Big Question Living - Luke 20:27-44 NIV
“Some of the teachers of the law responded, ‘Well said, teacher!’ And no one dared to ask him any more questions.” Luke 20:39-40 NIV
The Question of the Sadducees: __________________
“Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. The second and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. Finally, the woman died too.” Luke 20:29-32 NIV
This is what happens when we become so legalistic about law. We forget the why behind the what. We forget God’s grace. Trying to trap Jesus. Jesus surprises them and answers their question! Along the way he challenges us to ask bigger, better questions that lead us to AWE!
4 Big Questions - After the resurrection…
#1 - What will _______________ be like?
“The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But [then they] will neither marry nor be given in marriage.” Luke 20:34,35b NIV
Why no marriage in Heaven? 5 reasons… 5 E’s
Economic - marriages more often arranged, not romantic.
Expand - Populate? Multiply? No birth? No need for child bearing?
Eternity - 50, 60, 70 yrs one thing. But 70,000? 7 million?
Engage - Love relationship with God Himself. Need eternal grace!
Edict - Jesus declares it. We don’t know all. We can be in awe!
#2 - Who are those _______________ to be in the coming age?
“But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage.” Luke 20:35 NIV
The ONLY one worthy is Jesus Himself. We only enter into His kingdom on the basis of His imputed merit to us - not by anything we have done, right? But then Jesus did say, “those who are considered worthy of taking part.” There is something about sticking to it, remaining faithful. Not falling away. Not giving up. Finishing the race. Finishing the faith.
“Here is a trustworthy saying: ‘If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him.’” 2 Timothy 2:11-12a NIV
#3 - What will it be like to be _______________ ?
“They can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection.” Luke 20:36 NIV
This is where Jesus goes on. Gives more of an answer than is asked. Where the awe comes in.
“Can no longer die.” Unable to die. Life within them is so powerful, so real, so forever - that there is no dying. Death itself becomes impossible.
“like the angels.” Not become angels. Like them. How so? Powerful? Eternal? Servants? Probably refers to immortal.
“God’s children.” We have God in us, we have eternity. We become eternal beings.
“children of the resurrection.” Only place in the Bible. We become something more than human when we are born out of the resurrection. We must change into what we will become…
“For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.” 1 Cor. 15:52b-53 NIV
Let’s pull these first 3 together - Eternal relationships, Considered worthy, Un-die-able. The new human creation - will be something entirely new - imperishable and immortal changes what it means to be human - can only be a good thing for those who have a purpose that is also eternal.
KEY QUESTION - What do I live for? Be careful how we answer! If it is for ANOTHER PERSON - then that purpose is mortal also. If it is for THINGS, then our purpose passes away as things do also. What will be the fuel that gives us a passion for living beyond 1,000 years? 10,000? 100,000? 1,000,000? Forever? It has to be a forever, imperishable purpose to fuel our forever life and keep it meaningful a million yrs later.
#4 - What will it be like to be _________________?
“He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive. / David calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?” Luke 20:38 & 44 NIV
Time itself has no meaning outside of the creation God provides. God makes this sequence of one event after another that we call “time,” but God Himself is outside of that moment to moment sequence. All such moments are “NOW” to the God of eternity.
38 - to Moses the Lord is still God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - all long since dead.
44 - David calls him ‘Lord.’ referring to Jesus Himself, also the son of David.
So everything to God and to His children someday will be FOREVER NOW. The counting of years (as we’ve done so far in this sermon) is itself antiquated. No meaning to counting of time when time is always just… NOW. Forever. Now. This moment. Forever.
Personal challenge -
Am I stuck on mistakes of my past? Not God. He’s Forever Now! Am I with God?
Am I worried about the potential problems I face tomorrow? Not God. He’s Forever Now! Am I with God?
If I can’t live in this moment, right here, right now - what makes me think I can live forever now - moment by moment - un-die-able - forever - in Heaven?
Challenge of the Wow: ____________________ ?
Do I allow myself to ask the really big questions of God? Last week’s prayer from Anne Lamott - “Help! Thanks! Wow!” We don’t pray “Wow” prayer nearly enough! It takes faith to ask big questions.
“Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6 NIV
Faith helps us leap beyond the urgency & challenges of today. Do you have faith to ask Big Questions? Will you be awed to Wow?