5 Day Devotionals
Real Life with Jesus – Week 4
Day 1: The Question That Changes Everything
Scripture: Luke 20:27-33
Reflection: "What do you think happens after you die?" This isn't just a philosophical question—it's the question that determines how we live right now. The Sadducees approached Jesus with a trick question about the resurrection, not because they wanted truth, but because they wanted to win an argument. Their theology was shallow, selective, and convenient.
How often do we approach faith the same way? We pick and choose what's comfortable, what fits our lifestyle, what doesn't challenge us too much. But real faith isn't about convenience—it's about truth that transforms everything.
The Sadducees couldn't imagine a world different from this one. They assumed eternity would just be an extension of earthly life. But C.S. Lewis reminds us: "The life of the resurrection does not mean prolonging this life, but transforming it."
When we shrink heaven to our present experiences, we shrink God with it. The Creator of all this beauty has prepared something far more glorious than we can imagine.
Question for Reflection: Am I living for this life only, or am I living in light of eternity? What would change in my daily decisions if I truly believed resurrection is real?
Prayer: Lord, forgive me for the times I've lived as if this world is all there is. Open my eyes to the reality of eternity and help me live today in light of forever. Amen.
Day 2: Marriage, Love, and the Perfection to Come
Scripture: Luke 20:34-36
Reflection: Jesus' words about marriage in the resurrection have confused many believers. But He's not diminishing marriage—He's putting it in its proper place and pointing us to something greater.
Marriage exists because of death, inheritance, and procreation. It's a beautiful gift for this age, designed to reflect Christ's love for the church. But in resurrected life, there is no death to overcome, no loneliness to remedy. Love itself will be perfected.
Think of marriage like a candle that gives real light in the darkest night. But when the sun rises, you don't mourn the candle—you rejoice because something greater has come. Heaven doesn't take away love; it perfects it.
This doesn't mean our relationships disappear or our identity is lost. It means we will love everyone in eternity equally and perfectly, experiencing the fullness of love we've only tasted here on earth.
Question for Reflection: Do I trust that God's plan for eternity is better than anything I can imagine? Am I holding too tightly to earthly relationships in a way that prevents me from fully embracing God's eternal promises?
Prayer: Father, thank You for the gift of love and relationships in this life. Help me trust that what You have prepared for eternity is far greater than I can comprehend. Teach me to love well now while looking forward to perfect love then. Amen.
Day 3: The God of the Living
Scripture: Luke 20:37-38
Reflection: Jesus brilliantly proves the resurrection from the very text the Sadducees accepted—the books of Moses. When God spoke to Moses at the burning bush, He didn't say "I was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." He said "I am."
Present tense. Not past. Why? Because they are alive. God keeps His covenant promises beyond the grave.
"He is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him." This is not speculation—this is covenant promise. The same God who called Abraham, who wrestled with Jacob, who spoke to Moses, is the God who holds you right now and will hold you forever.
Resurrection isn't wishful thinking or religious fantasy. It's the guaranteed outcome of God's faithfulness. He doesn't abandon His children to the grave. He raises them to eternal life.
Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness (Galatians 3:6). That same faith—trusting God's promises even when we can't see them—makes us worthy of the resurrection.
Question for Reflection: Do I truly believe that God's promises extend beyond this life? How does knowing that "all live to Him" change how I view death—my own and that of loved ones who trusted Christ?
Prayer: Living God, You are the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—and You are my God. Thank You that Your covenant promises reach beyond the grave. Help me live with the confidence that comes from knowing I am Yours forever. Amen.
Day 4: Knowing Scripture vs. Knowing God's Power
Scripture: Matthew 22:29; Luke 20:39-40
Reflection: The Sadducees knew the text but missed the truth. They could quote Scripture, debate theology, and maintain their religious reputation—all while being spiritually blind to God's power.
Jesus said, "Your mistake is that you don't know the Scriptures, and you don't know the power of God." It's possible to read the Bible, memorize verses, attend church, participate in small groups—and still miss the transforming power of God if our hearts are closed.
Real life with Jesus means letting Scripture reshape our minds, not just confirm our assumptions. It means approaching God's Word with humility, asking the Holy Spirit to reveal truth that challenges us, convicts us, and changes us.
The scribes recognized Jesus had "spoken well," and no one dared ask Him any more questions. Why? Because Jesus doesn't just quote Scripture—He embodies it. He is the Word made flesh.
We can have all the biblical knowledge in the world, but without a living relationship with the Author, we're just collecting information instead of experiencing transformation.
Question for Reflection: Am I reading Scripture to confirm what I already believe, or am I allowing it to challenge and transform me? What's one area where God's Word is calling me to change?
Prayer: Lord, give me not just knowledge of Your Word, but a heart that responds to it. Don't let me be like the Sadducees—knowing the text but missing You. Open my eyes to Your truth and Your power. Amen.
Day 5: Jesus Is Lord
Scripture: Luke 20:41-44; John 11:25
Reflection: Jesus ends this encounter by asking His own question: "How can they say that the Christ is David's son?" He quotes Psalm 110:1, where David calls the Messiah "my Lord."
This is one of the clearest affirmations of Jesus' divine identity in Luke's Gospel. The Messiah is not merely David's descendant—He is David's Lord. Fully human and fully divine.
The resurrection—His and ours—only makes sense if Jesus is who He claims to be. People want to see Jesus as a moral teacher, a spiritual guide, a helpful advisor. But Jesus doesn't invite admiration. He demands allegiance.
"I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live" (John 11:25). This isn't a suggestion or an option—it's a declaration of lordship.
The question isn't just "What happens after you die?" The question is "Who really owns your life?" Are you living for this age or for the age to come?
Because Christ has been raised, the future has already begun. Real life with Jesus begins now and lasts forever.
Question for Reflection: Have I truly surrendered to Jesus as Lord, or am I just admiring Him from a distance? What area of my life am I still holding back from His lordship?
Prayer: Jesus, You are not just my teacher or my example—You are my Lord. I surrender my life to You completely. Help me live today in light of Your resurrection and Your eternal reign. Because You live, I can face tomorrow. Amen.
Closing Thought: The Sadducees wanted to win an argument. Jesus wanted to reveal eternity. Don't settle for shallow theology or convenient religion. Embrace the risen Christ, live in light of the resurrection, and hold this world loosely while serving Jesus fully. Real life begins now—and lasts forever.