Theme: Celebrate Life

Text: Psalm 139: 14

Proposition: “We should celebrate life with the Lord”
Interrogation: Why?
Introduction: “Celebrate Life” A theme that reminds us that life is not just nothing.
Life has many things to do and to accomplish. There was a saying that goes, “You
Only Live Once (YOLO)”. This saying implies that we need to savour life. We
need to live out the most of it. We need to enjoy what is life. There were two
persons in the Bible that portrays the celebration of life to the fullest. These two
men were people of God:
The first person was known to be the most popular in his time. He was well
known to every place. He was respected by people who are in the higher position
(by kings, queens, governors, and administrators). He was known to be the wisest
king in his time. He had everything because God has given him everything.
Possessions? He had it. Power? He was so influential not just in his own kingdom
but outside his’. Fame? Of course, everybody knows him. Pleasure? Absolutely no
doubt cause according to the Bible he had 700 wives and 300 concubines, 1000
women all in all. He was able to have all of this because God placed him to be the
king of his people. With this, no doubt that every day there was grandeous
celebration. However this person has forgotten God. He was blinded by the things
he had acquired. He became idolatrous and adulterous. Instead of loving God above
all, he left God and continued with his prestige. Who knows this person?
(Solomon). When Solomon got old, he wrote the book of Ecclesiastes. And do you
know what is his main theme in writing this book? It’s about life. Upon seeing
backward at all the things that he was able to accomplished, he then realized that
celebration without God is meaningless. That is why he reminded everyone of us to
“remember thy creator in the days of thy youth”. Ecclesiastes 12:1
The second person was also a man of God. He was known to be blameless and
upright, a person who feared God and turned away from what is evil. And because
of that, he was blessed by God. God gave him a family. He had a large amount of
possessions. And despite of his success he was not able to forget the one blessed
him. God is his number one priority. He lived a faithful life and he celebrated life
together with the Lord. Time came in his life that he was tested. Everything was
taken away from him. Family? All of his children died and his wife cursed him.
Possessions? All the animals he had, had perished as well as his servants despise
him. He became the poorest of all. Health? Oh, he was so sick and helpless. But you
know what, despite of the transition that came into his life (from being blessed to
being tested), he was still able to celebrate life together with the Lord. The words
that came out from his mouth were so wonderful, “The Lord gave and the Lord has
taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” Who knows this person? (Job) Job
was very faithful to the Lord even to the point that even if he thinks he was deserted
by God because of his situation, he still continued to celebrate life with the Lord.
What do these two life stories want to tell us this morning? Here it is, we can
celebrate life in two ways: We can celebrate Life with God or without God. I want
you to evaluate yourself right now. In what way are you celebrating your life upon
this moment? Is it with God or with God? We are now this 21st century and as you
observe, many trends are now lurking around. Even Christians are participating
with these trends (social media, gadgets, different challenges etc.). No doubt, that
these trends are bringing enjoyment to us (Compare adult generation and young
generation regarding with the use of gadgets). How should we celebrate life despite
of these things that bombard us? The Bible has one suggestion and it must be with
the Lord.

Transition: I want you to open your Bible in the book of Psalm 139:4 (this is our
main text this morning). I request everybody to please rise as we pay respect to the
Word of God:

“I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your
works; my soul knows it very well.” Psalm 139: 14 (ESV)

Background: This whole chapter of the book of Psalms portrays the three major
characteristics of God: He is Omnipotent (All- Powerful), He is Omnipresent ( He
is present everywhere), and that he is Omniscient (He is all- knowing). This chapter
focuses on man as created by God. It portrays how God cared for every man and
women who belongs to him. The psalmist, King David, one of the greatest king of
Israel, acknowledged that God knows him even to the uttermost part of his being.
God knows him very well. And because of the knowledge of God to every man,
King David then realized and encourages everyone that we need to live this life for
the Lord and celebrate it only with the Lord. And in the passage that we read a
while ago, shows us the reasons why we need to celebrate life with the Lord. After
this study, we will have a better perspective about life if live it only for the Lord.
Proposition: “We should celebrate life with the Lord”
Interrogation: Why?
Transition: The first reason is…..
I. We are a Creation of God (Gimugna ta sa Dios).
Explanation: The passage says, “...for I am fearfully and wonderfully made..” You
are made. And it means, you have a beginning and the cause of your beginning is
no other than God. When God created human beings, he made them very special
than other creation. According to the Bible in the book of Genesis 1: 26-27, human
beings are created in the image and likeness of God. Two words are being used:
image and likeness. This two words have the same meaning and denotes that man
represents God. There is something in man that came from God himself. Is it
physical? No. It is more on of the qualities of God, his character.
No wonder that when God placed Adam eve in the Garden, they had this
wonderful relationship. Man and God had a beautiful connection with man. God is
man’s number one priority. Man is deeply in love with God. Being created by God
is a great privilege because the person who created us is the wisest designer of all.
He planned everything before he makes it into existence. He is the best Architect.
He is the best Engineer. Imagine being formed by this person. How privilege are
we. We should celebrate because of that.
However everything changed. When man listened and obeyed the voice of
Satan, the creation of God became dysfunctional. It did affect only humans but all
of the creation. What happened to the image of God in man? After man sinned, he
still bears the image of God but it is already marred. It is already damage. This is
the reason why man is already separated from God.
But do you think that God totally left man alone? No. Despite of the
disobedience of man, God still remember that we are his creation. He makes the
way so that everything that is being put to disorder will be redeemed. He makes the
way for us so that our broken relationship with him will be restored. One of the
ways that God made is by sending his one and only son and died for our sin on the
cross. Did God sent his son for the trees, for the animals, for the rocks? No! God
sent his son just for you (as his special creation) so that we will have a perfect
relationship with God one more time.
Application: One of the main reasons why we should celebrate life is because God
created it. We need to remember that. We are not just an ordinary creation but we
are at the top of his creation. We are his masterpiece. We are his best work, created
by the most creative, wisest, perfect designer of all time. And even though we turn
away from God, he has not forgotten us. He made a way for us to be redeemed (nga
mubalik tanan sa iyaha). This is something to celebrate.
Transition: The second reason why we need the celebrate life with God is…..
II. We are set apart by God (Gilahi ta sa Dios).
Explanation: The phrases that says “…fearfully and wonderfully made
(Makalilisang ug Kahibulungan)..” expresses how God created humans distinct
from other creation. The word fearfully (Hebrew: yawray) means reverence and
honour. This is one reason why we are above all other creation. Can you still
remember the purpose why God created human beings? (to have dominions over
the other creation). God has given us the power to govern what he created (land, the
sea, the air, all the living and non- living things).
The word wonderfully (Hebrew: pawlaw) means to be distinct or to be
separated (linahi kaysa sa uban). Man is a moral being. He knows what is right and
what is wrong. That’s what makes him different. He can make decisions unlike the
animals; they have this so called instinct. It is something you know, you do, you
think but it’s not learned. It goes natural. Animals have this for survival. We are
different from other creation because we can choose whether we obey God or not.
We are wonderfully made and distinguished from other creation because we can
decide whether we should love the Lord or not. We have options. We make
decisions. That’s how special man to God.
 Being “set apart” is a term for “being sanctified”. It means “being holy”
(gipakabalaan). In the Old testament times this word is commonly used especially
when it comes to temple activities. Everything that is in the temple or everything
that is something to do with the temple is holy, set apart sanctified (mga gamit sa
temple: lampstand, basin, altar, curtains, bread, even the sacrificial term). Why are
those things holy? Because God himself chose them for his glory (alang sa iyang
bulahaton).
Let’s apply being sanctified to man. Specifically, King David was
referring to man who belongs to God. He was referring to his people who are
distinct from those who are not his. Do you belong to God? (Iya kaba sa Dios?).
Now if you are the person who belongs to God, therefore you are being set apart,
you are made holy by God through his Son Jesus Christ, you are separted by God
and for sure God will use you for his glory (gamiton ka sa Dios sa pag alagad diha
kaniya).
If you already accepted the Lord Jesus Christ in your life today, no
doubt you already belong to the Lord. The salvation that you have right now is by
the grace of God. God has chosen you beforehand so that you will be part of his
kingdom be distinguished from those who are not his. For those who want to
cherish this privilege, all you need to do is trust Jesus because he alone can save
you. By trusting and believing in Him, you will be part of his family. You already
belong to the Lord. Isn’t it something to celebrate? (Angay gyd syang isaulog)
Application: Being a creation of God is a privilege for us to live in this world with
the power to dominate it. We are a higher form of his creation (taas ug lahi kaysa sa
uban). How much more if we belong to him? We are called as his children and that
means we are not only privilege to have dominion in this word but also we are
privilege to be called his sons and daughters. We are children of the King. And as
children of God, we do the things that would please our Father which is in heaven.
Transition: The third and the last reason is……
III. We have been cared by the Lord (Giatiman ta sa Dios)
Explanation: King David, the writer of this Psalm experienced God’s care in his
life. There were many times that his life went to misery. He had a lot of enemies
because he was known to be a man of war. He experienced a lot of opposition
inside his kingdom. In fact, one his son rebelled against him. Despite of everything
that happened, he was able to write Psalm 23. And in this Psalm, he described God
as a shepherd who cares for his sheep.
The phrases, “…Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very
well…” refers to other creation of God aside from man. The creation of God is so
wonderful in the sense that man, as a special creation of God can benefit from it.
Now if we go back from the creation process, man is the last creation created by
God (in the 6th day). If you observe, the Lord first created what Adam and Eve
needed before he created them. He created first the light so that they can see and
will not live in darkness. God created the Land so that they can have a place to live.
God created the air so that man can breathe. God created everything to supply the
need of man. We can see that even in the beginning, God is so concerned with man.
Man experienced God’s care in his life.
The Bible is very clear in saying, “And my God will supply every need of
your according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4: 19). This
promise of God continues today especially for those who are his. God will supply
us for our needs either through another person or by any means that he can use his
creation. God created everything you see with a purpose. Some of those are used by
God to supply you. He cares for you. He loves you and he will provide for your
need.
Application: God is actively involved in man’s life. Your success or whatever you
may have right now is because of God’s provision. Hoping that even if God blessed
you with a lot of blessing just like Solomon and Job you will never ever forget the
one who provided everything for you. This is something to celebrate.
Conclusion: When the Psalmist realized everything, he celebrated with the Lord.
Because he knew that the life he has is authored by God. He was created by God.
He was set apart by God and lastly he has been cared by the Lord. He praised the
Lord for it. He had this reason for celebrating. How about you right now? How do
you celebrate your life? Do you have any reasons why are you celebrating life in
that way? Our theme says, “Celebrate Life” but I challenge you to add something to
it. Let’s make it Celebrate Life with the Lord because
I. Siya ang imong magbubuhat
II. Gilahi ka niya isip iya;/p
III. Giatiman ka sa Dios
Let us end this sermon with a prayer.