God: The True Insurance Provider
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Text: Psalm 16.1, 7-11
1 Protect me, God, for I take refuge in You.
7 I will bless the Lord who has advised me; Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night.
8 I have set the Lord continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely.
10 For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; You will not allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.
11 You will make known to me the way of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.
Title: God: The True Insurance Provider
Intro
Greetings.
10th Anniversary in Sua-igot.
Youth Service this afternoon.
Next Sunday ay Minister’s Meeting to be hosted by Bulacan Church
Short meeting with Deacons.
You know that today is the culmination of this Year’s Holy Week. Easter Sunday. So, happy Easter. Interestingly, last April 12th was the Jew’s Nisan 14th, 5785, so that was the Passover Day, and the whole week of Passover or the Week of Unleavened Bread is from April 12-20, 2025. To the Christian world, today is the culmination of the said holy week. Good Friday as it’s called, is always Friday. But to the Jews, for this 2025, what we call as Good Friday, the Death of Jesus Christ falls on April 12th, last Saturday pa. And so in their reckoning, last Sunday was the day of Absence, then Monday morning, was the day of Victory, the Resurrection or sa mga Hudyo, the Feast of the First Fruits.
SUBJECT:
CI of the Psalm: God is the great Insurance Provider, who secures you and will bring you — body and soul — through life and death to full and everlasting pleasure.
Psalm 16:8 through 11, in which David is the author, the writer, and he speaks concerning the Messiah. It is a Messianic psalm. What is interesting about this Messianic psalm is that David doesn’t speak in the third person about the coming Messiah but rather speaks in the first person as if the Messiah Himself is speaking. This is not abnormal, this is done in Psalm 22 and many other messianic psalms and other messianic passages, where literally the very words of the Messiah appear in the Old Testament prophecies. So David is the writer, but the Messiah-to-come is the speaker.
Insurance Company: A company that creates insurance products to take on risks in return for the payment of premiums. Companies may be mutual (owned by a group of policyholders) or proprietary (owned by shareholders). (Also known as insurer or provider).
There are insurance companies na tinatawag na Composite, because both life and non-life ang kanilang kino-cover na compensation, meron ding Life Companies lang, and Non-Life Companies.
Non-Life also known as general insurance, covers financial losses arising from events other than death or disability. It protects property, vehicles, businesses, and individuals from risks like accidents, fire, theft, and natural disasters. Unlike life insurance, which pays out a lump sum upon death, non-life insurance provides coverage for damages, liabilities, and other losses.
A life insurance company is a business that offers life insurance policies, which are contracts where the company agrees to pay a sum of money, known as a death benefit, to a designated beneficiary upon the death of the insured person. Essentially, they provide financial protection for beneficiaries, helping to cover expenses like funeral costs, debts, and living expenses after the insured's passing.
A health insurance company is a business that offers financial protection against the cost of medical care, in exchange for the payment of a monthly premium. They essentially act as a financial buffer, helping individuals or groups cover healthcare expenses that might otherwise be financially burdensome.
Types of Plans:
Health insurance companies offer various types of plans, each with different coverage levels, costs, and access to healthcare providers. Examples include:
HMO (Health Maintenance Organization): Offers more controlled healthcare with a network of providers, often requiring a primary care physician as a gatekeeper.
PPO (Preferred Provider Organization): Provides more flexibility in choosing providers within a network, potentially with higher out-of-pocket costs.
So, as far as life in this world is concerned, Why is insurance important?
Insurance helps to financially protect you, your dependents and your assets from emergencies, unexpected expenses, and losses. It mitigates risk by transferring potential financial burdens to providers in exchange for regular (typically monthly) payments known as premiums. An insurance policy can help you cover expenses related to routine healthcare, property damage from a natural disaster, or veterinary costs when your pet gets sick.
Overall, the purpose of insurance is to help provide security, stability, and support in times of need. Having insurance may allow you to live your life with fewer worries, knowing you have a financial safety net in place.
Main Points
God’s Credibility as the Great Insurance Provider
God’s Credibility as the Great Insurance Provider
Yes, the credibility of an insurance company is very important. A company's reputation, claim record, and financial stability are all factors that can influence a policyholder's trust and confidence. Choosing a reputable insurer can significantly impact the peace of mind and financial security a person gains from their insurance policy.
Here's why credibility is crucial:
Claim Handling:
A credible insurance company is more likely to handle claims fairly and efficiently. They are less likely to delay payments or deny legitimate claims.
Financial Stability:
A financially sound insurer has the resources to pay out claims when they are due. This is especially important in the event of a major disaster or unexpected event.
Long-Term Trust:
Credible insurers build long-term relationships with their customers based on trust and reliability. This can lead to higher customer retention and positive word-of-mouth referrals.
Peace of Mind:
Knowing that you're insured by a credible company provides peace of mind, knowing you'll be able to rely on your insurance if you need it.
Who is God for you?
Are you fully convinced? As Paul says, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to protect what I have entrusted to Him [h]until that day.
12 Dahil dito'y nagtiis din ako ng mga bagay na ito: gayon ma'y hindi ako nahihiya; sapagka't nakikilala ko yaong aking sinampalatayanan, at lubos akong naniniwalang siya'y makapagiingat ng aking ipinagkatiwala sa kaniya hanggang sa araw na yaon.
God is our Refuge (Safest Refuge)
1 Protect me, God, for I take refuge in You.
Appears 91 times in the OT and once in NT. God is a refuge for him. He exults in God as his safest refuge. In other words, “I turn to you for safety above all other ways of being safe. You are the safest refuge for me.”
1 God is our refuge and strength, A very ready help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth shakes And the mountains slip into the heart of the sea;
3 Though its waters roar and foam, Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah
Ang Dios ay ating ampunan/kanlungan at kalakasan,
Handang saklolo sa kabagabagan.
2 Kaya't hindi tayo matatakot bagaman ang lupa ay mabago,
At bagaman ang mga bundok ay mangaglipat sa kagitnaan ng mga dagat;
3 Bagaman ang tubig niyaon ay magsihugong at mabagabag.
Bagaman ang mga bundok ay mangauga dahil sa unos niyaon.
This psalm begins with God because God is the most important person in the psalm. It is a bit like Gen.1:1. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. God is our Creator and here we see that God is our refuge, strength, and help in time of trouble. And I am adding the word, eternal. God is our eternal refuge. Let me explain.
When we look at v.2-3 we read about things that seem permanent. The earth has existed from the time God created it. Think about the mountains. If you go out west to the Rocky Mountains, it is an awesome sight. Talk about permanence! Nothing is going to move those mountains. So strong and immovable are these mountains that our country has a military installation deep within their protection. The Cheyenne Mountain Complex is located inside Cheyenne Mountain near Colorado Springs. It is built under 2,000 feet of granite, covering about 5 acres. There are 15 three-story buildings in the complex. It is built to deflect a 30 megaton nuclear explosion. That sounds pretty secure to me. That sounds like a safe refuge. But in v.2-3 what seems permanent is not permanent at all. The earth gives way. The mountains are moved into the heart of the sea. The sea waters are roaring and foaming and even the mountains tremble.
Genesis 1:2 tells us that after God created the heavens and the earth something happened. It says, “and the earth was without form and void and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” Here in Ps.46 it almost looks as if creation is being undone. Creation is being uncreated. The waters are again swallowing everything up. So much for permanence!
From time to time we see the uncreation of creation. Earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, and tornadoes bring great destruction. Chaos ensues. Those kinds of events bring fear into our lives. They are overwhelming. But there are other things that bring fear and chaos into our lives. Cancer, heart disease, brain tumors, mental illness and depression, joblessness, rejection, divorce, car accidents, financial loss, death! All of these things breed fear. They are demoralizing and overwhelming. In fact just thinking about them can bring fear to our hearts. In addition to this, we must recognize that all of the things that cause us fear are tools in the hands of the devil, who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy. None of us are immune from these kinds of difficulties. Those who seek to find security in this world will eventually see that nothing in this world is permanently secure. And this reality calls us to look to a greater reality.
God is eternal and because he is eternal he is able to be our permanent refuge in time of need. Over and over again we find in the Bible that God is a present help for those who trust in him. Trusting in the Lord is the way to experience his protection, strength, and help. When we speak of the Lord as our refuge we do not mean to suggest that the Lord makes our lives easy or always removes the things that cause us to fear. Rather we mean that God secures our lives in him and strengthens us to bear up under the difficulty and sorrow. I don’t know what fears are threatening your life right now. But I do know that God is our eternal refuge. Flee to him. Cast all your care upon him for he cares for you.
So, if it’s God who is the safest refuge there could be, then there is nothing and no amount of earthly refuge can guarantee safety against God. All the hiding places, places of refuge made by men and trusted by men will not guarantee security from the storms of life. And there’s no amount of good deeds, good works, givings, prayers, religiousness apart from Jesus Christ will stand against the wrath of God for sin and sinners. And that’s why God gave His only Begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. Therefore, God, Jesus Christ is our refuge, defense and fortress.
and pagdating sa verse 10: “Stop striving, and know that I am God”, or in other versions, “Be still and know that I am God.” Araw araw we go home safe and sound, di dahil sa sobra mong pag-iingat, or magaling kang magbantay o mag-ingat, kundi dahil magaling ang Diyos, mapag-ingat ang Diyos sa atin. Amen. HalleluJah.
2. God is our Lord (Adonai)
2 I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have nothing good besides You.”
“I say to the Lord [Yahweh], ‘You are my Lord [Adonai].’” Yahweh — the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of the Exodus — you are my Lord, his Master, and his Sovereign. He exults in God’s sovereign rule over his life.
Alam niyo, isa lang naman ang magandang tanong ng Panginoon sa mga alagad, nasa Luke 6.46-47
46 “Now why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?
47 Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like:
At ang Luke 6, starting verse 20 ay in harmony doon sa Matthew na Sermon on the Mount na kung saan merong series ang ating Pastor. Which in verse 48, similar nga doon sa 2 foundations ng 2 builders. The additional point dito sa account ni Luke, is that, if truly si Kristo ay ang Panginoon ng isang disciple, ay nakikining or pinakikinggan ang Salita ng Panginoon, sinusunod at ginagawa. Resulta, isang buhay na nakasalig at nakatayo sa isang matibay na pundasyon. Interestingly, sa mga Insurance companies, Financial Freedom and Stability ang ino-offer. Kay Jesus at mga Salita Niya, ang offer ay security, stability, protection din naman, subalit di lamang sa buhay dito sa lupa, kundi pati na sa future.
3. God is our Supreme Treasure
2 I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have nothing good besides You.”
God is his supreme treasure. His highest treasure. There is no good for him above God, or apart from God. All other goods are good because they give him more of God. God is his supreme treasure — over everything else, and in everything else.
Then in Psalm 16:3 he underlines and emphasizes God’s supreme value to him by what he says about God’s people. When it comes to people, he says, the ones who give him pleasure are godly people. “As for the saints in the land (the holy ones, godly ones — the ones who treasure God and live for God), they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.” All his delight, his joy, his pleasure. He doesn’t mean that he has delight in God’s people instead of God or above God. He means that godless people don’t give him delight in their godless ways; only the godly do. What delights him about people is how they treasure God and exalt God. This is the sweetness of his relationships.
3 As for the saints who are on the earth, They are the majestic ones; all my delight is in them.
Then, in Psalm 16:4 he underlines his radical preference for God by putting it negatively. He values God so highly, he will not dare to run after other gods. “The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips.” In other words: it is sheer folly to turn away from the all-satisfying God only to embrace gods that leave you sorrowful in the end. No, I will never do that. I won’t even put their names on my lips.
4 The pains of those who have acquired another god will be multiplied; I will not pour out their drink offerings of blood, Nor will I take their names upon my lips.
4. God is the Beautiful Portion of our inheritance
5 The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot.
6 The measuring lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; Indeed, my inheritance is beautiful to me.
Here in Psalm 16:5, he returns to the declaration of verse 2b: “I have no good apart from you.” Here he puts it positively: “The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup.” In other words, if there are a hundred portions of food and drink spread out on the table, and one of them is the Lord himself — he is my choice. Nothing satisfies — nothing nourishes and sustains — the way he does. He is my greatest good. My treasure of all treasures. My highest pleasure. My chosen portion of sirloin. My cup of finest wine.
Then later in verse Psalm 16:5, he returns to what he has said in verse 2a. He said, “I say to the Lord [Yahweh], ‘You are my Lord [Adonai].’” He declared that God was his master and sovereign. Here in verse 5b he does the same: “You hold my lot.” In other words, when the dice are rolled, and the straws are drawn, and the wheel is turned — whatever happens to us comes from the hand of God. God holds my lot. God decides it. God rules over it. God is my sovereign, and I am glad to have it so. I don’t just affirm it stoically; I exult in it.
God, My Beautiful Inheritance
In Psalm 16:6, he exults in what this means for him. Because God holds his lot, “The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.” The “lines” here are probably borderlines — the borders or boundaries God has appointed for him. They may be figurative, or literal, or maybe both. I say this — that the borderlines may be figurative — because the phrase “pleasant places” is a single Hebrew word that means “pleasures.” It’s the very same word as the one in Psalm 16:11 translated “pleasures”: “At your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” So the translation here in Psalm 16:6 should perhaps be: “The lines have fallen for me in pleasures, I have a beautiful inheritance.”
And so the “pleasant places” (of verse 6) may be not so much good acreage in Palestine, but the place at God’s right hand, as verse 11 says. “The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places” would then be: “Your sovereign goodness has fenced me in to God himself. The borders of my life are boundaries around where God is.” And when he adds, “I have a beautiful inheritance,” the ultimate meaning would be: God. God is my inheritance, and he is beautiful. That’s where Psalm 16:11 leads us.
In Psalm 17:14 David prays,
14 From people by Your hand, Lord, From people of the world, whose portion is in this life, And whose belly You fill with Your treasure; They are satisfied with children, And leave their abundance to their babies.
Worldlings may boast of their treasures and pleasures--but the Christian counts all this as loss and dross, when compared to the surpassing worth of knowing the Lord.
If our portion is in this poor world, then we will perish with it. But if our portion is the Lord Himself, then we have a treasure that never disappoints or decays, that no thief can steal, and no time can tarnish.
57 The Lord is my portion; I have promised to keep Your words.
God is unchanging in His love, unlimited in His mercy, and unfailing in His grace. What greater comfort can a soul have, than to know that the Almighty is his everlasting portion?
5 I cried out to You, Lord; I said, “You are my refuge, My portion in the land of the living.
How surpassingly glorious is the portion of the child of God!
Not merely peace of conscience,
not merely deliverance from Hell,
not merely the hope of Heaven
--but God Himself is our portion!
The true believer does not chiefly desire the gifts of God--he pants or thirsts after the Giver Himself. He does not primarily long for the place where there is "no more death or mourning or crying or pain"--but for the immediate, unhindered presence of the Lord who loves him and gave Himself for him!
The highest expression of divine love, is not that God grants us many blessings, but that He gives us Himself. To say, "The Lord is my portion" is to confess that our portion is infinite, unchanging, and all-satisfying--for He is all that and more.
What greater assurance can the soul have, than to know that the omnipotent, omniscient, all-wise, and infinitely good God, has pledged Himself to be our possession forever?
How shameful it is, then, when the hearts of believers grow cold towards God, and crave the fleeting vanities of this world. How poor are those who possess earthly treasures, but not God! And how rich are those who have nothing on earth, but can say, "The Lord is my portion!" Lamentations 3:24
This truth sweetens the believer's every sorrow.
When health fails,
when friends forsake,
when comforts vanish
--still the soul may say, "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever!" Psalm 73:26
O believer, meditate deeply on this: Your inheritance is not primarily what God gives, but who He is. Yes, the essence of Heaven is . . .
to behold God's glory,
to be with Him,
to possess Him forever.
And let us not forget that every believer is God's portion as well, "For the Lord's portion is His people." Yes, our chief delight is that, "I am my Beloved's, and my Beloved is mine."
Therefore, exulting God as his Sovereign is almost the same as exulting in God as his Treasure. God is the sovereign who holds my lot. And he uses that power to make himself my beautiful inheritance — to fence me in to the pleasures of knowing him. He makes himself my treasure.
5. God is our trusted Counselor
7 I will bless the Lord who has advised me; Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night.
Then, in Psalm 16:7, he goes one step further in exulting in what God is for him. God is not only his refuge, and treasure, and sovereign, he is also his counselor. “I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.” This is not a small or insignificant add-on. It colors everything else — the way God is a refuge, the way he is a treasure, the way he is a sovereign.
For example, God is a refuge in part by the way he instructs, or guides, or counsels us into his safety — his refuge. Refuge is not automatic. It is interactive. If we are in danger — of harm, or sin, folly — God counsels us how to escape. He speaks, by his revealed word. “Your testimonies are my counselors” (Psalm 119:24). He becomes our refuge by counseling us how to walk in the way of life and not death.
And he is our treasure in part by being our counselor. He’s not just precious to us because of the beauty of his character, but also because of the beauty of his counsel. We treasure him for his teaching and wisdom and encouraging promises. He is not a treasure in an abstract way. He reveals his all-satisfying beauty and value to us in his words, his teaching, his counsel. They come to us even in the night, when our thoughts may be dark or wandering.
And he is our sovereign not just in what happens to us, but what happens through us because we listen to his counsel. In other words, God’s sovereignty is exercised through means — through our listening to and obeying his counsel. If he wants something done, he can do it in spite of us, or he can do it through the counsel he gives us. We become the instrument of his power.
God’s Availability as the Great Insurance Provider
God’s Availability as the Great Insurance Provider
So, because you are fully convinced that our Insurer ay ganito, we can say as the Psalmist says in,
8 I have set the Lord continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
SET: shâvâh, shaw-vaw´; a prim. root; prop. to level, i.e. egualize; fig, to resemble; by impl. to adjust (i.e. counterbalance, be suitable, compose, place, yield, etc.):—avail.
SET: shâvâh, shaw-vaw´; a prim. root; prop. to level, i.e. egualize; fig, to resemble; by impl. to adjust (i.e. counterbalance, be suitable, compose, place, yield, etc.):—avail.
be in a similar state or condition to another object in many or some respects.
be in a similar state or condition to another object in many or some respects.
New International Version
I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
New Living Translation
I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.
God is our Jehovah-Shammah. The LORD who is always There. There in our weakest moments, there in our saddest moments, there in our heaviest moments, there in our loneliest moments, there in our deepest need. Yan ang ating Diyos. Di lamang Siya credible because of how great His Person is, and how Omnipotent He is, how capable He is, and His capacity to provide us Insurance. He is also available, 24/7, throughout our lives. Feeling lang natin na we are forgotten and forsaken, well, thank God, feeling lang natin yan, but the truth is He never leaves us nor forsakes us. He promised He will be with us till the end of the age. HalleluJah. We were afflicted but never forgotten and never forsaken. Glory.
A Petition Becomes a Declaration
So for seven verses, David has been exalting in what God is for him: refuge, treasure, sovereign, counselor. Now we see something striking in Psalm 16:8. What has become of David’s petition for preservation in verse 1? He had cried out, “Preserve me or protect me, O God.”
And then he spent seven verses exulting in what God is for him. God is his safest refuge, and his supreme treasure, and his sovereign Lord, and his trusted counselor. And the effect of all this declaration and exultation of what God is for him has transformed his petition in verse 1 to a confidence in verse 8. In verse one he prayed, “Preserve me O God.” And now in verse 8, he doesn’t ask, he affirms, “God will preserve me; I will not be shaken. I will not be moved. I will be kept. Guarded. Preserved, Insured”
Psalm 16:8 says, “I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.” Because his refuge, his treasure, his sovereign, his counselor is always before him, and at this right hand, therefore, he says, “I will not be shaken.” Which is a negative way of saying: “I will be preserved.” My petition has become my confidence. I have moved from asking to affirming.
How did that happen? By declaring and exulting in what God is for him. Not just stating it, but overflowing with his own feelings about what God is for him.
The “Scope of Coverage” our Insurance have
The “Scope of Coverage” our Insurance have
In insurance, the scope of coverage refers to the extent and limitations of what an insurance policy will cover. It defines the risks, events, or circumstances that are included in the policy's protection, as well as any exclusions or limitations that might apply.
Here's a breakdown of what the scope of coverage encompasses:
Risks Covered:
This specifies the types of losses or damages that the insurance policy will cover, such as property damage, liability, or medical expenses.
Limits and Deductibles:
The scope of coverage also includes the maximum amount the insurer will pay for a covered loss (the policy limit) and any amount the insured person must pay out-of-pocket before the insurance kicks in (the deductible).
Territorial Scope:
This defines the geographical area where the policy's protection applies.
Who is Covered:
The scope of coverage also outlines who is considered an insured person under the policy.
Exclusions and Limitations:
This specifies what the policy will NOT cover, such as certain types of risks or losses, or circumstances where coverage is not applicable.
God got us covered and insured our whole person. God took our losses because of sin. God took our sins, God took our shame, God bore our sicknesses and carried our pains. The punishment for our peace or well-being was upon Him. He became us that we might become like Him. An Insurance Provider will only be credible also, if we know that it is financially capable to cover the costs of the insurance we agreed. And glory to God, that we don’t need to pay a single centavo for the premium of our Insurance. Jesus paid it all. Jesus paid it all, and the coverage of our paid Insurance is more than we can imagine. Because the truth is
20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us..
20 Ngayon sa makapangyarihang gumawa ng lubhang sagana ng higit sa lahat ng ating hinihingi o iniisip, ayon sa kapangyarihang gumagawa sa atin.
2 Scopes of God’s Insurance:
Temporally Insured
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely.
sa buhay natin sa lupa, di naman tinago ng Panginoon ang mga dadanasin ng mga followers Niya. In fact sabi Niya, in this world, you will have tribulations, but be of good heart, be of good cheer, I have overcome the world, Jesus said. You will be persecuted, you will be insulted, falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me but blessed are you Jesus said. 2 Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials.
Di na ba tayo nanghihina?
Di na ba tayo magkakasakit? Yes, nagkakasakit. Pero, nbalimutan ba nating kasama sa Great Premium na binayaran ng Panginoong Hesus ang kagalingan. At kung sakaling di man, di pa rin magbago ang fact na pati healing ng mga katawan natin ay bayad na, so meaning, Insured na rin ito by virtue of the cross of calvary ni Jesus.
Di na ba tayo nauubusan at nasasaid sa mga daily needs? At sa ating pagsunod sa Panginoon, at mas pinili natin ang maglingkod sa Panginoon sa kabila ng sana ay ikaka-comfort ng buhay natin sa lupa, mayorn bang Insurance sa mga bagay na ito?
Well, I would say, examine yourselves. Look at yourselves. Di ba’t ibinuhois ng Diyos sa iyo, sayong pamilya ang Kanyang Kabutihan? Sabi ng Psalms, marami ang sorrows ng masama, subalit silang nagtitiwala sa Panginoon ay pinapapaligiran ng Kanyang Kabutihan, at sabi pa ng Psalms, Oh pagkadakila ng iyong kabutihan, Na iyong iningatan para sa kanila na nangatatakot sa iyo, Na iyong ginawa sa kanila na nagsisipagkanlong sa iyo, Sa harap ng mga anak ng mga tao!
19 How great is Your goodness, Which You have stored up for those who fear You, Which You have performed for those who take refuge in You, Before the sons of mankind!
And meron pa bang hihigit sa Kapayapaan ng Diyos, Peace of God na di masayod ng ating mga kaisipan? May hihigit pa ba sa kapayapaan ng Diyos na magpapatulog sa atin ng mahimbing knowing may Diyos na nagbabantay sa atin? Di ba mainam isipin na kahit pa sa sobrang kasamaan na sa sanlibutan, ay may Diyos pa din nag restrain sa evils ng mundong ito? Dahil paano na lang kung wala ang restraint ng Diyos sa kasamaan ng sanlibutang ito, sino ang makaka feel pa ng safety and security?
And, kung magtatagal pa ang Panginoon, ang iba sa atin ay maaring mauuna na sa atin, or matutulog na kay Kristo? Ano naman ang Insurance na prinovide ng Panginoon? Well, part ng verse 10 ay ganito:
Psalm 16.10b
New American Standard Bible (2020) Psalm 16
You will not allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.
Now, this refers to our bodies. Di ba alam ni David na ang katawan niya ay maging alabok pa rin naman? Of course, alam niya.
David is sure that all God has been for him — refuge, and treasure, and sovereign, and counselor — he will be that for him forever. Death will not be the end of his relationship with God. Death will not cancel out all that he has known and loved about his God. God is not the God of the dead but of the living (Mark 12:27).
Something Greater Than David
King David had been given a promise. The prophet Nathan came to him and said this:
12 When your days are finished and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come from you, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
David knew from God’s word that he would die and lie in the grave like his fathers, but that God would set one of his descendants on his throne. And this descendant, with him all succession would stop. His kingdom would have no end; it would be an eternal kingdom.
In other words, David knew a king was coming that would be from his seed. And that in the line of David, would come to an end with him. He would defeat death. He would not see corruption like David. That’s the way his kingdom could be eternal.
David lived in this consciousness: I will lie down with my fathers, and suffer dissolution in the grave. And one will come from my seed who will not suffer dissolution in the grave, but will sit on his throne forever. David knew that because of what God had revealed.
Preservation and the Messiah
Therefore, when he wrote Psalm 16:10, what did he mean?
For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.
Surely, the apostle Peter is right in Acts 2 to read this verse and say: But David did see corruption. He did see the pit of dissolution. He knew he would. Think: Psalm 16:10 goes beyond what will be fulfilled in David’s own body — his own resurrection at the last day. Verse 10 is a promise of something greater. So Peter says,
30 So because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants on his throne,
31 he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay.
32 It is this Jesus whom God raised up, a fact to which we are all witnesses.
“Before death could digest Jesus and turn him to dust, He killed death.”
In other words, as this Psalm progresses, and David moves from petition in verse 1 (“Protect/Preserve me, O God”) to unshakeable confidence in verses 8–9 (“I shall not be shaken . . . my flesh will dwell secure,” it will be preserved). Yet he knew that he would die and lie in the grave with his fathers, and somehow be rescued for eternal joy with God; and he also knew that the Messiah from his own seed would put an end to death forever. His body would not decay in the grave with his fathers. And David knew that these two great facts — his own preservation, body and soul through death, and the Messiah’s triumph over death — had to be connected, but he did not know how it would be.
In fact, Peter says, “The prophets . . . searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories” (1 Peter 1:10–11). But they didn’t know how it would happen.
12 Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised;
14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, your faith also is in vain.
15 Moreover, we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised.
16 For if the dead are not raised, then not even Christ has been raised;
17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.
18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
19 If we have hoped in Christ only in this life, we are of all people most to be pitied.
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; the one who believes in Me will live, even if he dies,
26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
The resurrection is the crowning event in God’s redemptive history. Resurrection is the cornerstone of Christianity. It is the foundation of the gospel. It is the guarantee of heaven. The message of the Bible is that death does not end the existence of anyone, that every human being who has ever lived will still be raised - either to live forever or to be destroyed or annihilated ultimately, either in everlasting punishment or everlasting joy - not merely as a disembodied spirit, but every person will be raised in bodily form. They will all be raised from the dead.
The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is the provision that guarantees for us that we need not be risen to eternal damnation but can be risen to eternal life. The resurrection of Jesus Christ bodily from death and the grave is a pledge and a promise to all who believe in Him to also be raised in bodily form to enter into the eternal bliss and joy of the heaven of heavens in the presence of God everlastingly; serving, worshiping, and being completely satisfied.
Because the resurrection is of such significance, it dominates the New Testament and particularly dominates the preaching of the gospel that begins early in the book of Acts and runs all the way through the whole New Testament. The resurrection is not just a feature of Christianity, it is its essential truth. The whole point of the gospel is to rescue people from hell so that they can go to heaven. The whole point of the gospel is to be delivered from judgment into eternal blessing.
The resurrection, then, is not the epilogue, it’s not some kind of postscript on the end of our Lord’s life. It is the goal of His life, the high point of the gospel. The resurrection is the divine interpretation of the death of Christ. Easter interprets Good Friday. The resurrection is the divine vindication of the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. The benefits of that sacrifice begin to be gathered at the resurrection, Christ being the firstfruits. The resurrection guarantees our resurrection.
The church, therefore, doesn’t meet on Friday. The church doesn’t meet on Saturday. The church doesn’t meet on Monday or some other day. The church meets on Sunday, the first day of the week, because that is the day Christ was raised from the dead. Every time we meet on the Lord’s Day, it is to give testimony to the centrality of the resurrection.
Because the resurrection is so critical to us, the resurrection seems to be always under some kind of an assault from Satan. Through the centuries, critics of Christianity have done everything they could possibly do to deny the resurrection. Denying the biblical accounts as truthful, denying historical evidences in the biblical accounts as having any value or trustworthiness, critics through the centuries have done everything they could to deny that Jesus rose from the dead because if that is, in fact, true or if people can be convinced that it is true, it is the death of the Christian gospel.
So, How important is the resurrection? Critically important. No resurrection, no gospel. No gospel, no salvation, and we are the most deluded, duped people on the planet. Everything is held together by the resurrection.
For Christians, every day is a celebration of the risen living Christ, every Sunday is another celebration of the risen living Christ. A testimonial, a kind of a weekly commemoration of the priority of the resurrection, its centrality, its significance. And then once a year on this Easter celebration, resurrection Sunday, we focus all our energies in the direction of the resurrection, and rightly we should.
2. Eternally Insured
10 For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; You will not allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.
11 You will make known to me the way of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.
He will not abandon our souls in Sheol. Now, while our physical bodies are back to dust from where it came from, but as we have talked that we have Jesus Christ as the hope for glorification, hope for resurrection as Jesus promised to believers that He is the Resurrection and the Life,
“the one who believes in Me will live, even if he dies, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.”
15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, For He will receive me. Selah
“God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for He will receive me”
24 You will guide me with Your plan, And afterward receive me to glory.
“You guide me with your counsel(Temporal Benefit of God’s Insurance), and afterward you will receive me to glory”.(Eternal Benefit/Coverage of God’s Insurance)
And how about this?
23And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?” 26 And looking at them, Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
[Maybe Skip This Text]
27 Then Peter responded and said to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?”
28 And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms on account of My name, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life.
30 But many who are first will be last; and the last, first.
And so, verse 11 says:
With that as his unshakeable confidence (in verse 10) — God will preserve me, body and soul, in death — he returns now in verse 11 to the great “therefore” of joy in Psalm 16:9, only now it is exponentially increased: in fullness and duration. The way of life that you show me through death is this: “In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Full and forever.
Because God has been his portion here — his safest refuge, and supreme treasure, and sovereign Lord, and trusted counselor — his confidence is unshaken that God will be all of this perfected forever.
This is the final preservation David was hoping for in verse 1. This is what he was praying for. This is what he became confident of. Death will not keep me from “the fullness of joy in God’s presence; the beautiful inheritance of eternal pleasures at his right hand.”
CONCLUSION:
The Marks of the Preserved
But now, with the fullness of revelation in the New Testament, we do know. Jesus, the Messiah — the long-hoped-for, final King of kings allowed death to swallow him for the sake of mortal sinners. But before death could digest him, and turn him to dust, he killed death. He killed death for himself and for all who belong to him — for all who trusted his promise in the Old Testament, and all who trust his person in our own day. He killed death for all who have the same Spirit that raised him from the dead.
If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. (Romans 8:11; see also 1 Corinthians 15:22–23; 1 Thessalonians 4:16)
And what are the marks of the people in this room who have the Spirit of God who raised Jesus from the dead? The marks today are essentially the same as they were for David (Psalm 16:1–8):
Do you rejoice or boast in God as your safest refuge?
Do you rejoice or boast in God as your supreme treasure?
Do you rejoice or boast in God as your sovereign Lord?
Do you rejoice or boast in God as your trusted counselor?
Do you boast God as your Resurrection and Eternal Life?
O blessed be His Wonderful Name. Hallelujah.
Do you rejoice with David, that all this exultation in God is only possible — now and forever — because Jesus the Messiah was not abandoned to Sheol, and his body did not see corruption? Do you rejoice that he was swallowed by death, for David and for us, and before death could ruin him, he killed death? Do you believe that? Declare that? Rejoice in that? Do you rejoice knowing that the One who said, Lazarus, come out, also said, He is the Resurrection and the Life? As the foundation of your hope — to be unshaken forever?
SONG:
Dakila ka oh Diyos tapat ka ngang tunay
Magmula pa sa ugat ng aming lahi
Mundo'y magunaw man
Maaasahan kang lagi
Maging hanggang wakas nitong buhay.
Dakila ka o Diyos sa habang panahon
Katapatan mo'y matibay na sandigan
Sa bawat pighati tagumpay man ay naroon
Daluyan ng pag-asa kung
Kailanga'y hinahon
Pag-ibig mong alay sa'min
Noon hanggang ngayon
Dakila ka
O Diyos.
Hallelujah, praise the One who set me free
Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me
You have broken every chain
There's salvation in Your name
Jesus Christ, my living hope.
Hallelujah, praise the One who set me free
Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me
You have broken every chain
There's salvation in Your name
Jesus Christ, my living hope.
Then came the morning that sealed the promise
Your buried body began to breathe
Out of the silence, the Roaring Lion
Declared the grave has no claim on me
Then came the morning that sealed the promise
Your buried body began to breathe
Out of the silence, the Roaring Lion
Declared the grave has no claim on me
Jesus, Yours is the victory.
Hallelujah, praise the One who set me free
Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me
You have broken every chain
There's salvation in Your name
Jesus Christ, my living hope.
Hallelujah, praise the One who set me free
Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me
You have broken every chain
There's salvation in Your name
Jesus Christ, my living hope.
