S. I. McMillen, in his book None of These Diseases, tells a story of a young woman who wanted to go to college, but her heart sank when she read the question on the application blank that asked, “Are you a leader?”
Being both honest and conscientious, she wrote, “No,” and returned the application, expecting the worst. To her surprise, she received this letter from the college: “Dear Applicant: A study of the application forms reveals that this year our college will have 1,452 new leaders. We are accepting you because we feel it is imperative that they have at least one follower.”
Everybody thinks they’re a leader. A lot of people want to be in charge – people like Ted Cruze and Hillary Clinton, but God has made it clear, “There is only One who is in charge.” God has installed his King, and that King is Jesus.
2,000 years ago, Jesus presented Himself as Israel’s king on that first Palm Sunday, but they rejected him. The question is: How are we going to respond to His rule over our lives? How are we going to respond to the Lordship of Jesus Christ? Are we going to fight it or welcome it?
If you have your Bibles, I invite you to turn with me to Psalm 2, Psalm 2, where we hear four voices advising us on what to do with Christ’s rule.
Psalm 2:1-3 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” (ESV)
They don’t like it that God’s King is in power. They don’t like it that Jesus is God’s Anointed One (the one chosen by God to rule), and they want to throw off His rule. To them, being under Christ’s authority is like being in prison. It’s like being all tied up, and they want to break free from those bonds. This first voice, the voice of the nations, is…
THE VOICE OF REBELLION.
It’s the voice of resistance and revolt. It’s the voice of defiance.
People do not want to submit to God’s rule in their lives. Now, this has been true throughout all of history. In Bible days, when a new king came to the throne in Israel, the surrounding nations saw it as an opportunity to rebel. They were paying taxes to the old king, and some of them were under his control. But when a new king came to power, someone who was untested and untried, they saw weakness and the opportunity to throw off his control.
Originally, this psalm was composed as a coronation psalm, celebrating the coronation of a new King in Israel. It was sung at his coronation ceremony and reflects on the attitude of the surrounding nations. They conspired and plotted to overthrow this new king. They came together to stand against him. Their conspiracy is the “council of the wicked” in Psalm 1:1. They stand in the way of sinners, and they sit in the seat of scoffers.
But, as we shall see, it will do them no good. They will not be able to overthrow God’s king, no matter what.
People always rebelled when a new king came on the throne. So it is no surprise that people rebelled when Jesus came on the scene, proclaiming to be their king. In Acts 4, Peter quotes this very psalm, when he describes Herod, Pontius Pilate and the Sanhedrin, Gentile Kings and Jewish Rulers, conspiring together to crucify Christ (Acts 4:25-27).
They didn’t want Him as their King, but it didn’t do them any good, did it? Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead, and now He is at the right hand of the Father in the place of ALL authority over EVERY king and ruler on this earth, over EVERY king and ruler under the earth, and over EVERY king and ruler in Heaven itself.
People throughout history have rebelled against God’s King, and they still rebel against him today. There are many today who still refuse to submit to Christ.
William Ernest Henley’s poem, Invictus, is a popular poem used at many commencement ceremonies around the country in the spring. It’s a poem which expresses defiance against all gods, including the true and living God of the Bible. The last stanza goes like this:
It matters not how straight the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.
For over a hundred years, Henley's poem has inspired many people. In the 1980s, the poem encouraged former South African president Nelson Mandala throughout the dark days of his imprisonment. Years later, Clint Eastwood used it as the title for his popular film about the South African rugby team.
Sadly, the poem was also a great influence on Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, who was responsible for the deaths of 168 men, women, and children, and the injuries of 800 more. He scribbled out the words of “Invictus” and handed it to authorities as his last words before his execution. (Ellen Vaughn, Come, Sit, Stay, Worthy, 2012, pp. 28-31; www.PreachingToday.com)
You see, when we declare that we are masters of our own fate, when we declare that we are captains of our own souls, then we stand in direct opposition to the only One that God has declared Master and Captain, the Lord Jesus Christ. We are not Lord. HE is! And when we think otherwise, we only live to regret it.
Please, don’t listen to the voice of rebellion. Don’t walk in the counsel of the wicked. Instead…
LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF REBUKE.
Listen to the voice of God as He speaks against those who would rebel. Listen to the voice of the Father as He speaks against those who would be the captain of their own souls.
Psalm 2:4-6 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” (ESV)
God makes it very clear to any who would rebel, “I have set my King,” and there is nothing you can do about it. In fact, God ridicules those who think they can oppose him. He laughs at them. He scoffs at them. He makes fun of them. In Psalm 1:1 it speaks of those who “sit in the seat of scoffers.” Here, the Lord scoffs at those who sit in those seats. He mocks those who mock Him.
Then He rebukes them. His words strike terror in their hearts.
Before Adoniram Judson became the pioneer of American foreign missions, he was one of these mockers. He finished at the top of his college class and headed to New York City to seek fame and fortune as an actor and/or writer. He had renounced his father's belief in a personal God. His sophisticated college education made him too smart for that, and prayer was meaningless to him.
Even so, by the age of 20, Adoniram didn't feel right about his life. He was disillusioned, so he headed back to his home in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
He stopped for a night at a motel, where he had trouble sleeping, because a man in the next room was moaning and groaning in pain all night. He was critically ill, and it became very obvious to Adoniram that the man was dying.
In the darkness, Adoniram reflected on the possibility of his own death, and thought about returning to his father’s faith. But then he thought about his college buddy, Jacob Eames. He was a skeptic who had turned Adoniram against religion. He wondered, “What would Jacob think if I ever became a Christian.” It was a terrible night, and Adoniram couldn’t wait for the morning to come.
Then, early the next morning, Adoniram went to the innkeeper.“That poor old man in the next room. How is he?” he asked.
“He passed away early this morning,” came the reply. “And he wasn't old at all. He was a young man, about your age.”
For some reason, Adoniram asked, “What was his name?” It was a stupid question, because Adoniram didn't know anybody in that part of the country.
The innkeeper replied, “His name was Jacob Eames.” He was Adoniram’s friend, who had ridiculed his father’s faith.
Adoniram was dazed. He returned to Massachusetts and to his father, but all he could think about was the word, “lost.” Then, after three months of struggle, Adoniram finally made what he called “a solemn dedication of himself to God.” (William J. Petersen, 25 Surprising Marriages)
It doesn’t do us any good to fight God. It doesn’t do us any good to mock God, because God always has the last laugh. Don’t listen to the voice of rebellion. Instead, listen to the Father’s voice of rebuke. Then…
LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF RESOLVE.
Listen to the voice of the Son, declaring the decree of the Lord, proclaiming His right to be king.
Psalm 2:7 I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. (ESV)
That was part of God’s promise to King David. In 2 Samuel 7, God promised David an eternal dynasty. He tells David that his offspring would rule forever. Then God says of each of those offspring, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son” (2 Samuel 7:14).
So, whenever one of David’s descendants became king in Israel, on his coronation day, he took on the title, “Son of God.” That was because God promised to be a Father to all of David’s successors on the throne.
Here, in Psalm 2, the King reminds us of that promise. He reminds us of God’s decree: “Today, I have begotten you.” That is, on this day, the day of your coronation, “You are [now] my Son, and I have become your Father.”
By the way, Jesus was proclaimed “the Son of God” at His resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the Father. Paul quotes this Psalm in Acts 13 when he speaks of Christ’s resurrection. That was Jesus’ coronation day! He is King, and Jesus wants us to know that for certain. When Jesus claimed to be “the Son of God,” He was claiming to be none other than the King of Israel, God’s anointed King. Listen to the voice of resolve.
Psalm 2:7-9 I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” (ESV)
Here, we find that Jesus is not only the King of Israel; He is the King of the world. All of the nations belong to Him, even to “the ends of the earth,” and He will crush any who rebel. He will smash them to pieces.
In Egypt, the Pharaoh used his scepter to smash clay jars that represented rebellious cities or nations. That’s the picture we have here of the King putting an end to any rebellion against His rule. Listen to His voice of resolve: He is King, and He will crush any rebellion.
In his book, Six Hours One Friday, Max Lucado describes some of the weak views people have about Christ:
For some, Jesus is a good luck charm. The "Rabbit's Foot Redeemer." Pocket-sized. Handy. Easily packaged. Easily understood. Easily diagrammed. You can put his picture on your wall or you can stick it in your wallet as insurance. You can frame him. Dangle him from your rear view mirror or glue him to your dashboard.
His specialty? Getting you out of a jam. Need a parking place? Rub the redeemer. Need help on a quiz? Pull out the rabbit's foot. No need to have a relationship with him. No need to love him. Just keep him in your pocket next to your four-leaf clover.
For many he's an "Aladdin's Lamp Redeemer." New jobs. Pink Cadillacs. New and improved spouses. Your wish is his command. And what's more, he conveniently reenters the lamp when you don't want him around.
For others, Jesus is a "Monty Hall Redeemer." "All right, Jesus, let's make a deal. For 52 Sundays a year, I'll put on a costume – coat and tie, hat and hose – and I'll endure any sermon you throw at me. In exchange, you give me the grace behind pearly gate number three."
The Rabbit's Food Redeemer. The Aladdin's Lamp Redeemer. The Monty Hall Redeemer. Few demands, no challenges. No need for sacrifice. No need for commitment. Sightless and heartless redeemers. Redeemers without power. (Max Lucado, Six Hours One Friday, W. Publishing, 2004, pp. 89-90)
Only that’s not our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. He is the Sovereign Lord with all power. He is King, and He will crush any rebellion against His rule.
Don’t listen to the voice of rebellion. Instead, listen to the Father’s voice of rebuke. Listen to the Son’s voice of resolve. And finally…
LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF REASON.
Listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit who calls us to worship, honor and trust the king. The author of this Psalm is the Holy Spirit, and He brings all of this to a conclusion at the end of the Psalm.
Psalm 2:10-11 Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. (ESV)
“Serve” and “rejoice” are worship terms in the Bible, and we are to do it with “fear” and “trembling.” Jesus is King! Therefore, worship him. Stand in awe of Him, and honor him.
Psalm 2:12a “Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled.”
In Bible days, you kissed the feet of kings as an act of homage or honor. So today, we are to honor the Son of God, our King.
Sam Bronfman, the late CEO of the Seagram Company, entered a crowded conference room and, anxious to get on with the meeting, plopped into the nearest chair. One of his young assistants immediately said, “No, Mr. Bronfman, you're supposed to sit at the head of the table.”
"Young man," replied Mr. Bronfman, “wherever I sit is the head of the table.” (Leadership Journal, 5-7-96, p.12)
That’s the way it is with Jesus, our King. Wherever He is, He is in charge. Worship Him. Honor Him; and finally, trust him. Instead of trying to fight Him, find your refuge in Him. Look at the end of verse 12:
Psalm 2:12b Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.
That brings us back to the beginning of Psalm 1, where it says, “Blessed is THE man.” Who is THE MAN? Well here in Psalm 2, he is identified as Jesus Christ, THE KING! We find true happiness, only when we take refuge in Him, only when we find shelter under His rule.
Genelle Guzman McMillan was the last person to be rescued from Ground Zero alive. She had been trapped in the rubble of what remained of the Twin Towers for 27 hours when at last fire fighters heard her calling and pulled her out.
This 30-year-old single mother had only been on the job as a Port Authority clerk for nine months when the terrorists attacked the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. When the North Tower collapsed, her job was no longer on the 64th floor – there was no 64th floor! Her vocation became trying to stay alive entombed in floors of twisted steel and smoking debris while hoping for a miracle.
As McMillan would later tell reporters, her “head was pinned between two pieces of concrete, her legs sandwiched by pieces of a stairway. Her toes had gone numb hours ago. Her right hand was pinned under her leg. Only her left hand was free.”
McMillan, who had been raised a Roman Catholic in Trinidad, had fallen away from her faith, but in the rubble now, her thoughts turned to God. Thinking of her 14-year-old daughter, she prayed that her body would at least be found so that it could be buried. Becoming a bit more bold, she revised her prayer and asked the Lord that if she had to die, that she could at least make it to the hospital so she could see her daughter one last time. But as faith seemed to bubble in her heart, she boldly asked her Heavenly Father to be rescued alive.
“I was praying to God: ‘God please save my life. Give me a second chance. I promise I will change my life and do your will.’”
McMillan remembers saying that prayer over and over. “God please save my life. Give me a second chance. I promise I will change my life and do your will.” She had no idea now how many times she repeated it or how many hours passed. Shortly thereafter she was rescued by fire fighters who, upon seeing the reflective gear of a fallen colleague, found her. (Mike Kelly, the Bergen County, New Jersey, Record, 9-10-03)
She found her refuge in Christ. Even though she had turned her back on Him, even though she had rebelled, ehen she submitted to the Lord, she found a place of safety.
The same can happen to you. No matter what you’ve done, no matter how bad you have rebelled in the past. You can still find a place of safety and joy in the present. All you need to do is submit to your King, Jesus. Stop running away from Him. Instead, run to Him and find peace and rest for your soul.
Don’t listen to the voice of rebellion. Instead, listen to the Father’s voice of rebuke. Listen to the Son’s voice of resolve, and listen to the Spirit’s voice of reason: Jesus is King. Worship, honor, and trust Him.
