Jesus Christ my Living Hope.

That is an amazing statement when you consider the fact that Jesus died.

Matthew 22

There’s a story in the gospels of the Sadducees coming to Jesus with what they think will be an impossible question.

“Teacher,” they said, “Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for him. Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh. Finally, the woman died. Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?”

Part of what’s fascinating about this is that the Sadducees don’t believe in the resurrection. So to them, this is not an issue and the question itself mocks the resurrection and makes it seem silly.

They’re probably thinking “we’ve got Him, there’s no way Jesus can get out of this one. Either way He and the resurrection will look ridicules.”

But in case you haven’t noticed by now, Jesus is no ordinary teacher.

Here’s His response

“You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, ‘I AM the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”

There is so much to Jesus’ response that is amazing, but I want to focus on just one comment today.

Did you hear how Jesus stated it? ‘I AM the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ Even though these men lived over a thousand years before Jesus and were currently dead, He put it in the present-tense.

For one simple reason.

When speaking in the Old Testament, God Himself never puts this statement in past tense because from God’s perspective – these men are still alive.

So even today He is still the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

And since He’s not the God of the dead but of the living, these men are alive.
Actually, I would say, these men are more alive than you and I are.
And not only them, but all who have gone before us and have died in Jesus have joined with them in living in eternity.

As we serve a risen Savior, we also have hope in our own resurrection that is one day to come. Death is not the end for any of us. Truly, Jesus is our living hope. Living both for now in this present life, and in the future life that is to come.

Death where is your sting???

Believer, may you celebrate this day that your God IS the God of the living.

Jesus came that we may HAVE life and have it abundantly. Both now and forever. There’s a world out there dying and we have this amazing gift of life, may we share it freely with excitement and love. Jesus is your living hope – pass it on!