Lessons Of A Lifetime

god of the living
Or
religious – but dead wrong
Sunday July 31, 2022

Scripture To Consider:
“The same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and asked Him, saying; ‘Teacher, Moses said that if a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. Now there was with us seven brothers, the first died after he was married, and having no offspring, left his wife to his brother. Likewise, the second also, and the third, even to the seventh. Last of all the woman died also. Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her.’”

“Jesus answered and said to them, ‘You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like the angels of God in heaven. But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.’ And when the multitudes heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.”    Matthew 22.23-33

Something To Consider:
So far in the course of one day in the temple, Jesus has been approached by chief priests, elders of the Jewish religion, Pharisees, Herodians, along with disciples of the Pharisees, and now Sadducees who did not believe in the resurrection of the dead.

They presented a purely hypothetical and unrealistic question to Jesus with the motive of attempting to prove their position of disbelief in the resurrection. But their foolish attempt only proved that they did not know the Scriptures, and that they were dead wrong when it came to understanding the concept of the resurrection of the dead.

The apostle Paul was very clear on his explaining the biblical concept of the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15, beginning in verse 12. “Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen.”

Paul continued in verse 14, by explaining; “And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching [or teaching and these lessons of a lifetime] are empty and your faith is empty.” Yes, God is the God of the living, not the dead! Therefore, those who disbelief the clear biblical understanding of the resurrection from the dead, are indeed dead wrong!

Something Else To Consider:
But Jesus answered their make belief silly little story of seven dead husbands all having been married to one woman, by declaring, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.” In other words, they were dead wrong! How often are so many church attendees misled because a so-called religious leader has been mistaken due to their not knowing the Scriptures? Four or more years of religious training cannot teach a person biblical discernment.

These Jewish religious leaders were dead wrong because they did not know the Scriptures. They were so-called spiritual leaders of a nation and they did not know what the Word of God said on the subject of the resurrection from the dead. They knew all too well what their religious hierarchy had taught as rigid traditions, but they did not know the Word of God.

They were also dead wrong because they did not know the power of God according to Jesus. Therefore, let us study to show ourselves approved unto God, servants who need not to be ashamed but rightly understanding the written and preserved Word of God.

These religious leaders had the Old Testament Scriptures, such as Job 19.25-26. “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God.” Can we also attest to the declaration of Job? And if not, why not?

David prayed a prayer revealing his confidence in a final salvation in Psalm 17. He ended his prayer with these words; “As for me, I will see Your face [God’s face] in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.” Will we be satisfied when we awake in the likeness of Jesus Christ? We do not need to wait until we awake from the dead. We can be satisfied now! For according to Psalm 34.8, “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good.”

Something More To Consider:
Jesus, in our Scripture to consider, made reference to Exodus 3.6, when He quoted; “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Jesus then reinforced the fact that these Sadducees were dead wrong by also stating, “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”

That truth was also proven at the Mount of Transfiguration with the appearance of Moses and Elijah who were very much alive. And whether Jesus was speaking of being physically dead or spiritually dead in a person’s trespasses and sins, the truth of the text is emphatic, God is the God of the living, and not the God of the dead.

And without knowledge of the Scriptures, we too will be dead wrong about many things. For false teaching is rampant in this 21^st century as Jesus said it would be in the end times. False prophets spread their lies regarding health, wealth, and prosperity above the Word of God. Well to do preachers, teachers, and authors of lying false doctrines falsely espouse a pre-tribulation rapture message that is contrary to the written Word of God!

And yet, they are dead wrong, and they are in total opposition to God’s Word. While many preach and teach that all is well, the judgment of God lingers overhead for all who oppose Him, His Son, and His holy Word. Let us not be found spiritually dead wrong in following the error of the so-called religious leaders’ ways!

A Few Final Words:
The truest evidence of the resurrection is found in the words of Jesus in John 5.28-29. “For the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear My voice and come forth; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.” Yes, there are two resurrections! Which will we attend, the resurrection to eternal life, or the resurrection to eternal condemnation?

Trust me when I say, no one will escape or hide from the soon coming resurrection of the dead! And any spiritual leaders who are mistaken regarding the power of God and the resurrection from the dead, are more likely dead wrong about many spiritual things, including the timing of the rapture, the coming of the Antichrist, and the actual timing of the coming of Jesus Christ.

And according to Jesus, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.” And as will be seen soon, many are to be proven dead wrong concerning their many dead wrong traditions and foolishly followed doctrines of demons. For also according to Jesus, “Take heed that no one deceives you.”

Prayer:
Our Father in heaven, open our eyes to the power of the Word of God, that we may not be dead wrong concerning the resurrection of the dead. Help us to truly believe in the God of the living, of whom is the Word of God who was in the beginning with God and was God, in the person of Jesus. In Him Always, Amen!