Intro: Among many things, holiday music, and hymns are a big part of the Christmas season and celebration!
Why is that?
As one music aficionado put it: There’s something about “that Christmas feeling” that words can’t describe, but the music can capture. There’s a feeling associated with the whole Christmas season, a feeling of warmth, love, peace, and joy that wonderfully counterbalances the frigid December cold. Christmas music captures that feeling with a few beautifully pieced together melodies, harmonies, accompaniment, and (often) lyrics.
As I considered what I would focus on during the advent season, I reached not for my traditional hymn book, but rather what is known as the nation of Israel’s hymn book, the book of Psalms!
It is the longest book in your bible, there a 150 of them! It was written over a period of about one thousand years from the time of Moses (about 1500 B.C.) to the time of Ezra (about 450 B.C.). And perhaps one of the most amazing parts of it is that it has much to say about the Advent of Christ!
Jesus himself pointed that out in: Luke 24:44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”-NIV
So during the advent season I will bring a series of messages around the theme:
The Psalms of Christmas
Proposition: A study of the Psalms of Christmas, will take us beyond the warm, traditional feeling that we have regarding Christmas, into a height, length, width, and depth, that not even the gospels take us! For those accounts were recorded after the birth of Christ, but the Messianic Psalms were written hundreds even a thousand years before! They bring you into a heavenly view of what the advent of Christ is all about!
I think this whole series and season needs to start with what I would call the obvious place to start:
I. The Reason for the Advent?
The Reason for the Season?
A) Advent:
1. The word “Advent” is derived from the Latin word adventus, meaning “coming.”
a) Of Christ!
It all had to do with…
II. The Revolt!
A) Recorded in Psalm 2 and beyond!
1. The insurgency
2. The attempt to put an end to the authority of someone or something by fighting and rebelling against it.
B) Rebels?
Psalm 2:1a Why do the heathen rage,
1. Heathen – ?????- gowy - Non -Hebrew nations; Gentiles.
C) Rage --????????? (ra·??·šu) - To conspire against, to plot!
And also in this conspiracy are…
Psalm 2:1b and the people….
2. People – the nation of Israel – Jew
B) Ridiculousness of the resistance:
Psalm 2:1c [they] imagine a vain thing?
1. Imagine – ????? -hagah
a) To moan, growl, utter, muse, mutter, meditate, devise, plot, plan
2. Vain – ???? -riyq
a) empty, of no purpose, useless -thing!
3. This speaks of a whispered treasons passing to and fro among the Gentile and Hebrew nations.
C) Range? (The extent or scope of it?)
Psalms 2:2a The kings of the earth…
1. Kings – ?????? -melek
a) Governors, and governments of the earth.
i. Organized governments of the earth.
Psalms 2:2b set themselves,
ii. Take their stand
iii. Band together
Psalms 2:2c and the rulers
2. Rulers - ???????????? (w?·ro·wz·nîm)
a) To be judicious.
i. Judicial government of the earth.
Psalms 2:2d Take counsel together
Psalms 2:2d band together - NIV
ii. Band together -?????? (ya·?a?)- Unite, altogether, all together, alike
iii. They form a coalition over a cause, one cause!
D) Reason?
Psalms 2:2e against….
E) Resistance!!
1. Against -???? (‘al-)
a) Upon a common ground
i. Basis of their banding is to oppose:
Psalms 2:2f the Lord,
2. Lord – ??????? – Yehovah
a) Jehovah = "the Self -Existing; Eternal One"
Psalms 2:2g and against his anointed,
2. Anointed – ???????? – mashiyach
a) The Messiah, Messianic prince
b) The King of Israel
Psalms 2:2h saying, 3a Let us break…
1.“Let us break” ???????????? (n?·nat·t?·qah)
a) Pull apart, tear away, tear apart, snap
Psalms 2:3b their bands asunder,
2. Bands – ?????? -mowcer
a) Bonds, restraints, restrictions.
Psalm 2:3c and cast away their cords from us.
3. Cords – ????? -`aboth
a) Rope, cordage, chains.
F) Record of the bible?
1. That a global, world-wide revolt, rebellion of man against God, that took place right from the beginning (genesis of man)!
a) Started with satan:
Isaiah 14: 12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. - KJV
b) Ended with man!
Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise,2 she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.-ESV
c) Man’s rebellion against God is the strongest theme that runs through the Bible regarding man from Genesis to Revelation!
i. Noah’s day
Genesis 6: 5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.”-ESV
ii. Babel
Genesis 11:1 Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. 2 As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. 3 They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”
a. God told them to fill the earth, not hunker down and build a city!
Genesis 1: 28 God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
G) Root of all ills?
1. Man’s rebellion against God!
H) Restrictions? (That man sees?)
1. Bands, bonds, restraints?
a) THE BIBLE!
i. Unfortunately this is even an attitude among Christians:
Dr. George Barna, Director of the Cultural Research Center Research : We’re Experiencing Another Reformation, and Not in a Good Way! Unlike the Protestant Reformation, whose goal was to return to the foundational teachings of the Bible, this modern movement is one where Americans are redefining biblical beliefs according to secular values.
In January 2020, the CRC surveyed 2,000 adults in the U.S. from five major groups: evangelicals, Pentecostals and charismatics, mainline Protestants, and Catholics. Researchers asked respondents about their views on 51 topics, including marriage, absolute truth, the sanctity of human life, and the authority of the Bible. While there were notable differences among the four Christian traditions, researchers found that all of them showed a clear trend away from the teachings of the Bible and toward a secular worldview.
I) Reveal? Even Christians are saying:
Psalms 2: 3a Let us break…their bands asunder
a. We don’t want the bible to tell us how to live and what to do!
In spite of the fact that…
Psalm 119:89 For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.
Psalm 119:160 Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.
Psalm 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Psalm 2:3c and cast away their cords from us.
3. Cords, rope, chains?
Ecclesiastes 4:12Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. _NIV
a) Creation – God’s general revelation of Himself!
Romans 1: 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools -NIV
b) Commandments!
Ecclesiastes 12:13b Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. – NIV
Proverbs 19:16 Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life, but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die.
c) Conscience!
1Timothy 1:5 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,
1 Timothy 4:2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,
Greg Laurie - Some may think they’re neutral about God if they don’t have an opinion about him one way or the other. They aren’t outspoken atheists, after all. But prior to becoming a Christian, every person is at war with God. That is what the Bible teaches.
Romans 8:7 “For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will” - NLT.
III. The Response (Of God against) ?
A) Revolt?
B) Rebellion?
Psalm 2:4a He that sitteth in the heavens…
Psalm 2:4a The One Enthroned - NASB
Psalm 2:4b shall laugh:
Psalm 2:4b The One enthroned in heaven laughs -NIV
1. Laughs -??????? (yis·?aq)
a) Laughs (with contempt or derision)
a) To make sport of, to jest
b) To laugh mockingly
Psalm 2:4c the Lord shall have them in derision.
2. Derision – ????? -la`ag
a) To mock, deride, ridicule
b) To taunt
C) Really?
1. Do you really think you can rebel and revolt against me successfully?
Psalm 59:8 8 But you laugh at them, Lord; you scoff at all those nations.
Psalm 37: 13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming.
3. When God laughs – we are in BIG TROUBLE!
Proverbs 1:24b Since you refuse to listen when I call, and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand, 25 since you disregard all my advice and do not accept my rebuke, 26 I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you; I will mock when calamity overtakes you—27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. -NIV
IV. The Result (Of His laughter) ?
Psalm 2:5a Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath,
A) Wrath – ??? -'aph
1. Hot faced, hot nosed, snorting anger!
Psalm 2:5b and vex them in his sore displeasure.
Psalm 2:5 Then he angrily speaks to them and terrifies them in his rage, saying… NET
V. The Revelation:
A) Revelation - ?p???????? – apokalypsis
1. The disclosure of a truth
2. Lay something bare
3. Unveil the unknown
4. Make something naked
5. Manifest!
Psalm 2:6a Yet have I set my king…KJV
Psalm 2:6a I have installed my king -NIV
Psalm 2:6a I have placed my chosen king- NLT
B) Revealing?
1. King – Jesus!
Philippians 2:10b (at) the name of Jesus every knee should (must) bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 And every tongue [frankly and openly] confess and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. -AMPC
C) RIEGN?
Psalm 2:6b upon my holy hill of Zion.- KJV
Psalm 2:6b my holy mountain. -NIV
Psalm 2:6b in Jerusalem, on my holy mountain. - NLT
1. Zion – Jerusalem!
Isaiah 2: 2 In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. 3 Many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
Zechariah 14: 8 On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it east to the Dead Sea and half of it west to the Mediterranean Sea, in summer and in winter. 9 The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name.- NIV
Revelation 21 (ESV)
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true
VI. Relationships (Revealed in this Psalm)?
1. God - The Father
2. God - The Son
a) And now The King [God the Son] speaks in response to God the Father’s decree!
b) The Anointed King now speaks Himself, affirming the Covenant made between him and The Father!
Psalm 2:7a I will declare the decree:
b) The decree -???? (?oq)
i. Statute, ordinance, law, civil enactments prescribed by God!
ii. The root meaning is to engrave, and so it stands for a formal agreement
iii. The Father wants the Son to declare an eternal ordinance, an eternal law that will last forever!
Psalm 2:7b the Lord hath said unto me,
Psalm 2:7c Thou art my Son;
v. THIS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST MESSIANIC PASSAGES IN ALL THE SCRIPTURE!
c) Decree?
i. You are, not will be my Son
ii. You are/have been the Eternal Son!
a. This is an eternal decree from eternity past!
b. Your are my Son, one in essence with Me!
c. You are one with God
d. You are God!
Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
John 10:30 “I and My Father are one.”
e. “We are one"; that is, in nature and essence, and perfections, particularly in power!
Canon Liddon- The power of the Son, which shields the redeemed from the foes of their salvation, is the very power of the Father; and this identity of power is itself the outflow and manifestation of a oneness of nature.
John 10: 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”-ESV
Hebrews 1:1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being,
Charles Spurgeon - Whatever God is, Christ is. The very likeness of God, the very Godhead of Godhead, the very Deity of Deity, is in Christ Jesus.
Colossians 1:15a The Son is the image of the invisible God,
e. Image = Of one substance with it, and yet distinguishable from.
f. The word “image” (like the word “form,” Philippians 2:6-7) is used in the New Testament for real and essential embodiment, as distinguished from mere likeness.
g. The image (e????´?) eiko¯n is more than likeness which may be superficial and incidental. It implies a prototype, and embodies the essential verity of its prototype.
LISTEN….
Hebrews 1:5a For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son;
Hebrews 1:5b This day have I begotten thee?
Psalm 2:7d this day have I begotten thee.
h. Begotten – ?e???? -gennao
i. Fathered, brought you forth, made manifest, manifested, declared, or exhibited for all to see!
Hebrews 1:5c And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
Q: When did that happen?
Luke 1:26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
Luke 1:29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
Luke 1:34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. -NIV
Q: How could this happen?
A: A miraculous pregnancy would take place through the agency of the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit!
Hebrews 1: 6a And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world,
g. Firstbegotten - p??t?t???? -prototokos
i) The Christ, the first born of all creation.
ii) In both Greek and Jewish culture, the first-born was the son who had the right of inheritance.
Hebrews 1: 6b he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
h. That’s exactly what happened!
Luke 2: 8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
Luke 2: 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
Luke 2: 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.-KJV
Psalm 2:7b the Lord hath said unto me,
Psalm 2:7c Thou art my Son;
i. Speaks of His Divinity
Psalm 2:7d this day have I begotten thee.
j. Speaks of His Humanity
Hebrews 1:7 In speaking of the angels he says, “He makes his angels spirits,
and his servants flames of fire.” 8 But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
Isaiah 9 (NJKV)
6 For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7a Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end.
VI. The Rulership?
A) Range of it?
Psalm 2:8a Ask of me, and I shall give thee
Psalm 2:8b the heathen for thine inheritance,
1. The nations of this world!
Psalm 2:8c and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
2. The farthest regions of the world, in fact all the world
Colossians 1: 15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. -NIV
3. Firstborn - p??t?t???? -prototokos – the inheritor!
B) Realization (When will it happen)?
Revelation 11: 5 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” 16 And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying, “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. 18a The nations raged, but your wrath came,
C) Ruler:
1. The Son
Hebrews 1: In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.-NIV
D) Ruler’s?
1. More than one?
Romans 8:29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. -NKJV
Romans 8:17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
1. God appointed His Son to be heir of all things.
2. And every born- again, adopted child of God will receive by divine grace the full inheritance Christ receives by divine right.
William Newell - I could not have the presumption-to write these words if they were not in God's holy Book. That a guilty, lost, wretched child of Adam the First should have written of him, a joint-heir with Christ, the Eternal Maker of all things, the Well-beloved of the Father, the Righteous One, the Prince of life--only God the God of all grace could prepare such a destiny for such a creature.
William Newell - And, we may humbly say, perhaps, that God could only do this by joining us in eternal union with His beloved Son, as the Last Adam, the Second Man; having released us from Adam the First and all his connections, at the cross, and having placed us in Christ Risen, in all the boundless and everlasting rights of His dear Son, whom He has "appointed heir of all things!" Ages after ages of ever-increasing blessing forever and forever and forever, lie in prospect for believers--for the joint-heirs!!
VII The Retribution?
Psalm 2:9a Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron;
Benson Commentary — Those people that will not quietly submit to thee shall be crushed and destroyed by thy mighty power, which they shall never be able to resist.
A) Rod of Iron?
1. Is a symbol of breaking stubborn resistance by a stern and irresistible rule!
Isaiah 11:4 He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
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."
Psalm 110:6 "He shall judge among the heathen; he shall fill the places with the dead bodies."
Psalm 2:9b thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
2. Potters vessel?
a) Emblematic of an easy, complete, irresistible, irreparable destruction!
b) The confederacy against God and His Messiah will be shattered as easily as someone would smash a clay jar with a sledge hammer!
c) Clay in scripture always represents something weak and breakable
d) That is how easily I will subdue my enemies
VIII. The Refuge? (Can any be found?)
A) Appeal!
1. What is it?
Psalm 2:10a Be wise now therefore, O ye kings:
Psalm 2:10b be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
Charles Spurgeon - It is always wise to be willing to be instructed, especially when such instruction tends to the salvation of the soul.
Matthew Poole - Be wise; understand your true interest. Now, while you have time!
2. What are the instructions?
Psalm 2:11a Serve the Lord with fear,
Benson Commentary - That is, with reverence and an awful sense of his great and glorious majesty, rendering you careful and diligent to please him, and afraid to offend him.
Albert Barnes - Serve the Lord with fear, with reverence, and with deep apprehensions of the consequences of not serving and obeying him.
Psalm 2:11b and rejoice with trembling.
Psalm 2:11b worshipful fear- AMPC
Joseph Excell- In a Christian’s course fear and love must go together. In heaven, love will absorb fear, yet no one now can love God aright without fearing Him.
a) Christian duty?
Philippians 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
Charles Spurgeon - The fear of God is the corner stone of all blessedness. We must reverence the ever blessed God before we can be blessed ourselves.
Chris Vogel - How often do we hear of the need to “fear God”? Christian culture today portrays a God who is too much our friend to ever give us reason to tremble - but that is to our own detriment. When we see the darkness of our own heart, the weakness of our own resolve, the power of temptation to sin, we should be filled with dread at offending God. There should be a fear, not of what He might do to us, but of the hurt we might do to Him.
c) If there is no fear in our worship it is false, as far as God’s concerned!
Isaiah 66:2b “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word -NIV
Jerry Bridges - The fear of God is a concept that seems old-fashioned and antiquated to many modern-day Christians, yet there was a time when an earnest believer might have been known as a “God-fearing man.”
John Murray -“Nothing could be more significant, than the fear of the Lord , being coupled with the comfort of the Holy Spirit . This was the characteristics of the New Testament church.”
Acts 9: 31 Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied
C) How also we to respond?
Psalm 2:12a Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little.
1. Concept?
a) Romantic kiss?
b) NO!
2. Kiss of - Repentance!
a) There is a record of that!
Luke 7: 37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
i. She wept over her sin
ii. She washed his feet with her tears
iii. She wiped his feet with her hair
William MacDonald - Dry-Eyed Christianity -I think of the sinful woman who washed the Savior’s feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair, and kissed His feet, and anointed them with ointment (Lu. 7:38). Although living on the other side of the Cross, she was more attuned emotionally than I with all my superior knowledge and privilege.
William MacDonald - Dry-Eyed Christianity-Why am I such a block of ice? Is it that I have been brought up in a culture where it is considered unmanly to weep? If so, then I wish I had never known that culture. It is not a disgrace to weep in the shadow of Calvary; the disgrace lies in not weeping.
iv. She kissed his feet with appreciation
v. She perfumed his feet in adoration
vi. SHE PLACED HERSELF UNDER HIS FEET! (UNDER HIS RULE AND AUTHORITY)
3. Result?
Luke 7:44 Then (Jesus) he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown.
Vance Havner - Our smug and pale Christianity today shows little of that broken and humble gratitude for sins forgiven that marked this woman. Few alabaster boxes are broken in tearful joy over forgiveness. Sin has been glossed over; men do not regard themselves sinners and consequently feel no burden of guilt and, of course, no relief in His pardon. We bring Him verbal tribute, wordy compliments on Sunday, but few kneel weeping at His feet.
a. Her kiss was a symbol of her repentance!
Luke 7:48 Then He said to her, "Your sins have been forgiven."
Charles Spurgeon - What music that sentence “Thy sins are forgiven,” must have been to her! ‘Ah!’ says one, “I also should like to hear that sentence. Beyond everything else in the whole world would I desire to hear Jesus say to me, ‘Thy sins are forgiven.’ Then put yourself in the place that this woman occupied.
b. Do what she did!
4. Response of God?
a) If you kiss Him, He will kiss you back!
b) God’s kiss is a sign and symbol of His Forgiveness!
c) Kiss (repent and receive the son), and God the Father, he will kiss you!
Luke 15: 11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
d) What is salvation? GOD’S KISS!!
Q: What did his kiss entail?
a. A robe – of righteousness!
Isaiah 61:10 I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
b. A ring – of restoration!
i. This was the family signet ring, which would demonstrate clearly to all that the father had not only received his son, but had even restored him to a position of authority within the family
c. Shoes – of redemption and confirmation!
Ruth 4: 7 Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption and transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactions in Israel. 8 So the guardian-redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it yourself.” And he removed his sandal. 9 Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon. 10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife
d. Banquet – the celebration that takes place in heaven!
Luke 15:7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
Luke 15:24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
The Advent of Christ reminds all rebelling sinners that there is a way back to God, kiss the Son, in repentance and faith, and God will receive you as His child! PTL
