Christ The King Still Reigns
Psalm 2
• Psalm 2 was written by David. This particular Psalm is a Messianic Psalm– that is, it prophesied of Jesus the Messiah hundreds of years before He was born into this world.
• Psalm 2 was spoken through the mouth of David by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. This fact is confirmed in Acts 4:25 when the first century apostles quoted this passage when they were enduring persecution from the religious rulers of their day.
• One truth for certain: this psalm not only spoke powerfully in the day it was written– but this psalm speaks very powerfully and prophetically to us as the Church in this day.
• In this message we will see: 1.) The Rebellion of A Sinful World 2.) The Response of A Righteous God 3.) The Rulership of Christ As King 4.) The Acceptable Response To Christ As King
• No matter how dark the times or how wicked our nation becomes – we can rest with assurance that Jesus Christ, the Righteous King still reigns as Lord and Ruler over all the Earth– and His glory, His Righteousness and His justice will be made known.
1. The Rebellion of A Sinful World (verses 1-3)
• In the KJV, it asks in verse 1 “Why do the heathen rage? The NIV says “Why do the nations conspire...?
• The heathen are the unbelieving, -the many peoples and nations that rage against God and His Word. They rage and conspire against the righteousness of God and the things above—the things associated with His Kingdom.
• The heathen rage against the Church today. In the United States of America, as well as other nations around this world, the Church and Biblical Christianity is being mocked, belittled, persecuted and attacked by those that are given to unbelief and hardness against the Living God and His Son Christ Jesus.
• In our nation today, Christianity, which was the once esteemed belief and moral code of our land is now being cast aside and thrown into the streets.
• The peoples “plot in vain”– plotting so called “secret schemes” to undermine God and His Word and His Righteous ways. They plot to not only persecute the righteous that belong to God– but more and more the nations plot to rise up against the Church and try in their power to demoralize and destroy the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
• The “kings of the earth” and the “rulers” gather together in a common front to oppose Christ and His Kingdom.
• Who are these “kings and rulers”? We remember in the time of Christ Himself, the Jewish religious leaders violently opposed Christ. King Herod opposed him. Pontius Pilate, though finding no basis to accuse Him, still gave in to the desire of the Jews and handed Him over to be crucified.
• Kings and rulers in many nations over the last 2000 years have fiercely opposed the Risen Christ and His Blessed Church. Many attempts have been made over the centuries to try and extinguish the Church and the Gospel.
• Today, in America, our politicians, government leaders, court justices, and school administrators rage against Jesus Christ and work tirelessly to remove His name and His influence from the public arena— making way for a humanistic, self-exalting, lust pursuing society without God and without hope.
• To this very day, our “rulers” are taking their “stand against the Lord and against His Anointed One” —Jesus Christ, the Savior and Lord.
• We live in a world filled with sensuality, increasing violence, greed and hatred of all that is right and pure— “calling evil good and good evil”.
• We truly live as “in the days of Noah”– a world full of rebellion and revolting against its Creator.
2. The Response of A Righteous God (verses 4-6)
• Is God threatened, fearful, or worried about the plots and schemes of the rulers and people? NOT AT ALL.
• Verse 4 shows us “The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them”.
• The Holy and Mighty God laughs at the mocker and scoffs at those that devise plans against Him.
• The Lord laughs because He knows their plans will not bring Him down or destroy Him.
• Daniel 7:27 says “...His Kingdom will be an everlasting Kingdom..” and Jesus told His disciples “Upon this rock I will build My Church and the gates of hell shall not overcome it”. NOTHING OR NO ONE CAN STOP HIS ETERNAL PURPOSES!
• The Creator will not be outdone or overruled by the created. He scoffs because He knows that their wicked plans will fall upon their own heads!
• Psalm 37:12,13 says “The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for He knows their day is coming”.
• A day of judgment is appointed and coming for all mankind. The wicked, the unbelieving that refused to love the truth and embrace the Son will face the fury of His wrath and their schemes will bring them to ruin.
• Pastor Tony Evans once said “Sin is fun– but payday comes”. Whether that “pay day” comes in this life or on that dreadful Day— it will come and the Lord will not be mocked!
• His response 2000 years ago to the rebellion of the world was to send His Only Son Jesus into the world–to lay down His life to save sinners. He came and gave His life as a ransom–to purchase us back to God and bring us into eternal life and heaven’s hope.
• His response will be that One day soon–the Son of God will return to earth. This time the Christ will not be the suffering servant or man of sorrows– but Jesus will come and rule and reign as the Glorious Righteous King– bringing justice to the ends of the earth.
3. The Rulership of Christ as King (verses 7-9)
• In verse 7 the psalmist writes “He said to me ‘You are My Son; today I have become your Father’.
• This would be the proclamation from God announcing His approval upon the Messiah–calling Him “Son” and granting His divine endorsement on His Son’s ministry as Savior and Messiah.
• This was fulfilled when Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan river. The Spirit came upon Jesus in the form of a dove and the Father spoke from heaven “This is My Son, with whom I am well pleased”. This was the public announcement from the Father and testimony of Jesus as the Promised One sent from God. God was making His Son public and anointing Him to fulfill His divine mission.
• Jesus the King, would be given the entire earth and every nation as His inheritance and possession. The Father would grant His Son authority over all the earth and everything would become subject to Him.
• David prophecies “You will rule them with an iron scepter”— the scepter was a staff that was owned and carried by a ruler–it symbolizes authority and rulership.
• Jesus the King told His disciples before He ascended back to heaven in Matthew 28 “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me”. And with that, He commissioned His disciples and Church to take His saving message to all the earth.
• Jesus was given and still has rulership and all authority over all the nations and the earth. Nothing happens without His approval and nothing happens apart from His eternal plans and purposes! He still reigns today as King of all Kings– and Lord over all Lords!!!
• The devil, the “prince of the powers of the air” may be exerting great power and evil influence around the world– and wickedness may be on the rise— but Jesus Christ is still King and He reigns from on high!!! He will soon come with righteousness and justice!!
• A warning: “you will dash them to pieces like pottery”— every person, every king, every ruler, every nation that continues to refuse Him and bow before Him as Lord will be dashed, broken and crushed as fragile pottery. He will bring thrones and rulers down to nothing and bring wrath upon those that “refused to love the truth and so be saved”.
4. The Acceptable Response To Christ The King
**READ VERSES 10-12**
• Though these words are calling the rulers, kings and peoples of the earth to come to Him and bow before Him as King–these words also must challenge us as the Church–His people today to respond to Him in the only acceptable way!
• Verse 11– “Serve the Lord with fear”– the fear of the Lord is greatly missing in much of the Church today. This fear is not so much terror– (though a healthy fear is needed) but a holy reverence and awe of the greatness and might of the Lord. It is to “be still and know that He is God”— know that He is holy, He is awesome, he is righteous and He is to be revered and obeyed!!!
• “GOD FORGIVE OUR COMPLACENCY AND OUR CASUAL ATTITUDE IN APPROACHING YOU—FORGIVE US FOR MAKING LIGHT OF YOUR GREATNESS!”
• “rejoice with trembling”— love Him, adore Him and delight in Him–but rejoice in Him with a deep sense of reverence and holiness!
• Verse 12— “Kiss the Son, lest He be angry...”– a kiss to a ruler meant submission, complete loyalty and wholehearted devotion. A kiss meant honor and allegiance.
• Have you “Kissed the Son”? Have you come to Christ the King with all your heart and offered complete surrender, loyalty, love and allegiance to Him as your King?
• Have you offered to Him wholehearted obedience to His Word and His Lordship?
• If not, it says “lest He be angry and you be destroyed in your way”.
• People will either embrace Him, honor Him and submit to Him willingly and lovingly— or they will one day bow before Him with great fear, terror and under His fury!
• It is better to love Him and honor Him as King of your life today– than to fall horrified before Him as the Righteous Judge who will Condemn!!!
• The Merciful Lord is also the Holy and Just Judge– to whom we will give an account for our lives!
• Have you kissed the Son? Do you love Him and honor Him above all others? Does He have our all? Or have we held back on Him?
• The psalm ends with a great promise: “Blessed are all who take refuge in Him”— blessed are those that hide their life in Him as Shield and Protector. He will guard His righteous who love Him!!!
• Hold on to Him today! Cling to Him with everything! He alone is our HOPE!
