First off, I invite you to turn your Bibles to Psalm 2, and we'll be looking at Psalm 2 tonight, briefly considering and tying this together with our reflections and what we believe through the ascension. And I'm taking a large section here. You'll notice here in Lord's Day 18, I put this with the sermon this morning. I didn't read them this morning. I'm going to read those now. to show how Jesus was viewing the benefit that he would be taken up. All this, and John has been anticipating this, that he would be taken up and seated in heaven, and all these benefits that would flow from that. That's really what we've been studying when Jesus says, in that day, in that day, this is going to happen. This is what you're going to enjoy. So I'm going to read those, and you'll see the tie to this morning's message, and then we'll say together the three question answers in Lord's Day 19 that I believe are printed for you there. So I'm going to read 18 for a moment. What do you mean by saying he ascended into heaven? That Christ, while his disciples watched, was taken up from earth into heaven and remains there on our behalf until he comes again to judge the living and the dead. But isn't Christ with us until the end of the world as he promised? Christ is true man and true God. In his human nature, Christ is not now on earth, but in his divinity, majesty, grace, and spirit, he's never absent from us. If his humanity is not present wherever his divinity is, then aren't the two natures of Christ separated from each other? Certainly not. Since divinity is not limited and is present everywhere, it is evident that Christ's divinity is surely beyond the bounds of the humanity that he has taken on. But at the same time, his divinity is in and remains personally united to his humanity. How does Christ's ascension to heaven benefit us? First, he is our advocate in heaven in the presence of his Father. Second, we have our own flesh in heaven as a sir pledge that Christ our head will take us as members up to himself. Third, he sends his spirit to us on earth as a corresponding pledge, by the Spirit's power we seek not earthly things, but the things above, where Christ is sitting at God's right hand. And now we'll say these three together. Why the next words, and sits at the right hand of God? Christ's ascension to heaven there to show that he is head of his church, the one through whom the Father governs all things. How does this glory of Christ our head benefit us? First, through His Holy Spirit, He pours out gifts from heaven upon us, His members. Second, by His power, He defends us and preserves us from all enemies. How does Christ return to judge the living and the dead comfort you? In all distress and persecution, with uplifted head, I confidently await the very judge who has already offered himself to the judgment of God in my place and remove the whole curse from me. Christ will cast all his enemies and mine into everlasting condemnation, but will take me and all his chosen ones to himself into the joy and glory of heaven. I know that was a lot tonight. Next time we'll come back and really focus more on 52 alone for the second coming. But now we'll focus our hearts on Psalm 2 that celebrates this glorious ascension and everything that we read. Why do the nations rage and the people's 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. 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 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, 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 those who take refuge in him. And there will end the reading of God's word. Well tonight we have a moment here to consider together the ascension of Jesus. Really in this section of the Apostles Creed as we're working through this and thinking about this, did you notice how many question and answers were on this particular article of what we believe? It's really remarkable. I think it was Dr. Berksma who would always be disappointed on Ascension Day. We've kind of lost it because he would say this is one of the most important days of celebration for the church, that Jesus is ascended and that Jesus is seated on the throne for us. And the church has seemed to forgotten the benefit of this today and really what it means for us. And that's what's important as we consider the Ascension and think about that tonight, especially because there's so much confusion about this. For many Christians in this land, the idea has been that really the ascension is going to happen when Jesus comes back and sits and is seated on a throne on earth in a Jerusalem temple on this earth, and then we're going to experience all that we're looking for in victory. I've had more people continue when I'm out and I'm meeting people in the community and we're talking. I don't say anything initially when they say that because I'm not going to argue about that, but immediately that's the first thing they say. Isn't it going to be great when Jesus comes back and is seated on the throne? And I'm thinking to myself, he is on the throne. I get there eventually, but we do have these discussions and it's fun to talk about, but it's amazing how programmed in Christians today to look for something outside of the second coming, which is going to be wonderful, to look for something better while this earth still exists. And I think the ascension helps us tonight to think about the blessings and benefits of that and to think about what has been said to us in the scriptures about the ascension of Jesus. Think of what Jesus said right after, right after the resurrection as he was about to be ascended and, and, and go up. Remember what he said to the disciples, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me so go means a lot for you i have all authority in heaven and on earth and then um in acts after 40 days had happened and they were at pentecost and all of a sudden they they watched and he went up right before their eyes and was caught up um right in front of them and the angel said why are you standing gazing he's going to come back one day? He's going to come back? What happened? Where did he go? And what does that mean for us? You see, this is really helpful tonight in light of John because we've been learning a lot of the benefits that are going to happen when the Holy Spirit comes. But what is the benefit of Jesus as himself ascending and seated on the throne? And Ephesians 1 comes to us and says, when he was raised from the dead and he was seated at the right hand in the heavenly places, he was seated far above all what? Rule and authority and power and dominion. He's above all that and above every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. That sounds like a pretty glorious rain, doesn't it? That's a marvelous rain that's being described in Ephesians 1 right out of the gates. A heavenly rain in the Jerusalem above where we're all going. So much so that Ephesians comes along and says, by the way, because he's there, you're there. That's how much in union you are with Jesus and can't be separated from. That's an amazing thought. I honestly cannot comprehend that. But that's how united you are to him and how you are viewed. We'll come back to that. Well, I thought that Psalm 2 might be a help in this regard because what you have in this psalm is an installation on the throne. An anticipation of a glorious installation. Really, a communication in the divine counsel between the Father and the Son, and a call to kiss and submit to this one who is seated on the throne. So that's the benefits that we're considering tonight, and looking at it somewhat through the lens of Psalm 2, that we would be encouraged, as the Scriptures do, and help us to understand that we don't have a weak view of our God. We looked at the Holy Spirit, who is our mighty defender. But think about what Jesus is doing for you. As he has ascended into heaven and is seated, and his humanity is there for you. Well, let's think a little bit about that with Psalm 2 tonight. Because what Psalm 2 is essentially saying is all the turbulence that's happening in the world, All the restlessness, all the confusion, all the, we're going to look at, the masses in great turbulence in this earth. Everything about that has to do with Jesus, Psalm 2 is saying. It's not what it seems. So Psalm 2 is giving us a picture of history, if you will, from the viewpoint of heaven. We're looking at things in a sort of revelation-like way, looking at things from God's perspective, and it's saying to us that the center of everything is Jesus. His throne, his kingdom. Everything's about him. And everyone will bow to this one who's been installed on the throne. And it's not a throne of a leader that could ever be voted out. He's seated. So Psalm 2 is really showing us the meaning of what is happening that we would not lose heart over what seems to be chaos on the earth. This is what Revelation 4 and 5 captures when John says, I looked up and I saw a throne fixed in heaven and one seated on that throne and pure glass, crystal as glass was all around that throne and and the angels are doing whatever he says on that on that throne whatever is spoken and whatever is commended and said to do they do straight away they don't there's no disobedience in heaven and and that is what happens on the earth it's calm up there the the breakdown of psalm 2 is not difficult there are four singers in the psalm there's um it's a quartet if you will You'll notice here that the first singer in verse 3 is somebody, it's capturing somebody taunting God, if you will. The second singer is God's laughing response. The third singer is the Son, Christ, declaring the enthronement. And then the final is a voice of plea. And so it's a moving psalm to consider the ascension. Notice verse 1. Why do the nations rage and the people's plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed. What a statement. The psalmist is somewhat in shock, as it's being described here, of what's happening. He can't believe what's happening on the earth. So you have to feel this. It's a real shocking thing that's happening on the earth. Really shocking for the psalmist. These little human beings who were made in the image of God. The nations themselves, which are just but a little drop in the bucket before God. These ones who live and move and have their being in him. Who have really no right to exist. Who really have no right to anything. They've done something unimaginable. The word here is really strong. They've raged against him. The word means a noisy tumult, a restless, noisy assembly. The psalmist is saying that all the, the psalmist is pictured as all the nations of the earth gathered together, and they are plotting, and they are murmuring, and there's a really tragic word of the psalm is they are against who? The Lord and his anointed. You know, that's, I think, a helpful thing to always remember. For Jesus was always saying to his disciples, you know, when the world hates you, remember something really important. It's not really you they hate. It's me. He was working from Psalm 2. And notice what they're saying. They're saying something important. Let us burst their bonds. And cast their cords from us. Who? The Father and the Son. Break them. The view is that God has shackled us. A lot of people want to find a context to this. So they say, well, in David's day, there must have been some kind of revolt. And it may have had a specific, I'm sure it had some kind of specific context. But I think what the psalm is doing is a more general kind of psalm. That applies to every point in human history. And what we're looking at in the psalm is not the Lord criticizing governments and the Lord criticizing what he ordained in governments and put into place. It's not what he's looking at. He's looking at something a little bit different. It's presenting to us the collective rebellion of the world that's happening with the raging peoples of the earth. In other words, we're taking behind the scenes, if you will, to look at things with spiritual eyes. The curtain is pulled back, and you see realities. You see the deeper spiritual realities of movements and things. And we're taken really all the way back to the garden where Satan was in the garden, and Satan said, you don't trust this God, do you? He's against you. He wants to hold you back. He's hard on you. He's all about rules. He wants to make your life brutal. and you, you, Eve, he's got a wrong plan for you. You can be whatever you want to be. Be your own God. It's all played out in history. Let us break these cords, said Satan, and Adam and Eve said, yes, we'll do it. We'll break these cords. We'll break these cords, and that's the story of the human race. So what the psalm is really capturing here is the heavenly perspective of as I think as Charles Spurgeon was right when he said what we have in Psalm 2 is a description of the hatred of human nature against Christ and his father and what are they doing they're casting off everything that the father and the son stand for they're changing laws and they're doing everything that is against what is written on their hearts and the kingdoms of the world can become debased. Again, it's not criticizing government as what we think in criticizing government. What it's saying is this is collective human rebellion that it's capturing since the fall. And what the psalmist is doing here is showing us that all of this wickedness we're experiencing, all the tumult of the world, all the restlessness of the nations. See the restlessness of the nations? Have you ever stopped and thought, Why all these nations are so restless? Why the peoples are so restless today? Look at how restless people are. Look at how many causes there are. Look at how many things there are against the Lord. And the psalmist is saying, what you're experiencing and what you're seeing, let me tell you what this is. They're revolting against God and his anointed. That's how you have to see things. In fact, Diocletian in the 3rd century struck up a medal saying the name of Christianity is extinguished. This has always gone on, beloved. Diocletian, Jovian, Maximum, Hercules, Cessars, Augusti, for having everywhere abolished the superstition of Christ, for having extended the worship of the gods. Amazing. Telling the Christians, you will worship Caesar as Lord. The psalm doesn't turn to our response to this at all. Who answers this? That's what I love about the psalm. God, the Father starts speaking. Look at verse 4. He who sits in the heaven shall laugh. Now God responds. Of all the things the scriptures could have recorded, it could have said, he who sits in the heavens said, that's it. And fireballs flew out. Not what he said. He who sits in the heavens rages in fury. He who sits in the heavens calls up an army. Well, that would all be really fine. But he who's in the heavens laughs. I like to laugh. It's a good thing. But when God laughs, it's a little different. Think of this powerful truth here. God doesn't tremble. God doesn't get worked up. This is accommodating language to help us. God doesn't try to calculate how he's going to figure this out and how to deal with all these people. God stays on his throne and laughs. the movies capture this when the Germanic hordes tried to take Rome and the generals would say they should know better they should know better than to try to touch us why does the Lord want us to consider this I don't know about you but that's the most comforting thing I've ever read all the things that cause fear and trembling on the earth there's one seated and powerful over all of it and he just laughed now no matter what's happening in the earth no matter what we see if the whole world crumbles here's the truth of the matter there's a throne in heaven unshaken by the world's greatest tumult unshaken by the restlessness of the peoples and this was given to tell God's people something what have we been studying in in john well i think it all comes together with the ascension doesn't it really jesus finished his work he told them to stay in jerusalem you go stay in jerusalem and uh until the spirit comes it's going to be a great benefit for you and then he was ascended right in front of their eyes went straight up a cloud grabbed him and and the question that that that i think we were probed to ask that the disciples were struggling with because they were were you now going to restore the kingdom to israel the question that we're probed to ask is what is he doing now what is he doing in acts 1 and and and and acts 1 and revelation 12 and the whole new testament ephesians 1 tells us he went up and there was a grand installation day, a session day, where Jesus took his seat. And the great reign of Jesus began. The thousand-year reign, to put in figurative language from Revelation chapter 20, which is only mentioned there. And what this is telling us is, is Psalm 2 happened. Psalm 2 happened that day. And what does Psalm 2 say? Son, sit in my right hand until I make all your enemies a footstool for your feet. Look at the truth of this. Now start to apply it. He's there on your behalf. And what is he doing there until he comes again? Think of the benefit. We only think of the benefit of the Spirit coming, but sometimes I think we forget what Jesus is doing. We forget where he, in his humanity, remember, his divinity is not limited there. His divinity is everywhere. Notice what it said in the Heidelberg tonight. Through his divinity, majesty, grace, and spirit, he's never absent from us. But he's localized in his human nature in heaven, boys and girls, with that body for you, seated on a throne. Well, the psalm tells us what he's doing. He's laughing. He's laughing. What does that mean? The laughter, hold this thought. The laughter is your advocate. It's your advocacy. In other words, what it's saying is, are they trying to touch my people? Are they really trying to touch my people? Are they really attacking me so as to hurt mine? And this is what the Lord wants you to understand about his great work for you. The psalm is the most consoling psalm in the Psalter because it's aimed to say is when you have the Lord, he's reigning for you in heaven. It's a heavenly reign. Luther would say of this psalm, let us console ourselves together with this psalm, Psalm 2. For it's not just ourselves, it's not just ourselves that the world is against ourselves, that the world is so bitterly against us, but they're against God himself. So instead of being afraid, we should be laughing at this crazy effort of the world to think that it can fight against God. Martin Luther. No one will deprive Jesus of his throne. And God the Father, there's been a grand installation, said, this is my beloved son. Sit here until I make all your enemies a footstool for your feet. Here's where the psalm overwhelms us because what does he say? I am going to do this and I am going to set my king on my holy hill. And then verse 7, this king speaks in the third stanza, if you will. Well, that's what the installation and the session of Jesus on the throne means. That's what the kingdom reign means. Isn't it remarkable that this gospel has gone to the ends of the earth today? And it's plundered every kingdom of the earth, every kingdom, starting from a little Jerusalem room. And it's made it here, everywhere. China, they say that the president in China is absolutely terrified. I can't remember the number. Terrified. Listen, in the most oppressed country right now, 300 million strong, he's scared. Think about that. He left. They're going to try to put out my church? Church has never been put out. It'll never be put out. And this psalm is describing this glorious coronation, this glorification, this ascension, this session of the Son of God on the throne for us. And that's what the first sermon in Acts celebrated. Remember? What did they say? Let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead. By him this man stands here before you whole. This is the stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone. Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name. Now, where are they going to? Psalm 2. No other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Lord, you are God. You made heaven and earth, the sea and all that's in them, who by the mouth of your servant David have said, Why did the nations rage? They're quoting it. And the people's plot a vain thing. The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ. For truly against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever your hand and your purpose determined before to be done. Now, Lord, look on their threats and grant to your servants that with all boldness they may speak your word by stretching out your hand to heal and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of your holy servant, Jesus. Do you know what they were praying? It's time for you to fulfill Psalm 2. Give him the nations. Give him the nations. It's time. You know what happened next? A great multitude believed. Because of the power of the resurrection, great grace fell on them in Acts 4, saying that the Son asked the Father and the nations would be his heritage and the ends of the earth for his possession. And that's what began to happen. Now we come to Lord's Day 19 here tonight. Christ ascended to heaven to do what? Well, notice what's said here. He's the head of all this. All those whom he's going to gather. The Father governs everything. But just listen to it for a minute in Lord's Day 19 now. With all that in mind, it's wonderful. How does this glory, 51, 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 preserves and defends us from all enemies. And if you back up, there's even more. What is his ascension into heaven? How does his ascension to heaven benefit us? He's our advocate in heaven, in the presence of his Father. Second, we have our own flesh in heaven as a sure pledge that Christ our head will take us, his members, to himself. Third, he sends his spirit to us on earth as a corresponding pledge by the Spirit's power. We seek not earthly things, but the things above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. My son, Psalm 2, is put on the holy hill, says the Father. Remember, Father loves you for you. And he's governing his church. And he's caring for you. And he's watching over you. And he's providing for you. And he's keeping you. What is that prophet? He sends you his spirit. He defends you and preserves you against every enemy. He who is in the heaven shall laugh. You see, what a comfort then the end here of Lord's Day 19 is. What is a comfort that Christ is going to come again to judge the living and the dead? Well, right now, here's what that means. In all my sorrows and persecutions with uplifted head, I can look for the very same person who before offered himself for my sake to the tribunal of God and has removed all curse from me. What the goal of the ascension and understanding the ascension is, is for us to look at Psalm 2 and have this kind of confidence, living in this life of Jesus's session for us, his protection, his care, his love. Psalm 2 says something remarkable. He's going to do something. He's going to break them like iron. He will dash the rebellious into pieces like a potter's vessel. Calvin said the reason that hasn't happened yet in full is because it's still a day of his laughter. What that means is what we're involved with, what we're a part of in his ascension is him breaking hearts to bring people to him to be saved that's the project we're involved with the laughter is does satan think he's going to blind everyone i'm going to go get all my children and i'm going to shatter those bonds and i'm going to bring a people to myself. And that's happening. It has happened. It's been happening for 2,000 years, beloved. You know, I can't help see this to see that the psalm is telling us have confidence in what it means that Jesus has ascended for you. But then it comes this final sort of warning of the psalm, O kings be wise, which I love to read in our day. Does anyone think about this? They will. O kings be wise, serve the Lord with fear, rejoice with trembling, kiss the son, lest he be angry and you perish in the way for when his wrath is kindled, his wrath is kindled quickly. Blessed are all those who take refuge in him. You don't want to mess with Jesus. Kiss the Son. Kissing the Son meant submit yourself to him. Bow the knee to him. Believe in him. For the day of wrath is soon to come. What a shocking ending. This merciful king, this king is no tyrant. He's beckoning to the ends of the earth. He's calling to the ends of the earth through us tonight. Come to me. Believe in me and you'll be saved. Psalm 2 helps us to understand tonight with great glory that Jesus is reigning on our behalf. The great day of his salvation has come. The great day of his work and victories being championed to the ends of the earth. Sometimes it doesn't seem like we can see it, but stop and ask yourself this simple question. How has the Lord preserved you and cared for you up to this point? Has he not always been faithful? Has he not always helped you when you've prayed to him? Has he not always been kind and gracious and tenderhearted to you? Has he not supplied your every need? Has he not fed you and watched over you? Does he not give his beloved sleep? Look at all the ways he has cared for you and promises through this psalm to govern and preserve you. You see, there's a reason Jesus keeps saying to his disciples, don't fear. Don't fear. I have come that your joy may be full, that you may have peace. In this world you have tribulation, don't worry, I've already beaten it. And Psalm 2 is celebrating that tonight for you. He will preserve you from all enemies. He will keep you from all evil. He will preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. Psalm 121. He says it everywhere. So what a wonderful blessing it is tonight to think more about the ascension of Jesus. What he's doing on our behalf. and I speak to the children, and I speak to all of us, talk to Him. Pray to Him. He's seated for you. He desires to help you. We sing that song, you know. Oftentimes we don't have because we don't ask, and how much pain we often bear because we do not take it to the Lord in prayer. He is your God. He loves you. And He who is in the heavens laughs. nothing can harm you. What a glorious truth the ascension of Jesus is. Let us live in light of it this week. Let's pray together. Heavenly Father, thank you for helping us tonight to understand this work of Jesus and understand the whole picture and the whole story. What a marvelous work of the triune God to save us. Give us confidence and happiness and joy and that the one whom we have come and kissed and believed in and submitted our lives to, bowing the knee this day, is Lord and King over all the earth. This should give us great joy as we leave tonight. Our God reigns. Thank you, O Lord, for helping us to understand all of the benefits that we have in Christ Jesus, in whose name we pray. Amen.