We often come to Scripture and to prayer with questions, and sometimes the questions we bring are not the ones we most need answered. This is one of the things we see in Jesus’ encounter with the Sadducees when they question him about the seven brothers who all married the same woman, in turn, as each of them died. They want to know whose wife she will be in the resurrection, since on earth all seven married her (Luke 20:37-38).
The Sadducees are attempting to trap Jesus. They did not believe in the resurrection, so they try to make it sound ridiculously illogical with an impossible question for Jesus to answer. Not only might this discredit Jesus, but it could also distract him from preaching about justice, mercy, compassion, forgiveness, raising up the poor and marginalized, etc. – all those threatening things Jesus insists are part of the kingdom of God.
But their question itself misses the point. It assumes that the life of the resurrection is simply this life continued, with all its human conditions and limitations. Jesus responds by offering a different way of seeing. He tells them that in the resurrection we are like angels and are children of God. Eternal life in God is not bound by the same limitations and conditions of this earthly life, and the Kingdom of God does not operate the way the kingdom of the world does.
As human creatures, we carry body, soul, and spirit—this physical body; our unique selfaware SELF, or soul; and God’s own spirit in us, that spark that makes us draw breath and literally be alive. When our body dies, our spirit and soul live on in God.
It’s easy to go down the rabbit trail of wondering, “What will life after death be like?” Yet because the eternal life of God is already within us, the “resurrected” life we’re wondering about has already begun. We are living united with God NOW! So, the right question to ask is, “How do we live resurrected lives NOW?” The Kingdom we pray for — “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” — is here, taking root in us now.
St. Paul invites us to look at how we visibly embody that Kingdom in our lives. In his letter to the Christians in Rome he writes, “Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good… Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer… extend hospitality to strangers… Bless and do not curse… So far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all… Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:918).
These are not rules to fulfill in order to earn God’s love. They are signs of the life of God already moving in us. They are how resurrection comes into the world through ordinary hands, ordinary words, ordinary days.
May we be strengthened for this by the blessing in 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 — that Christ will comfort our hearts and strengthen us in every good work and word.
Trinity Episcopal Church welcomes you each Sunday at 10:00 a.m., where you will find a warm congregation, uplifting liturgy, and the good news of God’s love shared in word and sacrament. All are welcome — come and be part of a community that stands together in faith and love.
