Above: King Zedekiah
Image in the Public Domain
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The Collect:
Almighty God, your Son came into the world to free us
from all sin and death. Breathe upon us the power
of your Spirit, that we may be raised to new life in Christ
and serve you in righteousness all our days, through Jesus Christ,
our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
–Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), page 28
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The Assigned Readings:
Jeremiah 32:1-9, 36-41
Psalm 143
Matthew 22:23-33
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Some Related Posts:
Jeremiah 32:
http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2013/04/19/proper-21-year-c/
Matthew 22:
http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2013/05/24/devotion-for-november-4-lcms-daily-lectionary/
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Teach me to do what pleases you, for you are my God;
let your kindly spirit lead me on a level path.
–Psalm 143:10, Common Worship (2000)
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The kingdom was doomed. Jeremiah knew this yet purchased land anyway. It was a deed of faith in God and of confidence that, someday, exiles would return. Faith in difficult times is where, as an old saying tells me,
the rubber meets the road.
Alas, the Sadducees’ question in Matthew 22 was insincere. It was an attempt to entrap Jesus in his words via self-justifying sophistry. Sadducees did not acknowledge the resurrection of the dead. That, as a chidren’s song says, is why
they were sad, you see.
Their denial of the doctrine of resurrection of the dead resulted from their limited canon of Scripture—the Torah. That doctrine, having debuted in the Book of Daniel, was “new-fangled” by Sadducee standards.
Sadducees, usually wealthy landowners, were socially conservative. Jesus challenged the status quo. They, denying the resurrection of the dead, emphasized the continuation of the family line. Jesus focused on other topics. Their insincere question was an attempt to demonstrate the absurdity of the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. Jesus replied that they misunderstood Scripture. The nature of the next life, our Lord and Savior said, is a matter of the faithfulness of God to divine promises. Insincere questions citing Levirate Marriage (part of the Law of Moses) miss the point.
Misplaced certainty and the quest for it contradicts trust in divine promises. The quest for such certainty leads some people to concert their theological opinions into idols and to demonize those who disagree with them. The search for such certainty leads some people to focus on affirming their thoughts, not seeking the truth from God. But what if Jesus disagrees with one?
I recall a story, one which might be apocryphal. Many moons ago, a lady on the lecture circuit for the Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) delivered her stump speech in a certain town. She spoke of how much God wants people to avoid alcohol at all times. The orator concluded her remarks and asked if anyone had any questions. A young man raised his hand. She called on him. He asked,
If what you say is true, how do you explain Jesus turning water into wine
The lady replied,
I would like him better if he had not done that.
So much for false certainty! Honest faith—the kind which survives in difficult times—is a virtue, however. One can trust in the promises of God without fear of contradiction.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
NOVEMBER 27, 2013 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT JAMES INTERCISUS, ROMAN CATHOLIC MARTYR
THE FEAST OF HENRY SLOANE COFFIN, U.S. PRESBYTERIAN THEOLOGIAN
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Adapted from this post:
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BLOGA THEOLOGICA 
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