Sunday Lord S Day Service (October 31, 2010)

Sunday Lord S Day Service (October 31, 2010)

God and Obama

Luke 20:19-26

Rev. Min Chung

Sunday Lord’s Day Service (October 31, 2010)

19The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.

Paying Taxes to Caesar

20Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies,, who pretended to be honest. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor. 21So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 22Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

23He saw through their duplicity and said to them, 24”Show me a denarius. Whose portrait and inscription are on it?”

25”Caesar’s,” they replied.

He said to them, “Then give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

26They were unable to trap him in what he said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.

Introduction

  • This passage talks about Caesar, who was the most powerful ruler of that time. Jesus addresses whether they should submit to Caesar. Should we submit to our governing authorities? This raises questions such as whether Christians should ever be part of a revolution or if Christians in countries such as China should support the Communist government.
  • Where do you line up in the debate about the degree of Christian involvement in politics? Elections are coming up, and tax season is in a few months. Our response to government is an important issue.
  • The Herodians and the Pharisees joined forces in an attempt to bring Jesus down. Jesus publicly pronounced his kingship and was preaching at the temple. The Herodians, who backed Herod’s rule in Israel, wanted to kill Jesus because they thought Jesus would replace them as leaders. The Pharisees hated the Herodians, but in order to trap Jesus they joined forces.
  • Strange alliances form around the cross in rebellion against the King of Kings.
  • After some flattery, they asked if it was lawful to follow Caesar. If Jesus had answered no, the Herodians would report to Pilate for opposition to the Roman government. However, Jesus’s wise answer stunned them. Jesus told them to be submissive to the government, but showed that God and Caesar each had their own realm of government and authority.
  • By asking his critics to produce the Roman coin, Jesus emphasized that they were enjoying the benefits of Caesar’s government. Under Caesar, the Romans enjoyed many social and economic benefits. Jesus affirmed that it would be wrong for them to go against Caesar, but it was also wrong to go along with Caesar’s blasphemous claim to deity. On one side of the coin read “Tiberious Caesar, Son of Divine Ausustur”. The other side read “Potifex Maximus,” which means Chief Priest. Jesus meant that above Caesar is God. With this statement, Jesus really teaches us how we should treat governing authorities.
  1. We Must be Submissive to the Heavenly Authority [19-22]
  1. Rebellion

Luke 20:19The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them.

  1. Though we live in this world, God governs our hearts. Our hearts are the realm of heaven.
  2. As they were threatened by Jesus, the teachers of the law and the chief priests rebelled.
  1. Desire to hurt others
    Luke 20:19The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them.
  2. Arresting Jesus sounds light, but they were arresting him in order to kill him. Many times we have a desire to hurt others or to get revenge; during those times we are rebelling against the kingdom of God.
  3. These kinds of thoughts and actionsare contrary to the Gospel of Luke. Luke emphasizes that Jesus came to love the weak and the outcasts, the Samaritans and the enemies. Even subtle joy or happiness at someone else being hurt shows our desire to rebel against Jesus Christ.
  4. We will rarely physical hurt someone or even say bad things against someone, but sometimes we will catch ourselves picturing others receiving vengeance or being hurt. That is not of God’s kingdom
  5. Being sensitive and not teachable
    Luke 20:19The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.
  6. Jesus rebuked the leaders in order to teach them, but they took it as a threat.
  7. We need to learn to listen to others so that we can learn from them and grow.
  8. Fear of man or seeking for the approval of man above God’s
    Luke 20:19The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.
  9. The Bible tells us to love others. When you fear them, you do not love them because you want to protect yourself. We are afraid we might not get what we want from them. Rather than loving them, we are ultimately seeking their approval. These characteristics are not of God’s kingdom.
  10. Hypocrisy
    Luke 20:20 Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be honest. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor.
  11. The leaders sent spies to lie to Jesus. They are not genuine before Jesus.
  12. Last night was Halloween, and many people were dressed up as someone else. We constantly have spiritual Halloweens where we try to pretend to be someone else. Learn to fight this and to be genuine before Jesus.
  13. Being Critical
    Luke 20:20 Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretendedto be honest. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor.
  14. When you want to attack someone, you listen with critical ears. You are not accepting of them or loving them. If you are willing to listen without being critical, you are learning to love them.
  15. Being manipulative
    Luke 20:21-22 21So they spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 22Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
  16. The leaders are strategizing to try to get rid of Jesus. Many times we strategize to get what we want or get rid of what we don’t want. That is not how God’s kingdom works.
  17. In our hearts we have this desire to be good that come from Jesus, but we also have the desire in our hearts to rebel against Jesus. We need to fight so that we can submit to the kingship of Jesus Christ.
  18. Jesus is not rebellious; He is submissive to the Father. He was always teachable and open to the Father’s word.
  19. The kingdom of Jesus Christ is a kingdom of submission. Everyone in the kingdom of Christ will submit to and serve one another out of love. This is a foreign kind of kingdom, but our king Jesus Christ sets that tone and we must follow him.
  1. We must be submissive to the earthly governing authority [22-25]

Luke 20:22-2522Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 23He saw through their duplicity and said to them, 24”Show me a denarius. Whose portrait and inscription are on it?” 25”Caesar’s,” they replied. He said tot hem, “Then give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

  1. Christians should submit to and cooperate with the government in general

Romans 13:1Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

Romans 13:4 For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.

  1. By his statement “then give to Caesar what is Caesar’s,” Jesus acknowledged that God has ordained civil government and given it a proper sphere of authority.
  2. Many scholars would say that Jesus’s reply might be the single most important political speech ever made. Paul’s exposition of this quote in Romans 13:1-7gave shape to the political world as we know it today.
  3. Richard Halverson, a past Chaplain of the United States, said “to be sure, men will abuse and misuse the institution of the State just as man because of sin has abused and misused every other institution in history including the Church of Jesus Christ, but this does not mean that the institution is bad or that it should be forsaken. It simply means that men are sinners and rebels in God’s world, and this is the way they behave with good institutions. As a matter of fact, it is because of this very sin that there must be human government to maintain order in history until the final and ultimate rule of Jesus Christ is established. Human government is better than anarchy, and the Christian must recognize the “divine right” of the State.”
  4. Since God ordained government, Christian citizens have obligations towards it. Christians should submit to and cooperate with the government in general. God ordained the civil government for the good of the world, and it is better than anarchy.
  5. Paul wrote about Nero in Romans 13. Nero was possibly the worst ruler of all time. Nero was probably the one who killed Paul. Nero blamed the Christians for burning Rome, and this may have led to the deaths of Paul, Peter, etc.
  6. We should submit to the earthly governing authority unless it conflicts with God’s higher law. Government should promote the peace and welfare of the people so that each of us can, within limits, enjoy our freedom. When a government tries to overstep its authority or force its citizens to disobey God, we must obey God instead. Daniel is a good example of this.
  1. Christians should honor government leaders in general

1 Peter 2:17 Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.

  1. Even though we might not approve of their character, we should honor them just as we honor our parents unless they tell us to do something that disobeys God’s law.
  1. Christians should pay taxes
    Romans 13:7 Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, the revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor
  2. If you owe taxes, pay them. Give to the government what belongs to the government.
  3. Even though we may disagree with how the government uses the taxes, it is not our responsibility. They will be responsible for the decisions that they make before God, but we should still pay taxes.
  4. Christians should pray for government leaders
    1 Timothy 2:1-2 1I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – 2for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
  5. Pray for all those in political power that we might live peaceful lives.
  6. Pray for the conversion and moral courage of the leaders.
  7. Christians should witness to and disciple government leaders if possible
  8. Whenever Paul stood before the Roman government, he used the opportunity to preach the Gospel. He led many in Caesar’s household to faith in Christ.
  9. We should pray for Christian leaders who are related to government authorities so that they can witness and disciple to these authorities.
  10. When Bill Clinton was going through all kinds of immoral situation, Bill Hybels, pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago was his spiritual advisor. Bill Hybels was giving lectures to a bunch of pastors and the pastors were asking him about his relationship with Bill Clinton. The pastors laughed about the situations that Bill Clinton was going through, but Bill Hybels did not laugh. He said to all the pastors who were laughing, “Bill Clinton matters to God.” Everybody became quiet. In that statement he was telling them to pray for Bill Clinton and minister to the governing authorities
  11. Christians should respectfully confront government leaders who are unrighteous
  12. Notice that we should confront them respectfully. We need to be concerned with the issues that conflicts with the bible. Daniel confronted Nebuchadnezzar. John the Baptist exposed Herod’s sin. God’s spokesman should remind these leaders that they are still under the kingdom of our lord Jesus Christ. One day they will have to face the King of Kings.
  13. Christians can be involved in government in accordance with their gifts and calling
  14. Joseph, Nehemiah, Daniel were all men of God who served high positions within the government.
  15. We should vote for candidates and issues that would best further Christian values in the country and the world.
  16. How far should we push Christian morality in a secular society?
  17. We should focus on the changing of hearts more than changing rules.
  18. No political system will change people hearts because they are only changing the external factors. No matter what kind of political system we are under, we must remember to focus on the hearts and changing them one at a time.
  19. We should focus on major issues, not minor issues.
  20. We need to learn to pick our battles. If we try to fight every, we are using so much energy that we could be using to further the kingdom of God and to change people’s hearts.
  21. We should argue on the basis of their values, apart from the Bible.
  22. Abortion is wrong because it is stated in the Bible, but that will not stand with people who don’t believe the Bible. We need to understand the problems with these issues from a viewpoint that others can understand and with which they can agree. Do not use Christian jargon. Use their value system so that we can change them and change the rules of this country so that the nation will be the most conducive for the spread of the Gospel.
  23. We should wisely compromise for the sake of maximum change.
  24. A reasonable compromise that has a good chance of passing is better than an uncompromising position that probably will lose. This is not saying we should compromise our values. Rather, in this fallen world sometimes it is easier to settle for less than the Christian ideal.
  25. In the case of abortion, if there’s a chance to ban abortion except in the case of rape, incest, severe deformity, or threat to the mother’s life then we should go for it. If we do this, we will instantly stop maybe 90-95% of all abortions. We are compromising, but it would do so much good.
  26. We need to wisely compromise so there can be maximum change for the glory of God.
  1. We Must Wisely Be Submissive to the authorities for the Kingdom

Luke 19:41-44 41As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace – but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

  1. Give to Caesar
  1. Caesar’s portrait is on the denarius, and therefore it should be given to Caesar.
  1. Give to God
  2. God’s portrait is in our hearts as we are made in the image of God. Therefore we should give our hearts to God’s kingdom
  3. For the Kingdom
  4. The atmosphere for the Gospel
  5. We are not paying taxes just for the sake of doing it and following the government.
  6. We submit to the government so that we can leave peaceful and quiet lives and create an atmosphere that will be conducive to the teaching of the Gospel.
  7. Many governments in the world are the biggest hindrances to the spread of the Gospel in their countries. If you care for the evangelization of the world, we need to care for the governments of this world so that the leaders of those nations will not be a hindrance to evangelism.
  8. It is not just about freeing people from their governments or master, but rather about freeing people from their slavery tosin.
  9. The beauty of the Gospel
  10. The Gospel is attractive and powerful. Through your lives, you should make the gospel attractive so that others will be drawn to it.
  11. We bear God’s image. His inscription is on our hearts, so we should live out our lives so that they are attractive to everyone.

Conclusion