WEBVTT 00:00:01.699 --> 00:00:05.299 The title of the sermon today is The Ruler of 00:00:05.299 --> 00:00:10.679 the Kings of the Earth. Our text is Psalm 2, 00:00:10.900 --> 00:00:16.679 which we have just sung a versified or a made 00:00:16.679 --> 00:00:21.460 -to -rhyme music about, Psalm 2. So now I'm going 00:00:21.460 --> 00:00:23.539 to read Psalm 2 and then we're going to also 00:00:23.539 --> 00:00:26.620 look at Acts chapter 1, verses 1 through 11. 00:00:27.559 --> 00:00:30.640 Hear the word of the Lord from Psalm 2. This 00:00:30.640 --> 00:00:35.500 is a prophecy about the Messiah to come. Why 00:00:35.500 --> 00:00:39.880 do the nations rage and the people plot a vain 00:00:39.880 --> 00:00:43.060 thing? The kings of the earth set themselves 00:00:43.060 --> 00:00:46.740 and the rulers take counsel together against 00:00:46.740 --> 00:00:49.859 the Lord and against his anointed saying, let 00:00:49.859 --> 00:00:53.079 us break their bonds in pieces and cast away 00:00:53.079 --> 00:00:57.310 their cords from us. He who sits in the heavens 00:00:57.310 --> 00:01:01.109 shall laugh. The Lord shall hold them in derision. 00:01:01.549 --> 00:01:04.569 Then he shall speak to them in his wrath and 00:01:04.569 --> 00:01:07.670 distress them in his deep displeasure. Yet I 00:01:07.670 --> 00:01:12.810 have set my king on my holy hill of Zion. I will 00:01:12.810 --> 00:01:15.950 declare the decree. The Lord has said to me, 00:01:16.150 --> 00:01:21.010 you are my son. Today I have begotten you. Ask 00:01:21.010 --> 00:01:24.000 of me. And I will give you the nations for your 00:01:24.000 --> 00:01:26.620 inheritance and the ends of the earth for your 00:01:26.620 --> 00:01:29.599 possession. You shall break them with a rod of 00:01:29.599 --> 00:01:33.439 iron. You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's 00:01:33.439 --> 00:01:38.540 vessel. Now, therefore, be wise, O kings. Be 00:01:38.540 --> 00:01:42.219 instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the 00:01:42.219 --> 00:01:47.000 Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss 00:01:47.000 --> 00:01:50.909 the son, lest he be angry. and you perish in 00:01:50.909 --> 00:01:53.989 the way when his wrath has kindled but a little. 00:01:54.730 --> 00:01:58.950 Blessed are all those who put their trust in 00:01:58.950 --> 00:02:02.670 him. And now turning over to the book of Luke, 00:02:02.890 --> 00:02:06.430 chapter, I'm sorry, the book of Acts, chapter 00:02:06.430 --> 00:02:16.090 1. The former account I made, O Theophilus, of 00:02:16.090 --> 00:02:19.539 all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the 00:02:19.539 --> 00:02:22.800 day in which he was taken up, after he through 00:02:22.800 --> 00:02:25.539 the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the 00:02:25.539 --> 00:02:29.400 apostles whom he had chosen, to whom he also 00:02:29.400 --> 00:02:32.900 presented himself alive after his suffering by 00:02:32.900 --> 00:02:36.719 many infallible proofs, being seen of them during 00:02:36.719 --> 00:02:39.400 forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining 00:02:39.400 --> 00:02:42.360 to the kingdom of God, and being assembled together 00:02:42.360 --> 00:02:45.319 with them, he commanded them not to depart from 00:02:45.319 --> 00:02:48.439 Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the 00:02:48.439 --> 00:02:51.620 father, which he said, you have heard it from 00:02:51.620 --> 00:02:54.819 me for John truly baptized with water, but you 00:02:54.819 --> 00:02:57.159 shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Not many 00:02:57.159 --> 00:02:59.759 days from now. Therefore, when they had come 00:02:59.759 --> 00:03:03.219 together, they asked him saying, Lord, will you 00:03:03.219 --> 00:03:06.400 at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? He 00:03:06.400 --> 00:03:09.189 said to them. It is not for you to know times 00:03:09.189 --> 00:03:12.189 or seasons which the Father has put in his own 00:03:12.189 --> 00:03:15.629 authority. But you shall receive power when the 00:03:15.629 --> 00:03:19.250 Holy Spirit has come upon you. And you shall 00:03:19.250 --> 00:03:24.370 be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all Judea 00:03:24.370 --> 00:03:28.310 and Samaria and to the end of the earth. Now 00:03:28.310 --> 00:03:31.569 when he had spoken these things, while they watched, 00:03:31.889 --> 00:03:36.129 he was taken up. And the cloud received him out 00:03:36.129 --> 00:03:39.009 of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly 00:03:39.009 --> 00:03:42.490 toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men 00:03:42.490 --> 00:03:45.889 stood by them in white apparel, who also said, 00:03:46.110 --> 00:03:50.110 Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into 00:03:50.110 --> 00:03:54.129 heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from 00:03:54.129 --> 00:03:57.490 you into heaven, will so come in like manner 00:03:57.490 --> 00:04:03.349 as you saw him go into heaven. Let's pray and 00:04:03.349 --> 00:04:06.129 ask for God's blessing on this time. Our Father, 00:04:06.210 --> 00:04:08.969 we thank you, Lord, for these rich truths contained 00:04:08.969 --> 00:04:12.150 in these passages. Lord, there is so much here. 00:04:12.569 --> 00:04:16.490 And we can only do a bit, Lord, in this time 00:04:16.490 --> 00:04:18.790 allotted here before us. And so I pray, God, 00:04:18.889 --> 00:04:21.189 that you would give us the strength and that 00:04:21.189 --> 00:04:23.629 you would open up our minds and help us to understand 00:04:23.629 --> 00:04:26.470 these truths, Lord. And through it all, Lord, 00:04:26.509 --> 00:04:29.269 I pray for worship, that we might truly worship 00:04:29.269 --> 00:04:33.529 you, the Lord Jesus Christ, as our sovereign 00:04:33.529 --> 00:04:37.170 King. And ruler. We ask for your blessing on 00:04:37.170 --> 00:04:45.589 this time. In the name of Jesus. Amen. John. 00:04:46.129 --> 00:04:49.990 To the seven churches which are in Asia. Grace 00:04:49.990 --> 00:04:53.230 to you and peace from him who is. And who was. 00:04:53.550 --> 00:04:57.490 And who is to come. And from the seven spirits 00:04:57.490 --> 00:05:01.870 who are before his throne. And from Jesus Christ. 00:05:02.670 --> 00:05:06.269 the faithful witness, the firstborn from the 00:05:06.269 --> 00:05:10.930 dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth, 00:05:11.110 --> 00:05:14.670 to him who loved us and washed us from our sins 00:05:14.670 --> 00:05:19.069 in his own blood, and has made us priests and 00:05:19.069 --> 00:05:23.250 kings to his God and Father, to whom be glory 00:05:23.250 --> 00:05:29.410 and dominion forever and ever. Amen. With these 00:05:29.410 --> 00:05:31.949 resounding words of greeting from John to the 00:05:31.949 --> 00:05:35.170 seven churches of Asia, the Apostle John begins 00:05:35.170 --> 00:05:38.370 the Apocalypse, that great book of the revelation 00:05:38.370 --> 00:05:41.730 of Jesus Christ which God gave to him to show 00:05:41.730 --> 00:05:44.709 his servants things which must shortly come to 00:05:44.709 --> 00:05:47.769 pass. I take the title of this sermon from this 00:05:47.769 --> 00:05:53.750 most important description of Jesus and his mediatorial 00:05:53.750 --> 00:05:57.310 reign. That is, that he is the ruler of the kings 00:05:57.310 --> 00:06:00.920 of the earth, for he is the prince, the chief 00:06:00.920 --> 00:06:05.279 ruler, the magistrate, the commander, and chief. 00:06:06.399 --> 00:06:09.959 Today is Ascension Sunday. It's the first Sunday 00:06:09.959 --> 00:06:13.000 after Ascension Day, which falls 40 days after 00:06:13.000 --> 00:06:16.319 Easter. And on this day, the church rejoices 00:06:16.319 --> 00:06:20.240 in the coronation of Jesus Christ as our mediatorial 00:06:20.240 --> 00:06:23.439 king. So we remember and celebrate the moment 00:06:23.439 --> 00:06:28.839 when our Lord Jesus, after he completed the redemptive 00:06:28.839 --> 00:06:31.740 work on earth, he ascended from the Mount of 00:06:31.740 --> 00:06:36.980 Olives into heaven. There he was received with 00:06:36.980 --> 00:06:41.100 heavenly acclaim and worship and was seated at 00:06:41.100 --> 00:06:44.970 the right hand of the majesty on high. This triumphant 00:06:44.970 --> 00:06:47.250 reality is beautifully declared in the book of 00:06:47.250 --> 00:06:50.750 Hebrews, chapter 1, verses 1 to 4, which reads, 00:06:51.029 --> 00:06:54.370 God, who at various times and in various ways 00:06:54.370 --> 00:06:59.069 spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 00:06:59.250 --> 00:07:04.490 has in these last days spoken to us by his Son. 00:07:05.199 --> 00:07:09.300 whom he has appointed heir of all things, through 00:07:09.300 --> 00:07:13.660 whom also he made the world, who, being the brightness 00:07:13.660 --> 00:07:17.420 of his glory and the express image of his person 00:07:17.420 --> 00:07:21.459 and upholding all things by the word of his power, 00:07:21.660 --> 00:07:26.920 when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down 00:07:26.920 --> 00:07:31.860 at the right hand of the majesty on high. Having 00:07:31.860 --> 00:07:35.480 become so much better than the angels as he has 00:07:35.480 --> 00:07:39.019 by inheritance obtained a more excellent name 00:07:39.019 --> 00:07:45.980 than they. While the eternal son of God has always 00:07:45.980 --> 00:07:51.519 been king by virtue of his divine nature. In 00:07:51.519 --> 00:07:57.199 his ascension, he is now enthroned as the mediatorial 00:07:57.199 --> 00:08:01.990 king. That is the God. Who represents us. That 00:08:01.990 --> 00:08:04.949 through his incarnation. And his sinless life. 00:08:05.149 --> 00:08:08.870 His atoning death. His bodily resurrection. And 00:08:08.870 --> 00:08:12.990 his ascension. He has become the true and perfect 00:08:12.990 --> 00:08:18.709 mediator. Between God and man. And such as he 00:08:18.709 --> 00:08:23.470 is then. He is our mediator and our king. Or 00:08:23.470 --> 00:08:29.480 mediatorial king. This very scene. Of Jesus ascension. 00:08:29.480 --> 00:08:32.860 And coming to the father. Was foreseen. It was 00:08:32.860 --> 00:08:37.200 prophesied. Way back in the book of Daniel. The 00:08:37.200 --> 00:08:39.840 prophet Daniel. Who had this vision. This was 00:08:39.840 --> 00:08:43.279 centuries earlier. And Daniel records these words. 00:08:43.419 --> 00:08:46.120 He says. I was watching in the night visions. 00:08:46.460 --> 00:08:51.919 And behold. One like the son of man. coming with 00:08:51.919 --> 00:08:55.759 the clouds of heaven. He came to the ancient 00:08:55.759 --> 00:08:58.580 of days, and they brought him near before him. 00:08:58.820 --> 00:09:04.000 Then to him was given dominion and glory and 00:09:04.000 --> 00:09:07.759 a kingdom that all peoples, nations, and languages 00:09:07.759 --> 00:09:11.399 should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting 00:09:11.399 --> 00:09:14.639 dominion which shall not pass away, and his kingdom 00:09:14.639 --> 00:09:18.639 the one which shall not be destroyed. This is 00:09:18.639 --> 00:09:22.200 in Daniel 7, verse 13 and 14. So we celebrate 00:09:22.200 --> 00:09:25.100 the ascension of Jesus Christ. He is our prince. 00:09:25.200 --> 00:09:27.919 He is our king. He is the ruler of the kings 00:09:27.919 --> 00:09:30.480 of the earth, as we read in Revelation 1, verse 00:09:30.480 --> 00:09:34.720 5. He reigns and his kingdom will never end. 00:09:35.399 --> 00:09:39.779 So today, we remember this great event, but there's 00:09:39.779 --> 00:09:43.620 also more. So on this Sunday, We also join together 00:09:43.620 --> 00:09:46.840 with many others in our nation who today are 00:09:46.840 --> 00:09:50.200 reflecting on God's providence and giving thanks 00:09:50.200 --> 00:09:55.299 and praise to God for these 250 years of his 00:09:55.299 --> 00:09:57.720 guidance in our nation, his guidance and his 00:09:57.720 --> 00:10:00.679 grace of our own nation, the United States of 00:10:00.679 --> 00:10:03.940 America. And we pray that God would bless and 00:10:03.940 --> 00:10:09.230 protect America for the next 250 years. and solemnly 00:10:09.230 --> 00:10:12.210 rededicate our country as one nation under God. 00:10:12.870 --> 00:10:15.649 There's a big rally in Washington, D .C., a service 00:10:15.649 --> 00:10:18.429 being held today on this. There's also a rally 00:10:18.429 --> 00:10:21.929 this evening at Boise on the Capitol steps, a 00:10:21.929 --> 00:10:24.570 time of remembrance. I will not be able to be 00:10:24.570 --> 00:10:26.929 there because we're traveling, but it is a time 00:10:26.929 --> 00:10:29.950 of remembrance. And then on top of all of this, 00:10:29.970 --> 00:10:32.330 if this were not enough, we are also privileged 00:10:32.330 --> 00:10:36.190 to participate this week in an election. An election 00:10:36.190 --> 00:10:39.070 for the governor of our state, for a United States 00:10:39.070 --> 00:10:42.470 senator, a state senator, two state representatives, 00:10:42.710 --> 00:10:45.389 as well as various judges and commissioners and 00:10:45.389 --> 00:10:49.470 assessors and others. So in light of Christ being 00:10:49.470 --> 00:10:53.049 the ruler of the rulers and of the ruler of the 00:10:53.049 --> 00:10:55.490 civil leaders of our state, how should this affect 00:10:55.490 --> 00:10:58.990 our thinking about them or our voting? And how 00:10:58.990 --> 00:11:02.009 should Christ's church speak to them and instruct 00:11:02.009 --> 00:11:06.480 them as our representatives? So in consideration 00:11:06.480 --> 00:11:09.720 of all of these things, as we celebrate Christ 00:11:09.720 --> 00:11:12.679 being seated as the mediatorial king, the time 00:11:12.679 --> 00:11:14.899 of remembrance and praise to God for our own 00:11:14.899 --> 00:11:18.100 nation, and the upcoming election, I've chosen 00:11:18.100 --> 00:11:22.059 today to speak or to preach on Psalm 2. Psalm 00:11:22.059 --> 00:11:26.799 2 is one of the greatest messianic psalms in 00:11:26.799 --> 00:11:30.299 the Bible. It is a royal psalm. It is one of 00:11:30.299 --> 00:11:34.450 the most frequently... quoted in the New Testament. 00:11:34.529 --> 00:11:36.990 The only one, to my knowledge, that is quoted 00:11:36.990 --> 00:11:42.769 more is Psalm 110, which is also about the kingship 00:11:42.769 --> 00:11:48.950 of Christ. These two psalms compose a huge amount 00:11:48.950 --> 00:11:53.009 of the quotations of the psalms in the New Testament. 00:11:53.090 --> 00:11:56.250 The apostles in their preaching continually referred 00:11:56.250 --> 00:12:02.690 to either Psalm 110 or Psalm 2. So it contrasts 00:12:02.690 --> 00:12:05.710 the futile rebellion of earthly rulers against 00:12:05.710 --> 00:12:10.009 God and of God's anointed king with his sovereign 00:12:10.009 --> 00:12:13.669 response and ultimate victory. It then ends with 00:12:13.669 --> 00:12:18.710 a clear call of warning and invitation to all 00:12:18.710 --> 00:12:22.009 kings, all rulers, all judges, all magistrates, 00:12:22.029 --> 00:12:26.730 instructing them to be wise and to serve Jesus 00:12:26.730 --> 00:12:30.970 Christ, the anointed one. So we're going to break 00:12:30.970 --> 00:12:33.029 this down into four different sections as we 00:12:33.029 --> 00:12:37.429 look at Psalm 2. The first is the rebellion of 00:12:37.429 --> 00:12:40.769 the nations, which is in verses 1 to 3. Why? 00:12:41.370 --> 00:12:44.679 Why do the nations rage? and the people plot 00:12:44.679 --> 00:12:47.379 a vain thing. The kings of the earth set themselves, 00:12:47.679 --> 00:12:49.940 and the rulers take counsel together against 00:12:49.940 --> 00:12:52.899 the Lord and against his anointed, saying, Let 00:12:52.899 --> 00:12:55.899 us break their bonds in pieces and cast away 00:12:55.899 --> 00:12:59.139 their cords from us. This psalm begins with a 00:12:59.139 --> 00:13:04.059 question. Why do the nations rage? Why are the 00:13:04.059 --> 00:13:07.639 people plotting a vain thing? Why is there a 00:13:07.639 --> 00:13:10.740 great foment and an uprising, a stirring against 00:13:10.740 --> 00:13:15.129 the authority of the tribes? We are shown the 00:13:15.129 --> 00:13:17.649 very great struggle between the kingdom of Christ 00:13:17.649 --> 00:13:20.690 and the dominion of Satan. The prince of the 00:13:20.690 --> 00:13:23.730 power of the air. The spirit which now works 00:13:23.730 --> 00:13:26.610 in the sons of disobedience. As Paul says in 00:13:26.610 --> 00:13:30.669 Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 2. There is a rage 00:13:30.669 --> 00:13:34.470 against the Lord and against his anointed Christ. 00:13:34.830 --> 00:13:38.490 It is a despising of the authority that is wielded 00:13:38.490 --> 00:13:42.299 by almighty God. The nations are in a tumult, 00:13:42.299 --> 00:13:47.539 a commotion of rebellion, of conspiring and plotting 00:13:47.539 --> 00:13:51.720 against the authority of Jehovah and of his anointed 00:13:51.720 --> 00:13:56.159 one, Jesus Christ. This rebellion is held by 00:13:56.159 --> 00:13:59.659 kings and rulers who do not fear God and obey 00:13:59.659 --> 00:14:02.679 his commandments. Now in the apostolic age of 00:14:02.679 --> 00:14:05.700 the early church, this describes both their Roman 00:14:05.700 --> 00:14:09.299 overlords and the Jewish civic and... religious 00:14:09.299 --> 00:14:13.559 leaders in Acts chapter 4 after the healing of 00:14:13.559 --> 00:14:16.019 the lame man in the temple what did the chief 00:14:16.019 --> 00:14:19.600 priest do did they rejoice about it no no they 00:14:19.600 --> 00:14:21.659 threatened the church and they commanded them 00:14:21.659 --> 00:14:25.580 not to speak in the name or to teach in the name 00:14:25.580 --> 00:14:29.220 of Jesus so after they received the threat the 00:14:29.220 --> 00:14:31.659 apostles were then left go and they gathered 00:14:31.659 --> 00:14:34.700 together and what did they do they prayed from 00:14:34.700 --> 00:14:38.690 Psalm 2 right here They prayed from this psalm 00:14:38.690 --> 00:14:41.210 and they applied it directly to their situation. 00:14:41.690 --> 00:14:44.330 So when they heard that, they raised their voice 00:14:44.330 --> 00:14:48.440 to God with one accord and said, Lord. You are 00:14:48.440 --> 00:14:52.039 God who made heaven and earth and the sea and 00:14:52.039 --> 00:14:55.200 all that is in them, who by the mouth of your 00:14:55.200 --> 00:14:58.659 servant David have said, Why did the nations 00:14:58.659 --> 00:15:02.039 rage and the people plot vain things? The kings 00:15:02.039 --> 00:15:04.159 of the earth took their stand and the rulers 00:15:04.159 --> 00:15:06.600 were gathered together against the Lord and his 00:15:06.600 --> 00:15:11.360 Christ. For truly against your holy servant Jesus, 00:15:11.600 --> 00:15:15.919 whom you anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate 00:15:15.919 --> 00:15:19.480 with the Gentiles, And the people of Israel were 00:15:19.480 --> 00:15:23.399 gathered together to do whatever your hand and 00:15:23.399 --> 00:15:26.539 your purpose determined before to be done. Acts 00:15:26.539 --> 00:15:30.340 chapter 4 verses 24 through 28. They saw this 00:15:30.340 --> 00:15:35.080 as fulfilling this passage, fulfilling this psalm. 00:15:35.080 --> 00:15:38.360 And it included both the Gentile leaders as well 00:15:38.360 --> 00:15:41.580 as the Jewish leaders. They all were conspiring 00:15:41.580 --> 00:15:46.860 together against God. Then a chapter later in 00:15:46.860 --> 00:15:49.080 Acts we see it again when the high priest rose 00:15:49.080 --> 00:15:51.039 up and all those who were with him and they were 00:15:51.039 --> 00:15:53.220 filled with indignation at what was happening. 00:15:53.740 --> 00:15:56.539 They put the apostles in prison, but God delivered 00:15:56.539 --> 00:15:58.820 them by an angel who opened the prison doors. 00:15:59.100 --> 00:16:01.919 The leaders brought them again into their council 00:16:01.919 --> 00:16:05.200 and they commanded them not to speak in the name 00:16:05.200 --> 00:16:07.519 of Jesus. You would think that by now they would 00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:09.500 be learning this is a futile command because 00:16:09.500 --> 00:16:10.820 they're just going to go out and do it again. 00:16:10.960 --> 00:16:13.860 And indeed, Peter and the other apostles answered 00:16:13.860 --> 00:16:16.700 them and said, we ought to obey God rather than 00:16:16.700 --> 00:16:19.620 men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, 00:16:19.820 --> 00:16:24.019 whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him, 00:16:24.019 --> 00:16:28.700 God has exalted to his right hand to be a prince 00:16:28.700 --> 00:16:33.100 and savior to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness 00:16:33.100 --> 00:16:35.980 of sins. And we are witnesses to these things. 00:16:36.080 --> 00:16:39.059 And so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God has 00:16:39.059 --> 00:16:42.240 given to those who obey him. Acts 5, verse 29 00:16:42.240 --> 00:16:47.279 to 32. So when they heard this, Verse 33, they 00:16:47.279 --> 00:16:52.740 were furious and plotted to kill them. Wicked 00:16:52.740 --> 00:16:57.799 rulers hate the fact that Christ rules over them 00:16:57.799 --> 00:17:01.059 and that they are accountable to God for their 00:17:01.059 --> 00:17:05.019 actions. And so they fight against his people. 00:17:05.240 --> 00:17:10.029 They hate him and fight against his people. people 00:17:10.029 --> 00:17:12.750 they set themselves they took counsel together 00:17:12.750 --> 00:17:15.490 they desire to break his bonds and cords that 00:17:15.490 --> 00:17:18.430 overrule them they have not yet learned what 00:17:18.430 --> 00:17:22.009 the great king Nebuchadnezzar did after his humiliation 00:17:22.009 --> 00:17:26.890 when God took away his kingdom for a time and 00:17:26.890 --> 00:17:30.130 he ate with the beasts of the field and so he 00:17:30.130 --> 00:17:34.329 did for seven years and when and after his understanding 00:17:34.329 --> 00:17:37.490 came back to him he said this is the testimony 00:17:37.490 --> 00:17:41.539 of Nebuchadnezzar I blessed the Most High, and 00:17:41.539 --> 00:17:44.000 I praised and honored Him who lives forever, 00:17:44.279 --> 00:17:47.480 for His dominion is an everlasting dominion. 00:17:47.519 --> 00:17:50.359 His kingdom is from generation to generation. 00:17:50.759 --> 00:17:53.539 All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed 00:17:53.539 --> 00:17:56.579 as nothing. He does according to his will and 00:17:56.579 --> 00:17:58.839 the army of heaven and among all the inhabitants 00:17:58.839 --> 00:18:01.940 of the earth. No one can restrain his hand or 00:18:01.940 --> 00:18:04.279 say to him, what have you done? And then here's 00:18:04.279 --> 00:18:06.859 Nebuchadnezzar's personal testimony in response. 00:18:07.220 --> 00:18:11.380 He says, now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol 00:18:11.380 --> 00:18:15.279 and honor the king of heaven, all whose works 00:18:15.279 --> 00:18:18.240 are truth and his ways justice and those who 00:18:18.240 --> 00:18:22.359 walk in pride he is able to put down. Nebuchadnezzar 00:18:22.359 --> 00:18:24.950 learned his lesson. And you would think that 00:18:24.950 --> 00:18:28.549 others would look and see his example. But, alas, 00:18:28.589 --> 00:18:31.849 the rulers of the Apostles' Day did not do so. 00:18:31.950 --> 00:18:35.509 They continued in their rebellion against him, 00:18:35.549 --> 00:18:39.450 both the Gentile and the Jewish rulers. Now, 00:18:39.470 --> 00:18:41.809 whether it is the rage of the Empress at the 00:18:41.809 --> 00:18:45.410 time of the Boxer Rebellion in the early 1900s, 00:18:45.410 --> 00:18:48.470 then followed by Chairman Mao in China, or the 00:18:48.470 --> 00:18:51.890 Roman emperors Nero or Decius or Diocletian, 00:18:52.200 --> 00:18:55.220 Or the waves of Islamic conquest of Tamerlane 00:18:55.220 --> 00:18:58.440 in the 14th century. Or the Ottoman Empire with 00:18:58.440 --> 00:19:02.119 the millions killed. In the Armenian, the Assyrian, 00:19:02.220 --> 00:19:04.680 and the Greek genocides. And they were genocides 00:19:04.680 --> 00:19:09.079 of... Christians in the early 1900s, or the 20th 00:19:09.079 --> 00:19:11.779 century communist regimes of the Soviet Union, 00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:15.619 or China, North Korea, and Romania, or the current 00:19:15.619 --> 00:19:18.359 day slaughter of Christian believers in Nigeria, 00:19:18.539 --> 00:19:21.000 where they are being slaughtered by the dozens 00:19:21.000 --> 00:19:24.779 and sometimes even hundreds. The forced conversions 00:19:24.779 --> 00:19:28.819 in Pakistan or the Islamic extreme persecution 00:19:28.819 --> 00:19:32.720 and violence in Somalia and Sudan and Eritrea 00:19:32.720 --> 00:19:36.440 and others or the systematic removal of Christian 00:19:36.440 --> 00:19:40.019 influence and authority in modern Western countries. 00:19:40.160 --> 00:19:44.220 Indeed, the nations are raging against Christ. 00:19:44.619 --> 00:19:47.119 They have raged and the people have plotted. 00:19:47.400 --> 00:19:49.619 The kings and the rulers take counsel together 00:19:49.619 --> 00:19:53.269 and they set themselves against Christ. They 00:19:53.269 --> 00:19:58.390 rebel against him and they hate his people, the 00:19:58.390 --> 00:20:04.589 church. This is the fact of the matter. And we 00:20:04.589 --> 00:20:09.269 see this as prophesied in Psalm 2. They rage 00:20:09.269 --> 00:20:13.029 and they take counsel together. Well, let's move 00:20:13.029 --> 00:20:14.829 then to the next section, which is in verses 00:20:14.829 --> 00:20:20.009 4 through 6. And in this, we see the response 00:20:20.009 --> 00:20:25.660 from the Lord God. Before it was the Lord Jehovah, 00:20:25.759 --> 00:20:30.339 but now here it is the Lord God Adonai. He who 00:20:30.339 --> 00:20:33.440 sits in the heavens shall laugh. The Lord shall 00:20:33.440 --> 00:20:36.460 hold them in derision. Then he shall speak to 00:20:36.460 --> 00:20:38.640 them in his wrath and distress them in his deep 00:20:38.640 --> 00:20:44.220 displeasure. Yet I have set my king on my holy 00:20:44.220 --> 00:20:49.079 hill of Zion. The one who sits in the heavens 00:20:49.079 --> 00:20:54.950 shall laugh. This is not a laugh of fun. This 00:20:54.950 --> 00:20:59.569 is not a laugh of delight, of rejoicing at the 00:20:59.569 --> 00:21:04.430 goodness of God. No, this is a laugh of derision. 00:21:04.470 --> 00:21:10.170 A laugh of mockery and ridicule. It is the laugh 00:21:10.170 --> 00:21:12.789 of the one who, as Isaiah says in chapter 40, 00:21:12.849 --> 00:21:16.289 verse 22, he who sits above the circle of the 00:21:16.289 --> 00:21:20.130 earth and its inhabitants. are like grasshoppers, 00:21:20.130 --> 00:21:22.730 who stretches out the heavens like a curtain 00:21:22.730 --> 00:21:25.269 and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. 00:21:25.369 --> 00:21:29.829 He brings the princes to nothing. He makes the 00:21:29.829 --> 00:21:33.670 judges of the earth useless. It is the laughter 00:21:33.670 --> 00:21:36.970 of the one with that authority, that authority 00:21:36.970 --> 00:21:40.730 right now who inhabits eternity. He inhabits 00:21:40.730 --> 00:21:43.230 the heavens and he looks down on the earth and 00:21:43.230 --> 00:21:45.769 the whole earth is but a speck and the inhabitants 00:21:45.769 --> 00:21:52.460 are just like him. No matter what men, even kings, 00:21:52.519 --> 00:21:56.240 rulers, and judges devise against him, they continually 00:21:56.240 --> 00:22:00.319 run up against the authority and the power of 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:06.200 God. The last pagan Roman emperor, who was Flavius 00:22:06.200 --> 00:22:09.740 Claudius Julianus, also known as Julian the Apostate, 00:22:09.779 --> 00:22:14.640 he made a very determined effort. But it was 00:22:14.640 --> 00:22:17.559 one that was unsuccessful. A determined effort 00:22:17.559 --> 00:22:21.900 to eradicate Christianity. And to revive traditional 00:22:21.900 --> 00:22:25.980 Roman and Hellenistic religions. But he was unable 00:22:25.980 --> 00:22:29.799 to do so. And as he was fatally pierced by a 00:22:29.799 --> 00:22:32.920 spear. During his campaign against the Persian 00:22:32.920 --> 00:22:36.440 Empire. He shouted out. And so the story goes. 00:22:36.740 --> 00:22:42.140 That he shouted out. That is thou has conquered. 00:22:42.750 --> 00:22:46.369 O Galilean, referring to Jesus, the Galilean, 00:22:46.390 --> 00:22:50.289 thou hast conquered. The conspiring of the atheistic 00:22:50.289 --> 00:22:52.410 and communistic regimes throughout the world 00:22:52.410 --> 00:22:56.470 were and are unable to stop the advance of the 00:22:56.470 --> 00:23:01.069 Christian faith. Even in many Islamic totalitarian 00:23:01.069 --> 00:23:04.329 states, there are many former Muslims who are 00:23:04.329 --> 00:23:07.440 coming to faith and trusting in Christ. Some 00:23:07.440 --> 00:23:11.299 of them come where they're getting the word of 00:23:11.299 --> 00:23:13.359 God through radio or through the internet or 00:23:13.359 --> 00:23:15.140 others. And there's this underground movement 00:23:15.140 --> 00:23:17.880 even in Iran. There are many, many Christians 00:23:17.880 --> 00:23:20.500 who have been coming to faith in the last while. 00:23:21.859 --> 00:23:26.549 Just a few. A few days ago, I received a word, 00:23:26.630 --> 00:23:29.230 I received an email about something that's happening 00:23:29.230 --> 00:23:31.829 in the country of Uzbekistan. So Uzbekistan is 00:23:31.829 --> 00:23:35.269 a Central Asian country. It's there north of 00:23:35.269 --> 00:23:39.170 India and not too far from Afghanistan and south 00:23:39.170 --> 00:23:41.569 of Russia. It used to be a former Soviet country. 00:23:41.769 --> 00:23:44.269 I had actually spent a number of times in this 00:23:44.269 --> 00:23:47.390 country as a Muslim state in doing some Christian 00:23:47.390 --> 00:23:50.890 work there a good number of years ago. But I 00:23:50.890 --> 00:23:54.269 received word from Pastor Garrett. that there 00:23:54.269 --> 00:23:57.190 are now two churches in the capital city that 00:23:57.190 --> 00:24:00.970 is Tashkent that are thriving and growing one 00:24:00.970 --> 00:24:03.670 or two of them may be joining our communion and 00:24:03.670 --> 00:24:07.369 the parishioners are nearly all converts to the 00:24:07.369 --> 00:24:10.589 Christian faith from Muslim background this is 00:24:10.589 --> 00:24:14.349 happening right now brothers and sisters we need 00:24:14.349 --> 00:24:16.990 to be praying for these people not only here 00:24:16.990 --> 00:24:19.990 but I'm hearing it from many different Muslim 00:24:19.990 --> 00:24:25.940 countries The laughter of God is a terrifying 00:24:25.940 --> 00:24:29.539 laughter that makes one fall to the ground in 00:24:29.539 --> 00:24:33.480 fear and trembling. This is the kind of laughter 00:24:33.480 --> 00:24:36.079 that the Lord has against these rulers and judges. 00:24:36.640 --> 00:24:39.819 And it is a laughter that is followed by the 00:24:39.819 --> 00:24:42.880 Lord God Almighty speaking to them in His wrath 00:24:42.880 --> 00:24:46.900 and in His deep displeasure. What is it that 00:24:46.900 --> 00:24:50.420 He says? What words will he utter that will strike 00:24:50.420 --> 00:24:53.779 this terror into them and be the action that 00:24:53.779 --> 00:24:56.559 follows his wrath? Will he simply annihilate 00:24:56.559 --> 00:24:59.660 them, remove them from office, or slow down the 00:24:59.660 --> 00:25:02.440 advance? What are these words that despots hate 00:25:02.440 --> 00:25:09.519 to hear? It is this, I have set my king. I have 00:25:09.519 --> 00:25:16.359 set my king on my holy hill of Zion. This is 00:25:16.359 --> 00:25:19.000 the same wrath that Herod had when he heard that 00:25:19.000 --> 00:25:23.059 another king was born and by the wise men and 00:25:23.059 --> 00:25:24.880 so he wanted them to come back so that he might 00:25:24.880 --> 00:25:27.660 destroy him. It's the same rage that he had when 00:25:27.660 --> 00:25:30.539 the wise men went home by a different way and 00:25:30.539 --> 00:25:33.759 so he ordered the slaughter of all of the baby 00:25:33.759 --> 00:25:38.319 boys to years and under in Bethlehem. Imagine 00:25:38.319 --> 00:25:41.960 the terror and the horror of that as mothers 00:25:41.960 --> 00:25:44.250 would... cling to their children and they would 00:25:44.250 --> 00:25:47.309 be torn away by the soldiers at Herod's command 00:25:47.309 --> 00:25:51.869 and put to death right on the spot it is that 00:25:51.869 --> 00:25:58.670 kind of rage that they have against Christ as 00:25:58.670 --> 00:26:03.630 king this is also expressed in other passages 00:26:03.630 --> 00:26:07.690 because this is what God speaks to the rebellious 00:26:07.690 --> 00:26:11.160 ones In Psalm 110, verse 1 and 2, I already referred 00:26:11.160 --> 00:26:13.980 to this. The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my 00:26:13.980 --> 00:26:18.160 right hand till I make your enemies your footstool. 00:26:18.660 --> 00:26:20.859 Now, what would happen if one of you would come 00:26:20.859 --> 00:26:22.140 to your enemy and say, I'm going to make you 00:26:22.140 --> 00:26:24.920 my footstool? Well, that's quite a derogatory 00:26:24.920 --> 00:26:26.839 thing. I mean, it's something that really is 00:26:26.839 --> 00:26:29.140 to put down. It's designed to humble them. And 00:26:29.140 --> 00:26:31.859 what they're basically saying is, not only are 00:26:31.859 --> 00:26:33.339 you going to submit to me, but I'm going to put 00:26:33.339 --> 00:26:38.940 my feet on you. I'm going to rule over you. And 00:26:38.940 --> 00:26:42.339 that is what God is saying to those who hate 00:26:42.339 --> 00:26:46.920 him. I have set my king on my holy hill of Zion 00:26:46.920 --> 00:26:51.539 and the Lord, then Psalm 110 verse 2, the Lord 00:26:51.539 --> 00:26:53.859 shall send the rod of your strength out of Zion, 00:26:54.099 --> 00:26:58.180 rule in the midst of your enemies. Now Paul describes 00:26:58.180 --> 00:27:00.559 this as happening at the resurrection and the 00:27:00.559 --> 00:27:03.220 ascension of Christ. And he speaks about this 00:27:03.220 --> 00:27:07.309 in Ephesians chapter 1 verse 17. He says, The 00:27:07.309 --> 00:27:09.309 God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 00:27:09.470 --> 00:27:12.490 the Father of glory, showed the working of his 00:27:12.490 --> 00:27:15.589 mighty power, which he worked in Christ when 00:27:15.589 --> 00:27:19.990 he raised him from the dead and seated him at 00:27:19.990 --> 00:27:23.710 his right hand in the heavenly places. Far above 00:27:23.710 --> 00:27:26.829 all principality and power and might and dominion 00:27:26.829 --> 00:27:29.849 in every name that is named, not only in this 00:27:29.849 --> 00:27:33.710 age, but also in that which is to come. And he 00:27:33.710 --> 00:27:39.720 has put all things under. His feet. This is why. 00:27:40.339 --> 00:27:43.799 Because this happened. When you look in the scriptures. 00:27:43.980 --> 00:27:46.279 It's the resurrection and the ascension. And 00:27:46.279 --> 00:27:48.400 they are tight together. 40 days apart. Yes. 00:27:48.539 --> 00:27:51.440 But they are tight together. The enthronement 00:27:51.440 --> 00:27:55.400 of Christ. The authority comes to him. At his 00:27:55.400 --> 00:27:58.660 resurrection and ascension. When he is seated 00:27:58.660 --> 00:28:02.779 at the right hand of the Father. This is why 00:28:02.779 --> 00:28:06.119 Jesus could say to his disciples right at the 00:28:06.119 --> 00:28:09.140 time of that ascension, this is just before he 00:28:09.140 --> 00:28:12.940 goes up, just before he goes to his father, he 00:28:12.940 --> 00:28:19.160 says, all authority has been given to me in heaven 00:28:19.160 --> 00:28:26.299 and on earth. In heaven and on earth. Go therefore 00:28:26.299 --> 00:28:32.299 and make disciples of all the nations. He is 00:28:32.299 --> 00:28:36.579 king, and that word is to go throughout the whole 00:28:36.579 --> 00:28:40.759 world to every nation, to every ruler, to every 00:28:40.759 --> 00:28:45.900 king. And this is God's response to the connivers, 00:28:46.180 --> 00:28:50.079 the plotters, the kings, and the rulers who rage 00:28:50.079 --> 00:28:53.380 and take counsel against the Lord Jehovah and 00:28:53.380 --> 00:28:57.359 his anointed one, Jesus. And we move on to the 00:28:57.359 --> 00:29:00.640 third section, which is the decree. Of the anointed 00:29:00.640 --> 00:29:04.440 king. Verses 7 through 9. I will declare the 00:29:04.440 --> 00:29:07.720 decree. The Lord has said to me. You are my son. 00:29:07.839 --> 00:29:10.920 Today I have begotten you. Ask of me and I will 00:29:10.920 --> 00:29:13.500 give you the nations for your inheritance. And 00:29:13.500 --> 00:29:15.940 the ends of the earth for your possession. You 00:29:15.940 --> 00:29:18.440 shall break them with a rod of iron. You shall 00:29:18.440 --> 00:29:23.420 dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel. Now 00:29:23.420 --> 00:29:27.359 in verse 7. There's a change in the person speaking. 00:29:28.559 --> 00:29:30.920 The one who speaks, beginning in verse 7, is 00:29:30.920 --> 00:29:33.920 now the anointed one who speaks. And he says, 00:29:34.180 --> 00:29:36.880 I will declare the decree. And then he says, 00:29:36.980 --> 00:29:39.759 the Lord, that is the Lord Jehovah, has said 00:29:39.759 --> 00:29:43.900 to me, you are my son. Today I have begotten 00:29:43.900 --> 00:29:46.599 you. So this is Jesus speaking, and he is speaking 00:29:46.599 --> 00:29:49.880 that this is what the Father has said to him. 00:29:50.619 --> 00:29:54.250 Jesus was begotten in his humanity. when conceived 00:29:54.250 --> 00:29:57.509 by the Holy Spirit in Mary. But the New Testament 00:29:57.509 --> 00:30:01.869 writers apply this verse to being begotten when 00:30:01.869 --> 00:30:07.130 God publicly declared Jesus as the risen enthroned 00:30:07.130 --> 00:30:10.130 son, when he was vindicated and installed as 00:30:10.130 --> 00:30:12.309 the heir and the king at the time of his resurrection, 00:30:12.549 --> 00:30:15.470 followed by his exaltation. So, for example, 00:30:15.509 --> 00:30:19.289 Paul, when he's preaching to the Jews at Antioch 00:30:19.289 --> 00:30:22.890 of Pisidia in Acts chapter 13, He says, God has 00:30:22.890 --> 00:30:26.450 fulfilled for us their children. God has fulfilled 00:30:26.450 --> 00:30:29.730 this for us, their children, in that he has raised 00:30:29.730 --> 00:30:33.250 up Jesus as it is also written in the second 00:30:33.250 --> 00:30:37.890 Psalm, you are my son, today I have begotten 00:30:37.890 --> 00:30:41.349 you. So Paul takes this verse right here, this 00:30:41.349 --> 00:30:44.190 being begotten, today I begotten you, as referring 00:30:44.190 --> 00:30:47.569 right to the time of the resurrection and the 00:30:47.569 --> 00:30:51.950 ascension. Romans 1, Paul says of Jesus that 00:30:51.950 --> 00:30:54.089 he was born of the seed of David according to 00:30:54.089 --> 00:30:58.049 the flesh and declared to be the son of God with 00:30:58.049 --> 00:31:02.309 power according to the spirit of holiness. How? 00:31:02.569 --> 00:31:07.309 By the resurrection of the dead. Through him, 00:31:07.309 --> 00:31:12.009 we have received grace and apostleship for obedience 00:31:12.009 --> 00:31:16.930 to the faith among all nations for his name's 00:31:16.930 --> 00:31:21.410 sake. Romans 1, verse 1 to 5. Now the Lord Jehovah, 00:31:21.609 --> 00:31:27.329 I'm sorry. Jesus is quoting here what God has 00:31:27.329 --> 00:31:29.470 said to him, what the Lord Jehovah said to him. 00:31:29.789 --> 00:31:33.809 And this is continued now in verse 8. So the 00:31:33.809 --> 00:31:38.309 father says, ask of me and I will give you the 00:31:38.309 --> 00:31:41.490 nations for your inheritance and the ends of 00:31:41.490 --> 00:31:44.839 the earth for your possession. The word is clear. 00:31:45.099 --> 00:31:48.539 Jesus is king, not only of the Jews, but of all 00:31:48.539 --> 00:31:52.079 nations on earth. They belong to him. Again, 00:31:52.140 --> 00:31:54.680 we consider Jesus' words in the Great Commission. 00:31:55.160 --> 00:31:58.700 Jesus testifies that he has asked and received. 00:31:59.180 --> 00:32:02.319 Consider the vastness and the comprehensiveness 00:32:02.319 --> 00:32:05.279 of this statement. And Jesus came and spoke to 00:32:05.279 --> 00:32:08.859 them, saying, All authority has been given to 00:32:08.859 --> 00:32:14.460 me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and 00:32:14.460 --> 00:32:20.839 make disciples of all the nations, baptizing 00:32:20.839 --> 00:32:23.960 them in the name of the Father and of the Son 00:32:23.960 --> 00:32:28.299 and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe 00:32:28.299 --> 00:32:32.539 all things that I have commanded you. And, lo, 00:32:32.539 --> 00:32:38.940 I am with you even to the end of the age. Amen. 00:32:39.339 --> 00:32:43.910 And thus ends. The book of Matthew. Matthew does 00:32:43.910 --> 00:32:46.529 not specifically speak of his ascension, but 00:32:46.529 --> 00:32:49.190 the other passages, the other books of the Bible 00:32:49.190 --> 00:32:54.029 do, the other gospels. The claim of Jesus is 00:32:54.029 --> 00:32:59.309 complete. It is full. He is an authority. And 00:32:59.309 --> 00:33:02.990 all are called to recognize that authority and 00:33:02.990 --> 00:33:07.109 to bow before him. This means then that all religions 00:33:07.109 --> 00:33:10.950 are not equal. All religions do not lead to God. 00:33:11.500 --> 00:33:14.960 Jesus' claim is fully and completely exclusive. 00:33:15.740 --> 00:33:20.779 John 14, verse 6. Jesus said to him, I am the 00:33:20.779 --> 00:33:25.500 way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to 00:33:25.500 --> 00:33:28.759 the Father except through me. You reject Jesus, 00:33:28.940 --> 00:33:32.119 you don't have eternal life, and you don't have 00:33:32.119 --> 00:33:36.329 the Father. Acts 4, verse 12. Nor is there salvation 00:33:36.329 --> 00:33:40.769 in any other, for there is no name under heaven 00:33:40.769 --> 00:33:44.970 given among men by which we must be saved. And 00:33:44.970 --> 00:33:50.349 1 John 2, verse 23. Whoever denies the Son does 00:33:50.349 --> 00:33:55.130 not have the Father either. He who acknowledges 00:33:55.130 --> 00:33:59.430 the Son... has the Father also. You want to worship 00:33:59.430 --> 00:34:02.049 God. You want to get to God. You want to have 00:34:02.049 --> 00:34:04.910 peace with God. It's got to be through the Son. 00:34:05.269 --> 00:34:10.610 It must be through Jesus Christ. There is no 00:34:10.610 --> 00:34:15.530 other way. Jehovah continues then in verse 9, 00:34:15.630 --> 00:34:19.630 back in Psalm 2. He says, You, that is you my 00:34:19.630 --> 00:34:22.650 son, you the king, you shall break them with 00:34:22.650 --> 00:34:26.780 a rod of iron. you shall dash them to pieces 00:34:26.780 --> 00:34:31.940 like a potter's vessel. Now Jesus says that he 00:34:31.940 --> 00:34:34.559 is the good shepherd who will give his life for 00:34:34.559 --> 00:34:37.780 his sheep and he will feed his flock. He is the 00:34:37.780 --> 00:34:40.400 one that he says will not break a bruised reed 00:34:40.400 --> 00:34:43.260 or quench the smoking flax, indicating his love 00:34:43.260 --> 00:34:48.400 and his care for his servants. Jesus is the one 00:34:48.400 --> 00:34:51.559 who says, cast all your cares upon me for I care 00:34:51.559 --> 00:34:57.869 for you. But, as Isaiah says in chapter 43, verse 00:34:57.869 --> 00:35:01.989 2, He shall also bring forth judgment unto truth. 00:35:02.170 --> 00:35:05.809 He shall not fail nor be discouraged till he 00:35:05.809 --> 00:35:08.789 has set judgment on the earth and the isles shall 00:35:08.789 --> 00:35:13.150 wait for his law. See, Jesus is the one who is 00:35:13.150 --> 00:35:16.090 both a tender shepherd. He's the one who gives 00:35:16.090 --> 00:35:18.369 his life for the sheep and he feeds his flock. 00:35:18.570 --> 00:35:23.610 But he is also the king. And he rules and he 00:35:23.610 --> 00:35:27.469 reigns and he rides the horses described in Revelation 00:35:27.469 --> 00:35:32.010 and carries out the judgments that belong to 00:35:32.010 --> 00:35:35.969 the people to whom he judges. So he is both. 00:35:36.050 --> 00:35:40.070 And here we see him described as the one who 00:35:40.070 --> 00:35:44.630 has a scepter, a scepter of iron. It's a rod. 00:35:44.969 --> 00:35:50.550 And with this, he will dash to pieces. the nations 00:35:50.550 --> 00:35:53.409 and the kings and the rulers who rebel against 00:35:53.409 --> 00:35:57.969 him. And he will do so like a potter's vessel. 00:35:58.050 --> 00:36:01.489 You think of a clay pot and you take an iron 00:36:01.489 --> 00:36:05.170 rod and you smash it and it breaks into smithereens. 00:36:05.449 --> 00:36:08.849 That's exactly the way that this is described. 00:36:08.949 --> 00:36:12.489 The judgment and the rule of Christ to those 00:36:12.489 --> 00:36:16.250 who rebel is like one who wields an iron rod 00:36:16.250 --> 00:36:20.719 against a clay pot. pot and smashes it to bits 00:36:20.719 --> 00:36:26.079 the breaking with this rod of iron which is the 00:36:26.079 --> 00:36:29.059 scepter of righteousness this speaks of the initial 00:36:29.059 --> 00:36:32.360 context of this song it is against those who 00:36:32.360 --> 00:36:35.320 rage and set themselves against the Lord and 00:36:35.320 --> 00:36:40.300 his anointed it is the rebellious ones that Is 00:36:40.300 --> 00:36:44.179 our Jesus. Not only is he meek and lowly in heart. 00:36:44.320 --> 00:36:47.719 But he has been installed as king over all. All 00:36:47.719 --> 00:36:51.360 nations. All peoples. All dominions. All powers. 00:36:51.599 --> 00:36:54.559 All authorities. For he has all authority in 00:36:54.559 --> 00:36:57.079 heaven and on earth. And those who rebel will 00:36:57.079 --> 00:37:00.500 be put down. They will be smashed. And yes. This 00:37:00.500 --> 00:37:03.579 includes the United States of America. If we 00:37:03.579 --> 00:37:08.980 do not repent and embrace Christ. These are sobering. 00:37:09.730 --> 00:37:13.789 sobering words. When we say that Christ is Lord 00:37:13.789 --> 00:37:16.630 over all, that he is the King of kings and the 00:37:16.630 --> 00:37:20.670 Lord of lords, so many times we in the modern 00:37:20.670 --> 00:37:23.489 church have diminished these glorious statements 00:37:23.489 --> 00:37:27.289 by saying he's Lord of our hearts. We only apply 00:37:27.289 --> 00:37:31.090 it to our own hearts. And truly, he is Lord of 00:37:31.090 --> 00:37:34.170 our hearts, but that's not it. That's not all. 00:37:35.690 --> 00:37:38.409 We say that Christ is Lord of our hearts or of 00:37:38.409 --> 00:37:40.849 our spiritual worship, which indeed He is, but 00:37:40.849 --> 00:37:43.710 it does not stop there. Or perhaps we include 00:37:43.710 --> 00:37:47.869 His Lordship as head over the church. And indeed, 00:37:48.730 --> 00:37:51.289 He is Lord of the church, but it doesn't stop 00:37:51.289 --> 00:37:56.610 there. We shorten and we truncate this grand 00:37:56.610 --> 00:38:00.250 and glorious vision. Look over at Colossians 00:38:00.250 --> 00:38:04.610 1, verse 15 through 18. Look at this world -changing 00:38:04.610 --> 00:38:08.360 vision. comprehensive and expansive scope of 00:38:08.360 --> 00:38:12.219 the reign of Christ. Paul says, He is the image 00:38:12.219 --> 00:38:15.780 of the invisible God. He is the firstborn over 00:38:15.780 --> 00:38:19.920 all creation. For by Him were all things created 00:38:19.920 --> 00:38:23.199 that are in heaven and on earth, visible and 00:38:23.199 --> 00:38:28.179 invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities 00:38:28.179 --> 00:38:32.239 or powers. All things were created through Him. 00:38:32.840 --> 00:38:38.460 and get this, and for him, and for him. And he 00:38:38.460 --> 00:38:43.360 is before all things, and in him all things consist. 00:38:43.880 --> 00:38:46.440 And he is the head of the body, the church, who 00:38:46.440 --> 00:38:49.059 is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, 00:38:49.219 --> 00:38:53.079 that in all things, in all things, in everything, 00:38:53.320 --> 00:38:58.210 he may have the preeminence. This is Christ. 00:38:58.409 --> 00:39:01.570 There is not one square inch on earth where Jesus 00:39:01.570 --> 00:39:04.289 does not say this is mine. There is nothing. 00:39:04.389 --> 00:39:06.570 There's no principalities. There's no powers. 00:39:06.650 --> 00:39:09.130 There's no nation. There's no king. There's no 00:39:09.130 --> 00:39:12.389 ruler. There's no father or mother. There's no 00:39:12.389 --> 00:39:15.869 judge where God does not say what you do belongs 00:39:15.869 --> 00:39:18.570 to me and you belong to me and you need to serve 00:39:18.570 --> 00:39:21.570 me. You need to bow before me. You need to humble 00:39:21.570 --> 00:39:29.110 yourself before me and worship me alone. Christ 00:39:29.110 --> 00:39:35.329 is Lord over all. Finally then, we come to the 00:39:35.329 --> 00:39:37.449 last part and that is the warning and invitation 00:39:37.449 --> 00:39:40.929 to the rulers, verses 10 through 12. Now therefore 00:39:40.929 --> 00:39:45.130 be wise, O kings. In light of what was just said 00:39:45.130 --> 00:39:48.170 here, in light of the rod, in light of the being 00:39:48.170 --> 00:39:52.730 dashed to pieces, be wise, O kings. Be instructed, 00:39:53.070 --> 00:39:56.429 you judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with 00:39:56.429 --> 00:40:01.420 fear. Rejoice with trembling. Kiss the son lest 00:40:01.420 --> 00:40:04.619 he be angry and you perish in the way when his 00:40:04.619 --> 00:40:08.139 wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all 00:40:08.139 --> 00:40:14.059 those who trust in him. Who put their trust in 00:40:14.059 --> 00:40:17.480 him. The psalmist now gives instruction to earthly 00:40:17.480 --> 00:40:20.380 rulers and judges and this is just as applicable 00:40:20.380 --> 00:40:23.760 today as to when it was originally written and 00:40:23.760 --> 00:40:27.809 as in the apostles day. It is just. the same 00:40:27.809 --> 00:40:30.809 way. He gives instruction to earthly rulers and 00:40:30.809 --> 00:40:33.670 the judges. In light of the authority of the 00:40:33.670 --> 00:40:37.050 anointed king, be wise, be instructed, you judges. 00:40:37.329 --> 00:40:40.289 And then he gives the gospel to them so that 00:40:40.289 --> 00:40:42.570 they do not anger the king and perish. What does 00:40:42.570 --> 00:40:45.369 he tell them? Serve the Lord with fear, rejoice 00:40:45.369 --> 00:40:49.190 with trembling, and kiss the sun. To kiss the 00:40:49.190 --> 00:40:52.670 son is an expression of deep humility and obedience 00:40:52.670 --> 00:40:56.530 and belief that one ruler or king would do to 00:40:56.530 --> 00:40:59.969 another ruler or to a higher ruler or king. And 00:40:59.969 --> 00:41:02.570 so he says to the rulers and the judges, bow 00:41:02.570 --> 00:41:07.409 before the son. Kiss him. Say to him, you are 00:41:07.409 --> 00:41:10.769 my lord and master. I will serve you. Forgive 00:41:10.769 --> 00:41:14.190 me for my rebellion against you. I bow before 00:41:14.190 --> 00:41:18.199 you. And I kiss you. These are acts of repentance, 00:41:18.480 --> 00:41:22.079 of humility, and of subservience to the master, 00:41:22.300 --> 00:41:26.570 the king, over all. And then he says, a blessing 00:41:26.570 --> 00:41:29.010 will come on all those who in authority put their 00:41:29.010 --> 00:41:31.510 trust in Christ. This is the way the apostles 00:41:31.510 --> 00:41:34.429 thought. We see Paul standing before Felix in 00:41:34.429 --> 00:41:36.789 Agrippa and then later Caesar. What does Paul 00:41:36.789 --> 00:41:40.630 do when he stands before them? To Felix, he reasoned 00:41:40.630 --> 00:41:42.969 about righteousness and self -control and the 00:41:42.969 --> 00:41:46.210 judgment to come. And Felix was so afraid and 00:41:46.210 --> 00:41:49.409 he answered, go away for now. When I have a convenient 00:41:49.409 --> 00:41:52.940 time, I will call for you. To King Agrippa, Paul 00:41:52.940 --> 00:41:55.460 appeals, King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? 00:41:55.780 --> 00:41:58.360 I know that you believe. And then Agrippa said 00:41:58.360 --> 00:42:02.639 to Paul, you almost persuade me to become a Christian. 00:42:02.880 --> 00:42:05.820 And Paul said, I would to God that not only you, 00:42:05.920 --> 00:42:10.420 but also all who hear me today might become both 00:42:10.420 --> 00:42:13.500 almost and altogether such as I am, except for 00:42:13.500 --> 00:42:17.780 these chains. Acts chapter 26, verse 27. We can 00:42:17.780 --> 00:42:20.019 be sure that as he had opportunity, he did the 00:42:20.019 --> 00:42:23.219 same. stood before Caesar, for we know that some 00:42:23.219 --> 00:42:26.820 in Caesar's household believed. Paul writes to 00:42:26.820 --> 00:42:29.300 the Philippians, all the saints greet you, but 00:42:29.300 --> 00:42:33.000 especially those who are of Caesar's household. 00:42:33.519 --> 00:42:36.139 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you 00:42:36.139 --> 00:42:40.440 all. Amen. Philippians 4, 22 and 23. There is 00:42:40.440 --> 00:42:46.170 no way that we can say, based on this Foundational 00:42:46.170 --> 00:42:48.710 scripture. There's no way that we can say, well, 00:42:48.769 --> 00:42:50.989 God doesn't really care about the political sphere. 00:42:51.250 --> 00:42:53.690 We just need to focus on that which is spiritual. 00:42:54.030 --> 00:42:57.969 We need to focus just on the church and obviously... 00:42:58.650 --> 00:43:03.730 We need a faithful church. And it's out of faithful 00:43:03.730 --> 00:43:06.269 worship that all of these other things flow. 00:43:06.429 --> 00:43:09.329 We need to have the right order. But it doesn't 00:43:09.329 --> 00:43:12.110 stop at the church doors. It doesn't stop just 00:43:12.110 --> 00:43:13.989 with the Christian believers in their hearts 00:43:13.989 --> 00:43:17.789 worshiping God. It flows out to the workplace. 00:43:17.969 --> 00:43:20.829 It flows out to the various jobs that we have. 00:43:20.889 --> 00:43:25.090 It flows out to... the rulers and the kings and 00:43:25.090 --> 00:43:28.010 the judges and the legislators and the assessor's 00:43:28.010 --> 00:43:31.550 office and the commissioner's office and all 00:43:31.550 --> 00:43:37.289 of the other offices that exist in our form of 00:43:37.289 --> 00:43:42.309 government. It flows out to them all. We cannot 00:43:42.309 --> 00:43:45.349 say that politics is dirty and Christians should 00:43:45.349 --> 00:43:48.010 stay away from it or that it is not appropriate 00:43:48.010 --> 00:43:50.389 for a Christian to be a judge or a magistrate 00:43:50.389 --> 00:43:54.239 or a ruler. This psalm shows the ascended Christ 00:43:54.239 --> 00:43:58.980 in his glory and in his inheritance. And to him, 00:43:58.980 --> 00:44:03.480 kings and rulers and judges and all nations must 00:44:03.480 --> 00:44:07.119 bow and serve. And when they do so, they will 00:44:07.119 --> 00:44:12.840 be blessed and they will be spared the rod of 00:44:12.840 --> 00:44:16.639 iron and its judgment. Blessed are all those 00:44:16.639 --> 00:44:20.610 who put their trust in him. Well, let's consider 00:44:20.610 --> 00:44:24.349 just a few applications here at the end. So one 00:44:24.349 --> 00:44:27.269 might ask them, well, how should we choose and 00:44:27.269 --> 00:44:31.110 elect and vote for or elect our governor, our 00:44:31.110 --> 00:44:33.510 legislators, our judges and leaders? By what 00:44:33.510 --> 00:44:37.429 standard? Well, we're going to look here at what 00:44:37.429 --> 00:44:41.389 the ideal is. And so that is what we strive for. 00:44:41.769 --> 00:44:44.510 First of all, choose those who have bowed to 00:44:44.510 --> 00:44:48.940 Christ, who love him and who serve him. Psalm, 00:44:48.980 --> 00:44:51.840 Proverbs 29, two, when the righteous are in authority, 00:44:52.199 --> 00:44:55.000 the people rejoice. But when a wicked man rules, 00:44:55.420 --> 00:44:59.679 the people's grown. Secondly, look for those 00:44:59.679 --> 00:45:04.239 who are just and rule in the fear of God. Second 00:45:04.239 --> 00:45:07.559 Samuel 23 in verse three, the God of Israel said, 00:45:07.719 --> 00:45:10.739 the rock of Israel spoke to me. He who rules 00:45:10.739 --> 00:45:15.019 over men must be just ruling in the fear of God. 00:45:15.440 --> 00:45:20.940 Also. Also, they should have the ability to serve 00:45:20.940 --> 00:45:25.320 and lead well. It is not enough just to be a 00:45:25.320 --> 00:45:28.360 Christian. When you come to the various tasks 00:45:28.360 --> 00:45:33.000 of office, they must also have ability. This 00:45:33.000 --> 00:45:37.300 is in Exodus 18, verse 21 and 22. Moreover, you 00:45:37.300 --> 00:45:41.460 shall select from all the people able men. Such 00:45:41.460 --> 00:45:44.340 as men who fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness, 00:45:44.460 --> 00:45:47.280 and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, 00:45:47.400 --> 00:45:49.579 rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifty, and rulers 00:45:49.579 --> 00:45:54.340 of ten. In order to be faithful in greater situations, 00:45:54.619 --> 00:45:57.920 a key principle that Jesus articulates in Luke 00:45:57.920 --> 00:46:00.980 16 verse 10 is that they have proven themselves 00:46:00.980 --> 00:46:05.619 to be faithful in little. He says, he who is 00:46:05.619 --> 00:46:09.880 faithful in what is least. is faithful also in 00:46:09.880 --> 00:46:14.099 much. And he who is unjust in what is least is 00:46:14.099 --> 00:46:18.360 unjust also in much. So in other words, don't 00:46:18.360 --> 00:46:20.800 just look for somebody who proclaims it, but 00:46:20.800 --> 00:46:22.980 their life is a mess. They don't have their own 00:46:22.980 --> 00:46:25.000 house in order. Well, no, then they're not fit 00:46:25.000 --> 00:46:27.920 to be a leader either. So that's something else 00:46:27.920 --> 00:46:31.420 to consider. Number four, they must not pervert 00:46:31.420 --> 00:46:34.380 judgment or be partial or punish the innocent 00:46:34.380 --> 00:46:37.940 and righteous. Exodus 23, verse 6, you shall 00:46:37.940 --> 00:46:40.059 not pervert the judgment of your poor in his 00:46:40.059 --> 00:46:43.199 dispute. Keep yourself far from a false matter. 00:46:43.400 --> 00:46:46.340 Do not kill the innocent and righteous, for I 00:46:46.340 --> 00:46:48.920 will not justify the wicked, and you shall take 00:46:48.920 --> 00:46:51.880 no bribe, for a bribe blinds the discerning and 00:46:51.880 --> 00:46:55.000 perverts the words of the righteous. Number five, 00:46:55.360 --> 00:46:58.320 they must understand the difference between good 00:46:58.320 --> 00:47:02.730 and evil. Must understand the difference between 00:47:02.730 --> 00:47:06.050 good and evil. Paul gives instructions in Romans 00:47:06.050 --> 00:47:09.690 13. For rulers are not a terror to good works 00:47:09.690 --> 00:47:13.210 but to evil. Do you want to not be afraid of 00:47:13.210 --> 00:47:15.329 the authority? Do what is good and you will have 00:47:15.329 --> 00:47:18.130 praise from the same. For he is God's minister 00:47:18.130 --> 00:47:22.400 to you for good. But if you do evil. Be afraid, 00:47:22.519 --> 00:47:26.000 for he does not bear the sword in vain, for he 00:47:26.000 --> 00:47:29.719 is God's minister and avenger to execute wrath 00:47:29.719 --> 00:47:33.219 on him who practices evil. Now this description, 00:47:33.440 --> 00:47:36.699 this proscription here by Paul, this is how rulers 00:47:36.699 --> 00:47:39.300 are to be. They must understand what good is 00:47:39.300 --> 00:47:42.539 and what evil is. And they promote the good and 00:47:42.539 --> 00:47:45.139 they bless the good and they punish the evil. 00:47:45.799 --> 00:47:47.699 That's part of their duty. It's part of their 00:47:47.699 --> 00:47:51.639 responsibility as a minister, a deacon of God. 00:47:52.559 --> 00:47:56.320 Now, of course, the question comes up, what if 00:47:56.320 --> 00:47:58.460 there are none like that on the ballot? And what 00:47:58.460 --> 00:48:02.139 do we do? So, obviously, there are some who will 00:48:02.139 --> 00:48:04.809 say, well, you need to... just do this and you 00:48:04.809 --> 00:48:06.610 write somebody in somebody that's not on the 00:48:06.610 --> 00:48:09.230 ballot but we we also know that on the ballot 00:48:09.230 --> 00:48:11.269 there's always it's going to be one of these 00:48:11.269 --> 00:48:13.409 that are chosen that's the way our system is 00:48:13.409 --> 00:48:16.250 there's other types of systems but for here it's 00:48:16.250 --> 00:48:20.610 one or the other so my counsel then is this and 00:48:20.610 --> 00:48:24.550 this is a counsel more of wisdom uh as as i see 00:48:24.550 --> 00:48:27.670 it it is to choose the one most likely to leave 00:48:27.670 --> 00:48:31.900 us alone So that we can live a quiet and a peaceable 00:48:31.900 --> 00:48:34.820 life in all godliness and reverence. And this 00:48:34.820 --> 00:48:38.960 comes from 1 Timothy chapter 2. Paul says, therefore 00:48:38.960 --> 00:48:41.699 I exhort first of all that supplications and 00:48:41.699 --> 00:48:44.559 prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks be 00:48:44.559 --> 00:48:47.579 made for all men, for kings and all who are in 00:48:47.579 --> 00:48:52.539 authority. For what? That we may lead a quiet 00:48:52.539 --> 00:48:56.280 and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 00:48:56.300 --> 00:49:00.619 So there, even if the candidates don't meet nearly 00:49:00.619 --> 00:49:05.300 all what I outlined before, then we can at least 00:49:05.300 --> 00:49:07.980 seek to choose the one who will leave us alone 00:49:07.980 --> 00:49:12.019 the best so that we can worship God and honor 00:49:12.019 --> 00:49:16.800 him in every way. But at the same time, we should 00:49:16.800 --> 00:49:20.619 pray for them, again, 1 Timothy 2, that they 00:49:20.619 --> 00:49:23.940 would be saved and come to the knowledge of the 00:49:23.940 --> 00:49:28.380 truth. And not only should we pray, but we should 00:49:28.380 --> 00:49:32.739 also disciple. We should teach and prepare future 00:49:32.739 --> 00:49:36.340 candidates who do fulfill these biblical standards. 00:49:36.719 --> 00:49:39.679 It is my prayer that God will use some in this 00:49:39.679 --> 00:49:43.019 congregation to serve our towns or our counties 00:49:43.019 --> 00:49:46.460 and our state in this way, or perhaps even at 00:49:46.460 --> 00:49:50.150 a national level. Pastor Kevin DeYoung, in his 00:49:50.150 --> 00:49:52.750 excellent article, The Presbyterian Signers of 00:49:52.750 --> 00:49:55.190 the Declaration of Independence, which he gives 00:49:55.190 --> 00:49:58.010 a history of the amount of Presbyterians who 00:49:58.010 --> 00:50:00.309 signed the Declaration. He gives some of their 00:50:00.309 --> 00:50:03.550 story. So he writes about the founder and pastor, 00:50:03.849 --> 00:50:07.880 John Witherspoon. I quote, as a local church 00:50:07.880 --> 00:50:10.800 pastor in the Church of Scotland, Witherspoon 00:50:10.800 --> 00:50:12.980 proved to be an effective evangelical preacher 00:50:12.980 --> 00:50:15.539 and writer, often railing against the doctrinal 00:50:15.539 --> 00:50:18.280 declension of the moderate wing of the Kirk. 00:50:18.420 --> 00:50:21.340 His church in Paisley, which had to be expanded 00:50:21.340 --> 00:50:24.119 to accommodate the growing congregation, could 00:50:24.119 --> 00:50:27.440 seat 1 ,300 worshipers. And then he moved to 00:50:27.440 --> 00:50:30.440 the United States, and he became president of 00:50:30.440 --> 00:50:34.150 Princeton University. And I pick it up again. 00:50:34.409 --> 00:50:37.769 As Princeton's president, Witherspoon set the 00:50:37.769 --> 00:50:40.869 college on firm financial footing and established 00:50:40.869 --> 00:50:43.010 it as one of the leading institutions in the 00:50:43.010 --> 00:50:46.409 new republic. in the new republic. Witherspoon 00:50:46.409 --> 00:50:50.489 personally instructed an entire generation of 00:50:50.489 --> 00:50:54.150 educators, legislators, and statesmen. Of his 00:50:54.150 --> 00:51:00.329 469 graduates, 114 became ministers, 14 became 00:51:00.329 --> 00:51:03.469 college presidents, and 13 went on to serve as 00:51:03.469 --> 00:51:06.230 governors. A list of his Princeton graduates 00:51:06.230 --> 00:51:10.320 includes 12 members of the Continental Congress, 00:51:10.559 --> 00:51:13.199 five delegates to the Constitutional Convention, 00:51:13.579 --> 00:51:16.840 five of them, one U .S. president, James Madison, 00:51:17.159 --> 00:51:21.900 one vice president, 49 representatives, 28 senators, 00:51:22.219 --> 00:51:25.059 three Supreme Court justices, eight district 00:51:25.059 --> 00:51:28.260 judges, one secretary of state, three attorneys 00:51:28.260 --> 00:51:32.619 general, and two foreign ministers. From one 00:51:32.619 --> 00:51:36.219 man's teaching, in a faithful way. Of what God 00:51:36.219 --> 00:51:39.000 had laid on his heart. Regarding the principles 00:51:39.000 --> 00:51:42.059 of Christian civil government. This is what is 00:51:42.059 --> 00:51:47.059 needed today. Is pastors all over. And teachers. 00:51:47.380 --> 00:51:52.440 To teach. To teach faithfully. To raise up candidates 00:51:52.440 --> 00:51:55.820 all over the place. That will honor God in this 00:51:55.820 --> 00:52:01.480 way. This is so urgently needed. Finally then. 00:52:01.539 --> 00:52:06.630 Let us rejoice. In God's good providence. We 00:52:06.630 --> 00:52:10.070 talked about the time today of rejoicing in God's 00:52:10.070 --> 00:52:13.610 providence in our last 250 years. Now we know 00:52:13.610 --> 00:52:15.849 that in the last 250 years of history, there 00:52:15.849 --> 00:52:19.710 also has been a lot of sin. We know that. And 00:52:19.710 --> 00:52:22.710 it's good and right to confess the sins of our 00:52:22.710 --> 00:52:26.929 nation. But here's the thing. We must not let 00:52:26.929 --> 00:52:30.380 the sins and the wrongs outweigh the fact of 00:52:30.380 --> 00:52:32.460 the blessings and the goodness of God on our 00:52:32.460 --> 00:52:37.199 nation. We have experienced an immeasurable amount 00:52:37.199 --> 00:52:41.619 of God's goodness and grace and glory upon us. 00:52:42.059 --> 00:52:44.960 I mean, think about it, that God would not destroy 00:52:44.960 --> 00:52:47.400 Sodom in all of its wickedness if there were 00:52:47.400 --> 00:52:50.789 just ten righteous there. And we think of in 00:52:50.789 --> 00:52:53.210 percentage wise of how many faithful believers 00:52:53.210 --> 00:52:56.010 are here. And it's a much greater percentage. 00:52:56.309 --> 00:52:59.369 And for that we must rejoice. So whereas we can 00:52:59.369 --> 00:53:01.809 weep and sorrow for the sins of our nation. We 00:53:01.809 --> 00:53:05.550 can also rejoice in God's good and great providence. 00:53:05.730 --> 00:53:09.309 And for the righteous rulers that we have had. 00:53:09.929 --> 00:53:14.789 And give praise to him for it. But then. As we 00:53:14.789 --> 00:53:17.530 thank God for his work in our nation, let us 00:53:17.530 --> 00:53:19.730 call on our rulers to fear God and bow before 00:53:19.730 --> 00:53:25.130 Christ and let us be a preparing ground for others 00:53:25.130 --> 00:53:32.090 in the future. Let us then firmly resolve to 00:53:32.090 --> 00:53:35.230 repent of our sins before a holy and just God 00:53:35.230 --> 00:53:39.610 and before Jesus Christ, the ruler of the nations, 00:53:39.769 --> 00:53:43.750 the ruler. Of the kings of the earth. Let us 00:53:43.750 --> 00:53:47.570 beseech him for his mercy. On our nation. On 00:53:47.570 --> 00:53:51.050 our state. And on our counties. And let us look 00:53:51.050 --> 00:53:55.079 to him for wisdom. Let us reflect on God's providence 00:53:55.079 --> 00:53:58.500 throughout the last 250 years and honor the faith 00:53:58.500 --> 00:54:01.360 that inspired America's founders and has carried 00:54:01.360 --> 00:54:03.980 us forward in every generation since. Let us 00:54:03.980 --> 00:54:06.900 remember the testimonies of God's work and of 00:54:06.900 --> 00:54:09.539 his healing in our lives and in our land and 00:54:09.539 --> 00:54:12.840 of the many wonderful things that we have seen 00:54:12.840 --> 00:54:15.360 throughout the course of our history. But then 00:54:15.360 --> 00:54:19.619 let us pray and work for a new birth of faith. 00:54:20.619 --> 00:54:24.239 and freedom. Expressing gratitude, yes, but let 00:54:24.239 --> 00:54:27.699 us also rededicate our lives and our state and 00:54:27.699 --> 00:54:30.800 our nation to God. Let us acknowledge our King 00:54:30.800 --> 00:54:34.239 Jesus, the ruler of nations. Let us ask for his 00:54:34.239 --> 00:54:37.900 blessing, his guidance, and his grace for the 00:54:37.900 --> 00:54:41.460 next 250 years. In the name of the Father, and 00:54:41.460 --> 00:54:44.219 the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen. Let's pray.