Eternal Triumph: The Glory of Resurrection
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Introduction
Introduction
Ice cream sales are directly correlated with murder rates and shark attacks. We should immediately ban ice cream sales for the safety of all mankind.
The fact is, that ice cream is not the cause of these things, the weather is. The warmer the weather, the more people are outside. The more they are outside
The tiger-repellent rock. An argument based on a faulty premise. Romans used to carry a spoon in their pocket because they believed it brought good luck.
Context
Context
The same day Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection, and they asked him a question, (Matthew 22:23, ESV)
23 The same day Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection, and they asked him a question,
· Jesus’s adversaries keep the pressure on. The same day.
o They are desperate to find a crack in His authority.
o Some way to expose Him as not being as great as everyone thinks He is.
o The Pharisees and Herodians failed to pin Him down on political issues, so now the Sadducees will attempt to defeat Him on a matter of theology.
· Now, the Sadducees are an interesting group to approach Jesus because they have a distinct perspective.
o The Sadducees were wealthy, aristocrats…the governing class of Israel and willing collaborators with Rome.
o They do not believe in the doctrine of the resurrection.
o Further, they were entirely materialistic—they do not believe in any supernatural things such as angels, spirits, heaven, or hell.
They are somewhat like the Deists of the Enlightenment, among whom were counted many of our founding fathers. They don’t believe in anything beyond the natural except for God.
· The Sadducees held a more philosophical view of God and believed that when the body dies, so does the soul.
This illustrates the importance of shaping our view of the world according to God’s Word and what He says rather than what we think and reason is possible from our limited perspective.
· This will be important as we proceed, so with that, let’s examine their challenge.
The Challenge of the Sadducees (22:23-28)
The Challenge of the Sadducees (22:23-28)
“Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies having no children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.’ Now there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother. So too the second and third, down to the seventh. After them all, the woman died. In the resurrection, therefore, of the seven, whose wife will she be? For they all had her.” (Matthew 22:24–28, ESV)
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.”
· Again, the insincere show of respect.
· Their line of attack has to do with something called the Levarite marriage law from Deuteronomy 25:5-6:
““If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. And the first son whom she bears shall succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel.” (Deuteronomy 25:5–6, ESV)
5 “If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her.
6 And the first son whom she bears shall succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel.
· This concept of marriage predates the Mosaic law. We see it practiced by the sons of Judah with Tamar in Genesis 38:8
“Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.”” (Genesis 38:8, ESV)
8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.”
· Why is this important?
o Because, for the Sadducees, this life is all there is.
§ All rewards and punishments occur in this life.
o A man’s legacy and memory, his very name, was wrapped up in passing his name on to the next generation.
§ Preserving that name was critical. For a man to die without children was to be forgotten forever.
· Thus, their devotion to the Levarite law.
· The sad truth is that the Sadducees cling to these practices because they are desperate to live on past their earthly years.
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11, ESV)
11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.
o Because they don’t believe in the resurrection, they must pursue rewards in this life.
§ They seek to accumulate riches and power through collaboration with Rome.
§ And Rome installed them as High Priests so that they would keep the Roman order. Jesus was a threat to this status quo.
o So, while they have great political and economic power, they had incredibly weak spiritual power.
o This is a hypocritical argument as well because while Rabbis would approve marriages to multiple wives, it was unthinkable for a woman to have multiple husbands.
So, their argument is that if there is a resurrection, then the woman would be breaking the Law.
o The problem isn’t in the Law, but the smallness of their minds.
· Their argument is a fabricated hypothetical argument.
o They probably designed it to frustrate the Pharisees in debate.
§ Because the Pharisees did believe in the resurrection of the just.
· Their scheme revolved around trapping Jesus in His teaching.
o Jesus had previously taught about the sanctity of the marriage relationship.
“He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”” (Matthew 19:4–6, ESV)
4 He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female,
5 and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?
6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
o This teaching went back as far as Genesis 1 and 2.
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24, ESV)
24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
o Would Jesus affirm multiple marriages: polyandry? (Multiple husbands belonging to one wife.)
o Under their argument and from this perspective, resurrection was deemed a silly thing.
· Essentially, they wanted Jesus to either revise His teaching on marriage or else join them in their rejection of the resurrection.
o Either way, they wanted to place Him in a place of admitting He was wrong.
· Their trap was based on a faulty premise…namely, that the resurrected life was the same as the one they were living now.
The Clarification: Relationship Redefined (22:29-30)
The Clarification: Relationship Redefined (22:29-30)
But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.” (Matthew 22:29–30, ESV)
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.
· Jesus’s response is to point out that the Sadducees are self-deceived.
o Their mistake was due to the fact that they did not know the Scriptures as well as they claimed to.
§ They have based their doctrinal positions on a faulty premise.
· Their view of God is so low, that He cannot sustain life or even existence after death.
· They have a mundane (earthly) view of God and creation.
· He judges them as having denied what Scripture has said.
o For if they had read the Scriptures, they would have seen it clearly taught.
o Scripture doesn’t just teach that we have an immortal soul, but that we ourselves will live again.
“Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.” (Isaiah 26:19, ESV)
19 Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.
“And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” (Daniel 12:2, ESV)
2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
“For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!” (Job 19:25–27, ESV)
25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.
26 And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God,
27 whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!
· The New Testament also affirm there will be a resurrection of the Just.
“and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”” (Luke 14:14
, ESV)
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”” (John 11:25–26, ESV)
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,
26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
· Indeed, the Scripture makes clear that this world is passing away.
o And will give way to a new one created by God for His people to dwell in.
“and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.” (1 Corinthians 7:31, ESV)
31 and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.” (Revelation 21:1, ESV)
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
· In the resurrection, marriage will no longer exist.
o Humanity will have a greater calling; given over to the worship and service of God, as the angels are.
§ A double slap at the Sadducees, who denied the existence of angels.
o The fact that we will be like the angels speaks of the new relational order in the resurrection.
§ Angels in the Scripture are known more for their role as God’s servants than their nature as spirits.
· Why will marriage no longer be necessary?
o Procreation will no longer be necessary for all God’s people will live with him forever.
o We will have perfect companionship with each other and with God, relationships uncomplicated by sin, or mistrust, or fear.
o Our pleasure will be found in enjoying God forever.
That is why the church is called the bride of Christ. Because what we will become in the resurrection is far greater than the shadow we enjoy in earthly marriage.
I love my wife, but I love Jesus more, and we will both rejoice when we stand before Him. We will no longer be married to each other, but all of us will be united with Him.
· We can scarcely describe the joys that await us in the resurrection.
o This is why the famous hymn goes:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace.
The Sadducees’ deeper problem is that they reject not only God’s Word, but his power and ability to do what he claims.
· You see, they were not like the theological liberals of today, who reject the Word of God as mere myth and story.
o They, like many of the most conservative Christians today, had great regard for God’s word.
§ However, they only honored the Torah, the first five books of Moses, as God’s true Word.
§ And they interpreted it literally and materialistically.
Many attack the church today about their views on the Bible.
Especially conservative Christians.
We are held in mockery because we are believed to interpret Scripture literally.
And we do, at least where we are expected to.
We interpret the historical accounts literally; what God says happened really happened.
But much of the Bible is poetic, full of imagery, metaphor, and mystery and not meant to be interpreted this way.
And yet, God would speak to us through all Scripture.
A careful reading of Scripture is needed.
A reading of Scripture that has as its goal to hear from God himself rather than just intellectual understanding of the themes and events.
· Truth isn’t only found in the events of the Bible, but in what God tells us they mean.
Confirmation: The Eternal Life (22:31-33)
Confirmation: The Eternal Life (22:31-33)
“And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: ‘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.” And when the crowd heard it, they were astonished at his teaching. (Matthew 22:31–33, ESV)
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.
· Jesus continues by demonstrating His expertise about the Word by proving His doctrinal position from the very books that the Sadducees claim to honor above all.
· He says, “have you not read?” indicating that what God had taught was available to the Sadducees.
· Further, He says that God had spoken “to you.” The Words of God are for all who read them.
o God’s Word is eternal; it stands for all time.
· He quotes Exodus 3:6, from the passage where God appears very supernaturally to Moses in the burning bush.
“And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.” (Exodus 3:6, ESV)
6 And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
· In this passage, God identifies Himself as the God who isthe God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
o Patriarchs who, at the time of Moses, had been dead for hundreds of years.
o Yet God claims that He is still their God.
o This proves that they still exist before the eternal God.
· If Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had ceased to exist, why would the Lord, who only speaks the truth, say, “I wasthe God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob?
o Because they still existed.
· “God is not a good of the dead but of the living.”
o Speaks of His faithfulness.
· God ever lives and is the savior, protector, and deliverer of His people.
o As he promised to Abraham in Genesis 17:7:
“And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.” (Genesis 17:7, ESV)
7 And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.
· God’s intent is to be our God, not only for a few short decades, but for all eternity.
Conclusion
Conclusion
· Moses had one great longing in His life.
“Moses said, “Please show me your glory.”” (Exodus 33:18, ESV)
18 Moses said, “Please show me your glory.”
· Yet, God refused him.
“But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.”” (Exodus 33:20, ESV)
20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.”
· What Moses longed for, we will see on the day of the resurrection.
· Jesus promised it to all who turn to Him in faith.
“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.”(1 John 3:1–2, ESV)
1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18, ESV)
18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
· We have hope of a true resurrection of our bodies in the age to come.
“I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:50–58, ESV)
“For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.” (Philippians 3:18–4:1, ESV)
18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.
19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.
20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
1 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
· God will one day renew creation and raise the dead to life.
· Those who are in Christ will dwell with Him forever.
o A perfect home.
o Full of perfect joy.
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. (Revelation 21:4, ESV)
4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
· In that place, we will worship before the face of God
· He will finally give us rest from our toil.
· There we will be blessed in our works, free from the curse which has frustrated us and held us captive.
· Further, the Scripture gives us joy and hope for this life as well.
· That God loves us with an everlasting love.
“But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children,” (Psalm 103:17, ESV)
17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children,
“In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord, your Redeemer.” (Isaiah 54:8, ESV)
8 In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord, your Redeemer.
“the Lordappeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.” (Jeremiah 31:3, ESV)
3 the Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.
· The truth is that God is powerful enough to renew all of creation, and he loves us enough to place us in it.
· He sent His Son into the world to save those who are perishing.
· All those who place their trust in him have this sure promise:
“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”” (John 6:37–40, ESV)
37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.
39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.
40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
· What a great hope we have in Jesus!
· But we must not commit the mistake of the Sadducees.
o Having a small view of Scripture and of God.
· Rather, keep your eyes fixed on heaven, from where our Savior will return and make us new.
· We can scarcely understand the great blessing in store for us.
Paul said, “But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—” (1 Corinthians 2:9, ESV)
9 But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—
