Sunday, November 6, 2022  

Today’s Scripture Reading
Luke 20:27–38

Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to him and asked him a question, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no children, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother. Now there were seven brothers; the first married, and died childless; then the second and the third married her, and so in the same way all seven died childless. Finally the woman also died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had married her.” Jesus said to them, “Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage; but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. Indeed they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. And the fact that the dead are raised Moses himself showed, in the story about the bush, where he speaks of the Lord as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive.” (NRSV)

Reflection

In this passage of Luke, we are reminded that many people question the concept of resurrection; however, the concept cannot be constrained by human beings and our earthly beliefs.

The Sadducees, in essence, try to “trick” Jesus by presenting the idea of marriage being bound by the context of resurrection. Jesus quickly rebukes their scenario of marriage in the afterlife and informs them that marriage, as we know it, has no connection with the afterlife and the kingdom of God. Each individual has their relationship with God, and accordingly, each person’s afterlife is tied to that personal relationship.

In his rebuke of the Sadducees, Jesus also makes the larger point that human beings need not spend time worrying about how to interpret the afterlife and the resurrection. Simply put, this world and our interpretation of the “order of things” has no reflection on the afterlife.

We are better served by nurturing our relationship with Christ and living in the assurance that our belief in him will ultimately lead to the afterlife that we seek.

Prayer

Lord, help us to focus on our relationship with you and to seek to do your will during our time on this earth. We thank you for the blessing and the gift of grace and your resurrection, which assures us that we will ultimately reside with you in the afterlife. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Written by Justin Epps, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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