WEBVTT

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 In 1884, Edwin Abbott published a book called Flatland, a romance of many dimensions.

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 In this story, the protagonist, a square, lived in a two-dimensional world, but then dreams

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 of visiting a one-dimensional world, and then is visited by a three-dimensional sphere

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 who comes to help him see the possibility of a world with three dimensions.

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 In his dialogue with the sphere, as he begins to grasp this, he asks a series of questions.

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 If you're not looking, I'm going to hold up a piece of paper to try to show you what he's

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 asking when he asks us.

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 In one dimension, does not a moving point produce a line with two terminal points?

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 Here's your line.

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 In two dimensions, does not a moving line, so this line is moving towards me, create,

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 produce a square, or a rectangle in this case, with four terminal points?

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 One, two, three, four.

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 Now we're in two dimensions.

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 Okay?

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 Now when you take this and you move it through space like this, in three dimensions does not

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 a moving square produce a blessed being, a cube with eight terminal points.

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 Can't fold this into a cube, but imagine six sides just like a dice, right?

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 So it's got eight points all the way around, four in the bottom, four in the top.

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 And then he asks the question.

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 And that cube in four dimensions shall not a moving cube that result in a still more divine

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 organization with 16 terminal points.

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 Okay, are you lost yet?

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 Yeah.

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 Because we just transcended our three-dimensional world with that last question, didn't we?

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 It's hard to imagine a four-dimensional world, and yet the whole purpose of his book.

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 Well, his book had multiple purposes.

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 One was a critique of Victorian society, and particularly the roles of gender in Victorian

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 society.

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 Secondly, it had a great profound mathematical basis.

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 It's still being used today that that picture of all you have to do is keep increasing the

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 space, and you get more dimensions.

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 But he also was making a theological point.

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 Could it be that the world is more than it seems?

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 Could it be that the world that we live in is more than nearly subject to the laws of nature?

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 Could it be that if a transcendent and supernatural God interacts with our three-dimensional natural

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 world, could it be that we would find surprising things that challenge and stretch our minds beyond

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 what we would expect or imagine?

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 C.S. Lewis was a big fan of Flatland.

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 He actually quotes it multiple times in his writings in Miracles and in Mere Christianity.

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 When he talks about in Mere Christianity, the Trinity, he asks a similar set of questions.

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 That if the Christian God is depicted, we usually think of one person being one being.

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 And then God in the Bible is depicted as one God in three persons.

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 And we think, how could this be?

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 He says, well, imagine that fourth dimension, the Flatland.

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 Maybe we, because we are so stuck in our thinking of the world as we see it, maybe we can't imagine

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 what it would be like.

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 If a God who is transcendent and supernatural does exist, how does this redefine what our world

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 is like, how does this redefine how our understanding of him could change?

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 Well, friends, as we continue in our series in the book of Luke this morning, this idea will

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 inform how we understand what happens in the next part of Luke.

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 We're looking in Luke chapter 20.

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 If you want to turn there in your Bible, it's page 827 in the Pew Bibles.

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 We're continuing through this series in the book of Luke.

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 And just in case you're visiting or wondering, remember, in this part of Luke, Jesus, having

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 done his ministry in Galilee and having moved towards Jerusalem, has now arrived in Jerusalem

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 heading to the cross and to the resurrection.

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 In this context, there's severe conflict that's increasing with the religious leaders and authority

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 of the day, while the crowds continue to admire Jesus and his teaching.

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 And through these conflicts and through these interactions, Jesus is constantly clarifying

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 the nature of the kingdom of God and the nature of whom he is and pointing to himself

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 as the center of the establishment of that kingdom on this earth.

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 And this brings us to Luke chapter 20, starting in verse 27.

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 We're going to read 27 through 44.

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 Let's read this together.

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 There came to him some Sadducees, those that deny that there is a resurrection.

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 And they asked him a question, saying, Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother

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 dies, having a wife but no children, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring

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 for his brother.

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 Now there were seven brothers.

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 The first took a wife and died without children, and the second and the third took her.

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 And likewise, all seven left no children and died.

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 Afterwards, the woman also died.

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 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be?

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 For the seven have her as a wife.

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 And Jesus said to them, The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage.

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 But those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the

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 dead neither marry nor are given in marriage.

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 For they cannot die anymore because they are equal to angels and are sons of God being sons

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 of the resurrection.

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 But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed in the passage about the bush, where he calls

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 the Lord, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

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 Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him.

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 And some of the scribes answered, Teacher, you have spoken well, for they no longer dared to

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 ask him any questions.

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 But he said to them, How can they say that the Christ is David's son?

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 For David himself says in the book of Psalms, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand

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 until I make your enemies your footstool.

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 And David thus calls him Lord.

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 So how is he his son?

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 Let's pray.

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 Lord, we are thankful this morning to you for your word.

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 And we are thankful for the fact that we are not left to grasp after you or to imagine

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 you on our own.

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 But God, you have revealed yourself.

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 You've revealed yourself in the person of Jesus.

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 And you have revealed yourself through this book, the Bible, so that we might know who you are.

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 And God, I pray this morning you help give us clarity and greater understanding of who you are this morning.

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 And Lord, that as we understand you more, that our hearts will be turned towards you.

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 Lord, in faith, in devotion, in love, in loyalty, in service.

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 Lord, we pray these things in Jesus' name.

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 Amen.

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 So how does Jesus in these two interactions stretch our understanding of his kingdom and of himself?

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 Well, in the first section he answers a question from his opponents, and then that's in verses 27 through 40,

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 and then in 41 through 44, he asks a question of his own.

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 We're going to look at exactly what he's doing.

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 We'll look at the first interaction first, and then the second one.

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 So in the first one, in verses 27 through 40, we see that Jesus is redefining our understanding

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 about relationships in eternity.

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 Who are the Sadducees?

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 This is the one time in the book of Luke that the Sadducees show up,

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 and it's important, and I want to give you just a brief picture of the political layout,

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 the political spiritual layout of Jerusalem in the first century.

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 The Jewish people were ruled by a group called the Sanhedrin,

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 which is about 70 people who were his elders who oversaw, politically and religiously,

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 the people of Israel in that day.

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 They included, they were made up of chief priests and scribes and teachers of the law,

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 and there was an extended community about them that you see referred to over and over again in the book of Luke.

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 Now, among this structure then, there were two parties, kind of like we have today.

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 On one hand, there were the Pharisees.

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 The Pharisees were more theologically progressive.

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 That is, they had a continually growing tradition of truths in their understanding of the Old Testament,

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 but they were politically conservative and resistant to Roman rule and to compromise.

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 The other party were the Sadducees, and the Sadducees actually were probably the greater party in terms of numbers.

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 They had probably more people on the Sanhedrin, but they were more theologically conservative.

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 They held up only the first five books of the Bible, the Torah, as the authoritative word of God,

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 so they didn't believe in things like angels, or demons, or the afterlife, or judgment.

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 And most importantly, as is seen here and in other places like Acts 23,

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 they did not believe in resurrection.

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 They did not believe that people would be resurrected from the dead at all.

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 They thought that this is the life you lived, and then you died.

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 And it actually made them politically pragmatists,

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 so they were more collaborators with the Roman rulers than opponents.

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 But it's in this context, then, that they come to Jesus after a series of other questions,

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 probably from more on the Pharisee side.

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 Now the Sadducees weigh in with their question,

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 and it looks like they're trying to co-opt him.

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 Sort of say, hey, don't you agree with us?

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 And the question they ask is based on...

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 It feels pretty obscure, doesn't it?

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 It's based on a law in Deuteronomy 25, where it says, in verses 5 and 6,

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 It says,

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 The family lineage, because that was connected with wealth and land and all sorts of important things in the society.

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 This is the kind of thing you see in Genesis 38,

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 where Tamar was wedded to one of Judah's sons,

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 and then two others, and they died,

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 and their failure to fulfill this...

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 It's also behind the story of Ruth,

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 and how Boaz interacts with Ruth in chapter 4,

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 how he has to properly navigate the laws of love and marriage.

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 But the point of their question is,

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 if this is what God instructs us about how marriage works,

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 isn't it ridiculous to think that there could be a resurrection?

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 Because if there were a resurrection,

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 and we were just raised back to life,

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 you've got one woman,

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 and seven brothers,

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 and they're all married?

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 That's the most ludicrous thing I've ever heard.

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 That's what they would have thought of.

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 That's what they would have imagined.

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 And that's the challenge.

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 And so they're using the law as an example of,

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 if this law is real,

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 then there's no way the resurrection can be true.

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 And Jesus' response

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 challenges and expands their understanding

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 of human relationships in life to come,

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 and what eternity could look like.

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 So first, he affirms,

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 like, yeah, that would be weird.

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 If people were given in marriage,

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 like, one marriage is still affirmed,

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 one man, one woman.

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 We don't do those things.

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 So yes, that would be weird.

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 If in this age, that was all we had,

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 and if the age become just like this one,

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 that's exactly what it would look like.

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 But then he goes on.

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 You see this in verse 35.

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 But to those who are considered worthy

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 of attaining to the age to come,

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 that is, those who are God's people

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 who are going to be with Him forever,

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 it does not work that way.

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 They are not given in marriage,

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 nor do they take wives for themselves,

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 because there's no more marriage.

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 in eternity.

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 Not the way it is here.

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 For a number of reasons.

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 One is because when you enter into eternity,

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 you're going to live forever.

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 One of the great purposes of marriage

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 is procreation,

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 and the continuation of the human race.

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 That will no longer be necessary

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 when nobody ever dies.

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 So there will be no more need

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 for that aspect of marriage.

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 But even more importantly,

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 your relationships will change.

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 Often,

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 in this age,

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 our marital relationships,

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 our family relationships,

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 become the most important thing about us.

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 And what Jesus says here is,

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 the most important thing,

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 is that you are going to be called

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 the Son of God,

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 and the Son of Resurrection.

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 And here,

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 just in case you're wondering

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 why he uses Son language,

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 Son is a role,

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 not a gendered word.

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 Here,

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 it's a matter of,

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 you are fully receiving

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 the inheritance

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 of the one

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 who is bestowing it upon you.

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 Right?

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 So,

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 so what he's saying is,

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 what you think right now

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 is so important

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 in this marital relationship

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 is going to become

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 inconsequential,

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 because you are now

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 going to be in a new family.

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 You are going to be

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 in the family of God.

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 And you will be accepted

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 as a son or as a daughter

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 with full standing,

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 with full inheritance,

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 with full rights,

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 and with an eternal relationship

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 with God himself.

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 And in fact,

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 in other parts of Scripture,

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 that is pictured

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 of the marriage

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 between God and his people.

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 This beautiful,

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 eternal relationship

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 of mutual love.

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 God's love for us,

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 his people,

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 and our responding love

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 to him

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 as our Lord,

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 as our King,

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 as our Savior.

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 This is the picture

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 that Jesus brings back

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 to them.

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 And he says,

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 you don't understand.

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 You're thinking

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 that the next stage

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 is going to be

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 just like this one.

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 You're thinking

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 three-dimensionally.

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 Let me expand your brains.

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 And just in case

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 you think I'm making this up,

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 he continues on

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 in verse 37

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 and following.

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 Do you see

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 what he says here?

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 He says,

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 look,

00:17:16.859 --> 00:17:17.720
 this even comes

00:17:17.720 --> 00:17:18.639
 from the very place

00:17:18.639 --> 00:17:19.519
 where your authority

00:17:19.519 --> 00:17:20.180
 comes from,

00:17:20.180 --> 00:17:21.000
 the Torah,

00:17:21.140 --> 00:17:22.019
 the first five books

00:17:22.019 --> 00:17:22.460
 of the Bible.

00:17:22.539 --> 00:17:23.160
 Do you remember

00:17:23.160 --> 00:17:24.860
 God when he appeared

00:17:24.860 --> 00:17:25.480
 to Moses

00:17:25.480 --> 00:17:26.600
 at the burning bush?

00:17:27.160 --> 00:17:28.320
 Do you know that story?

00:17:28.660 --> 00:17:29.420
 What did he say?

00:17:29.539 --> 00:17:30.539
 I am the God

00:17:30.539 --> 00:17:31.120
 of Abraham,

00:17:31.340 --> 00:17:31.660
 Isaac,

00:17:31.779 --> 00:17:32.240
 and Jacob.

00:17:33.580 --> 00:17:34.400
 They are not

00:17:34.400 --> 00:17:35.240
 dead people.

00:17:36.620 --> 00:17:37.519
 It doesn't say

00:17:37.519 --> 00:17:38.700
 I was the God

00:17:38.700 --> 00:17:39.220
 of Abraham,

00:17:39.440 --> 00:17:39.779
 and Isaac,

00:17:39.880 --> 00:17:40.240
 and Jacob

00:17:40.240 --> 00:17:41.120
 when they were alive

00:17:41.120 --> 00:17:41.900
 and now they're dead

00:17:41.900 --> 00:17:42.680
 and that doesn't matter

00:17:42.680 --> 00:17:43.100
 anymore.

00:17:43.099 --> 00:17:45.659
 I am the God

00:17:45.659 --> 00:17:46.619
 of Abraham,

00:17:46.839 --> 00:17:47.179
 and Isaac,

00:17:47.299 --> 00:17:47.719
 and Jacob

00:17:47.719 --> 00:17:48.579
 today.

00:17:51.119 --> 00:17:52.139
 God is the God

00:17:52.139 --> 00:17:52.839
 of the living,

00:17:53.099 --> 00:17:53.879
 not the dead.

00:17:54.379 --> 00:17:54.859
 Therefore,

00:17:55.299 --> 00:17:55.719
 Abraham,

00:17:56.039 --> 00:17:56.379
 Isaac,

00:17:56.539 --> 00:17:56.939
 and Jacob

00:17:56.939 --> 00:17:58.579
 are in some way

00:17:58.579 --> 00:17:59.980
 alive today.

00:18:02.799 --> 00:18:03.719
 And that's why

00:18:03.719 --> 00:18:04.199
 we believe

00:18:04.199 --> 00:18:04.899
 in the resurrection.

00:18:05.419 --> 00:18:06.099
 And that's why

00:18:06.099 --> 00:18:06.899
 they too

00:18:06.899 --> 00:18:07.639
 are part

00:18:07.639 --> 00:18:09.139
 of this grand family

00:18:09.139 --> 00:18:10.819
 that I am

00:18:10.819 --> 00:18:11.879
 portraying to you

00:18:11.879 --> 00:18:12.519
 as going to be

00:18:12.519 --> 00:18:13.240
 the reality

00:18:13.240 --> 00:18:14.059
 of our existence

00:18:14.059 --> 00:18:15.460
 in the age

00:18:15.460 --> 00:18:16.019
 to come

00:18:16.019 --> 00:18:16.859
 for all who

00:18:16.859 --> 00:18:17.539
 are in

00:18:17.539 --> 00:18:19.339
 God's family.

00:18:20.160 --> 00:18:20.900
 For all who

00:18:20.900 --> 00:18:21.539
 are connected

00:18:21.539 --> 00:18:23.180
 to God forever,

00:18:23.379 --> 00:18:24.400
 they will live

00:18:24.400 --> 00:18:25.099
 with Him

00:18:25.099 --> 00:18:26.200
 forever.

00:18:27.240 --> 00:18:28.019
 And what a

00:18:28.019 --> 00:18:28.819
 great joy

00:18:28.819 --> 00:18:29.720
 it is.

00:18:33.839 --> 00:18:34.400
 Now,

00:18:34.480 --> 00:18:35.119
 these may not

00:18:35.119 --> 00:18:35.920
 be the questions

00:18:35.920 --> 00:18:37.240
 that are burning

00:18:37.240 --> 00:18:38.059
 in your mind.

00:18:39.480 --> 00:18:40.680
 Does the resurrection

00:18:40.680 --> 00:18:41.559
 really be proved

00:18:41.559 --> 00:18:42.480
 by those things?

00:18:42.519 --> 00:18:44.920
 Leveret marriage

00:18:44.920 --> 00:18:45.819
 probably hasn't

00:18:45.819 --> 00:18:46.579
 crossed your mind

00:18:46.579 --> 00:18:47.220
 this week.

00:18:47.440 --> 00:18:48.119
 I would imagine.

00:18:49.359 --> 00:18:50.299
 But these were

00:18:50.299 --> 00:18:50.819
 the questions

00:18:50.819 --> 00:18:51.660
 that the Sadducee

00:18:51.660 --> 00:18:52.539
 brought to Him

00:18:52.539 --> 00:18:53.680
 saying,

00:18:54.180 --> 00:18:54.420
 hey,

00:18:55.079 --> 00:18:56.180
 we want you

00:18:56.180 --> 00:18:57.859
 to be on our side

00:18:57.859 --> 00:18:58.339
 and we're going

00:18:58.339 --> 00:18:59.279
 to try it.

00:18:59.319 --> 00:18:59.639
 We're going to

00:18:59.639 --> 00:19:00.180
 throw you our

00:19:00.180 --> 00:19:01.119
 best curveball

00:19:01.119 --> 00:19:02.180
 to see if you

00:19:02.180 --> 00:19:03.220
 can play ball

00:19:03.220 --> 00:19:03.680
 with us

00:19:03.680 --> 00:19:04.559
 or if you'll

00:19:04.559 --> 00:19:05.279
 agree with us

00:19:05.279 --> 00:19:06.200
 because you've

00:19:06.200 --> 00:19:06.759
 either denied

00:19:06.759 --> 00:19:07.339
 the resurrection

00:19:07.339 --> 00:19:07.839
 and you agree

00:19:07.839 --> 00:19:08.240
 with us

00:19:08.240 --> 00:19:08.859
 or you've

00:19:08.859 --> 00:19:09.079
 got to

00:19:09.079 --> 00:19:09.579
 solve this

00:19:09.579 --> 00:19:10.019
 problem.

00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:11.299
 And Jesus

00:19:11.299 --> 00:19:12.460
 explodes their

00:19:12.460 --> 00:19:13.079
 world view

00:19:13.079 --> 00:19:14.160
 and stretches

00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:14.759
 their mind

00:19:14.759 --> 00:19:15.059
 and their

00:19:15.059 --> 00:19:15.640
 imagination

00:19:15.640 --> 00:19:16.620
 to think of

00:19:16.620 --> 00:19:16.960
 the kingdom

00:19:16.960 --> 00:19:17.359
 of God

00:19:17.359 --> 00:19:17.799
 as bigger

00:19:17.799 --> 00:19:18.279
 than they'd

00:19:18.279 --> 00:19:18.680
 imagined

00:19:18.680 --> 00:19:19.640
 and to think

00:19:19.640 --> 00:19:20.539
 of being a part

00:19:20.539 --> 00:19:21.079
 of the people

00:19:21.079 --> 00:19:21.640
 of God

00:19:21.640 --> 00:19:22.660
 as greater

00:19:22.660 --> 00:19:23.259
 than they could

00:19:23.259 --> 00:19:25.160
 ever hope.

00:19:29.360 --> 00:19:30.060
 And that's

00:19:30.060 --> 00:19:31.540
 how the people

00:19:31.540 --> 00:19:32.140
 respond.

00:19:32.320 --> 00:19:32.779
 Do you see

00:19:32.779 --> 00:19:33.500
 at the end

00:19:33.500 --> 00:19:34.240
 of that section

00:19:34.240 --> 00:19:35.680
 verse 39

00:19:35.680 --> 00:19:36.600
 some of the

00:19:36.600 --> 00:19:37.080
 scribes,

00:19:37.180 --> 00:19:37.640
 interestingly

00:19:37.640 --> 00:19:38.300
 not the

00:19:38.300 --> 00:19:38.840
 Sadducees,

00:19:39.140 --> 00:19:39.600
 it's hard to

00:19:39.600 --> 00:19:40.560
 say where the

00:19:40.560 --> 00:19:41.300
 scribes fit in,

00:19:41.620 --> 00:19:42.460
 but some say

00:19:42.460 --> 00:19:44.560
 good answer Jesus,

00:19:44.900 --> 00:19:45.160
 alright,

00:19:45.300 --> 00:19:45.940
 we're convinced.

00:19:46.200 --> 00:19:46.940
 Just like we've

00:19:46.940 --> 00:19:47.700
 seen before.

00:19:48.900 --> 00:19:49.620
 People come to

00:19:49.620 --> 00:19:49.740
 Him,

00:19:49.779 --> 00:19:50.320
 they ask Him

00:19:50.320 --> 00:19:51.320
 hard questions.

00:19:51.319 --> 00:19:52.599
 And when He

00:19:52.599 --> 00:19:53.319
 gives them an

00:19:53.319 --> 00:19:54.139
 answer based

00:19:54.139 --> 00:19:54.919
 in the truth

00:19:54.919 --> 00:19:55.799
 of the

00:19:55.799 --> 00:19:56.200
 scriptures,

00:19:57.059 --> 00:19:57.659
 in the truth

00:19:57.659 --> 00:19:58.419
 of reality,

00:19:59.339 --> 00:19:59.779
 they shut

00:19:59.779 --> 00:20:00.339
 their mouths

00:20:00.339 --> 00:20:01.099
 before Him.

00:20:04.119 --> 00:20:04.839
 The next

00:20:04.839 --> 00:20:05.539
 stage is

00:20:05.539 --> 00:20:05.960
 going to be

00:20:05.960 --> 00:20:06.679
 greater and

00:20:06.679 --> 00:20:07.339
 more different

00:20:07.339 --> 00:20:08.139
 than you

00:20:08.139 --> 00:20:08.619
 imagine.

00:20:09.960 --> 00:20:10.720
 So what does

00:20:10.720 --> 00:20:11.399
 this mean for

00:20:11.399 --> 00:20:11.740
 us?

00:20:13.859 --> 00:20:14.339
 Well,

00:20:15.500 --> 00:20:16.059
 I can preach

00:20:16.059 --> 00:20:16.700
 lots of great

00:20:16.700 --> 00:20:17.339
 sermons now

00:20:17.339 --> 00:20:18.119
 on how to do

00:20:18.119 --> 00:20:18.279
 this.

00:20:18.319 --> 00:20:18.559
 I'm going to

00:20:18.559 --> 00:20:19.019
 try to do

00:20:19.019 --> 00:20:19.500
 this quickly.

00:20:19.879 --> 00:20:20.779
 First of all,

00:20:21.319 --> 00:20:22.639
 marriage is

00:20:22.639 --> 00:20:23.200
 placed in

00:20:23.200 --> 00:20:23.720
 its proper

00:20:23.720 --> 00:20:24.439
 context.

00:20:25.379 --> 00:20:26.159
 Because marriage

00:20:26.159 --> 00:20:26.879
 is a created

00:20:26.879 --> 00:20:27.659
 order, it is

00:20:27.659 --> 00:20:28.319
 meant to be

00:20:28.319 --> 00:20:28.759
 a part of

00:20:28.759 --> 00:20:29.379
 this age, it

00:20:29.379 --> 00:20:30.079
 is a good

00:20:30.079 --> 00:20:30.859
 and a blessing

00:20:30.859 --> 00:20:31.899
 that God

00:20:31.899 --> 00:20:32.519
 has given

00:20:32.519 --> 00:20:34.220
 us, but it

00:20:34.220 --> 00:20:34.700
 is not

00:20:34.700 --> 00:20:35.119
 ultimate.

00:20:38.779 --> 00:20:39.960
 The joy of

00:20:39.960 --> 00:20:41.000
 sex that was

00:20:41.000 --> 00:20:41.740
 given to us

00:20:41.740 --> 00:20:42.399
 to have in

00:20:42.399 --> 00:20:43.379
 marriage is

00:20:43.379 --> 00:20:44.000
 not the

00:20:44.000 --> 00:20:45.079
 ultimate joy

00:20:45.079 --> 00:20:46.279
 for human

00:20:46.279 --> 00:20:46.799
 existence.

00:20:46.799 --> 00:20:47.019
 existence.

00:20:50.319 --> 00:20:51.039
 And so

00:20:51.039 --> 00:20:52.180
 this challenges

00:20:52.180 --> 00:20:53.279
 perhaps our

00:20:53.279 --> 00:20:54.240
 idolatry of

00:20:54.240 --> 00:20:55.419
 marriage in

00:20:55.419 --> 00:20:56.180
 some circles.

00:20:58.299 --> 00:20:59.319
 It challenges

00:20:59.319 --> 00:21:00.259
 us to not

00:21:00.259 --> 00:21:01.119
 love marriage

00:21:01.119 --> 00:21:02.680
 more than

00:21:02.680 --> 00:21:03.399
 God does or

00:21:03.399 --> 00:21:04.240
 to value it

00:21:04.240 --> 00:21:05.440
 in a way that

00:21:05.440 --> 00:21:06.279
 God does not

00:21:06.279 --> 00:21:06.960
 value it.

00:21:07.680 --> 00:21:08.859
 It does help

00:21:08.859 --> 00:21:09.700
 us understand

00:21:09.700 --> 00:21:10.119
 that the

00:21:10.119 --> 00:21:10.899
 purpose of

00:21:10.899 --> 00:21:11.539
 marriage is to

00:21:11.539 --> 00:21:12.240
 point towards

00:21:12.240 --> 00:21:13.119
 this greater

00:21:13.119 --> 00:21:14.659
 reality of

00:21:14.659 --> 00:21:15.359
 God and His

00:21:15.359 --> 00:21:16.019
 people for

00:21:16.019 --> 00:21:16.519
 eternity.

00:21:17.680 --> 00:21:17.980
 And the

00:21:17.980 --> 00:21:18.859
 joy for us

00:21:18.859 --> 00:21:19.500
 means that

00:21:19.500 --> 00:21:20.740
 the joy of

00:21:20.740 --> 00:21:21.220
 that means

00:21:21.220 --> 00:21:21.900
 that that's

00:21:21.900 --> 00:21:23.019
 for all who

00:21:23.019 --> 00:21:23.379
 have placed

00:21:23.379 --> 00:21:23.819
 their faith,

00:21:23.879 --> 00:21:24.720
 for all who

00:21:24.720 --> 00:21:25.400
 are in

00:21:25.400 --> 00:21:26.420
 God's people.

00:21:27.519 --> 00:21:28.299
 They get to

00:21:28.299 --> 00:21:29.200
 enjoy that for

00:21:29.200 --> 00:21:29.819
 eternity.

00:21:31.400 --> 00:21:31.779
 And this

00:21:31.779 --> 00:21:33.940
 affirms those

00:21:33.940 --> 00:21:34.619
 who are single,

00:21:35.359 --> 00:21:35.960
 that they are

00:21:35.960 --> 00:21:36.500
 not second

00:21:36.500 --> 00:21:37.539
 class, that

00:21:37.539 --> 00:21:38.039
 they have not

00:21:38.039 --> 00:21:38.920
 missed out.

00:21:39.519 --> 00:21:40.059
 No, instead

00:21:40.059 --> 00:21:40.700
 they are being

00:21:40.700 --> 00:21:41.559
 prepared in a

00:21:41.559 --> 00:21:42.859
 different way for

00:21:42.859 --> 00:21:43.599
 the glory that

00:21:43.599 --> 00:21:44.400
 we will all

00:21:44.400 --> 00:21:45.480
 share in, in

00:21:45.480 --> 00:21:45.960
 eternity.

00:21:46.019 --> 00:21:47.359
 as God's

00:21:47.359 --> 00:21:48.279
 people together.

00:21:51.460 --> 00:21:52.420
 And so we

00:21:52.420 --> 00:21:53.099
 can be single,

00:21:53.359 --> 00:21:54.099
 and we can be

00:21:54.099 --> 00:21:55.740
 celibate, and

00:21:55.740 --> 00:21:56.519
 we can be fully

00:21:56.519 --> 00:21:58.299
 human now, and

00:21:58.299 --> 00:21:59.279
 full of hope for

00:21:59.279 --> 00:21:59.700
 eternity.

00:22:02.039 --> 00:22:03.079
 And we can live

00:22:03.079 --> 00:22:03.839
 together as a

00:22:03.839 --> 00:22:04.599
 community of

00:22:04.599 --> 00:22:05.220
 married and

00:22:05.220 --> 00:22:05.799
 single people

00:22:05.799 --> 00:22:07.240
 together, pursuing

00:22:07.240 --> 00:22:08.139
 after God,

00:22:08.940 --> 00:22:10.940
 without feeling

00:22:10.940 --> 00:22:12.359
 threatened, or

00:22:12.359 --> 00:22:15.079
 insecure, or

00:22:15.079 --> 00:22:17.359
 cast, because of

00:22:17.359 --> 00:22:18.079
 being one or

00:22:18.079 --> 00:22:18.539
 the other.

00:22:19.899 --> 00:22:21.079
 So first, it

00:22:21.079 --> 00:22:22.779
 places marriage in

00:22:22.779 --> 00:22:23.179
 its greater

00:22:23.179 --> 00:22:23.839
 context.

00:22:24.539 --> 00:22:25.000
 And of course,

00:22:25.099 --> 00:22:26.379
 this is based in

00:22:26.379 --> 00:22:28.019
 a deeper thing

00:22:28.019 --> 00:22:28.679
 that this passage

00:22:28.679 --> 00:22:29.460
 is pointing to,

00:22:29.559 --> 00:22:30.179
 and that is our

00:22:30.179 --> 00:22:32.399
 human identity is

00:22:32.399 --> 00:22:33.759
 most importantly

00:22:33.759 --> 00:22:35.759
 grounded in how

00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:36.559
 we are related

00:22:36.559 --> 00:22:37.500
 to God.

00:22:37.500 --> 00:22:37.640
 people.

00:22:39.839 --> 00:22:40.539
 What Jesus says

00:22:40.539 --> 00:22:42.019
 here is being a

00:22:42.019 --> 00:22:43.079
 son of God, a

00:22:43.079 --> 00:22:43.559
 son of the

00:22:43.559 --> 00:22:44.980
 resurrection, one

00:22:44.980 --> 00:22:46.259
 of God's people, is

00:22:46.259 --> 00:22:47.319
 the most important

00:22:47.319 --> 00:22:48.440
 thing about us.

00:22:49.440 --> 00:22:50.480
 And we will all

00:22:50.480 --> 00:22:51.619
 carry identities,

00:22:52.380 --> 00:22:53.420
 identities of our

00:22:53.420 --> 00:22:54.380
 gender, of our

00:22:54.380 --> 00:22:55.460
 family, of our

00:22:55.460 --> 00:22:56.359
 race, of our

00:22:56.359 --> 00:22:57.259
 nationality.

00:22:57.519 --> 00:22:58.559
 We will all carry

00:22:58.559 --> 00:22:59.480
 identities that are

00:22:59.480 --> 00:23:00.700
 related to roles.

00:23:01.160 --> 00:23:01.859
 We're a volunteer,

00:23:02.660 --> 00:23:05.200
 we're in our

00:23:05.200 --> 00:23:06.400
 workplaces, in our

00:23:06.400 --> 00:23:06.759
 family.

00:23:06.880 --> 00:23:07.720
 We will all have

00:23:07.720 --> 00:23:08.279
 roles.

00:23:08.759 --> 00:23:10.220
 But all of these

00:23:10.220 --> 00:23:12.080
 secondary identities

00:23:12.080 --> 00:23:13.620
 are meant to find

00:23:13.620 --> 00:23:15.180
 their fulfillment and

00:23:15.180 --> 00:23:16.259
 their glory and

00:23:16.259 --> 00:23:17.740
 their goodness under

00:23:17.740 --> 00:23:19.200
 the most important

00:23:19.200 --> 00:23:21.860
 question, which is,

00:23:22.319 --> 00:23:24.019
 how are you related

00:23:24.019 --> 00:23:24.700
 to God?

00:23:24.700 --> 00:23:24.819
 God.

00:23:28.819 --> 00:23:30.759
 And this, then, makes

00:23:30.759 --> 00:23:31.880
 us consider not only

00:23:31.880 --> 00:23:32.620
 how we think about

00:23:32.620 --> 00:23:34.140
 ourselves, but how

00:23:34.140 --> 00:23:35.019
 we think about one

00:23:35.019 --> 00:23:36.279
 another as well,

00:23:36.360 --> 00:23:36.860
 isn't it?

00:23:37.940 --> 00:23:38.759
 You're probably

00:23:38.759 --> 00:23:39.660
 familiar with this

00:23:39.660 --> 00:23:40.480
 quote from The Way

00:23:40.480 --> 00:23:41.519
 of Glory, C.S.

00:23:41.559 --> 00:23:42.900
 Lewis, but it's

00:23:42.900 --> 00:23:43.840
 worth reading again

00:23:43.840 --> 00:23:45.059
 in its fullness to

00:23:45.059 --> 00:23:46.500
 listen, to think

00:23:46.500 --> 00:23:47.460
 about how this

00:23:47.460 --> 00:23:49.080
 picture of humanity

00:23:49.080 --> 00:23:51.080
 will change how we

00:23:51.080 --> 00:23:51.500
 live.

00:23:52.680 --> 00:23:52.980
 C.S.

00:23:53.019 --> 00:23:53.880
 Lewis writes this,

00:23:53.880 --> 00:23:55.380
 It is a serious

00:23:55.380 --> 00:23:56.400
 thing to live in a

00:23:56.400 --> 00:23:57.620
 society of possible

00:23:57.620 --> 00:23:58.880
 gods and goddesses,

00:23:59.280 --> 00:24:00.780
 to remember that the

00:24:00.780 --> 00:24:01.700
 dullest and most

00:24:01.700 --> 00:24:03.040
 uninteresting person

00:24:03.040 --> 00:24:04.880
 you can talk to may

00:24:04.880 --> 00:24:06.060
 one day be a creature

00:24:06.060 --> 00:24:07.400
 which, if you saw it

00:24:07.400 --> 00:24:08.820
 now, you would be

00:24:08.820 --> 00:24:09.960
 strongly tempted to

00:24:09.960 --> 00:24:13.340
 worship, or else a

00:24:13.340 --> 00:24:14.720
 horror and corruption

00:24:14.720 --> 00:24:16.160
 such as the now me,

00:24:16.320 --> 00:24:17.860
 if at all, only in a

00:24:17.860 --> 00:24:18.320
 nightmare.

00:24:19.480 --> 00:24:21.720
 All day long we are,

00:24:21.920 --> 00:24:23.000
 in some degree,

00:24:23.000 --> 00:24:24.460
 helping each other

00:24:24.460 --> 00:24:26.460
 to one or other

00:24:26.460 --> 00:24:27.960
 of these destinations.

00:24:29.680 --> 00:24:31.059
 It is in light of

00:24:31.059 --> 00:24:32.359
 these overwhelming

00:24:32.359 --> 00:24:34.500
 possibilities, it is

00:24:34.500 --> 00:24:35.619
 with the awe and

00:24:35.619 --> 00:24:36.759
 the circumspection

00:24:36.759 --> 00:24:37.920
 proper to them,

00:24:38.400 --> 00:24:39.200
 that we should conduct

00:24:39.200 --> 00:24:40.759
 all our dealings with

00:24:40.759 --> 00:24:42.059
 one another, all

00:24:42.059 --> 00:24:43.140
 friendships, all

00:24:43.140 --> 00:24:44.539
 loves, all play, all

00:24:44.539 --> 00:24:45.220
 politics.

00:24:45.220 --> 00:24:48.500
 There are no ordinary

00:24:48.500 --> 00:24:49.100
 people.

00:24:49.819 --> 00:24:50.980
 You have never talked

00:24:50.980 --> 00:24:52.360
 to a mere mortal.

00:24:53.400 --> 00:24:55.600
 Nations, cultures, arts,

00:24:55.839 --> 00:24:57.120
 civilizations, these are

00:24:57.120 --> 00:24:58.720
 mortal, and their life is

00:24:58.720 --> 00:25:00.839
 to ours as the life of a

00:25:00.839 --> 00:25:01.160
 gnat.

00:25:02.160 --> 00:25:04.180
 But it is to immortals.

00:25:04.180 --> 00:25:08.500
 But it is immortals whom

00:25:08.500 --> 00:25:10.200
 we joke with, work with,

00:25:10.420 --> 00:25:12.660
 marry, snub, and exploit.

00:25:14.140 --> 00:25:16.019
 Immortal horrors are

00:25:16.019 --> 00:25:17.640
 everlasting splendors.

00:25:17.640 --> 00:25:22.580
 So as Jesus expands the

00:25:22.580 --> 00:25:24.440
 sacrifice's view, and our

00:25:24.440 --> 00:25:26.120
 view, of what it means to

00:25:26.120 --> 00:25:27.580
 be human in this world,

00:25:28.320 --> 00:25:29.920
 C.S. Lewis says it ought to

00:25:29.920 --> 00:25:32.100
 affect how we interact

00:25:32.100 --> 00:25:34.320
 every day with each person.

00:25:37.160 --> 00:25:39.240
 Are we helping them to know

00:25:39.240 --> 00:25:41.100
 God and to be one of God's

00:25:41.100 --> 00:25:41.620
 children?

00:25:41.619 --> 00:25:45.859
 Or are we pushing them

00:25:45.859 --> 00:25:46.319
 away?

00:25:49.539 --> 00:25:52.239
 Or denying God, being

00:25:52.239 --> 00:25:53.899
 silent about Him in a way

00:25:53.899 --> 00:25:55.799
 that will help them continue

00:25:55.799 --> 00:25:57.479
 to live apart from Him?

00:26:00.919 --> 00:26:02.339
 Friends, this is the mission

00:26:02.339 --> 00:26:04.179
 in the church, that we would

00:26:04.179 --> 00:26:06.579
 display the glory of God so

00:26:06.579 --> 00:26:08.039
 that people would come to

00:26:08.039 --> 00:26:10.419
 know the greatness of His

00:26:10.420 --> 00:26:12.120
 love, the depth of His

00:26:12.120 --> 00:26:13.840
 mercy and grace to us in

00:26:13.840 --> 00:26:15.920
 Christ, the fearsomeness of

00:26:15.920 --> 00:26:17.960
 the judgment upon our sin,

00:26:18.320 --> 00:26:19.720
 and the greatness of the

00:26:19.720 --> 00:26:21.660
 salvation that we have in

00:26:21.660 --> 00:26:22.200
 Christ.

00:26:27.140 --> 00:26:29.820
 At the very center of it all

00:26:29.820 --> 00:26:32.600
 is the question of the

00:26:32.600 --> 00:26:33.640
 resurrection of the dead.

00:26:35.180 --> 00:26:36.440
 Because here's the thing,

00:26:36.519 --> 00:26:38.180
 if Jesus did not rise from

00:26:38.180 --> 00:26:40.400
 the dead, then we would

00:26:40.400 --> 00:26:41.940
 probably make it all up.

00:26:42.320 --> 00:26:43.340
 And we're just imagining

00:26:43.340 --> 00:26:44.080
 another world.

00:26:45.120 --> 00:26:46.900
 But if Jesus did rise from

00:26:46.900 --> 00:26:48.560
 the dead, and friends,

00:26:48.700 --> 00:26:50.080
 there is good reason to

00:26:50.080 --> 00:26:50.720
 believe that.

00:26:51.000 --> 00:26:52.240
 There's good reason from

00:26:52.240 --> 00:26:53.980
 history, there's good reason

00:26:53.980 --> 00:26:55.720
 in the Bible, if this is a

00:26:55.720 --> 00:26:56.640
 question that you are

00:26:56.640 --> 00:26:58.560
 wrestling with, you need to

00:26:58.560 --> 00:27:00.120
 go downstairs after the

00:27:00.120 --> 00:27:01.900
 service to the bookstall and

00:27:01.900 --> 00:27:03.120
 find someone who can help you

00:27:03.120 --> 00:27:04.780
 look through those books and

00:27:04.780 --> 00:27:05.860
 find something that's going to

00:27:05.860 --> 00:27:07.720
 be helpful particularly for you

00:27:07.720 --> 00:27:08.740
 to the questions that you

00:27:08.740 --> 00:27:09.100
 have.

00:27:12.259 --> 00:27:14.019
 Recognize that if Jesus

00:27:14.019 --> 00:27:15.839
 rose from the dead, then

00:27:15.839 --> 00:27:16.779
 this is one of the most

00:27:16.779 --> 00:27:18.039
 important questions that we

00:27:18.039 --> 00:27:19.279
 could be asking our friends.

00:27:19.519 --> 00:27:21.500
 Do you know the one who was

00:27:21.500 --> 00:27:22.400
 raised from the dead?

00:27:22.400 --> 00:27:27.400
 What do you think about that

00:27:27.400 --> 00:27:27.759
 crying?

00:27:30.940 --> 00:27:32.620
 So Jesus answers the

00:27:32.620 --> 00:27:33.340
 Sadducees.

00:27:34.440 --> 00:27:38.519
 He in fact silences them as

00:27:38.519 --> 00:27:40.380
 he expands their worldview and

00:27:40.380 --> 00:27:42.900
 blows up some of their primary

00:27:42.900 --> 00:27:44.220
 theological commitments.

00:27:45.440 --> 00:27:47.380
 And it seems like at this point

00:27:47.380 --> 00:27:48.820
 the conversations are over.

00:27:49.180 --> 00:27:50.680
 Nobody has any more questions

00:27:50.680 --> 00:27:52.039
 for them, for him.

00:27:53.039 --> 00:27:55.620
 But Jesus turns the table and

00:27:55.620 --> 00:27:57.180
 he has a question for them.

00:27:58.100 --> 00:27:59.680
 And this is what we see in

00:27:59.680 --> 00:28:01.640
 verses 41 through 44.

00:28:04.220 --> 00:28:05.500
 And he said to them, and it's

00:28:05.500 --> 00:28:06.820
 not sure who the them is, it

00:28:06.820 --> 00:28:08.340
 might be the scribes, it might

00:28:08.340 --> 00:28:09.880
 be the Sadducees, it probably

00:28:09.880 --> 00:28:11.920
 is just the crowd that includes

00:28:11.920 --> 00:28:12.840
 a little bit of both.

00:28:13.539 --> 00:28:15.279
 And he asked them a question.

00:28:16.480 --> 00:28:19.019
 How can your understanding of

00:28:19.019 --> 00:28:21.019
 King David and of the Messiah

00:28:21.019 --> 00:28:21.900
 be true?

00:28:23.299 --> 00:28:25.660
 Because David in the Psalms,

00:28:25.720 --> 00:28:26.579
 in Psalm 110,

00:28:29.220 --> 00:28:32.599
 says the Lord, that is the God

00:28:32.599 --> 00:28:35.420
 who reigns on high, Yahweh,

00:28:35.579 --> 00:28:38.079
 Jehovah, the Lord said to my

00:28:38.079 --> 00:28:40.759
 Lord, the Messiah,

00:28:43.759 --> 00:28:46.079
 Adonai, sit at my right hand

00:28:46.079 --> 00:28:47.720
 until I make your enemies

00:28:47.720 --> 00:28:48.879
 your footstool.

00:28:50.519 --> 00:28:51.939
 Why is this a challenging

00:28:51.939 --> 00:28:52.439
 question?

00:28:52.619 --> 00:28:54.699
 Well, because in the culture

00:28:54.699 --> 00:28:56.359
 of the day, there was an

00:28:56.359 --> 00:28:57.399
 understanding that you would

00:28:57.399 --> 00:28:58.599
 never be greater than the

00:28:58.599 --> 00:28:58.859
 Father.

00:28:59.240 --> 00:29:00.799
 The Jewish people were waiting

00:29:00.799 --> 00:29:01.599
 for a Messiah.

00:29:01.740 --> 00:29:02.980
 They were waiting for someone

00:29:02.980 --> 00:29:05.339
 to come and restore the throne

00:29:05.339 --> 00:29:07.059
 of David, to restore the

00:29:07.059 --> 00:29:08.879
 kingdom of Israel under David's

00:29:08.879 --> 00:29:10.839
 rule, to fulfill the promises

00:29:10.839 --> 00:29:12.759
 of the 2nd Samuel 7, 12.

00:29:13.000 --> 00:29:14.279
 I said, when your days are

00:29:14.279 --> 00:29:15.480
 fulfilled and you lie down to

00:29:15.480 --> 00:29:17.039
 the Father, I will raise up

00:29:17.039 --> 00:29:18.980
 for you an offspring after

00:29:18.980 --> 00:29:20.539
 you, who shall come from your

00:29:20.539 --> 00:29:21.700
 own body, and I will establish

00:29:21.700 --> 00:29:23.339
 his kingdom, and he shall

00:29:23.339 --> 00:29:24.640
 build my house for my name,

00:29:24.740 --> 00:29:25.799
 and I will establish the

00:29:25.799 --> 00:29:27.140
 throne of his kingdom forever.

00:29:27.539 --> 00:29:28.519
 And they're looking for the

00:29:28.519 --> 00:29:29.360
 ones who are going to do

00:29:29.360 --> 00:29:29.640
 that.

00:29:30.279 --> 00:29:31.400
 But the cultural assumption

00:29:31.400 --> 00:29:33.900
 is that that son of David

00:29:33.900 --> 00:29:35.819
 would never be greater than

00:29:35.819 --> 00:29:36.160
 David.

00:29:36.799 --> 00:29:38.599
 He would simply be laying down

00:29:38.599 --> 00:29:40.599
 the greatness of David.

00:29:41.120 --> 00:29:42.539
 That the restoration of the

00:29:42.539 --> 00:29:43.960
 kingdom of David wouldn't be

00:29:43.960 --> 00:29:45.539
 greater than what David had.

00:29:45.779 --> 00:29:47.039
 It would simply be returning

00:29:47.039 --> 00:29:49.400
 to what had been now

00:29:49.400 --> 00:29:49.759
 and the lost.

00:29:51.720 --> 00:29:52.380
 And it's important to

00:29:52.380 --> 00:29:53.059
 understand that, because

00:29:53.059 --> 00:29:53.799
 otherwise the question

00:29:53.799 --> 00:29:55.019
 doesn't make sense, does it?

00:29:56.460 --> 00:29:57.779
 Because what Jesus is saying

00:29:57.779 --> 00:29:59.440
 is David didn't just see

00:29:59.440 --> 00:30:01.480
 this son as someone who

00:30:01.480 --> 00:30:02.860
 would fulfill what he is

00:30:02.860 --> 00:30:03.100
 for.

00:30:04.900 --> 00:30:06.900
 But he called him my Lord.

00:30:08.059 --> 00:30:11.019
 And how can a son be revered

00:30:11.019 --> 00:30:13.379
 by a father as the Lord?

00:30:14.879 --> 00:30:16.920
 This does not make sense

00:30:16.920 --> 00:30:18.099
 to them.

00:30:18.099 --> 00:30:18.819
 But I think when you

00:30:18.819 --> 00:30:20.599
 jump to Facebook, it's

00:30:20.599 --> 00:30:21.379
 David.

00:30:22.379 --> 00:30:23.700
 And Jesus doesn't spell it

00:30:23.700 --> 00:30:23.900
 out.

00:30:24.680 --> 00:30:25.740
 We only get three verses.

00:30:26.740 --> 00:30:28.339
 And the last verse that Jesus

00:30:28.339 --> 00:30:31.480
 leads us with is, how is he

00:30:31.480 --> 00:30:32.859
 his son also?

00:30:34.539 --> 00:30:37.259
 How can it be possible that

00:30:37.259 --> 00:30:39.119
 the Messiah can be both

00:30:39.119 --> 00:30:41.119
 the Lord and the Son of the

00:30:41.119 --> 00:30:43.099
 great King David?

00:30:43.779 --> 00:30:45.460
 You're expecting a Messiah

00:30:45.460 --> 00:30:46.519
 who's going to be like

00:30:46.519 --> 00:30:48.039
 David, who's going to be

00:30:48.039 --> 00:30:50.960
 another human king who's

00:30:50.960 --> 00:30:52.059
 going to come and establish

00:30:52.059 --> 00:30:53.160
 a human kingdom.

00:30:55.900 --> 00:30:59.519
 And everyone knew that Jesus

00:30:59.519 --> 00:31:01.420
 was the son of David already.

00:31:02.759 --> 00:31:03.779
 You go back to the beginning

00:31:03.779 --> 00:31:04.299
 of Luke.

00:31:04.640 --> 00:31:05.519
 You're reading through the

00:31:05.519 --> 00:31:06.539
 story of Luke.

00:31:06.740 --> 00:31:07.639
 You go back to the very

00:31:07.639 --> 00:31:08.799
 beginning, right?

00:31:09.079 --> 00:31:11.500
 And in Luke 1.27, we

00:31:11.500 --> 00:31:12.879
 understand that Joseph is in

00:31:12.879 --> 00:31:13.759
 the house of David.

00:31:14.119 --> 00:31:15.579
 And when the angel appears

00:31:15.579 --> 00:31:17.379
 to Mary and says that this

00:31:17.379 --> 00:31:19.859
 one, your child, will sit on

00:31:19.859 --> 00:31:20.660
 the throne of David.

00:31:21.019 --> 00:31:22.099
 So from the very beginning

00:31:22.099 --> 00:31:23.539
 of this story, this is the

00:31:23.539 --> 00:31:24.579
 direction that it's going.

00:31:24.879 --> 00:31:26.059
 The expectation of the

00:31:26.059 --> 00:31:27.119
 Messiah is that it will be

00:31:27.119 --> 00:31:28.379
 another one like David.

00:31:31.559 --> 00:31:33.619
 And he comes, and he teaches

00:31:33.619 --> 00:31:35.500
 with authority, and he heals.

00:31:35.519 --> 00:31:41.000
 And people think, yes, this is

00:31:41.000 --> 00:31:41.319
 it.

00:31:44.539 --> 00:31:47.720
 Jesus himself, in the parable

00:31:47.720 --> 00:31:49.079
 of the tenants two weeks ago,

00:31:49.200 --> 00:31:50.839
 said, I'm the son of the

00:31:50.839 --> 00:31:51.299
 landowner.

00:31:51.299 --> 00:31:58.480
 But in that parable, the landowner

00:31:58.480 --> 00:32:00.259
 wasn't just the king, was he?

00:32:02.819 --> 00:32:06.220
 He was God, the owner of all

00:32:06.220 --> 00:32:06.720
 things.

00:32:09.000 --> 00:32:10.879
 And when Jesus poses this

00:32:10.879 --> 00:32:13.139
 question to the people, what he's

00:32:13.139 --> 00:32:15.379
 really saying is, who do you

00:32:15.379 --> 00:32:17.019
 think I really am?

00:32:17.019 --> 00:32:20.500
 Because the Messiah is greater and

00:32:20.500 --> 00:32:23.500
 more different and more glorious

00:32:23.500 --> 00:32:25.500
 than you could imagine.

00:32:27.000 --> 00:32:28.779
 And this is what Luke has been

00:32:28.779 --> 00:32:30.720
 writing his whole gospel to tell

00:32:30.720 --> 00:32:31.019
 us.

00:32:31.879 --> 00:32:35.079
 Is that this Jesus is, yes, the son

00:32:35.079 --> 00:32:35.559
 of David.

00:32:35.759 --> 00:32:37.099
 Yes, the one who will sit on the

00:32:37.099 --> 00:32:37.299
 throne.

00:32:37.680 --> 00:32:39.960
 Yes, he is a human who walks the

00:32:39.960 --> 00:32:42.799
 earth to identify with us and to be

00:32:42.799 --> 00:32:46.220
 our brother as a human being.

00:32:46.319 --> 00:32:47.379
 But he is more than that.

00:32:47.440 --> 00:32:50.299
 He is also the divine, incarnate

00:32:50.299 --> 00:32:51.819
 son of God.

00:32:52.099 --> 00:32:53.899
 The second person of the Trinity

00:32:53.899 --> 00:32:56.019
 who took on human flesh.

00:32:56.559 --> 00:32:58.259
 And the Messiah is not simply

00:32:58.259 --> 00:32:59.859
 another great human ruler.

00:33:00.119 --> 00:33:01.799
 But it is the invasion of God

00:33:02.359 --> 00:33:05.799
 into this world in a unique one

00:33:05.799 --> 00:33:06.279
 time.

00:33:06.279 --> 00:33:09.660
 So that he might be the savior

00:33:09.660 --> 00:33:11.319
 that we really need.

00:33:13.819 --> 00:33:15.680
 Because he's heading not for

00:33:15.680 --> 00:33:17.359
 simply the restoration of a

00:33:17.359 --> 00:33:18.319
 kingdom and a throne.

00:33:19.019 --> 00:33:20.480
 But he's heading for the cross

00:33:20.480 --> 00:33:21.319
 and the resurrection.

00:33:22.859 --> 00:33:24.480
 And as he heads for the cross,

00:33:25.359 --> 00:33:27.000
 in his humanity he's able to

00:33:27.000 --> 00:33:29.059
 identify with us as human beings.

00:33:29.160 --> 00:33:31.019
 And in his divinity he's able to

00:33:31.019 --> 00:33:32.899
 identify with us in his sinlessness.

00:33:33.240 --> 00:33:35.019
 So that he might be the perfect

00:33:35.019 --> 00:33:37.680
 savior who could die in our place.

00:33:42.139 --> 00:33:43.859
 And yet he didn't stay dead,

00:33:43.920 --> 00:33:45.559
 but he rose from the dead.

00:33:46.200 --> 00:33:48.460
 Showing his power over sin and

00:33:48.460 --> 00:33:48.879
 death.

00:33:49.599 --> 00:33:51.460
 And establishing himself as a

00:33:51.460 --> 00:33:53.240
 savior who will live forever.

00:33:55.019 --> 00:33:58.539
 Who is the God of the living.

00:33:59.339 --> 00:34:01.960
 And will bring all who are in him

00:34:01.960 --> 00:34:03.380
 along with him.

00:34:03.740 --> 00:34:06.220
 Into this glorious future hope.

00:34:08.019 --> 00:34:10.360
 And the sacroses and the Pharisees

00:34:10.360 --> 00:34:12.340
 and the chief priests and the

00:34:12.340 --> 00:34:12.840
 scribes.

00:34:13.179 --> 00:34:14.800
 All of whom were in different ways

00:34:14.800 --> 00:34:16.619
 clinging to their earthly power

00:34:16.619 --> 00:34:17.880
 and their earthly position.

00:34:18.240 --> 00:34:20.079
 And their hopes for this life.

00:34:20.960 --> 00:34:22.960
 Jesus comes and he explodes their

00:34:22.960 --> 00:34:24.320
 hopes and their visions and their

00:34:24.320 --> 00:34:24.740
 dreams.

00:34:25.940 --> 00:34:27.800
 Says there's something greater.

00:34:27.800 --> 00:34:31.200
 Something greater that I have come

00:34:31.200 --> 00:34:31.680
 forward.

00:34:32.400 --> 00:34:34.220
 Something greater that I am.

00:34:34.860 --> 00:34:38.120
 So that I might do more than you can

00:34:38.120 --> 00:34:39.840
 ever ask or imagine.

00:34:43.140 --> 00:34:46.620
 In the resurrection we see all of it

00:34:46.620 --> 00:34:47.420
 coming together.

00:34:48.700 --> 00:34:50.760
 Pointing us to a great God who

00:34:50.760 --> 00:34:54.320
 examines us to re-examine our lives.

00:34:54.320 --> 00:34:58.280
 And to respond to this God man died

00:34:58.280 --> 00:34:59.780
 and resurrected for us.

00:35:01.620 --> 00:35:04.000
 So we see that when Paul goes into

00:35:04.000 --> 00:35:07.460
 the Areopagus in Athens and preaches

00:35:07.460 --> 00:35:09.559
 a sermon about an unknown God.

00:35:10.059 --> 00:35:11.700
 As he comes to the end of it.

00:35:11.880 --> 00:35:12.500
 He says.

00:35:13.920 --> 00:35:15.420
 Being then God's offspring.

00:35:15.600 --> 00:35:17.320
 We ought not to think that the divine

00:35:17.320 --> 00:35:19.900
 being is like gold or silver or stone.

00:35:20.100 --> 00:35:21.140
 Or merely human.

00:35:21.139 --> 00:35:23.819
 An image formed by the art and

00:35:23.819 --> 00:35:25.000
 imagination of man.

00:35:25.980 --> 00:35:27.579
 The times of ignorance God

00:35:27.579 --> 00:35:28.239
 overlooked.

00:35:28.759 --> 00:35:30.500
 But now he commands all people

00:35:30.500 --> 00:35:31.739
 everywhere to repent.

00:35:31.859 --> 00:35:33.519
 Because he has fixed the day

00:35:33.519 --> 00:35:35.900
 on which he will judge the world

00:35:35.900 --> 00:35:38.199
 in righteousness by a man

00:35:38.199 --> 00:35:39.579
 whom he has appointed.

00:35:40.079 --> 00:35:41.900
 And of this he has given assurance

00:35:41.900 --> 00:35:45.159
 to all by raising him from the dead.

00:35:47.319 --> 00:35:49.339
 This is the incredible thing.

00:35:49.340 --> 00:35:51.360
 Jesus looks at these people and says

00:35:51.360 --> 00:35:52.780
 who do you say I am?

00:35:53.300 --> 00:35:55.480
 And the whole rest of the Gospel of Luke

00:35:55.480 --> 00:35:57.460
 and the whole Christian message

00:35:57.460 --> 00:35:59.780
 is saying Jesus is the Savior

00:35:59.780 --> 00:36:03.260
 who because he has been raised from the dead

00:36:03.260 --> 00:36:05.140
 calls all people

00:36:05.140 --> 00:36:07.740
 to respond to him.

00:36:07.739 --> 00:36:12.339
 The question of

00:36:12.339 --> 00:36:14.399
 are you in Christ or not

00:36:14.399 --> 00:36:16.459
 is the most important question

00:36:16.459 --> 00:36:20.299
 that you can ever ask for yourself.

00:36:21.839 --> 00:36:23.939
 And it is the most important question

00:36:23.939 --> 00:36:25.359
 for you to ask

00:36:25.359 --> 00:36:26.839
 as you are loving your neighbor

00:36:26.839 --> 00:36:28.559
 and loving this world.

00:36:28.559 --> 00:36:37.480
 How then do we respond to this?

00:36:39.820 --> 00:36:41.239
 Well there are two things.

00:36:43.099 --> 00:36:44.159
 One is that

00:36:44.159 --> 00:36:49.500
 we must admit to ourselves

00:36:49.500 --> 00:36:52.380
 that like in flat land

00:36:52.380 --> 00:36:53.960
 we are like A square

00:36:53.960 --> 00:36:57.159
 who lives in a two-dimensional world

00:36:57.159 --> 00:37:00.800
 trying to understand

00:37:00.800 --> 00:37:02.880
 a three-dimensional God.

00:37:05.880 --> 00:37:08.300
 We must confess our need

00:37:08.300 --> 00:37:10.519
 to learn from God

00:37:10.519 --> 00:37:11.800
 about who he is

00:37:11.800 --> 00:37:13.260
 and what his kingdom is like

00:37:13.260 --> 00:37:14.380
 and not assume

00:37:14.380 --> 00:37:16.380
 that it is like the world

00:37:16.380 --> 00:37:17.340
 that we live in.

00:37:19.179 --> 00:37:20.820
 Friends, there is only one way

00:37:20.820 --> 00:37:22.039
 that we know how to do this

00:37:22.039 --> 00:37:23.199
 and it's here.

00:37:24.900 --> 00:37:26.400
 If you're here this morning

00:37:26.400 --> 00:37:27.519
 and you're wondering

00:37:27.519 --> 00:37:28.679
 why in the world

00:37:28.679 --> 00:37:30.320
 are we talking about resurrection?

00:37:30.519 --> 00:37:31.599
 It's the most ridiculous thing

00:37:31.599 --> 00:37:32.159
 in the world.

00:37:33.079 --> 00:37:33.960
 The challenge is

00:37:33.960 --> 00:37:36.039
 to read these accounts.

00:37:36.619 --> 00:37:38.679
 Read what the gospels say.

00:37:39.960 --> 00:37:41.139
 Start here

00:37:41.139 --> 00:37:44.099
 to understand who God is

00:37:44.099 --> 00:37:45.900
 and who Jesus is.

00:37:47.739 --> 00:37:48.699
 For those of you

00:37:48.699 --> 00:37:49.900
 who have been walking with Jesus

00:37:49.900 --> 00:37:50.759
 and knowing him

00:37:50.760 --> 00:37:52.360
 for years and years and years.

00:37:53.920 --> 00:37:55.460
 Keep reading this

00:37:55.460 --> 00:37:58.640
 because we so often forget

00:37:58.640 --> 00:38:00.640
 and we so easily

00:38:00.640 --> 00:38:02.100
 fall back into

00:38:02.100 --> 00:38:04.820
 our two-dimensional thinking

00:38:04.820 --> 00:38:06.200
 about who God is

00:38:06.200 --> 00:38:06.980
 and what he's up to

00:38:06.980 --> 00:38:07.600
 in this world.

00:38:10.400 --> 00:38:12.760
 So I know it's really simple

00:38:12.760 --> 00:38:13.840
 but read your Bible

00:38:13.840 --> 00:38:16.760
 because it's how we understand

00:38:17.540 --> 00:38:17.760
 God.

00:38:17.760 --> 00:38:18.640
 God.

00:38:18.640 --> 00:38:20.280
 It's how he has made himself

00:38:20.280 --> 00:38:20.680
 known

00:38:20.680 --> 00:38:21.860
 to us.

00:38:23.920 --> 00:38:25.440
 But more than that

00:38:25.440 --> 00:38:29.980
 it's to not only understand him

00:38:29.980 --> 00:38:32.120
 but it is to know him.

00:38:32.800 --> 00:38:34.180
 It is to respond

00:38:34.180 --> 00:38:35.420
 to Jesus

00:38:35.420 --> 00:38:36.920
 in worship

00:38:36.920 --> 00:38:38.280
 and adoration.

00:38:38.500 --> 00:38:39.700
 It is to make him

00:38:39.700 --> 00:38:41.940
 the most important thing

00:38:41.940 --> 00:38:42.960
 in our lives.

00:38:42.960 --> 00:38:45.059
 not a slice

00:38:45.059 --> 00:38:46.059
 of what we do

00:38:46.059 --> 00:38:47.260
 not an activity

00:38:47.260 --> 00:38:48.059
 that we fit

00:38:48.059 --> 00:38:49.019
 into our schedule

00:38:49.019 --> 00:38:51.059
 but he is

00:38:51.059 --> 00:38:51.840
 the center

00:38:51.840 --> 00:38:52.960
 the gravitational

00:38:52.960 --> 00:38:53.880
 center

00:38:53.880 --> 00:38:55.000
 of our lives

00:38:55.000 --> 00:38:56.519
 because he is

00:38:56.519 --> 00:38:58.059
 this great God

00:38:58.059 --> 00:39:00.760
 and great Savior.

00:39:00.760 --> 00:39:02.600
 and I became

00:39:02.600 --> 00:39:03.140
 Christian

00:39:03.140 --> 00:39:04.980
 back in high school

00:39:04.980 --> 00:39:06.680
 it was largely

00:39:06.680 --> 00:39:07.340
 because I had

00:39:07.340 --> 00:39:08.260
 a couple of friends

00:39:08.260 --> 00:39:10.700
 and you know

00:39:10.700 --> 00:39:12.000
 they were

00:39:12.000 --> 00:39:12.800
 a worldly Christian

00:39:12.800 --> 00:39:14.140
 and I was

00:39:14.140 --> 00:39:15.140
 not very impressed

00:39:15.140 --> 00:39:16.100
 I thought it was

00:39:16.100 --> 00:39:17.120
 kind of silly

00:39:17.120 --> 00:39:18.780
 and I mocked them

00:39:18.780 --> 00:39:19.760
 for their faith

00:39:19.760 --> 00:39:21.580
 but you know

00:39:21.580 --> 00:39:23.280
 I wanted

00:39:23.280 --> 00:39:24.340
 the God

00:39:24.340 --> 00:39:25.040
 in the center

00:39:25.040 --> 00:39:25.800
 of their lives

00:39:25.800 --> 00:39:26.680
 and I didn't know

00:39:26.679 --> 00:39:29.000
 I saw

00:39:29.000 --> 00:39:30.019
 that they had

00:39:30.019 --> 00:39:30.879
 a security

00:39:30.879 --> 00:39:32.379
 and a courage

00:39:32.379 --> 00:39:33.940
 a love

00:39:33.940 --> 00:39:35.440
 and a commitment

00:39:35.440 --> 00:39:36.259
 to truth

00:39:36.259 --> 00:39:37.559
 in ways

00:39:37.559 --> 00:39:38.719
 that I could not

00:39:38.719 --> 00:39:39.359
 understand

00:39:39.359 --> 00:39:42.399
 and as I got

00:39:42.399 --> 00:39:42.980
 to know them

00:39:42.980 --> 00:39:43.739
 more I saw

00:39:43.739 --> 00:39:44.559
 that all of that

00:39:44.559 --> 00:39:45.940
 came from the

00:39:45.940 --> 00:39:46.559
 God who they

00:39:46.559 --> 00:39:47.039
 trusted

00:39:47.039 --> 00:39:49.659
 the God who

00:39:49.659 --> 00:39:50.359
 they committed

00:39:50.359 --> 00:39:51.319
 themselves to

00:39:51.319 --> 00:39:53.539
 the God

00:39:53.539 --> 00:39:54.339
 whose love

00:39:54.339 --> 00:39:55.679
 they had

00:39:55.679 --> 00:39:56.500
 experienced

00:39:56.500 --> 00:39:57.340
 and were

00:39:57.340 --> 00:39:57.960
 now showing

00:39:57.960 --> 00:39:58.679
 the evil

00:39:58.679 --> 00:40:03.539
 friends I pray

00:40:03.539 --> 00:40:04.139
 that we might

00:40:04.139 --> 00:40:04.539
 be

00:40:04.539 --> 00:40:06.320
 those kinds

00:40:06.320 --> 00:40:06.900
 of real

00:40:06.900 --> 00:40:07.480
 Christians

00:40:07.480 --> 00:40:09.199
 where the

00:40:09.199 --> 00:40:10.059
 reality of

00:40:10.059 --> 00:40:10.380
 this

00:40:10.380 --> 00:40:11.880
 supernatural

00:40:11.880 --> 00:40:12.780
 transcendent

00:40:12.780 --> 00:40:13.340
 God

00:40:13.340 --> 00:40:14.639
 come to

00:40:14.639 --> 00:40:14.900
 earth

00:40:14.900 --> 00:40:15.599
 to be our

00:40:15.599 --> 00:40:16.019
 Savior

00:40:16.019 --> 00:40:17.659
 is so real

00:40:17.659 --> 00:40:18.480
 for us

00:40:18.480 --> 00:40:21.500
 that as we

00:40:21.500 --> 00:40:22.099
 as C.S.

00:40:22.099 --> 00:40:22.739
 was said

00:40:22.739 --> 00:40:23.800
 work and

00:40:23.800 --> 00:40:24.320
 play

00:40:24.320 --> 00:40:25.260
 snub and

00:40:25.260 --> 00:40:25.639
 marry

00:40:25.639 --> 00:40:26.380
 exploit

00:40:26.380 --> 00:40:28.980
 and interact

00:40:28.980 --> 00:40:29.720
 rough shoulders

00:40:29.720 --> 00:40:30.119
 with

00:40:30.119 --> 00:40:31.180
 that we

00:40:31.180 --> 00:40:31.680
 might be

00:40:31.680 --> 00:40:32.380
 those people

00:40:32.380 --> 00:40:34.800
 that we

00:40:34.800 --> 00:40:35.280
 might know

00:40:35.280 --> 00:40:35.900
 God in this

00:40:35.900 --> 00:40:36.200
 way

00:40:36.200 --> 00:40:38.900
 that we

00:40:38.900 --> 00:40:39.360
 might help

00:40:39.360 --> 00:40:40.119
 others to know

00:40:40.119 --> 00:40:40.740
 them as well

00:40:40.739 --> 00:40:42.579
 let's pray

00:40:42.579 --> 00:40:51.039
 Lord as we

00:40:51.039 --> 00:40:51.599
 talk about

00:40:51.599 --> 00:40:52.139
 these things

00:40:52.139 --> 00:40:52.599
 we feel

00:40:52.599 --> 00:40:52.959
 like we

00:40:52.959 --> 00:40:53.399
 are just

00:40:53.399 --> 00:40:55.339
 touching

00:40:55.339 --> 00:40:56.079
 on

00:40:56.079 --> 00:40:56.659
 eternity

00:40:56.659 --> 00:40:59.819
 Lord to

00:40:59.819 --> 00:41:00.959
 think of

00:41:00.959 --> 00:41:01.519
 these things

00:41:01.519 --> 00:41:02.199
 in the same

00:41:02.199 --> 00:41:02.739
 way that

00:41:02.739 --> 00:41:03.500
 Jesus pointed

00:41:03.500 --> 00:41:04.000
 us to

00:41:04.000 --> 00:41:04.599
 a greater

00:41:04.599 --> 00:41:05.239
 reality

00:41:05.239 --> 00:41:05.719
 about

00:41:05.719 --> 00:41:06.939
 your kingdom

00:41:06.940 --> 00:41:07.880
 and about

00:41:07.880 --> 00:41:09.380
 who you

00:41:09.380 --> 00:41:09.780
 are

00:41:09.780 --> 00:41:12.240
 God I

00:41:12.240 --> 00:41:12.619
 pray

00:41:12.619 --> 00:41:13.539
 I pray

00:41:13.539 --> 00:41:13.960
 that you

00:41:13.960 --> 00:41:14.619
 would continue

00:41:14.619 --> 00:41:15.200
 by your

00:41:15.200 --> 00:41:15.740
 spirit to

00:41:15.740 --> 00:41:16.280
 help us

00:41:16.280 --> 00:41:17.900
 to understand

00:41:17.900 --> 00:41:18.380
 and to

00:41:18.380 --> 00:41:18.980
 taste and

00:41:18.980 --> 00:41:19.760
 see and to

00:41:19.760 --> 00:41:21.220
 know more

00:41:21.220 --> 00:41:22.019
 of this

00:41:22.019 --> 00:41:23.019
 reality of

00:41:23.019 --> 00:41:23.679
 your kingdom

00:41:23.679 --> 00:41:27.179
 Lord that

00:41:27.179 --> 00:41:27.579
 we might

00:41:27.579 --> 00:41:28.500
 live lives

00:41:28.500 --> 00:41:29.799
 that have

00:41:29.799 --> 00:41:30.519
 increased

00:41:30.519 --> 00:41:32.000
 reality in

00:41:32.000 --> 00:41:32.279
 them

00:41:32.279 --> 00:41:33.719
 the reality

00:41:33.719 --> 00:41:34.299
 of you

00:41:34.299 --> 00:41:34.960
 and who

00:41:34.960 --> 00:41:35.480
 you are

00:41:35.480 --> 00:41:36.139
 the reality

00:41:36.139 --> 00:41:36.759
 of your work

00:41:36.759 --> 00:41:37.199
 in the world

00:41:37.199 --> 00:41:37.899
 the reality

00:41:37.899 --> 00:41:38.599
 of eternity

00:41:38.599 --> 00:41:39.559
 and the way

00:41:39.559 --> 00:41:40.179
 that changes

00:41:40.179 --> 00:41:40.579
 how we

00:41:40.579 --> 00:41:40.960
 live

00:41:40.960 --> 00:41:44.759
 Lord we

00:41:44.759 --> 00:41:45.239
 pray these

00:41:45.239 --> 00:41:45.679
 things in

00:41:45.679 --> 00:41:46.319
 Jesus name

00:41:46.319 --> 00:41:47.440
 Amen

00:41:47.440 --> 00:41:47.639
 Amen

00:41:47.639 --> 00:41:50.699
 Well it's fun to

00:41:50.699 --> 00:41:51.239
 preach this

00:41:51.239 --> 00:41:52.440
 passage because

00:41:52.440 --> 00:41:53.059
 we're having

00:41:53.059 --> 00:41:54.000
 baptism this

00:41:54.000 --> 00:41:54.239
 morning