11-9-25 “God of the Living”
“God of the Living”
I want to start with something a little funny that I found an internet site: I heard a story about a six-year-old boy standing in the church lobby, looking at a large wall filled with names and small American flags beside them. He asked the pastor what the names meant. The pastor explained that it was a memorial to all the young men and women who had died in the service.
The little boy stood there silently, looking very concerned. Finally, he looked up and asked,
“Was it at the 8:30 or the 11 o’clock service?”
Today is a special Sunday — a time when we pause to honor our veterans and their families; to say thank you for the sacrifices made, the courage shown, and the peace and freedom we are privileged to enjoy.
Each year, when our veterans stand before us — or some quietly sit among us with years of service behind them — we are reminded that peace is not something to take for granted. It is a gift that has been protected and preserved by the dedication of those willing to serve.
And as we honor them, we also turn to Scripture — to the words of Jesus that speak not only of life and death, but of the God who holds us all in life — the God of the living.
In our Gospel lesson from Luke 20, Jesus is approached by the Sadducees — religious leaders who didn’t believe in the resurrection. They thought that when you die, that’s the end.
But without the resurrection and eternal life, the Christian faith in Jesus’ promised salvation would be meaningless. The Christian belief in the resurrection is unique among all religions — resurrection is found only in the Christian faith.
The Sadducees tried to trap Jesus with a tricky question about marriage in the resurrection. They described a woman who married seven brothers, one after another, each of whom died without leaving children. Then they asked, “In the resurrection, whose wife will she be?”
They weren’t really asking about marriage — they were mocking the idea of resurrection. But Jesus didn’t fall into their trap. Instead, He reminded them — and us — that God’s reality is far greater than our limited imagination.
He said, “Those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage… for they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God.”
Then Jesus gives a powerful statement of faith: “Now He is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to Him all of them are alive.” What a powerful truth — God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. That means all who have gone before us — those we love, those we remember, those who gave their lives in service — are still alive to God. Death does not end the relationship that God began with us. The love that created us, redeemed us, and sustains us in this life continues beyond the grave.
That’s why, when we gather on this Veterans Sunday, we don’t only remember the past. We remember with hope. We remember with faith. We remember believing that those who lived and served with courage and faith are still held in the arms of the living God.
Many of our veterans know better than most that freedom often comes at a cost.
They’ve seen the fragility of life. They’ve faced fear and hardship. And yet, their service reminds us that life’s greatest meaning is found not in avoiding danger but in serving others.
In their willingness to protect, to stand for peace, and to sacrifice for something greater than themselves, they give us a glimpse of God’s own heart — a God who loves so deeply that He gave His Son for the life of the world.
So today, as we bless our veterans and their families, we are also blessing a living witness — a witness to faith, courage, and sacrifice that continues to inspire and shape us.
When Jesus says, “God is not God of the dead, but of the living,” He’s not only talking about heaven. He’s also calling us to live as people of the living God — here and now.
That means:
- Living with courage in the face of fear.
- Living with compassion in the face of division.
- Living with faith that love is stronger than hate, and life is stronger than death.
Because when we trust that God’s life cannot be extinguished — not even by death — then we are free to live boldly, serve generously, and hope joyfully. That’s the kind of faith our veterans have modeled for us. And that’s the kind of faith Christ calls each of us to live.
I once heard a veteran say, “The hardest part is not the memories of war, but the fear of being forgotten.” But in the eyes of the living God, no one is forgotten. One thing I would like to share with you is my deep gratitude to the Korean War veterans. I learned about the Korean War from school and from my parents and grandparents. Even though I did not experience it myself, I understood how terrible it was. My mother lost her father during the war — she never saw him again and never even heard any news about him. I experienced her grief and pain indirectly through her stories and sorrow.
Since coming to the United States, whenever I meet a Korean War veteran, I pause and express my heartfelt appreciation for their sacrifices. One of the people I met was my American mom’s husband — he was a Korean War veteran. While they were engaged, he went to fight in the Korean War. During the war, he was seriously injured and sent to Japan for treatment. In the meantime, he and my American mom lost contact for several years. Later, after he returned to the U.S., they married. He brought her a beautiful traditional Korean dress as a wedding gift.
\When my American mom passed away, her daughter sent the dress to me, saying, “I think you may want to keep this beautiful dress in remembrance of my mom.” I still keep it. The dress reminds me not only of my American mom’s love and care but also of her husband’s sacrifice during the Korean War. Even though I never experienced the war, I have never forgotten him — I remember him through his wife and the precious gift he gave her. I believe that every act of love, every whispered prayer, and every sacrifice made in faith all live on in God.
So today, as we honor our veterans and their families, let us remember this truth: Our God is not the God of tombstones and endings — our God is the God of life, renewal, and eternal hope. And in that hope, we live, we serve, and we remember.
As we bless our veterans and their families today, let us give thanks to the God of the living —who holds our past, our present, and our future in His hands of eternal love.
“To God be the glory — for life, for freedom, and for the living hope we share in Christ.”
Thanks be to God, Amen.