The passage this message was preached from, in full, with every other passage it reached for.
Psalm 1summarized as 'listen up, meditate, don't be cynical, seek righteousness by seeking God earnestly'
1 Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand on the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in Yahweh’s law. On his law he meditates day and night.
3 He will be like a tree planted by the streams of water, that produces its fruit in its season, whose leaf also does not wither. Whatever he does shall prosper.
4 The wicked are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For Yahweh knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish.
primary text of the sermon, read and expounded at length
1 Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth take a stand, and the rulers take counsel together, against Yahweh, and against his Anointed, saying,
3 “Let’s break their bonds apart, and cast their cords from us.”
4 He who sits in the heavens will laugh. The Lord will have them in derision.
5 Then he will speak to them in his anger, and terrify them in his wrath:
6 “Yet I have set my King on my holy hill of Zion.”
7 I will tell of the decree. Yahweh said to me, “You are my son. Today I have become your father.
8 Ask of me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance, the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron. You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
10 Now therefore be wise, you kings. Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
11 Serve Yahweh with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12 Give sincere homage to the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish on the way, for his wrath will soon be kindled. Blessed are all those who take refuge in him.
quoted from New King James Version: God drawing his people with gentle cords and bands of love
4 I drew them with cords of a man, with ties of love; and I was to them like those who lift up the yoke on their necks; and I bent down to him and I fed him.
briefly referenced: in repentance and rest is your reward, quietness your strength, but you would have none of it
15 For thus said the Lord Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel, “You will be saved in returning and rest. Your strength will be in quietness and in confidence.” You refused,
Holy Spirit descending and voice saying 'You are my beloved Son, in You I am well pleased'
22 and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form like a dove on him; and a voice came out of the sky, saying “You are my beloved Son. In you I am well pleased.”
1 As they spoke to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came to them,
2 being upset because they taught the people and proclaimed in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
3 They laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was now evening.
4 But many of those who heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.
5 In the morning, their rulers, elders, and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem.
6 Annas the high priest was there, with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and as many as were relatives of the high priest.
7 When they had stood Peter and John in the middle of them, they inquired, “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?”
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “You rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,
9 if we are examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed,
10 be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, in him does this man stand here before you whole.
11 He is ‘the stone which was regarded as worthless by you, the builders, which has become the head of the corner.’
12 There is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved!”
13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and had perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled. They recognized that they had been with Jesus.
14 Seeing the man who was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,
16 saying, “What shall we do to these men? Because indeed a notable miracle has been done through them, as can be plainly seen by all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we can’t deny it.
17 But so that this spreads no further among the people, let’s threaten them, that from now on they don’t speak to anyone in this name.”
18 They called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, judge for yourselves,
20 for we can’t help telling the things which we saw and heard.”
21 When they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people; for everyone glorified God for that which was done.
22 For the man on whom this miracle of healing was performed was more than forty years old.
23 Being let go, they came to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them.
24 When they heard it, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, “O Lord, you are God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them;
25 who by the mouth of your servant, David, said, ‘Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot a vain thing?
26 The kings of the earth take a stand, and the rulers take council together, against the Lord, and against his Christ.’
27 “For truly, in this city against your holy servant, Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together
28 to do whatever your hand and your council foreordained to happen.
29 Now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness,
30 while you stretch out your hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of your holy Servant Jesus.”
31 When they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were gathered together. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
32 The multitude of those who believed were of one heart and soul. Not one of them claimed that anything of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.
33 With great power, the apostles gave their testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Great grace was on them all.
34 For neither was there among them any who lacked, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,
35 and laid them at the apostles’ feet, and distribution was made to each, according as anyone had need.
36 Joses, who by the apostles was also called Barnabas (which is, being interpreted, Son of Encouragement), a Levite, a man of Cyprus by race,
37 having a field, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
God fulfilled the promise by raising Jesus, as written in the second Psalm: 'You are my Son, today I have begotten you'
33 that God has fulfilled the same to us, their children, in that he raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second psalm, ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your father.’
Christ took on the nature of a servant and died a humiliating death on a cross
1 If therefore there is any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassion,
2 make my joy full, by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind;
3 doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself;
4 each of you not just looking to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.
5 Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross.
9 Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name;
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth,
11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
12 So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
13 For it is God who works in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure.
14 Do all things without murmurings and disputes,
15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without defect in the middle of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world,
16 holding up the word of life; that I may have something to boast in the day of Christ, that I didn’t run in vain nor labor in vain.
17 Yes, and if I am poured out on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice, and rejoice with you all.
18 In the same way, you also rejoice, and rejoice with me.
19 But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered up when I know how you are doing.
20 For I have no one else like-minded, who will truly care about you.
21 For they all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ.
22 But you know the proof of him, that, as a child serves a father, so he served with me in furtherance of the Good News.
23 Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it will go with me.
24 But I trust in the Lord that I myself also will come shortly.
25 But I counted it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, fellow soldier, and your apostle and servant of my need;
26 since he longed for you all, and was very troubled, because you had heard that he was sick.
27 For indeed he was sick, nearly to death, but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow on sorrow.
28 I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that, when you see him again, you may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.
29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all joy, and hold such in honor,
30 because for the work of Christ he came near to death, risking his life to supply that which was lacking in your service toward me.
referenced as benediction from prior week: God is not slack concerning his promise, working so all may have opportunity to repent
9 The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but is patient with us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
The message in order, in a few minutes of reading.
This message moved through Psalm 1 and Psalm 2 together, treating them as the two-part unit they originally formed. Pastor Nathan traced the psalm's opening question, "Why do the nations rage?", through to its resolution in the anointed King, and drew out what it means to walk the way God has provided rather than straining against it.
What was said
Psalm 2 opens with a question that cuts straight to the heart of human history: why do the nations rage, and why do rulers take counsel together against the Lord and his anointed? Pastor Nathan pointed out that this is not just a political observation. It goes all the way back to the garden, where God gave Adam and Eve everything, held back only one thing, and they wanted that one thing. The desire to throw off God's rule is not new. It is the oldest story there is.
What strikes him about this passage is how God describes his own authority over us. The image is not a tyrant with chains but a parent lifting a child to the cheek. Hosea 11 puts words to it: God drew his people with gentle cords, with bands of love. The commandments are not burdensome. The enemy has simply convinced people that they would be better off without them, and that is what makes God's response in verse four, where he laughs, so significant. It is not a cruel laugh. It reads more like disbelief, like someone looking at a person trading away everything for nothing.
Psalm 2 then shifts to the answer God has already put in place. He has set his king on the holy hill of Zion. The psalm's coronation language, which Israel applied to each new king in David's line, was always pointing somewhere larger. Pastor Nathan walked through the New Testament passages, from the baptism accounts in all four gospels to Acts 13, where the second psalm is quoted directly in connection with the resurrection of Jesus. The anointed one of the psalm is the Christ.
The invitation in the psalm's closing verses follows from that. Be wise, you kings. Serve the Lord with reverence. Rejoice with trembling. "Kiss the son." Those phrases are an open call to anyone currently raging or plotting in vain to stop and receive what God has provided instead. The wrath described in the psalm is not God's preference. It is what remains for those who will not accept the way he has made.
Psalm 1, which in older Jewish tradition was joined to Psalm 2 as a single unit, describes the two ways in plain terms. The blessed person does not follow wicked counsel, walk in the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of scoffers. That last one goes in both directions. You can scoff from the side of licentiousness or from the side of self-righteousness, and both are a seat God calls us out of. The alternative is to delight in God's word, meditate on it, and become like a tree planted by water, producing fruit in season.
The fruit that tree produces is the fruit of the Spirit from Galatians, which Pastor Nathan read out in full: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. That fruit, he argued, is what draws people toward God. It is the means by which the church carries the gospel to the nations the psalm says belong to the Son.
Doing a Bible study?
Here is a guide we have prepared for you: the passages
in order, questions for the group, and room to write.
Pastor Mark described Psalm 1's core message as 'listen up, meditate, don't be cynical.' Where do you find cynicism creeping into your own thinking, and what does meditating on God's word actually look like in your daily life?
The sermon looked at Hosea 11:4, where God says He drew His people with 'gentle cords' and 'bands of love,' and contrasted that with our instinct to break free from those cords. Can you think of a time when a command or boundary from God felt like a burden at first, but later you could see it was actually an act of love?
Speaker 3were for twenty minutes. Oh my God. That's twenty seven hours.
Speaker 1I mean, 27 times as long as recommended. But it was the best my hands have felt in weeks. Oh my goodness. Good. Morning everybody, how are you?
All right, would you stand with me and let's sing about that heart that's ringing with a melody here. Hymn five zero two, if you ever want a hymnal, they're sitting up here up front. You're welcome to grab them if you wanna see the notes, but we're just gonna sing off the wall. Alright? That will that do?
Whatever comes up there, that's gonna happen. Yep.
Speaker 2I have a song that Jesus gave me. It was sent from heaven above. There never was a sweeter melody. Tis a melody of love. In my heart, there rings a melody.
There rings a melody with heaven's harmony. In my heart, there rings a melody. There rings a melody of love. I love the Christ who died on Calvary for he washed my sins away. He put within my heart a melody, and I know it's there to stay.
In my heart, there rings a melody. There rings a melody with heaven's harmony. In my heart, there rings a melody. There rings a melody love. 'Twil be my endless theme in glory.
With the angels, I will sing. 'Twould be a song with glorious harmony. When the courts of heaven ring, in my heart there rings a melody. There rings a melody with heaven's harmony. In my heart there rings a melody.
There rings
Speaker 1Amen. How about we go from that one straight into this on the next page of the hymnal since Jesus came into my heart.
Speaker 2What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought since Jesus came into my heart. I have light in my soul for which long I had sought since Jesus came into my heart. Since Jesus came in, came into my heart since Jesus came in, came into my heart. Floods of joy o'er my soul like the Sea Billows Row. Since Jesus came into my heart, I have seized from my wandering and going astray since Jesus came into my heart.
And my sins, which were many, are all washed away since Jesus came into my heart. Since Jesus came in, came into my heart. Since Jesus came in, came into my heart. Floods of joy o'er my soul. Sea billows rose since Jesus came into my heart.
And on the last, I shall go there to dwell in that city I know since Jesus came into my heart. And I'm happy, so happy as onward I go, since Jesus came into my heart, since
Speaker 3Jesus came in, came into my heart. Since Jesus came in, came into my heart. Floods of
Speaker 2joy for my soul. See, Billows rose since Jesus came into my heart. Amen. Isn't that a cheery one?
Speaker 1That's good. That's that's full of joy. Y'all can have a seat. I've got couple of announcements. We have no matter what this slide says, we have Monday night this week.
We really do have it. It says not this week, but it doesn't mean it. We are having Monday night. It's happening. Carl is gonna be preaching on blind Bartimaeus calling out to Jesus and that healing.
So it is happening. There we go. Thank you very much, Blake. He's right on top of it. Monday night's happening.
Tomorrow night, 06:00, meal music and a message down the hall in the fellowship hall. I will say this, it's Joni. We're gonna celebrate Joni at the end of the service today and tomorrow. She's an original Monday nighter, and she's going to be taking her leave. She's going to go and live in Washington here soon.
So I just want to say thank you, Joni, first of all, during the announcement. So we'll call you up in a bit, or actually, I'll come down to you. How about that? And we'll pray for you at the end of the service but also tomorrow night, we want to kind of celebrate Joni a bit there too. Monday nights at first be, it's good.
Meal, music, and a message. Monday night next that's tomorrow. We will not be having Awana at the same time. Usually, do during the school year, but Awana has finished two weeks ago, so no Awana tomorrow night. What a friend we have in Jesus.
There aren't any other announcements? Oh, there's that. So this past Thursday, the Christian Life and Witness Course, we wrapped up the three Thursday night meetings from seven to nine. Those happened already, and it was a good time. For those who were here, it was a fantastic time.
Christian Life and Witness Course. But that all of that was in anticipation of an event that's happening in Idaho Falls, September the twenty third and twenty fourth. Twenty third is for kids and teenagers, and the twenty fourth is for everybody, all age groups included. It's going to be a big rally, sort of like the old Billy Graham rallies, crusades. We're going to be a part of that.
We had quite a few people that volunteered to be counselors to help out with anybody who might come forward at this event where Will Graham will be preaching. My Sister's Closet is happening here June 3. That's a couple weeks away. We could use a volunteer or two to help with the setting up of My Sister's Closet on the Friday before, but that will be a women's clothing exchange, new and gently used items. If you bring them from home and bring them here and KC McCooey and a couple of volunteers will set the store up, it'll be right here in the sanctuary on Saturday, and then anything that's left over will be gone before Sunday morning.
Okay? So one time opportunity, June 3, plan on being here. It'll be starting in the morning. It'll go most of the morning. Vacation Bible school.
This is the first Sunday we've announced this. It's coming June 26 through the twenty eighth, 9AM to noon. Liz Owings is in charge, and if you have questions, you can direct them to her. If you'd like to be a volunteer, please let her know. But Pets Unleashed, where Jesus cares for you.
That's the first I've heard of that, but I think it's wonderful. So Vacation Bible School is always a fun time. VBS week, June twenty sixth to twenty eighth. I think that is the the last slide. Does anybody have another announcement to make?
Testimony? No? Suggestions? Complaints? Anything?
Nothing. Would you stand with me and we'll sing what a friend we have in Jesus. I'm glad to be here this morning. I'm glad y'all are here too.
Speaker 2What a friend we have in Jesus. All our sins and griefs to bear. What a privilege to carry we're going
Speaker 3to
Speaker 2Jesus knows our every weakness. Take it to the Lord in prayer. Are we weak and heavy laden comfort with the Lord of care. Savior's still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer thy friends despise forsake take it to the Lord in prayer his arms he'll take and shield thee will find a soulless there Amen. Y'all can have a seat.
Speaker 1I'm going invite the ushers to come forward and and it's and we'll pray. I think, yeah, Russ, you can join them. God almighty, we're thankful to be here this morning. I I am thankful to be gathered with your people, gathered in your name to worship your son. Lord God almighty, it's a beautiful, beautiful place to be.
We ask lord that you'd use those of us who are assembled here and the families lord that we represent, that you'd use us to carry forward and proclaim the message of the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ. In Jesus' name, Lord, would you just be using us to share this word? It is the hope. It is the hope. Lord God Almighty, I'm I'm overwhelmed by that sometimes.
Thank you that plan a is that your obedient and humble servants would be living out under the spirit's direction, the call of God to proclaim the gospel with their lives, with their words. Lord, I ask that you'd be doing that right here this morning, that you'd fill us up. And then when we go out into the field, that we would be reflecting your glory. In Jesus' name, Lord, we ask that you would do your will and your way among us right here this morning. But Lord, all week long, as we go, as we are going, that we would be teaching to obey all that you've commanded us.
In Jesus name, we thank you that your commandments are not burdensome. Lord, we want to give back some of what you've given to us just to see your gospel keep on going forward. In Jesus' name, amen. Wow. My tribute, that's beautiful, Judy.
Wow. I have been in a New Testament study. I'm going move this before I step on it. I have been in a New Testament study here. Y'all have too.
Most of you have been for eleven straight years. Alright? We've been going forward in the New Testament because I generally I am a Greek guy. I I know more Greek than I do Hebrew. I know very little Hebrew, so I don't spend a whole lot of time in the Old Testament.
I have to study a lot harder and a lot further if I'm gonna do that. One guy, the first time I was here, a guy who's here today actually, I said, the Shema. You know the Shema? Shema? I said it over and over, the Shema.
And then after it was over, he came forward and says, I'm of a Jewish background. That's the Shema. It's like, yeah. Let me get back to the New Testament. So I actually, I was in my own personal study this past week.
So after last week, which was Mother's Day, and I preached, of course, what you do on Mother's Day, long sermon on hell. And usually just stick to the text. Right? Just stay right in order. And this week, the very next thing that Jesus mentions is the cost of discipleship.
So following up a Mother's Day sermon on hell, I was gonna lead off with the first line says, you must hate your mother and father, and I just couldn't do that. So I have thrown up the white flag this week in surrender and said, Lord, I need something else. So Psalm two is what I'm going to. Psalm two, if you're wondering where we're gonna get there. Actually, this week, I read something early in the week last week, and it was from Psalm 18.
I think it's eighteen twenty nine. And it said, with you, Lord, I feel like I could run at the warriors. You know, it's David. And he's he's been in a battle or two. He says, with you, Lord, with you on my side, I feel like I could run at the warriors.
I feel like I could jump over a wall. And I thought, man, that's a good feeling. This says, this is when David had word that he had finally gotten away from all of the enemies. And he was on a real spiritual mountaintop. But we see throughout the Psalms, we see him at low points, and we see him in the middle, and we often see him feeling like, how am I gonna keep on going forward?
But I trust in your unfailing love. Right? So I just decided eighteen twenty nine, I can read 17 psalms. I can get up to 18. I'm gonna just jump in.
It's on my own personal thing. And so Psalm one, this is my summation of Psalm one, and I'll get to Psalm two because that's what I'm preaching. But Psalm one struck me as listen up, exclamation point. Listen up, it's emphatic. Meditate.
Don't be cynical. Don't be cynical. Don't be cynical. I think it's real easy to be cynical. In the world today, it's real easy.
We got constant sources of bad news coming at us all the time. And it's really easy to just kinda be cynical like everybody else. Listen up, meditate, don't be cynical. There's no future in anything else. Just seek righteousness by seeking God earnestly.
He says, if we seek him, we'll find him. Practicing what he says. That's Psalm one. Psalm two is about the Lord and his anointed. And if you've ever done any study of the Psalms from our perspective, this is Psalm one and Psalm two, they used to be one thing.
Psalm one and Psalm two used to be one thing. So I'll come back to Psalm one towards the end. I also realized that I skipped a song, and that's okay because I went long in the first service. Alright? Didn't do it on purpose, but I saw the usher's face when he was like, oh, it's already time.
Psalm two starts off like this. Right out of the box. Why do the nations rage? Why do the Goyim Goyim is all of the other peoples, not the chosen people of God, not Israel, not his beloved at the time the psalm was written down. It was, why do all the heathen, the rest of the peoples plot in vain?
Why do the nations rage, and why do the peoples plot a vain thing? Wow. That's a good question. If we're talking about nations, usually in the Christian tradition and the Protestant church, certainly, we have a leaning forward to the nations. Right?
To every tribe, tongue, and nation, that's who the gospel is for, and we need to be getting after it. It was even in the prayer I just prayed just a minute ago because it should be a conscious thought for us. It's like, we are plan a and there's no plan b. We should be reaching out. But this says, why is it that the nations rage and the peoples plot a vain thing?
The kings of the earth small k, that's all of the rulers of the earth. The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together. They get together and talk about it and encourage one another in being against the Lord and against his anointed. Oh my goodness. Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot a vain thing?
The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointing. Now, this before the time of Christ, this was often used as a coronation psalm when there was a kingdom in Israel. You know, David, probably the height of the kingdom. Right? David, Solomon, all of the richness.
But anytime that there was a king, they would use this. This is probably why they split it apart. First and second psalm. Why do the nations rage? There is a way to take this as a nationalistic thing.
Why does everybody else rage against God and all the rest of the peoples plot in vain against us? The kings of the earth all set themselves against us, and the rulers take counsel together against us. There's a way to read it nationalistically. There's even a a way for the church to read it as triumphal, right, against us. But it's saying the nations in general and the peoples, all of them, the kings and the rulers all set themselves against the Lord and against his anointed.
And if we're honest, it has gone all the way back to our federal head, Adam, in the garden. Right? We all have the capacity for doing this. Listen up. Meditate.
Don't be cynical. The king's against the king. Why is it that it's vain? It's vain because he's almighty God. Almighty God.
If you set yourself up against Almighty God, who do you think's gonna win? Right? Of The the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed saying, what? Let's break their bonds in pieces. I wanna break the shackles off that God and his anointed have put on me and cast away their cords from us.
I don't want for God to rule. I want to rule. If we're honest, all of us have had that. We're all sinful people to begin with. It's our bent and wanting freedom, free to do as we choose.
Now, I will say this, when God said, here's this beautiful garden, Eden. Absolutely wonderful thing you may have of all of this, and it's wonderful. I'll walk with you in the cool of the day. You can have a relationship with me, Adam. And since it's kind of a almighty God and man made out of dirt, that's kind of an unequal relationship.
I'll give you a helper that's suitable for you so that you can have relationship together, and it'll be great. All of this you have. There's one thing. Avoid that. It's not good for you.
Avoid that. Don't eat of that fruit of that tree. There's one tree, middle of the garden. Everything else is yours. He didn't put a fence around it.
He didn't keep them away from it, physically keep them away from it. He gave them choice. He gives us choice. But we do just like they did. What is it that I don't need?
What is it that he says is bad for me? Ugh. I wanna break those bonds. The devil wants to convince us. Is that what God said?
Really? Well, God just knows that you'd be like him if you ate that. Let's break their bonds. Just let's break let's let's break those rules. Let's cast their cords away.
The kings and the rulers, I think it it goes for individuals too, but definitely small k, small r, kings and rulers. I wanna go these cords. We have been going through and first being the Bible, a lot of y'all are reading the Bible together a chapter at a time each morning. It's sent to your inbox, emailed to your inbox, and somebody we've had about 40 something people in the congregation who've been writing one. You know, my next one's coming up fairly soon.
But Mike wrote one on Hosea 10 on Friday. It's really, really, really good. Hosea has been a tough book. Hosea is a picture and God says this to the prophet Hosea, go and marry a woman who will be unfaithful to you. Your relationship is gonna be a symbol of the way my relationship with Israel is going.
When she strays, you go after her. When she commits adultery and goes away from you, you pursue her. You pay full price to get her back. That's an amazing picture of the way God loves his people. Hosea 11, this reminded me of that.
Hosea 11 says this. This is New King James Version this morning. I like it because they capitalize the the names of God. So that's why I went there this morning. Hosea eleven four says, I drew them with gentle cords, with bands of love, and I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck.
I'm taking the burden off of them. And I stooped and fed them. Now you get the sense that there's gonna be some resistance. But he's saying, I drew them with gentle cords. What God has told us, his commandments are not burdensome.
They're not onerous. They feel like they are because we wanna do what we wanna do. Right? I wanna have my way. I don't wanna have his way.
But it's gentle cords and bands of love. If you look at it in the New American standards, I pulled them along with the cords of a man. I've got more power than I'm using. But I'm pulling them along with cords of a man with ropes of love. I even like the NIV's on this.
When I led them with cords of human kindness. I'm in business these days, they just say best practices. Right? I'm sharing best practices with them. It will go well with you, if you will.
Trust me. I led them accords of human kindness with tithes of love. To them I was like one who lifts a little child up to their cheek. Isn't that sweet? This is what God is saying he would do.
I bent down to feed them. His provision is available. But what do we want to do? We want to tear off the bonds and cast away those cords of love, those cords of compassion. So once more, reading it all the way.
Why do the nations rage? That comes right out of the box. Why is it that this is true? And the peoples plot a vain thing. They're setting themselves up against the almighty.
The kings of the earth set themselves. The rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his annoyance saying, let's break those bonds in pieces. Let's cast away. Nobody could tell us what to do. We make our own decisions.
It says, he who sits in the heavens laughs shall laugh. That to me, it's not a maniacal laugh of a God going, I've got them right where I want them. He doesn't. If you're trying to throw off the shackles of the cords of love, he doesn't have you right where he wants you. I think to me actually, Psalm two, my notes say, in the name of freedom, people rebel against the Lord and his anointed, and this makes God laugh.
They have all that they need resting in him, but the enemy has convinced them that they'd be better off on their own. Isn't that sad? He who sits in the heavens shall laugh. I see God's laugh kinda like this. Can you get a load of this?
This is ridiculous. All the whole garden, really? The whole garden for Adam and Eve. And then for us, I've given you propositional truth in the form of a book. It's not that hard, people.
You know, it can be known. We can go through this and we can submit to it. He who sits in the heavens shall laugh. It says, and the Lord shall hold them in derision. I I still, out of all the goodness, I'm doing all that I can to provide for them, lifting them up like a little kid for kiss on the cheek, and they don't want it.
Last week, I discussed Isaiah thirty fifteen briefly that it's in repentance and rest is your reward and quietness is your strength but you would have none of it. Lord God almighty, forgive us. Forgive us when we buck up against you. Lord, I pray that you'd draw us to you and we'd have humble hearts to listen to this word. Amen.
The Lord shall hold them in derision, then he shall speak to them in his wrath. And you see how the he who sits in love and shall laugh is a little forward looking, and he shall hold them in derision. Yeah. He's doing everything that he can, and he shall speak to them eventually in his wrath. Last week's message really was, at some point, it will become too late when the door closes.
And distress them in his deep displeasure. When you have the moment of the scales falling from your eyes, when that happens, when you have that moment of, oh, no. I have been blind to my own stuff, Lord. I have walked away from you. I wasn't thinking about it.
I made a lot of excuses and justification. And Lord, I am completely in distress. Actually, that's the first step out of the 12 steps. Right? That's the very first step is I have a problem I can't do anything about.
There's distress at the deep displeasure of God. I gave you everything necessary for you to know that I love you and for you to be able to walk it out. Not because you're afraid of me, but because I love you. Distress them in his deep displeasure. And this is his answer right here.
God says, yet I have set my king on my holy hill in Zion. I have a plan. I have a plan. Because all of us, like sheep, have gone astray, he's got a plan. And it involves this king, capital k, king, on my holy hill of Zion.
I'm going use some color coding going forward. And I want to close with this is another reason. I'm glad I skipped that song I didn't mean to skip. I want to close with That's My King at the very end. I'm going use some color coding here.
I try to be consistent. But I will declare the decree. This is from the Lord's anointed. And that color is actually wrong, but I will declare the decree. I will declare the decree.
The anointed one. Anointed Mashiach, Messiah, translated into Greek Christos, English Christ. The anointed is Christ. I will declare the decree. This is from the perspective of Christ.
I will declare the decree. The Lord God the Father has said to me, the Son, you are my son. Today, I have begotten you. Now, this might sound really familiar. Even though I've been preaching from the New Testament all the time, and we haven't hit Psalm two together very often, it comes up a lot.
In Matthew, and suddenly a voice came from heaven saying, this is at Jesus' baptism. This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. Mark. Mark just starts off right out of the box too. This is the opening line for the book of Mark.
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus, the Messiah, Christ, anointed one, the son of God. Then a voice came from heaven. This is Mark's version. You are my beloved son in whom I'm well pleased. Luke's version.
And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon him. And a voice came from heaven which said, you're my beloved son. In you, I'm well pleased. John. So that's all the gospels.
No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten son, begotten, not made as the creed says, who is in the bosom of the father has he has declared him. How did this psalm lead off? I will declare the decree. Acts thirteen thirty three.
God has fulfilled this for us, their children, and that he raised up Jesus as it is also written in the second Psalm. You're my son. Today, I begotten you. This is the king. Now, they used to use this as a coronation psalm for any new king coming on, but it had to be bigger than just an earthly king.
It was pointing towards the king.
Speaker 2So here we go.
Speaker 1I will declare the decree, Jesus says. The Lord has said to me, you are my son. Today, I have begotten you. Ask it of me, God the father, and I will give you the Son, the nations for your inheritance, and the ends of earth for your possession. Now, this is an interesting thing right there because when we usually see nations and the ends of the earth, it's when we're preaching on the great commission to go you therefore into all the nations and I will be with you always even to the end of the age.
Go to the very ends. You'll be my witnesses from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth to the uttermost parts. Hebrews. So also Christ did not glorify himself to become a high priest. Philippians says, he took on the nature of a servant, not the highest religious official, but a servant and a lowly servant.
And he died a death, not just death, but a cruel, sacrificial, humiliating death on a cross. He didn't glorify himself to become high priest, but it was he who said to him, it was the father who said to the son, you're my son. Today, I've begotten you. Christ walked it out. Father and son there is important.
Hebrews is making the argument that Jesus is better than. He's better than everything, but he's better than the angels. Which one of the angels did he ever say? You're my son. Today, I've begotten you.
And again, I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. This is a pretty big hinge point in the argument of the New Testament for submitting to the plan of God by accepting it. Accepting Christ's sacrificial death. For the nations and for your inheritance. That's the way that this closes out in verse eight.
And then it seems to take a harsh tone. Since we're used to seeing, go to the nations, go to the ends of the earth in a missionary sense. We're looking at them and going, they're far from you, Lord, and we wanna help them. We wanna introduce them too. So we're thinking of every tribe, tongue, and nation standing around the throne, singing together as one voice, holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty.
So we're used to thinking that. The very next thing can be jarring if that's your your manner of thinking. Because Psalm two nine says, and you shall break them with a rod of iron. Wow. That doesn't sound like gentle Jesus, meek and mild.
The invitation is open for everybody to the uttermost parts and for those who accept the plan of God instead of plotting in vain against him, instead of raging and shaking their fist at the plan that he has. For all of those who will take him, they will be in the family of God. But this happens to the ones who are dead set against. You shall break them with a rod of iron. You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel.
So who is the them? That is the nations that are raging and the peoples that are plotting in vain. So I'm going to use the message version. When I I don't know Hebrew like I know Greek the the same way. So I trust the sources for one thing, so I'd use a whole lot of different translations of the Bible.
Eugene Peterson, admittedly, he's a pastor, and he says he's not a scholar, which he is a scholar too. But he's a pastor, and he does a dynamic translation. It's not word for word. It's not the way that I would translate it, but it's good. Okay?
It's thought for thought, not word for word. So this is the message version of the past three verses that I just went through. Let me tell you what God said next. I will declare I will declare the decree of the Lord. Okay.
Let me tell you what God said next. He said, you're my son, and today is your birthday. What do you want? Name it. Nations as a present, continents as a prize.
You can command them all to dance for you or throw them out with the Mars trash. It's up to you. That's pretty harsh too. For Eugene Peterson, it's really harsh. He's saying that Christ really is all in all.
And the cool thing is Christ says he's on a mercy mission. He came to seek and to save the ones who are lost. He gives over that mission to us to be constantly advancing the gospel so that people can be a part of the kingdom, so that they will quit raging against and plotting in vain. Now therefore, be wise, o kings. This is an invitation too.
Now therefore, be wise, o kings. If you're setting yourself up against Almighty God, who's going to lose? Be wise. Consider your way. Be instructed, all of you judges of the earth.
Now that stands for judges, but hey, how many of us are judges? Oh, we're judging all the time, are we not? Yeah. We're pretty judgmental. People are pretty judgmental.
Well, that's not the way I would have known that. He instructed you judges of the earth. Mike used something in his blurb about Hosea this week that said Einstein. I don't know if Einstein said it or not. It's a good quote though.
It says, we don't get out of a problem that we cause with the same thinking that got us into the problem in the first place. The step one of the 12 is, I've got a problem I can't do anything about. Step two is, There is a God who can restore me to sanity. Step three is I'm gonna let him. Right?
So that's good. That's all good advice. This is a call. Therefore, be wise, o kings. Consider your way.
Be instructed, you judges of the earth. Comes down right here. Serve the Lord with fear. Serve him with reverence. Give him the honor that he is due.
If he's almighty, and he is, universally proclaimed throughout the scriptures as God is almighty. He does not lack. Is his arm too short? No, it's not. He can do it.
Serve the Lord with reverence, serve him with fear, and rejoice with trembling. So that's a real invitation. It's a real invitation to accept the way that God has provided. The good way, the cords of compassion, the ties of love. It's the way.
Serve him with reverence and rejoice with trembling knowing that you don't deserve it. You don't deserve the mercy of God. You don't deserve the grace of God. None of us do. We all start out sinful.
We all start out shaking our fist. Even the ones who grew up in church. I say that as one who grew up in church. Nine months before I was born, Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night, I was there. Right?
So we still don't deserve it. But we can rejoice, and it should cause us to tremble a little bit that we missed what we deserved, right? Closes out with two twelve, kiss the son. I think of those cords of compassion, those loving bonds, and it says, as one who lifted you up to the cheek, it says, kiss the son. Kiss the son, lest he, father God, be angry.
He's made a way. And if you have a problem with the exclusivity of the gospel, I'm afraid that you're picking up something that the world is saying that God should have done it a different way. He's on a rescue mission. If he makes any way, it's his terms. Kiss the son, lest he be angry and you perish in the way when God's wrath is kindled but a little.
And he ends with this, blessed are all of those who put their trust in him. Him who? The son. God has made a way. Now, they couldn't have known this when this psalm originally came out.
Yeah. It's beautiful coronation psalm. It's what it sounds like. Our king's better than their king. But it points towards this universal king, Jesus.
And I said second Psalm. If you ever try to do any study from of the Psalms and you look at Jewish sources, they're off by one number. Have you noticed that? Like, if you're looking and you say, well, Psalm one eighteen is supposed to say so and so, and you go to Psalm one eighteen and you go, that's not what it says. How did where what happened?
Well, in the New Testament in Acts, first of all, in Acts four, it says this is a Psalm of David. But in Acts 13, it says, as it is written in the second Psalm. In Jewish sources, Jewish Bibles, this is included in Psalm one. So it's a continuation of the thoughts in Psalm one. So I want to go back and pick up Psalm one.
More time in this service than I had last. This is a description of the two ways. Now, it's gonna give both. When I was preparing this week, I felt like everything I read was harsh. Honestly, just everything I was like, I don't want to be the bearer of bad news.
But I do want to be the bearer of good news. And that goes with it, right? There is some bad news. And the bad news is the way to be avoided. The good news is the loving way that God has provided.
And so there are two ways. Here they are. Blessed. Happy is the person. This is the new American standard.
Blessed is the person who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked. I don't know about y'all. Have you ever heard any wicked counsel lately? It's all around us all the time. Now, it's not just from this ditch over here of licentiousness.
Go ahead, what's the big deal? God doesn't care about that stuff, if he even exists, for crying out loud. We'll just use him when he's convenient. It's not just from here. It's from this other side too.
Like legalism is itself wicked, right? Self righteousness is not God's righteousness. When I mention that, I feel like I can go after the warriors. I feel like I can leap over a That's not cocky. That's not arrogant.
That is saying, with you, Lord. That's God confidence. That's not self confidence. With you, Lord, I can run at those worries. With you Lord, I can leap over a wall.
With you, I can get to the ends of earth sharing the love. I know some people are gonna reject it, but that's gonna be on them. I'm gonna share it and some will accept it. Blessed is the one who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked. You will get a lot of bad advice.
Don't go by it. Okay? Nor stand in the path of sinners. This is not saying don't stand in the path like you're the goalie and you're trying to keep them from passing. Okay?
Standing in the path of sinners is an active role of walking in sin. Okay? Don't walk in the counsel of the wicked. Don't even stand in the path of sinners and consider that way. Just avoid it.
God is saying avoid it because there's more bondage there than you can imagine. Don't do that. Blessed is the person who does not stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers. I kind of alluded to this a little earlier. Sitting in the seat of scoffers is not an active role.
It is a spectator sport like this guy. That's not the way I would have done it. Scoffing. You can scoff from either side. And you see it in the New Testament.
It's like, oh, if you are the Christ, save yourself and us. Know? That's a scoffer right there. It says that the Roman soldiers were scoffing. It says that there were lots of people who were scoffing.
It says we will be surrounded by people who were scoffing. You still believe that stuff? My goodness, man, grow up. You're the preacher at a church? I thought you were smarter than that.
I had somebody tell me that. Took you being smarter than that. That's a scoff. But there's also the scoffing that we can do from the legalistic side, which looks like, well, God's not gonna save any of them. That's just a group that he's they're outside his will.
There's nothing. He's not even reaching out for them. They have gone beyond the pale. They're gonna bust hell wide open if they keep acting like that. That's scoffing from this side.
Okay? God is calling all of us into repentance. Right? Our benediction last week was he's not slack concerning his promise. He's working so that we will have the opportunity to repent.
Blessed is the one who doesn't walk in the counsel of the wicked, stand in the path of the sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers. But this blessed person's delight is in the law of the Lord. Thank you God for showing me the way that would work, for the way that would go well with me so that we have a good relationship. Lord God Almighty, thank you that you've made a way, that I can be right with you, that I can walk with you in the cool of the day, that I can have your spirit within me, and that I can walk this path of righteousness. Thank you.
Any righteousness we actually have is is foreign to us. Self righteousness is not righteousness. Self confidence should be replaced with God confidence and God's righteousness. On his law, he meditates day and night. When I called a previous pastor from when I was a little kid, right before we moved to the mission field, he said, Psalm 100, and he said, and Psalm one.
He said to meditate on the law of the Lord. Meditate on God's word day and night. And I thought at the time, but I'm going to build schools for the deaf in Mexico. Isn't that something? Yeah, it is something.
Don't stop doing this. You don't have to choose between the two. He says meditate on God's word. Meditate on the law day and night. Blessed is the person who will.
And I'll tell you what, you'll have an answer for the advice of the wicked if you have your heart filled with the word of God. So, Owana. The whole reason that we do Owana is to pour scripture into the minds of the kids to reach the hearts of the next generation. Right? On his law, he meditates day and night.
Now he will be. This is future looking, forward looking. He will be what? He will be like a tree that's planted by streams of water. Isn't that a beautiful sight?
Just in your mind's eye to think, wow, if I concentrate on the nutrition that God is providing in his word, I can be like a tree that's planted by water. Not in the desert, which yields its fruit in its season. Oh. Oh. That's so good.
A fruit tree planted by the water. Nourished, has everything that it needs in order to be able to produce. And in the New Testament, flash forward to Galatians, this is the fruit that God's spirit produces. And it's not fruits of the spirit, it's fruit of the spirit. Okay?
All of this stuff comes as a package deal. We struggle with some more than others probably, but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience. Some translations say long suffering. Patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control. I love how he closes it out, And against such things there is no law.
People the world over will recognize this fruit. And it's winsome, and it's attractive. And if we if our job is to go to the very ends of the earth and to the nations and to teach them to obey all that he has commanded. This has got to be the fruit to draw people into a relationship with God. The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.
And its leaf does not wither. That's good. And then whatever he does, he prospers. Now I know you can think of exceptions. You think, well, did everything right.
He did everything by God's book. He did everything and he was martyred. Yeah. But where is he now? This will go well with you for eternity.
This life is a blip and he's given us a way to be at peace with him. Blake, will you look up Philippians four? I know that when you're doing that, I can't click this, but I think I'm near the end. Can you advance one slide for me too? No, I'll get to that at the end.
Four is the other way. All right. Psalm one:four is the other way. The wicked are not so. They're like chaff, which the wind blows away.
They're all over the place. They don't have a firm root like that tree planted by the water. And therefore, the wicked will not stand in the judgment. They're just not going to. There are only two ways.
One of them is the path that I've set for you and I want for you to be on. Courts of compassion and love, they're not burdensome. Please, trust me. I love you dearly. The other is rage against, plot in vain, it doesn't go well.
The wicked won't stand in the judgment nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. Your identity changes from sinner to righteous one based on the one that God has provided. His anointed who is set on that holy hill. You trust in him. You belong to his kingdom.
God's removed you from the kingdom of darkness, moved you into the kingdom of marvelous light. And that brings you there won't be sinners in the assembly of the righteous. There are but two ways you can go by. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous. He knows it.
He's the one who laid it out in front of them, but the way of the wicked will actually perish. So I told you I was gonna come back to that's my king too. Alright? That's my king. I think his name is Sam Lockridge.
Is that right? Samuel Lockridge. Why do the nations rage and the people's plot a vain thing? When it gets to that I have set my king on his holy hill, that's my king. I wanted to come back and let him end this.
I hope that the words will come up on the screen. Is everything good for that, Blake? If the guitar or something gets to be too loud, read the words because this is I told the first service that I like to fly this airplane up here, but I don't like takeoffs and landings, honestly. I wouldn't make a good pilot. I'll let Sam Lockridge or Doctor.
Lockridge close.
Speaker 3The Bible says my king is the king of the Jews. He's the king of Israel. He's the king of righteousness. He's the king of the ages. He's the king of heaven.
He's the king of glory. He's the king of kings, and he's the Lord of lords. That's my king. I I wonder, do you know him? My king is a sovereign king.
No means of measure can define his limitless love. He's enduringly strong. He's entirely sincere. He's eternally steadfast. He's immortally graceful.
Merciful. Do you know him? He's the greatest phenomenon that has ever crossed the horizon of this world. He's God's son. He's a sinner's savior.
He's the centerpiece of civilization. He's unparalleled. He's unprecedented. He is the loftiest idea in literature. He's the highest personality in philosophy.
He's the fundamental only world. One who who is the available for the tempted and the tried. He sympathizes and he saves. He strengthens and sustains. He guards and he guides.
He heals the sick. He cleanses the
Speaker 1I wish you could've heard the last part of that. Sorry. He says, I wish I could describe him to you. The next line is, he's indescribable. He's incomprehensible.
It is the plan of God though. Jesus Christ, Jesus, the anointed one. He is the way, the truth, the life. He is available. Would you stand with me?
And I'm gonna invite Judy to come forward. And we're gonna sing a hymn of invitation, where he leads me, I will follow. Where he leads me, I'll follow, and then we'll close with a a benediction. But Lord God Almighty, would you show us the way? And would you allow us the confidence, the God confidence to walk in it by your spirit?
Amen.
Speaker 2I can hear my savior calling I can hear my savior calling. I can hear my savior calling. Take thy cross and follow. Follow me. Where he leads me, I will follow.
Where he leads me, I will follow. Where he leads me, I will follow. I'll go with him, with him on the way. I'll go with him through the judgment. I'll go with him through the judgment.
I'll go with him through the judgment. I'll go with him with him all the way. Where he leads me, I will follow. Where he leads me, I will follow. Where he leads me, I will follow.
I will with you, with you, all the way. On the last, He will give me grace and glory. He will give me grace and glory. He will give me grace and glory and go with me with me all the way. Where he leads me, I will follow.
Where he leads me, I will follow.
Speaker 1So, I'm going to come down and I'd ask the elders present. Once an elder, always an elder, come around and we're going to just ask a blessing on Joni as she heads out. And she may be around another Sunday, but we wanted to catch her this time.
Speaker 3Here
Speaker 1you go. Come on in, Dave. God almighty, we're so thankful for Joni. Get choked up, Lord. What a blessing this lady has been to me in the thirteen years I have associated with this church.
She's been an encouragement and a blessing. Lord, her poetry has been an encouragement even when she's not around. Her walking out this life has been just a beautiful, beautiful thing. I'm thankful for Jean and for Joni, for the ministry that they have had towards one another and towards this church. I thank you for all of the volunteer hours that they have spent here together.
I thank you for the effort that she makes to be a light in this community. And I pray that she will continue that in her new community. Lord, I also thank her for all of it says, Lord, that nothing that we do for the Lord is ever in vain. It's the opposite of setting yourself up against the anointed one. She is absolutely fallen into the steps behind Jesus.
Where she struggles and where she strains, Lord, she looks to you for you to lead the way. In Jesus' name, I pray that you would be a blessing to her and that you'd use her as a blessing to others. And Lord, for us who will struggle without her, for us to be able to cope well knowing that she's going out. It's not absolutely the uttermost parts, but it's not close by either. So in Jesus' name, Lord, we ask that you would strengthen Joni to minister where she goes.
Thank you for Joe, her brother. I ask you to bless him through her. In Jesus' name, amen. And for the rest of y'all. May the Lord bless and keep you, make his face to shine upon you, and give you peace.
