Creation and Scriptures

1. Creation and Scriptures

2. Creation and Scriptures Rom. 1:20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

3. Scriptures and Eternal Life • Ascertainment • Alternative • Affirmation

4. Luke 20: 27 Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. 28 ‘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. 29 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. 30 The second 31 and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. 32 Finally, the woman died too. 33 Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?’

5. Luke 20: 27 Some of the Sadducees, who say there is noresurrection, came to Jesus with a question. 28 ‘Teacher,’ they said, ‘Moseswrote 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. 29 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. 30 The second 31 and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. 32 Finally, the woman died too. 33 Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?’ Sadducees thought of eternal life as a part of you living on after you die through your children, and their children, and so on, and hence the emphasis on marriage and children.

6. Luke 20: 27 Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. 28 ‘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. 29 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. 30 The second 31 and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. 32 Finally, the woman died too. 33 Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?’

7. Luke 20: 27 Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. 28 ‘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. 29 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. 30 The second 31 and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. 32 Finally, the woman died too. 33 Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?’

8. 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 the age to come 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 burning 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.’

9. 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 the age to come 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 burning 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.’ • Those who by faith know God the Father in this life do not have that relationship interrupted by death

10. 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 the age to come 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 burning 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.’ • In Immortal resurrected bodies that they will receive they will be like the angels. • Left behind is the cares and concerns of procreation and marriage that the Sadducees were so enamoured with.

11. 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 the age to come 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 burning 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.’ • Worthiness of being called God’s child is based on what happens in this mortal life.

12. 1. Ascertainment of Eternal life Vs 27-38 Moses faithfully interpreted, ascertains that those worthy to be called God’s children have eternal life, an uninterruptible relationship with God that reaches full realization in their resurrected glorified bodies.

13. John 1:12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 17:3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

14. 2 Cor. 5:8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 1 Cor. 15: 42-44 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.

15. 1. Ascertainment of Eternal life Vs 27-38 Moses faithfully interpreted, ascertains that those worthy to be called God’s children have eternal life, an uninterruptible relationship with God that reaches full realization in their resurrected glorified bodies. Scriptures faithfully interpreted ascertains that eternal life, this uninterruptible personal relationship with God, spectacularly climaxes when God’s children take positions of eternal glory in their Father’s Kingdom in resurrected glorified bodies.

16. What is there to look forward to in the time between our death when we leave our mortal bodies behind to be with the Lord and our final state of glory that comes with the resurrection?

17. What would be the impact on our present lives if we keep going home to be with the Lord at the forefront of our thoughts rather than just at funerals or when facing imminent death?

18. Phil 1:21-22 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labour for me.

19. Scriptures and Eternal life 1. Ascertainment of Eternal life Vs 27-38 2. Alternative to Eternal life Vs 39-44

20. 39 Some of the teachers of the law responded, ‘Well said, teacher!’ 40 And no one dared to ask him any more questions. 41 Then Jesus said to them, ‘Why is it said that the Messiah is the son of David? 42 David himself declares in the Book of Psalms: ‘“The Lord said to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand 43 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.’” 44 David calls him “Lord.” How then can he be his son?’

21. 39 Some of the teachers of the law responded, ‘Well said, teacher!’ 40 And no one dared to ask him any more questions. 41 Then Jesus said to them, ‘Why is it said that the Messiah is the son of David? 42 David himself declares in the Book of Psalms: ‘“The Lord said to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand 43 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.’” 44 David calls him “Lord.” How then can he be his son?’

22. The Lord will extend your mighty sceptre from Zion, saying, ‘Rule in the midst of your enemies!’ . . . The Lord is at your right hand; he will crush kings on the day of his wrath. 6 He will judge nations, heaping up the dead and crushing the rulers of the whole earth.

23. 2. Alternative to Eternal life Vs 39-44 David faithfully interpreted reveals that the expected Davidic Messiah is David’s Lord, the unequalled Son of God exalted to God’s right hand to rule over and judge his enemies. • Scribes and Sadducees had made themselves Jesus’ enemies • They would experience Eternal life’s alternative

24. 2. Alternative to Eternal life Vs 39-44 David faithfully interpreted reveals that the expected Davidic Messiah is David’s Lord, the unequalled Son of God exalted to God’s right hand to rule over and judge his enemies. Scripture faithfully interpreted reveals that those who do not receive Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord will be judged and condemned by him as his enemies.

25. Rom 8: 34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died – more than that, who was raised to life – it at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. • Those who do not know the real Jesus Christ of scriptures will one day be confronted by him as the exalted one. • Those who did not confess him as Lord in this life will be condemned to eternal death.

26. Those who did not confess him as Lord in this life will be condemned to eternal death. What impact should this truth about impending condemnation by the Lord Jesus have?

27. Scriptures and Eternal life 1. Ascertainment of Eternal life Vs 27-38 2. Alternative to Eternal life Vs 39-44 3. Affirmation of Eternal life Vs 45-47

28. 45 While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, 46 ‘Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the market-places and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets. 47 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.’ • Avoid the behaviours and underlying values of the Scribes • Demonstrate they are not children of the Resurrection • Misinterpretation of Scripture which calls for justice, mercy and humility and/or failure to applythe truth

29. 3. Affirmation of Eternal life Vs 45-47 Jesus warned the disciples to not share in the scribes’ values and behaviours, (which remained unshaped by faithfully interpreted Scriptures), values and behaviours that evidenced they were not God’s children. Those worthy to be called children of God are affirmed as such by their values and behaviours shaped by obedient cooperation with the Holy Spirit’s application of faithfully interpreted Scriptures.

30. What values would you expect to develop in God’s children as a result of applying faithfully interpreted scriptures to their lives? What makes you happy, what makes you angry, and what makes you sad? When our personal values are trashed or dismissed we become angry and sad. When a value is celebrated by others we rejoice. Do your values reflect those that are shaped by scripture or are they more consistent with those who are not God’s children?

31. Conclusion God’s children, those whose reception of Scriptures’ exalted Lord Jesus as Saviour is affirmed by their scripturally obedient lives, possess Scripture’s uninterruptible eternal life that will climax into eternal glory