Our sermon text today is Psalm 110. Psalm 110. Let me read the whole Psalm. A Psalm of David. The Lord says to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool. The Lord sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter, rule in the midst of your enemies. Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power in holy garments. From the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours. The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind. You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. The Lord is at your right hand. He will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses. He will shatter chiefs over the wide earth. He will drink from the brook by the way. Therefore, he will lift up his head. This is the word of the Lord. Amen. Let us pray for God's blessing upon his word. Dear God, we thank you for giving us your word, revealing your will and yourself and your works of salvation. We pray that you would teach us in this way. We also pray, Father, for those who are struggling or who have sorrow, especially thinking of those in Texas after the effects of the recent shooting. We pray especially for those who have lost loved ones and for those who are in the hospital. We pray that you would comfort and strengthen them. We pray for those who have lost and we pray that you would strengthen your people and all people through your word. We pray that you would teach us through your word today. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. Last week we looked at 2 Peter and finished working our way through 2 Peter. I plan soon to begin a series in the book of Genesis, but before doing so I want to preach a few sermons on individual texts, and today we come to Psalm 110. and in part because it speaks of the ascension of Jesus Christ. Now we don't strictly follow a church calendar, but it does seem fitting since last Thursday would have been 40 days after Easter. That's typically noted in some traditions as Ascension Day because Jesus ascended 40 days after his resurrection. So while looking for something to preach on, this came out as a important passage and important doctrine to remind ourselves of. Especially because in the world around us, we see a lot of troubling things. It seems like every week there's something else come out to trouble us, to distress us, to see the world around us. We see abortion, for example, that almost seems old news because it came out several weeks ago, the good news that the Supreme Court might overthrow Roe v. Wade, but then also the pushback against that and to see so many people embracing abortion and supporting it. And then, of course, we've seen several shootings recently that have demonstrated another expression of murder and hatred and contempt for life. Closer to home, you might see expressions of impatience or frustration or anger, a more domestic variety, as people just lose patience with each other or show anger or take matters into their own hands and we sin against God. We are tempted to take matters into our own hands, to resort to our own remedies that are against God's law, to make things work through anger, through insults, through violence. In other words, to use unlawful means, in part because we feel impatient and we want to control. And man feels the urge to be as God. And this is something that we can see in all sorts of expressions in the world around us and even within ourselves. And so to hold fast to our duties, to our callings, to self-control, to resist these sins that tempt us, One remedy that God has given us is to look to the ascended Lord, that the Lord Jesus reigns, that you are not in fact God, and that there is one who reigns over heaven and earth, and therefore you can be confident to confidently obey the Lord and to trust him for the consequences, to have patience and endurance amid frustrating circumstances, to not take matters into your own hands, but to work diligently in your own duties and callings. Psalm 110 is a Psalm of David, and that's actually very important that it's a Psalm of David, because it's about the Lord of David, David's Lord. Jesus brought this up in the New Testament where he said, How could David speak of the Messiah, who is his son, also as his Lord? Well, we know the answer, that this was both David's son, the promised Christ and Savior, but he was also God come in the flesh. the second person of the Trinity, the Son of God. He is greater than David. He is David's Savior. It is about the Lord Jesus Christ and his ascension into heaven. It speaks of how the Lord Jesus has ascended, and he has ascended to reign, he has ascended to save sinners, and he has ascended to shatter opposition. And that's what we're going to look at today. First, verses 1 through 2, that he has ascended to reign. Then verses 3 through 4, that he has ascended to save sinners. And then verses 5 through 7, that he has ascended to shatter opposition. And so in verses 1 through 2, we find the authority and the purpose of his ascension and his reign. The Lord, with all capital letters, there it's referring to Jehovah, to the God of Israel, that he says to my Lord, to the Son, to our Christ, sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool. David's Lord, Jesus Christ, was exalted to authority and power at God's right hand. Now, God doesn't have hands. He does not have a body like man, but this is a way to refer to Christ's position there in heaven, his position, his office as our prophet, priest, and king, and especially our king, because it refers to how rulers might entrust the administration of their kingdom to someone who would be seated at their right hand. To have that authority, to sit at God's right hand is to be enthroned with all authority, because that's how much authority God has, to be entrusted to administer his kingdom. In Revelation 2, Jesus spoke of this in this way. He said that I had conquered and sat down with my father on his throne. He was with his father on his very throne. To sit at his right hand, therefore, is to have all authority in heaven and on earth. And this is significant because he has all authority, particularly as our Savior and head, as the God-man, as the mediator, as one who has all authority for this mission of salvation and the reconquest of a rebellious world. He is the conquering God-man who has ascended to heaven and is exalted for us. He raises us up that we might be seated with him in the heavenly places, that we also might be exalted and raised up in his, him bearing our nature, him being our representative and head, Think of it, the very angels that once guarded Eden from man now worship a man who is also God. The last Adam who succeeded and now rules over all. We are exalted with him. He also is exalted applying this salvation to us. He has this power to now apply the redemption he purchased to his people to make it effective that you will be saved. He is also exalted to reign for our good, working all things for your good, protecting you, governing you, preserving you. Psalm 110 verse 1 prophesies what is recounted from the apostles' perspective in Acts 1. Acts 1 recounts what the apostles saw, that they were with Jesus, Jesus spoke to them, and then right before their very eyes, they saw Him being lifted up and taken out of view in the clouds of heaven, taken up into heaven, and ascending to heaven. That's where His body is now. Where is Christ's body, it is in heaven, exalted in glory. And they also say that He's going to return the same way. Return to earth, return invisibly, His body, come back, but bringing His glory with Him to judge the living and the dead. This same event is described from a heavenly perspective in Daniel 7 and Revelation 5. Daniel 7 being a prophecy, the Son of Man coming to the Ancient of Days and receiving a kingdom that shall never perish. And Revelation 5 describing it as having happened, that John sees the vision of the Lamb who was slain, who is worthy now to open the seals and receives praise from all the angels and men and creatures. that He has conquered and is now enthroned in power. And the rest of the Book of Revelation talks of what the Ascended Lord then does. Psalm 110 verse 1 describes how the Lord Jesus was exalted and installed in glory and authority, and the goal, too. What's the goal? Complete dominion, that all his enemies would be put under his feet, that there would be, in the end, no rebellion, successful rebellion tolerated, that they would all be subjected one way or another. Notice also the Lord Jesus has enemies. The world is in rebellion, but not forever. We see many enemies. As the author of Hebrews says, we see today not everything is subject to him, but we do see Jesus crowned with glory and honor. but they are presently being subdued under his feet. In fact, you and I weren't by nature his enemies. It's only by his grace that we are his willing subjects. And more on that in our second point. But he has begun the reconquest of a rebellious world. He reigns now. His second coming is not the beginning of his reign. That's the culmination of his conquest. His ascension was the beginning of his reign, his enthronement in glory. He rules now, as verse 2 says, in the midst of his enemies. In the very midst of them, he rules. For example, think of how when King David was made king. When King David was made king, were all of his enemies conquered? No, that was the beginning of his reign, and now he had to conquer them. He had to defend the kingdom. He had to subdue the Philistines and extend the borders of Israel. It wasn't until that that he had some rest and could think about building the temple. And his son Solomon had a reign of peace. But when King David was enthroned, it was the beginning of a conquest. And it's the same with the Lord Jesus. He became king, sat on the throne as the heir of David and the son of God. Verse 2 speaks of how the Lord sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies. His scepter here refers to His dominion. And His dominion shall go forth from Zion. It shall extend and grow. And that's true whether you think of the literal Mount Zion, that place in Jerusalem. The Gospel went forth from there and has spread throughout all the earth. That's true whether you think of the spiritual Zion, Zion as the people of God. That's the church is the people of God, and from that church, the gospel goes forth and extends Christ's reign. It's also true if you think of the heavenly Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, where Christ is enthroned, and from there, the gospel and kingdom goes forth. The Lord extends the dominion of Christ from Zion and he does so today. And so don't buy into doctrines that postpone his reign. I don't know that anyone here does, but they are popular in our culture. It's the water we swim in. That the idea that Satan rules the world and that Jesus doesn't until he comes back. Now Satan may claim power, he may hold usurped sway over sinners, but he was cast out of power when Jesus died and rose and ascended. As Jesus said the week of his death, now is the judgment of this world. Now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself. So instead of buying into such explaining a way of His kingdom, set your minds on things above. What does that mean? Look to where Christ is, enthroned in power. Look to the Ascended Lord with hope and devotion. Have confidence in the power of His Word. And that's one expression of this faith we have in the Ascended Lord is that the means He's given us will actually work. His scepter will go forth. His people will follow through on his commission. And it's not a vain hope. He makes disciples through water and the word. So pray for the kingdom's growth with hope. Make known his gospel with confidence and amplify the voice of Zion. Make it a brilliant light to the world that our Lord's dominion may spread in the midst of his enemies. So the Lord has ascended, and what's the purpose of His going up into heaven? It's not just to get rid of His body as a part of the plot, but no, it is to be enthroned in a position of power, to reign, to now have His enemies subdued under His feet, and for His dominion to grow. It is for our sake, it is good for us, it is good for the world, it is good for God's glory that He ascend to heaven. Look at verses three through four now. He has ascended in particular to save sinners. Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power in holy garments. From the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours. The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind. You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. So verses three through four speaks of how King Jesus subdues a people to himself and saves them. He purchased salvation for them when he was on earth by his death, and now the ascended Lord applies that salvation to his people. And he does so with regenerating power, sanctifying power, making them willing, making you willing to serve him, and also by his priestly intercession, making you acceptable to God to intercede for you. And verse 3 speaks of this power, this regenerating and sanctifying power. And the day of His power is people will offer themselves freely, willingly. When He exercises His power, it will regenerate them. What does regenerate mean? It's kind of the idea of new birth, giving new life, that they now no longer willingly submit themselves to the dominion of sin, but you volunteer for Christ's service, that you answer the call and serve Him freely. And they are clothed in holiness, They will be progressively sanctified, renewed in holiness. And so you can picture this image of a vast army of clothed in holy garments, clothed in white, following their King, Jesus Christ. That's probably the image in mind. A similar phrase is used in Judges 5, verse 2, the song of Deborah. She thinks about how the people had answered the call to fight against the enemies. In her song, she says, that the leaders took the lead in Israel, that the people offered themselves willingly, bless the Lord." And now the psalm is prophesying that people will answer Christ's call as well to assemble and submit to His leadership. It also is using the imagery of sacrifice, because the word for offer themselves freely is also a word that can be used to refer to free will offerings. That they offer themselves as living sacrifices. That you will offer yourselves as living sacrifices to the Lord Christ. Now the dew here, the comment about the dew of your youth in the womb of the morning is a little more obscure. It probably refers to the freshness of dew when it's on the ground in the morning, but it's not going to disappear. The dew of your youth will be yours. Either Christ or his people, or maybe both, will be fresh, will be vigorous. In verse four, it speaks of his priestly intercession. how Jesus was divinely appointed by an oath as our priest. He wasn't from the tribe of Levi, but nevertheless he was a priest. He was a priest after the order of Melchizedek, after that pattern, a priest like him in that order. Melchizedek shows up in Genesis 14. He was the king of Salem, probably earlier Jerusalem, and the priest of God Most High. Likewise, Jesus would be king of Salem, king of Jerusalem, and king of peace, which is what it means. He would be also the priest as well of God Most High. Not only that, Melchizedek was a priest to Abraham, representing all of God's people. Likewise, Jesus is the priest of all the children of Abraham, and even therefore superior to the priests of Levi. Melchizedek gave Abraham wine and bread. Well, it's interesting. Jesus gave us wine and bread as well. He blessed Abraham, and he received a tithe from him. That's what priests do. Likewise, Jesus, like Melchizedek, is both king and priest. His priesthood is superior to that of the Levites and replaces them. He is a priest forever and has no successor. His work is perfect. In fact, he, having offered a sacrifice once, no longer stands offering that sacrifice. This priest would stand when they offered a sacrifice. But having made that sacrifice once, he sat down, as this psalm says. sat down at the right hand of God, which indicates that he is no longer offering a sacrifice that it is once offered, but now he sits in power and he intercedes for us at God's right hand on the basis of that sacrifice. And so the Lord has ascended to save us, that we might be acceptable to God, forgiven and atoned for, that atonement applied to us, and also that you would be made willing to serve Him, being subdued unto Him, not by being coerced or something against your will, but your will itself being renewed, that you would love and choose Him. The Lord speaks from heaven and He calls the world to follow Him, drawing all peoples to Himself. He sends out His powerful gospel, calls the world to come to Him and be saved. You have come to Jesus. You have come to His sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. Hebrews 12 says that, see that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. Who warns us from heaven? Jesus warns us from heaven. He continues to preach. He continues to speak. His blood continues to call out, but not call out for your judgment. calling out for your salvation for all those who receive it by faith. He preaches peace to those who are near and those who are far through the preaching of his gospel, a call to offer yourselves freely to receive him. And so come to him with faith, offer yourselves freely, receive and rest upon him, answering that call. Do not neglect that call from heaven. And also continue to follow him then, as willingly, delighting in his ways, like a volunteer, willingly pledging yourself to the king of kings. Notice that his ascension does not encourage sloth, does not encourage passivity, does not think, well, it's good Jesus reigns. Now I don't have to do anything. That's not the lesson you're supposed to learn. He has ascended, making you willing so that you serve Him vigorously, readily, to follow Christ, to observe His commandments cheerfully. That is the result of His saving power when it is at work in the heart of a believer. Likewise, His ascension and His intercession, that means His prayer for us, His mediation for us, that gives you the basis to believe that God accepts you. That provides the basis to believe that God accepts your service, that God looks at your sincere service and doesn't go, uh-huh, He thought He could please me with that. That's horrible. No, that's not the way God looks at you through Christ. He receives that which is sincere, even though it might not be that impressive compared to what God does. Just as your person is deserving of wrath and judgment, it deserves to be held in disgust for sins that you have committed, but that's not how God sees you through Christ. If you have believed in Christ, He loves you. He welcomes you, that you might approach Him and draw near with confidence. You've broken his law, earned his wrath, your best works are mixed with sin, but you can serve the Lord cheerfully and confidently, knowing that he looks on you with favor and is pleased with your sincere service, that your sins have been washed through the blood of Christ, and that he intercedes for you. that your brother, your savior, is seated at the right hand. It was a great thing for Joseph's brothers to have their brother as prime minister of Egypt, right? At least once they were reconciled. So it is a great thing for our elder brother to be seated at the right hand of the father now that we have been reconciled to him. In verses five through seven, he goes on now to speak of the ascension of Christ and its purpose in shattering the opposition. The Lord is at your right hand. Here it's speaking of Lord, not the word Jehovah, but the word Lord. So it's still probably speaking of the Lord Jesus. And he is at your right hand. So it's speaking to God. He is at your right hand. And what is the Lord Jesus going to do at his right hand? He will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses. He will shatter chiefs over the wide earth. He will drink from the brook by the way. Therefore, he will lift up his head. This is not a precious moments or precious memories. What was the brand? It's not the type of image of Jesus you see maybe at the Christian bookstore, but it is the image that we find here in Psalm 110 of a conquering king, of a victorious king who saves sinners and also shatters opposition. The Lord Jesus is at his right, the Father's right hand with power to conquer his enemies. Not only is he ascended to save, but also to judge. He shatters opposition in the present age and that culminates in his return. Notice even at his right hand, he begins to do this work. Even kings, even chiefs, the powerful men and women of this age are unable to resist him. Of course, in that day, the kings were often the wealthiest people. Today, we have people who are very strong and powerful, even though they don't have political office per se. But whether wealthy people or politically powerful people, they may put themselves in opposition to Christ. They don't have to, but they may. We see that happen. But the Lord will shatter them unless they repent. The book of Revelation speaks of this work. Chapter 5 speaks of how the Ascended Lord is worthy to open the seals. You know, who is worthy? No one is worthy to open the book. I was sad because I saw no one was worthy. Oh, and then the Ascended Lord, the Lamb who was slain is able to. He will break the seals. We will give praise to Him. And what happens when the seals start getting opened? Some big stuff starts to happen. Some troubling things on earth begins to happen as judgment begins to be poured out little by little, giving people opportunity to repent. But pouring out judgment on persecutors, upon apostates, against babbles, against beasts, Chapters 2 through 3 of Revelation speaks of how the risen and ascended Lord even interacts with his churches in this way, that he wages war on false teachers if the church continues to tolerate them, to wage war on hypocrites in his church, to make the adversaries of his church come and bow before them. This is language speaking of this age. of that Jesus reigns for the good of his people, and he takes action. He is not idle. And of course, the Lord Jesus will complete this work in the end by defeating death, the last enemy, judging the living and the dead. He will return to earth as he ascended on the clouds of heaven, bringing his glory with him. Now it may seem evident that his hand of correction is upon our nation in various ways. May we heed it. You and I don't know the future, but nations and rulers are warned not to make the Lord Jesus angry, but rather to take refuge in him. It's important to convince our countrymen to turn to the Lord, to avoid continuing on a collision course with the king of kings. That's important, right? It's important for their personal sake and salvation, probably even more so, but then also for the well-being of the people, that they might hear the gospel and have time to repent and to respond to his salvation. It also seems evident that his hand of correction is on his church, on the church in this nation in various ways. By raising up opposition from the world to test his church, or by exposing scandals within the church. On the one hand, this is humbling to the church, and it should provoke everyone to cast away hypocrisy, to repent unto God. On the other hand, his work of judgment should be an encouragement to the church. Evil will not prosper. False teaching will not prosper. The Lord will triumph over all opposition. He will restrain and conquer his and our enemies. Those desires that wage war against your soul, he will shadow those too. He will not let them overcome you. He will not let false teachers, hypocrites, persecutors, revilers destroy his people. He is ascended to reign. And he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses. Think of the imagery also from the Book of Judges of Gideon following up the defeat of the Midianites, eager to chase after them completing the victory. This is our Lord ascended on high, continuing, following up his conquest that he accomplished on earth. So the Lord is ruling from on high. He's converting people to himself, shattering opposition. It should be clear what side to join, right? Join the victorious king. Take refuge in his eternal protection. Otherwise, that power will be exercised against you. He doesn't want to do that. You don't want Him to do that, but He will do that. He is zealous for His glory and for righteousness and to bring this world back into subjection to God. Everyone will need to decide what side they are on. And so our Lord Jesus has ascended to heaven to reign, to save, and to shatter. He is sovereign over all. His reign does not encourage passivity. It does not mean I get to lay back now and hang out with my guitar on top of the mountain and just wait for him to return. It doesn't mean that we can do whatever we want. His reign encourages confident obedience. It encourages you to follow through on His Word, to not go beyond it in trying to control matters by unlawful means. It doesn't mean to do less than that, thinking that now the burden's off of you and you don't have to do anything. It's a light yoke, but it is a yoke. And it is a delight, because we offer ourselves willingly unto it. Look to the Ascended Lord for guidance and hope. Look to the Ascended Lord to gain patience and endurance amid difficulties. That when you see that you wish you saw more progress than you see being made, whether it's in your own life, in someone else's life, or in your nation's life, you wish you could see better results right away, look to the Ascended Lord to gain confidence that He has things in hand. He gave you a task to do. But He will rule over all. Look to the Ascended Lord to gain assurance that your service and your work is not in vain. God is pleased with you and it through Christ. The Lord Jesus will extend his reign by his appointed means through Scripture and its reading and preaching and discipleship. He will extend his kingdom through the sacraments which apply that word then unto believers. He will do so through prayer as we pray for his kingdom to come and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven. He will do so through the structure of the church that he has established for the shepherding of his people and proclamation of his gospel. He will do so through our witness to him in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth. So in all that you do, do it for the King. Do it for the King Jesus. Live with this vision of the conquering Christ before you. as he is ascended into heaven at the right hand of God the Father. Let us pray. Lord God, we thank you for appointing this way of salvation through Jesus Christ and raising him not only from death but even into heaven to apply this salvation unto us and to to exercise your plans for the earth and glorifying your name. We pray that you would continue to bless the kingdom of your son, to send out his scepter from Zion, that he would rule in the midst of his enemies. We pray that you would bring in the lost to inherit this salvation, that you would overcome opposition to you and to your people and to your kingdom. We ask that you would strengthen us to give us faith and assurance that we might hold fast to your ways, to more and more observe his commandments, to do so with endurance and patience in the midst of a world which has little. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.