The God of the Living - Mark 12:18-27

Mark 12:18-27 The God of the Living 2020-03-15 Humble yourself before the God with power and promise of the resurrection The sin of pride is centered on self. It relies on self, looks to self, is concerned with self, and ultimately ends with self. And while we might recognize that pride is sinful, we’ve found all sorts of ways to dress up pride and disguise it. At times it may even come across as noble and desirable. One such case is when pride is dressed in the robes of religion. It can go through the motions, it can look very impressive, it can give the impression that it’s about something more grand and great, all the while only being concerned with self. Scripture Passage: Mark 12:18-27 This is the case of the Sadducees. They appeared very religious, and they were so far as their rituals were concerned. But their religion was in vain because it was centered only on themselves. And as such, with themselves it would end. There was no hope beyond what they could gain in this life, and there was no power beyond what they could muscle for themselves. But in our passage this morning we see them come face to face with Jesus, and they are exposed. Hoping to make Jesus look silly, instead they are the ones who are ashamed. We see this morning where it is that they went wrong. Prideful Ignorance (vv.18-23) 1. v.18 “And Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection.” - This is quite the introduction. 1. The Sadducees are often explained as being like the religious aristocracy. They don’t receive much ink in Mark’s gospel, but they were quite influential in Jerusalem during the time of Jesus. We often associate them as close allies with the Pharisees, but this wasn’t really the case. The Pharisees and Sadducees were quite different. The Sadducees exercised more control within the confines of the Temple, whereas the Pharisees were more in and among the people. The Sadducees differed in their view of Scripture, accepting the Torah, the five books of Moses, but either rejecting or not giving the same weight and value to the rest of Scripture. And, as Mark notes here, the Sadducees denied the resurrection, whereas the Pharisees believed in it. It was really only in their opposition to Jesus that they found themselves aligned. 2. v.19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife…” - The Sadducees present this situation to Jesus that is designed to create a dilemma for him. I can imagine they used this with the Pharisees, this being like their ace-in-the-hole question. 3. v.23 “In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife.” The Pharisees believed that the resurrected state would be nearly identical to what we know now. We’d be raised with identical bodies, marriage would continue, and so forth. So for the Pharisees, who believed in the resurrection but believed wrongly, this situation presented by the Sadducees created a real dilemma. Their attempts to answer would make them look foolish. And this is precisely what the Sadducees are hoping to accomplish with Jesus. Truth Revealed (vv.24-27) 1. v.24 “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God?” - I hope you can appreciate how quickly this turns for the Sadducees. Not only does Jesus not tremble at their question, he doesn’t even legitimize it with an attempt to answer. Instead, he tells them they’re wrong; so wrong they’re unable to ask a decent question. Jesus lists two areas where they are dead wrong. 1. They don’t know Scripture. 1. This would be like an unknown street evangelist going to a faculty meeting at a well-known and rigorous seminary and telling the professors they don’t know anything about their Bibles. It was believed that if anyone knew anything about the Scriptures, it was the Sadducees. This was especially believed by the Sadducees themselves. But there are different types of knowing, aren’t there? The Sadducees could likely clean house in Bible trivia. They could recount the events and stories and remember the names of people and places. This is well and good, but insufficient. They were able to observe things on the surface. Their observations were shallow. They would answer the questions of who, what, when, where. But the why and the how? 2. Deeper observation, that which requires meditation, wasn’t explored. This is the kind of observation that naturally leads to interpretation and ultimately application of Scripture, which is what we need. This is right handling of God’s Word, something we should be diligent to do (2 Tim. 2:15). 2. They don’t know God’s power. 1. 1 Cor. 6:14 says that God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. 2. Col. 2:12 speaks about our being raised with Christ through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised Jesus from the dead. 3. Eph. 1:19-20 tells us about the immeasurable greatness of God’s power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places. 4. I’m convinced, especially in times like we are in now, that we need to be reminded of God’s power. The Sadducees were upset with Jesus because he was threatening their position, and so they aimed to destroy him. And this is the thinking for those who have hope only in this life, who don’t know the power of God and don’t recognize the resurrection. 1 Thess. 4:13-18 tells us that we don’t grieve as those who have no hope. Rather, we believe that the dead in Christ will be raised and forever be with the Lord, so we can encourage one another. We’re called to something greater than what we see taking place in our world right now. As Christians we need to remember God’s power, and not be like the Sadducees and try to get all we can for ourselves in this life. We are called to generosity, not greed or hoarding or stockpiling. We are called to serve, not to wait for others to serve us. We are called to sacrifice, not to do everything we can possibly do to preserve our earthly life. This is the legacy of true Christianity, and one that we are called to continue. There is a world living in fear and taking humanistic actions to try and preserve life; doing all they can within their own power. And who can blame them, when they don’t know God’s power? This is a time for us to pray and think and speak and act in a distinctly Christian way. 2. v.25 “For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.” - Like angels to the extent that they neither marry nor are given in marriage. This doesn’t mean we have wings or become entirely different creatures in the resurrection. 3. v.26 “And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses…” - Jesus directs them to the canon of Scripture that they accepted, looking at Exodus 3:1-6. 1. The OT is full of passages about the resurrection. 1. Daniel 12:2 “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.” 2. Enoch, who was taken up body and soul to meet the Lord. Genesis 5:24 3. Abraham, when he brings Isaac to Mount Moriah, even knowing he was going up to sacrifice his son, says to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” Genesis 22:5 4. But they didn’t know the Scriptures. 4. v.27 “He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.” - Jesus argues that, although Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob died, God is still, present tense, their God. It’s not that he was their God, but that he is their God. The God who made great promises to them during their lives will be faithful to them after death. But they didn’t know the power of God. Conclusion: The Sadducees were wrong about the resurrection, and they were wrong about Jesus. Though they had their religion, it wasn’t according to Scripture, and it didn’t recognize God’s power. There is life in him. Humble yourself before him, and he will lift you up. 1 Peter 5:6-7 y l i m Fa Table Talk March 15, 2020 GOD’S TRUTH “Humble yourself before the God with power and promise of the resurrection.” Family Discussion ?s 1. Have you ever listened to someone say ADING confidently something you knew was not true? TABLE RE Or talk of something they clearly did not know to further in s id the accurate details about? Have you ever done k r u Lead yo this? What sinful attitude tends to cause us to rd... Go d’s Wo do this? 2. Do you know what the Sadducees claimed to :18-27 1. Mark 12 know so well, and speak on authoritatively to the ns 0; Colossia ans 1:19-2 common people? Yet, what did the Sadducees say ; 2. Ephesi 9 -1 :14 Timothy 2 that was not true? What questions did they ask 2:11-12; 2 alonians ss e h -7; 1 T Jesus that revealed their lack of knowledge of James 4:6 the Scriptures? 4:13-18 3. How important it is that we know the truth! That we acknowledge the immense and holy power of God! That we speak humbly, truthfully, and Scripture Memory: rightly! Read the Scriptures in the Table Reading #2 and be instructed and encouraged in Philippians 2:10 these things. “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” - Deuteronomy 6:6-9 (ESV) www.pillarhoodriver.org