Jesus Silences His Critics

Jesus Christ said the printer's father.

This is eternal life, that they may know you the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent that is, it is possible to know God, the eternal God that we been worshiping the creator of the heavens and the and the only way to know him is through the Lord Jesus Christ and that is the way I'm the only way to receive eternal life is life eternal life everlasting life is found only in the Lord Jesus Christ, that you may have been brought up in the church. You may have gone through the rituals of the church. You may have accepted the doctrines of the church.

You may be involved in the ministries and programs and the events of the church and all of that, of course, has its place, but today our challenges. Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ not just about them. Do you know him, and in particular can you say in your heart before God that you have a living personal relationship with Jesus Christ today as we open the Scriptures in Matthew chapter 22 wouldn't have the privilege of hearing Jesus Christ talking and dialogue to his critics were going to see that he silences them. But as we look at this passage I want to think of this important this fundamental point that Christianity is having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I'm going to think of three aspects of that as I say Jesus is in conflict with his critics at the first conflict relates to the resurrection. That is a very important question is is there life after death. If so, what is that, if it is I have been how do I get into that habit. If there is a hell of such a reality is eternal punishment. How do I avoid going there. Neither people who don't believe in life after death, anything when we die, which is like the dog we go into oblivion and that's all that is to it. But I think most of us have great difficulty with that. That doesn't seem right.

This sadly of course in direct conflict to the passage were going to be doing a group of men at the time of Jesus who didn't believe in the resurrection and labeling a question Jesus and he's going to silence his critics whistleblower by more than to Matthew chapter 22 and first of all read from verse 23, Matthew 22 verse 23 the next day Sadducees came to him who say there is no resurrection, and they asked him a question saying teacher, Moses said if a man dies. Having no children.

His brother was not he the widow and raise up offspring for her brother for his brother, though there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died and having no offspring left his wife to his brother. So to the second and third to the seventh and then after the mall.

The woman died in the resurrection, therefore, of the seven, whose wife will she be for the all had her that's the question who is the true husband in the resurrection because she's at seven residents verse 29 Jesus answered them, you wrong because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God foot in the resurrection they neither money nor are given in management are like angels in heaven, but that's for the resurrection of the dead have you not read what was said to you by God, the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. He's not the God of the dead, but of the living with the kind they were astonished at his teaching last week was on verse 22 that they marveled at the teaching of Jesus when he said render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God and again is the current you can imagine them with the Lord Jesus in the middle of the Sadducees with the skillfully crafted question and Jesus answers it silences them and their astonished a living relationship relationship with Jesus Christ is first of all, a living relationship at the Sadducees trick question.

That of course is a trick question is the sign is designed to demonstrate the absurdity of the resurrection.

The religious leaders have tried to trap Jesus in the past with clinical questions with religious questions.

I know the Sadducees ask our theological question with the Sadducees with the group. The really wealthy, the kind of the aristocrats of these groups very powerful, very wealthy and the most important thing to know about the Sadducees as they don't believe in the supernatural.

That's why they are side you see. Sorry, but you remember an effective suicide. We know historically that after the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. The same suicide that they stop existing but they don't believe in supernatural. In particular, verse 23 they came to say good is no resurrection the materialists they believe that the soul perishes with the body at that. We also know from acts 22 verse eight that the Sadducees done believe in angels.

They don't believe in spirits and the question there is a rather skillful question.

The tricky slippery question is based on the law of the Levitt marriage is or what's Levitt marriage, you should know that you know your Bibles tend to Deuteronomy the fifth book in the Old Testament.

Chapter 25, the law of Levitt marriage was designed to continue the first husband's name and inheritance.

If he died without children, child then Barton to the husband's brother would then be given the first brother's name and inheritance she did on the 25 – five.

His part of the Mosaic law is strange law brothers dwell together in only 25 is five and one of them dies and has no son. The wife of the dead man shall not be married outside the family to a stranger husband's brother will go into her and take her as his wife and perform the duty of a brothers of a husband's brother to and the first son whom she bears shall succeed to the name of his dead brother and that his name may not be blotted out of Israel. So the question they are is based on this law, a sequence of marriage and remarriage first brother dies his brother takes the same wife and so the Sadducees said the seven brothers is the one woman in the Almighty. The same woman I can imagine the Sadducees marketing is the asked this question. This trick question designed to show how the doctrine of resurrection is actually absurd. One would've thought fibers are to thought after the death of two or three my brothers to the same woman lingered on the run in the other direction which are but here's the point.

In the resurrection. Well, mercifully after the seven brothers. The woman herself dies brothers but I'm sure they were relieved when she died, but then the resurrection is the Sadducees?

In the resurrection. When this woman gets a heaven and meets the seven husbands verse 25 rifles UV, seven of them read the reply of Jesus demonstrating that the Sadducees neither understand the word of God, nor the power of God who don't understand the part of God then limiting God the resurrection is very different from physical life on our is not just a mere continuation of life on in heaven. Relationships are transcendence and stop loving her life, relationships are deeper there far better. So Jesus you will be like the angels in heaven.

Incidentally, we do not become angels when we die.

I hear that even from people who should know their Bibles when we die and go to heaven. You don't become an angel.

I'm glad I'm not going to be an angel. I'm a child of God, son of God, and purchased with the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and a sense of what a better place in angels. Angels have not been redeemed. Angels on the there's no need for procreation in heaven you're limiting the power of God that furthermore says Jesus you don't understand the word of God is what he said in verse 31, which was said to you by God. Think of the high view, the Lord Jesus Scripture Scripture Reading hundreds of years ago is given by this fitted to you Sadducees and after all this Sadducees base their views on the first five books of the Bible, the Pentateuch, the writings of Moses. They believed that Moses was more authoritative than anyone else in the Old Testament, they disagreed with the pharmacies in that regard with urgency.

Sadducees are arguing that in the writings of Moses. There is no resurrection of the dead Jesus that you don't even know your Bibles. Have you never read what we call Exodus 3 verse six verse 32 verse 31. As with the resurrection of that you not read what was said to you by God. Exodus 3 the burning bush Lord appealing to Moses. What does he say Lord is quoting from Exodus 3 here I the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob is not God of the dead, but of the living building question answers and they revered the law of Moses. They considered it a higher authority than any other teaching in the Old Testament the signal Moses didn't teach resurrection and Jesus sings in your kingdoms of the truth that Moses himself taught when God spoke to Moses at axis III greatly greatly reviewed and been dead for many many years. But what does God say I was I present tense. I am the God of Abraham and of Isaac, and Jacob. God is not the God of the dead is a God of the living room and Isaac and Jacob are still alive, I'm still the God I have this living eternal relationship with these men who believed in me, through faith.

Furthermore, remember God's covenantal promises Abraham, and what we called Abraham a covenant promises which, in the fullness not yet been fulfilled. But Abraham yes in the future is going to see the nation. All of the land that was promised to him. God, the God of the he's the God of the living invite the living God who raises the dead statements is not the God we say when a loved one has died persons that that's true parts for someone who saved by the grace of God, God is still God.

God doesn't deserve them. The relationship that we have through Jesus Christ is the living one. It's an eternal one.

If you don't believe in the resurrection. You have a God of the dead, not of the living. Furthermore, Scripture clearly teaches that it is a resurrection.

Jesus said, look back to Daniel. Daniel, Ezekiel, Daniel. Daniel 12 verse two.

That is a resurrection of the righteous, and of the unrighteous. Every single one of us one day will be resurrected. Daniel 12 verse two and many of those who sleep in the dust of the ark shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Very clear. John chapter 5 teaching of Jesus.

John five verse 28 Gospel of John chapter 5 verse 28 do not marvel at this for the time is coming. Listen to this. When all the tombs will hear his voice and come hearts. Those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who done evil to the resurrection of judgment action every single person who ever lived is going be resurrected, but is off fundamental differences in the there's a resurrection of the righteous, and of the unrighteous of the saved and all the unsaved you say John-I have such a living eternal personal relationship with Jesus Christ which will never never land. We know that human relationships can come to an end and not broken on this very difficult when these relationships are about this relationship is a living and eternal relationship listen to Jesus who says I am the resurrection on the life. He who believes in me shall live. Even if he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. I am the resurrection and the life.

Those who been baptized this morning would be doing confessing their personal living relationship with Jesus Christ. Boris young woman. Those who have said, I present my sins. I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and through a gift of God as we heard we receive eternal life to the Lord Jesus Christ came died for sins, was buried, and rose again and therefore you are to place your faith in the living Christ, not just a not doctrine, not just in a church, not just in what you believe. But then the person of the Lord Jesus Christ the living Christ says if you believe in me, you will never perish by followers of Jesus. We don't fear death. My relationship with Jesus Christ is not going to end when I die, my Lord Jesus Christ, as promised, I'll never leave you, John.

I'll never desire to this love.

This relationship is so strong that it never ends. Question is, do you have this living relationship living relationship.

Secondly, a loving relationship. Verse 34 Matthew 22 verse 34 and when the fire pharmacies heard that he had silenced the Sadducees to gather together you can't argue with Jesus.

Kenya is totally silenced them. One of them, a lawyer, pharmacies, different from the Sadducees, they know the law.

They spent hours in the law with their minute interpretations and their traditions.

They are very pedantic particular attorneys and here's one of them question asked him a question to test him teacher will be trying to test Jesus. He asks a brilliant question, which is the great commandment in the law and he said to him, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment of the second is like it you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets, living relationship has for this relationship with Jesus is also a relationship of love, a loving relationship. Love Jesus is saying is the fulfillment of the law know at this time is a debate among the religious leaders as to what is the most important of all the commandments they had calculated the Pharisees within the Old Testament. There were 617 Commandments will that's a lot to collated a bit of a rebel 613 of them 248 positive and 365 -ones and negative commandment right, but shall not, but it was here's a debate with all of these commandments negative and positive, which is the first, is it possible to reduce them to one axiom. Is it possible to reduce them to saying this is the greatest commandment Jesus answered yes to this love God and love your neighbor as yourself. All of Scripture is in fact a commentary on these two commands verse 40 on these two commandments depend all of the lawn, the prophet, you can reduce all of that law. All of the prophets the prophets only given commentary on the law trying to work out what does it mean to obey the Sabbath. What does it mean when it says I shall not seal all of this writings all of these other commandments, but this essential all of the law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments love God and love your neighbor as yourself.

Paul writes Romans 13 verse 10. Love is the fulfilling of the law you love God you love your neighbor as yourself. You fulfilled all of the commandments and in evidence of your love for God is your love for others and you say you love God whom you haven't seen when you don't love your brother whom you have seen John's arguments in first John chapter 4 though I am to love God first, but I'm also love you up to love my neighbor but it is impossible to love my neighbor as myself. Unless I first love God and is impossible for me to love God unless he first loves me unless I receive his love is John's argument in first John chapter 4 and five is not that we love God know that, but that he loved us.

If the dog love the world and gave his only son, so in the gospel.

First and foremost, we are to receive the love of God through Jesus Christ and God's love is poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who gives us Romans five verse five and I as we receive the supernatural love now that I receive God's love. I am able, through the power of the Holy Spirit to love God. So when I saying word.

He alone is what is not just words, the expression of our hearts.

Why because God loves us and that love is transforming that love changes us and we begin, however imperfectly love God with all her heart will oversold our minds and their strength to love our neighbor as ourselves. Love God. Everything falls into place, seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to this is another way of saying it.

Get this right and everything falls into place. Augustine said love God and do we want so I like that I would deceive you love God you won't do what you want, you'll do what he once CS Lewis said I believe in Christianity as I believe the sun has risen not just because I see it, but because by it. I see everything else that's it. If you understand the love of God as we receive God's love through our Lord Jesus Christ, who loved us and gave himself for us. All of life is seen through that lens is that we see God's receive life creation of brothers and sisters in Christ differently. Loving God who enables us to see everything else in life. Clearly, including loving our neighbor. Jesus is saying love the Lord supremely and totally recording. Of course, here in verse 37 he's quoting from Deuteronomy 6 verses four and five was Deuteronomy 6 verses four and five. It's official.

The basic confession of faith of Israel.

The pious Israelite morning and evening will recites Deuteronomy 6 stole the show.

First word in Hebrew is here from the great Shema pharmacies do things with Jesus again as he answers the Sadducees is quoting from his Bible, you should know that his father sees this and that the word of God is in the Old Testament God of the Lord Jesus, I am to love God. Not just because I wanted to give good things to me and to love God, not just so that well. I would like to go smoothly. No, I'm to love the Lord my God, because who he is in himself for commandments nor the guards talk to love God supremely and also on television totally with all my heart my soul my mind my strength. Some of you on Monday some Valentine's Day together your wife, your husband, your fiancé, your boyfriend or girlfriend for the romantic we tell the leadership we the prayer meeting followed by a presentation by one of the elders that shows that elders and pastors are pretty good but were not the most romantic of people, but was Valentine's Day for us so, but some of you went just imagine here's a young woman and a young man and then engaged to get married in this Valentine's Day there sitting down to this romantic dinner understanding at each other's eyes and the young woman says to the wonderful have to tell you you are the most important person in my life and I love you with all of my heart.

He looks at her recess and that that's very nice thank you and I have to say you are one of the most important people in my life and I love you with most of my heart and a relationship. Well, I'm working on it is people's spiritual working on what young woman but older women once I hear from her husband, boyfriend, fiancé that you are one of the most important people in my life that I love you with most of my heart. No man your license and no my wife wants me to say good night, and the most important person in my life and I love you with all human relationship you really want to come to God is a God.

This is when the hearing great God.

I enjoyed worship this morning as we saw your where they had you know your your your my my spirituality is very important part of my life I was parked. NSO deletions are well. I'm working on it stand growing Jesus is something which is conflicting but this is transforming that guards is to be the consuming passion of my life. I do love God supremely and totally in all circumstances of life. This is a life, a love which will never be satisfied with God is not involved. God is to be central to my life, not just to take up when I feel like it, not just an emergency, not just one of many interests.

He is to be the consuming passion of a lifetime to love him with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength. Love which glorifies God. This is a love which enjoys God when the questions are asked couples who are planning to marry this. Do you enjoy being together so that when couples were planning American bits problems argument, but marriage is to be a joy. Why would you enter into a relationship that's not going to enjoy in our relationship with God when we tell you, the more you love God, the greater your joy. The more you try to decompress.

Put your life in the different compartments less usable. I will know if I love God, totaling supremely well you'll enjoy worship you enjoy word of God. Also, you will love your brothers and sisters test of your love for God is do you love others.

So my love for God is do I obey his commandments, a Gillette messages is you will keep my commandments.

Baptism is a commandment I don't know how many excuses I've heard from people who are believers in Jesus Christ as to why they shouldn't get baptized communities in Scripture. Jesus saying if you love me, keep my commandments.

John says his commandments and previous is difficult to come publicly and confess your faith and do it in a way which is true to Scripture, is about people know I'm a Christian. I don't need to do that. Utilizing you with God's no marketable love for God's humility and receipt to please God by loving others by loving him obeying his commands. A living relationship.

A loving relationship. Third, a Lordship relationship.

Verse 41, but while the fantasies were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question.

The tables are turned and asked Jesus a lot of questions that he's been asking them what what you think about the crisis Messiah, whose son is a defect in the son of David, he said to them, how is it then that David and the spirit calls him Lord, saying, is quoting them from some hundred and 10 verse one someone contends the most quoted Psalm in the New Testament the Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand until it puts your enemies under your feet. If David calls him Lord, then, is he son his son, no one was able to answer the word know from that day. Did anyone dare to ask him any more questions. The identity of the Messiah as the Messiah, give the correct answer is the son of David, Messiah Hebrew Christ Greek, same thing, the anointed one, the Old Testament prophets prophesied in the fantasies agreed with this, that when the Messiah comes, these going to be a descendent of David, clearly taught in the Old Testament in Matthew as he begins his gospel of Matthew one verse once in the book of the genealogy of Jesus. Jesus is his personally. Christ, the title Messiah with this event, the son of your hypotheses. You got that right. The Messiah is a descendent of David is the son of David. Not if you believe that you do is a question does not harmonize with what we call some hundred and 10 verse one for David writing in the spirit refers to the Messiah as Lord.

I mean, if he is the son of David, can he be David's Lord. The question is the son of David, but why then would David call his son, Lord going to answer no reality is that the Messiah not only is the son of David. He is the Lord of some hundred and 10 verse one in Hebrew refers to the Lord, the Lord is the Hebrew word Yahweh God's personal name. I am who I the Lord Yahweh said to my lord the Hebrew word Adonai, Lord, Master, so David writing in the spirit. Jesus says clearly says that the Messiah is as Lord and will sit at God's right hand until all of these enemies are defeated. Verse 44 sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your ancient times, the victor placed his feet on the next of the defeated's demonstrating your defeated your humiliated. I'm a conqueror and David writing in this matter uses that imagery demonstrates that the Messiah is going to be seated at God's right hand until that day when all these enemies are defeated with the answer should note were singing about the Messiah is not only the descendent of David David's offspring is also the roots of David as Lord Jesus says in Revelation 22 verse 16. I am the roots and the descendent of David, the Messiah is before David is the eternal son of God.

He is the root of David with these also the offspring of David, he is David son. He is not on lay God's perfect man, Jesus the son is also perfect. God is David's Lord, they're not going to admit. Of course, that Jesus the Messiah is the Lord is not only the son of David is the son of God, Messiah only David's Lord is the Lord over before the Lord Jesus, born the angels sing to marry the son. You're going to bear is going to have the rights to the throne of David and the right to remain in his eternal kingdom and by virtue of his resurrection. The Messiah is exalted to the father's right hands. That's brilliant message in our chapter 2 on the day of Pentecost as he says.

Asked to verse 32 this Jesus God raised up on the ball that we are witnesses. That's being therefore exalted to the right hand of God and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit is poured.

There is that you yourselves are seeing and hearing for David didn't ascend into the heavens, but he himself says is going to quote some hundred and 10 verse one the same verse that Jesus quotes here in Matthew 22 verse 44 the Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool. Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ. This Jesus whom you crucified, the one you nailed to the tree is not only for Christ, the Messiah, he is Lord God, Lord and no enemy is going to withstand this Lord is invincible. Scripture tells us when he returns every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord, today's the day of grace.

When God calls on you to repent of your sin. The client to Christ the Lord Jesus Savior is your body before King Jesus calls on you to do that voluntarily, but if you refuse if you put it off there will come a day when the Lord Jesus Christ will return, and then every knee will bow and every tongue will confess he'll impose his reign with a rod of iron King of Kings, Lord of lords is Lord over all. And this kingdom will never end.

Lord Jesus Christ remind you not only dying for sins on only was buried. Not only was resurrected, not only ascended to the father.

He is seated at the father's right hand. Until that time comes, yet future when he will return and I will put says David and inspiration of the spirit writing about Messiah.

I will put you enemies under your receipt of my note below and surrender to him Lord of all the day you can have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, who died and rose again. And that relationship will never ever be sent. It is a living and eternal relationship. So place your trust in Christ.

This living relationship. I not only have a living relationship with a love relationship that I know the he gave himself for me.

Relationship of love that I am to love him and then to worship him and he is to be central in all important in my life. Also just a living relationship with a loving relationship, but Lordship relationship is do you you so foolish as many people are that you think you can be the captain of your own ship you the master of your own destiny. You can navigate yourself to live judging pay lip service to God. But you're smarter well-educated of them very well for yourself, and you are able to navigate yourself in life is only think that is after foolishness know when the big tanker comes in support order cruise ship comes in support.

Some of you have seen this happens is a little boat comes and it's a pilot boat and the little man comes over the pilot bullets comes into this huge tanker at church cruise ship with the is going to make sure that that ship it safely to the harbor rocks shovel Grimes may be difficult continents in this pilot knows you make sure that this huge ship that safely into the harbor. I don't know if any of your son visits on the school thought of trying to sing it to him. But excited at home last night and it didn't say good but listen to so powerful little message in the song somewhere in the back of my mind and I recently thought about Sunday school song do you want a pilot signal, then to Jesus. Do you want a pilot bid him come on board for he will safely guide across the ocean. Why until we reach the heavenly harbor must've some that dozens of times as a wee boy didn't quite understand think I understand because even those of us who say we follow Jesus Christ relate to little emotional way. Some of you are thinking of a new relationship or you're in a relationship and you never really defend that the Lord Jesus.

Some of you are about to make a decision in business personal matter and have never really preferred that the Jesus of your is arrived on this John and my business I'm going to do the minimum time submitted to this on such and such a college and I think of the person you write I need to listen things that good counsel, but all the time. The captain of your own boat consultant tendency for them to realize that if the Lord Jesus Christ is not guiding me followers of Jesus, we can make disastrous decisions calmly. We think ourselves and talk about mass we can find ourselves in the wrong certain shallow grind and we think that I get here. I'll tell you Jesus come on board be your pilot and have the confidence that whatever he guide you in whatever circumstances they are best because as for God's way is perfect. The psalmist says commit your way to the Lord, trust in him must have a living relationship in the loving relationship in the Lordship relationship with this magnificent Lord Jesus Christ. We bow surrender to sing a song expressing that he is Lord of all. Guide us through your spirit and through your word this morning that each one of us will respond to some here who never gets received Christ to save as many here who say to love God, but the love the world of their own pleasures are certainly many here father with attempted to live a long life; decisions. We thank you for magnificent Lord Jesus Christ not only saves us, loves us with an everlasting love guides us as the good Shepherd leads us the paths of righteousness for his namesake.

We thank you this precious thing