Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God.” Matthew 22:29
In elementary school, I had a reputation for being strong. This did not come because I had muscles or was very athletic. It started one day in class when a classmate could not open his water bottle, and our teacher and her husband, who was at school for lunch that day, could not either. As a result, that classmate passed around his water bottle, and everyone in the class tried to open it and failed. And then they passed the water bottle to me, and I opened it right up. My classmates were so surprised because they had underestimated my strength. From that moment on, I became the designated person to open anything difficult. That is what happens when you experience someone’s strength and power. You remember it and ask for help when you need it.
Jesus made it clear that there were people in the New Testament who needed to know His power. In particular, a group called the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the dead, came to Jesus, and questioned His teaching about the resurrection in Matthew 22. They asked if a woman was married seven times because each of her previous husbands had died, which of her husbands would be her husband in the resurrection. Jesus responded to their question, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God” (verse 29). What a statement by Jesus! They did not understand God’s power and that there would not be marriages in the resurrection like there are here on earth. Jesus also pointed out that God introduced Himself as “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (verse 32). In light of this, Jesus concluded that “He is the God of the living, not the dead” (verse 32). The crowds listening to Jesus’ teaching that day were “astounded by His teaching” (verse 33). In just a few statements, Jesus revealed that the Sadducees had underestimated God’s power and failed to understand Scripture.
Sometimes we can underestimate God’s power in our lives. We may believe God is not powerful enough to work in our lives. We may not believe He has the power to restore relationships. We may not believe He is powerful enough to change the hearts of our loved-one who doesn’t believe in Him. I could go on, but I think you understand. Scripture teaches that God is all-powerful. The question is, will we believe it? If so, this belief makes all the difference.
What is one area of your life where you have struggled to believe God is powerful and in control? Take some time to think about your answer. When you have your answer, pray. Talk to God about your concerns and fears. Tell Him you believe He is all-powerful and ask Him to work in that area. Ask Him to help you as you seek to trust Him. Make plans to worship with us this weekend for an opportunity to praise God today for His power and faithfulness in our lives. Don’t forget to bring a friend as well.
Matthew 22:32-33 (NLT)
" ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ So he is the God of the living, not the dead.”
33 When the crowds heard him, they were astounded at his teaching."
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