November 2019 Messenger Newsletter

"He is God not of the dead, but of the living."
(Luke 20:38)

Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost

The Sadducees: What About the Resurrection?

Luke 20:27 Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to him
Luke 20:28 and 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.
Luke 20:29 Now there were seven brothers; the first married, and died childless;
Luke 20:30 then the second
Luke 20:31 and the third married her, and so in the same way all seven died childless.
Luke 20:32 Finally the woman also died.
Luke 20:33 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had married her."
Luke 20:34 Jesus said to them, "Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage;
Luke 20:35 but 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.
Luke 20:36 Indeed they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection.
Luke 20:37 And 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.
Luke 20:38 Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive."

NSRV & Believer's Study Bible (BSB) Notes

[Luke 20:33] The Pharisees believed not only that marriage continues in the resurrection, but that children were also begotten in that state (cf. Matt. 22:29-30, note).

[Luke 20:36] Since people do not die in heaven, there is no need for marriages to bring about births. "Angels" are not part of the physical order, and they do not engage in physical functions. Men will be like the angels, deathless and above the physical level.

[Luke 20:38] Remembering God's revelation of Himself to Moses (Ex. 3:6), Jesus knows that years after the death of the patriarchs, God refers to them as being in a living relationship to Himself.

Readings for the week of November 17th
Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost
First: Malachi 4: 1-2a
Psalm 98
Second: 2 Thessalonians 3: 6-13
Gospel: Luke 21: 5-19

Sunday Worship Services at 10:00am
Sunday School at 9:00am

Thursday Bible Study (Library) 10:30 am
Holy Communion Service (Sanctuary) Noon