Daily Devotional (GPS)
Eternal Life Transcends Our Earthly Limitations
Daily Scripture
Matthew 22:23-33
23 That same day Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Jesus. 24 They asked, “Teacher, Moses said, If a man who doesn’t have children dies, his brother must marry his wife and produce children for his brother [Deuteronomy 25:5]. 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married, then died. Because he had no children he left his widow to his brother. 26 The same thing happened with the second brother and the third, and in fact with all seven brothers. 27 Finally, the woman died. 28 At the resurrection, which of the seven brothers will be her husband? They were all married to her.”
29 Jesus responded, “You are wrong because you don’t know either the scriptures or God’s power. 30 At the resurrection people won’t marry nor will they be given in marriage. Instead, they will be like angels from God. 31 As for the resurrection of the dead, haven’t you read what God told you, 32 I’m the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob [Exodus 3:6, 15-16]? He isn’t the God of the dead but of the living.” 33 Now when the crowd heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.
Daily Reflection & Prayer
When dealing with ideas they didn’t believe, the Sadducees used ridicule rather than calm, reasoned discussion. Unlike Pharisees, Sadducees didn’t believe in resurrection because they didn’t find it in the first five books of the Hebrew Scriptures—the only ones they accepted. So they posed an extreme situation to Jesus, using the kind of conundrum “Sadducees were known to pose to the Pharisees, seeking to illustrate what they believed were the absurd implications of belief in the resurrection.” *
- The Sadducees asked about Deuteronomy 25:5, a law that assumed having children to continue the family line was the only reason for marriage. As N. T. Wright wrote, “Resurrection life will not be exactly the same as the present one. Death will have been abolished, and so… the need to continue a particular family line will be irrelevant.” ** Jesus denied the need for having children in eternity, not the presence of loving relationships. How does this distinction help you think about eternal life?
- The Sadducees tried hard to make resurrection sound silly. Jesus didn’t give a detailed description of all parts of eternal life—he trusted God to work that out. Instead, he denied their notion that all earthly limits would apply in eternity. What made it essential for Jesus to believe that “the worst thing is never the last thing” (as Pastor Hamilton often says), especially on the Monday before the cross? Do you share his confidence? In what ways does that trust make your daily life better?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I can barely imagine what eternal life with you will be like—just as the Sadducees couldn’t. Thank you for the assurance that, however the details work, it will be wonderfully worth being part of. Amen.
GPS Insights
Darren Lippe
Darren Lippe, who serves as a Couples Small Group co-leader and Men's Group Leader, while volunteering in a variety of other capacities at Resurrection, wrote today’s Insights. He and his wife, Doris, first met in a Resurrection Single Adult Sunday School class in 1997 and were married in what is now the Student Center. They are empty nesters with 2 college-aged sons, Matthew and Jacob.
Each time I read today’s passage it stirs a different emotion, ranging from amusing, to frustrating, to humbling. Let’s take a look:
Amusing
At first glance, the questioning of Jesus seems farcical, like a small boy at bedtime coming up with more & more outlandish questions just to avoid going to sleep: “Did you check to see if there is a monster under my bed? My closet? Under the desk? What about the dresser drawer? No, not that one, the other drawer…”
I’d also feel remiss if we didn’t address the imaginary widow in our story:
- First off, sincere condolences. (Obviously.)
- Secondly, did any legal authorities check her recipe box? Dishes like Fatal Falafels or Terminal Tilapia might offer a clue as to her run of bad luck.
- Finally, if I were the Master of Ceremonies at the 7th wedding reception, I think I’d open with, “Welcome back. I see a lot of familiar faces tonight and (turning to the groom) one new one.”
Frustrating
In Matthew’s Gospel there are an estimated 16 documented questions that are put to Jesus by the Jewish leaders. The Sadducees are actually asking about an interesting topic; however, their priority is to mock the idea of the resurrection, not have a productive dialogue.
The Sadducees arrogance is on full display. They clearly give no credence to Jesus’ divinity, but I would also submit they don’t hold Jesus’ earthly persona in much esteem either. Jesus didn’t grow up in a metropolis like Jerusalem; He grew up in the “sticks” in Nazareth. Jesus’ earthly father, Joseph, wasn’t a man of connections. Jesus’ mother, Mary, wasn’t a glamorous socialite. Infuriatingly, this lack of respect for Jesus eliminates a chance for us 2,000 years later to hear a more expansive & educational back & forth with Jesus.
Humbling
The Sadducees tried to put God/Resurrection in a box that fits within their earthly understanding & thinking. They envisioned any afterlife to be like Earth 2.0. However, heaven isn’t just a renovation project, it’s going to be a wholesale transformation.
Jesus’ response drives home a critical epiphany: Since we can’t fathom God’s love or appreciate God’s perfect judgment, then perhaps we should let God be God & be content with the idea that we aren’t going to know everything.
It is also a tad deflating to realize that all of our striving for earthly labels & titles won’t matter in heaven. On one hand, this is a positive for those of us who were called “Four-Eyes” or “Brace Face” in Junior High School. On the other hand, I’m bummed that I won’t be able to cash in on the prestige & clout of wearing my July 1983 A&W Restaurant Employee of the Month pin.
So, what might this all mean for us today?
When we hear ludicrous arguments or contentions online, we needn’t always give them credence or respect; just laugh inwardly at the absurdity of their “hot-takes” & move on with our day.
Let’s make sure our faith-based questions aren’t riddle-ish questions but actually seeking education & enlightenment.
Finally, since there are no brochures or Yelp reviews of heaven, we’ll just have to rest in the assurance that as long as Jesus is our concierge it’ll be fantastic. As the blind hymnist, Fanny Crosby, noted regarding if her condition bothered her, “No… for when I die, the first face I will ever see will be the face of my blessed Savior.” *
With heavenly thoughts in mind, we’ll wrap up with an old preacher story. A survivor of the Johnstown Flood of 1889, one of the deadliest natural disasters in U.S. history, becomes notorious for his constant & very detailed re-telling of his experience. He dies & asks St. Peter if he could tell of his adventure to the audience at the next shindig. St. Peter says, “Actually, there’s a gathering right now.” As St. Peter escorts our friend to the podium, he adds, “By the way, you’re in luck. See that guy on the front row? That’s Noah.”
* AZQuotes.com.
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