

- Yet they do, and on top of that, David says they “plot a vain thing.”

- From the start, they’re destined to fail, and yet they still somehow think they can fight against God Almighty.