I invite you to turn with me tonight to Psalm 2, as we read together Psalm 2, as well as 1 Corinthians 15, as we read verses 12-28, the text being verse 25 of 1 Corinthians 15. Psalm 2 and 1 Corinthians 15. We considered 1 Corinthians 15 in connection with Lord's Day 17 a few weeks back, and we consider a portion of it again tonight with Lord's Day 19, which you will find on page 26 in the back of the Psalter hymnal. Lord's Day 19, questions and answers 50, 51, and 52, which we will recite together in just a few moments. we begin with psalm 2 hear now the word of god why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain the kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the lord and against his anointed one let us break their chains they say and throw off their fetters the one enthroned in heaven laughs The Lord scoffs at them. Then He rebukes them in His anger and terrifies them in His wrath, saying, I have installed my king on Zion, my holy hill. I will proclaim the decree of the Lord. He said to me, You are my son. Today I have become your father. Ask of me and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. You will rule them with an iron scepter. You will dash them to pieces like pottery. Therefore, you kings, be wise, be warned, you rulers of the earth, serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for His wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him. 1 Corinthians 15, beginning at verse 12 through 28. But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that He raised Christ from the dead. But He did not raise Him if, in fact, the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile. You are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead. The first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn. Christ, the firstfruits. Then when He comes, those who belong to Him, then the end will come when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority, and power. For He must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death, for he has put everything under his feet. Now when it says that everything has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself who put everything under Christ. When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him so that God may be all in all. And again, please turn with me to Lord's Day 19. Lord's Day 19. This Lord's Day questions and answers 50 through 52 complete the section of the Apostles' Creed dealing with what we believe about the Son, Jesus Christ. We confess these truths together. Question 50. Why the next words, and sitteth at the right hand of God? Christ ascended to heaven, there to show that He is head of His church and that the Father rules all things through Him. How does this glory of Christ, our head, benefit us? First, through His Holy Spirit, He pours out His gifts from heaven upon us, His members. Second, by His power, He defends us and keeps us safe from all enemies. How does Christ return to judge the living and the dead and comfort you? In all my distress and persecution, I turn my eyes to the heavens and confidently await as judge the very one who has already stood trial in my place before God and so has removed the whole curse from me. All his enemies and mine, he will condemn to everlasting punishment. But me and all his chosen ones, he will take along with him into the joy and the glory of heaven. Beloved congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ, No president, king, or ruler enjoys a perfect country or a perfect kingdom or a perfect rule. Think of David, for example. King David enjoyed spiritual peace, we might say, but he had physical enemies. He was a man of bloodshed. He was a man of war. Whereas his son Solomon, we might say, enjoyed physical peace, but he had spiritual enemies who sought to turn his heart away from the Lord. We think of rulers of nations even in our own day, even in our own generations. Not one of them, not even our own president, enjoys a perfect rule, a perfect administration. All earthly leaders, every single one of them, have succeeded another. Every single one has an agenda, his own plans and goals. Everyone has opponents, enemies to those plans and goals. Not one of them ever has finished or ever finishes their work and not one of them ever perfectly achieves the goals they set out to achieve. They eventually leave power or they're voted out of power or they die. Another takes over and carries on the rule only seeking to fulfill their own agendas. But there is one king who did not follow another. There's one king who does not carry on the reign of another as the leaders of this world. There's one king who will achieve his goal of perfect peace and blessing for his kingdom's citizens, as well as the complete and utter destruction, the putting away of his enemies. And that, of course, is Jesus Christ. Now, 1 Corinthians 15, we know very well, is the chapter on the resurrection of the body. In that chapter, Paul talks about the resurrection of the body. He gives a defense for the resurrection of the body, that believers will be raised again one day. All people, of course, but believers to glory, unbelievers to hell. And he gives as proof of that the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. And then Paul makes an intimate connection between the resurrection of Christ, that one-time event, and the ongoing consequences of his resurrection, Namely, the reign of Christ. You can't have one without the other. Apart from the resurrection, there is no rule. There is no reign of Christ. And if there is no resurrection, there will be no rule. But the glorious reality, as Paul makes clear, is that the living Christ reigns with a purpose. And there are two things that we want to consider tonight. First of all, that this purpose has a detailed focus. And also His reigning purpose has a guaranteed outcome. Now, broadly speaking, this detailed focus and this guaranteed outcome points to the completion of His redemptive work. Now, some will say, now wait a minute, He said it is finished. We heard that in the song tonight. It's finished. They'll say His redeeming work is done. We say, yes, His redeeming work on the cross is done. He paid for our sins. He redeemed us from the curse of the law. He has reconciled us, brought us back into favor with God. He has earned salvation for us. But, not all sin has been put away yet. We know that by experience, don't we? Satan and his hosts are still active. Christ still has enemies. And you see, beloved, as long as people still die the physical death, that proves that Christ still has enemies. And as well, the church is not yet complete. All the elect have not yet been gathered in. You see, we live in between. We live in between His first coming and His second coming. We live in between the beginning of Christ's reign and the ending of Christ's reign. His reign and rule began with the resurrection, formally with His ascension, as we confess in Answer 50. Christ ascended to heaven there to show that He is the head of His church and that the Father rules all things through Him. And the end of His reign will come when He comes again to judge the living and the dead and He has put all of His enemies away forever. Yet, in between, the living Christ reigns with a purpose. He has a purpose in mind. He's not just sitting at the right hand of God, twiddling his thumbs, not thinking about what's going on here. He reigns with a purpose. Boys and girls, we give so much attention to Christmas, to Good Friday, to Easter, the birth, the death, the resurrection of Jesus. And we should. But sadly, we don't give much thought, we don't give much attention really to his ascension and to His rule. The fact that He is reigning at the right hand of God even at this moment. But we need to remember that apart from His ascension and His rule, Christmas and Good Friday and Easter would mean nothing. But at the same time, if it weren't for Christmas and Good Friday and Easter, there would be no ascension. There would be no rule. It all fits together. The living Christ reigns with a purpose. And this must be comforting to you and me, beloved, because of its detailed focus. Verse 25, the text again says, For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. Now again, as I see it, this verse is a bit of an interlude, you might say, an interjection into what Paul is saying here. Again, he's talking about the resurrection, the resurrection of the body, of Christ's body, what that means for you and me. He gives a litany of the order of events on that last day and then he interjects, but Christ must reign until he puts all his enemies under his feet. And this focus here is twofold. It's on his enemies, as Paul clearly states. But also by inference, it's on those for whom he reigns. His redeemed people. And the focus of each on His enemies and His people is for our benefit. First of all, His enemies. Beloved, Christ has enemies. He has enemies. Ephesians 6, verse 12 says, For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. His enemies include, obviously, Satan. His hosts, the wicked people of the earth, all pretenders to His throne, all who would take unto themselves the power that belongs and the glory that belongs only to Jesus Christ. His enemies include those who love evil and hate good. They are those who hate Jesus. They hate His purity. They hate His holiness. They hate His righteousness. They hate His work on the cross. They hate His taking the place of His people. They hate the fact that death could not keep its prey. They hate the fact that His truth and His righteousness exposes their lies and their unrighteousness. Jesus Christ has enemies. Yet these enemies are not more powerful than Jesus Christ. They are not more powerful. In Matthew 28, verse 18, we know Jesus had all authority not just a little bit of it not just the lion's share all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me and that's what we confess in answer 50 the father rules all things through him his people enjoy his rule of grace his rule of power and might is over the whole world and as the supreme king Jesus Christ subdues his enemies. Oh, they're still busy. They're still active. The Bible teaches us that Satan is like a roaring lion prowling. He's on the prowl. In the book of Acts, think about this. After Christ's ascension, after the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, we still read about episodes in history where his disciples cast demons out of those who were possessed. After Christ ascended. After the Holy Spirit had been poured out. Why? Because there's still active they're still busy sin and godlessness is seen in the world it's more public each and every day and we know that the bible warns believers to be on their guard and of course the effects of sin still surround us suffering pain difficulty trouble various forms but jesus christ controls his enemies he sets limits boundaries they are not more powerful than him and ironically beloved our suffering our suffering of the torments of the evil one is to be comforting for you and me say what are you talking about our suffering of the torments of the evil one is to be to our comfort in the sense because Christ's work is not yet finished. Think about it. If His work was finished, then our suffering, the torments of the evil one would give us no hope. We would have no comfort, no hope against the forces of evil. But His detailed focus is not only on His enemies, but also on His people. He reigns on behalf of us, on behalf of believers. Every king we know has kingdom citizens. And again, Paul speaks very clearly of Christ's enemies, but he also, as we read, he speaks of those for whom Jesus is the first fruits. Those who belong to him. And for them, we confess in question and answer 51, how does this glory of Christ our head benefit us? First, through his Holy Spirit, he pours out his gifts from heaven upon us, his members. Second, by his power, he defends us and keeps us safe from all enemies. We enjoy both his protection and his blessing. First, his protection. Well, from whom? In answer 52, it talks about all his enemies and mine. Notice it doesn't say all my enemies and his. It's not true necessarily that all my enemies are all Christ's enemies. I might have made an enemy with a brother or sister in Christ. And that brother or sister is not an enemy of Jesus Christ. But see, all of Christ's enemies are our enemies. They are to be our enemies. Now many times we might question this. We might be tempted to question Christ's rule because we can't see it. We can't always see it, or we do see it in the faith and life of God's people. We do see it in the activity, the growth, the work of the true church, or of the Christian school, or in God's kingdom in various ways. But we do not always see Christ's rule over all things. In fact, at times it looks very clearly like God is not in control, that Jesus is not ruling when we look at the difficulties in the world all around us. And Satan, we know, is allowed to torment us in this life with temptations and persecutions and afflictions, and he attacks us in subtle ways through spiritual enemies that take hold of our hearts. For example, materialism that won't let us give generously. Or secularism, secularism which divorces the things of this life from the faith and when God's people are caught up in secularism, we justify participating in these worldly activities divorced from the faith. Humanism as well. In which the child of God might confess Christ as Lord and King, yet I act at times like I'm in charge. I'm the King. I'm in control. I know what's best for me. We do face the effects of sickness and financial stress and relationship troubles and even physical death. And in times like that, and as we look around the world, sometimes we're tempted to wonder, is Christ really in control? Was Jesus in control when Peter was put into prison and then later on crucified upside down? Was Jesus really in control when Stephen was stoned to death? Was Jesus in control when the many martyrs lost their lives for Him? Is Jesus really in control when my loved one is dying from cancer or suffering a heart attack or going through this difficult time or that difficult time? Is Jesus really in control when my marriage is on the rocks? Is He really in control when you can fill in the blank? You see, beloved, His rule, again, it's easy for us to see when cancer is taken out of the body. it's easy for us to see when healing does come it's easy for us to see when financial stress is removed it's easy for us to see when one we've been praying for does come to the faith but His rule doesn't mean that things will always go the way that we think that they should go but we can be confident beloved that His rule will always go is always, according to what He knows, is best for us. All things work toward our sanctification, preparing us for glory. This has been impressed upon me more and more lately, especially because of a book that I just finished reading by Paul Tripp called Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands. An excellent reminder that all things in this life, even the conflicts that we might have as brothers and sisters in Christ, and when those are resolved in a God-glorifying way, it all works to sanctify us, to prepare us for glory. But Tripp says, God's primary goal is not changing our situations and relationships so that we can be happy, but changing us through our situations and relationships so that we will be holy. Well, that's kind of a slap in the face to some of us, isn't it? You mean, my happiness is not God's number one goal? Maybe not. But your holiness is. You see, beloved, our happiness, what we think makes us happy in this life, may very well not be pleasing to God. It may not honor and glorify Him. And therefore, our happiness in this life is not His number one goal, but our holiness. and therefore, our happiness in Christ Jesus. Our questions, is Christ really in control when? Those questions are answered very clearly in Romans 8, verses 38 and 39. Paul says, For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Yes, Christ is really in control. He's really ruling. Nothing can take from me that which Christ earned for me. And even when I falter, even when my faith is weak, the Word of Jesus is sure. He says, I give them eternal life and they shall never perish. And no one can snatch them out of my hand. We enjoy His protection. But also His blessing. All of this, all of His protection we know is a part of His blessing that believers enjoy from Christ's reign. But there's more. The first part of Answer 51 said again, first, through His Holy Spirit, He pours out His gifts from heaven upon us, His members. The Holy Spirit, beloved, is the most precious gift of Himself that our Ascended Lord has given to us. The Holy Spirit is a down payment that Jesus Christ will come again. And in this life, He pours out His gifts upon us through His Holy Spirit. The word pour there has the idea of generosity. He doesn't just sprinkle a few here and there. He pours them out upon you and me. His gifts are many. And of course, they're varied. In Ephesians 4, Paul says, verses 7 and 8, But to each one of us, grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. That is why it says, when He ascended on high, He led captives in His train and gave gifts to men. In verses 11 and 12, it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers to prepare God's people for works of service so that the body of Christ may be built up. And it goes on, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. There, Paul speaks of specific gifts of ministry for ministry. In Romans 12, Paul speaks of the gifts of serving, teaching, encouraging, contributing, leadership, showing mercy. In Galatians 5, Paul talks about the gift of the fruit of the Holy Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and so on. We can talk about the gift of daily blessings that we all enjoy, so many. And we all take so many for granted. We can talk about the gift of a Christian home, of a Christian school, of a Christian church, of Christian friends. The gift of the communion of saints, brothers and sisters in Christ, the church. The gift of children loving the Lord and showing their love and obedience to Him. Parents, there's no greater gift, is there, that we can see bestowed upon our children. Or what about the gift of God convicting me of my sin. As hard as that may be, as difficult as it may be, what a precious gift of God convicting me of my sin, exposing the sin in my heart, teaching me to deal with it in a biblically prescribed way, to confess it, to repent of it, to forsake it. What a precious gift. Again, for my sanctification. And of course, all of these gifts that we can speak of flow from the ultimate gift of the blessings earned for us by Christ, that precious gift of salvation. Justification, forgiveness, righteousness, and the peace and joy of belonging to my faithful Savior. Beloved Christ, the King, gives perfectly what earthly kings only try to give. Protection from enemies and gifts, blessings for life. But not only for this life. You see, his ultimate purpose is the life to come. And therefore, his purpose includes, in the second place, its guaranteed outcome. Again, the text says, For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. He must reign until. There's nothing iffy about this. He will reign until a certain time, until He has accomplished something. This is His divine appointment from the Father. His purpose will be fulfilled. And again, the focus is twofold for His enemies and for His people. For His enemies, His resurrection points to the guarantee that the day is coming when His and our enemies will be no more. They will have no more power. They will have no more effect on you and me. They will no longer be a danger to us. They shall be put under His feet. Paul borrows there from the psalmist in Psalm 110, verse 1, which we say, God the Father has exalted Jesus Christ to the highest place with dominion and power and authority over all. And He will utterly and He will completely break the power of His enemies forever. And beloved, even though we cannot comprehend that today, even though we don't see that happening with our eyes today. Yet the very knowledge of that is to give us strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow. We can go forth from day to day with courage because Jesus Christ will conquer His enemies completely one day when? When He appears in all of His glory to judge the living and the dead. Remember, before His death, when Jesus would face those who were possessed by demons, even before any of His disciples or anybody else, any other man or woman could see who Jesus truly was, the demons knew. They trembled in His pre-crucifixion presence. And one day, as victor, the heathen will cry out. On that day, the heathen will cry out for the mountains and the hills to cover them from His presence because they cannot stand the glory and the majesty and the power of our Lord Jesus Christ. And when He comes again, that last enemy, death, will be conquered, destroyed forever. How? When the dead are raised. Brought forth from the graves. Death holds on to the bodies of believers until Christ comes. If you don't believe that, then take a drive through the cemetery again on your way home tonight. But when the bodies are raised, death itself will disappear. It will be undone. And no more bodies will die. And death will no longer exist. Satan is most powerful in physical death. Even though Jesus Christ, we know, has transformed death for you and me. We don't need to fear it. We know that it's a transition to the glory of heaven, yet death is still a part of that curse. Not something to be taken lightly. And Satan is most powerful in physical death. Tempting with anxiety and fear of the unknown. But on that day, it will be no more. And Satan will be cast to hell forever. But Christ's purpose also includes a guaranteed outcome for His people. Paul says in Philippians 3, verses 20 and 21, but our citizenship is in heaven and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body. The second part of Answer 52 again said, his enemies and mine he will condemn to everlasting punishment but me and all his chosen ones he will take along with him into the joy and the glory of heaven the book of Revelation we know speaks of the glory of heaven and it summarizes with these words nothing that defiles shall enter it nothing that defiles Jesus Jesus Christ reigns with a purpose and His coming again will be with a purpose to destroy His enemies, the last enemy of death, to put them all away forever and to usher His bride to glory. And as we wait patiently and expectantly, we are to expect that day. And as we wait patiently and expectantly for that day, we are able to work confidently to live confidently to witness confidently knowing that though the world will try to destroy us and cheat us and hurt us yet if God is for us who can be against us? And even today as the first part of answer 52 says in all my distress and persecution I turn my eyes to the heavens and confidently await as judge the very one who has already stood trial in my place before God and so has removed the whole curse for me. As we face His and our own enemies, even my own sinful nature that still clings to me, that's an enemy. As we face these enemies, our confidence is that the one coming for us is the very same one who already stood trial before the judgment seat of God for my sin and your sin. He's already taken care of it. And that's why, without a doubt, our confidence is that He will take us back with Him into the joy and the glory of heaven. He is the firstfruits of those to be raised again, but also He is the firstfruits as the one to lead His bride to glory. Brothers and sisters, when Jesus Christ comes again, many will see what they never believed that they would see. They never believed that they would see Jesus Christ, the King, sitting on His throne, sitting on the judgment seat. They show that they didn't believe that by their rejection. But believers will see when He comes again, believers will see their hope fulfilled as the very one who died for them comes for them and as the last enemy is destroyed. All people will stand before the judge one day. The wealthy will stand without their wealth. Kings will stand without their crowns. Rulers will stand without their subjects. Those who put Jesus and His followers to death will stand there. Those who died for His sake, and you and I will stand there. But only those who truly believed and trusted in Him will stand with confidence in Him. Will you? Will you stand in that confidence? Christ the Judge once stood before Pontius Pilate who said, I find no fault in this man. Yet, Pilate allowed Jesus to be dressed up as a king, paraded around, and mocked. And then Pilate said with scorn and mockery the very same words that we will one day shout with truth and sincerity and joy. Behold, the king. People of God, the best is yet to come. May we look forward to our Lord's return, boys and girls, more than we look forward to our birthday. More than we look forward to Christmas. Because that celebration on that day will be second to none, greater than any celebration ever. And may our daily prayer be, come quickly, Lord Jesus. When He comes again, the world of wickedness and all the hosts of wickedness will go to hell. But the children of the King, will be escorted to heaven. That's His purpose. That's His focus. That's His guarantee. Amen. Let's pray together. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You once again at the close of this day for Your Word. For the truth which is sometimes hard for us to grasp or even imagine that Jesus Christ reigns and rules today and that He's coming again for us. Father, we confess that there are times when we are short-sighted. Help us to be far-sighted. Looking expectantly and confidently for Jesus Christ to come again. We pray, Father, that You would make us ready for that day. Continue to gather in Your people. Continue, Father, to work in the hearts and lives of many, those for whom we pray daily as well. Father, we plead with You to bring many souls to Yourself. Prepare Your church for that great day. Hear our prayer, O Lord, for Jesus' sake and in His name alone. Amen.