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since this morning so if you would please turn in your Bibles with me to the book of psalms our call to worship will be a reading of psalm 32 psalm 32 is our call to worship this morning so I'm 32 the entirety of the song this is the word of the living and true God a psalm of David a contemplation blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity and in whose spirit there is no deceit when I kept silent my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long for day and night your hand was heavy upon me my vitality was turned into the drought of summer seyla I acknowledged my sin to you and my iniquity I have not hidden I said I will confess my transgressions to the Lord and you forgave the iniquity of my sin seyla for this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to you in a time when you may be found surely in a flood of Great Waters they shall not come near him you are my hiding place you shall preserve me from trouble you shall surround me with songs of deliverance se la I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go I will guide you with my eye do not be like the horse or like the mule which have no understanding which must be harnessed with bit and bridle else they will not come near you many sorrows shall be to the wicked but he who trusts in the lord mercy shall surround him be glad in the Lord and rejoice you righteous and shout for joy all you upright in heart amen well let's stand together as a church and sing hymn number 501 in your larger Trinity hymnal let's all stand and sing 501 together Oh please be seated will now have a time of prayer just a reminder we do have a prayer meeting not every lord's day every second Lord's Day we have a prayer meeting prior to the morning worship alternating sundays we have a study in our confession of faith working consecutively through that we had prayer meeting this morning we pray for a number of things those requests that you send us a among other things so if we don't pray for you in this time of corporate prayer doesn't mean that we don't love you if you have concerns and things you'd like us to pray for by all means please email us call us and we will pray for you either in the morning worship or most certainly when we have a more dedicated time of prayer on the sunday mornings prior to worship and on Wednesday evenings and of course privately throughout the week let's go to our great God in prayer let us pray Heavenly Father we do rejoice now that we can gather together as the Saints of Christ for the worship of our great God the triune God of heaven and earth Father Son and Holy Spirit we do pray that you would help us now to worship you aright we do pray that in this place your name would be hallowed that by the lips of your Saints praises would come forth and that you would be the recipient of all honor we do pray God that you would be worshiped around the world not only in this place today but in each and every one of your true churches that you would be worshiped that your praises would be sung that your amazing grace would be rejoiced in and that the Lord Jesus Christ a champion of our salvation that he would be exalted upon the praises of gathered assemblies around the world we do pray that you would give your people this morning your spirit that they might have their souls aroused stirred up to a high-end heavy praise of the High King of heaven we do pray God that in this place this morning you would find your people rejoicing in salvation by free and sovereign grace we thank you for the Blessed truth of the glorious gospel and we do pray that we would be this morning rejoicing in salvation knowing that we have not been saved by deeds of righteousness which we have done but rather according to your mercy you saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit we know that we're saved not by things that we have done not by works of righteousness not by deeds of holiness but we're saved from first to last midst and throughout by the perfection of the saving grace of the triune God we know that we stand before you as righteous not by our own righteousness but by that righteousness of another even the Lord Jesus Christ that one who came into this world to live a perfect life of obedience to your law in the stead of all those who believe that Lord Jesus Christ that same Christ who died a death upon Calvary's tree that was not a death of maybe that was not an atonement of perhaps but rather upon that cross the Lord Jesus Christ perfectly saved a multitude that no man can number all those that you have given unto Him we know that is a that that is a sure salvation wherein he shed his blood before the forgiveness of the sins of all those who believe in him we thank you that in Christ Jesus we have that righteousness we have that forgiveness and we thank you Lord God that on the third day he rose again in power and in great victory that he did ascend unto your right hand where he now ever lives to make intercession for each and every one of his precious ones and we do pray that you would cause us to sing the praises of amazing and victorious grace this day we do pray God that you would be with those in our midst to suffer physical affliction we prayed for many this morning we pray for each and every one again that you would strengthen them that you attend to their bodies that you would heal their afflictions and Lord God in the midst of physical suffering and pains that you would cause them in the inner man nevertheless to rejoice in Christ Jesus the Lord to sing your praises and to be holy resign done to your will and your Providence in all things we would ask God that you would be with those unable to join us that you would watch over them that you would protect them that you would return them again unto us that they might gather together with the Saints and Lords days upcoming we do pray God that you would be with though to rule over us we are called in the scriptures to pray for kings and those who are in authority and so we do pray now for them Lord that you would turn the hearts of Kings to rule according to your law they would cast off wickedness that they would cast off the folly of their own opinions and Lord God that they would rule according to the will of God we do pray that we would see those who rule over us doing so in righteousness justice and equity and that they would cease in the sanctioning of abominations like murder and sodomy and homosexuality and all of these evils in the land we do pray that they would uphold true righteousness and that they would seek your will even as they would rule over the people of the earth we do pray God that you would be with the persecuted Church we know that there are many and other nations that suffer quite the heavy and violent persecution that we know nothing of in North America we do pray that you would be with each and every one of our dear brothers and sisters in Christ that are under such persecution we pray that you would comfort their hearts we would ask that you would give them courage in the midst of their suffering we pray God that in the midst of such violent opposition you would cause them to look with eyes of faith upon the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world and know that they have courage and hope and victory in the king of kings and Lord of lords we would ask God that you would deal swiftly with those who would persecute we would pray that you would come upon the wings of Amazing Grace and even save some who are presently your enemies we pray that you would turn them from the madness and the folly of their false religion and their idolatry and violence and that you would turn them on to the religion of the Lord Jesus Christ and cause them by grace to know your glory and the perfection of the saving work of Christ Jesus our Lord we do know that there will be those who would remain in opposition who will remain in there a venom and vitriol against the Christians and against our brothers and sisters and we do pray that you would then deal with them in your hot justice that you would bring wholesome severity upon those who would remain obstinate and their rebellion we pray that you would cause them to stumble like drunken men so they may no longer bring violence against your dear ones and we would ask God that you would be with us now in worship we know that we require the Holy Spirit in order that we might be stirred to prayer to singing to attentiveness in worship and in hearing the preaching of the word of God we pray for that now that you would cause no thoughts to intrude nothing to hinder our worship of the triune God and we do pray that you'd be with the preacher of the gospel this morning pastor Butler help him in this pulpit to grip it with great courage and confidence knowing that he has the aid of the triune God as he enters this pulpit and do bring him much aid as he preaches the Word of God we do pray that he would preach it with clarity with great strength and Lord God that we would receive it well that your Saints gathered here this morning would be encouraged and instructed by the preached word we would leave this place well equipped to live in light of such a glorious gospel and we would ask God that you would save sinners this morning any and all young and old who entered in these two doors outside of Christ would leave those same two doors singing the praises of his most glorious name so we pray now God for your Holy Spirit and we pray for that measure of your presence that we might be lifted up too high and heavy thoughts and praises of the king of kings and Lord of lords and we do just pray that in all things this morning and this evening Lord God that you would be praised that you would be honored and that you would receive all glory we pray in the name of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ amen let's stand and sing our next Tim it's in the same Trinity hymnal it's going to be him number 600 let's stand and sing 600 together Oh you are Oh I please be seated our new testament scripture reading this morning is matthew four you can turn there in your Bibles to Matthew chapter four once again as psalm 32 this is the word of the living and true God Matthew 4 beginning in verse 1 then Jesus was led up by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil and when he had fasted forty days and forty nights afterward he was hungry now when the tempter came to him he said if you are the son of God command that these stones become bread but he answered and said it is written man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God then the devil took him into the holy city set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him if you are the son of God throw yourself down for it is written he shall give his angels charge over you and in their hands they shall bear you up lest you dash your foot against a stone jesus said to him it is written again you shall not tempt the Lord your God again the devil took him up on an exceedingly high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory and he said to them all these things i will give you if you will fall down and worship Me then jesus said to him away with you Satan for it is written you shall worship the Lord your God and him only you shall serve then the devil left him and behold angels came and ministered to him now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison he departed to Galilee and leaving Nazareth he came and dwelt in Capernaum which is by the sea in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet saying the land of Zebulun in the land of nafta lie by the way of the sea beyond the jordan galilee of the gentiles the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawn from that time Jesus began to preach and to say repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand and Jesus walking by the Sea of Galilee saw two brothers Simon called Peter and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea for they were fishermen then he said to them follow me and I will make you fishers of men they immediately left their nets and followed him going on from there he saw two other brothers James the son of Zebedee and John his brother in the boat with Zebedee their father mending their nets he called them and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him and Jesus went about all Galilee teaching in their synagogues preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing all kinds of sickness in all kinds of disease among the people then his fame went throughout all Syria and they brought to him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments and those who were demon-possessed epileptics and paralytics and He healed them great multitudes followed him from Galilee and from Decapolis Jerusalem Judea and beyond the Jordan amen well last time we noted that at the baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ it was a public a punctuated public instance where by Christ was now set into his earthly ministry we see the first thing that happens is he's driven by the spirit into the wilderness where he is tempted by the devil we see the fact that the devil himself uses the word of God and distorts and abuses and miss uses the word of God in order to tempt the Lord Jesus Christ but valiantly the Lord Jesus Christ each and every time replies rightly with the truth of the word of God and answers the devil blow-for-blow so CH spurgeon on this instant Spurgeon in a sermon from first Corinthians 11 on the doctrine of the Lord's Supper had a sermon that he entitled the remembrance of Christ and one of the points of his sermon was the sweet object of our memory and he goes to Matthew 4 and he comments this way speaking first of the devil and then of Christ perhaps he that is the devil had veiled his demon royalty in the form of some agent pilgrim and taking up a said wayworn pilgrim if thou be the Son of God command this stone to be made bread methinks I see him with his cunning smile and his maliciously r as he held the stone and said if blasphemous if if thou be the Son of God command that this stone shall become a meal for me and thee for both of us are hungry and it will be an act of mercy thou canst do it if easily thou cants do it easily speak the word and it shall be like the bread of heaven we will feed upon it and thou and I will be friends forever but jesus said and oh how sweetly did he say it man shall not live by bread alone oh how wonderfully did christ fight the tempter never was there such a battle as that it was a dual foot to foot a single-handed combat when the champion lion of the pit and the mighty lion of the tribe of Judah fought together splendid sight angel stood around to gaze upon the spectacle just as men of old did sit to see the tournament of noted warriors there Satan gathered up his strength here apollyon concentrated all his satanic power that in this giant wrestle he might overthrow the seed of the woman but Jesus was more than a match for him in the wrestling he gave him a deadly fall and came off more than a conqueror Lamb of God I will remember thy desert strivings when next I combat with Satan when next I have a conflict with roaring diabolos I will look to him who conquered once for all and broke the dragon's head with his mighty blows see when we come to Matthew 4 we see our victorious champion the Lord Jesus Christ going foot to foot with the devil and putting him down what I want you to also see here is an instance of the second and the last Adam doing that which the first Adam could not do the first Adam is placed the created Son of God has placed in a beautiful garden and he is tempted by the devil in his probation he's tempted by the devil after being given a command by God and he fails and he plunges humanity into sin and depravity the second Adam comes the eternal son of God and he's placed in a desert not in a garden but in a desert where he doesn't have the fruits of the of the vine he doesn't have the vegetation to eat of but rather he's fasting forty days and forty nights and the eternal son of God is tempted by the devil and time and again he is victorious without fail we have a champion priced here that is set before us and Matthew with deliberation with purpose sets him before us as that one man by one man the first Adam we have been afflicted with sin and depravity but by this one man we have his perfection of obedience imputed to us to all those who believe what a glorious sight what a glorious instance of a champion overcoming the tempting zuv the wicked one and notice as well what we have here for all those here outside of Christ this morning your life is such that you are dead in trespasses and sins your life is one marked by the darkness of the deadness of sin you are without light and yet there is hope notice this glorious verse applied to the Lord Jesus Christ from the prophet Isaiah and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has done glorious truth that the Lord Jesus Christ is our light if you're here this morning and you're in Christ Jesus Christ is your light look to the champion who overcame diabolus and put him down if you're here in your outside of Christ know that you are under the sway of diabolos the devil Satan this wicked one you're under the sway of the tempter your only hope is in this what this one who came this one whose light dawned upon that wicked and perverse generation and brought hope believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved and you will fist pump at the glorious conquest of the champion Christ who overthrew the wicked one let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you for the glorious Christ that we read of in Matthew 4 we rejoice in our champion that one that went foot to foot toe to toe with diabolos and overthrow him overthrew him by his strength and by his power and by his glorious repeating and proclaiming of the word of the living and true God and we do pray that you would help us to rejoice in this champion that we would now worship him that we would now sing his praises Lord God that the triune God might be the recipient of all the praises and all the honors this morning of the worshipping and gathered Saints we do pray that you would cause us daily to rejoice in such a Christ and in such a savior that we would find in him our all in all we pray in his precious name the name of the Savior the Lord Jesus Christ amen our final him then before the preaching if you'll turn there with me is 599 let's stand and sing 599 together yes Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh please be seated please turn with me and your Bibles to Matthew chapter 22 Matthew 22 are focused this morning will be on verses 23 233 I'll read the section then we'll pray and then look at this section of Scripture Matthew 22 beginning in verse 23 the same day the Sadducees who say there is no resurrection came to him and asked him saying teacher Moses said that if a man dies having no children his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother now there were with us seven brothers the first died after he had married and having no offspring left his wife to his brother likewise the second also and the third even to the seventh last of all the woman died also therefore in the resurrection who's like whose wife of the seven will she be four they all had her jesus answered and said to them you are mistaken not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God for in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like angels of God in heaven but concerning the resurrection of the Dead have you not read what was spoken to you by God saying I am the God of Abraham the god of Isaac and the God of Jacob God is not the god of the dead but of the living and when the multitudes heard this they were astonished at his teaching a man let us pray a blessed God in our Holy Father we thank you for the written word we thank you that you've not left us in this world of darkness and lies and deceit alone but you have given us the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments and we acknowledge that there prof for doctrine for reproof for correction and for instruction in righteousness and we pray that even now by your spirit you would thoroughly furnish us unto every good work we pray that your Holy Spirit would guide us and teach us and lead us as we look to the scripture now we pray that you would give us the mind of Christ and may we think your thoughts after you and God for any and all here that are outside of Christ we pray that today would be the day of salvation that they would hear the truth and by your grace would believe the truth and would pass from death into life we ask that you would forgive us now for all of our sins and our transgressions we thank you for the blood of the Lord Jesus as we were reminded our champion beat the devil in the wilderness and he certainly beat the devil on the cross and in this we greatly rejoice Most High God we pray that even now you would thoroughly cleanse us from all sin and iniquity and transgression and that you would help us to receive with Thanksgiving your word and we ask these things through Christ our Lord amen well remember the context we're in in Matthew chapter 21 our Lord Jesus goes into Jerusalem he enters into the temple and that is on the Monday on the Tuesday he comes back to the temple and that's where we find ourselves now he's in the temple in a series of disputes and confrontations with the religious leaders it begins in chapter 21 at verses 23 to 27 they questioned him concerning his authority and on the heels of that particular dispute Jesus then tells three parables and in each of those three parables the target is the religious leaders the target is as well the nation of Israel that has apostatized from the living and true God and the judgment of God will indeed come upon them so at the conclusion of the three parables now there are four questions we see these persons come to the Lord Jesus and ask him specific questions the fourth Jesus questions his opponents but last week we saw the question concerning taxes posed by the Pharisees and the Herodians if that was a socio-political concern this question that we have in verses 23 to 20 33 regard the supernatural they're more of a theological question and the Sadducees are the ones who come to him now to present what they perceive to be a very difficult question for one that holds to the doctrine of the resurrection so I want to look at verses 23 233 under three concerns first the riddle regarding the resurrection I suspect the Sadducees thought they were very clever and I suspect the Sadducees probably use this riddle on Pharisees Pharisees and Jesus thought alike when it came to the resurrection they affirmed it they affirmed the supernatural the Sadducees were more like rationalist they denied the supernatural so perhaps the Sadducees had fought a time or two with the Pharisees and maybe even bested them with this scenario of this woman and the seven husband so there's a riddle regarding the resurrection in verses 23 to 28 secondly the response regarding the resurrection in verses 29 to 32 and then finally the reaction to Jesus teaching on the resurrection in verse 33 but note first we read in verse 23 the same day the Sadducees who say there is no resurrection as I said this is the Tuesday later on on Tuesday Jesus is going to speak the Olivet discourse that's recorded in Matthew 24 and 25 and there via prophecy he does precisely what he's done by parable in Matthew 21 and 22 so that same day Sadducees came to him Calvin says we see here how Satan brings together all the ungodly who in there who in other respects differ widely from each other to attack the truth of God you see the Pharisees and the Sadducees thought differently concerning these particulars but together they unite so they can try and stop the mouth of the Lord Jesus now the particular identity these Sadducees I've already alluded a little bit to them they were the minority position Pharisees outnumbered the Sadducees but nevertheless the Sadducees were indeed the politically dominant group whom the priestly and temple a hierarchy were drawn so while they were a minority position in terms of theology they were very strong politically and in terms of the temple they believed that the only sure word of God was the first five books they only affirmed the Pentateuch is having the official stamp from God now they probably looked at the prophets and at the wisdom literature as commentary upon the Torah or upon that Pentateuch as well they were as i mentioned rationalists that means that reason guided them rather than revelation and as a result as we learn in acts 23 the Sadducees say there is no reg no resurrection and no angel or spirit so they denied the supernatural JC ryle says they were the skeptics the free thinkers and half infidel so on the one hand they held to Judaism but on the other hand they denied the supernatural impact of Judaism and that is the vantage point and notice their presupposition is given to us by Matthew who say there is no resurrection so that helps us to understand what they're doing here it helps us to get what is behind the scenes they're not looking to have a theological discourse they are not looking to interchange with a fellow rabbi they are looking like the Pharisees and the herodians before them to entangle him they want to try and catch him up they want to make him look bad they want to expose Jesus as a false teacher because remember these religious leaders hate Jesus they despise it they've been plotting against him they are the ones who want to entangle and ultimately destroy him it will be at their instigation the crowd just a couple of days later will say away with him away with them crucify him these are not men that have a desire for a healthy theological interchange know the very statement given to us that they do not believe there is a resurrection indicates that what they are doing is not sincere it is not a quest for knowledge as well it does highlight the fact that they like the preceding ones we're trying to entrap Jesus and probably they already knew Jesus position concerning the resurrection Jesus affirms it in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus affirms at Matthew 10 Jesus certainly affirms it when he announces that he's going to go to Jerusalem he's going to die and he's going to be raised the third day so three announcements by Christ highlights the reality that he affirms the resurrection so this is the setting with reference to the riddle regarding the resurrection the Sadducees come to Jesus they deny the presence of a resurrection and so they asked him notice their appeal to what's called the levirate law and Leverett is from the word LaVere and that simply means husband's brother and this comes from Deuteronomy 25 verses 5 to 10 notice on the one hand they affirmed that Jesus is a rabbi they call him teacher probably like they did in the previous situation when they brought flattery to bear upon him rabbi but then they cite Moses and I think the subtlety is that they're trying to show a disparity between Jesus and Moses remember these Sadducees only hold to the first five books of Moses so for them it is paramount that they can pit Jesus and Moses against one another but in this law of the levirate essentially what has had or what is said in that law is repeated by them in verse 24 teacher Moses said that if a man dies having no children his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother this is also referred to in the incident in Genesis 38 with that fellow called own n but the specific law concerned brothers who live together doesn't necessarily mean they shared a bedroom they were on the same parcel of property remember that land and inheritance and property were very special and very important to Old Covenant Israel and so if a man took a woman and then he died it was the responsibility of his brother to then take that woman for his own wife and again the purpose was to keep property in the family by raising up an heir to inherit it it also provided help to an otherwise destitute woman you see brethren when you look at the Bible sometimes you have to conclude that romance and starry eyes aren't always the first concern in a good marriage I'm not saying don't have romance and don't have starry eyes men don't go home today and say Butler said no romance honey I'm going to relate to you in a perfectly technical manner according to you know the logistics of the non I'm not saying that but I think at times and our culture especially it's so feeling oriented it's so emotionally driven that we forget principle and we forget the reality that there's a woman here it's standing now without a husband to provide for her so God and His goodness and in His grace and in his mercy bid's the brother of the dead man to marry her to provide protection to keep the inheritance to keep the property to keep the land to keep those things in check that is a biblical and a good reason to pursue marriage in this particular instance now notice their reference here I think it's subtle but I think it's there verse 24 teacher Moses said that if a man dies having no children his brother shall marry his wife now notice and raise up offspring that raise up is the same word for resurrection it's as if the Sadducees are saying the only resurrection we believe in is this young heir being raised up that's how the name will live on and now notice they can state they put together this particular riddle verses 25 to 27 now there were with us seven brothers we don't need to go over every jot and tittle of this I think it's pretty apparent what they're doing do you think it was honest I mean it's certainly within the realm of possibility it could be the gaze that you know one brother marries a woman he dies second brother marries a woman he dies third brother marries the woman he dies why was the fourth brother I'd really think twice about bearing that particular woman but it is conceivable that they would go through the line probably not reality probably as I said a riddle that they had posed before to try and catch the Pharisees with this idea of the doctrine of the resurrection so they weave together this tale we go through the seven in verse 26 we read likewise the second also and the third even to the seventh last of all the woman died also now here comes the question here comes the rub here is where they're going to expose Jesus therefore in the resurrection you can see them now wink wink nudge nudge not that we believe in the resurrection anyway but in the resurrection based on this tale that we've told based on this riddle that we've conveyed whose wife will she be this was one of those dropped the mic moments for the Sadducees we've got him he's done he can't answer because what this effectively does is it introduces absurdity into the design and plan of God the Sadducees assume monogamy Sadducees assume that the normative practice of people is one man and one woman for life they rightly assume that and they assume as well that if this riddle were the reality when she comes into the resurrection and there is her seven husbands if she takes on all those seven men she is a polyandrous that means she has multiple husbands there is an absurdity introduced by them in this particular thing royal says they meant to insinuate that there must needs be confusion and strife and unseemly disorders if after death men and women were to live again you see on the surface it seems to make sense right Moses has given us a lot concerning the levirate and based on the law of the levirate in its absurdity to the seventh point when the resurrection comes whose wife will she be now note the particular horns of a dilemma that Jesus is on if Jesus denies the resurrection then he embraces the Sadducees heresy and he is at odds with the majority report as i said the pharisees and their theology permeated israel more than the Sadducees so if Jesus says you're right the whole idea is an absurdity there must not be a resurrection then the Sadducees can say oh look to the Pharisees into the people he denies the resurrection but if Jesus affirms the resurrection based on their riddle then he's got big problems you're not supposed to have seven husbands you're not supposed to engage in polyandry you're not supposed to engage in polygamy you're not supposed to multiply wives or husbands and if as you suppose the eternal state is a reality then she is in a particular difficult situation so you see the riddle don't you you see what they're doing they probably think they've got him just like the Pharisees and the Rodians before thought they had him is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar again mic drop we've got it no matter how he answers we're going to beat him down that didn't go too well for the Pharisees and the herodians did it he shut them down very effectively and very successfully let's see how he handles these Sadducees note the response regarding the resurrection there are three things we ought to consider here first his reproof concerning their error you know we live in a day and age where we never tell anybody they're wrong because that might make them feel bad and we don't want them to feel bad and we don't want them to think we're judgmental because after all the most important verse in the Bible is judge not lest you be judged right isn't that what we're told isn't that what's pummeled in to us isn't that the verse that non-christians know and they continually Heep against us Christians doesn't the Bible say judge not lest you be judged yet you condemn sodomy you condemn abortion you condemn euthanasia you sure sound very judgmental well perhaps Matthew 7 doesn't mean what you think it means but look at what Jesus says you are mistaken I like the King James better ye do error the word is literally deceived it's where we get planet from planets are Wanderers and the word means you wonder you're deceived you're away from the beaten path you are mistaken you cannot for a moment try to make me fall prey to this particular riddle now notice he not only declares their deception but he demonstrates their deception by saying you are mistaken or you do err not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God that's their problem they don't know scripture they don't know the power of God the scripture teaches the resurrection from the dead the scripture most certainly teaches that i'm just going to announce a few perhaps in a couple of weeks we'll look at these in more detail job 19 25 to 27 this job say after he dies i know that i shall see my redeemer psalm 16 pointing obviously to the resurrection of christ which is paradigmatic or a pattern for the resurrection of everyone else psalm 49 psalm 73 isaiah 25 isaiah 26 Daniel 12 to Hosea 6 Hosea 13 you do err you are mistake and you are deceived because you don't know scripture you see if you're an unbeliever hear this morning you may think you have that one thing that one acekard that one hole card where you know you can beat the claims of Christianity for the Sadducees it was this conundrum with reference to the seven men and their wife they thought that one thing was going to be able to shut down Jesus you may have that one thing as well you've got that one discrepancy or perceived discrepancy or that one thing that you think is contradictory you have that in your pocket you're quick to bring it out too well I would believe on the Lord Jesus Christ if it wasn't for that one thing that one thing for some is where did Cain get his wife that one thing for some is who are these sons of God in Genesis 6 that one thing for some is what they perceive to be contradictions in the gospel narrative that one thing that you honestly hold on to that you have got and you're you're clinging to because it proves that your rebellion against God is is somehow justified you don't know scripture that's your problem it's always frustrating to me when I hear the charges made against Christianity you know you Christians you forbid homosexuality but you know in the Book of Leviticus god forbid shellfish I don't hear you protesting against eating shrimp I don't hear you writing congressmen and senators and members of parliament that they are banned lobster you are inconsistent well there's a question of hermeneutics and how the law functions in the Old Covenant loop you can't talk to people like that her- who Herman what unfortunately can't talk to a lot of Christians at that level let alone the non-christians but look at what Jesus says you do air because you don't know scripture if you are holding that one thing this morning if you've got that one contradiction or perceived contradiction that proves Christianity is wrong and proves why you ought to continue in rebellion against God i want to say with christ you do are not knowing the scriptures there are not contradictions there is no falsity there is no deceit John Calvin made this comment though Christ addresses the Sadducees yet this reproof applies generally to all inventors of false doctrines for since or for since God makes known his will clearly in the scriptures the want of acquaintance with them is the source and cause of all errors you see you never stop to think that maybe the problem is mine maybe I haven't studied it maybe I don't understand maybe there's something that transcends my ability yeah yeah you have difficulty remembering to set your clocks forward once a year and you're going to go toe-to-toe with the God of heaven and earth that is infinite eternal and unchangeable the God who spoke this world into being and who upholds it by the word of his power you're going to actually stand before that God say well you know back here in Leviticus I proceed there's like donford heed do what job did and shut your mouth and shut it quick he says they do not know scriptures they do not know the power of God they perceived that the resurrection must be just like this didn't even dawn on them because again they're rationalists they're not governed by revelation the word of god they're governed by what they know what they perceive they can't imagine there's a discontinuity between this age and the age to come it must be the same in heaven as it is on earth it must be just like we know now and if that's the case then this would be an instance where she would be forced to engage in an absurdity and take seven husbands Jesus says you don't know the power of God it's interesting because the power of God is off times associated with the resurrection when God Reza x Christ it is a display of the father's power when God resurrects the people 1st Corinthians 15 we read it's a display of power when there is this transformation of our lowly body into the likeness of his glorious body that is a demonstration of God's power and so Jesus says you do err you don't know scripture and you don't know the power of God now notice he explains what the power of God looks like verse 34 in the resurrection got to appreciate this about Jesus the Sadducees presupposed no resurrection Jesus presupposes resurrection Jesus just tells them like it is Jesus assumes for the sake of argument that his position is right Jesus doesn't present ten reasons why they ought to believe in the resurrection Jesus is going to correct their thinking concerning the resurrection and thus display to them what the power of God looks like notice he describes the resurrection he says for in the resurrection that probably means life in heaven life in the age to come life in that state which differs significantly than our state here there is a difference between this age and the age to come note he highlights the cessation of marriage for in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage Jesus could have dropped the mic right here and said we're done you see if in the age to come there's no marriage there riddle is rendered powerless there's no problem there's no issue given Jesus assumption given Jesus knowledge of the Old Testament given Jesus comprehensive knowledge of all things there is not a tension or a problem or an issue there's no marriage in the eternal state so on according to the riddle the seven men and their bride when they see each other in the eternal state she doesn't have to try to pick one or the other or take them all marriage is no longer an issue France says the power of God creates something different fitted to a life which is not temporary but eternal sexual life is obviously affected by this since procreation belongs to earthly not to heavenly life where there is no birth growth or death you see in heaven we're not going to announce that sister so-and-so is pregnant we're not going to announce that brother and sister sons are expecting another happy little bundle in nine months this is a difference between this age and the age to come which the Sadducees don't understand because they don't understand the power of God is God able to be able or is God able to have another state another sphere of existence that is different than ours yes he's God right in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage the merrier Tsar the man and the ones given in marriage are the women so no marriage no procreation that means no intimacy in terms of the marriage bed in heaven Jesus says that is a discontinuity there is a difference it will not be the same in the age to come so as France goes on marriage as the institution within which earthly procreation is set is there for out of place Jesus silences their foolish riddle by saying it's a non-issue you've tried to present a problem that doesn't exist because when these seven men and their bride die and go into heaven marriage is not an issue there's no such thing and then notice he says we'll be like the Angels this does not mean a change in nature we will not become angels we will be like angels Luke and the parallel passage says we will be equal to the Angels the angels do not procreate the Angels do not multiply the way that human beings do angels do not engage in those particulars that are engaged than by humans in this world so in the age to come will neither marry nor will we be given in marriage but will be like the Angels again not partakers of their nature but partakers of their function will be in the presence of God will be worshipping God will be glorifying God will be adoring god i love the way Ryle explains it like them the angels we shall serve God perfectly doesn't that sound good don't you long for that the best we do now is tainted with so much sin I agree with the Puritan we have to repent of our repentance we have to confess our confession we have to constantly say with that man lord I believe help thou mine unbelief even though you've given me evidence and affirmation and proof positive so many times lord I believe help thou mine unbelief I love the reality that we see in Revelation 7 when the saints are assembled before the throne of God and they stand there day and night it was tough this morning wasn't it setting that clock forward one hour and missing sleep that's a precious commodity an hour of sleep makes all the difference and you can get up and be a little bit grumbly and a little bit grumpy and try and justify yourself well you know we lost an hour and because of that I'm not as chipper as I normally am revelation 7 they stand before the throne of God day and night it's a crying shame that many of us who came from the world engaged in parties and revelries and debauchery and wickedness late into the wee hours but man if a sermon goes two minutes over we're looking at our watches and we're grumbling in our hearts and we cannot believe that he goes long man Friday night Saturday morning three in the morning another beer and other this and I'm sure yeah yeah how is it that the wretched have so much more energy for their pursuits than the righteous still and yet revelation 7 holds out a promise of better things we're going to stand before the throne of God and we're not going to whine we're not going to grumble we're not are we looking around and I can't wait to leave we're going to be in the presence of God and the Lamb who sits on the throne that's what we were created for we will embrace it wholeheartedly because God in His grace will so deal with our wills that he will confirm us in holiness that's a happier day royal says like them the Angels we shall serve God perfectly on hesitatingly and unworried Lee like them we shall ever be in God's presence like them we shall ever delight to do his will you see Sadducees you do err not knowing the power of God nor the scriptures you do err not understanding what the Lord most high is able to do he has in his vast creation this fear that is that is heavenly he has in his vast creation this this fear which is earthly and while there is continuity you'll still be bill and i'll still be Jim there is discontinuity will no longer be married or given in marriage to whatever our wives names happen to be will no longer procreate will won't populate heaven the way that we populate earth the Sadducees didn't understand this and they tried to speak to something they just didn't know again that person that holds that one part that one trump card where they can refute the claims of christianity never even begin to think that they don't know everything never begin to fade or entertain the thought that they could be wrong and that the god of heaven and earth is right notice Jesus appeal to scripture verses 31 to 32 remember I said that the Sadducees only accepted as sort of the main word of God the first five books of Moses perhaps you even remember when I cited Old Testament passages for the resurrection of the Dead I didn't cite from the Torah or the first five books Jesus does Jesus does ok Sadducees even on your suppositions even playing with your cards even playing according to your rules let's just look at that passage where god comes to Moses in the burning bush he goes to Exodus chapter 3 to validate the reality of the resurrection of the Dead it is brilliant again jesus doesn't mean Jim to confirm or affirm that he's brilliant but he is brilliant infinite wisdom on display right before eyes the way he silences the Pharisees and the Herodians i mentioned that sometimes people really knock it out of the park they give good answers along the way in their lives they say funny things you know they just hit it at that moment no one does that consistently no one does that perpetually no one does that 24-7 save our beloved Lord notice he appeals verse 31 but concerning the resurrection of the Dead have you not read what was spoken to you by saying before we actually cite the verse I want you to pay attention to what Jesus says to these Sadducees the first place he highlights the authority of Scripture what's the final court of appeal in matters of religious controversy is not what my pastor said it's certainly not what Benny Hinn said it's not what that council said it's not what that Synod said it's not what Trent said now obviously we subscribe to the London confession of faith I think it is an excellent summary statement of those things most surely believed among us that statement tells us that it is the scripture that is the final appeal the final Court of Appeal 40 of the word of God notice as well what Jesus says in just sort of that a passing reference I don't think this is the main point but I want you to appreciate verse 31 concerning the resurrection of the Dead have you not read what was spoken to you Sadducees many many many many years after Exodus 3 took place you understand that this morning the scriptures are speaking to you that it's not a distant letter it's a distant collection of dusty books that have no relevance Jesus says to these Sadducees these deniers of the power of God these men who do not understand scripture jesus says that this burning bush passage god spoke this to you I certainly spoke it to Moses but there is an abiding validity to the truth of God it lingers it permeates were always under the authority of spoken Scripture and notice what he goes on to say it was spoken by God I don't know if Jesus is picking up on their subtly teacher Moses Moses God he says God spoke the Lord spoke you need to take heed to what is given he cites Exodus 3 he says I am the God of Abraham the god of Jake Isaac and the God of Jacob God is not the god of the dead but of the living step brilliant the argument goes in two directions not two directions like this but two directions like this in the first place the grammar the language that he uses is a present tense so while God speaks to Moses at the burning bush God is able to say I am presently the God of Abraham the god of Isaac the God of Jacob now remember Abraham Isaac and Jacob had died several years prior to this meeting between God and Moses I am what's that imply what is that infer it means that Abraham Isaac and Jacob have continued on and I am their god the resurrection from their own approved Torah the resurrection from Exodus 36 RT France says you know at this point we probably you know the temptation is or ought to be not to be too hard on these Sadducees that's a tough one isn't it to try and sort of pull that out I differ with France here the simplicity and the brilliance of it makes me go why didn't I get that why did I understand that when God says I am the God that means they're still around they may not be you know on chilliwack Chili Bowl Haynes but they're somewhere because God is their God right it's simple we should have all got that sagit Sadducees should be faulted how could God in the present tense say I am the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob if there were no Isaac Abraham or Abraham Isaac and Jacob Spurgeon explains Abraham Isaac and Jacob had had long been dead when the Lord spoke to Moses out of the burning bush his words implied that the patriarchs were still living his covenant was made with those who still existed remember I said it goes in two directions one the present tense God is the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob but Spurgeon alludes to the second covenant our covenant God doesn't enter into a covenant of life with us to let us die he doesn't let us go he doesn't let us depart he doesn't let us leave him when he covenants to be our God and He covenants that we shall be his people does anything dissolve that does anything destroy that does anything get in the way of that absolutely not I am the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob I did enter into covenant with them I will never let them go I will never leave them I will never forsake them France speaks to this the covenant by which he binds himself to them is too strong to be terminated by their death just said that yesterday pronouncing stealer Rebecca husband and wife their husband and wife till death does them part once Death Comes to separation once Death Comes there is dissolution once Death Comes there is no more marriage Paul says that in Romans 7 a woman can remarry when her husband dies why because the first is done what's France saying what's God telling us what does God underscored in his covenant it's not going to be done it's not going to be terminated it's not going to go away you may get hit by a truck this afternoon and you're going to be launched into the presence of your God that's what he said the covenant by which he binds himself to them is too strong to be terminated by their death to be associated with the Living God is to be taken beyond the temporary life of earth into a relationship which Long's or lasts I love this it lasts as long as God lasts go home and be happy today brethren the Covenant you are in with your God lasts as long as God lasts it's beautiful I want to close with a few thoughts in just a moment but in terms of exposition look at the reaction in verse 33 there's actually three reactions to what Jesus says the multitudes the Pharisees and the Sadducees the first place the multitudes notice in verse 33 and when the multitudes heard this they were astonished at his teaching you'd have to be right if I walked into your place of employment and you did something that was amazing and dazzling I'd be astonished I don't know you on that level I haven't got to benefit from your prowess and your ability in your savvy and whatever it is that God has made you to do so if I saw that I'd be a scholar I don't know you can do that I didn't know you could do that that's amazing they were astonished at his teaching you know how the Pharisees responded they said well done says well done impressive remember Pharisees and Sadducees Gifford theologically Sadducees and Pharisees probably discussed this same scenario and no doubt the same riddle in Luke's Gospel in the parallel passage to this we read scribes answered teacher you have spoken well I guarantee you they were not the scribes of the Sadducees they were the scribes of the Pharisees they do a good argument when they saw it they can be condemned for a whole host of things but in this they're right on teacher you have spoken well probably said wish we would have thought that way keep that one in your in your hopper for the next time we we meet the Sadducees at starbucks and we discussed the resurrection let's remember exodus 36 guys teacher you have spoken well what about the Sadducees they were bested look at verse 34 but when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees it's an interesting word it's the same word we find in the parable of the wedding feast with the man who's found out without the wedding feast what is it he is speechless when the certain King comes to him Jesus has rendered his opponents speechless they are silenced they are bested they cannot proper an explanation they cannot say yeah but they cannot rebut the wisdom with which he has spoken I want you to appreciate this I want you to appreciate what I'm about to say the multitudes were astonished at his teaching and a bulk of these multitudes will be heard in two days saying away with him away with him crucified Him don't be like that I said it last week we marvel at what Jesus says show me the coin whose inscription is on the coin well then give it back to Caesar that's impressive but their hearts weren't change they didn't bow and confess him they didn't believe in him if you're astonished at his teaching this morning don't just stay there believe him look to him throw your soul upon him as we sing in 393 venture on him venture holy do not remained astonished at the teaching of Christ while in rebellion against the teaching of Christ do not say wow I followed the argument this morning and I see the wisdom of the Lord and on the one hand that is astonishing but on the other hand i want--is go glut myself in sin I'm going to go violate the law of God with impunity I'm going to continue to do those things which he condemns that's falling it's shame its wickedness it's evil it's violets grew up you need to believe you need to look you need to move from astonishment to say Lord Jesus have mercy on me Pharisees the same thing teacher you have spoken well yet they're going to lead the rabble lead the cause in the way with him away with him crucify him what about the Sadducees their silence their bested but they don't forsake their doctrine I mentioned earlier acts 23 8 where Luke tells us they deny the resurrection they don't believe in the spirit they don't believe in the angels which is interesting doesn't Jesus just assume angels as well Sadducees don't believe in angels jesus said they're going to be like the angels in heaven we don't believe in that neither Lord Jesus doesn't care just listen to the truth that's an intriguing passage in acts 23 Paul is born before the Sanhedrin and Paul knows that the Sanhedrin the Religious Council is made up of Pharisees and Sadducees and Paul says I on trial today for no other thing then that there the hope of the resurrection of the Dead Pharisee said he's not that bad of a guy the Sadducees got upset they railed against the Apostle Paul because he had dared affirm the resurrection of the dead so all that to say the these men were bested by the Lord Jesus himself and yet they cling to their heresy it's just like that time it was a contest at Carmel back in the the Old Testament book first kings they're all these prophets of bail and prophets of Asherah those were the false gods of the Canaanites that many of the israelites went a whoring after and God sends Elijah to challenge Israel and Elijah comes up with this test will present a sacrifice and whoever's God consumes the sacrifice that one's God is legit seemed like a good agreement seemed like a good arrangement everything is prepared they cry to ashra they cry to bail they cut themselves they dance around there agonizing to try and get that divine intervention nothing the fire no consumption no smoke no nothing Elijah offers up a prayer that probably is six seconds to read at the most and the fire of Yahweh comes down and consumes it don't you think that would be a powerful tonic to turn people away from bail it wasn't guess what happens they still go Horning after bail guess what's going to happen this morning you've been presented with the truth of Holy Scripture you've been presented with the claims of Christ you have been told believe on him and yet some of you I don't know who are going to go out these doors this morning and go a whoring after whatever Idol it is that has your heart so you see you're in the text you're either an astonished multitude a commendatory Pharisee or a silenced sad you see and my encouragement and my counsel to you today is to forsake your sin and rebellion and look to the Lord Jesus lay down your arms raised the white flag I hate that our many an appeal we need to surrender to Jesus but there is that emphasis stop thinking you're the measure of all things stop thinking you had it all figured out stop thinking that bail or ashra or money or sex or porn or or friends or peers or iPhones or sports are more wonderful than the Father Son and Holy Spirit forsake your wicked ways and come to the Lord of glory you know what he does when you come he receives you he says so in John 6 30-7 all that the father gives me will come to me and the one who comes to me I will certainly not cast out that's beautiful isn't it I might cast you out if you called me on a Thursday and I was not happy and there you go call me back I don't feel like talking i hope i don't do that he doesn't cast people out he's jesus this is his job this is what he does he receives sinners to himself as we look in conclusion i do want to mention something about marriage the tax tells us about marriage it's wonderful as it was yesterday marrying these two young people and reflecting back on you know when I first married my bride there was a lot of love I hope and not as much as there should have been it just gets better after 30 years right doesn't marriage get better and you get to that point where that you appreciate the one flesh ness you just find your groove you find your jive and you just love each other and it's just wonderful we start to think about Alan and we're not going to be married anymore I don't want to think about that she's me I'm her she definitely losses in that transaction but it is the reality right I think there's something we ought to appreciate about marriage in this passage the first thing I think we should observe is that we ought not to mix states do not try to mix the heavenly in the earthly this is the heir of this and Mormonism what lurks beyond the grave in Islam and Mormonism sexual relations Jesus says it's not going to be that way don't mix the states don't ruin or blur the distinction we mustn't mix it the other way the ascetics the monks some sections of romanism you need to be like the Angels and embrace virginity on earth no I'm on earth and Jesus says it's legit to take a wife Jesus says it's good now if you've been given the gift of continents by all means praise God serve God in that capacity that never be manipulated by someone who says you need to be like the Angels and be a virgin no you need to be a virgin until you get married and then god be praised he has created the marriage bed undefiled so you don't want to mix the state's it's perfectly legit to have husbands to have wives to enjoy that blessed bond I still haven't dealt with the issue what about me when I get to heaven I don't think it's going to be the case that our love vanishes marriage procreation the earthly aspects will be gone but brethren if we're going to recognize Abraham Isaac and Jacob I certainly would like to think i'm going to recognize the woman I've slept with for 30 years I love what France says here it is beautiful he says perhaps heavenly relationships are not something less than marriage but something more he says Jesus does not say that the love between those who have been married on earth will vanish but rather implies that it will be broadened let's go back to the riddle when the Seven Brothers meet there Brian there's going to be an equal amount of love all around so I'm going to be jealousy there's going to be envied there's going to be anger brother 3 isn't going to be mad at brother 8 or 7 heaven is as Edwards described a world of love it will be broadened so that no one has excluded France says our problem is that we like the Sadducees have only this life's experience by which to measure what is to come we do not know what it is like to be like angels in heaven I mean brethren if earthly marriage is a blessing and the distinction of marriage is going to be obliterated we must realize the love will not be we will get to be together forever in heaven we just at a different sphere unbelievers you need to recognize the authority and importance of the scripture you do air Jesus says not knowing the Scriptures you need as well to recognize that your objections to Christianity do not make you smarter than Jesus I don't know if this bug some of you but when you are talking to me they act like they know it all don't they you get this with kids so I just don't you know they got it all figured out at 15 they solved the mysteries of the universe well you teach me son guide me in the way no that's not the way we approach it listen to rile he calls this supposed cases I called it the one thing the whole card that one particular that you hold on to so you can disprove Christianity and legitimize your rebellion against the Living God Royal says supposed cases are one of the favorite strongholds in which an unbelieving mine loves to entrench itself such a mind will often set up a shadow of its own imagining and fight with it as if it was a truth he says such a mind will often refuse to look at the overwhelming mass of plain evidence by which Christianity supported and will fasten down on some one single difficulty which it fancies unanswerable that is so true you appreciate that evolutionary thought and and skepticism tsk skeptic thought the freethinkers and and atheists and rationalist there's nothing new Under the Sun Jesus had to combat the same sort of people in his day that that we combat today and they grasped this one thing if you're grasping one thing this morning to try and legitimize your rebellion against God as I said earlier let it go believe on the Lord Jesus and finally I think this text holds out encouragement for believers the resurrection is a reality and those in Christ will be blessed without measure we confess with the Nicene Creed and I look for the resurrection of the Dead and the life of the world to come amen there is something beyond this sphere there is something beyond this age there is something more excellent more glorious and more wonderful it is when by God's grace through the powerful gospel of Jesus Christ and through his power and resurrecting us we will be in the presence of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit and I think this text holds out an encouragement that the resurrection is a reality for those who have already departed if God Almighty is the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob God Almighty is the god of our dearly beloved ones who have preceded us to glory Rutherford said he is not lost to us who is found in Christ he has not gone away but before he is the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob he is the god of those whom we have lost will let us pray father we thank you for the word of God thank you for the comfort that it brings to us to our weary hearts lord help us to think more concerning the resurrection help us to think more concerning heaven that blessed place where love is the reality where relationships are pure and holy where we will be like the Angels given to worship our God day and night Lord may we have a taste of that through passages like these and may they be a great encouragement and help to us in this lower world may cause us Lord God Almighty to walk with perseverance with stead fast endurance to that prize that lay before us for any and all here God that are not believers on Jesus Christ we pray to you the God who is powerful in the resurrection we know you are powerful in the spiritual resurrection that first resurrection wherein you change the hearts of men and women boys and girls we know that your sovereign in regeneration and we pray that you would do that even this morning she would take the word of God she would cause that word to find its mark in hearts and cause sinners here to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and we pray these things in his Most Blessed name amen why don't we stand and sing the fourth stanza to 5 99 I know we just sang it but I think it bears singing again hymn number 599 the last stanza Oh Lord bless you and keep you the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace you