INTERESTING FACTS : William Penn, born Oct. 14, 1644, London, Eng.  died July 30, 1718, Buckinghamshire English Quaker leader and advocate of religious freedom, who oversaw the founding of the American Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a refuge for Quakers and other religious minorities of Europe.[1]

 

"Governments, like clocks, go from the motion men give them; and as governments are made and moved by men, so by them they are ruined too. Wherefore governments rather depend upon men than men upon governments. Let men be good and the government cannot be bad. . . . But if men be bad, let the government be never so good, they will endeavor to warp and spoil it to their turn. . . .[T]hough good laws do well, good men do better; for good laws may want [lack] good men and be abolished or invaded by ill men; but good men will never want good laws nor suffer [allow] ill ones." [2]

 

Daily Reading : LUKE 18 - 19

 

TEXT : Luke  20:34 And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:  20:35 But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:  20:36 Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.  20:37 Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.  20:38 For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.

 

THEME : The Resurrection

 

Luke 19 

 

In this chapter we have,  I. The conversion of Zaccheus the publican at Jericho (Luk_19:1-10).  II. The parable of the pounds which the king entrusted with his servants, and of his rebellious citizens (v. 11-27).  III. Christ's riding in triumph (such triumph as it was) into Jerusalem; and his lamentation in prospect of the ruin of that city (v. 28-44).  IV. His teaching in the temple, and casting the buyers and sellers out of it (Luk_19:45-48).  (Matthew Henry)[3]

 

Luke 20 

 

In this chapter we have,  I. Christ's answer to the chief priests' question concerning his authority (Luk_20:1-8).  II. The parable of the vineyard let out to the unjust and rebellious husbandmen (Luk_20:9-19).  III. Christ's answer to the question proposed to him concerning the lawfulness of paying tribute to Caesar (Luk_20:20-26).  IV. His vindication of that great fundamental doctrine of the Jewish and Christian institutes - the resurrection of the dead and the future state, from the foolish cavils of the Sadducees (Luk_20:27-38).  V. His puzzling the scribes with a question concerning the Messiah's being the Son of David (Luk_20:39-44).  VI. The caution he gave his disciples to take heed of the scribes (Luk_20:45-47). All which passages we had before in Matthew and Mark, and therefore need not enlarge upon them here, unless on those particulars which we had not there.  (Matthew Henry)[4]

 

TRUTH FOR TODAY : "ETERNAL LIFE - THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL."

 

Sometimes, you can be overeducated.  That is, you know more than you need to know.  With this in mind, you can read about life.  You can study life.  That is, you can be a student of life, of life in general with all its various facets, and all that pertains to it.  You can read periodicals, articles, essays, and any other form of educational material about life.  However, when you get right down to it, you can be overeducated on the subject of life.  What I mean is, although life must be studied and knowledge gained about health, spirituality, and a variety of any other subjects that may peak your interest or need, in the end, Almighty God made life to be lived not just to be read about and studied.

 

"I have come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly," said Jesus in John 10:10b.  The intention here is Jesus came to supply life in reality rather than theory.  This statement of Jesus is in direct contrast with that of the thief (Satan) who comes to steal.  The difference between the two-Jesus and Satan, is that one steals life and the other provides it.  Again, the principle is a sharp distinction between stealing life and taking it away, and giving life, (that is a certain type of life - namely, God's), that imparts joy, peace, and satisfaction.  In any case, although you must study life in order to gain wisdom and knowledge, the purpose of that wisdom and knowledge, is to live, not merely two gender more theory or theories about life.

 

At the grave of Lazarus, Jesus said -"

 

"Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?"  (John 11: 23-26)

 

Of course, shortly after Jesus spoke these words, he raised Lazarus from the dead.  After the huge stone was removed that closed in Lazarus dead body, Jesus shouted into to the tomb -"Lazarus, come forth!" Stating more than just a theory, Jesus continually demonstrated life.  This is what makes Jesus "better," than all the other religious leaders who ever were, or ever will be, put together.  Jesus is -"the resurrection and the life."[5] Therefore, your reading and studying of the New Testament is to receive life for living, not merely studying life to raise more questions.

 

It has been said of theologians (tongue in cheek, not necessarily seriously) that they are the people answering all the questions no one is asking.  Yet, everyone does wonder about life.  Not only the standard questions such as "Why am I here?", "What is life all about?" "What is the purpose of life," etc., so forth, ad infinitum; but also the most practical consideration that relates to "quality of life. " One may be long on the theory of life but come up short on the quality of life.  Jesus came to bring a quality of life never seen before.  It is the life of God himself.

 

Hence, in our text, Jesus teaches the life He gives is everlasting life, since this is the life God possesses.  Further, He describes the resurrection as one in which ordinary people saved by God's grace and filled with the Holy Spirit, are much like the angels in Heaven.  Or at least, you will become like the angels of heaven.  You are a spiritual being, and with the life of God in you, you will go on forever.   Long after your body is in the ground (unless Jesus comes first to take you to Heaven as He did with Enoch and Elijah, in that great event known as "The Rapture") you will still hear, smell, think, have emotions, love, and be loved and so forth.  That is, you will always live accept with heightened and perfected "life." This again, is the life Jesus gives.

 

Therefore, if you are going to study life, study Christ.  He is your life.  Moreover, He came to impart life to all who believe on Him.  Certainly not the life you had before you knew Christ, but a new life - the life of God Himself.  Eternal life is the life of God since God was not created but always existed.  When this life enters you, or after it has entered you, you take on the life of God.  Since God cannot die, you cannot die.  Since God cannot be destroyed, you cannot be destroyed.  Since God cannot be killed, you cannot be killed (that is, with respect to the inner man - the spirit/soul).  In short, Jesus came to give you life, not merely to help you study it.  Therefore, live with the hope Jesus Christ gives you.  Live with the truth Jesus Christ gives you.  Live with the exuberance, joy, peace, courage, confidence - and whatever else belongs to the life of God. Live in Christ!  Sometimes you can be overeducated.  Yet, never when it comes to living in Christ.