Saints Triumphant Sunday
\nNovember 13, 2016
\nLuke 20:27-38<\/p>\n
Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question.\u00a0 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and have children for his brother.\u00a0 Now there were seven brothers.\u00a0 The first one married a woman and died childless.\u00a0 The second and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children.\u00a0 Finally, the woman died too.\u00a0 Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?”\u00a0 Jesus replied, \u201cThe people of this age marry and are given in marriage.\u00a0 But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels.\u00a0 They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection.\u00a0 But in the account of the bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord \u2018the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.\u2019\u00a0 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 (NIV1984)<\/p>\n Dear fellow saints of God,<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s still more!\u201d\u00a0 What joy those wonderful words bring to you and to me!\u00a0 Picture it: \u00a0You go to a concert by your all-time favorite band.\u00a0 It seems as though every song they play is a song that you have known and loved for a very long time.\u00a0 As the concert draws to a close and the band begins to say good-bye you hear shouts of \u201cEncore!\u00a0 Encore!\u201d\u00a0 Suddenly the band gets back into place and starts playing again.\u00a0 That\u2019s when you experience the joy of knowing\u2014 There\u2019s still more!\u00a0 You\u2019re opening presents at Christmas.\u00a0 Wrapping paper is torn up and joyfully scattered all over the floor.\u00a0 Everyone is smiling and laughing, enjoying and thanking when suddenly your spouse or your parent or your child turns to you and says, \u201cI was saving this for last.\u201d\u00a0 That\u2019s when you experience the joy of knowing \u2014\u00a0 There\u2019s still more!<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s still more!\u201d\u00a0 What joy those wonderful words bring to you and to me!\u00a0 If you have ever personally experienced the joy of knowing that \u201cThere\u2019s still more!\u201d then today is the day for you!\u00a0 As we gather together here in God\u2019s house to celebrate Saints Triumphant Sunday our sermon text reminds us of this truth:\u00a0 As Disciples of Jesus\u2014 We Rejoice in Knowing that There\u2019s Still More!<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 There are two things we want to see today.\u00a0 First of all, let\u2019s see that the joy of knowing that there\u2019s still more is a joy that is completely unknown to the unbeliever.\u00a0 Then let\u2019s see that the joy of knowing that there\u2019s still more is a joy that is celebrated by the saints.<\/p>\n Our text for today takes place on the Tuesday of Holy Week.\u00a0 Just two days prior to this Jesus had triumphantly entered into the beloved City of Jerusalem amidst shouts of, \u201cHosanna to the Son of David!\u00a0 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!\u00a0 Hosanna in the highest!\u201d<\/em> (Matthew 21:9).\u00a0 Jesus had already cleansed the Temple courts by driving out the people who had turned His Father\u2019s House into a \u201cden of robbers\u201d<\/em> (Luke 20:46).\u00a0 The chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders of the people had openly challenged Jesus\u2019 authority to do what He was doing.\u00a0 The religious leaders of God\u2019s people had sent \u201cspies\u201d<\/em> to try and trap Jesus with a trick question, \u201cIs it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?\u201d<\/em> (Luke 20:22).\u00a0 Since every attempt to try and trap Jesus or discredit Jesus failed miserably the Sadducees decided that they would give it a try.\u00a0 Hence, our text for today.<\/p>\n Look at the opening verse of this text.\u00a0 These words reveal to us that the joy which we have as disciples of Jesus, the joy which comes from knowing that there\u2019s still more is a joy that is completely unknown to the unbelievers.\u00a0 Luke writes, \u201cSome of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 The Sadducees were a group within Judaism that was known for three distinctive traits:\u00a0 1) They denied the resurrection of the dead; 2) They denied the existence of angels; and, 3) They accepted only the five books of Moses as the inspired Scriptures.<\/p>\n Those three characteristics help us to understand the hypothetical situation which the Sadducees used to try and trap Jesus.\u00a0 According to what was known as the \u201cLevirate Law\u201d recorded in Genesis 38:8 and Deuteronomy 25:5-10 (both of which were written by Moses) if a married man died without leaving a male heir his brother was required to marry the widow.\u00a0 \u201cThe first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel,\u201d<\/em> Moses wrote.\u00a0 (Deuteronomy 25:6)\u00a0 The Sadducees, however, were not using this hypothetical situation to try and trap Jesus when it came to the subject of marriage or when it came to the subject of the Levirate Law.\u00a0 No, they were hoping to use this hypothetical situation to try and trap Jesus with what they considered to be a ridiculous result of believing that there is life after death\u2014 a woman who now had seven husbands, all brothers!<\/p>\n Before we get to Jesus\u2019 response to this hypothetical situation, let\u2019s take a moment to recognize that while the group known as the Sadducees no longer exists today, the \u201cspirit\u201d of the Sadducees lives on to this very day.\u00a0 There are people today who disregard the authority of God\u2019s holy inspired Word on the basis that it makes no \u201clogical sense\u201d to them.\u00a0 They place their reason, their understanding and their opinions over and above God\u2019s holy Word.\u00a0 One of the results of this is that they simply discard various portions of the Bible as no longer being \u201capplicable\u201d to your life today.\u00a0 The Creation of the world, the virgin birth of the Christ-Child and the physical resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday are turned into \u201cstories\u201d\u2014 \u201cstories\u201d that they say were \u201cadded\u201d to the Bible long after Jesus and His apostles were gone from this earth, \u201cstories\u201d that they say may contain a \u201ckernel\u201d of truth that you and I may or may not find useful for our lives, but \u201cstories\u201d that fall woefully short of what science and logic and technology have now \u201cproven\u201d to be true.<\/p>\n Another one of the results of simply discarding portions of God\u2019s holy Word on the basis that \u201cWe know more now than when the Bible was written,\u201d is the loss of the joy that comes from knowing that there\u2019s still more!\u00a0 If our faith is based purely on what we can understand with our limited logical minds, if our faith is focused on the misconception that this world with its shallow pleasures and fleeting joys is \u201cas good as it will ever get\u201d\u2014 how sad, my friends!\u00a0 Think about it!\u00a0 Even if someone had more money than they knew what to do with, even if someone had the most enjoyable life they could have ever hoped for, when they get to the point where they are staring death in the eyes\u2014 knowing that they are going to lose\u2014 denying that there is still more because they deny central teachings of the Bible, well, as far as I am concerned that\u2019s about as profoundly sad as it gets.<\/p>\n Thankfully, as disciples of Jesus you and I have the joy of knowing that there is indeed still more!\u00a0 In fact, as disciples of Jesus you and I have the joy of knowing that the best is yet to come!\u00a0 Jesus emphasizes this joy when He responds to the Sadducees by saying, \u201cThe people of this age marry and are given in marriage.\u00a0 But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels.\u00a0 They are God\u2019s children, since they are children of the resurrection.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n When by the grace of God we trust in the holy Scriptures that God Himself has given to us, when by the grace of God we stand in humble awe of the almighty power of our Triune God then <\/strong>we will have the joy of knowing that there\u2019s still more\u2014 so much more!\u00a0 Then <\/strong>we will have the joy of knowing what is waiting for everyone who is \u201cconsidered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Now at first glance the word \u201cworthy\u201d<\/em> may cause us to pause.\u00a0 I know that when I look back on all the things that I have done as well as all the things I have left undone, when I stop to remember all the times that I should have just kept my mouth shut as well as all the times that I should have opened my mouth and shared God\u2019s Truth with someone\u2014 I quickly realize just how \u201cunworthy\u201d<\/em> I am to take part in \u201cthat age\u201d<\/em> and in the resurrection to eternal life.\u00a0 Perhaps you are different, but I doubt it.<\/p>\n The only <\/strong>way anyone is considered \u201cworthy\u201d<\/em> to take part in \u201cthat age\u201d<\/em> and in the resurrection to eternal life is through faith in Jesus Christ and what He has done for <\/strong>us.\u00a0 (Pointing to the across)\u00a0 Since through faith in Jesus we are <\/strong>\u201cworthy,\u201d<\/em> my friends, we have the joy of knowing that there\u2019s still more!\u00a0 Since through faith in Jesus we are <\/strong>\u201cworthy\u201d<\/em> we have the joy of knowing that when we die and\/or when we are raised from the dead on the Last Day we will be \u201clike the angels.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Note that Jesus does not<\/strong> say that we will become<\/strong> angels.\u00a0 He says that we will be \u201clike the angels.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 What does this mean?\u00a0 The Lord Himself then explains what that means by emphasizing two things.<\/p>\n First, like the angels we will neither \u201cmarry nor be given in marriage.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Since marriage was one of the first and greatest blessings God gave to Adam and Eve (the only blessing they were allowed to take with them when they were banished from the Garden of Eden for rebelling against their loving Creator) it might concern us that we will not have this blessing to enjoy in heaven.\u00a0 But don\u2019t look at it from the perspective of what we won\u2019t <\/strong>have.\u00a0 Look at it from the perspective of what we will <\/strong>have!\u00a0 In heaven we will have an open face-to-face relationship with our God!\u00a0 In heaven we will enjoy a companionship with our brothers and sisters in the faith, our fellow saints, that soars far above even the best marriage anyone could possibly have here on this earth!\u00a0 Secondly, Jesus tells us that we will be \u201clike the angels\u201d<\/em> in that we cannot die.\u00a0 Since death is always the result of sin and since there will be no sin in \u201cthat age\u201d<\/em> it is not difficult to understand why Jesus tells us that \u201clike the angels\u201d<\/em> we \u201ccan no longer die.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 But there is more!<\/p>\n Jesus goes on to tell us that since we are <\/strong>\u201cworthy\u201d<\/em> of taking part in \u201cthat age\u201d<\/em> and in the resurrection to eternal life this means that we have the joy of knowing that we are<\/strong> and forever will be<\/strong> \u201cGod\u2019s children,\u201d<\/em> that is, \u201cchildren of the resurrection\u201d<\/em>\u2014 with all the rights and all the privileges that high honor brings with it!\u00a0 As \u201cGod\u2019s children,\u201d<\/em> as \u201cchildren of the resurrection<\/em>\u201d we will have the privilege of ruling alongside of our Brother Jesus for all of eternity.\u00a0 As \u201cGod\u2019s children,\u201d<\/em> as \u201cchildren of the resurrection\u201d<\/em> we have the right to inherit our heavenly Father\u2019s perfect glorious Kingdom.\u00a0 That\u2019s part of the joy that comes from knowing that there\u2019s still more!\u00a0 And there is still more!<\/p>\n Look at verses thirty-seven and thirty-eight of our text.\u00a0 Since the Sadducees denied the reality of the resurrection and since the Sadducees accepted only the books of Moses as being the inspired Word of God, Jesus uses the writings of Moses to prove to the Sadducees that they are wrong!\u00a0 There\u2019s still more!\u00a0 He says, \u201cBut in the account of the bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord, \u2018the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.\u2019\u00a0 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Stop and think of the joy that these words bring to you and to me.\u00a0 Most of us here today have buried a loved one\u2014 someone whom we dearly miss each and every day.\u00a0 These precious words of our Savior fill our grieving hearts with the joy of knowing that while our loved one\u2019s physical body has died\u2014 their soul still lives!\u00a0 Yes, their soul now lives in the very presence of the Triune God Himself!\u00a0 And on Judgment Day their physical body will be raised from the dead and reunited with their soul so that in both body and soul they and we can live with our God forever!\u00a0 Isn\u2019t that one of the reasons that we look forward to coming here to God\u2019s house to celebrate Saints Triumphant Sunday!<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s still more!\u201d\u00a0 What joy those wonderful words bring to you and to me\u2014 whether we\u2019re at a concert or opening Christmas presents or maybe just enjoying a fine Thanksgiving dinner with our family and friends.\u00a0 My prayer this morning, however, is this:\u00a0 Whenever your life here on this earth is beginning to weigh you down, whenever you are standing at the grave of someone you love with tears streaming down your face and when the time comes for you to close your eyes in death I pray that as a disciple of Jesus you hold fast to the joy of knowing\u2014 \u201cThere\u2019s still more!\u201d\u00a0 Yes, my friends, this cross guarantees to you that the best is yet to come!<\/p>\n To God be the glory!<\/p>\n Amen<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Saints Triumphant Sunday November 13, 2016 Luke 20:27-38 Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question.\u00a0 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and have children for his brother.\u00a0 Now there were seven […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-744","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermon"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/744","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=744"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/744\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":745,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/744\/revisions\/745"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=744"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=744"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=744"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}