Well, amen. Good morning. It's a joy to be here with you. I hope at some point in my life to be able to somewhat resemble the kind remarks Dr. Johnson made about me. Thank you, brother. I appreciate your prayers for God's work in my life and wisdom that is beyond me for the role that he has called me to. But as much as I feel a weight of responsibility in that, I want you to know, it is not nearly compared to the weight I feel when it comes to accurately handling God's word. And I hope as ministers, you'll be aware of that. You want to be a good administrator, and I believe it's part of the office. I think Peter makes that really clear. And I don't think we should run from that. We're living in a day particularly of celebrity in which we have certain preachers that are saying by contract, I won't do this, and I won't do that, and I won't do this. Recently, I read the contract of one very famous preacher in working through a process of accepting a call to be their pastor. He actually put in the contract, I won't counsel, I won't bury, I won't marry, I won't administrate. Basically, by the time he was done, that contract said, I will preach and I'll write my books. And the church said, oh yes, please. I have challenges scripturally with that. And so I'm not saying that you should shun or avoid or deny administration, because I actually think it's that part of us actually working out what it looks like to unleash members of our churches to do the work of the ministry. I think it's necessary. But that being said, our greatest responsibility is to preach the word, and it ought to be as a keroux, as a herald, where we feel our greatest weight. And that doesn't mean that all of us are equally skilled exegetically, but each of us should be equally passionate that we're only going to say what God says and apply it in the way that God intends. I'm constantly thinking of lessons for preachers. I met with a group of students the other day after chapel, and I shared with them, well, today's homiletical lesson was how do you preach your 40-minute message in 18 minutes? Learning that in chapel. The other one that I shared with them was the need for being prepared. So I preach, I love technology. I preach from an iPad. I've done that for years, but there have been a few times of glitches, and Monday was one of them. I got on the chapel platform, I turned on my, my iPad and it was blank. And so we did Monday Chapel without notes. And so you praise God for preparation. And what's interesting about that is I was more nervous about the comments I needed to make about 9-11 than I was about preaching my message from Nehemiah 2. Because I had prepared much more for Nehemiah 2 than I had for 9-11. So anyway, my iPad is working this morning. So take your Bibles and turn with me to Psalm 2. I'm so thankful. for your theme on the heart of a shepherd, and I think the Hebrew songbook has so much to teach you, the heart of a shepherd, and I say the heart of a king, the heart of a shepherd, has so much to teach us about that, and I think primarily because in our roles, if we're going to pastor, we are to be under shepherds. Psalms actually helps us understand what our heart should be like by understanding the heart of the shepherd. We see him in Psalm 23, of course. And I want to encourage you that if you primarily want to understand the heart of the shepherd, get to know your God. Get to know your God, and the best way I can think of to get to know your God outside of reading of him in the pages of scripture is get to know God in the flesh, right? I think, I think there's a lesson for us to understand the Christ-likeness of God. We often talk about maybe the God-likeness of Christ as he was truly God, but I do think when Jesus says things like that, I did this unto you to be an example. I think there's a way for us to look at the life of Christ and understand the Christ-likeness of God. That's not a disservice to God in any way if we hold to the deity of Christ. I actually, in looking at Psalm 2, chose it because I knew it was gonna be early in the semester, I didn't know where other people were going, and I knew one psalm had been chosen. Dr. Johnson had chosen Psalm 1. I thought, well, I'll be really safe with Psalm 2. So I picked Psalm 2. Outside of that, it is a psalm that I did want us to look at, and I thought, boy, how fun would it be to look at this psalm, go to seminary chapel, and for us to have a knock-down drag-out about eschatology, and in particular, the nature of the kingdom. And so let's do that today. at lunch or somewhere else, but not in chapel. But I wanna say that to you to say, you know what, this is a psalm you really do need to study in light of eschatology. The scriptures put that burden on us, but that is not where I want us to go today because of the theme of our chapels. So I'm not gonna deny that. I'm happy to sit and talk with you with regard to my opinions about that. But I do think then, even as Dr. Casillas prayed, about Jesus' first advent, that there is actually something that should impact our thinking as ministers with regard to being a minister for God and rightly worshiping the King. And that's really what I want us to do today, is we look at three simple points, and they're really simple. We're gonna look at the mindset of the world. I'm gonna use that word intentionally and we'll look at who the audience is here. We're gonna look at the mindset of God. And then I want to end by looking at the mindset of the minister. In this psalm, you actually, to make sense of it, have to realize that I find at least five different speakers as you look through this psalm. Understanding who and when they're speaking is really important, so keep that in mind. But let's read it together, Psalm 2. Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed saying, let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us. He who sits in the heavens laughs. The Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath and terrify them in his fury saying, as for me, I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill, I will tell of the decree. You hear two speakers already? The Lord said to me, you are my son, today I have begotten you. Ask of me and I will make the nations your heritage and the ends of the earth your possession. You're a third speaker. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. Now therefore, O kings, be wise, be warned. You hear a fourth speaker. O rulers of the earth, serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son lest He be angry and you perish in the way, for His wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him. The psalm itself doesn't give us an indication of authorship to understand who primarily is writing and speaking here, but Acts 4.25 says, who through the mouth of our father David your servant said by the Holy Spirit, why did the Gentiles rage in the people's plot in vain? And so I think the scriptures help us see that David is speaking. Thus I think it's apropos that here we look and we consider a shepherd. David is a warrior king, David is a shepherd king and how he worships the king and his instruction then for us. And so setting aside all of this, I think I want us to contemplate the mindset of the world. And one of the things that we're going to see here, I think, is universal implications. We could get into this and talk about when are the kings of the earth setting themselves and the rulers taking counsel. And I don't want to do that because I really believe there are ways for us to establish that outside of maybe a particular setting, there's a general mindset here of the pagan or of the world and what that mindset is because I think it is the context in which we're called to do ministry. That there is a mindset that is captured here that we need to understand. And that mindset clearly, as it's described here, is one of rebellion. You have a hard time escaping the terms of kingdom here. And there's a king, there's someone that's going to be anointed and positioned as king. And then there's authority that is coming against that. And so you have this idea, this terminology. And so it is a mindset of rebellion and it's sourced actually in the vain thinking of humankind. The words here of raging or plotting in vain, the word there, the first verb is to be in tumult, and actually it's only found here in the New Testament, and I actually think the right implication of it in its usage here is that there's a restlessness. Because there is an authority, there is a restlessness in the heart of rebel men. And just having that mindset as we watch seismic cultural shifts, I think is really important. Why does it always seem like there has to be some new thing, some new experimentation? Why does it seem like mankind is always pushing the boundaries or pushing the borders with regard to morality? How do we get to the place where we are expanding the definition and multiplicity of what we think gender is? It seems really simple, right? Like there's male and female. But somehow there's something in man that has to even go there and push out the boundaries of definition so that... How do we get there sexually? Like Romans 1 even in some forms could seem simplistic that really there's a clearly defined God-given norm and then man has maladjusted that and turned from hetero to homo and yet that isn't enough. It seems like there's this constant pushing with regard to what those sexual moral barrier and I want you to see that actually in part of the rebellion in mankind is a restlessness because there's authority. Like there's not going to be a place where we say, okay, now we got what we wanted and there's actually three or four or five. There's actually something in the heart of man that while there is a boundary because there is an authority, there's going to be a chafing, a restlessness. And I think that's at the heart of this rhetorical question about why do they rage? And why do they plot in vain? Because I want you to see that it's not just a vain thinking, it actually then always turns to a violent thinking. This language, let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us. And I think the usage here of the earth actually has a universal sense. I think that's the intention. And so there's this sense in which, in the violent thinking, there's a resistance. Notice that they set themselves, or if you will, they harden their wills. And then they take counsel together, and that is that they're actually doing self-talk. And be really careful. Just as a general lesson, when you have a willful response to something, And there's times that that is really good. But there are times when that is in regard to authority, that you have a willful response. And what happens next is self-talk. The counsel you give to your own heart when you have had a willful response needs to be filled with godly wisdom. Even if that willful response is a right response, you know what? No. Because of what is right and what is true, I can't do that. The next conversations you have with yourself ought to sound an awful lot like the voice of God. Because if you don't, your will actually can become the primary motivator, not truth. Once you determine in your will, even if it's a right choice that you are right, you really need to be very careful that what comes next isn't humanistic. Now that I'm right, I But you need to actually be more careful if in that willful response you're acknowledging that this might just be not about right and wrong, it's just about authority. Man, I don't feel like I should have to do that. The conversation you have with yourself next is really important. That's what's happening here, I believe. I believe that you see this resistance of man is now a willful response that I think Romans 1 Paul captures really well. We are deciding up front from a willful response, no God. Not having that. And I think when you look at what happens in the depraved mind and the thinking and the processes that meet out then the tangible rejections of God, you actually see them taking counsel with the Romans 1 fleshes this out. And if you will, there's a rejection of the authority of God. described here as tearing off fetters and casting away cords. I think it's really strong language. So let me ask you a question. We're gonna look at the mindset of God, and I think it's really important for us. But I think we need to wrestle through the thought of who is this that God is gonna identify himself as looking at in derision, Because I think we can blur the lines and actually either overreach or under-apply. And so, we say trite little phrases. I'm gonna say it that way, so I got your attention. Like God hates the sin but loves the... Okay, that's probably another debate for another chapel session if someone wants to take that up, right? Because we actually could look at the life of Christ and the ministry of Christ and we could say Christ loves sinners. We can look at what I'm using here, I described the world, and that is a pagan system that is bent against good and godliness with a penchant for the now as opposed to the eternal. That's how I described the world. And it's that world that John actually says. God loved that world. And he also says, love not that world. Right, so I think we have to understand this rightly, right? I think we have to think through, is this right here looking at the individual and saying, this God holds the individual sinner in derision? I think we're gonna be challenged with that. I think then we look at this and we say, boy, it's talking about kings and rulers, and so this is God's opinion of human government. You feel a conflict with that anywhere from the New Testament? So who is this talking about? And the best way that I can help frame this in my thinking is isms. When man in his thinking gets to the place where he establishes an ism by which he is going to choose to live as an authority that is contrary to the authority of God, this would be humanism. This would be secularism. And we could go all kinds of other places and some of those isms actually are gonna have the tone of religion. It's a religious system. And some of them are gonna have the tone of an a-religious system. But it is an ism that I come to the place where I in my thinking make a willful choice that there is another set of guidelines that becomes an authority now for my ethical choices that is contrary to God. All the while, I now have a reason to live and live even in my own mind ethically, making ethical choices because I have an authority basis to which I can appeal. And I actually will argue with you now right and wrong because I have an authority basis to which I will appeal. So that in mind. I think God is talking here about God rejecting human systems of authority. Primarily, probably, philosophical. He's not rejecting human government unless human government adopts as its ethical basis an ism, and some do. So in light of that, then, I want us to see the mindset of God. And the language here could be somewhat shocking and even chilling. But I want us to see that in worship, when we get to the end of this and we see the mindset of the minister. That that God isn't negotiating. God doesn't say, you know what, you know, this is just the way the world is, let's try and see if we can find a path forward here. You see here, first of all, with God, what I call an attitudinal response. He who sits in the heavens laughs. Out of that, I want you to understand, God's not worried. God's not disappointed. God's not discouraged. And God certainly isn't defeated. In the mindset of a minister looking at our world, we sometimes could default to those sort of things. Oh, man, poor God, like this must break the heart of God. And I'm not here to debunk that language, right? But young people, what I want you to see that this psalm is establishing in worship is that the right motivation for a minister to do ministry in God's rebel world is the right mindset about God. whenever my pity fails because a humanism reaches the extent of my personal pity, and they will. They will. My bent towards rightly seeing the King of heaven worshiped will keep me active in His ministry when my pity will fail. This king is worthy of being rightly worshiped by every ounce of his creation, of every person made in his image. And I shouldn't stop with his means of doing his ministry, because I get to the place where I look and say, now that's ugly. That's horrible. Right? There's all kinds of present illustrations of that, but think about it. What is it that is going to cause someone with missionary endeavor to go try to bring the gospel to cannibals? No, I'm done with that. That is complete reprobation, right? Maybe someone, but not... You see, at some point, my human empathy or my human pity or my own understanding may come to its end. But I can look at those people and say they're image bearers. And the king has every right to be worshiped by them. And there's only one way that happens. There's only one way that happens. And that's the gospel. The only way these people, the only way the people caught in these isms come to rightly worship the king is because Jesus came and died And through that, gave us a gospel that Paul said, I'm not ashamed of it, because it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes, you first, and also to the Greek. There's an attitudinal response here that I think ought to prompt us, and again, this is anthropomorphic, right? God sits and he laughs and he scoffs and he speaks in anger, it's anthropomorphic. So I think we need to be careful. there, right? I think all of us would agree that an omnipresent God sitting is an odd picture. So I think we need to keep that in mind. But I think what is being described here is actually described for us to rightly acknowledge his position. He sits in the heavens. The picture is clearly of being enthroned and thus his actual authority in opposition to the human's vain or empty authority. But then you see an actional. response. Verses 5 and 6, then he will speak to them in his wrath and terrify them in his fury, saying, as for me, I have set anointed, poured out, established my king on Zion, my holy hill. And actually, there's all kinds of implications there, but I want you to see primarily the contra balance, as for me. So there's this sense in which, what are you going to do? in light of eternity, in light of actual reality, in your vain thinking and plotting and tearing off fetters and your raging and all of that, what are you gonna do? But as for me, I actually am doing something. What does that mean to the minister? It means this, you can be assured that the God who's not panicked or worried, he actually has a plan and it will not be thwarted. And you can serve him with that kind of boldness if you're worshiping the king. How do I as a shepherd do ministry in a world like this? Because the one I'm choosing to worship has a plan and it won't be thwarted. There's an actional response. Then as we close, I want to go to the end and I want us to contemplate that in light of all of that, what is the mindset of the minister? And by the way, I would encourage you on your own time, I've done it, but felt like with the time I needed to stay on target, go find this psalm throughout the New Testament. It's everywhere. Hebrews, Acts, it's everywhere. And part of the reason I mention that to you is because I think it really becomes very important for our mission, particularly impetus for that mission. Look at the end of this. Now, therefore, verse 10, O kings, be wise. Man, what a loving call. You're raging in empty thought, vanity. Be wise. Be warned, oh rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling. Here's the statement, kiss the son lest he be angry and you perish in the way for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. I want to capture just a couple of thoughts with regard to this injunction to the kings of the earth that actually can help frame our mindset in our ministry. One, they, thus by implication we, are to rightly recognize and live under the authority of the king as sovereign. We are to rightly recognize and live under the authority of the King as our sovereign. I think this is this call, a gentle call, yet a direct call to be wise and be warned. If you're gonna do ministry as a shepherd and you're gonna rightly worship this King, it must be a personal, active process that you are constantly reminding yourself who your God is. Secondly, then we are to rightly worship. And notice the tension that's here. Serve the Lord with fear, literally is, I think, the Old Testament primary expression for worship. It's to establish in our own thinking His greatness, and as a response to that, live in awe. And then he says, rejoice with trembling. So I thought through that little expression, looked at the text, but is this like my child when I tell him, hey, we're gonna go get an ice cream cone at QT? And I did that recently with my three-year-old. granddaughter. It's like, huh, yeah, like is that what this rejoins? No, I actually think this is rich in its implication. I think here there's this idea of submitting to God and there you will find in that rightful awe genuine happiness. Like this, it's not found somewhere else. It's not found in raging against God. It actually is found in rightly recognizing God. There's a genuine joy that comes in right worship because I do acknowledge who God is. And in that, I see through Christ who I am in relationship to him. And I think you find incredible balance in those two things when you look at this expression, to kiss the son. I think this is an acknowledgement of both the right kind of an homage as well as true affection. So it captures a heart. And the warning here gives us in a sense what that looks like if I don't do that, if I don't have this kind of heart, I will see and experience and understand the rightful wrath of God. The kings of the earth now, those who reject, if they don't come by way of wisdom and heed the warning that brings them to a place that this is the view they have of God rather than the one expressed at the beginning, they will perish in the way. when his wrath is kindled but a little. So in light of that truth, what is a third dynamic for us? And that is this, we are to diligently carry out his plan to bring rebels to him. And that brings us back to the what should I do? And I think we need to look at Christ. He came in that first Advent as was prayed. to seek and to serve, to give his life a ransom for many. And when he left, having been the light of the world, he said, you're the light of the world. When he came and committed himself to a mission, he was clear to that. I've come to do the work of him that sent me and to finish his work. He left and he committed that mission to his people. And that is going to all the world. And in light of his authority, Claire's power to say. So I think in light of this psalm, as ministers, we need to rightly understand the context in which we're called to do ministry by understanding, I think in general, the mindset of the world, and understand that we're not gonna theorize men to a tamer understanding of God that will placate them to the place that they'll say, okay, okay, I'm good with God. That takes the gospel. You need to understand the mindset of God. That God makes no place for us to find a pathway through which we can tolerably mix the theories of this world, the isms, with who God really is and somehow find this peaceful middle ground because it doesn't exist. There's a restlessness in the humanism bound up in God rejecting man. We must understand the mindset of God. God knows this. Because of that, God has a plan that will not be thwarted. And he gloriously through the sacrifice of his son and the power of his spirit and the working and washing of his word has a way to make rebels worshipers. And we are called in light of who he is. to unabashedly, compassionately take the gospel to that world. Why?