The God Who Reigns

Nov 22, 1987 (pm)

We have come to the end of another 'church calendar year.' Next Sunday we begin all over again, with the introspection and call to hope of Advent, as we watch for the Coming of the King.

There is wisdom in following the church year, and while not being in slavish conformity to it, letting it keep before us the broad richness of the heritage we know within the Church of Jesus Christ. There is inspiration in the way the church year is put together. Cynics can say that Christians of earlier ages simply adapted the pagan customs. I say that it is more than genius in

Beginning the church year in the gathering gloom of the year's midnight hour with Advent— a looking for the light; then ...
Celebrating the Incarnation, Christmas, the first great day of the church year, when the light begins to grow and glow and penetrate the darkness of the winter solstice.
We usually downplay the Epiphany, or revelation of the Light; but then in the late winter and very early springtime ...
We look toward Christ's Passion, and search our hearts and remember His forty-day's fasting (Lent;) and then ...
Recall with worship and wonder His death on the Cross, and His Resurrection, with Easter, the second great day of the church year. Then as the warmth of summer approaches we think about the Coming of the Holy Spirit and the Promise of God's Presence until we celebrate ...
Pentecost, the third great day of the church year. This is quickly followed by ...
Trinity Sunday, and we finish the year celebrating God's provision for our adequacy in Him. The church year keeps before us the whole spectrum of the great truth of salvation.

And the church year (Lutheran) ends on the note: JESUS CHRIST IS KING! (ANGLICAN= HAGGAI 2:1-9; Malachi 3,4)

THE DOCTRINE OF THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD puts a vital perspective on "faith." To believe that God is in charge, and that all things ultimately can happen only as He wills or permits IS NOT A POPULAR DOCTRINE IN MANY CIRCLES, BECAUSE

IT DOES NOT LEND ITSELF TO "USING" GOD— of manipulating God into sideline issues, for it makes it clear that this Universe is run on God's terms, for God's glory, according to God's will. And, too, it is not popular because
IT MAKES NO PROVISION FOR "FAVORITES" IN GOD'S SIGHT; or for earning or meriting eternal life; FOR ALL IS OF GOD AND HIS GRACE.

Three Psalms (93, 97, 99) begin with the phrase: "The LORD reigns!" (And all three end with the thought of how God's people should also be holy, for this Sovereign God is a HOLY God and he demands a HOLY people.)

I. THE LORD REIGNS!

WHAT DOES THIS DECLARE?

A statement of PRESENT FACT! Not "One day He SHALL reign!" but even NOW He is in charge!
A statement of PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT; The LORD, HIMSELF is in charge, and not some intermediary; not some power, force, unfeeling laws.
To believe otherwise is to live in some pre-Copernican age, spiritually. Thank God this Universe (1) does NOT revolve around mankind; and (2) is NOT here by chance or by chaos, even though we do not understand MOST of what we see.

[Transition: What then do we know about this God who reigns?]

II. (93:1) HE IS CLOTHED WITH MAJESTY!

He is glorious in creation!

How can we speak of the transcendent majesty of Almighty God? I pity those who cannot trace His handiwork in the heavens/ in the beauty of the sea/ in the mountains
The Psalmist pictures God as "serene, unperturbed (v 4) by the voice of many waters..." God is NOT a figurehead ruler, and THE THINGS THAT THREATEN OUR VERY SANITY ARE NOT OUT OF HIS CONTROL!
(v 5) "Thy testimonies are very sure!" We may depend on this majestic King's Word!

III. (97:1) LET THE EARTH REJOICE!

God is long-suffering in mercy!

The Majestic One is also very much involved in the lives of a people he calls his own! The Psalmist senses a "belonging!" (v 10 "HIS saints!") This is not to contradict the majesty and even the mystery of a great God— (vv 2-4) but God is both transcendent AND immanent.
This great God "preserves the soul" of His saints (v 10)
1. Our rejoicing is that GOD OVERCOMES EVIL. (true, there are no simple solutions— but God's people are on the 'winning side!')
2. WE ARE CALLED TO A CLEAR SEPARATION FROM EVIL: (v 10 "ye that love the Lord, hate evil!")
3. THE LORD HIMSELF IS THE "TOUCH-STONE" OF OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS (v 12 Rejoice IN THE LORD! —and not merely in the fact that "we" are "right" or we are "God's people")

IV. (99:1) LET THE PEOPLE TREMBLE!

God is faithful in JUSTICE!

We catch a glimpse here of God seated between the cherubim. HE IS MAJESTIC— LOVING— BUT LITERALLY STAGGERING THE EARTH IN HIS HOLINESS! He is "executing judgment in Jacob" The God who is faithful in CREATION, and faithful in MERCY, is also HOLY! He is faithful in JUDGMENT! We cannot understand the origin of evil in a Universe created by a good God. But a holy God can not and will not leave any injustice or unanswered questions about evil when He comes to settle all accounts.
We are judged even NOW by our response to God's LOVE! We are invited to identify with Him in a factual, real way. We are welcomed to be His children, in His family, sharing his divine love and nature!
Anything less than a total belonging to Him should make us tremble in the Presence of this God! And when He is revealed, like John, we will be awestruck! But if we are HIS, like John we will know His re-assurance!

WHAT HAS BEEN MY PURPOSE IN LIFTING OUT THIS PHRASE, "THE LORD REIGNS!" ? Just the fact that this is CHRIST THE KING Sunday? No— (actually I was drawn to this text before I recalled that this WAS the church calendar theme!) PERHAPS TO REMIND MYSELF OF THE HOLY AWE AND FEAR THAT SHOULD MAKE ME WANT TO "BE RIGHT" WITH THIS ONE who will one day make all things "right." Maybe I hoped to challenge YOU to make sure that YOU are "right" with God, too.

BUT PERHAPS I HOPE THAT YOUR RESPONSE AND MINE, TOO, WILL BE A DESIRE TO DO A BETTER JOB OF THE GREAT (ON-GOING) PRIVILEGE OF WORSHIP!

We do not have to wait until we die and go out into eternity to have part in the glory and wonder of worship! By faith just NOW we can confess that JESUS IS WORTHY! (Revelation 5:6-10.) One day every knee shall bow. We may be sure of that! But just NOW our lives as well as our tongues can praise Him!

#103 (WS) MY WONDERFUL LORD!