Matthew 22:23-33
Find a place and time free of distractions for the next 7-10 minutes. Sit comfortably and breathe deeply for a few seconds before you begin. As you breathe in, say the name of Jesus and become aware of his presence with you. As you breathe out, open your mind and heart to receive whatever Jesus has for you today.
Today we listen in as Jesus continues to delve below the surface - this time with a group of Sadducees. Read Matthew 22:23-33 paying close attention to anything that stands out to you.
The Sadducees must have missed Jesus’ encounter with the Pharisees and Herodians earlier in the day. If they had been there they would have heard Jesus say that people are “stamped” with the image of God and therefore belong no one but God – women included.
But even more ridiculous than their misguided tale is the obvious hypocrisy of the method they are using to try to trap Jesus. The Sadducees do not even believe in the concept of a final resurrection.
Jesus’ answer cuts through all the smoke and mirrors and gets right to the crux of the problem: “…you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God.”
We all have a tendency to try to fit God into an image we can comprehend, but if we are open, God, in great mercy will continually disrupt these false notions. We come to know God more as we accept that God’s thoughts and ways are beyond our understanding. This is where faith begins.
Get still in the presence of God for a while. Settle into the space you are occupying and focus on receiving your breath as a gift from God. As thoughts intrude, recognize them and let them pass by. Just allow yourself to be powerless and vulnerable in the presence of God.
Read Matthew 22:23-33 again.
One of the most amazing gifts we receive when we place our faith in Jesus is the promise that physical death is not the end of our lives. Through Jesus we have eternal life now.
In this present life we come to know God more and more as we lay down our need to define God and instead seek to align our beliefs, thoughts, and actions with those of Jesus. We grow in our knowledge of God, as revealed in Jesus, every time we obey him. And because of Jesus we can be assured of knowing God fully after we pass through physical death.
For the last few minutes of this time of reflection, share your thoughts, feelings, and questions about this with Jesus. Then get quiet and listen to him.
How might Jesus be inviting you to align with him today?
What do you plan to do about that?
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