The Call Conference 2017 Friday PM Session Songs of The King

Transcription

1 The Call Conference 2017 Friday PM Session Songs of The King Intro: Howzit everybody. It is a joy and delight to be here. Please turn with me to Luke 24:25. It might seem odd to teach from Luke in order to teach from Psalms, but bear with me for a bit if you don t mind. Do you ever struggle to understand how your bible fits together? How many of us really struggle to read and enjoy this thing? When we see preachers preach from it, we are like - okay, he must have a hotline to the throne room of grace or something. When we try read it for ourselves, we never really get past February in our reading plan because that finds us in the tougher parts of Exodus and moving towards Leviticus which doesn t make sense to any of us. And the Psalms can be no different. o The writers seem manic at times. We would want David on meds. o The themes are sometimes totally unpalatable. Revenge, war, genocide, depression, anxiety. o The language is poetic and we don t identify with all of it. o And there seems to be lots of cymbals and tambourines, and no one really likes either of those. I mean there is a reason we have these plastic screens here, right? Well, can you imagine what it would be like for Jesus to lead a bible study for you? That is exactly what happens in Luke 24. On the Emmaus road, the resurrected Christ appears to Cleopas and his mate, and asks them what they are pondering, they awkwardly tell Jesus the whole story about Jesus, which must have made even the resurrected Christ struggle to hide his smile. They are confused about the reports they are hearing about the resurrection and then Jesus says this to them. 1

2 25 And he said to them, O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory? 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. Oh man, to have been on that road. Shows them how the entire Old Testament has elements he fulfills, completes and interprets. Look at the result. 32 They said to each other, Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures? We get into this strange dichotomy or tension separating Christians into word people and heart people. If your hearts don t burn from the images of Christ all over the pages of Scripture, then you are reading it wrong. Jesus then meets his disciples, and has one of the most unbelievable engagements with them, where he eats some fish to show them that he is alive and well, and then he has another bible study with them and here is what he says. This, is Jesus teaching us to read the bible. We should lean in. 44 Then he said to them, These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled. 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. So, when Rory called and invited me and gave me this beautiful theme for the conference - speaking to one other with Psalms - I automatically thought about how I could speak to you this evening of the suffering, resurrection, salvation and mission of our King Jesus from the Psalms. 2

3 And while, according to Jesus, all 150 Psalms speak in some way of him, I don t have that long to speak and so wanted to encourage you from three Psalms tonight, by showing you some truths about our wonderful King Jesus from the Psalms. My prayer is that we would be like the men on the Emmaus Road and that our hearts might burn within us. So, I wanna speak three big truths about our King Jesus tonight that should make your heart burn within you. Here we go. Christ is our King, both now and forever Psalm 2 1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, 3 Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us. Man, we aren t in a unique passage in history in many ways. It has always been the desire of mankind to rage against God and against his anointed Son. We see so much of this today, both on a macro and on a personal level. o Macro: We see rulers of the world seeking to go against God and his teachings. Raging against them, raging against his anointed Son Jesus. How many of us have been distraught at politics and politicians in the last while? How many of us put our confidence in a no confidence vote, only to have it shattered? Psalm 2 tells us not to put our hope in kings and nations. They have set themselves and continue to set themselves against the King of Kings. Don t worry, God has some words of warning for world leaders in the 3

4 Psalm. o Personal: We still don t like being told what to do and deep down most of us think of God s instruction to us as cords and bonds that we don t really want. Like the nation that raged against God s anointed, we do the same thing. We want all of the blessings of the Kingdom grace, mercy, love, favor but we don t want the instructions of the Kingdom. Love your neighbor as yourself? That feels like a bond or a cord. Live with purity? Be generous? Forgive as you have been forgiven? I still rage against God like this every time I sin and that is still alarmingly frequent. I say to God, my way looks more-free and more full of joy than your way. I am a better architect and manager of human flourishing than you are. You know what s sad? I have never once regretted obeying God. And yet I still rage. o How does God respond to man s desire to dethrone him? 4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. 5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, 6 As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill. God s response? He laughs at our desires to dethrone him. Then he reminds us one thing. I have set my King. He is there. Nothing can move him. God the Father is very certain in the work of His Son. He is not fretting like us. 4

5 Let s let CH Spurgeon speak on the matter: Is not that a grand exclamation! He has already done that which the enemy seeks to prevent. While they are proposing, he has disposed the matter. Jehovah's will is done, and man's will frets and raves in vain. God's Anointed is appointed, and shall not be disappointed. Look back through all the ages of infidelity, hearken to the high and hard things which men have spoken against the Most High, listen to the rolling thunder of earth's volleys against the Majesty of heaven, and then think that God is saying all the while, "Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion." 7 I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, You are my Son; today I have begotten you. 8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter s vessel. 10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. 11 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 1 Friends, I find my anxiety melt when I read this. It can feel like Jesus has lost control of the world. It can feel like there is another king on the throne of my own life. But there isn t. He is bringing all things under his glorious and righteous rule. ALL THINGS. It is just a matter of time. In the meanwhile, serve the Lord, and rejoice. He has set His Son on Zion s hill and nothing will unseat him. 1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), Ps 2:

6 The problem is our view of Jesus is much too small. The Jesus we picture is Scandinavian and manicured. He is always aloof and cheery about everything, and he has a pithy, helpful, moralistic saying for every occasion, like a walking Northern European fortune cookie. David s view of Jesus isn t like that. He is a King. With a scepter, and he is coming for the nations. We need to remember that our King is set and established. I love how CS Lewis depicts Christ as the Lion character Aslan in his Chronicles of Narnia. In The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, Lucy asks Mr. Beaver about Aslan and if he is safe to be around. Mr. Beaver responds: Safe? Who said anything about safe? Course he isn t safe. But he s good. He s the king you know. Alright, so Christ is our King, both now and forever. But that might leave many of you feeling far from him. Christ took our place, as our wonderful Savior Psalm 22 1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? When Jesus cries this from the cross, every Jew gathered nearby will know that he is quoting Psalm 22. He is saying, go read that Psalm again. It isn t just about David! I am the promised one of God! 2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. 3 Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. 6

7 4 In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. 5 To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. 6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. 7 All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; 8 He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him! 9 Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother s breasts. 10 On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother s womb you have been my God. 11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help. 12 Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me; 13 they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion. 14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; 15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. 16 For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet 17 I can count all my bones 7

8 18 they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. 19 But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid! 2 Oh, my dear friends, let me speak to you with Psalm 22 tonight. If you are in any way doubting the love of God towards you. If you are in any way, experiencing a heart that is not burning within you, then please think about Psalm 22 and the wonderful Calvary tree that it pointed to. He was forsaken (v. 1) so that we can experience everlasting faithfulness. He was ignored (v. 2) so that our prayers will always be answered. He was scorned and despised (v. 6) so that we can experience deep love. He was mocked (v. 7) so that we can be unashamed. He was poured out (v. 14) so that we can be filled up by His Spirit. He experienced dislocation (v. 14) so that we can be grafted into a new body. He had a broken heart (v. 14) so that we can walk in wholeness. He was weak (v. 15) so that our strength can rise. He was surrounded by evil (v. 16) so that we can experience His surrounding protection. Oh, the weight. Our crucified king. For you. Okay: Christ is our king, both now and forever. Psalm 2. Speak this to each other. Christ took our place, as a wonderful Saviour. Psalm 22. Speak this to each other. 2 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), Ps 22:

9 Christ is our High Priest, so we can run to the Father Psalm The Lord says to my Lord: Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool. 2 The Lord sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies! 3 Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours. 4 The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. 3 Now we can easily get stuck here. Who the heck is Melchizedek and how is that an encouragement to us? Well when Scripture isn t clear, then the best thing to look at Scripture through is more Scripture. And Hebrews 4 and 5 quotes extensively from Psalm 110 and says this about it. 14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we 3 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), Ps 110:1 4. 9

10 are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 4 Oh, my goodness! When we are weak - Jesus knows how that feels. When we are tempted, Jesus knows how that feels. o Tempted to despair - think he wasn t? o Tempted to dial out of a routine life - think he wasn t? o Tempted to lust? Think he wasn t? Whatever weakness and whatever temptation we feel in this life, we have a High Priest right now, who never needs to offer sacrifices for himself because he never failed, but also never lacks empathy because he knows the feeling. The writer of the Hebrews says that this means we can approach the throne grace with confidence, knowing that we will receive mercy and find grace there. How? Verse 5 of chapter 5. 5 So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, You are my Son, today I have begotten you ; 6 as he says also in another place, You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek. 7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And 4 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), Heb 4:

11 being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. 5 He prayed with loud cries and tears. He knows how it feels. He learned obedience through suffering, and had to wrestle though how that suffering was part of his sonship, he knows how it feels. He now is designated as your priest, your advocate, your older brother who knows what you are going through and will never leave you or forsake you, and that my friends should give us the confidence to run to the throne of grace, because we are certain, that our King Jesus is there on our behalf. So, please friends, address one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Tell yourself, and tell one another that: Christ is our King, both now and forever - Speak Psalm 2 to one another. Christ took our place, as our wonderful savior - Speak Psalm 22 to one another. Christ is our High Priest, so we can run to the Father - Speak Psalm 110 to each other. 5 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), Heb 5: