Mastermind
Opening Prayer
Gracious Lord, in my busy world, I long to hear Your voice. Speak to me through Your Word today.
Read MARK 12:18–27
18 Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. 19 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 20 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died without leaving any children. 21 The second one married the widow, but he also died, leaving no child. It was the same with the third. 22 In fact, none of the seven left any children. Last of all, the woman died too. 23 At the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?”
24 Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? 25 When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. 26 Now about the dead rising—have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the account of the burning bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Meditate
A wise person prayed: “Disturb us, Lord, when we are too pleased with ourselves.” Confess any hint of self-satisfaction.
Think Further
Our human arrogance can fail to recognize the distinction between our limited field of perception and that of God. For that reason, the call is “to be made new in the attitude of your minds” (Eph. 4:23). Regular engagement with the Bible, correcting wrong thinking and teaching us new patterns of thinking, is fundamental to the process. Jesus rebukes the Sadducees because they did not “know the Scriptures or the power of God” (24). All kinds of wrong ideas proliferate unless countered by the Holy Spirit speaking in Scripture.
Humans can think they are so clever! The Sadducees imagined they were bringing the whole edifice down with their ingeniously constructed story about multiple marriages on earth and the confusion caused in heaven. A well-known comedian who seeks to undermine the reality of God asked the question: “Bone cancer in children. What’s that about?” It is a basic error to assume that our lack of understanding automatically calls God and his existence into question. We are not barred from asking questions, but we must humbly admit our limited perspective.
Engaging directly with a question so full of false assumptions is not going to help anyone. Jesus gets behind the question to explain two things. First, it’s just not possible to take our restricted human experience, scale it up and—hey presto—you understand God and his ways. Marriage on earth, so much a part of our existence, does not feature in God’s coming kingdom (25). Second, resurrection is a reality. The story scoffs at the idea of resurrection. Jesus points to a God who continues to be in relationship with people even after death. Soon his own Son will show that death has no hold on him!
Apply
Do the questions and assumptions of your society inhibit you in speaking out? In what ways? Why do you think it happens? Remember: God can work supernaturally through your words and actions today to open closed ears and eyes.
Closing prayer
Sovereign Lord, You are God and I am not. I trust in Your infinite wisdom and power.
Click here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.
© 2024 Scripture Union U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited.
Encounter with God is published in the USA under license from Scripture Union England and Wales, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DF.