Matthew 22.23-33
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. 22.31-32
People are easily divided by political issues and parties. Even more pronounced are divisions among various religious/doctrinal camps. The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. They came to Jesus with a question about marriage in the afterlife they thought clearly showed belief in resurrection to be problematic. Jesus does not seek to understand their “view” of things and simply declares “you are wrong”. God is big, eternal, and several aspects of His nature are mysterious. However, there are things God has revealed about himself in His word that are true and right; meaning some things are false and wrong. Jesus answers the Sadducees doctrinal question by showing them their ignorance of scripture and, by extension, God’s power. God declares in Exodus “I am the God of Abraham…” not “I was the God of Abraham.” God IS God, He is alive, and He is the God of the living, meaning those who have their faith in Him will be resurrected to live with Him forever.
- What part of the text or sermon had the greatest impact on you? Where were you most encouraged, intrigued, challenged?
- What does Jesus mean when he says we will be “like angels in heaven”? Why won’t there be marriage in heaven?
- What are some of the seemingly “hypothetical” questions about God, Jesus, after life you have heard those who do not follow Jesus ask to try to show inconsistency in Christian faith/belief?
- Read Colossians 3:1-4. What picture does this paint of the resurrection? How should this impact the way we see and live in the world today?
- When you wrestle with doctrines, will, or commands of God do you rely most on your intellect, emotions, or experiences? How does each of these fail us compared to God’s revealed word?