In ancient Jewish society, there were two prominent groups: the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Their main difference lay in their belief about the afterlife: the Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the dead, while the Sadducees did not.
In today’s Gospel reading from Luke, some Sadducees approached Jesus with a challenging question. They were trying to discredit the idea of resurrection and heaven, but we won’t go into the specifics of the familiar story.
Even today, people still grapple with similar questions: Is resurrection real? Is there truly life after death? Will we continue to age in heaven, or will we remain the same age?
A few years ago, the adult daughter of one of our church members passed away. Every year, we visit her gravesite for a short service and time of reflection. We did this again just a few days ago. Although three years have passed, I can feel his grief is still as heavy as it was on the first day.
In Korea, there is a saying that when a child dies, you don’t bury them in the ground; you bury them in your heart and carry them with you for the rest of your life.
Eric Clapton, the famous English guitarist, rock singer and songwriter, wrote one of his greatest hits, “Tears in Heaven,” after the tragic death of his four-year-old son in 1991. It is a profoundly emotional ballad. Some of the lines are:
“Would you know my name If I saw you in Heaven? Would it be the same If I saw you in Heaven? I must be strong And carry on ‘Cause I know I don’t belong Here in Heaven.”
With that song, Clapton searches, questioning if heaven is real he would ever see his son again.
About 45 years ago, I spent three years serving in the army in Korea. The army provided us with everything: uniforms, boots, socks, blankets, and our weapons. By the end of our service, almost every item was worn out and full of holes.
Yet, no one ever tried to buy new uniforms or extra boots. Why? Because we all knew we wouldn’t be in the army forever. Whether our term was two, three, or five years, every soldier shared the same certainty: ‘one day, we will walk out of that barracks for good’.
This mindset reminds me of a story about the renowned Polish Rabbi, Hofetz Chaim, in the 19th century. A tourist visiting him was astonished to find the Rabbi’s home was just a simple room with only books, a table, and a bench.
He asked, “Rabbi, where is your furniture?” The rabbi asked back, “Where is yours?”
“Mine?” replied the puzzled tourist. “But I’m only a visitor here, sir. I’m just passing through.” The rabbi simply smiled and replied, “So am I. I’m passing through here, too.”
We all have these deep questions: Is heaven real? What will it be like? Will we recognize our loved ones there? How would you answer? My simple answer would be: ‘We won’t truly know until we get there.’
Yes, there is only one way to find out. Our Lord, Jesus Christ, said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Christ is the resurrection and the life. He is not just my way, friends. He is our way. He is the only way. Amen.