The Messiah's Promise of Eternal Life
Text: Matt. 22:23-33
Introduction
1. Illustration: Charles Spurgeon offers this warning: "If you haven’t looked at Christ on the cross, you’ll have to look at Him on the throne—with great trembling. The sacrificial death of Christ will be brought before the eyes of all who refuse to accept His free gift of forgiveness and eternal life. In Bethlehem He came in mercy to forgive sin. In the future He will come on the clouds in glory to establish justice. What will we do without a Savior? On the day of judgment there is nothing we can do if we have not trusted Christ."
2. One of the great promises that God gives us is the promise of eternal life. In order to receive eternal life we must understand three important things...
a. The Resurrection
b. The Power of God
c. The Nature of God
3. Let's stand as we read together Matt. 22:23-33
Proposition: As we understand the promise of eternal life we put ourselves in a position to receive it.
Transition: The first thing we must understand is...
I. The Resurrection (23-28).
A. Whose Wife Will She Be
1. Let us remember that this takes place during the Passover Week and by the end of this week Jesus would be crucified on the cross.
a. During this week everyone who was opposed to Jesus took shots at Jesus trying to come up with a reason to get rid of him.
b. The Pharisees have certainly taken their shots at him, and so have the Herodians.
c. Now we see the Sadducees turn to take a shot at him.
2. Matthew tells us, "That same day Jesus was approached by some Sadducees—religious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead..."
a. So who are these Sadducees?
b. This prominent Jewish sect, though not so numerous as their opponents, the Pharisees, by their wealth and the priestly descent of many of them had an influence which fully balanced that of their more popular rivals.
c. They were a political party, of priestly and aristocratic tendency, as against the more religious and democratic Pharisees (The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia).
d. They left no room for the supernatural in their beliefs. They did not believe in miracles, angels, spirits, a final judgment, or a coming Messiah (Horton, 479).
e. In ancient Judaism the Sadducees were especially notorious for not believing in resurrection;
f. Rabbis who considered themselves successors of the Pharisees often classified Sadducees as heretics for this view (although the Sadducees, who vanished in the years after a.d. 70, were no longer around to respond) (Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary – New Testament).
3. Then Matthew tells us, "They posed this question: “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies without children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother’s name.’"
a. The Sadducees’ question concerns the law of levirate marriage, a custom practiced in many cultures both in antiquity and today (see Deut. 25:5).
b. It provides economic and social protection to widows in certain kinds of family-oriented societies where women cannot earn wages.
c. Students of Jewish law were still expounding this Old Testament principle in Jesus’ day and afterward (Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary – New Testament).
d. It is not surprising that they would bring Jesus a question about the resurrection since everyone knew they didn't believe in it.
e. They thought they were backing Jesus into a corner that would make the doctrine of the resurrection look absurd.
f. People will often use ridicule as a weapon when they have no valid arguments against a truth they do not want to accept.
g. Furthermore, they thought that it was an unanswerable question. Not only did they not believe in the resurrection but they also only accept the five books of Moses (Gen. - Deut.) as being authoritative Scripture.
h. Since they didn't believe that these books addressed the topic they thought they had him right where they wanted him.
i. It would make them look good and would destroy Jesus reputation (Horton, 479).
4. Their question continues with, "Well, suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest one married and then died without children, so his brother married the widow. But the second brother also died, and the third brother married her. This continued with all seven of them. Last of all, the woman also died. So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her.”
a. In this scenario we are dealing with a woman with really bad luck. She not only outlives her husband, but also all six of his brothers.
b. Marrying this woman is like signing your death warrant!
c. Some second-century rabbis proposed that a two- or three-time widow should not marry again, lest she bring harm on her next husband too (Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary – New Testament).
d. The Sadducees assumed that the seven brothers would always be fighting over who's wife she was and this is certainly not a scenario fitting of heaven.
e. But they had underestimated Jesus. They didn't know the deep resources of his mind and spirit.
f. They didn't realize that they weren't dealing with an ordinary man, but that he was the embodied Son of God (Horton, 481).
g. To add to their problems, they not only didn't understand who they were dealing with, but they also didn't understand the resurrection.
B. Christ Is Risen
1. Illustration: All but four of the major world religions are based on mere philosophical propositions. Of the four that are based on personalities rather than philosophies, only Christianity claims an empty tomb for its founder. In 1900 B.C. Judaism’s Father Abraham died. In 483 B.C. Buddhist writings say Buddha died "with that utter passing away in which nothing whatever remains behind." June 6, 632 A.D. Mohammed died. In 33 A.D. Jesus died but came back to life appearing to 500 people over a period of 40 days.
2. Jesus resurrection is predicted by Scripture.
a. 1 Corinthians 15:4 (NLT)
He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.
b. The resurrection of Jesus had been predicted thousands of years before his death.
c. It was promised that the Father would not leave among the dead or allow his body to rot in the grave.
d. It was promised that his life would not end.
e. Jesus indicated time after time that he would die but rise from the dead on the third day.
f. And that promise was kept!
3. Jesus resurrection was verified by eyewitnesses.
a. 1 Corinthians 15:5-8 (NLT)
5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve.
6 After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.
7 Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles.
8 Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.
b. Over 500 people saw him alive after his death.
c. He was seen by Peter and the other Apostles.
d. He was seen by his family.
e. He was seen by Paul.
f. There is overwhelming proof that Jesus is alive!
4. Jesus resurrection is the foundation of Christianity.
a. 1 Corinthians 15:13-14 (NLT)
13 For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either.
14 And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless.
b. Without the resurrection Jesus was just another religious fanatic.
c. Without the resurrection Jesus was a liar.
d. Without the resurrection we are still lost in our sin.
e. But Jesus kept his word, the Scriptures are true, eyewitnesses verify it and He has risen from the dead.
f. Because he has risen, one day we will rise!
Transition: The next thing we must understand is...
II. The Power of God (29-30).
A. Your Mistake
1. In deal with their question, Jesus gets right to the heart of the matter. He not tells them where they are wrong, but he also tells them why they are wrong.
2. First, he deals with the root of their ignorance. He says, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures..."
a. This is the only clash between Jesus and the Sadducees recorded in the Gospels.
b. Jesus didn't criticize them as sharply as he did the Pharisees because they were not as sneaky and underhanded as the Pharisees and approached him openly and honestly.
c. First, he tells them that they did not know or understand the Scriptures.
d. While they did study the Scriptures they only accepted the first five books, and therefore, missed much of what God was trying to say to them.
e. The word translated "your mistake" means to go astray, wander off, or deceive.
f. In its form here it means to lead oneself off course or to stray from the truth. It often carried the idea of being cut loose from reality.
g. Nothing could have cut them to the quick worse than to be accused of not understanding these two areas in which the proud Sadducees considered themselves most authoritative (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Matthew 16-23).
3. The second reason for their error was "...and you don’t know the power of God."
a. The reason for their failure to understand the Scriptures was that they knew nothing about the power of God.
b. They didn't comprehend that God is able to resurrect the dead and transform mortal bodies into glorious, immortal, incorruptible bodies (Horton, 481).
c. 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 (NLT)
4 And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit.
5 I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.
d. Who would be so foolish as to say to God, "you can't do this!"
4. Then Jesus corrects their understanding of the resurrection saying, "For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect they will be like the angels in heaven."
a. What Jesus tells them plainly is that in heaven marriage will be insignificant.
b. “Marry” probably refers to the groom, whereas “be given in marriage” refers to the bride betrothed by her father.
c. He then says that in this respect we will be like the angels.
d. It was widely agreed that angels did not procreate (it was unnecessary since in most traditions they did not die), nor did they usually eat or drink (Kenner, The IVP Bible Background Commentary – New Testament).
e. Jesus is not saying that Angels are sexless but that after the resurrection we will have glorified bodies like them.
f. Since there will be no death in heaven there will be no need to have babies.
g. Jesus taught that the kingdom of God will not only restore the original created order, but that it would surpass and fulfill it with a new and much better order (Horton, 481).
h. They would have understood this if they knew the power of God and the power of His Word.
B. The Power of God and His Word
1. Illustration: A young boy traveling by airplane to visit his grandparents sat beside a man who happened to be a seminary professor. The boy was reading a Sunday school take-home paper when the professor thought he would have some fun with the lad. "Young man," said the professor, "If you can tell me something God can do, I"ll give you a big, shiny apple." The boy thought for a moment and then replied, "Mister, if you can tell me something God can't do, I’ll give you a whole barrel of apples!"
2. Jesus can promise us eternal life because of the power of God.
a. Romans 4:20-21 (NLT)
20 Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God.
21 He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.
b. Jesus can promise us eternal life because he has the power to overcome sin.
c. Jesus can promise us eternal life because he has the power to overcome temptation.
d. Jesus can promise us eternal life because he has overcome the devil.
e. Through his power we receive his grace.
f. Through his grace we receive eternal life in a place without pain, sorrow and tears.
g. Through his grace we receive forgiveness and cleansing.
3. Jesus can promise us eternal life because of the power of His Word.
a. Hebrews 4:12 (NLT)
For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.
b. The promises of God are powerful because His Word is powerful.
c. It is alive, active, and relevant.
d. The Word of God is something that we can trust in, cling to and rely on.
e. None of its promise will ever fail!
f. None of its predictions will ever cease.
g. If it says we will have it, we will.
h. What it says we are, we can count on.
i. What is says we can do, we will do.
4. Jesus has given us that promise.
a. Mark 10:29-30 (NLT)
29 “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News,
30 will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life.
b. It is a promise that will not fade.
c. It is a promise that will not fail.
d. It is a promise that no one can take from us.
e. If we belong to him we have eternal life!
Transition: Consequently, we must understand...
III. The Nature of God (31-33).
A. God of the Living
1. Now Jesus addresses with them the resurrection itself.
2. He says, “But now, as to whether there will be a resurrection of the dead—haven’t you ever read about this in the Scriptures? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died..."
a. Arguing against their Sadducean opponents, the Pharisees commonly tried to prove the resurrection from the law of Moses (one rabbi even suggested that the resurrection was taught in every passage in the law.
b. Jesus here does the same.
c. He argues that God would not claim to be the God of those who no longer exist; indeed, his faithfulness to his covenant demands that if he is their God after death, death is not the final word for them (Kenner, The IVP Bible Background Commentary – New Testament).
d. If it is not the final word for them it is not the final word for us either!
3. The reason it is not the final word for us is "‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ So he is the God of the living, not the dead.'”
a. Jesus' excellent exegetical argument is based on the emphatic present tense of the I am used in that passage from the Pentateuch.
b. After Abraham and Isaac and Jacob were long dead, the Lord was still their God every bit as much as when they were alive—in fact, in many ways even more so, because they had become perfectly sinless and their souls were experiencing the fellowship of His eternal presence (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Matthew 16-23).
c. God is not the God of the dead but the living, for they are alive with Him in paradise even if they are dead in the eyes of the world.
d. They have not gone out of existence, but have gone on to much higher existence because God will keep his promise of the resurrection (Horton, 483).
e. The present tense is used because God is not the God of the dead but of the living, and if He is presently the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, then those men obviously are still alive in another realm.
4. When all those listening heard what Jesus had to say to the Sadducees, "they were astounded at his teaching."
a. In the Temple that day Christ again magnificently demonstrated His deity giving an answer to the unanswerable that could have come only from the omniscient mind of God.
b. Christ demonstrated His absolute commitment to Scripture, an infinitely greater commitment than the biased and self-deceptive commitment of the Sadducees.
c. And our Lord divinely affirmed the reality and glory of the resurrection that awaits those who belong to Him (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Matthew 16-23).
B. God Eternal
1. Illustration: Thinking of the fullness and duration of this wonderful life, W. B. Hinson, a great preacher of a past generation, spoke from his own experience just before he died. He said, "I remember a year ago when a doctor told me, 'You have an illness from which you won't recover.' I walked out to where I live 5 miles from Portland, Oregon, and I looked across at that mountain that I love. I looked at the river in which I rejoice, and I looked at the stately trees that are always God's own poetry to my soul. Then in the evening I looked up into the great sky where God was lighting His lamps, and I said, ' I may not see you many more times, but Mountain, I shall be alive when you are gone; and River, I shall be alive when you cease running toward the sea; and Stars, I shall be alive when you have fallen from your sockets in the great down pulling of the material universe!'"
2. The essence of God's nature is that He is alive!
a. Psalm 84:2 (NLT)
I long, yes, I faint with longing to enter the courts of the LORD. With my whole being, body and soul, I will shout joyfully to the living God.
b. He is the God of the living because he is living.
c. He is not some dead, crusty, rotting idol he is the living God.
d. He is not a concept or an idea; he is the living God.
3. If we are God's people we are alive.
a. Ezekiel 37:6 (NLT)
I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”
b. If we are God's people then we are alive.
c. If we are God's people then the end of this life is only the beginning.
d. If we are God's people death has no hold on us.
e. If we are God's people we shall live forever.
4. If we believe in Jesus we will live forever.
a. John 6:47 (NLT)
“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life."
b. If we trust in Jesus for salvation we will live forever.
c. If we follow Jesus with all our hearts we will live forever.
d. If we continue in him we will never have to fear death for we will always be with Jesus.
Transition: Have you trusted Jesus for eternal life?
Conclusion
1. One of the great promises that God gives us is the promise of eternal life. In order to receive eternal life we must understand three important things...
a. The Resurrection
b. The Power of God
c. The Nature of God
2. Have you received the promise of eternal life?
3. Romans 10:9-10 (NLT)
9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.
4. Confess and believe and you will have eternal life.
