Understanding Resurrection: Jesus' Teachings on Eternal Life

 

Summary

In our exploration of Luke 20:27-44, we encounter a profound dialogue between Jesus and the Sadducees, a group known for their denial of the resurrection. They present Jesus with a hypothetical scenario involving a woman who marries seven brothers in succession, each dying without leaving children. Their question, "In the resurrection, whose wife will she be?" is designed to trap Jesus. However, Jesus responds by revealing a deeper truth about the resurrection life. He explains that in the age to come, marriage as we know it will not exist. Instead, those who are resurrected will be like angels, sons of God, and sons of the resurrection, living eternally without the need for marriage or procreation.

This passage challenges us to reconsider our earthly attachments and understand that the resurrection life transcends our current experiences and relationships. Jesus emphasizes that God is not the God of the dead, but of the living, affirming the reality of the resurrection. He further challenges the Sadducees by questioning their understanding of the Messiah as merely David's son, pointing to Psalm 110 to illustrate that the Messiah is also David's Lord, thus revealing the divine nature of Christ.

This teaching invites us to trust in the promises of God regarding the resurrection and to live with the hope and assurance that what awaits us is far greater than anything we can imagine. It encourages us to focus on our relationship with God, knowing that in the resurrection, we will experience a fullness of life and joy that surpasses our earthly understanding.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Nature of Resurrection Life: Jesus teaches that in the resurrection, earthly institutions like marriage will not exist as they do now. This points to a transformed existence where relationships are perfected and eternal, free from the constraints of mortality and sin. Our hope lies in the promise that the resurrection life will be more glorious than we can comprehend. [07:02]

2. God of the Living: Jesus affirms that God is the God of the living, not the dead. This underscores the reality of the resurrection and the eternal life promised to believers. It challenges us to live with the assurance that our faith in Christ secures our place in the eternal kingdom, where we will be fully alive in His presence. [01:18]

3. Understanding the Messiah: Jesus challenges the Sadducees' limited understanding of the Messiah by highlighting His divine nature. The Messiah is not only David's descendant but also his Lord, revealing the mystery of Christ's dual nature as both human and divine. This deepens our understanding of who Jesus is and the significance of His lordship in our lives. [17:14]

4. The Limitations of Human Understanding: Jesus' response to the Sadducees reminds us that our understanding of heavenly realities is limited. We are called to trust in God's promises and rest in the assurance that what He has prepared for us is beyond our current comprehension. This encourages a posture of humility and faith as we await the fullness of God's revelation. [08:10]

5. The Exaltation of Christ: Jesus' reference to Psalm 110 highlights His exaltation as Lord, seated at the right hand of God. This affirms His authority and sovereignty over all creation. As believers, we are called to acknowledge His lordship in our lives, living in submission to His will and proclaiming His glory to the world. [21:48]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:22] - The Sadducees' Question
- [01:18] - Jesus' Response on Resurrection
- [02:21] - Prayer for Understanding
- [03:16] - Personal Reflection on Marriage
- [04:35] - The Sadducees' Motive
- [05:08] - Sadducees' Theological Background
- [05:51] - The Levirate Law
- [06:32] - The Hypothetical Scenario
- [07:02] - Jesus' Teaching on Resurrection Life
- [08:10] - Questions About the Afterlife
- [09:41] - The Nature of Heavenly Knowledge
- [10:57] - The Promise of Gain in Heaven
- [12:07] - The Absence of Sin in Heaven
- [13:03] - Jesus' Answer on Marriage in Heaven
- [14:24] - The Population of Heaven
- [16:10] - Jesus Silences the Sadducees
- [17:14] - The Messiah as David's Lord
- [19:14] - The Significance of Psalm 110
- [21:48] - The Exaltation of Christ

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Luke 20:27-44
- Psalm 110:1

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Observation Questions:

1. What was the hypothetical scenario presented by the Sadducees to Jesus, and what was their intention behind it? [00:47]
2. How does Jesus describe the state of those who are resurrected in terms of marriage and their likeness to angels? [01:18]
3. What is the significance of Jesus referencing Moses and the burning bush in His response to the Sadducees? [01:18]
4. How does Jesus challenge the understanding of the Messiah's identity using Psalm 110? [17:14]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. What does Jesus' teaching about the absence of marriage in the resurrection suggest about the nature of relationships in the afterlife? How might this change our perspective on earthly relationships? [07:02]
2. In what ways does Jesus affirm the reality of the resurrection and eternal life through His dialogue with the Sadducees? [01:18]
3. How does Jesus' question about the Messiah being both David's son and Lord deepen our understanding of His divine nature? [17:14]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the limitations of human understanding regarding heavenly realities, and how should this influence our faith? [08:10]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your current relationships. How might the understanding that earthly institutions like marriage will not exist in the same way in the resurrection influence how you prioritize and nurture these relationships? [07:02]
2. Jesus emphasizes that God is the God of the living. How does this assurance of eternal life impact your daily life and decisions? Are there areas where you need to live more fully in this truth? [01:18]
3. Consider the dual nature of Christ as both human and divine. How does this understanding of Jesus as both David's son and Lord affect your relationship with Him and your worship? [17:14]
4. The sermon highlights the limitations of our understanding of heavenly realities. How can you cultivate a posture of humility and trust in God's promises, especially in areas of life where you lack clarity? [08:10]
5. Jesus' exaltation as Lord calls us to acknowledge His authority in our lives. Are there specific areas where you struggle to submit to His lordship? How can you begin to address these areas this week? [21:48]
6. The sermon suggests that the resurrection life will be more glorious than we can comprehend. How can this hope shape your perspective on current challenges or sufferings you are facing? [07:02]
7. Reflect on the idea that in Heaven, we will experience a fullness of life and joy that surpasses our earthly understanding. How can this promise encourage you to live with greater joy and purpose now? [12:38]

Devotional

Day 1: The Transcendent Nature of Resurrection Life
In the resurrection, earthly institutions like marriage will not exist as they do now. Jesus teaches that the resurrection life is a transformed existence where relationships are perfected and eternal, free from the constraints of mortality and sin. This profound truth challenges us to reconsider our earthly attachments and understand that what awaits us is far greater than anything we can imagine. Our hope lies in the promise that the resurrection life will be more glorious than we can comprehend. [07:02]

Luke 20:35-36 (ESV): "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, for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection."

Reflection: How does the promise of a transformed resurrection life change the way you view your current relationships and priorities?


Day 2: God of the Living
Jesus affirms that God is the God of the living, not the dead, underscoring the reality of the resurrection and the eternal life promised to believers. This truth challenges us to live with the assurance that our faith in Christ secures our place in the eternal kingdom, where we will be fully alive in His presence. It invites us to trust in the promises of God regarding the resurrection and to live with hope and assurance. [01:18]

Isaiah 26:19 (ESV): "Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead."

Reflection: In what ways can you live today with the assurance that God is the God of the living, and how does this impact your daily faith journey?


Day 3: The Messiah's Divine Nature
Jesus challenges the Sadducees' limited understanding of the Messiah by highlighting His divine nature. The Messiah is not only David's descendant but also his Lord, revealing the mystery of Christ's dual nature as both human and divine. This deepens our understanding of who Jesus is and the significance of His lordship in our lives. It calls us to acknowledge His authority and sovereignty over all creation. [17:14]

Jeremiah 23:5-6 (ESV): "Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’"

Reflection: How does recognizing Jesus as both human and divine influence your relationship with Him and your understanding of His role in your life?


Day 4: Trusting Beyond Human Understanding
Jesus' response to the Sadducees reminds us that our understanding of heavenly realities is limited. We are called to trust in God's promises and rest in the assurance that what He has prepared for us is beyond our current comprehension. This encourages a posture of humility and faith as we await the fullness of God's revelation. [08:10]

1 Corinthians 2:9 (ESV): "But, as it is written, 'What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.'"

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle to trust God's promises, and how can you begin to surrender this to Him today?


Day 5: The Exaltation of Christ
Jesus' reference to Psalm 110 highlights His exaltation as Lord, seated at the right hand of God. This affirms His authority and sovereignty over all creation. As believers, we are called to acknowledge His lordship in our lives, living in submission to His will and proclaiming His glory to the world. [21:48]

Hebrews 1:3 (ESV): "He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high."

Reflection: In what specific ways can you acknowledge and proclaim Christ's lordship in your daily life, and how can this influence those around you?

Quotes

There came to him some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection. 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. Now, there were seven brothers. The first took a wife and died without children and the second and the third took her and likewise all seven left no children and died. Afterward, the woman also died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had her as a wife." [00:16:54]

Jesus said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, 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, for they can not die anymore for they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. The dead are raised, even Moses showed in the passage about the bush where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now, he's not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him." [00:60:14]

Again, anytime we talk about Heaven, I have people inevitably come to me with all kinds of questions as if I'd already been there and knew all the details of what to expect. They'll come with questions like this, "Will we know each other in the afterlife? If we do know each other, how is recognition possible? In the resurrection, how old will I be? Will I be as old as I am now or even older? Will I maintain an appearance in the resurrection of something like when I was 25 years old, which I prefer to imagine? What about infants? When we know them in the resurrection, will they have been grown to adulthood and again, if so, how will we recognize them?" [00:43:35]

These are difficult questions and when people ask me, I have to tell them, "I don't know. Where God has ceases his divine revelation, I will cease from inquiry." As Calvin said, when you got a question like this, you just be quiet, shut up, and think about it. We don't have all the answers to what life in the resurrected state will be. John himself says, "Beloved, what manner of love is this that we should be called the sons of God, and yet we are. But we do not know yet what will we be like, only that we will be like him, for we will see him as he is." [00:50:02]

Paul's teaching about the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15, he talks about that which is sewn perishable will be raised unperishable. That which is sewn in corruption will be raised in incorruption, sewn in mortality will be raised in immortality. We don't get a comprehensive picture of what that will all look like. Another question is, "Will people in Heaven be able to look down on those who are still on Earth and know what's going on in their lives? If so, will they be subjected to pain and anguish by what they watch taking place before their heavenly gaze?" [00:54:44]

I remember hearing a sermon that was particularly wicked in a seminary chapel when I was a student. I walked out to the parking lot with my mentor, Dr. John Gerstner, and I said to Dr. Gerstner, I said, "John Calvin would have rolled over in his grave if he would have listened to that sermon." Gerstner looked at me and actually stopped in mid stride, turned around and looked at me. He said, "What? Don't you know that nothing could possibly disturb the felicity that John Calvin enjoys at this very moment." I said, "Yes, sir. I stand corrected." [00:58:03]

We're now in that state where we look into the glass darkly. We know in part that once we make the transition, our knowledge will be so much greater when we arrive in that place. I'll tell you this. If I know anything about the resurrected state, it's going to be, not infinitely, but almost infinitely better than what we enjoy in this state. Paul wrote to the Philippians where he said, "For me to live as Christ and to die is gain." In one sense, I have to leave it at that point, simply saying this we know for sure. When we enter into Heaven, we will lose nothing of substance or of value. What we will experience is only gain. [01:05:51]

Think of this. Whatever is there and isn't there, one thing we know will not be there in Heaven is sin. Everything that profanes human relationships will be gone. No sin. No deceit. No death. No sickness. No sorrow. How that falls out in the resurrection, I don't know. I trust God at his word that whatever we experience in Heaven will be wonderful and will be nothing but gain. An answer to this question, Jesus said, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy to attain that age in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor or are given in marriage." [01:14:02]

At first glance, that would suggest that we are not in a state of marriage in Heaven. Whatever state we'll be in, as I said again, will be better than anything we can imagine now. "For they can not die anymore because they are equal to the angels and they're sons of God, being sons of the resurrection." He goes on to say there that we will be like the angels. We will not be angels. Don't get that idea that when we die, we spring wings and suddenly live in angelic existence. Others mean by this that angels are sexless. We don't know that. We don't know whether they're genderless. I assume that we've been created male and female and in our redemption, we will remain male and female. Maleness and femaleness will move to a completely different level, a level that is greater, a level that is more wonderful. [01:16:09]

What Jesus is saying, there will be no need anymore to fill the Earth and multiply by propagation because death will be no more and we won't have to have children in Heaven in order to populate the place. All of the population of Heaven will be there by God's grace for eternity. Again, I have to say to you, some people ask me right in the minister's quarters beforehand, "Will there be sex in Heaven?" They ask me that, being younger men that they are, I said, "What's that?" I don't suffer fools lightly with those kinds of questions. In any case, what Jesus promises is glory. [01:24:31]

Notice that in this text Jesus silenced the Sadducees. Even the scribes who had failed already to try to trap him complimented him by saying at the end of the text, "Teacher, you have spoken well," for they no longer dared to ask another question. Jesus said, "You've been asking me all these questions. You've been trying to trap me in every conceivable way, now let me ask you a question." Now he turns his attention to his question. He said to them, "How can they say that the Christ, the Messiah, is David's son? For David himself says in the book of Psalms, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool."' David thus calls him Lord, so how is he his son?" [01:18:34]

In his exaltation, Jesus ascends to Heaven and he sits at the right hand of God where he is appointed by the Father to rule over all of the Earth, to be the King of kings and to be the Lord of lords, to be Adonai, David's Lord, Caesar's Lord, your Lord, my Lord. Having given him the name that transcends all titles, Adonai, Kurios, so that every time we even hear the name of Jesus, the appropriate response is to be on our knees in absence before the one whom God has placed at his right hand and has exalted him with such majesty and that that does not detract from the glory of God, the Father, but it is to the glory of God, the Father, that we confess that Christ is Lord. [01:35:37]

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Transcript
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