It is rare that a passage from a previous Sunday’s sermon pops back up for this midweek devotion, but such is our good fortune this week. Luke 20:27-40 tells of Jesus’ interaction with the Sadducees; the one in which they challenge Jesus using Levirate marriage. (If you missed last Sunday’s sermon, it could be helpful to go back to it before reading the rest of this devotion). As I noted on Sunday, this is a disingenuous question because it focuses on the resurrection and Sadducees don’t believe in the resurrection.
Separate this question from the sermon’s focus on family and marriage and we can see that Jesus is speaking deep truths about the nature of our eternal lives with God. These lives are marked by our adoption as children of God and are blessed to never suffer death again. This is because, to God (and as Jesus says), “he is God not of the dead, but of the living.” Of course, this doesn’t mean that God ignores the dead, but rather that the dead find new – and eternal – life in God.
Even still, I’m willing to guess that most folks didn’t like that part of the sermon – that is, the part where I noted that husbands and wives aren’t married in heaven. Such truth robs us of comfort, especially when an elderly grandparent – the last surviving from a pair – dies. Don’t we say things like, “He’s gone home to see grandma”? Of course we do. So, if that part of the sermon caught you off guard or left you grumpy with the messenger, let’s drill down into what our hopes are when we say things like “He’s gone home to see grandma.”
At its core, I think such sentiments are our way of reassuring ourselves that death is not a lonely, solitary reality. All the visible elements of death certainly are. The dead lay on a cold slab as their remains are prepared. They lay solitary in a coffin. They’re buried alone in the ground (even proximity to other dead doesn’t quite feel like actual fellowship with them as they’re still separated by coffin and dirt from one another). Yes, we shutter at the perceived loneliness of death and so sentiments about reuniting with past loved ones give us comfort.
If it is loneliness that is at the root of our “grandma-and-grandpa-are-still-together” hopes, then be assured that the dead are not alone. They are united with all God’s saints from all times and all places; they worship their God alongside legions of angels; they’re vicariously present in the sacrament of holy communion (for they are with Christ and Christ is present in communion, ergo, they are with Christ in Christ’s presence). If anything, it is we who are lonely in their death.
I also suspect that some folks loath this teaching by Jesus because they love their spouses that much. I get that. I scored a hat trick in my own marriage – kind, smart, and patient. If this is the root of any discontent, then take this teaching by our Lord as an invitation into expressed gratitude for your spouse. Let them know that they are the sort of person that, if it were possible, you’d want to spend all eternity with, but short of that, you’re extremely grateful for whatever time you do have. Odds are, as is common in most marriages, both parties feel this way, but often neglect to say as much – and saying as much matters. At the very least, you’re pretty well assured some loving smooches for your efforts!
In the end, the Truth cannot disappoint us, even if we might feel disappointed when first hearing it. Any initial disappointment need only be investigated, scoured for the blessing hiding within it (for there is always a blessing in Truth), and then we’ll find our disappointment dissolve into a place of peace and gratitude. For peace and gratitude always follow behind wherever truth trod. Amen.
