Royalty
Griffith Baptist Church – 2/15/09
P.M. Service
Text: Psalm 45
Key verse: Psalms 45:17 - I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever.
Premise: This is the Psalm of the King and it spurs us on to not only worship Him but live for Him as children of the King. What an honor!
The Introduction
Jack Hayford and his wife Anna were vacationing in Britain during the 25th anniversary of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. While there the Hayfords saw constant reminders of royalty. That, along with visits to several castles, caused Hayford to sense what it might be like to be "raised as a child in such regal settings." With this in mind, he asked Anna one day, as they drove through the countryside, to write down these words: "Majesty, worship His majesty. Unto Jesus be all glory, power, and praise." Thus "Majesty," one of today’s most glorious praise songs, was born.
I don’t know how you feel about royalty, but to stand in the presence of a monarch must be an awesome experience.
This psalm points to Jesus Christ, the King – Hebrews 1:8-9 - 8But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom. 9Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
Body
1. The Dedication to the King – 45:1
A. From the heart – My heart is overflowing with a good theme;
i. Matthew 12:35 – A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: . . .
ii. Our heart should be constantly monitored and filled with good things that produce good things.
B. From the head – I recite my composition concerning the King;
i. Ephesians 4:23 – And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
ii. What is in our mind stays there.
iii. Putting good things in will result in a change in our behavior.
C. From the mouth – My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
i. There was once an elderly couple that was traveling through upstate NY. As they were driving along they saw a sign that said, "Helicopter rides ahead". Pa said to Ma that he always wanted to ride in one of those helicopters. So they pull into the place and found the pilot. Pa asks him how much for the ride. The pilots said, "$20 each." Pa scratched his chin and said, "I’d like to ride but that’s too much money". Feeling a little sorry for the old folks the pilot tells them, "Here is what I will do. If you or your wife don’t make a sound, I’ll take you up for free. But if either one of you says a word then you have to pay me $40". Pa says "Sure, I’ll take that deal." So they were off. They go just about straight up, then the pilot does a power dive just above the trees. He turns the craft one way then the other. At times almost going upside down. He finally lands and says, "Sir I am a man of my word, you never made a sound, that ride is for free." Pa said, "Yup, I almost said something, though, when Ma fell out."
ii. Psalms 19:14 – Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
iii. Be very careful what we say, it can never be taken back.
2. The Description of the King – 45:2-9
A. Beautiful and gracious – 2
i. Isaiah 33:17 – 17Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off.
ii. This beauty cannot be adequately described or envisioned.
iii. Grace is the centerpiece of God reaching down to us
B. Conqueror – 3-5
i. Revelation 19:15 – And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
ii. Who can stand against God – Isaiah 54:17 - No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.
C. Sovereign – 6
i. Psalms 103:19 – The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.
ii. He rules over all
iii. His ultimate will is determined and will be accomplished.
D. Anointed – 7-8
i. Luke 4:18-21 – 18The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
ii. Anoint – Messiah – the Consecrated and Anointed One
E. Family Head – 9
i. Colossians 1:18 – And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
ii. Christ, the King, is also the church’s husband and head
iii. He is benevolent and perfect in his husbandry and fatherhood.
3. The Desire for the King – 45:10-17
A. Listen closely – 10
i. An elderly man had serious hearing problems for a number of years. His family tried again and again to convince him to get a hearing aid. Finally, he relented. He went to the doctor and was fitted for a set of hearing aids that allowed him to hear 100 percent. A month later he went back to the doctor. The doctor said with a smile, “Your hearing is perfect. Your family must be really pleased that you can hear again.” The old man replied, “Oh, I haven’t told my family yet. I just sit around and listen to their conversations. I’ve changed my will three times!” (“Hearing Problems” Crosswalk.com, by Jerry De Luca, Montreal West, Quebec)
ii. Isaiah 55:1-3 – 1Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. 3Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
iii. We need to be careful to open our ears and bend close
iv. When He speaks, all should keep silent before Him.
B. Worship longingly – 11-12
i. 1 Chronicles 16:29 – Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
ii. Come before Him = literally (Heb.) to draw close or bring near
iii. Worship is not a performance, it is an attitude
iv. It should be a longing, a desire that is continuous and joyous
C. Live expectantly – 13-15
i. Revelation 19:7-8 – 7Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
ii. Do not live for the here and now
iii. We should live, fully anticipating that our King will come again and win the battle once and for all
D. Walk uprightly – 16
i. Tonto and the Lone Ranger were riding through a canyon together when all of a sudden both sides were filled with Indian warriors on horses, dressed for battle. The Lone Ranger turned to Tonto and asked, “What are we going to do?” Tonto replied, “What you mean ‘we,’ Whiteman?” Sadly, that sometimes seems like the behavior we see and experience in the church...
ii. Philippians 1:27 – Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
iii. Too many Christians live as if Christ were not present – they are wrong.
iv. With all eyes watching, we should walk in such a way that they see His presence in us.
E. Proclaim passionately – 17
i. Mark 5:19-20 – Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. 20And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.
ii. How good is the Good News to you?
iii. Is it good enough to share or do we save it for a rainy day?
iv. Does people marvel at your testimony of what God has done in your life – John 12:32 - And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
Conclusion:
Who is your king?
Do you lift up your King in your life?
Do you live to please your King?
Do you proclaim your King?
