Christ the King 2025
messenger dox
Call to worship:
OT:
pastor andrew loginow
Psalm 1
NT:
Pastor bobby owens
Hebrews 1.1.5
song:
Crown him w/ many crowns
Historical reading:
pastor zachary mcguire
apostles creed
song:
Christ or else I die
Confession & Pardon:
dr, brett eckel
song:
Jesus is better
Sermon:
dr. alex loginow
Christ the King 2025
Introduction
You know what I don’t understand? A lot of things. There’s no shortage of things that my wife must explain to me because not only is she more beautiful than me, and more sanctified than me, but she is way smarter than I am. But there are things that I don’t understand, not merely because I don’t know them, or haven’t thought about them, but because I don’t experience them – I don’t have experiential understanding. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been frustrated with Betty like, “why don’t you think like me, or feel like me?” and she’s like, “I’m a woman; women don’t think like that, or feel like that.” I’m not a woman so I don’t truly understand, experientially understand her.
You know what else? People who say they like running or say they like broccoli – I can force myself to run or force myself to eat broccoli, but I do not understand the feeling of liking running or liking broccoli. I have no experiential understanding of such things. As an American I have no understanding, no experiential understanding of what it’s like to live under the rule of a king. And if you’re like me, born and raised in the good ole’ US of A, neither do you.
Because that’s true, it can be difficult for us to understand much of the language of Scripture, especially the central claim of the Christian religion, which is Jesus is Lord. But that’s why today, this liturgical feast, Christ the King Sunday is so good for us. Dr. Brett sent out an email devotion this week (I hope you had a chance to read it) about the history and meaning of Christ the King Sunday. We end every liturgical year celebrating the unseen political reality that Jesus Christ is the reigning King of the world.
A World Against King Jesus (vss 1-3)
Our Scripture passage we just read from Psalm 2 is what many call a Messianic Psalm. This is a bit of a misnomer, because we know the entire Psalter and all of Scripture is about Christ, but psalms like Psalm 2 are more explicit and applied to Jesus in the New Testament. While Psalm 2 is the Word of God for us this morning, Psalm 2 does not originally stand on its own. Psalms 1-2 are actually one piece that serve as an intro to the Psalter.
Psalm 1 speaks of the blessed man – who he is, what he does, what he loves. This blessed man is the Lord Jesus – the only man ever to live without sin, ever to delight in God’s Law fully and purely. Psalm 2 reveals to us that this blessed man, Jesus, is God’s anointed; he’s the true king of the world.
Psalm 2.1 opens with a question – why do nations rage? The word rage (רָגְשׁ֣וּ) evokes the idea of noisy or restless – like undisciplined children, the nations rage, they’re noisy, they’re restless. Notice also that the restless of the nations is contrasted with those who take refuge in vs 12. The nations also plot (יֶהְגּוּ). There’s a word play here with Psalm 1.2 that doesn’t come through in the English translation – Psalm 1.2 tells of the blessed man who meditates (יֶהְגּוּ) on God’s Law. Now, in contrast, the peoples plot (יֶהְגּוּ) in vanity.
Verse 2 says the kings set themselves. Their authority is self; they do not submit to God’s authority, but they set themselves. Not only that, but the rules counsel together. Their sin is not merely individual, but there is collective conspiracy against God and His anointed. The word anointed is מָשִׁיחַ, messiah (Grk. Χριστος, Ltn., Christum).
In verse 3 the Psalmist gives us the image of the nations’ desire to be freed from ropes or chains. The nations don’t want to be bound to God’s anointed and God’s Law. The church has felt this tension for two millennia. In Acts 4.25-26 as the early church gathered and prayed after Pentecost, they quoted these verses. The world hates the idea of being bound to God’s anointed and God’s Law, but the truth is the world is chained to Satan, sin, and death. What they rage against is what they need most – to be freed from Satan, sin, and death, and bound to God’s anointed and God’s Law.
God’s Election of King Jesus (vss 4-6)
Starting in verse 4 we see the petulance of the nations from God’s perspective. God, sitting on His throne in heaven, laughs. The rulers of the nations think themselves powerful, big and bad. It even feels that way to us sometimes, doesn’t it? But God laughs.
The Lord holds them in derision. God mocks them. We have a stupid little dog. She yaps at everything, she feels big and bad at times. But you know what? I could punt her if I wanted to – she’s small and I’m big.
God is so much bigger, so much more powerful, so much other compared to even the most powerful of nations, the most powerful of rulers, the greatest of armies, the wealthiest and most technologically advanced of nations, that God laughs at their counsels.
We should also note that the word translated the Lord (אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י) is plural and used only for God in Scripture. For the Hebrews it was a plural denoting majesty, but we know that this was inspired by the Holy Spirit so it’s also giving us a glimpse of the Trinity in the OT. Question and answer 3 of the WSC says:
Q. 6. How many persons are there in the Godhead?
A. There are three persons in the Godhead; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory.
Verse 5 shows us it’s not only God’s identity that supersedes the rulers of the world, but also his Word. If God merely speaks in His wrath, his fury will terrify these big bad kings; they will be dismayed. This laughing voice of God, the voice that created the universe, the voice that thundered on Mt. Sinai would strike terror, utter calamity in the heart of the most powerful, most wealthy ruler in world history. And what does this voice say in Psalm 2?
Verse 6 – as for me I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill. That word set (נָסַךְ), is literally the word “pour.” The reference is to libation poured out at installation of the king. God says He has installed His king. The nations set themselves against God and His anointed (verse 2), but God has set His anointed.
The location is Zion, the holy mountain. It’s interesting, the NT tells us that King David wrote Psalm 2 and this reference to Zion is clearly a reference to the Temple, but the Temple wasn’t constructed until after David’s death. Clearly David was looking forward to the construction of the Temple, and God’s more permanent presence among his people. Where do the Temple and the throne collide? Is there one who is both king and high priest? We know the answer, the person is the Lord Jesus!
God’s Decree of King Jesus (vss 7-9)
And that is what the Psalmist is getting to. In verse 7 he writes; I will tell of the decree of yhwh. The WSC Q&A 7 teaches us of the decrees of God:
Q. 7. What are the decrees of God?
A. The decrees of God are, his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his will, whereby, for his own glory, he hath foreordained whatsoever comes
to pass.
And Psalm 2.7 tells us of the decree of all decrees – the decree which all other decrees serve – the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
yhwh said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.” Begotten, יָלַד, “fathered.” The Davidic royal birthright begins with God as his father. All natural royal birthrights are passed on from father to son. All through history royal lines would begin when a ruler would conquer a country, land, or territory, and then they would pass rule down through their firstborn son until the nation was conquered by someone else. But not King David’s line, no his begins with God as his Father, thus it is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable.
David’s line was preserved and fulfilled in the King who is Himself infinite, eternal, and unchangeable. It is in the incarnation of the Son of God, the 2nd person of the Holy Trinity, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. The righteous King who lived without sin in thought, word, and deed. These are the words God the Father declared over Jesus at his baptism and transfiguration.
This is the mystery and the pain we feel at the crucifixion when – on His only begotten Son, the King of kings – the wrath and fury of God is poured out like libation at a king’s installation. The beloved one of God bearing God’s wrath against the sin of the nations, of all the elect who fall short of the glory of God. The Lord Jesus broken and dashed in our place, for our sins. The blessed one of God enduring the curse of God because He loves us.
But what looked like a coupe from Satan, sin, and death was actually the victory of the King. And the NT reveals that Psalm 2.7 is ultimately fulfilled at the resurrection when Christ became messianic Son of God with power (Rom 1.4; Acts 13.33; Heb 1.5; 5.5). And Jesus’ historical generation as Son of God in power is grounded in His eternal generation as Son of God. The one who is the ontological Son of God became the historic Son of God in power.
Verses 8-9 build on this giving us 2 sides of same coin. The Son of yhwh will inherit the nations. He will possess all the earth. He will destroy everything that opposes the true and living God.
By Jesus’ resurrection, ascension, session, and return he destroys Satan, sin, and death. The nations are His heritage and ends of the earth are his possession. He is collecting the elect from every nation and in His 2nd advent He will raise the dead, judge the world, and make all things new.
Wisdom and Blessing for Those Who Take Refuge in King Jesus (vss 10-12)
What wisdom can we receive from this? What instruction can we know, love, and apply? Verses 10-12 are a warning to the wicked kings of the earth, but there is warning and application for all of us. (1) serve the Lord in fear. Scripture tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
Now there are a lot of sermons, books, articles, etc. out there reassuring us that fear of the Lord doesn’t mean fear, like don’t be afraid. There is some truth there, but that is certainly not what Psalm 2 is getting across. God and His king are terrifying here toward those who rebel. Fear is a healthy response if you’re in rebellion to God; if you’re rejecting Jesus, living as if you are God, you ought to be afraid. What you must do is serve the Lord in fear.
(2) Rejoice in trembling. This imperative can seem contradictory to us, but there’s beauty in the mystery. Like Aslan who both evokes fear and brings joy to his people, to rest in Christ and then live for Christ creates the joy as we tremble before Him. It’s a sober, serious joy; it’s a joy that understands that God loves Himself so much that He does not sweep sin under the rug. It’s a joy that understands that God loves Himself so much that He will not break His promises.
(3) Kiss the Son. This is a picture of reverential submission and intimacy. This is describing those who acknowledge the Son in His power and glory out of genuine love for Him. Notice again the language of anger, perish, wrath – judgment for our sin is real, fear of the Lord is not merely being afraid, but that is part of it. This is why the gospel is such good news – we know that we deserve the anger and wrath of God; we deserve to perish, but for His own glory and His love for His elect, Jesus took the anger and wrath of God for us; Jesus perished for us, so that we don’t have to.
And lest we get trapped in a wrong view of God that breeds fear, legalism, and self-righteousness, Psalm 2 ends with these sweet and powerful words: blessed are those who take refuge in him. The nations are restless but blessed are those who take refuge in Christ the king. This last line forms and inclusio with Psalm 1.1. Blessed (אַ֝שְׁרֵ֗י) is the man in Psalm 1, that man is Christ, by the way. And now here in Psalm 2.12 blessed (אַ֝שְׁרֵ֗י) are all who take refuge in Him.
How do we take refuge in Christ? The answer is faith and repentance. Every week; every day; every occasion; every moment – faith and repentance. Our faith must be in Christ – what we know about Him, that knowledge of His life, death, and resurrection for the forgiveness of sin and the hope of eternal life is the starting place of faith.
And we assent to this knowledge. We actually believe it. We confess it. We do not deny it. We did it earlier together as we confessed the Creed. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
And finally, the key component of faith is trust. We rest in King Jesus. We take refuge in Him because only He did what needed to be done. He is the blessed man of Psalm 1; our only hope in life and death is to take refuge in King Jesus.
And our response to this gift of faith given to us by God is repentance. We humble ourselves. We confess our sin. We turn from our sin. Not only when we’re saved; not only when we convert; not only at regeneration, but every week, every day, every occasion, every moment. Taking refuge in King Jesus means breathing in faith and breathing out repentance and the result is sharing in His blessedness.
Conclusion
We don’t understand what it means to live under a king, at least not as Americans. But as Christians, as the church, as the elect, we know Jesus is the true King of the church and the world. He’s been set by God. God has declared Jesus is Son in power, the one raised from the dead. Take refuge in Him for there resides the blessing of God. Happy Christ the King!