The Lord of Life
by Rev. Kirby Williams
Jesus reveals the reality of life after death, and that He alone is the hinge upon which the door of eternity swings.
Text: Luke 20:27-40
Date: 03/23/2025, the Combined service.
Series: "Luke: Thy Kingdom Come" Part 187
Description:
Jesus' confrontation with the religious leaders in the Temple at the end of His ministry continues with a challenge from a group of Sadducees concerning the reality of life after death. Thinking they have an iron-clad argument against the resurrection, they present Jesus with an extreme example of what the Torah teaches about marriage. But Jesus exposes their "straw man" argument by revealing a glimpse of what Kingdom-dwellers are actually like in the age to come. He then, with a brilliant exegesis from the writings of Moses, proves unequivocally that the Torah teaches not only the reality, but the necessity of life after death. Luke's focus remains on the absolute authority and preeminence of Christ in all things, and particularly as the "hinge" upon which the door of eternity swings. For along with the resurrection comes the inevitable judgment when only those who are "worthy" in God's eyes will gain entrance into His eternal rest. And this worthiness can only be attained through belief, surrender and obedience to Jesus-- the Lord of the Living, the Lord of Life!
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I. Introduction, John 1:4, 3:36, 5:21,24,26,28-29,40, 6:35,51,53, 8:12, 11:25-26, 14:6, 20:31; Matt. 16:25.
II. Exposition of the text, Luke 20:27-40.
A. Context, Luke 20:17.
B. The Sadducees set a trap, vs. 27-33.
1. A delegation of Sadducees, vs. 27.
a. The sect of the Sadducees, Luke 20:1.
b. Rejecting the resurrection.
2. The trap, vs. 28-33, Luke 19:47-48.
a. Background to the trap, vs. 28a.
i. A repeated flattery, Luke 20:20.
ii. Focus on the Pentateuch.
1) Restricted to the Torah, Gen. 19:1.
2) An "iron-clad" trap, Psa. 118:22; John 6:40.
b. Setting the trap, vs. 28b-32.
i. The Law of Levirate marriage, vs. 28b.
1) A valid principle, Deut. 25:5; Ruth 4:5.
2) Beware of partial truths, Luke 4:10-11, 20:46.
ii. The extreme example.
c. Closing the trap, vs. 33.
i. A false assumption.
ii. A "straw man" argument.
C. Jesus' brilliant answer, vs. 34-38.
1. Stating the obvious, vs. 34.
a. Setting the parameters.
b. The reasons for marriage.
i. More than a ceremony.
ii. A short excursus on boundaries.
2. A glimpse at the age to come, vs. 35-36.
a. A brutal warning to the Sadducees, vs. 35a.
i. Affirming the resurrection, John 18:37.
ii. Another false assumption.
iii. God's sovereign choice, Luke 13:25; Matt. 7:22-23; John 6:29; Acts 16:31; 1Pet. 2:6.
b. Marriage in the age to come. vs. 35b.
i. Destroying the straw man.
ii. Visualizing the age to come, 1Cor. 2:9; John 14:2.
iii. Relationships in heaven.
c. Characteristics of the resurrection, vs. 36.
i. No death in the age to come.
1) A different entry with no exit.
2) Both blessing and curse, Rev. 21:4; John 5:28-29; Matt. 8:12.
ii. Defining eternal Kingdom-dwellers.
1) "Equal" to the angels, 1Cor. 6:3.
2) Sons and daughters of God, John 1:12-13; 1Cor. 15:22; Eph. 1:5.
3) Sons and daughters of the resurrection, Phil. 3:20-21.
3. A Scripture lesson from the Torah, vs. 37.
a. A simple but powerful argument, Gen. 5:24.
b. Jesus' exegesis of the burning bush.
i. Moses' encounter with God, Ex. 3:2,4.
ii. Speaking in the present tense, Ex. 3:5, 16.
4. The glorious interpretation, vs. 38.
a. The deduction.
i. Dead men don't worship, Psa. 6:4-5, 29:2, 95:6, 96:9, 99:5.
ii. Covenants with the living, Gen. 12:2-3; Psa. 105:8-9; Luke 16:22; Matt. 8:11.
b. The conclusion, Dan. 12:2; Matt. 25:46.
D. The affirmation, vs. 39-40.
1. Amazing the scribes, vs. 39.
2. Silencing the Sadducees, vs. 40.
III. Application
A. A warning to unbelievers, Phil. 2:10-11.
B. Rejoicing with believers, 1Pet. 2:5; John 11:25-26.
IV. Conclusion
