Resurrection on the last day

Luke 20:34-40

34 Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage.
35 But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage,
36 and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection.
37 But in the account of the bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’
38 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”
39 Some of the teachers of the law responded, “Well said, teacher!”
40 And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

The Sadducee are a group of people who do not believe in the spirit world. These Sadducee neither believe that there is life after death.

In their attempt to trap Jesus and to disprove the message of salvation which is through the resurrection; they posed a hypothetical question to Jesus… a question based on the Jewish law of Levirate marriage saying.

“If a woman has seven husbands, which one will be her husband in the resurrection”?

Jesus made their argument useless by pointing out that there is no need for marriage in the next life because there is no death after the resurrection.

Dear friends: If there is no death, then there is no need to get married and have children to keep the population going! Because we shall die; it is necessary that we marry and bring forth children to keep the human race.

In (v. 36) They will be “Equal to the angels” does not mean that God’s people will become angels: having four faces and six wings NO!… the truth is we are much higher than the angels because we shall be like Jesus Christ as stated in (1 John 3:1-2).

I am not disproving Jesus, not at all, rather I am buttressing Jesus’ point… Friends let us not forget that the Sadducees asked their question based on the Jewish Law of Levirate Marriage… so what Jesus means is that we shall be “equal to the angels” only in the matter of marriage, by comparing us to angels; for angels do not marry and have families, because they do not die… so there is no death after the resurrection.

Jesus took the Sadducees argument a step further to showed them, their foolishness of denial of the spirits and the spirit world: and the resurrection of the human body. Jesus referred to Exodus 3, to show that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (the patriarchs) were then alive when God spoke to Moses through The Burning Bush. God did not say, “I was the God . . .” rather said “I am the God…” …

Friends: A continuation of life after death simply means a future resurrection; for God had made covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob… these promises includes future blessings. God will not give His blessings to just spirits without body?

Dear ones: Believe that Salvation is for the whole person, not just the spirit; it includes the body.

St.  Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:23 & 24, recorded and I read “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Faithful is He that calleth you, He will also do it.

Thanks be to God for this trust worthy statement!           Amen!

What we need to know is that; the doctrine of the resurrection of the body is not clearly taught in the Old Testament Scriptures; therefore, these Sadducee who are arguing with Jesus did not understand it. However, the resurrection is right there; In Psalms 16:9-10 reads “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell …” this means that David’s soul and the souls of all who believes would not remain in the dead…,

Dear Friends: It is important to note that Jesus Christ Spirit never went to hell; because at His death at the last hour; Jesus’ Soul was committed to His Father, and it was the same day in paradise. After three days His Soul came back to take on His resurrected body which is a special body; A new body which all true believers shall receive, thanks be to God, we shall receive a body which will not die again…!

John 14:1-7 (Jesus said) “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

“In My Father’s house,” He said, “are many rooms.” That word “rooms” literally means “places to stay.” In other words, Jesus was saying that, though His disciples would miss Him greatly, they would always have a place to stay with Him, a place where they could rest and prosper. Not only that but they would have a heavenly home. A home with that resurrected body.!

Dear Friends; the moral of this message is that: We may move to start a new job or to stay in a bigger home because of our growing family; or to put up a home in our retirement. As people, we may move from one place to another for a number of reasons: reasons such as; health issues, educational issues, or just because we believe a new house will make us happy.

Friends the Resurrection of the body: is a movement into a new house. This shouldn’t surprise us too much; the Bible’s holy story is clear that right out of the Garden of Eden, man lost his home (we lost our home), the home which God intended for us, we lost it. Since then man have been living and traveling Eastwards of Eden. Whether it was Abraham or Israel or the exiles in Babylon, at all times we see God’s people on the move; in life we are also moving towards the resurrection day.

Now listen, I believe that when Jesus said He would prepare a place for us to stay, He is giving us more than a promise for life after death. Surely, Jesus wants us to know that our place with Him in the new heaven and the new earth is secure.

However, there is more than that:

Friends, Jesus wants us to know that we have a safe and permanent place with Him already here and now as we are alive on earth. Listen to Jesus few moments later in John chapter 14… please let’s turn to vrs 23: I read “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My Word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.”

By keeping Jesus Words, He and the Father will come and make home with us! The Holy Spirit and the angels of heaven will surely come with them to encamp around us and nothing shall harm us… with our eyes; we shall see things happen but they shall not hurt or harm us….  Praise God!  Don’t be afraid, and fear not!!

With these assuring words, Jesus is saying that what awaits us in the new heaven and the new earth can be partly ours right here and now as we travel through this life before we die. It can be ours before He Jesus comes again at the day of the resurrection.

Beloved: If we are going to find our home with Jesus, it will not be our doing but His. He and His Father will come to us and make their home with us when we trust Him and His Words.

Our abiding place, our place to stay is with Jesus.

• Jesus is the way home.
• Jesus is the truth about resurrection.
• Jesus is life and the resurrection.
• Jesus is home and He is where we belong.

Again, listen to Jesus in this same chapter, John 14:18-20. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in me, and I in you.” Friends, Jesus invites us home, He invites us into a relationship with Himself, the Father and with the Spirit.

How blessed children are to have parents who give them a safe and sure place to call home. Even more blessed, though, are children who know that Jesus makes His home with their family.

On Earth has seen many evil things; and man has committed one cruelty after another, after another, but none has ever been darker or crueller than the crucifixion and death of God’s innocent Son. But when all seemed lost and hope seemed gone, when death and damnation seemed to be our ultimate and inevitable end, the Christ arose in glorious victory. On the third day after they had placed His lifeless body into a borrowed tomb, Jesus came forth and showed to all the world His victory over death. On Resurrection Sunday a living Lord Jesus Christ served notice to the world: from now on, death’s reign is done and all who believe on Him will not perish but have everlasting life. This is God’s truth: the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanses us from all sin.

The good news for today is that with Jesus, we have a home on earth and in heaven!  

This Jesus is the one who suffered under Pontius Pilate and was crucified and He died; to conquered sin; and by His resurrection to life, Jesus defeated death and the devil, and has opened the gates of heaven to all believers. This same Jesus and the Father will make their home with you right here on earth, and above all Jesus is preparing a place for you after the resurrection!

My dear Listeners: The resurrection victory gives you a place to stay. In Jesus is that place. In Jesus is a home. Jesus is love. Jesus is the assurance you need. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Without the way there is no going. Without the truth there is no resurrection.

When Jesus comes again at the resurrection, He will join the spirits of believers to their new bodies. The believers who will be alive at the coming of Jesus will have their present physical bodies changed… so that, like the dead, they may be clothed with an incorruptible and immortal bodies.

Please note that the resurrection of the dead in Christ; and the change of the body of believers still living; will take place when Jesus descends from heaven where He is currently dwelling at the right hand of the Father.

Paul before his death rejoiced: He knew he will be with Jesus and he will receive the crown of righteousness which would be his due reward.

Friends, like St. Paul, we shall one day face a righteous judge:  meaning that our rewards are going to be distributed in justice, each one according to his own works.

In John 11: 25-26 Jesus said to Martha when he was about to raise Lazarus,

I read: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.

My friends and Akwasi! Do you believe this?”

As you believe with your heart and confess with your mouth, so should it be for you… Amen.

May the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, guard your hearts and your minds unto Christ Jesus till life everlasting… Amen!