Living in the Kingdom Luke 20: 27-47 (10:45 AM)

This morning, we explored the profound reality of resurrection and eternal life, as Jesus confronted the Sadducees in Luke 20. The Sadducees, religious leaders who denied life after death, tried to trap Jesus with a convoluted question about marriage in the resurrection. Their story, built on a misapplication of Moses’ law, was designed to make the idea of resurrection seem absurd. Yet, Jesus responded with wisdom and authority, pointing them back to the Scriptures and to the very words of Moses at the burning bush, where God declared Himself the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—proving that He is the God of the living, not the dead.

We considered how belief in the resurrection is not just a theological detail, but the very heart of Christian hope. Without it, our faith is empty, and we remain in our sins. Jesus’ resurrection is the trailblazer for all who trust in Him; He has gone before us, and because He lives, we too shall live. The Sadducees’ refusal to believe in life after death kept them from salvation, a sobering reminder that what we believe about Jesus and the resurrection has eternal consequences.

We also reflected on the importance of discernment, both in our own hearts and in the leaders we follow. Jesus warned against religious hypocrisy—leaders who love status and recognition but lack true devotion and compassion. We are called to test what we hear, to ensure it aligns with God’s Word, and to care for one another as the body of Christ, never letting anyone slip through the cracks unnoticed or unloved.

Finally, we were challenged to make the most important decision of all: to answer the question, “Who is Jesus?” Is He truly the Son of God, risen from the dead? Each of us must respond, not with deflection or distraction, but with honest confession and faith. Today is the day to move from darkness to light, from death to life, by trusting in the risen Savior.

Key Takeaways

• 1. The reality of resurrection is central to Christian faith and hope. Jesus’ confrontation with the Sadducees reveals that denying life after death is not just an intellectual error, but a spiritual barrier to salvation. Our assurance of eternal life rests on the historical fact of Christ’s resurrection, which transforms both our present and our future. [62:59]
• 2. The motives behind our questions about faith matter deeply. The Sadducees’ question was not a genuine search for truth, but an attempt to justify unbelief and trap Jesus. We must learn to discern the heart behind questions—our own and others’—and seek the wisdom of the Holy Spirit to respond with grace and truth, rather than react in haste or defensiveness. [67:49]
• 3. Salvation requires both confession and belief in the resurrection. Scripture is clear: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” No matter our background or past, faith in the risen Christ is the only way to move from spiritual death to life. [70:23]
• 4. Religious status and outward appearances are no substitute for genuine faith and humility. Jesus warned against leaders who love honor and recognition but neglect justice and mercy. True spiritual leadership is marked by integrity, compassion, and a commitment to God’s Word, not by self-promotion or empty ritual. [76:29]
• 5. Each person must personally answer the question, “Who is Jesus?” Deflection—whether through intellectual arguments, criticism of the church, or political distractions—cannot avoid the central issue. Eternal destiny hinges on whether we confess Jesus as the Son of God and trust in His resurrection; this is the invitation and challenge for every heart. [83:56]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [58:17] - Introduction and Shepherding the Flock
• [59:59] - Succession and Pastoral Transition
• [61:01] - The Sadducees’ Question on Resurrection
• [62:23] - Jesus’ Response: Life After Death
• [63:32] - The Sadducees’ Beliefs and Modern Parallels
• [64:39] - The Trap: Misusing Moses’ Law
• [66:35] - Jesus’ Wisdom: The God of the Living
• [67:49] - Discernment and Answering with Wisdom
• [70:03] - The Necessity of Belief in Resurrection
• [73:26] - Jesus’ Identity: Son of David and Son of God
• [76:05] - Warning Against Religious Hypocrisy
• [78:34] - The Call to Believe and Live
• [80:06] - The Hope of Resurrection in Christ
• [81:50] - Personal Encounters and the Central Question
• [85:36] - Invitation to Salvation and Closing Prayer

Bible Reading

Luke 20:27-40 (ESV) — 27 There came to him some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection,
28 and they asked him a question, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.
29 Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died without children.
30 And the second
31 and the third took her, and likewise all seven left no children and died.
32 Afterward the woman also died.
33 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had her as wife.”
34 And Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage,
35 but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage,
36 for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
37 But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.
38 Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him.”
39 Then some of the scribes answered, “Teacher, you have spoken well.”
40 For they no longer dared to ask him any question.

Romans 10:9 (ESV) — …if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

1 Corinthians 15:12-20 (ESV) — 12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.
14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.
…
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Observation Questions

1. What was the main question the Sadducees asked Jesus, and what was their motive in asking it? (Luke 20:27-33; [01:01:01])
2. How did Jesus use the story of Moses and the burning bush to answer the Sadducees’ challenge about the resurrection? (Luke 20:37-38; [01:02:36])
3. According to the sermon, what did the Sadducees believe about life after death, and how did this affect their relationship with God? ([01:03:32])
4. What does Paul say in 1 Corinthians 15 about the importance of the resurrection to the Christian faith? ([01:19:24])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think Jesus chose to answer the Sadducees’ question by referencing Moses and the burning bush, rather than using other arguments or miracles? ([01:06:35])
2. The Sadducees’ question was not a sincere search for truth but an attempt to trap Jesus. What does this reveal about the importance of our motives when we ask spiritual questions? ([01:07:49])
3. According to Romans 10:9, both confession and belief in the resurrection are necessary for salvation. Why do you think belief in the resurrection is so central to Christian faith? ([01:10:23])
4. The sermon warns against religious leaders who love status but lack true devotion and compassion. How can outward religious activity become a substitute for genuine faith? ([01:16:29])

Application Questions

1. The Sadducees’ refusal to believe in the resurrection kept them from salvation. Are there any beliefs or doubts in your own life that might be acting as barriers to deeper faith or trust in Jesus? What would it look like to bring those honestly before God? ([01:03:32])
2. Jesus responded to a tricky, insincere question with wisdom and grace. When you are faced with difficult or even hostile questions about your faith, how do you usually respond? What could you do differently to answer with both truth and love? ([01:07:49])
3. The sermon emphasized that each person must answer the question, “Who is Jesus?” Have you ever found yourself deflecting or avoiding this question, perhaps by focusing on church problems or politics? What would it look like to face this question honestly today? ([01:23:56])
4. Paul says that if Christ has not been raised, our faith is useless. How does the reality of Jesus’ resurrection shape your daily life, your hope for the future, and the way you face suffering or loss? ([01:19:24])
5. The sermon challenged us to care for one another and not let anyone “slip through the cracks.” Is there someone in your church family or community you haven’t seen in a while or who might need encouragement? What is one practical step you can take this week to reach out to them? ([58:36])
6. Jesus warned against religious hypocrisy and leaders who love recognition but neglect justice and mercy. How can you personally guard against valuing status or appearance over genuine humility and compassion? ([01:16:29])
7. Romans 10:9 says salvation comes through confessing Jesus as Lord and believing in His resurrection. If you have never made this confession, what is holding you back? If you have, how can you share this hope with someone else this week? ([01:10:23])