Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/Sermons/zz20030427.htm

JESUS CHRIST IN OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECY
Part XXXV: Overcoming "Anti-BIBLICAL-Christianity" Pressures
(Psalm 2:1-12 with Acts 4:15-31 and Revelation 19:19-21)

Introduction: (To show the need . . . )

In the last few weeks, I have received several e-mail messages from Christians or news reports through the media on certain "anti-Biblical-Christianity" forces at work in the world today:

(1) I received two e-mail messages this week telling of an effort by Time magazine to report on efforts by Evangelical missionaries to evangelize Muslims in Islamic nations where the Gospel of Christ is officially forbidden. The magazine wants to expose the methods of such missionaries in an effort that will hinder such "proselytizing" efforts by Americans in Muslim countries.

(2) One e-mail message told how some Christian clergymen who were intending to take their turns to convene the meetings of state legislatures were refused their opportunity to lead in prayer because they used the "offensive" phrase, "In Jesus Name" to close in prayer.

(3) In a California murder case that has stunned the nation where a husband has been charged with the murder of his pregnant wife, the National Organization for Women is objecting to the man's being charged with a double homicide rather than just the death of his wife. This group fears a charge of murder for the infant's death will lead many to view abortion on demand as murder , a position upheld in Christendom, so it wants the husband relieved of the charge of the murder of his baby to keep public opinion in favor of pro-choice.

(4) For months, we have heard many reports of copies of the Ten Commandments in public buildings in the nation being removed on grounds that its appearance there violates the doctrine of the separation of church and state. Well, there are many references to the Bible in the decors of the nation's Supreme Court, Washington Monument, Library of Congress, Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial and our coins (DeMoss Foundation, The Rebirth of America, p. 68-69). At the Lincoln Memorial alone, on the north wall, Lincoln's "Second Inaugural Address alludes to God,' the Bible,' providence,' the Almighty' and divine attributes,'" and further states: "As was said 3000 years ago, it still must be said, The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.'" (Ibid., p. 69) One wonders if these words will all eventually be chiseled out of the Lincoln Memorial!

In view of the "anti-Biblical-Christianity" pressures we face on many fronts, HOW do we respond EFFECTIVELY?

(We turn to the sermon "Need" section . . . )

Need: "I've seen opposition advance in time from various sources in the world against our BIBLICAL Christian faith. Well, IS there an EFFECTIVE response to this? If so, what is it, and why?"
  1. The RISEN Jesus told His disciples on the road to Emmaus how He fulfilled Old Testament Messianic prophecies, Luke 24:25-27.
  2. As these men were edified by Christ's teaching of those passages (Luke 24:32), we also view them, following the list of prophecies named in the Ryrie Study Bible, KJV , s. v. "Messianic Prophecies."
  3. The Psalm 2:1-12 prophecy with its USE in the Early Church in Acts 4:15-31 and its FULFILLMENT in Revelation 19:19-21 shows us how to OVERCOME "anti-BIBLICAL-Christianity" pressures:
    1. We learn from its application in Acts 4:15-21, 23-28 that Psalm 2:1-3 predicted Christ's rejection by His religious and secular authorities:
      1. When the apostles were brought before the sanhedrin (Acts 4:15 NIV), they faced Israel's ruling religious body.
      2. There the apostles were there told not to speak or teach in Jesus' name (Acts 4:15-18), so the followers of Christ viewed their opponents as the opponents of the Messiah in Psalm 2:1-2:
        1. Upon being told by the sanhedrin not to speak or teach in Jesus' name, the apostles cited Psalm 2:1-3, identifying the religious sanhedrin with its secular Roman affiliates as the ones there foretold to oppose the Messiah, Jesus, Acts 4:25-26, 27.
        2. Ps. 2:1-3 was partly fulfilled at Jesus' death, Acts 4:27f; 2:22f.
    2. Well, Psalm 2:4-9 reveals God the Father would respond to this rejection of Jesus by countering Christ's enemies so He could reign:
      1. In response to this rejection of Jesus by the Hebrews and Rome, Psalm 2:4-6 shows God the Father in anger RIDICULING these opponents of Jesus, saying, "As for ME, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill" (ESV). In other words, nothing these "anti-Biblical-Christian" opponents could do would ALTER the fact that Jesus will one day rule from Jerusalem's Mount Zion!
      2. Indeed, Psalm 2:7-9 shows Jesus citing God's eternal decree giving Him the right to subdue these enemies to rule the world!
    3. Thus, the apostles viewed their opponents as those to be handled by GOD, and so went to PRAYER for God to give them boldness to evangelize and to use their spiritual gifts for Christian service:
      1. In accord with Psalm 2's prediction that Messiah's enemies would be conquered by God, the apostles prayed for boldness to preach the truth versus the command of the sanhedrin, Acts 4:23-24, 29.
      2. They asked for boldness to use their gifts to that end, Acts 4: 30.
    4. Consequently, the place where they prayed was shaken, and the Holy Spirit filled the apostles to preach the Word with boldness, Acts 4:31.
  4. Ultimately, GOD will overcome all organized spiritual opposition to His work on earth, and that at Christ's Second Coming:
    1. Though they spread the truth with God's power, the twelve apostles and many Christians have suffered for doing so, and Biblical Christians have faced opposition down through the centuries.
    2. Nevertheless, in fulfillment of His Matthew 16:18 prophecy, Jesus has continued to build His Church opposite such evil opposition.
    3. Then, the application of Psalm 2:4-9 of Christ's conquest of evil will occur at His Second Coming to earth as predicted in Rev. 19:19-21:
      1. Near the end of the Great Tribulation as Christ begins to descend to the earth, the antichrist with the united military might of the world's nations will gather to oppose Jesus, Revelation 19:19.
      2. However, Jesus will conquer this opposition, casting the antichrist and his false prophet alive into the eternal lake of fire, Rev. 19:20.
      3. Then, the Armageddon forces opposing Jesus will be slain by His mere spoken words, and He will rule the world in righteousness and peace, Rev. 19:21, 15 with Heb. 4:12; Rev. 20:4b.
  5. Thus, Psalm 2:10-12 warns the WORLD to ACCEPT God's SON, JESUS CHRIST as rightful King or come under God's wrath!
    1. The call to "kiss the Son" refers to a Hebrew Bar-Mitzvah where community male adult guests kiss the candidate's neck as an adult who is equal with his father lest they anger the father against them.
    2. Thus, God commands men to accept Jesus as His Equal as God and Messiah or suffer the Father's wrath! (cf. John 3:35-36).
Application: To handle "anti-Biblical-Christian" pressures well, (1) we must BELIEVE in Christ, i. e. "kiss the Son" to escape God's wrath and receive eternal life, John 3:35-36. (2) Then, we face such opposition NOT by HUMAN might and deeds, but by PRAYER and focusing on the SPIRIT'S enabling for SERVICE!

Lesson: Since "anti-Biblical-Christianity" opposition pressures are to be handled by GOD, Biblical Christians must FACE them ONLY in the SPIRITUAL realm: PRAYER and DEPENDENCE on the HOLY SPIRIT to use one's SPIRITUAL GIFTS in service to do God's assigned will for them are the SOLE avenues of facing such pressures EFFECTIVELY!

Conclusion: (To illustrate the sermon lesson . . . )

 To encourage us all in the value of prayer to Almighty God to handle evil opposition to Biblical Christianity, allow me to share with you a history lesson of our country's past:

(1) In 1857, concerned about the spiritual needs in New York City, Jeremiah Ianphier advertised a prayer meeting would occur in the upper room of the Consistory Building of the Dutch Reformed Church in Manhattan, New York City.

Six people out of one million showed up for the first meeting.

The following week, 14 came, and the next week there were 23.

Eventually 6,100 men were meeting for prayer all over the city, and then 10,000 people a week started to be converted to Christ. In a year, over 1,000,000 people were saved. So many people came to Christ that the New York area Baptist Churches couldn't get them into their churches; thus, they went down to the Hudson River, cut a big square in the ice and baptized their new converts in the cold water!

This revival was felt for the next forty years, and impacted Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England, South Africa and South India. (Ibid., DeMoss Foundation, p. 63).

(2) In 1905, a revival broke out in Wales among many other countries, all due mostly to prayer, and the effects on the country's social life were astounding: (a) "Judges were presented with white gloves: they had no cases to try. No rapes, no robberies, no murders, no burglaries, no embezzlements, nothing. The District Consuls held emergency meetings to discuss what to do with the police, now that they were unemployed." (b) "Drunkenness was cut in half." (c) "The illegitimate birth rate dropped by 44 percent in two counties within a year of the beginning of the revival." (Ibid., p. 64)

(3) That same 1905 revival deeply affected Denver, Colorado. The January 20, 1905 issue of the Denver Post reads: "For two hours at midday all Denver was held in a spell . . . The marts of trade were deserted between noon and two o'clock this afternoon, and all worldly affairs were forgotten, and the entire city was given over to meditation of higher things. The Spirit of the Almighty pervaded every nook. Going to and coming from the great meetings, the thousands of men and women radiated this Spirit which filled them . . ." (Ibid., p. 65)

"Anti-Biblical-Christianity" pressures are GOD'S specialty -- we must PRAY and serve HIM in the power of the Spirit of God!