You find Mark the 12th chapter. Mark chapter 12. We'll bring you a message today
from verses 18 down to verse 27. And the title of the message
this morning is taken from verse 27. Notice there, verse 27. He is not the God of the dead,
that is, our living God, but the God of the living. The God of the living. Therefore,
you therefore do greatly err. And the message I've given to
this, the title of the message is The Living God. The Living
God. The Living God. Believers who have died in Christ
are blessed to behold and worship the living and true God while
awaiting the resurrection of their body. While the bodies
of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob when this was written, are nothing
and were nothing but dust. In their regenerated and redeemed
soul and spirit, the Lord is declaring that they are alive
and well and enjoying the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, God
of the living, the God of the living, the living God. And the
Apostle said it this way, to be absent from the body, writing
to believers, to be absent from the body is to be present with
the Lord. To live is Christ, to die is
gain. 2nd Corinthians 5 declares we
are confident and I say willing rather to be absent from the
body and to be present with the Lord that's what the Lord is
saying of Abraham Isaac and Jacob they are alive and living with
the Lord and beholding his redemptive glory in Christ Jesus now notice
once again let me give you the details what's going on here
in this chapter, verse 18 and following. Then cometh unto him
the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection, and they
ask him, saying, Master, these questions. Again we see the Lord
Jesus Christ under the relentless, vicious attack of the enemies
of the gospel. Now remember last week came the
Pharisees and the Herodians, and they asked him those questions
about taxes, about rendering to Caesar the things that are
his. After having put the Herodians
and the Pharisees to silence about their questions, now we
see the attack of the Sadducees. They come, they ask the Lord
Jesus Christ about this resurrection. Again, their designs are only
malicious and mean, only to entrap the Lord of glory and to catch
Him in His words. And they dream up this scheme
of seven brothers who marry this one woman and then ask the question
in the resurrection, well, who will be the husband to this one
woman? Their designs are malicious and
mean. They didn't even believe in the
resurrection. And yet they try to catch Him
in His words. Our blessed Lord is far too wise
for such nonsense. And He again, He outwits the
enemy and comes out with a glorious victory. Now who are these Sadducees? Who are these Sadducees? There
were the Pharisees and the Sadducees in this Jewish order, this Jewish
religion, but the Sadducees were the most liberal. They were the
free thinkers of their day. Supposing themselves to be wiser
than God and smarter than God, they denied the resurrection
of the dead. They denied any afterlife at
all. They believed there was nothing
after death, no judgment, no glorious heavenly life. And certainly
they believed in no eternal condemnation of the wicked. Now there are
many Sadducees among society today who promote the same things. The Pharisees and the Sadducees
and the Rhodians, they were all bitter enemies. Yet we find them
again joining forces against the gospel of the kingdom of
the Lord Jesus Christ. How can the enemies come together
against the Lord? How can this be? Because essentially
they all believe the same thing. They sought God's acceptance,
God's favor by their works of righteousness before God. The Sadducees, the Pharisees,
and the Rhodians all believed that salvation was by works,
their doing, their merit. Remember the words of the Lord
Jesus Christ unto these people. It's recorded in Luke 16. Don't turn. Let me just quote
it for you. Read it to you. Our Lord said unto them, You
are they which justify yourselves before men. But God knows your
heart. God knows the heart. For that
which is highly esteemed among men is nothing but wickedness,
abomination. They justify themselves before
God by their doing. And many people today, while
they have differences in their religious practices, We have
all the different flavors of denominations. They all essentially
believe the same thing. When you boil it all down, they
all essentially believe the same thing. They believe that salvation
is determined by them, what they do, their work, their will, their
obedience to win God's favor. Now you sum it all up. And it
all boils down to that. The way of Cain. The way of Cain. Now the record of Scripture is
clear on this matter. Salvation is all of grace, not
of works, lest any man should boast. Salvation is all of grace
from election to glorification. The creature's will, the creature's
work, the creature's worth have no bearing in this matter. Now error can walk together.
error can get along. But my friend, truth and error
cannot. We'll have to part ways. because truth will not tolerate
error. Salvation, as we read in God's
book, is always determined by God, dependent upon God, and
accomplished by God. It's not by works of righteousness
which we have done, but it's according to His purpose and
grace that's given unto us before the foundation of the world.
When the gospel is clearly set forth, and clearly defined as God is
God, salvation is in Christ, and that He will have mercy on
whom He will, and He will harden whom He will, don't be surprised
if your lost religious friends turn on you like a pack of wild
dogs. I've experienced this myself
in my own family, in my own among my own friends. When you insist
upon the truth and say it is the truth that sets sinners free,
those who are walking in error will get upset. Don't be surprised. You take a stand for the gospel
of God's free, sovereign grace in Christ Jesus. And you'll have
a fight on your hands among those who are enemies of the gospel.
Now you won't among believers. They love grace. They love the
way of truth. Salvation in Christ Jesus alone.
Now here's three things in this message this morning. Three things
that I want to bring out from these verses. The first one is
this. The ridiculous bizarre, totally
fabricated question that these Sadducees asked the Lord of Glory
in order to embarrass Him. He was in the temple. There were
people around listening. In order to embarrass Him and
to crush Him and to end His ministry, they come up with this ridiculous
scheme. Notice they asked the Lord a
question for information about things which they didn't even
believe. And often times we run into the same thing today. And
here was their scheme, if a woman is married seven times to seven
different men, then in the resurrection, who's wife will she be? They
thought they could dream up this scheme to such a ridiculous story
that there was no answer to it. Well, you can't confound the
Lord. He knows all things. But notice several things. First
of all, in verse 19, they addressed Him as Master. Master. Master. They pretended to reverence
the Lord. They pretended to honor Him. Now, this word Master means doctor
or teacher. While in their heart, Outwardly
they were giving him some kind of acknowledgement, while in
their heart they really despised him, didn't they? They despised
him. of the Lord Jesus Christ and
lovers of God's gospel, they don't pretend to reverence the
Lord, they really do reverence Him as God and Savior. Believers do reverence the Lord
and esteem Him, adore Him, and love Him above all. To Him, to
believers, Christ is all. and in all. He is precious. We say with Thomas of old, my
Lord and my God. While they pretended reverence,
believers in Christ Jesus, they really do reverence the Lord. Holy and reverent is His name. Notice secondly, they pretended
to reverence the Word of God. They said in verse 19, well you
know, we've got the Word. Moses wrote unto us. And he did. This is quoted from
Deuteronomy 25 verse 5. They pretended that they believed
the word of the Lord. They pretended to reverence what
God had said. It's true, they had the word
of the Lord, but they didn't believe Moses, did they? Moses
gave by inspiration to them what God had given to him. But what
did Moses write about? What was the message of Moses
that they didn't believe, they didn't receive? Turn to John
chapter 5. Our Lord tells us clearly. Oh,
they had the word, they had the law, but they missed the message. John chapter 5. Notice what our
Lord says here. He says of these same people,
verse 38, you have not his word abiding in you, for whom he has
sent him you do not believe. Verse 39, search the scriptures.
He's saying you do search the scriptures. John 5, 39. For in
them you think you have eternal life, but they are they which
testify of me. They testify of Christ. To him
give all the prophets witness. and you will not come to me that
you might have life. I receive not honor from men,
but I know you, that you have not the love of God in you. I
am come in my Father's name, and you receive me not. If another
shall come in his own name, him you will receive. How can you
believe, which receive honor of one another, and seek not
the honor that cometh from God only? Do not think I will accuse
you to the Father. There is one that accuseth you,
even Moses, whom you trust. Now look at this. Underline this
if you haven't got this underlined in your Bible. Well, had you
believed Moses, you would have believed me. He wrote about me. Moses' whole message is Christ. Christ. If you believe not his
writing, how shall you believe my words? They pretended reverence
for His person. They pretended reverence for
His Word. They pretended to believe His
Word. But they, in essence, did not. Believers in the Lord Jesus
Christ, they do have a reverence for His Word. Believers in the
Lord Jesus Christ, they do believe the record of Holy Scripture.
They do believe the gospel of God's grace as it is revealed
in this book. Don't you? You reverence God's
word. You believe. Thus saith the Lord. That's a good evidence and witness
that you're a believer if you reverence God by believing His
testimony, His record. Thirdly, they pretended piety. That is, they pretended righteousness
before Him as if they were really concerned about the holy law
of God being broken. Notice verse 23, in their question,
in the resurrection, therefore, when they shall arise, whose
wife shall she be of them? For the seven all had this one
woman. Now, pretended righteousness.
They pretended that they were concerned about the law of God
not being honored, about the law of God being broken. But
it was just pretended righteousness. Believers and lovers of the Lord
Jesus Christ, they do have a true interest in true righteousness
before God's holy law. How can a guilty sinner stand
completely justified before God's holy law that declares us guilty
before God? Only one way. Oh, that I might
win Christ and be found in Him. He is our righteousness. He did
honor the law of God in precept and in penalty for us that He
might be the just God and the Savior. Believers do have a righteousness
in Christ. It's not pretended. It's real. He is the Lord, our righteousness. It's upon His doing, His dying,
and in His person that we stand before God holy, unblameable,
unreprovable in His sight. Here's the second thing. Notice
carefully in verse 24, the Lord declared unto them their total
ignorance. In verse 24, the Lord answering
said unto them, you've got a problem. Do you not therefore err? Because
you know not the Scriptures, and you do not know the power
of God. You don't know the God of Scripture. The Lord declared unto them their
total ignorance of the word and character of God. Spiritual ignorance,
mark it down. Spiritual ignorance and doctrinal
error can always be traced back to at least these two things.
Ignorance of God's Word and ignorance of the total sovereignty of God,
His power to do as He will, when He will, with whom He will, for
His own glory. These men, ignorance of God's
Word and ignorance of the total sovereignty and the power of
God. These men did not believe the resurrection. Because they
did not know the teaching of Holy Scripture, nor did they
bow to the sovereign rule of the God of Scripture. Several things on this point.
They knew the letter of the Scripture. They knew the letter of the Scripture.
They could probably quote it from memory, backwards and forwards.
They were familiar with all the prophets. They had them all memorized.
The prophets of the past, they knew about all the history of
Israel, but they were ignorant of the message of the Bible. The message of God's Word. Totally
ignorant. They missed it. Let me ask you
this question. You're sitting there this morning,
and all of you, pretty much, for the most part, have a Bible
in your lap. What's it all about? What's the
message of the Bible? What's it all about? These 66
books that God has compiled and preserved and given them to us. What's it all about? I can sum
it up in a person. It's all about the Lord Jesus
Christ. When you're reading the Word
of God in Genesis, or Leviticus, or in Jeremiah, or Ezekiel. It's a book about the Lord Jesus
Christ. To Him give all the prophets
witness concerning who He is. Christ. Christ. Our Lord said
that exactly in Luke chapter 24. And beginning at Moses and
all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures
the things concerning himself himself wouldn't you like to
have heard that sermon how he expounded unto them I'd like
to hear the Lord Jesus Christ expound the gospel well we have
part of it right here in front of us do you not therefore err
because you know not the scriptures neither the power of God the
Lord Jesus Christ now listen to me the Lord Jesus Christ is
the gospel. Now that might not be good English,
but it's good theology. He is the gospel. It's all about
Him, His person, His priestly work for His people. How He came,
born of a woman, born under the law to redeem them that were
under the law. How He put away sin by the sacrifice
of Himself, when He by Himself purged our sin, sat down on the
right hand of God, His person, His Word. How He appeared in
the end of the age to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
It's all about Him. Him. Him. Now you can know a
lot of doctrinal facts without knowing the person of the Lord
Jesus Christ. These folks have the facts, but
they missed the person. Salvation, my friend, is in a
person, the Lord Jesus Christ. But you cannot know Him and love
Him apart from the revelation of His glorious person as He's
revealed in the Word of Truth. Faith is not born of ignorance.
Faith is born of truth. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing
by the message, by the Word of Truth, by the Word of God. Truth. Our Lord said the truth will
set you free. Now, I want you to turn to John
chapter 17. Turn to the book of John once
more. Chapter 17. And stay here for
just a few moments because we're going to read a couple of places
here in John. But you find John 17. John 17. Verse 1, These words spake Jesus,
and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is
come. Glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee. As
thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give
eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life
eternal. Now here it is. Are you interested
in salvation? Do you want to know what salvation
is? Our Lord said, This is life eternal. that they might know
thee, thee, the only true God, the living God, the sovereign
God, Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. Preacher, you left
out a word. I did on purpose. The only true God, Jesus Christ,
whom God has sent salvation in a person, in a person, I say
right here in the book of John, find John chapter 11. The resurrection,
the glorious truth of God's resurrection, the resurrection of the Lord
Jesus Christ, delivered for our offenses and raised again for
our justification. The resurrection is more than
a mere doctrine. The resurrection is a person.
He is the resurrection. Our Lord said, because I live,
you will live. John chapter 11. Notice verse 23, here's his family,
Mary, Martha, their brother Lazarus had died. And she said, verse
23, Jesus said unto her, thy brother shall rise again. And
Martha said unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the
resurrection in the last day. She had to fight, but she missed
the person. Jesus said unto her, I am the
resurrection. I am that I am, and the life. He that believeth in me, though
he were dead, yet shall he live forever. And whosoever liveth
and believeth in me shall never die. Do you believe this? Oh yeah. Christ is our resurrection. The Lord Jesus Christ is our
salvation. He is the resurrection and the
life. Turn to John chapter 10. John
chapter 10. Our Lord said in verse 9, I am
the door. John 10 verse 9. I am the door,
the same I am that spoke to Moses in that bush that burned and
was not consumed. I am the door, by me if any man
enter in he shall be saved and go in and out and find plenty. Into life, out of death. John chapter 14, turn over there.
Our Lord said here clearly, I am, verse 6, the way, the truth. I am the life. No man comes unto
the Father but by me. I am that I am. Salvation is not merely knowing
about the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation is knowing Him. Knowing Him. Listen to this scripture,
1 John 5. This is a record that God has
given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that
hath the Son hath life. He that hath not the Son of God
does not have life. Whatever else you may think you
have. If you're not one with Christ, finally joined to Him
by that union of faith, you don't have life in Christ Jesus. Spiritual life. Salvation. So
they were ignorant of the Word of God. Secondly, they were ignorant
also of the God of Holy Scripture. God is not who we think He is.
He's not even who we say He is. God's who He is, as He's revealed
in Holy Scripture. The Sadducees did not believe
in the resurrection because they were totally ignorant of God's
sovereign power and dominion over all things. Just how sovereign
and powerful and holy and eternal is Almighty God. Now you can't
take this too high. You can't take this too far.
God is absolute God over all things. All things. All things
are of God. He does whatsoever He pleases
in heaven and among the inhabitants of this earth, and none can stay
His hand. Whatsoever the Lord pleases, that's what He does.
He works all things out of the counsel of His own will. They were ignorant of God's scripture,
and they were ignorant of the character of God. All false religion, all free
will, works religion denies the total sovereignty of God in salvation. Mark it down. They do. They'll let God, and I use that
word advisedly, they let God be God in certain areas. But God as He's revealed in scripture
is God over all things. God, that is God, will have mercy
on whom he will. He said, I'll love whom I will,
I'll harden whom I will. So then, it's not of him that
willeth, nor of him that runneth, but it's God that shows mercy
to whom he will. You say, well that's not fair.
May I introduce you to the God of Scripture? This absolute King
and Ruler over all things? That's what this book teaches.
He said, I am God, beside me there is no other. That's the
God we worship. The only place a sinner will
bow in adoration and reverence and worship is before the throne
of a sovereign king. That's the place we worship.
And that's where we bow. Religion in our day deny, they
deny the power of God to break the sinner's stubborn will. They
deny that sinners are totally depraved. Disciples asked this
question among themselves to the Lord, who then can be saved?
He answered, he said, with men it is impossible, but with God,
all things. All things are possible. Thanks
be to God for his unspeakable gift of salvation to undeserving
sinners by the absolute sovereign power of God. We believe according to the working
of His mighty power. Is that what it says in Ephesians
chapter 1? We believe according to the working of His mighty
power. And the next verses talk about that resurrection power
and resurrection glory of the body of the Lord Jesus Christ.
That's how we believe. The same quickening power. We believe according to the working
of His mighty power. Thy people shall be willing in
the day of His mighty power. And listen to this scripture,
1 Thessalonians 1, Knowing, brethren, beloved, your election of God,
for our gospel came not to you in word only, but in power, and
in the Holy Ghost. And it came with much assurance.
Oh, we believe the truth, we believe the gospel. Now, thirdly,
there will be, will there be a resurrection? There will be a resurrection
in that last day, a resurrection from the dead. Notice verse 25
in our text, Mark 12. For when, our Lord said, for
when they shall rise from the dead, no question about it, not
if, maybe, perhaps, neither, they neither marry nor are given
in marriage, but they are as the angels which are in heaven. But as touching the dead that
rise, have you not read in the book of Moses how in the bush
God spake unto him, saying, I'm the God of Abraham, the God of
Isaac, the God of Jacob? He's not the God of the dead,
but the God of the living. Therefore you do greatly err.
In the last day, let me give you these things, I'll let you
go. In the last day, When the Lord returns, there will be a
general resurrection from the dead, both of the just and the
unjust, a resurrection of those who have believed the gospel
unto everlasting life, and a resurrection of those who have died in their
sins to everlasting condemnation. Our Lord taught that. Turn back
to John again, John chapter 5. Our Lord taught that in John
chapter 5 He declares unto us in John 5 verse 29 verse 28 beginning
marvel not at this for I say unto you the hour is coming in
which all that are in the grave shall hear His voice dead men
who have been dead for years their bodies nothing but dust
and shall come forth they that have done good, those who have
believed the gospel, those who were found in Christ under the
resurrection of life, and they that have done evil, refusing
to bow to the sovereign claims of Christ under the resurrection
of damnation." Now the apostles preached it, didn't they? Turn
back to the book of Acts, chapter 24. All through the book of Acts,
Acts chapter 24, all through the book of Acts, Nearly every sermon that they
preach, they preach the Lord Jesus Christ being raised from
the dead and our resurrection in Him. Acts 24, you remember
this verse? Verse 14. Acts 24, 14. But this I confess unto thee,
that the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God
of my fathers, believing all things that are written in the
law and the prophets, having hope toward God, which they themselves
also allow. The Pharisees believed in a resurrection. The Sadducees did not. have hope
toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall
be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. Job of old rejoiced in it. He
said, I know my Redeemer lives, and in my flesh I shall see him
again. Daniel wrote about it. Those
who have long slept in the dust, that he will bring them forth
in that glorious resurrection morning. All believers declare
the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and us in Him as
we are justified in completing Him as He was delivered for our
offenses and raised again for our justification. Our Lord said,
because I live, you shall live. He said, I am He that liveth
and was dead. Behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys,
the authority of death and hell. In that last day, in that glorious
eternal day, all believers will be, as it says in our text, look
back to the text, they will be as the angels in heaven. It doesn't say they'll be angels.
It says they'll be as angels. We'll not be changed into angels,
but we'll be like them, the holy angels. several things here we will be
perfectly conformed to the image of Christ He'll change our vile
body and passionate life unto His glorious body. That whole
15th chapter of 1 Corinthians talks about that glorious resurrection
morning, when this corruptible must put on incorruption, when
this mortal must put on immortality. Then we'd be brought to pass
the saying, O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is
thy victory? Thanks be unto God who has given
us a victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. be perfectly conformed to the
image of Christ. Like the holy angels, we will
be in constant service and worship unto our glorious Lord and Redeemer,
and sing unto Him with the ten thousand times, ten thousands
and thousands around the throne, worthy is the Lamb that was slain
to receive all honor, glory, blessing, and power, both now
and forever. And know this, turn to Revelation
21. All former things will be passed
away. Aren't you glad? Revelation chapter
21, look at this. And I saw, verse 1, a new heaven
and a new earth. For the first heaven and the
first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea. And I, John, saw the holy city,
New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as
a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out
of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men,
he will dwell with them, they shall be his people, and God
himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe
away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death,
Neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain,
for the former things are passed away." Turn to one more in Revelation
22. Verse 3, and there shall be no
more curse. But the throne of God and the Lamb shall be in
it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face,
and His name shall be in their forehead. He will own us as His
own. Verse 5, And there shall be no
night there. And they need no candle, neither
light of the sun, for the Lord God giveth them light, and they
shall reign forever and ever. These sayings are faithful and
true, and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel
to show unto his servant these sayings, which must shortly be
done. Behold, I come quickly. Blessed
is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. Turn back to the text again,
I'll leave you with this. Notice carefully in verse 26
and verse 27. He who is our God and Savior
is the God of the living. As touching concerning the dead,
the resurrection from the dead. Have you not read in the book
of Moses how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am
the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob? Not
the God of the dead, but of the living. Abraham lives. Isaac
lives. Jacob lives. The God of the living. Once again, the Lord Jesus uses
the very record of Scripture to show unto us that believers
who have died do not go into a state of non-existence, believers,
but rather they go into the presence of the Lord. While their bodies
go back to the dust, their soul and spirit is alive and well
with the Lord, awaiting for that glorious resurrection reunion. When the Lord spoke to Moses
out of the burning bush in Exodus 3, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
have been dead for hundreds of years, hundreds of years. Yet
the Lord says they're living with Him, waiting, waiting for
that resurrection day. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are
representatives of all of God's elect, chosen by His sovereign
grace, redeemed by His blood, called to Christ in faith. These
all died in faith, believing God, and their lives were taken
up with Christ. Those who take part in that glorious
resurrection day are those who have been regenerated in this
day, made new creatures in Christ. They have experienced the first
resurrection that is a spiritual life given in Christ Jesus. And I close with this, Revelation
20. Blessed and holy is he that hath
part in the first resurrection. That's regeneration. That's the
experience of grace in your heart. On such the second death hath
no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall
reign with him a thousand years. That thousand year reign is symbolic
of that eternal glory with Christ Jesus. Well, I pray the Lord
will bless that to your heart and give us some understanding
about this glorious salvation that we have in Christ Jesus.