"PSALMS AND THE CHRISTIAN" A Source Of Messianic ConfirmationINTRODUCTION 1. Shortly before His ascension, Jesus taught His apostles that in the Psalms were messianic prophecies He fulfilled - Lk 24:44 2. When we realize that the Psalms are filled with messianic prophecies which find their fulfillment in Jesus of Nazareth, then we can use the Psalms in two ways: a. As a book of evidences, confirming our faith in Jesus as the Christ, the promised Messiah b. As an additional source of insight into our Lord's suffering and glorious triumph [It will be my purpose in this study to list some of the many fulfilled prophecies found in Psalms concerning the Messiah, and to stress their value in confirming our faith...]I. MESSIANIC PROPHECIES IN THE PSALMS FULFILLED IN JESUS A. THE MAJORITY OF SUCH PROPHECIES HAVE TO DO WITH HIS "PASSION"... 1. His rejection by both Jew and Gentile a. By the "kings of the earth" (Herod, Pilate, and the Sanhedrin) - Ps 2:1-3 (cf. Ac 4:23-28) b. By His own family - Ps 69:8 (cf. Jn 7:5) 2. Betrayal by His own friend - Ps 41:9 (cf. Mt 26:20-25) 3. His silence under rejection and false accusation - Ps 38:11-14 (cf. Mt 26:56,58-63; 27:11-14) 4. The insults, buffeting, spitting, and scourging He endured - Ps 35:15-16 (cf. Mt 27:26-31) 5. But especially the events surrounding His crucifixion a. His cries upon the cross - Ps 22:1 (cf. Mt 27:46) b. The mocking by enemies - Ps 22:6-8,12-13 (cf. Mt 27:39- 44) c. The physical agony - Ps 22:14-15 d. His side being pierced - Ps 22:16 e. The casting of lots for His clothing - Ps 22:17-18 (cf. Mt 27:35-36) f. Offer of gall and vinegar - Ps 69:21 (cf. Mt 27:34) g. Not a bone to be broken - Ps 34:20 (cf. Jn 19:31-37) h. His prayer for His enemies - Ps 109:4 (cf. Lk 23:34) i. His final words - Ps 31:5 (cf. Lk 23:46) j. Death to be in the prime of life - Ps 89:45 k. Death was to be voluntary - Ps 40:6-8 (cf. Mt 26:36-46) B. BUT THE PSALMS ALSO SPEAK OF HIS "GLORIOUS TRIUMPH"! 1. His resurrection from the dead - Ps 16:8-10 (cf. Ac 2:24- 31) 2. His ascension into heaven - Ps 68:18 (cf. Ep 4:8-10) 3. His coronation to sit and the right hand of God and to begin His reign - Ps 110:1-3 (cf. Ac 2:33; 1 Co 15:25-26; Ep 1: 20-23; 1 Pe 3:22; Re 2:26-27; 3:21) 4. His priesthood - Ps 110:4 (cf. He 6:19-20; 7:20-28) 5. His judgment of the nations - Ps 110:5-6 (cf. Re 1:5; 2:26- 28; 19:11-16) [There are other messianic prophecies found in the Psalms, but these should suffice to illustrate that the Book of Psalms is more than just a book of songs! To stress the point even more, consider...] II. THE VALUE OF MESSIANIC PROPHECY A. THE VALUE OF PROPHECY "IN GENERAL"... 1. God used it to confirm His existence - Is 46:9-11 a. He identifies Himself as the God of prophecy b. As one Who is able to declare His plans in advance, and then have the power to bring it about! 2. God used it to confirm His spokesmen a. We know the true prophets by applying the test of fulfilled prophecy - cf. De 18:18-22 b. Only those moved by the Holy Spirit could accurately fore- tell the future as God would bring it about - 2 Pe 1:21 B. THE VALUE OF "MESSIANIC PROPHECY"... 1. It helps to identify the One who is truly the Messiah, God's "Anointed One" a. The Old Testament (including the Psalms) has approximately 330 prophecies concerning the Messiah b. Jesus of Nazareth fulfilled every one! 2. The mathematical probability of it being a "coincidence" is astounding! a. The probability of ANY man who has lived since the beginning of time fulfilling just EIGHT of the prophecies has been calculated as 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000! b. The probability of fulfilling just FORTY-EIGHT is one in ten to the 157th power! 1) Counting at the rate of 250 units per minute... 2) It would take us 19 million times 19 million times 19 millions years just to count that high! 3. It is easy to see why the apostles used the Scriptures to prove that Jesus was the Christ... a. Paul's custom was to use the prophecies of the Scriptures to demonstrate that Jesus was the Christ - Ac 17:1-3 b. Peter did the same - Ac 3:18 4. Today, we can use the messianic prophecies... a. To convince the Jew that Jesus is their long-awaited Messiah! b. To convince the agnostic and atheist that: 1) There must be an omniscient God 2) The Bible writers were inspired by that God 3) Jesus is indeed the Christ, the Son of God! CONCLUSION 1. But not only to convince others, but also to confirm our own faith and the faith of our children - yes, such is the value of the Psalms! 2. It is certainly a demonstration of the truth expressed by the apostle Paul in Ro 10:17:"So then, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." 3. To increase your faith in God, in the Bible, and in Jesus, study the Psalms!