July 17 Eternal God

Luke 20:37-40 “But in the account of the 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.” 39 Some of the teachers of the law responded, “Well said, teacher!” 40 And no one dared to ask him any more questions.
 
HERE is Jesus’ third lesson to the Sadducees, who asked Jesus about marriage in heaven. They didn’t even believe in heaven! He has taught them that life will be different in heaven. Humans will be as angels, and there is no marriage.  Now Jesus teaches, “Know there is eternal life.” 
    The Sadducees rejected an eternal life because they claimed Moses did not write about eternal life. But skillfully, Jesus reminded these unbelievers these words from Moses in Exodus 3:13-15 Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers –  the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob –  has sent me to you.’”
    This is God. “I AM” translates to Jehovah – the eternal, self-existent God, Lord of all. The Hebrew language uses “Yahweh’ for the same meaning. He has been from eternity past. He will be through eternity future. What’s more, Jehovah affirmed he “is”, not “was” the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” Though they lived on earth hundreds of years before this moment, they are alive. I AM is still their God.
    As Jesus consistently did throughout his ministry, he faithfully used Scripture to teach of God. Jesus taught God’s Word from the past to point us toward our lives forevermore.
    How different our lives become when we look to eternity. The Sadducees should have perceived that Moses knew he was under I AM’s authority. How else could this man suddenly pulled from the sheep pasture become Israel’s great leader and law-giver? How could he diligently write The Law, the Torah - the first five books of the Bible? What purpose would he have to lead a stubborn, unbelieving nation through 40 years of desert wandering?
    If our journey of “faith” takes us only to the grave, this limits our response to God, doesn’t it? Why be a disciple if it only limits our natural desires? Why make disciples, agonize over the lost, or even have church if life ends with our last breath? 
    Even more, if there is no eternal life, why the cross?
    Our eternal God came from heaven that you might be saved into eternal life. Live with eternity in view. Live to faithfully draw near to God and to draw others to him. Be “considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead.” (Luke 20:35)
 
Prayer: Thank you, Father, Son and Spirit. You have acted to welcome me to your eternal home. I pray I faithfully I live to draw others to you. Amen.