Luke 20:27-40

Luke 20:27-40 Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and have children for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. The second and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. Finally, the woman died too. Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?” Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection. But in the account of the bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” Some of the teachers of the law responded, “Well said, teacher!” And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

The Sadducees differed from the Pharisees; they did not believe in the afterlife. Jesus addresses their cynical question about marriage in the resurrection in a simple and straightforward manner. He relates to them that for those who are considered worthy, the resurrected life will be very different from the present age. Rather than carrying on with our present manmade institutions, we will be like the angels, known as God's children. There will be no need for marriage and procreation. Jesus knew the Sadducees insisted on a strictly literal interpretation of the five books of Moses, the written Torah. Therefore, Jesus uses the words of Moses to prove there is a resurrection, an afterlife. But in the account of the bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive. The teachers of the Law, not Sadducees, responded, Well said, teacher!

On Good Friday we commemorate Jesus' death on the cross at Calvary. We celebrate his death because we know He was resurrected. As believers, we also celebrate his death because we know we died with him. We know He took the wrath of God, and IN HIM, we also vicariously took the wrath of God. His death was our death; his new resurrected life is ours. Therefore, we are no longer alive to sin, but we are dead to sin and its consequences and alive to God. The old things of our former lives have passed away, and a new life has risen from Christ's death. We who are IN Christ, not only experience the death of the cross, we experience the new life of the resurrection. Only those who are worthy through trust and faith in Christ's works will experience this transformation. As a result of this rebirth and our faith in God, we who are IN CHRIST will experience new life, eternal life, where sin and death no longer reign. As "new creatures" in heaven, we will accept our full inheritance won by Jesus Christ the only begotten Son. We will be known as children of God with full rights to the throne room. The Bible says we can come before the FATHER himself, crying Abba Father. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear (to death), but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba Father.” (Romans 8:15) Therefore, IN CHRIST, as children of God, we are free at last, free indeed!

What a wonderful hope we Christians have as we look to Easter. Let us celebrate and rejoice in Christ's sacrifice and his good works. Let us enter into his rest, his place of peace, for we are now sons and daughters of the Most High and no longer citizens of this world. Do not be like the Sadducees, questioning the resurrection and eternal life. Instead, let us accept with full knowledge that there is a place of destination for all of us who are IN CHRIST, a place where we will forever be with God our Father. My Christian friend, on this Good Friday, celebrate Christ's redeeming work with gladness and share the "good news" of Jesus with others, for HE PAID THE PRICE FOR OUR REDEMPTION AND OUR LIFE WITH HIM. The price He paid was enough for you, for me, and all who call upon his name!