Book of Luke - Ch. 20, Vs. 19-26 (08/22/2004)

Alright Luke chapter 20 and Let's start with verse 19, and I think after all that foolish jesting we better pray first Lord, thank you for meeting with us today.

We thank you that you Bring us together to fellowship to have our faith increased by our study of the word, but also by our being together

And we ask ask you to bless the Bible study this afternoon as well in Jesus name.

Amen Luke chapter 20 verse 19 and the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him and They feared the people for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them

Now what parable did they speak in case you weren't here? last time it is

It is a one verse or a couple of verse parable It's a short little parable, but verse 18 says whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken

But on whomsoever it shall fall it will grind him to powder. That's the one that he's referring to And he said these

Jews perceived. He was talking to them. Well, that's because he was talking to them and he was actually talking to everyone though and You know, it's one of those things if the shoe fits wear it and it fit pretty well here

So you go into verse 19, that's that's the context It's talking about when it says they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them

They watched him and they sent forth spies Which should fake vain or fake themselves to be just men.

Isn't that a strange saying That these Jews knew that they had to choose people who had to fake as if they were just because they weren't really just And they understood that now they don't know if they applied that to themselves or not they probably saw themselves as being okay

So they bring these spies that would fake to be just men that they might take hold of his words

It's so they might deliver him into the power and authority of the governor. So they're trying to catch him at his own words

Anytime you teach the Bible there are people trying to do that And a lot of times when you just live your life in front of the world they're trying to catch you prove you're not such a great

Christian and They ask him saying master. We know that thou sayest and teach us rightly neither

Acceptance thou the person of any but teach us the way of God truly They're saying we know that you don't respect.

You're no respecter of persons and they said boy that is right We're in agreement with you that you're this way and you teach the way of God now.

They're trying to trap him Now you you tell me this isn't a tough question. They ask him it really is

He said is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar or not? Now here you had these religious

Jews and they're trying to pretend that there are so righteous that all they want to do is serve

God they don't want to have anything to do with the world They just here to serve God and they said now is it right then for us to take our money?

Which God has given us and and so rightfully it's God's money Should we take that and pay taxes with it?

to the government and They thought they could trap

Jesus this way and You know, this is one of the most amazing answers if You look and see

What he says in verse 22, is it lawful for us to give tribute of the

Caesar or no? But Jesus perceived their craftiness and said unto them why do you tempt me?

I'm sure they felt a little funny because he just read their mind They had not told him.

I mean, why would he think we're tempting you and they're going whoa Why do you tempt me now?

Look at this. He says show me a penny so he asked for one of them to hand him a Roman coin and Then he says whose image is inscribed upon this

Roman coin and they answered and said Caesars and He said unto them render therefore unto

Caesar the things which are Caesar's and unto God the things which are God's What an answer and they could not take hold of his words before the people and they marveled at his answer

And they held their peace, you know, you gave a good answer when they get when it gets quiet Which seldom happens to us but to Jesus it happened.

He gave him such a great answer They just couldn't say anything else Can you imagine what he's saying he says look at that money that's in your pocket and the

Pharisees were known for making money I mean they knew how to get it in the wrong kind of way

They would get it from widow ladies by by taxing them with the temple taxes and all different ways

They had of getting this ill -gotten gain and Jesus said look at that money. You're so worried about you

Really don't want to pay taxes. It's reading you're asking me this question. He said whose money is it whose pictures on it

Caesar? So we'll give that to give that to Caesar which is Caesars and given to God which is

God's Which there was a strong implication that it was their heart and their life. They should be given to God Don't need to worry so much about your money.

And now that wouldn't work too well with today's theology either would it? Because today they would wish that he said well, no don't send any to Caesar send it all to the preacher so Let's see here.

All right. Well, let me ask you this. Have you run across people?

There is a group of people around the country nowadays that are into this idea that our government is just totally evil and You know, they have to be 98 % right, right?

Think that but but they don't think there's any good in it I I've even met people who had conservative values, but they

Absolutely believe that George Bush jr. Is tied in as a buddy of Osama bin

Laden's Because of oil and he's really their friend and that the whole war was trumped up and they really believe that stuff and so The that brand of person and a lot of Christians out there

Believe that it would be correct if you could avoid paying taxes to the government because they look at this way

It's God's money. Why should I give that to? Satan, why should I give that to the world system?

Why should I give that to the US government? and the truth is Jesus was answering that very sentiment here with these

Pharisees and 2nd Peter chapter 2 verse 9 and this whole

Section I won't read this for sake of time. But 2nd Peter 2 9 is a whole section that's talking about a false prophet

It says that they were created to in essence. It says they were created to go to hell

It says they're like dark clouds that come over and they never rain They just make you think you're gonna get something but they never give you anything of value and it talks about these

False prophets and look at one of the things that That they teach it.

It says that they teach that you are not supposed to Honor the government's

Now that's interesting These people go around teaching their followers that they ought not to honor the government's and Yet the

Bible doesn't teach that Let's look at a couple of places where it speaks to that issue 1st

Timothy 2 1 and in Romans 13 1 let's look at those two While you're turning there the section in 2nd

Peter Specifically the part that talks about these false prophets It says but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise government

Presumptuous are they self -willed they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities Now that doesn't just mean the government.

It also means any form of authority structure They don't like that at all Now first Timothy 2 1

I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving a thanks be made for all men for kings and For all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet peaceful life and all godliness and honesty

For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior Who will have all men to be saved now?

That means all types of men doesn't mean all men obviously because all men are not going to be saved It means both

Jew Gentile He'll have all types of men from all over the world

Saved and to come into the knowledge of the truth For there is one God and one mediator between God and men the man

Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransom for all And here again this word all has to be taken in the context the whole passage

It means all types of people Jews Gentiles blacks Asians everything to be testified in due time

Where into I am ordained a preacher and an apostle and a teacher of the

Gentiles So he's talking about Jews and Gentiles you ought to always remember that these

Bible teachers were used primarily talking to a bunch of Jewish Christians and the Jewish mind found it very difficult to believe

God would save a Gentile So when he says he's the Savior of all men he means he's the

Savior of Gentiles also Now the main

Topic in that passage was he was telling them to pray for kings and people that are an authority and it says this pleases

God Our Savior now, let's go into Romans 13 1 and this is probably the clearest passage on what our position ought to be with governments

To me. This is a difficult passage because you you stop and you think our government is seemingly becoming more and more evil and more and more corrupt

And you say well, I pay my taxes and they take some of that money and they go around and they fund abortions with it

So, is it right to give pay my taxes Romans 13 1 says let every soul be subject unto the higher powers for there is no power but of God the powers that be are

Ordained of God Do you know why that's hard for us to accept because we're humanists

And we're our minions We grew up thinking man's in control of everything, but he's not

God is when we look at a government that's less than perfect. We say well we you know, that's not good we don't need to support that government and Yet the

Bible says that government wouldn't be there if God had not ordained that that would be there even when Bill Clinton Yes, even

Bill Clinton Was ordained of God You say I can't be Well, then you don't believe

Romans chapter 13 and verses 1 and 2 as it says very clearly That the powers that be so therefore if they be if they exist on the face of this planet

They are then ordained of God. Why does God do this? well It says the whole

Bible teaches that the worst thing that there is in God's universe is anarchy

And without government because of the sin nature that the human race has You would have everybody out looking for themselves so you have to have government so God has ordained government because of sin and The sin nature would just go absolutely wild if there were no government

So because so therefore God says In verse 2 whosoever resists the power resists the ordinance of God.

So when you resist the government You're resisting God's ordained

Government and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation now, let me give you a

Greek word there It doesn't mean in the English. It sounds like you're gonna go to hell and that's not what it means What it means is judgment and it's coming from the government so you can you can say okay,

I disagree with this government They're paying for abortions So I'm going to go burn down the

Capitol building and you go set that thing on fire And what's gonna happen is you're gonna receive damnation? But that's an old

English word what it really means you're gonna receive judgment by the very government you just attacked They probably gonna shoot you and kill you

It really doesn't mean damnation. It's not a spiritual thing It's talking about if you fight the government that God has put in place over you.

They have every right to Kill you or put you in prison Many things they can do to you and that's the way it is in the world.

We know that so The interesting information that we get here in Romans 13, however, is that God ordained this government?

Now it's wonderful that he's brought us to a place where he is ordained for America up until now anyway to this very day

Democratic government That as long as the population was predominantly Christian oriented not that they were all

Christians But they were guided by Christian principles and Jewish principles In other words, what does that tell you as long as the population was guided by this book?

Democracy worked and we were blessed But let me tell you this even our Founding Fathers said that no democracy anywhere can work without a moral

Christian people so we're bordering on moving into the time of our history where it can't work and our

Politicians are always praising democracy. They shouldn't be they should be praising Christianity and the

Bible That's what makes democracy work Democracy is not to be all to end all you go in the

Soviet Union and You didn't you didn't find homosexual homosexuals running all over the place and so Union because it was against the law there

Used to be in Texas up until what last year Is on the books as illegal now, they took it off the books but So what's our position bottom line as Christians toward the government

Well, Jesus said pay into Caesar. What is Caesar? So we're supposed to pay our taxes Fortunately, we live in a government where if you don't like it

You can vote against the person who wants to raise taxes and vote for the one that wants to cut the taxes But whatever the taxes are we're supposed to pay the taxes and Are we supposed to fight against the government?

Well, you know what? I've always noticed about the Apostle Paul. He never went around making his mission to save Rome What he did try to do was say

Romans So his life was all about witnessing giving the gospel to the people.

He wasn't worried about the government that much If any and so You know pray for our leaders, but don't make it your mission necessarily to You know think that you're going to change the entire government or burn down the

Capitol building Just pray for the leaders pay your taxes pay your

Gifts unto the God as he leads you to do in the church and live your life as a witness before the world

That's what these passages teach us very clearly in these Pharisees didn't like it one bit, but that's what

Jesus taught So let's stand and have prayer together will be dismissed Father we thank you for your word.

It touches on all aspects of life May we remember these things as we are tempted to rebel against authority whether it be a policeman giving it giving out a ticket or Whatever the authority is that's over us.

May we have the attitude the Lord Jesus would have And be meek at all times and Respectful and Lord, we ask you would go with us as we head our different ways today

We thank you for the time that you gave us together and we thank you for Your son

Jesus Christ And the life that he lived on this earth the life that he is living now