Christ’s Sovereign Triumph

We’re turning then this morning to Psalm 68 as we continue looking at the texts of Messiah. I want you to find tremendous comfort in what we look at today, because what we have here is the promise of all the graces necessary to live this life in victory. The promise of all the graces necessary to live this life in the victory, the victory procured by the King.

We’re going to read from verse 11. That text we will look at this evening, God willing. This morning it’s verse 18, but let’s read from verse 11 through verse 19. Let us hear God’s Word.

The Lord gave the Word. Great was the company of those that published it. Kings of armies did flee apace, and she that tarried at home divided the spoil. Though ye have line among the pots, Yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver and her feathers with yellow gold. When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it was white as snow and salmon. The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan, and high hill as the hill of Bashan. Why leap ye high hills? This is the hill which God desires to dwell in. Yea, the Lord will dwell in it forever. The chariots of God are 20,000, even thousands of angels. The Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place. Thou hast ascended on high. Thou hast led captivity captive. Thou hast received gifts for men. Yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them. Blessed be the Lord who daily loatheth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah. Amen.

We’ll end the reading at the end of verse 19. This, beloved, is the word of the eternal God, which you would receive, believe, and obey. And the people of God said, Amen.

Let’s pray. Lord, we do pray for the grace to humble ourselves before Thee and to crown Thee with the kingly position that Thou hast a right to. We are so easily brought to a place of contentment and to a place of complacency, and we can forget that the king may order this and that and the other and never, never looks for our input. So we pray that today we be brought to submission, and especially for anyone who’s fighting and feeling the weight of the battle that they’re in, feeling their own flesh fight against the will of God. Please, Lord, help us, help us all to submit readily, and encourage us from the text today. Give them wings to thy word, let it run our free course and shut us in with thyself. Benefit thy people and extend thy kingdom. We humbly pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

This psalm, of which we’ve just read a portion, is unusual in a number of ways, ways that I’m not going to take the time to get into, but the consensus tends to be that it was written at the scene of the bringing of the ark from the house of Obed-Edom right to where it ought to be in the center of the Lord’s people, to Jerusalem, to be in Zion. And with that whole event, as significant as it was, it was right for it to be recognized in song.

The opening line reflects the significance of the ark. Verse 1 says, let God arise, let His enemies be scattered. Let them also that hate Him flee before Him. This language is really drawn from the prayer that Moses began with when the ark would be moved among the children of Israel in the wilderness. In Numbers chapter 10 verse 35, we are told, and it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered, and let them that hate thee flee before thee.

So that’s the scene, and if you were Jewish, if you were an Israelite reading this psalm, you’d know exactly what David was referring to: that he is drawing from that prayer of Moses, his longing that as the ark moves and signifies the presence of God in the midst of his people, that it would result in the defeating of their enemies and a making way for his own people. And so that’s the same idea. The ark is coming to its rightful place. Let God arise, says David. Let His enemies be scattered. Make a way for God that He might occupy the place that is His, unhindered.

And so he’s celebrating, celebrating the triumphant march of the people of God around the Ark of the Covenant to its rightful place, signifying the presence of God in the midst of His people and His victory over all those who opposed Him.

Now with that, there’s language, of course, that is maybe challenging, certainly poetic, but I think you can get the sense of it, and certainly there’s a sense of the heart of it being around the text that we are looking at this morning. I’ll read from verse 17. The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels. The Lord is among them, as in Sinai in the holy place.

So he thinks back to the presence of the angelic host around Sinai, the giving of the law, and God’s presence in the midst of His people, and now he says in verse 18, “Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led…thou hast received gifts for men, yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them.” This is the hope: God dwelling in the midst of His people and defeating all their enemies. And surrounded by this angelic host, there is one who has led captivity captive. He has brought his enemies. They are now captive and they’re being led forth. And gifts then have been received, that the bounties of war, the tribute from the nations are being given to the one who is worthy, even to the king. And so all these conquered peoples are seen to be submitting to the king, submitting to the Lord who reigns and rules.

The scene then brings us to the ascension of God in the midst of His people, a position of rule and authority. And it’s for that reason then that the Apostle Paul draws from verse 18 in Ephesians chapter 4. In Ephesians 4 he looks to, and we’ll get to it in just a moment, in Ephesians 4 he sees the ascended Christ going into a place, occupying a throne, and being in a place that is over all the enemies who might fight against His rule and reign.

Now, in Handel’s Messiah, this text then is used in that context, where this verse is dwelt upon and sung actually in such a way that really I was listening to it and thinking, you know, it’s not one of those great memorable pieces. It almost functions really like a bridge, and maybe that’s intentional, because as the Lord Jesus reigns now, it is in the bridge between his comings. He’s ruling there and dispensing His authority and His blessings upon His people and conquering all those that oppose His rule and reign. Maybe that’s the reason why. Or maybe, I had this thought as well, maybe it’s the fact that the Lord Jesus ruling and reigning is a truth that the church seldom dwells upon and almost is not thought upon in the way it should be, almost passes by in this, it’s almost a non-event to the church. Or maybe in Handel’s mind he didn’t understand the full significance of it. I doubt that given the rest of how it’s reflected. But whatever the case, I do think, I do think in the church there is a lack of dwelling upon the ruling and reigning of Christ. And the seeing of the victory, because if you see what the apostle, if he’s drawing from, or since I should say, he’s drawing from this psalm to make his point that Jesus has gone and is bestowing gifts to his people, he is drawing then, he is seeing then a Christological significance in the ark going to its rightful place.

As he saw that ark go, and as he looked back on that historic event, he saw in that, depicted the Christological reality of Christ finding his rightful place, and there the presence of God is known among his people. And the blessings then flow down from that. So this morning, I want us to consider the sovereign triumph of the ascended Christ. The sovereign triumph of the ascended Christ. We’ll see the sovereign seating of Christ, the sovereign subduing of captivity, and the sovereign supply of graces.

So, the sovereign seating of Christ. The text, verse 18 begins, thou hast ascended on high. That is language of triumph. And when you read that language, I want you to know firstly with me that it is the proof of his descent. His ascending on high, by implication, gives proof of his descent. Turn with me to Ephesians 4. Go over there till you see where the apostle makes use of this text. And you’ll see what I mean.

The ascending on high is not merely a geographic relocation. But it is an emphasis upon Christ’s exaltation, that in His state now, He is no longer in this state of humiliation, but is in a state of exaltation, is ascending on high, is elevating and contrasting what His experience was here upon the earth. So, Ephesians 4, verse 8. So we see the context here: unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ, wherefore he saith, how is this come about? How come this is bestowed upon us? When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men, and then he makes this parenthetical statement: now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.

Now the remark there is not so much about seeing again, I think some they read the lower parts of the earth and they start getting into ideas of divided Hades and so on, and that’s not what it’s saying. There’s some hold to that, that’s up to them, but that’s not necessitating a divided Hades. The whole, if you read Ephesians as a whole and you see that there’s a sense of contrast between Christ and His humiliation upon the earth and His exaltation and His ascension up to the right hand of God, that constantly is being reflected upon through the epistle. And it’s no different here.

The lower parts of the earth is just a way of describing him coming in and embracing all the lowliness of his humiliation, taking on our nature, enduring all the suffering, and going through everything that necessitated his position as the mediator of his people. Embracing all of that is him coming into the lowest, the most humble experience of this world before his exaltation.

Now, that same truth, of course, is reflected by the Apostle Paul in Philippians 2, verses 8 and 9: being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death. That’s the descent, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him. That’s the ascent. You know it goes on to say, and giving him a name and so on. Everyone will bow before him and acknowledge his authority and power.

And so the psalm, the psalm is reflecting this. The psalm is reflecting the fact that the ark has been away and now it’s coming to its rightful place. And Paul draws from that, saying that Christ left heaven, taken away from his rightful place, and now he ascends into that position. He goes from not the earth into a heaven. Another part of earth, as it were. He’s not going to just an earthly Zion. It’s not like the ark going into Jerusalem, but he’s going to the heavenly Zion. He’s ascending there, and he’s occupying his throne there, and governing and ruling from there.

So, again, I just want you to note that in the psalm there is, by implication, the descent, and that’s what the apostle reflects on when he’s quoting from this psalm. The fact that he, that thou hast ascended on high, reflects the fact that he ascended because of his descent, which happened beforehand. He descended into this world.

Now what’s the point of that? Why am I pointing that out? Because you can’t fully understand the ascent without the descent. It is the recognition that when he took our flesh, it was a descent. It was an embracing of the humble position of veiling his glory and taking upon him our nature. All of that was a descent, but through His death and through His resurrection, there is an ascent where He takes that same nature. In a glorified form, He’s occupying the right hand of the majesty on high, and that is the depiction Paul sees.

Psalm 68 is giving this Christological hope. And as the children of Israel rejoiced, and as David rejoiced in the ark going back to where it belongs, so the church rejoices in the significance of Christ ascending to heaven. You remember that part of the struggle of the disciples was when Jesus said He was going away, and they lamented that. They didn’t want Him to go away. But He taught them that, no, I have to go away, and that they should rejoice in His going away. And when they fully understand the import of Him ascending and taking that exalted position, then they could embrace it and rejoice in it. Because now that He’s there, He gives gifts. He pours out His Spirit upon His people.

So it’s the proof of his descent. It’s also the perfection of his mediation. That he ascended on high to that place of supreme authority shows the perfection of his mediation. Upon the earth he stood as our mediator, lived as our mediator, died as our mediator, but he ascends to heaven not to set aside his mediation, but in one sense to embrace the perfection of it. Now He represents us having completed the work. Now He prays for us having finished the work. Now He intercedes for us with the wounds that He carries and makes intercession for us forever.

And so he ascends on high there to the right hand of the Father, fulfilling the typology. Yes, fulfilling it as it was in the ark going to Zion, but also even in the high priest, of course, entering into that holy place once a year, which is the typology that Hebrews draws from: that he’s a high priest and he entered in once. And he didn’t enter by the blood of another, but by his own blood. And He obtained eternal redemption for us, and now He is there, and we now can enter into that holy place by the blood of Jesus, by that new and living way, and we can pray with confidence and seek Him because of the perfection of His mediation.

Peter’s sermon in Acts 2. He affirms, therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this which he now see and hear. And so, you’re seeing his mediation. You’re seeing the implications of him ascending to that position. What you’re seeing is the fruit of his rule and his reign. The benefits of Him being there by the right hand of God exalted.

Now, I say that we overlook this. We do not ponder Christ and His position as we should. And we go through life morose and discouraged and depressed and downcast and feeling forgotten. And we don’t think the way we should.

Now, I know we live in light of the cross. That’s true. The cross is that central act. Without it, all the rest is impossible. He had to die and offer Himself as a sacrifice for us. But we shouldn’t just remain there. We see beyond the cross and we dwell upon the resurrection, and we go beyond the resurrection, we see Him ascended in what we refer to as His session at the right hand, His rule and His reign.

And beloved, just like David’s joy was to see the ark take its rightful place, so it is your joy to see the Son of God in our nature take His rightful place at the right hand of God, because that’s what makes the difference. Signify that favor of God among His people. Jesus Christ taking our nature and dying in our place and rising from the dead and ascending into heaven itself shows the favor of God for His people.

You want to know that you’re loved? You don’t just look to the cross. You look to the Father’s reception of the crucifixion in the resurrection and in Christ’s reign. And you see there the favor. How could He love me, a sinner? Yes, in your nature, you’re a sinner. But he has taken that nature. And he represents, Jesus Christ represents us in that nature. And being in union with him, we’re accepted.

It meant everything to David to see that emblem or image, depiction and promise of the presence of God among his people. And it should mean everything to you and me as well.

Not only the sovereign seating of Christ, but the sovereign subduing of captivity. He subdues those who are against him. Thou hast led captivity captive. This is a military scene. This is an announcement of what has happened in the warfare. There has been a warfare, and the enemies are taken captive. They have no power anymore. We do not live in their fear. So you see David again saying that. Here it is. God is in the midst of his people. And he is carrying all the enemies, his enemies and ours, away so that they are unable to afflict us the way they might desire.

And Paul says, this is what happened in the cross. This is what has happened as a result of Christ’s work. The enemies are taken captive. And this has major consequences for the church. So we might say that this captivity subdued is the tyranny of our enemies. This captivity subdued is the tyranny of our enemies.

So again, the context is the spoils of war. The context is that of all that has been gleaned from those who oppose you. The vanquished foes have been conquered. And now the benefits belong to the people of God. That’s what Paul says is the position of the church: that all that opposes the church in one sense has been conquered. Sin, to the full extent of its destructive implications and effects, has been conquered by Christ. The miracle of miracles, that God can take an unholy man who by his very nature cannot escape that unholiness, and so change that man that he becomes holy. That’s the gospel. It makes the unholy holy. It causes there to be a change of the nature, a change of the heart.

Is the heart deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, as Jeremiah 17 says? Yes. Is it the business of Jesus Christ by His Spirit to take away the stony heart and to give an heart of flesh? Is it His business to put His law into that heart, to write it, and cause that person to strive to obey it? Yes. Do we still struggle in that obedience? Yes. But there is a conquering going on. He changes us.

That which opposes the people of God, even the devil himself. What are we told by James? Resist the devil. How? How do you resist the devil? By his grace. Possibly even tied in to what follows. Draw an eye to God and he will draw an eye to you. By the drawing near to God, the strength that we get from being near to God, we get victory over Satan. Resist the devil. That could not be done before, but because of Jesus Christ is true. So the dominion of the enemy has been broken. The standing of the people of God is distinct.

Now, as David saw the ark go, did it mean that there was no possible threat in the future? No, it didn’t mean that at all. But the ark there signified divine favor, and because of that divine favor and that presence in the midst of His people, there was assurance that God would bestow what is needed to His people. And, beloved, that is where we are. We have Christ occupying that position for us. He’s there for us. I mean, don’t forget that. He is there for you. He took that nature, condescended. He did it for you, to save you, to redeem you, to change you, to make you a child of God, to one day to be with God, to be in fellowship in a way that can never be severed in an absolute sense.

He’s doing that for you. And in his vanquishing of the enemies, he is giving blessing and victory to his people. And so whatever the enemy is, however it may be described, he has taken captive our enemies and his, and he is intending with that to give you victory in the Christian life, an ultimate victory in the end. This is so hopeful.

Colossians 2.15, having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. That can’t be read without thinking of its implications to those for whom it was done. His victory, his triumph is for you. Paul finds hope and encouragement and communicates that to the believers at Ephesus. He gets their mind: remember Psalm 68? Remember David and his joy at the ark getting into its rightful place? Remember the song and the sense of victory? I can’t go and dwell on other aspects of Psalm 68. I think I will tonight. I’ll look at a little more of just the sense of victory over the nations.

Victory over the nations, over all the opposition. That’s what Psalm 68 communicates, this sense of victory. And Paul is drawing from that intentionally, so that you would see it is through Christ that we gain that victory. It is through His rule and reign that we see the promise of conquering everything that opposes the people of God. And I think we live too often and don’t see it or believe it. We just, we live defeated. We have a mentality of defeatism. And Paul would say, don’t do that. That was not the spirit of the children of Israel seeing the ark go. That was a day of joy. That was a day for singing joyfully. Here’s the victory, praise God. And in the ascent of Christ, that same spirit of song to God is to fill your heart.

I don’t know what your eschatology is, but if it leads you to not live in the victory of Christ’s work, then it’s doing you harm. And it’s wrong. Or at least what you’re concluding from it is wrong. If your eschatology leads you not to have a song upon seeing Christ ascended, you’re missing the point.

I’m concerned about people who don’t see this vanquishing of foes. I’m concerned even when my own heart doesn’t live in the midst of this truth. This captivity subdued is the tyranny of our enemies. That is subdued.

This captivity subdued is also the triumph over death. That is included also, isn’t it? It must be included. When the apostle gets to arguing this point, then this is the sense that Christ has victory even over death. Really, it culminates there, where we may talk about victory over this, that, and the other, but if we have not victory over death at the last, we lose. But the hope of the gospel is at the last we win.

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? It screams victory over us. That’s what it does. Death in the grave. It says, I am victorious. And through the gospel, the Christian says, no. It’s not so. Revelation 1, I am he that liveth and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen, and have the keys of hell and death. Keys, authority, power.

And so when it comes to that moment for you, when you’re facing that last enemy, an enemy we don’t think about often, we don’t think about it often. We may meander through our lives dealing with this responsibility and that responsibility, but as we have already considered, it comes. The news of your passing, it will come. It’s certain. And when you get perhaps information that that is inevitable, what are you gonna think upon? The gospel is what allows you, listen beloved, you dwell on Christ’s victory and you live in that victory, because if he procured it, it was for you. What did he procure that wasn’t for you? His mediation, all of his work is for you. His victory over death is your victory. And so we need not fear it. We need not fear it for ourselves, nor when we must enter into its reality as it becomes the lot of our loved ones. This is not a loss for them. This is another aspect of the victory. It’s another chapter in the victory. Oh, that we would see it.

Paul going to Jerusalem having been warned. They’re going to arrest you, Paul. It’s over if you go there. And he said, I’m going, I’m going anyway. And they hold on to him and they grab to his very clothing and they appeal, don’t go. And his response, what mean ye to weep and break mine heart? I am ready not only to suffer.

But today, it’s just another chapter in the victory.

Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive. The enemy has been taken captive. That’s what it says. So you put the enemy, whatever you want to say. What about sin? I have acquired victory for you. Just seek it from me. You might say, why can’t he just bestow it upon us? Well, I mean, you could say the same when he told his apostles. He promised the Holy Spirit. He promised the Holy Spirit, didn’t he? But he said, when I go, here’s what I want you to do. Tarry in Jerusalem, and to ask the Father. He looked to them, He encouraged them: seek for the promise of the Father. So that’s what they did. He ascends and they obey. They get together and they pray for the Holy Spirit. And He granted it to them.

Now, in like fashion, so it is with all aspects. If there’s something, if there’s temptation and a particular sin that seems to get its teeth into you and wreak havoc upon you, one of the strongest weapons you have is the humility of a posture of prayer that says, I don’t have the answers for this. I don’t have the solution for the victory. Lord, bestow it. Asking for it. Our pride is limitless. It has a way of bleeding into everything, where we will not even so much ask God for the victory over the things we struggle with. It doesn’t seem to make any sense, but that’s where we are. You know it as well as I do. Here you are struggling with this fear, and this anxiety, and this worry, and this concern, and this longing, and this desire, and whatever else. You just fill it all up, and we don’t actually make it a matter of concentrated, focused, intentional prayer. Please, Lord, I don’t have the solution. Help.

Finally, the sovereign supply of graces. Thou hast received gifts for men, yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord might dwell among them. Here is the benefit. Received gifts for men, yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord might dwell among them. Here is what the work accomplishes for us.

First, graces that furnish the church in her perfection. Graces that furnish the church in her perfection. Now, what’s interesting is how Paul just makes a little change here in the language. Thou hast received gifts for men, says Psalm 68. Thou hast received gifts for men. And the apostle just adds a little extra clarity there. It’s not just that the king receives all the spoils of war for the benefit of himself purely. A good king, when enriched, enriches everyone around him and all those under his reign. And Paul makes that more clear because he uses about giving gifts to men. Christ ascends to give gifts to men. He, yes, vanquishes His enemies, receives tribute, rules and reigns in order that He might give, that He might give.

And so from verse 8, which is Ephesians 4 verse 8, he goes on in verse 11 to talk about what he furnishes his church with. You will know it. He gives some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry and so on and so forth. And so he gives, he bestows what the church needs, and there he’s focusing upon particular offices that are used to furnish the church. And that’s their job: furnish the church, help the church, help God’s people live as they ought.

And it brings upon us this responsibility, which I think is highlighted by Peter in 1 Peter 4 verse 10: as every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. It’s not just these offices that Christ has gifted. He has gifted all His people. He has gifted all of His people. If you come in under the king’s authority, if you submit in repentance and faith to the rule of Jesus Christ, then he says, here’s the gift. Receive the gift. He bestows his gift. And we then in turn have a responsibility to do something with that. It’s a stewardship. It’s the king gives a job, right? Do the job.

Now, this means you can’t have the benefits of being a part of the kingdom in the sense of the pardon of your sin and forgiveness and adoption and so on without the fact that he’s given you a job, a gifting. He said, here’s your thing. Here’s what I want you to do. And part of the struggle, maybe when you’re young, especially I think of the young here, is discovering what that is. What is my gift? What am I meant to do with my life? What areas am I strong?

And of course, it’s good for us to remember that, that we’re not all the same. Fading into what I said earlier about envy among those who are peers, especially in youth, where we have a tendency to have this insecurity about ourselves, but it can come into the church too. And Christians can look at other Christians and wish they had this, that, and the other, and they’re really discontent at the way the king has bestowed the gifts. Don’t do that. Your focus isn’t to be someone else. Your focus is to figure out what the King has asked you to do. Figure it out.

Because it is to be used. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. So God very intentionally, the Lord Jesus very intentionally, in the sending of the gifts and the giving of the gifts doesn’t make everyone have everything. He leaves diminished qualities in some. He leaves them so that they’re dependent upon others, so that they cannot do everything themselves and they’re not meant to be the only person necessary in the given context.

But this is so key because what this text is unfolding before us is that in the victory of Christ’s work and his ascension to the Father’s right hand, he is very intentional in giving victory to his people and bestowing to them gifts that they then use across the kingdom.

Using the gift. That means the health and unity and blessing of your home is dependent on that kind of thing. I’m glad I’m not on my own in the raising of my children. If God so was to leave someone on their own, I know he would furnish that person with what they need. But it is, it is an awareness that my spouse makes up something that I don’t have. And it’s difficult when that’s not there. Some of you know what that is. Feeling the absence. Knowing the limitations.

It’s true also of the church. We’re not all the same. And it’s a really dumb vision that we all be the same. Make everyone a preacher. No. If everyone in this church was a preacher, there’d be a ton of things left undone. There’d be such a skewed imbalance in the church. Everyone should witness, but not everyone’s a preacher. Make everyone to be artistic, or make everyone to be analytical. That’s not how it is. Thank God it is not that way. The king dispenses his gifts, and so ordinary people, filled with love and truth, are called to advance maturity in the wider body.

Embrace it. This is a consequence of his triumph. Grace is what furnished the church in her perfection, and also grace is what furnished the church in her purpose. What’s the purpose? What does it lead up to? That God, that the Lord God might dwell among…that’s it. The purpose is seeing God in the midst of His people. And so this is what the Lord Jesus promised, isn’t it? He promised that He would never leave them. He promised that He would, well, how Mark’s gospel reflects on it, the Lord working with them as evidence that the King is in their midst, that He has gone there, but by His Spirit, He’s in their midst, showing that He is in their midst. So we’re to see this, we’re to see this, this was the hope.

In Exodus 29, 45, I will dwell among the children of Israel and will be their God. 2 Corinthians 6, same thing. As God had said, I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people. That is the thing, that with Christ ascending, there’s a more manifest revelation of God with his people.

When you see a community operate the way they should in bestowing all their graces, their gifts to one another, it’s a beautiful thing. And we don’t do it perfectly. And yet Christ has given to every one of you a gift, at least one gift, that you are to spend time exercising in the midst of the body or for the benefit of the body in some way.

Now, every Christmas, we have family members who send money. It’s a one lump sum gets submitted into our checking account, right, these family members. Can you imagine what would happen if I decided that I was going to use that money all for myself, can you imagine? I can’t imagine in the future Christmases that that money would be bestowed into that account. There wouldn’t be trust. It wouldn’t do it.

Christ bestows gifts to his church, and those who do not make use of those gifts, how can they expect He will continue to supply the grace? You wouldn’t do it. You wouldn’t. He’s looking for his people.

I half wonder if some of the struggles that Christians face at times aren’t in part because they refuse to exercise their gift the way the Lord intends. And they feel empty over here. But the way to fill that up, whatever that is, it could be your mental state, it could be some need and desire, it could be whatever it is, you’re feeling this loss. And as you communicate your grace, your gift, as you push out to do what your calling is in your life, he supplies the graces there.

But if you dry up and you withhold, and you hunker down and you isolate and you keep yourself to yourself, why would the king bestow more of his power upon you? You’re not a trustworthy servant.

Two things as we close.

First, embrace the freedom that Christ has purchased. Embrace it intentionally.

Thou hast ascended on high. Thou hast led captivity captive. Thou hast received gifts for men. Yea, for the rebellious also.

See that. He is gone. He has taken away the enemy. He has dealt a fatal blow. He is in that victory, promising a victory for you and me, and we need to embrace it. We need to see him in that place of authority. We need to live in light of that truth. We need to rejoice that it is ours and not ignore it. It’s to our detriment.

Imagine the people who weren’t there on that occasion of the ark going into its rightful place. They missed out. They didn’t get the memo. They didn’t hear of it. And they’re still at home lamenting. Lamenting because the ark isn’t in its rightful place. God, when will the ark be where it belongs, and so on? And someone has to come around and say, brother, what are you doing? The ark’s there. God has gotten the victory.

I think that’s how some believers live. They’re waiting for Christ to be in his rightful place sometime in the future. So right now is this holding pattern, feeling no sense of victory. That was not the early church, and that is not the Christological view that Paul has. Because he’s drawing from Psalm 68, it is intentional. The seeing of that going into place, the ark going into its rightful place, that is Christ. And he has purchased a victory. And he is now giving gifts even to the rebellious. Yes, because that was you and me. We were rebellious, fighting against him. And he has come to gain victory over our heart.

So embrace that freedom, and also recognize and make use of the gifts Christ bestows. You have to see it. Stop it. Stop living your life ignoring the gift that God has given to you. You have a gift. Don’t waste your life ignoring the gift. Get a hold of what it is and then put it at his disposal and say, Lord, however you want me to use this, here I am. What will thou have me to do?

Has to be done. Some of you need to do it today. Because you’re kind of drifting, you’re drifting. You’re sitting there in your Christian life, occupying a little place, but you’re not actually.

Let me go back and read that verse. Let me read to you what that Peter says. Where was that? 1 Peter, it’s gone from me. There it is, 1 Peter 4, 10. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Get that into your heart. Every man. Get it out. That grace is received to be given, and when the king doesn’t see it, you can’t make him happy.

So, beloved, see him ruling and reigning. Enter again to the joy of that. And then know that he is giving to you a purpose. Exercise that purpose and be a blessing. May God bless his word.

Let’s bow together in prayer. Thank you for your patience this morning. Let us look to the Lord. There’s something to do here. This Word has given you something to do. Know your gifting and then find ways to apply it. And you have the opportunity here to do that. You have. And I encourage you, let it not be my voice you hear. Let it be the King sounding out from his throne, saying to you, it’s time. It’s time, my child. Embrace your gift. Serve the church.

Lord, help us with this. Amidst all the voices and all the expressions of authority that we see in our world, draw each mind here to view by faith the rule and reign of Jesus Christ. Grant that this church might live in the joy of that victory and that the Lord Jesus, all gracious Savior of ours, please give the Holy Spirit in great measure to us. And as we exercise our gifts, may it be in that fullness of divine blessing.

I pray even for those who are more aged and feel like in some ways their gifting is no longer able to be exercised. Give them a way in which to angle that gift or to make use of some other gift. I pray, enlighten their minds to make use, full use, of the time you still have given them here on this earth. Lead us, O God, help us to work in tandem with thy Spirit, and may the blessing of the triune God richly be our portion. Hear us now, remember us through the afternoon hours, and grant that we may return here fully expectant that the Lord will meet with us. May the grace of our Lord Jesus, the love of God our Father, and the fellowship of the Spirit be the portion of every child of God, now and evermore. Amen.