TODAY’S INTRO
Once again- the religious leaders circling around Jesus—trying to trap him. Once again, Jesus ends up challenging them and likely—upsetting them!
TODAY’S TEXT- Luke 20:27-47
27Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to him 28and asked him a question, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no children, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother. 29Now there were seven brothers; the first married, and died childless; 30then the second 31and the third married her, and so in the same way all seven died childless. 32Finally the woman also died. 33In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had married her.” 34Jesus said to them, “Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage; 35but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. 36Indeed they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. 37And the fact that the dead are raised Moses himself showed, in the story about the bush, where he speaks of the Lord as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 38Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive.”
39Then some of the scribes answered, “Teacher, you have spoken well.” 40For they no longer dared to ask him another question. 41Then he said to them, “How can they say that the Messiah is David’s son? 42For David himself says in the book of Psalms, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, 43until I make your enemies your footstool.”’ 44David thus calls him Lord; so how can he be his son?” 45In the hearing of all the people he said to the disciples, 46“Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets. 47They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”
TODAY’S STATUS UPDATES
Luke has shown us that Jesus is the champion of the poor and the oppressed. Here again, we have Jesus commenting on the power players of the day; the scribes. They are people with wealth, power, and respect. They wore special clothes and had special privileges. Yet, Jesus points out the simple fact—they have shown no concern for the “widows” of their day (a group that was not self sustaining in Jesus’ day and needed the community to support).
Jesus is saying something we can relate to. He is reminding us that we can’t simply look out for ourselves without building up and caring for the others. If we only look out for self and our own gain and status, we tear apart community. If we say, my best “status” is this- WILLING AND READY TO CARE, we become agents of care for Jesus.
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