Resurrection and Unbelief

Sunday Service 30 March 2025

Pastor Justin of the Spirit in the Wilderness Church of God

Mark 12:18–27 'Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man's brother die, and leave his wife behind him , and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed. And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise. And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also. In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife. And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God? For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven. And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err. '

Trouble

So starting with the last two sermons, we see the parade of opposition continuing. This is the last week of Jesus's ministry before his crucifixion. The Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the Herodians are confronting Jesus Christ and his disciples. They've done this through inquiries and accusations. The first was the question by which authority and whose authority do you work in? Jesus response was a question regarding John the Baptist and his authority. Jesus then provides a parable on the Vineyard and Tenants and through this parable we see them depart only to return with a question regarding their tribute to Caesar. Jesus gives a beautiful response saying "Render unto to Caesar which is Caesar's. Now, we see them returning with the Sadducees to confront Jesus Christ on the resurrection. The Sadducees does not believe in the resurrection or angels, or anything outside what is explicitly written in the torah. To them, no other prophet or writings matter to them.

18 ¶ Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying,  19 Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man’s brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.  20 Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed.  21 And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise.  22 And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also.  23 In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.  

The Sadducees has been blinded to the word of God by others and pride has set in. The Pharisees and Herodians who sought give flattery to Jesus and scripture reveals their flattery fell flat because only the foolish is fooled by flattery. We see this as a Kingdom principle. The Sadducees bring a loaded question based on absurdity to Jesus IOT disprove the resurrection. We see this dripping with pride and envy and contention. The Sadducees absurdity and disbelief reveal a significant error - I mean in Mark alone Jesus has spoken about his resurrection three times before this (Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:34). The Sadducees believe they have Jesus cornered.

The Sadducees theological error must be confronted quickly and clearly. Jesus's responses indicate that the Sadducees do not know "the scriptures or the power of God." The evidence of the Sadducees and their responses and their unbelief born out of pride leaves their mind veiled and unable to recieve the Gospel of Jesus.

Paul talks about this in 2 Cor 4:4, "4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." IOWs, Satan has used their pride, their unbelief, and themselves to spout absurdity and remember these Sadducees are chief priests and elites and sits on the Sanhedrin council. Because of their position they have placed themselves in power and the idea of anything threatening their power has forced them to confront Jesus.

One of the points not many people realize is that when Jesus came to the temple and whipped out the moneylenders, the Sadducees was notoriously famous for allowing vendors in the temple. They were the Chief Priests. The ones who condoned these activities and were no doubt upset when Jesus whipped them out of the temple.

Trouble Today

We see the same thing happening in churches today, in our own personal lives. Mega-churches benefiting financially and buying jets and planes and living in mansions storing treasures on Earth. We see pride entering our churches like a virus, we bring in something and like an infection it runs rampant everywhere.

The issue of pride and materialism infiltrating churches is a sobering reality. The Bible warns us about being blinded by "the god of this world" (2 Corinthians 4:4), which can lead to misplaced priorities and spiritual decay. Let’s explore this through examples, scriptures, and insights from Pentecostal sermons, as well as teachings from David Wilkerson, Carter Conlon, Ray Hughes, and Charles Spurgeon.

Examples of Churches and Pride

In some cases, mega-churches have become symbols of excess, with leaders acquiring private jets, luxurious mansions, and other earthly treasures. This mirrors the warning in Matthew 6:19-21: "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven..." Such actions can lead congregations to focus on material wealth rather than spiritual growth.

This issue isn't limited to institutions; it affects individuals too. Pride can creep into our personal lives, making us prioritize status, possessions, or self-image over humility and service to God. As Proverbs 16:18 (KJV) warns, "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall."

Scriptures on Pride and Its Effects

Unbelief: Pride can harden hearts and lead to unbelief. Psalm 10:4 (KJV) states, "The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts."

Contention: Proverbs 13:10 (KJV) says, "Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom." Pride fosters division and strife within families, churches, and communities.

Grief and Jealousy: James 3:16 (KJV) highlights, "For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work." Pride often breeds jealousy and grief, disrupting unity and peace.

Insights

David Wilkerson: In his sermon "The Path That Pride Leads To", Wilkerson warns that pride is at the root of rebellion against God. He emphasizes that pride leads to impatience and self-reliance, as seen in Saul's disobedience (1 Samuel 13). Wilkerson calls for humility and total dependence on God.

Carter Conlon: Conlon often speaks about the dangers of pride in his sermons, urging believers to repent and seek God's guidance. He emphasizes that pride blinds us to our need for God and hinders spiritual revival.

Ray Hughes: Hughes, a prominent Pentecostal preacher, has highlighted how pride can quench the Holy Spirit's work in the church. He stresses the importance of humility and reliance on God's anointing.

Charles Spurgeon on Pride

Spurgeon once said, "The demon of pride was born with us; and it will not die one hour before us." This means that pride is a deeply ingrained part of human nature, and we must constantly battle it through prayer and reliance on God. Spurgeon also taught that pride blinds us to our spiritual poverty, making us think we are self-sufficient when, in reality, we are utterly dependent on God's grace.

A Current Problem

Today, pride manifests in various ways: churches competing for attendance, individuals seeking recognition for their service, and leaders prioritizing personal gain over the Gospel. This "virus" of pride spreads quickly, affecting the spiritual health of entire congregations. The solution lies in returning to the humility of Christ, who "made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant" (Philippians 2:7, KJV).

God’s Action Then

24 And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?  25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.  

Then:

The response of Jesus Christ to the Sadducees is IOW you err because you do not know the scriptures and you do not know the power of God. But his response is a question to them: So Jesus is almost pleading with them - Do you NOT know how you err, do you not know the scriptures, do you not know the power of God!!!? For when all die and rise again - there is not any marriage that occurs but we are as Angels.

Jesus's response to them is simply this, you err and you know nothing. Jesus addresses the Sadducees' question. (1) There will be a resurrection. (2) There will be no marriage relationship as we know it in this life. (3) We will become "like angels," probably in the sense that we will no longer procreate and we will never die.

In Revelation 21:1, "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea." Mark 12:25 and Revelation 21:1 offer a glimpse of a future transformation, emphasizing the newness and purity of life in eternity.

Mark 12:25 (KJV) states: "For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven." Here, Jesus speaks about the resurrection, emphasizing that earthly institutions like marriage will no longer exist. Instead, we will experience a transformed state, similar to the angels in heaven—focused entirely on worship, communion with God, and eternal joy.

Revelation 21:1 (KJV) declares: "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea." This verse reveals God's ultimate plan to renew all creation. The new earth represents a place without the corruption of sin and death—a purified realm where God will dwell with His people (Revelation 21:3-4). This correlates with Mark 12:25, as both passages describe a state of life that transcends the limitations and sorrows of our current world.

Philippians 3:20-21 (KJV): "For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." This affirms the promise of a glorified, incorruptible body, fitting for life in the new creation.

26 And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?  27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err. 

Jesus continues his questioning response asking "you have not read that God is the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob - our God is the God of living, not the dead. You therefore greatly err.

Jesus defeats the Sadducees with their own words and uses their understanding against them.

For us as Christians we can find the doctrine of resurrection in the Old Testament in places like:

Job 19:25-27 (For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me);

Psalm 16:9-11 (Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore);

and Daniel 12:2 (And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt).

Jesus in grace meets the Sadducees where they are and takes them to the "burning bush" story found in Exodus 3:6. There God speaks to Moses in the present tense: "I am . . . the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Though they died physically, they are alive spiritually right now!

It is not "I was their God" but "I am their God." Further, being their God implies covenant, and it is inconceivable that the eternal God does not maintain an eternal covenant with His people, which is exactly what we find in the covenant God made first with Abraham (Gen 12) and later with David (2 Sam 7).

God’s Action Today

Mark 12:18-27 recounts an encounter between Jesus and the Sadducees, who challenge Him with a disingenuous question about the resurrection. The Sadducees’ question is steeped in pride and unbelief—they are not seeking truth but are attempting to entangle Jesus in theological controversy, confident in their own knowledge and dismissive of the reality of resurrection. Their arrogance blinds them to the truth standing before them: Jesus, the embodiment of life and resurrection. This passage serves as a striking mirror to the pride and unbelief that infiltrate churches and Christians’ lives today.

Pride: A Spiritual Virus

Pride acts like a contagious virus—it subtly infects the heart, spreading through congregations and individual lives. It leads us to rely on human wisdom, like the Sadducees, rather than submitting to the authority of Christ. Pride whispers lies, telling us we are self-sufficient, convincing us to mask hypocrisy with outward religiosity while neglecting true, humble faith.

In many churches today, pride has taken root through worldly ambitions. Leaders and congregants alike may focus on appearances, achievements, or social status rather than on Christ-centered humility. This mirrors Proverbs 16:18: "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." The god of this world, Satan, exploits this pride to blind us to the simplicity and truth of the Gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4). Pride builds walls of contention, breeding division and stifling the Spirit’s work.

Unbelief, Contention, and Jealousy

Unbelief often goes hand-in-hand with pride, creating a hardness of heart like the Sadducees displayed. Psalm 10:4 reminds us, "The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts." Pride blinds us to our need for grace and prevents us from earnestly seeking Christ. It opens the door for contention—Proverbs 13:10 says, "Only by pride cometh contention." We see this manifest in the discord that often arises within churches, where egos clash and the Gospel's mission is eclipsed by selfish ambition.

Jealousy, a product of pride, also corrupts the church. James 3:16 warns, "For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work." Just as pride infected the Sadducees, today it fosters rivalries and bitterness among believers, diverting hearts from the selfless love of Christ.

God’s Gracious Redemption

Yet, God’s grace abounds despite us. Despite our pride, contention, and jealousy, He continues to work patiently and lovingly to draw us back to Himself. Consider the beauty of Jesus’ response to the Sadducees. He does not dismiss them but seeks to open their eyes to truth: "Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?" (Mark 12:24). In His grace, He invites them—and us—to confront our errors and seek a deeper understanding of who He is.

God’s grace shines as a beacon in the midst of our spiritual failures. The new creation promised in Revelation 21:1 reminds us of His redemptive plan to make all things new, including our hearts. Even when pride makes us graceless, God is faithful to extend mercy, drawing us from darkness into His marvelous light.

From Hypocrisy to Yearning for Truth

The call for every Christian and every church is to confront pride with humility, unbelief with faith, and contention with love. It begins with a yearning for the truth found in Jesus alone. As Spurgeon once said, "Pride is the devil’s dragnet in which he takes more fish than in any other, except procrastination." In modern terms, this reminds us that pride entangles us, keeping us bound in sin and delay. But Jesus liberates those who humbly seek Him.

Let us not be blinded by the god of this world or be content with shallow religiosity. Instead, let us yearn for the truth of Christ, who is "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). When we surrender our pride and receive God’s grace, He transforms us, equipping us to reflect His glory.

May our prayer echo David’s in Psalm 51:10: "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." Let us walk humbly, seek truth passionately, and glorify God in all we do. The Gospel shines brighter than the darkness of this world—let’s embrace its light with undivided hearts.

Appplication

Pride and unbelief, like hidden infections, often creep into our lives, tempting us to rely on our own strength, knowledge, or achievements rather than surrendering fully to God. The lessons from Mark 12:18-27—where pride blinded the Sadducees to the truth of the resurrection—serve as a wake-up call for us today. Let’s explore how we can apply this truth spiritually and practically in our daily walk with God.

Recognizing Pride as a Barrier

In our modern lives, pride manifests when we prioritize self-sufficiency over dependence on God or when we elevate personal ambitions above His will. For example, when we boast about accomplishments, harbor resentment in conflict, or refuse to admit our need for forgiveness, pride separates us from God’s grace. As Proverbs 29:23 warns, "A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit."

Application: Take time to reflect on areas where pride may have taken hold in your life. Ask God to reveal these areas through prayer, and cultivate humility by daily reminding yourself of your dependence on Him.

Battling Unbelief and Seeking Truth

Unbelief arises when pride blinds us to the truth of God's Word or His promises, much like the Sadducees denied the reality of resurrection. In today’s context, unbelief can manifest as doubt about God’s power, promises, or presence in our lives. Yet, God’s Word assures us that faith is a gift, capable of transforming doubt into certainty (Hebrews 11:1).

Application: Strengthen your faith through regular meditation on Scripture. Write down promises from God’s Word, such as John 11:25-26—"I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." When doubt arises, affirm these truths aloud and ask the Holy Spirit to increase your faith.

Replacing Contention with God’s Grace

Contention, a fruit of pride, divides families, churches, and communities. Instead of fostering discord, God calls us to walk in grace, loving and forgiving one another as Christ forgave us (Colossians 3:13). Jealousy, another companion of pride, poisons relationships and steals joy, but God’s grace offers contentment and peace.

Application: In moments of conflict or jealousy, pause and pray for God’s guidance. Commit to humility and forgiveness, striving to reflect the grace of Christ in your interactions. Let verses like Proverbs 15:1—"A soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger"—guide your conversations.

Living in the Light of the Gospel

The "god of this world" blinds many to the truth of the Gospel, leading them to seek satisfaction in temporary, earthly treasures rather than eternal hope in Christ. However, the Gospel reveals the beauty of living in God’s light, where pride, unbelief, and contention have no place (2 Corinthians 4:6). As Jesus answered the Sadducees, He invites us to understand the power of God and embrace the life-transforming truth of the resurrection.

Application: Surrender daily to Christ’s lordship, reminding yourself of your identity as a child of God. Pursue a relationship with Jesus, not out of obligation, but with heartfelt yearning for His truth and presence. In humility, commit to serving others and storing up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21).

God is faithful, even when we falter, and His grace is sufficient to transform our lives. Let us reject pride and unbelief, embrace humility, and yearn for truth in Christ every day.

Benediction

Jude 1:24-25

"Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen."