A God of the Living
Sunday’s Verse:
From Luke 20:38 ESV
(Jesus said) “Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him.”
The Sadducees didn’t believe in the resurrection. In our church's Gospel reading today, they approach Jesus to ridicule Him and undermine the whole notion that people will rise from the dead. In doing so, they came to Him with a story: a woman was married to seven brothers in succession, as each of the first six died without leaving an heir. They asked whose wife she would be in the resurrection. And in usual Jesus fashion, He shows them that God is not bound by human ways of thinking.
The Sadducees’ question reveals a fear of the unknown. Whenever we encounter the unknown, our fears come out. Jesus responds by reminding them that God’s promises are not bound by the limitations of this life. The resurrection is more than a theoretical concept or a subject for theological debate. It is a demonstration of God’s enduring love and power. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are alive to God because His promise to them is eternal. Hope in the resurrection can inspire us in our daily lives. It can encourage us to act with kindness and hope, knowing that our choices and actions have eternal significance beyond today.
When faced with difficult decisions, remembering that our life is more than just the present moment can guide us to choose kindness and focus on what truly matters.
When Jesus proclaims that God is “not the God of the dead, but of the living,” He invites us to see life from a new perspective. God’s never-ending love is the fuel that keeps His light shining through us. The resurrection is not only our hope for the future. It is also the confidence with which we can live today. Every act of faith, every whispered prayer, and every hopeful tear is evidence that we are not abandoned or alone. We are cared for by a living God who will not let death have the last word.
Try to set aside a moment each day to pray for hope and renewal or to show kindness and encouragement to another person. These simple acts can help to strengthen us and remind us of God’s life-giving presence.
Prayers
A Prayer for Today:
Living God, You are the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of the living. Strengthen our faith in Your promise of resurrection and eternal life. Help us to live each day in confidence that You hold us in life now and forever. Through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Apostles’ Creed:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Luther’s Morning Prayer:
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.
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