The Children of the Resurrection: Living the New Age

Change is a constant in our world—customs, traditions, and even what we consider “normal” are always shifting. Looking back, we often marvel at how different things once were, and yet, in time, others will look back at us with the same sense of wonder. But the hope we have in Christ is not just about change; it is about transformation. When God’s kingdom comes, it is not simply an upgrade of what we know, but a new creation altogether. The encounter between Jesus and the Sadducees in Luke 20 reveals how easily we can become trapped by our own assumptions, trying to fit God’s eternal promises into the limited categories of our present world.

The Sadducees, who denied the resurrection, tried to corner Jesus with a question about marriage in the afterlife. Their scenario was rooted in a law given out of compassion for a broken world—a law meant to protect the vulnerable. But Jesus redirects their thinking: the resurrection is not this life extended, but this life transformed. The world to come is not bound by the patterns of the fallen world. In God’s future, there will be no need for laws born out of suffering, because suffering itself will be no more. Love will be perfect, every need will be met, and death will be destroyed.

Jesus points to the burning bush, where God reveals Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—not the God of the dead, but of the living. God’s presence is a living, holy fire that is never consumed, and His promise is not just for some distant future, but for now. Every act of mercy, every moment of forgiveness, every time we love without expecting repayment, we draw the reality of God’s future into the present. Resurrection life begins wherever Christ reigns—in our hearts, in our relationships, and in our communities.

Though it is hard to imagine a world without pain, jealousy, or domination, faith invites us to see through the eyes of Jesus. In Him, our humanity is lifted into glory, and that glory begins to transform us even now. The kingdom is already breaking in, redeeming our times and giving us glimpses of the world to come. Until the day when God’s kingdom is fully revealed, we live as children of the resurrection—wiping tears, living by grace, and letting Christ’s invisible reign be made visible through us.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Resurrection Transforms, Not Extends, Life The resurrection is not a mere continuation of our current existence, but a radical transformation of all things. Jesus teaches that the world to come is not bound by the limitations and brokenness of this age. Our hope is not for an improved version of what we know, but for a new creation where suffering, death, and need are no more. [34:29]
• 2. God’s Kingdom Breaks Into the Present The future God promises is not only for “someday,” but begins to take root now wherever Christ reigns. Every act of mercy, forgiveness, and selfless love is a sign that the new age is already breaking into our world. We are called to live as people of the resurrection, letting God’s future shape our present. [38:30]
• 3. Faith Reimagines Reality Through Christ Faith invites us to see beyond the categories shaped by sin and brokenness. In Christ, we are called to imagine a world where love is untainted, power is gentle, and life is unending. This vision challenges us to live differently now, trusting that God’s glory is already at work transforming us and our world. [39:48]
• 4. The God of the Living Calls Us to Hope God reveals Himself as eternally present—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of the living. His promise is that life, not death, has the final word. Because He lives, we too shall live, and this hope sustains us as we await the full unveiling of His kingdom. [37:07]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [17:03] - Gospel Reading: Luke 20
• [17:59] - The Sadducees’ Question
• [18:36] - Jesus’ Response: Life Transformed
• [29:57] - Changing Customs and Traditions
• [30:38] - Strange Norms of the Past
• [31:15] - Shifting Perspectives Over Time
• [32:02] - God’s Kingdom: Everything Changes
• [32:26] - The Sadducees’ Trap
• [33:30] - Resurrection: Not This Life Extended
• [34:59] - The World to Come: A New Creation
• [35:28] - Laws Born of Suffering
• [36:35] - No More Need in the Resurrection
• [37:07] - God of the Living, Not the Dead
• [37:54] - Resurrection Life Begins Now
• [39:00] - Living as Children of the Resurrection
• [41:09] - Redeeming the Times
• [41:58] - Awaiting the Kingdom, Living by Grace
• [42:25] - Confession of Faith

1. What was the main question the Sadducees asked Jesus, and what was their intention behind it? ([32:26])
2. How does Jesus describe the difference between “this age” and “that age” (the resurrection) in his response? ([34:05])
3. According to Jesus, what is the significance of God calling Himself the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? ([37:07])
4. What examples did the sermon give of customs or laws that exist because of the brokenness of our world? ([35:28])

1. Why do you think the Sadducees struggled to understand the resurrection, and how did their assumptions limit their view of God’s promises? ([32:26])
2. Jesus says the resurrection is not just this life extended, but this life transformed. What does it mean for the world to come to be “not bound by the patterns of the fallen world”? ([34:29])
3. The sermon mentions that God’s presence is a “living, holy fire that is never consumed.” What does this image communicate about God’s relationship to life and death? ([37:31])
4. The sermon says that resurrection life “begins wherever Christ reigns.” What are some ways this can be seen in our lives and communities now? ([38:30])

1. The Sadducees tried to fit God’s promises into their own categories and assumptions. Are there areas in your life where you might be limiting God by your own expectations or understanding? How can you open yourself to God’s bigger vision? ([32:26])
2. The sermon says that in the resurrection, “mercy will no longer have to respond to suffering, because suffering will be no more.” How does this hope shape the way you respond to suffering or injustice today? ([36:06])
3. Jesus teaches that the resurrection is about transformation, not just continuation. Is there a part of your life or a relationship where you need to pray for transformation rather than just improvement? What would that look like? ([34:29])
4. The sermon says, “Every time we forgive, we pull tomorrow’s grace into today’s world.” Can you think of a recent time when you experienced or offered forgiveness? How did it feel like a glimpse of God’s future? ([38:30])
5. The idea that “resurrection life begins now” challenges us to live differently. What is one practical way you can let Christ’s reign be visible in your home, workplace, or community this week? ([39:00])
6. The sermon mentions that it’s hard to imagine a world without pain, jealousy, or domination. What helps you to “see through the eyes of Jesus” and imagine God’s kingdom breaking in, even in small ways? ([39:48])
7. The sermon says, “Until then, we live as those who belong to that coming world. Children of the resurrection.” What is one habit or practice you could start (or stop) to live more as a “child of the resurrection” in your daily life? ([41:26])