Luke 20:27-38 (NRSV)
Read Luke 20:27-38 on biblegateway.com
Verse 27Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to him Verse 28and 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. Verse 29Now there were seven brothers; the first married, and died childless; Verse 30then the second Verse 31and the third married her, and so in the same way all seven died childless. Verse 32Finally the woman also died. Verse 33In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had married her." Verse 34Jesus said to them, "Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage; Verse 35but 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. Verse 36Indeed they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. Verse 37And 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. Verse 38Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive."
Devotion
So how should Jesus respond to the Sadducees’ questions? It’s interesting to note that Jesus doesn’t meekly ignore the religious leaders’ traps. He stands his ground – even, at times, gets angry with them. His confidence comes from his familiarity with the scriptures and with the heart of God. Yet I’m not convinced Jesus is trying to change their minds. Rather, his words reach a larger audience – an audience who just might be persuaded and uplifted by what he says.
We aren’t necessarily put to the test like Jesus or our very lives at stake like his. But the issue of speaking out on God’s behalf is real. There are lots of doubters in the world, plenty of people who – intentionally or unintentionally – try to deny God’s authority. Sharing what we believe sometimes means taking a stand.
We draw confidence from knowing God’s word and God’s heart. We can speak the truth in love because we trust in what we know: that God’s love is something the whole world needs.
Prayer
Holy Lord, you risked your very life so that the world might know your truth. Use my words today to spread your story and open the hearts of those who hear them so they might come to believe in you. Amen.