23 The same day Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection, and they asked him a question, 24 saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies having no children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.’ 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother. 26 So too the second and third, down to the seventh. 27 After them all, the woman died. 28 In the resurrection, therefore, of the seven, whose wife will she be? For they all had her.”
29 But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 31 And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living.” 33 And when the crowd heard it, they were astonished at his teaching.
You are dead in your transgressions. You are dead in your sins. You are bound and trapped in the Devil's Kingdom. God is a God of the living not of the dead. So put one and two together and what does that say about all of us? Well I guess there is another word to be spoken. Jesus is the Lord of the Living. He is the one who gives us life and Salvation.
There is just something that tickles me about Jesus' words. "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not God of the dead, but of the living." Abraham is alive. Isaac is alive. Jacob is alive. Moses is alive. Joshua is alive. And you can fill in your own list of names. But they are alive in Christ.
How often at funerals or memorial services would you find this text read? We know Job's statement: I know that my Redeemer lives. We even know Jesus' statement: I am the resurrection and the life. But where does this one fall? "He is not God of the dead, but of the living."
I have a feeling if people heard that it might not bring them comfort. But read in the context we are reminded that God is the God of all those who have fallen asleep in the faith. They have life with Christ just as each of us who have died and rose to new life in Christ Jesus. He has given us life. Christ our Lord has reminded us that we are dead in our sins. But Christ has died and Christ has risen to give you life.
There is just something that tickles me about Jesus' words. "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not God of the dead, but of the living." Abraham is alive. Isaac is alive. Jacob is alive. Moses is alive. Joshua is alive. And you can fill in your own list of names. But they are alive in Christ.
How often at funerals or memorial services would you find this text read? We know Job's statement: I know that my Redeemer lives. We even know Jesus' statement: I am the resurrection and the life. But where does this one fall? "He is not God of the dead, but of the living."
I have a feeling if people heard that it might not bring them comfort. But read in the context we are reminded that God is the God of all those who have fallen asleep in the faith. They have life with Christ just as each of us who have died and rose to new life in Christ Jesus. He has given us life. Christ our Lord has reminded us that we are dead in our sins. But Christ has died and Christ has risen to give you life.
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