3/1/10 Luke 20
Are you worthy?
(Lk 20:35)35but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage;
Jesus is speaking to the Sadducees in this passage; they are religious leaders who did not believe that there would be a resurrection. They were trying to trap Jesus in His teaching so that they could accuse Him of some crime and then turn Him over to the authorities. The Sadducees here use a hypothetical situation where a man dies and leaves his wife. The law speaks about the next closes family member is to redeem as was preached in yesterday’s message his dead brother’s wife (Deuteronomy 25:5). There question is after going through seven brother’s whose wife will she be in the resurrection. Jesus tells the Sadducees that they have it all wrong concerning what takes place in “that age” and “the resurrection from the dead.”
In Jesus answer He gives a qualification as to who will attain the resurrection from the dead. The qualification is “those who are considered worthy.” This truth tells us that being raise from the dead is not a guaranteed. It tells us that resurrection is not an automatic right that everyone will receive, only those who are “considered worthy.” Are you worthy? And if so why? The word worthy has the idea of sufficient or adequate. Why are you adequate or sufficient to be raised from the dead? The issue that faces each and every one of us is that we are going to die. We have no ability to elude death. We have no strength to overcome death. We are not adequate or sufficient. Each one of us dies, because we deserve it (Romans 6:23). Why do we deserve to be raised to life?
The answer is that none of us are “worthy” to attain to that age or the resurrection from the dead, which leave us in a bad position. There is some good news though, we can become worthy. There was one and only one person who defeated death and that is Jesus Christ. He died for our sins, was buried, and He rose again on the third day according to the scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). He is the only one worthy to rise from the dead, because He never sinned and He willing laid down His life for all humanity as a divine act of love so that we could be considered “worthy.” We only become worthy when we acknowledge our need of Him and confess that we have sinned and deserved death. Anyone who calls upon His name will be saved (Romans 10:13). There is nothing that you can do or accomplish to be considered “worthy” it is all because of His work on the cross that allows anyone to be raised from the dead. Your faith must be placed squarely upon Him and nothing else. Faith is trusting in someone and something to do what I cannot do for myself. I am completely unable to avoid death and then to be raised from it. All I can do is trust Jesus who has been raised and has defeated death and is faithful. His victory becomes my victory and His life causes me to give my life completely to Him, therefore I call upon Him as my Lord. I am not “worthy” but my Lord who is Jesus is.
Prayer: Thank you Jesus for your righteous death on the cross in my place and making me “worthy” because of what you have done. I praise you for Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created (Revelation 4:11). And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. (Revelation 5:9), in Jesus name. Amen.