When the Sadducees approached Jesus with a long and complicated tale they had invented in an effort to discredit the whole concept of resurrection, He spoke of two other matters before replying to their particular, contentious point.
He declared their ignorance, both of the Scriptures and of the power of God As a direct result of such ignorance they were wrong about many things. This was very serious, but they added to their confusion by steadfastly refusing to believe in the resurrection. Tonight, we shall turn our thoughts once again to resurrection. But before we do that, it is necessary to ask if we might have misconceptions about that (and other matters) because of the same, twofold, wilful ignorance.
It was, at the very least, wilful laziness, and, more likely, deliberate rejection of the truth that caused these Jews to be ignorant of the Scriptures which were their precious heritage from the Lord. That Jewish leaders should be ignorant, not only of the Scriptures but also of God Himself, was sinful in the extreme and led them into gross errors.
We may have more excuse than they, but we are going to be in similar great error if we know neither the Scriptures, nor the power of God. Let us use the time which remains to read the Scriptures and, through them, to meet with the living God.
As touching the dead, that they rise, have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err (Mark 12:26-27).
We might well ask who, besides Jesus, would ever have thought of such an argument to demonstrate the truth of the resurrection; or who else could speak with such authority about the being of God, the I AM. Let us be persuaded by such unanswerable reasoning.
It turns upon Christ's perfect understanding of what God was conveying to Moses when he said, 'l am the God of Abraham'. It could be understood simply to mean that the ever-living God was God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob while they were alive. But Christ declares that God meant more than that, and that Moses knew He meant more than that: and, further, that anyone helped by the Holy Spirit could see from tile Scriptures that He meant more than that.
God is still the living God. He is still the God of Abraham. Therefore He, and all whose God is the Lord, are alive. If they were dead, and are now alive with Him, they must have been raised. What more compelling logic could we desire on which to establish our hope of resurrection?