Is There an Afterlife?

Introduction

A dying man asked his Christian doctor to tell him about heaven. The doctor told him some but realized how little he actually knows about it. Just then he heard the man’s dog scratching at the door. “Do you hear that?” the doctor asked. “It’s my dog. I left him downstairs, but he hears my voice.” “Yes. He doesn’t know what is inside this door, but he knows that you are here and wants to be with you. You may not know much about what lies beyond death’s door, but you know your Lord is there and that you want to be with Him.” In Mark 12:18-27, a group of religious leaders who didn’t believe in an afterlife asked Jesus a question about eternity to try to trick Him and mock the Bible. His answer doesn’t just teach us how to answer tricky questions, it gives us solid proof of eternal resurrection. Study the passage to learn what Jesus said about whether there is an afterlife.

Observation

Pray

Ask the Lord to give you wisdom and discernment to understand and learn from His Word today.

Read Focus Verses

As you read Mark 12:18-27 pay attention to what the passage says about the people involved.

Repeated Word

A word that's repeated in a passage often gives us a clue about the central theme. What word is repeated in Mark 12:18-27?

Keyword - Resurrection

Marking the repeated word resurrection helps us see it as a key to the passage.

Resurrection

Mark the word resurrection in Mark 12:18-27.

Keyword - Jesus

If you've been following along in these Bible study plans through the book of Mark, you've been marking each time Jesus is named or referenced as a visual reminder that He's the main character all the way through.

Jesus

Mark everywhere Jesus is named or referenced in Mark 12:18-27.

Who?

What group of people came to Jesus in verse 18?

About the Sadducees

What important bit of information about the Sadducees does God tell us so that we can understand their question and Jesus' response?

Background

What do the Sadducees say in verse 19 that explains their question?

The Story

What situation did they propose in verses 20-22? (Don't worry, if it seems weird, you'll see what they mean later.)

The Question

What did they ask in 23?

Jesus' Response

How does Jesus respond in verse 24?

The Explanation

What does Jesus explain in verse 25?

The Demonstration

What does Jesus teach in verses 26-27?

The Proof

What proof does Jesus give that there is a resurrection in verses 26-27?

Context

By looking at what happens around the passage you're studying, you can understand more about it. Look at what has just happened before the events in today's passage by reading Mark 12:1-17.

Observations

What are some things that you observed in those verses that help provide context to better understand what's going on in today's passage?

Interpretation

The Sadducees

The first thing God tells us in today's passage is something about the people who are questioning Jesus. Why does it matter to this particular conversation that the Sadducees (who were religious and political leaders in Jesus' day) didn't believe in a resurrection or afterlife?

Their Question

How does knowing that they didn’t believe in the resurrection help you evaluate the motives of their question?

Levirate Marriage

In the Law of Moses, if a man died without children, his closest male relative would take the man's widow as his own wife. Their first son would be the legal heir to the deceased man's name and land. As you can see in Deuteronomy 25:5-6.

Boaz and Ruth

That's what happened in the beautiful story of Ruth in the Old Testament. Boaz was a kinsman redeemer who married Ruth in levirate marriage. Their son become a forefather of the Lord Jesus Himself!

Answering Questions Like Jesus

So, now you understand that the idea behind the question the Sadducees asked wasn't silly, but the story they made up was. Notice that Jesus didn't get distracted arguing about whether it was a ridiculous illustration. Instead He focused on what was important and answered the real question. What's a time when someone asked you a ridiculous question to try to make you look silly or trick you? How could you have answered like Jesus?

Two Things They Didn't Know

Before He answers their question, Jesus told the Sadducees why they were getting things wrong. What are the two things Jesus said they didn't know?

Two Things You Should Know

If you want to know the true answers to question people ask (or you ask), what are the two things you need to know?

Two Truths

After explaining why the Sadducees were getting things wrong, Jesus teaches them (and us) two things. Read the first of these truths again this time in the record in Matthew 22:29.

The First Truth

What is the first truth Jesus teaches in His answer?

Remarriage

How could you use this truth to help someone who was considering remarrying after having lost a spouse? (Romans 7:2-3 explains more.)

Eternity

Read what Revelation 21:4 says.

We'll Understand and Be Satisfied Then

For those who are happily married, this truth might seem hard to understand. How could you use the promises throughout the Bible (like Revelation 21:4) that Christians will be happy and perfectly satisfied in eternity to encourage someone who is struggling with this idea?

Another Truth

Jesus teaches a second truth in the next part of His answer. Read it in Luke's account in Luke 20:37-38.

The Second Truth

What is the second truth that Jesus teaches us in His answer to the Sadducees' question?

Evidence

What evidence does Jesus give that believers who had died on earth were still alive?

The Burning Bush

Jesus refers back to the Scriptures and the time that God talked to Moses from the burning bush in Exodus 3:1-6.

If There Weren't

What would God say about Abraham and the others who had long been dead if there was no afterlife?

The Core of the Gospel

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul tells us why the resurrection matters so much. Start with verses 1-6, which summarize the gospel, and tell us what place the resurrection has in that good news.

Why It Matters

Now look at 1 Corinthians 15:12-20, which explains why it is so important that there is a resurrection.

Some Reasons

What are some reasons the doctrine of the resurrection matters so much for Christians?

Without It

What would be false without the truth of the resurrection?

The First Resurrection

The Bible teaches that everyone who has ever lived will be part of one of two resurrections. Revelation 20:6 speaks of the first resurrection.

Being Part of the 1st Resurrection

Jesus tells us who will be part of this first resurrection to eternal life in John 3:16.

One Way

In John 14:1-6 Jesus clarifies who is the only way to get to heaven.

The Only Way

Who will be part of the first resurrection and have eternal life according to the Bible?

Blessings

What are some of the blessings for those who are part of the first resurrection because they believed in the Lord Jesus Christ alone for salvation and eternal life?

The Second Resurrection

Revelation 20:11-15 tells us about the second resurrection to eternal death and who will have part in it.

Who?

Who will be part of the second resurrection and face eternal death according to Revelation 20:15?

Eternity

If you have a minute, you can read more about what eternal life will be like in Revelation 21-22.

The Resurrection

You can read more of what the Bible says about the first and second resurrections in this article if you're interested.

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What Do You Believe?

Based on what you've seen in the Bible, what would you say if someone asked you: "What do you believe about an afterlife?"

Once More

Read Mark 12:18-27 once more now that you've studied its various parts.

Truths

What truths does this passage give you certainty about?

Jesus

What does this passage teach you about Jesus?

Application

Do You Know?

The Sadducees got things wrong because they didn't know the Bible or the power of God. Are you studying the Bible regularly so that you can know the Scriptures and the power of God? If not, will you make a plan and commit to it today?

Do You Believe?

If you believe that everyone will be part of one of the two resurrections, how should you think about the people around you? Are you telling them about the only way to have eternal life?

Where Will You Be?

Which resurrection will you be part of? Have you turned from your own way and sin, believed in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection for you, and asked Him to save you and give you eternal life? If so, rejoice because your name is in the Lamb's book of life and you will be part of the first resurrection! If not, will you fix that and turn to Jesus today?

Wrapup

Closing

We hope this study plan has helped you understand what the Bible teaches about whether there's an afterlife and has challenged you to believe what God has said and live like it.

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