1. The word of the King                 Psalm 68:11-14

a) The authority of the word of the King                 Psalm 68:11a

b) Royal proclamation by many                  Psalm 68:11b

c) Great victory for the King and His army             Psalm 68:12-13

2. Reaction of those who reject the King’s word

a) Kings of armies flee                   Psalm 68:12a

b) Kings are scattered                    Psalm 68:14

3. The Domicile of the King

a) The mountain of God                                Psalm 68:15

b) Chosen residence of the King                   Psalm 68:16

4. The Army of the King

a) Many chariots                           Psalm 68:17

b) Gracious gifts of the King        Psalm 68:18

5. Benefits from the King

a) Daily benefits (physical)                           Psalm 68:19

b) Benefits (spiritual)                                     Psalm 68:20

6. Procession of the King

a) Great procession (victory)                       Psalm 68:24-27

b) Submission to the King                             Psalm 68:28-31

7. Worship of the King                                            Psalm 68:32-35

A CHALLENGE TO UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THE PRESENCE OF GOD

1. Powerful presence of God                      Psalm 68:1-2, 6

“The heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God,
Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.”    Psalm 68:8

“As smoke is driven away, so drive them away,
As wax melts before the fire,
So let the wicked perish at the presence of God.”                 Psalm 68:2

a) The wicked

They will perish

The wicked are compared to mere smoke and wax    Psalm 68:2

 b) The righteous

i)  They rejoice before God exceedingly                         Psalm 68:3

ii) They extol Him                      Psalm 68:3

2. Name of God

a) YAH

b) Usually translated as LORD                     Cf. Exodus 6:3, 6

3. Character of God

a) Father of the fatherless           Psalm 68:5a

b) Defender of widows                 Psalm 68:5b

c) Sets the solitary in families      Psalm 68:6a

d) Grants prosperity                       Psalm 68:6b

e) Provision for His people           Psalm 68:9-10

f) He confirms His inheritance    Psalm 68:9

REFLECTIONS OVER EASTER

Take time to reflect over Easter

1. Messages

2. Fellowship over tea

Reflecting over Easter

1. Keeping the buzz of Easter

“And they talked together of all these things which had happened. So it was, while they conversed and reasoned,” Luke 24:14,15

a) Talked together about what happened

b) Conversed

c) Reasoned

2. Well known but not fully understood

a) Easter is well known

i. A Public Holiday

ii. A Secular Holiday

iii. A religious Holiday

iv. A well known event

“Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?” Luke 24:18

v. Talked about things concerning Jesus of Nazareth  (Luke 24:19-24)

- Crucifixion of Christ

- Resurrection of Christ

b) Easter to be fully understood

i. Through the exposition of the Scriptures concerning the resurrection of Christ

“Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” Luke 24:26,27

ii. Opening of spiritual eyes to see

“Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him;” Luke 24:31

iii. Heart filled with joy and excitement

“And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24:32

c) Many deep things learned over Easter

i. Basic things

ii. New things

iii. Deeper things

A SYSTEM OF FAITH: PRAISE TO GOD AS KING REIGNING IN MOUNT ZION

1. Acknowledgment of God as King

a)      He is a great King

b)      He is the LORD of hosts

c)       He has a name that is worthy of all praise

d)      He is a Guide to His people from birth to death

2. Appreciation of the Capital of the Great King

a)      It is Mount Zion (Jerusalem)

b)      It is also called “the city of God”

c)       It is further called “the city of the great king”

d)      It is strategically elevated

e)      It is beautiful

f)       It is the joy of the whole earth

 3. Astonishment of people

a)      Kings assemble

b)      They check out the city of the great king

c)       They stood in awe

d)      They went away astonished

 4. Aspiration of God’s people

a)      God will establish His kingdom

b)      To dwell on God’s lovingkindness

c)       To focus on the majestic name of God in all His righteousness

d)      To rejoice in the Lord

e)      To admire Zion

f)       To exult in God

g)      To share with subsequent generations the glory of God’s city

 DISCUSSION

1. How did the sons of Korah receive such inspiration?

2. Is this description limited to physical Jerusalem?

3. How do we apply this teaching in our daily life?

A SYSTEM OF FAITH: THE KING OF THE EARTH

1. Description of the Lord

a)      The LORD Most High

b)      A great King over all the earth

c)       He reigns over all the earth

2. Worship of the Lord

a)      To clap hands with joy

b)      To shout with loud acclamation

c)       To praise God for His awesome greatness

d)      To song praises always (Note emphasis in Psalm 47:6-7)

e)      He is to be greatly exalted

 3. God’s rule over the earth

a)      He reigns over the nations

b)      He sits on His holy throne

c)       The shields of the earth belong to God (all have submitted to His rule)

4. The people who make up God’s kingdom

a)      Princes

b)      People of the God of Abraham

DISCUSSION

1. How may we understand the Lord as King over all the earth?

2. What about the nations that do not acknowledge God as their King?

3. How do we practise this teaching in our daily life?

A SYSTEM OF FAITH: THE KINGDOM OF GOD

1. Inspiration of the Psalmist to write                  Psalm 45:1

2. The king of Israel as a symbol of the Messianic King                 Psalm 45:2-9

a)      Blessed by God forever

b)      Full of glory and majesty

c)       Power to conquer all enemies

d)      An eternal throne

e)      A scepter of righteousness

f)       Anointed by God (Messiah concept)

g)      Gloriously dressed for beauty and for holiness

3. The Bride of the King              Psalm 45:10-15

a)      A symbolic picture of the Bride of the Messiah

b)      A royal bride

c)       Gloriously clothed

d)      Great joy

4. The sons of the kingdom      Psalm 45:16-17

a)      They are to be princes

b)      They will serve the Lord as people of noble blood

5. Desire of the psalmist

a)      To make known the name of the King forever

b)      To cause people to praise the Messiah-King

DISCUSSION

1. How well do we appreciate Jesus as the Messiah-King?

2. How well are we able to relate to the idea of the Church as the Bride of Christ?
(Cf. Ephesians 5:22-33; Revelation 19:7-9, 21:9)

3. How may we increase our love for the Lord and for the Church?

A SYSTEM OF FAITH: THE KINGDOM OF GOD

THE SONS OF KORAH

1. They were Levites

2. Some functioned as Psalm writers

3. They assisted the priests in maintaining the service of the Tabernacle/Temple

THE FOLLOWING KORAHIC PSALMS FEATURED GOD AS KING

1. Prayer to God as King             Psalm 44

2. Praise to God as King (Israel)              Psalm 45

3. Praise to God as King (The earth)      Psalm 47

4. Praise to God as King reigning in Mount Zion               Psalm 48

PRAYING TO GOD AS KING          Psalm 44

1. Appreciation of the Role of the King in establishing Israel as a kingdom Psalm 44:1-8

a)      Drove out the inhabitants of Canaan

b)      Planted Israel in Canaan

c)       Glorying in the King

2. Approaching the King with the problems facing the nation of Israel Psalm 44:9-16

a)      The enemies have the upper hand

b)      Israel is defeated and scorned by the enemies

c)       The nation is in danger of being destroyed

3. Appealing to the King for justice  Psalm 44:17-22

a)      Pleading innocence

b)      Not guilty of playing false with God’s covenant

c)       Not guilty of departing from God

d)      Not guilty of forgetting God’s name

4. Appealing to God to arise and to come to the rescue of His people  Psalm 44:23-26

a)      Desperate plea for immediate help

b)      Pleading the mercies of God

DISCUSSION

1. How well do we understand the role of the priests and Levites?

2. How should we understand the strong language employed by the Sons of Korah?

3. How may we practise the idea of praying to God as King?

A SYSTEM OF FAITH: THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Psalm 29
“The LORD sat enthroned at the Flood,
And the LORD sits as King forever.
The LORD will give strength to His people;
The LORD will bless His people with peace.”

1. The theme of Psalm 29
“The voice of the Lord”     Psalm 29:3-9

2. Significance of this phrase

a)      God’s power

b)      God’s sovereignty

c)      God’s Judgment

3. Reference to The Flood

a)      Reference to the Global Deluge                     Genesis 6-9

b)      He sat enthroned as the King-Judge of sinful mankind

4. Theological significance

a)      He is King forever                                Psalm 29:10

b)      He will give strength to His people    Psalm 29:11

c)      He will bless His people with peace   Psalm 29:11

5. Relating to the Lord as King

a)      To ascribe glory and strength to Him Psalm 29:1

b)      To give Him holy worship                    Psalm 29:2

c)      To stand in awe of the glory of God     Psalm 29:9

DISCUSSION

1. How may we improve our worship of the Lord as King?

2. How may we appreciate His glory better?

3. How may we reflect His glory in our life?

4. How may we know that we are “His people?”

A SYSTEM OF FAITH: THE KINGDOM OF GOD                                                     

THE DOCTRINE OF THE LORD AS KING

Psalm 5:1-2
“Give ear to my words, O LORD.
Consider my meditation.
Give heed to the voice of my cry,
My King and my God,
For to You I will pray.”

Psalm 10:16
“The LORD is King forever and ever;
The nations have perished out of His land”

Psalm 24:7-8
“Lift up your heads, O you gates!
And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The LORD strong and mighty,
The LORD mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, O you gates!
Lift up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The LORD of hosts,
He is the King of glory.”

1. Identifying the King

a)      He is God

b)      He is Lord

c)      He is the King of glory

2. Relating to the King

a)      Prayers are to be made to Him

b)      Praise is to be given to Him

3. Features of the King

a)      Full of glory

b)      Strong and mighty

c)      Eternal

DISCUSSION

1. Do we think of God as King?

2. Do we consciously apply the idea of God as King when we pray?

3. What are some ramifications of the Kingship of God?

a)      He is Sovereign

b)      He is Lord

c)      His power will prevail

4. How do we cultivate our relationship as subjects to this great King of glory?

A System of Faith: The Kingdom of God

The Search for the King of the Jews

1. The quest of the Wise Men from the East            Matthew 2:1-12

2. Their question

“Where is He born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”            Matthew 2:2

a)      Recognition of Jesus as King

b)      King of the Jews

 c)      Worthy of worship

3. Finding Jesus

a)      They saw the Young Child with Mary His mother                Matthew 2:11

b)      They fell down and worshipped Him                                      Matthew 2:11b

i)                  Recognition of Jesus as Deity

ii)                 Confirmation of knowledge and faith

iii)                Expression of homage to Jesus

c)      They offered Him precious gifts                     Matthew 2:11

i)                   Gold

ii)                  Frankincense

iii)                 Myrrh

4. Prophecy of the Messiah-King

a)      Knowledge of the Scriptures                                                   Matthew 2:4

b)      Citation of the Scriptures: “It is written”                              Matthew 2:5

i)                   Birthplace of the Messiah in Bethlehem             Matthew 2:6a

ii)                  A ruler will come forth                                          Matthew 2:6b

iii)                 He who shepherd My people Israel                    Matthew 2:6c

 5. Prophecy of Jesus as King

a)      A Divine Decree                     Psalm 2

b)      God’s beloved Son

c)      He is anointed King

d)     He will rule the world

e)      There will be many who will resist this Decree of God

f)       Ultimately, God’s decree will prevail

g)      Jesus will be the Lord over all the earth

GOALS FOR 2012

1. Cultivate Knowledge of Jesus as Messiah-King

2. Deepen appreciation of Prophetic literature

3. Expand knowledge of the Kingdom of God

4. Cultivate understanding of the relevance of the doctrine of the Kingdom of God

5. Encouragement to apply the Kingdom concept to daily life and ministry