Thinking Why Do … The Peoples Plot in Vain?

Thinking

Why Do … The Peoples Plot in Vain?

“I could while away the hours

Conferrin’ with the flowers

Consultin’ with the rain.

And my head I’d be scratchin’

While my thoughts were busy hatchin’

If I only had a brain.” 

Sometimes we think people have straw for brains

David, Peter and John had the same thoughts

Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? Psalm 2:1; Acts 4:25

Although God laughs at straw brain thinkers

God’s people, like Peter and John, boldly continue to preach

And teach the Word of God

Don’t let politics get in the way of doing your job

Study the power of God’s Word and share the hope of Jesus with others

That makes sense

Why Do … The Peoples Plot in Vain?

Peter and John had just

healed a man in his 40’s.

This man was crippled from birth.

Every day he was carried

to the temple to beg.

Peter said to the man…

 "Silver or gold I do not have,

but what I have I give you.

In the name of Jesus Christ

of Nazareth, walk."

Acts 3:6-7

This miracle opened the door to

preach about what Christ had done.

About 5000 believed the Message.

The rulers and elders of the

people seized Peter and John.

They commanded them not to speak

or teach at all in the Name of Jesus.

After their release, Peter and John

had a powerful prayer meeting

with the believers.

In their prayer they quote David as

he was inspired by the Holy Spirit…

  “‘Why do the nations rage

and the peoples plot in vain ?

The kings of the earth take their stand

and the rulers gather together

against the Lord

and against his Anointed One.'” 

Acts 4:25, 26

If you know Jesus

If you know the God who

made the heavens and the earth

If you know the love of

God and His promises

You, like David, Peter and John,

 have asked the question…

Why do the nations conspire

and the peoples plot in vain ?

Psalm 2:1

People plotting.

It has always been man’s way

of forwarding their agenda.

There have always been those

who spend more time plotting

to remove someone or

group then doing their job.

Listen to the prayer of the disciples…

Now, Lord, consider their threats

and enable your servants to speak

your word with great boldness.

Stretch out your hand to heal and

perform miraculous signs and wonders

 through the name of your holy servant Jesus."

Acts 4:29-30

The disciples did not go back and

plot how to over throw the rulers.

They prayed for boldness

“to speak God’s Word”.

They did not get caught up in politics.

They did not get caught up

in conspiring and plotting.

 

They stayed focused on

the Message of God’s Word.

But they did ask the question…

  

Why do the nations conspire

and the peoples plot in vain ?

  

Why do people plot in vain?

I, too, wonder how some people

can believe what they believe.

It seems we have a lot of

people who are like the

scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz.

The song of the scarecrow on the

yellow brick road is pretty amazing.

What would he do if

he only had a brain…

“I could while away the hours

Conferrin’ with the flowers

Consultin’ with the rain.

And my head I’d be scratchin’

While my thoughts were busy hatchin’

If I only had a brain.” 

“I’d unravel every riddle

For any individual

In trouble or in pain.

Yes, there have always been and

will always be people with a

brain who use it to conspire and plot.

But for the believer,

we will use our brain to

understand God’s Word

and share it with others.

So we can say…

“I’d unravel every riddle

For any individual

In trouble or in pain.

Yes, Jesus did rebuke the

mindless leaders of His day,

but He did not spend His

time plotting against them.

He, like the disciples, spent their

time using their brains to understand

God’s Word and shared it with others.

Don’t get distracted by the

plots of others, stay focused on

getting the Gospel to every person.

Who knows maybe God will

heal a cripple and 5000 people

will turn in their straw for a brain.

The Creator of Heaven and

earth has given us a brain.

God is not all shook up

about scarecrow thinkers…

The One enthroned in heaven laughs;

the Lord scoffs at them.

Then he rebukes them in his anger

and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,

"I have installed my King

on Zion, my holy hill."

Psalm 2:4-6

Jesus Christ is on His throne.

And like Peter and John,

we can proclaim the Word

of God with boldness.

Because it is the only

thing that make sense.

Scripture Reading

Acts 4:23-26 NIV

23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:

"'Why do the nations rage

and the peoples plot in vain ?

26 The kings of the earth take their stand

and the rulers gather together

against the Lord

and against his Anointed One.' 

Psalm 2:1-6 NIV

Why do the nations conspire

and the peoples plot in vain ?

2 The kings of the earth take their stand

and the rulers gather together

against the LORD

and against his Anointed One.  

3 "Let us break their chains," they say,

"and throw off their fetters."

4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs;

the Lord scoffs at them.

5 Then he rebukes them in his anger

and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,

6 "I have installed my King

on Zion, my holy hill."

If I Only Had a Brain

“I could while away the hours

Conferrin’ with the flowers

Consultin’ with the rain.

And my head I’d be scratchin’

While my thoughts were busy hatchin’

If I only had a brain.” 

“I’d unravel every riddle

For any individual

In trouble or in pain. 

With the thoughts you’ll be thinkin’

You could be another Lincoln

If you only had a brain. 

Oh, I could tell you why the ocean’s near the shore. 

I could think of things I never thunk before

And then I’d sit and think some more. 

I would not be just a nothin’

My head all full of stuffin’

My heart all full of pain. 

I would dance and be merry

Life would be a ding-a-derry

If I only had a brain. 

Gosh, it would be awful pleasin’

To reason out the reason

For things I can’t explain. 

Then perhaps I’ll deserve you

And be even worthy of you. 

If I only had a brain.”