{"id":9270,"date":"2026-11-09T07:33:38","date_gmt":"2026-11-09T14:33:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/?p=9270"},"modified":"2026-11-09T07:33:38","modified_gmt":"2026-11-09T14:33:38","slug":"pastor-joey-sampaga-rendering-to-caesar-surrendering-to-god-luke-2019-26","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/2026\/11\/09\/pastor-joey-sampaga-rendering-to-caesar-surrendering-to-god-luke-2019-26\/","title":{"rendered":"Pastor Joey Sampaga: Rendering to Caesar, Surrendering to God, Luke 20:19-26"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nHere is<\/span>\u00a0the full transcript<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0[Click HERE to close<\/span>]<\/strong><\/span><\/summary>\n

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Good morning. Before I get started, I just wanted to mention a few things. Let’s keep Kuya Ed and John, John Q, in our prayers. They’re going through health problems, so keep them in prayer. And pray for those who are traveling. And just a reminder, we are doing Revelation study, and I would encourage you to come to that because we’re talking about a lot of things in the scene today. So, if you can make it to that, that would be great. And, yeah, that’s it. Okay, so, this past Tuesday, and I heard, I think Liberty mentioned this in her prayer. This past Tuesday, our nation went to the polls for the midterm elections.<\/p>\n

And I know that depending on what you were hoping to see, I guess it all depends on where you land on the political spectrum, right? Whether you’re a Republican or Democrat. But, for me personally, you know, I woke up this morning feeling a profound sense of disappointment. You know, I was a little frustrated, or even felt a little anxiety about the moral and political trajectory of our country. However, as believers, as a believer, we have to anchor our minds in the foundational unshakable truth this morning. No matter who holds the majority in government, and no matter who occupies the earthly political office, God is still seated firmly on His throne. So, it doesn’t matter who’s in power, or who’s leading the government, because God has placed them there for His glory.<\/p>\n

And Psalm 103.19 has declared that the Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His kingdom rules over all. So, human governments, they come and go. They’re temporary. Rulers rise and fall entirely by His sovereign decree. And the political turbulence, the cultural decay, and the shifting of human power we see today are simply birth pains. They’re reminders of a fractured world pointing to the ultimate inevitable reality, the glorious second coming of Jesus. Right, as things start to get worse in this world, yes, it’s not good to go through that. However, as we start to see more of it happen, the joy ought to be accumulating in us internally, because we know that Jesus is coming soon.<\/p>\n

Although we should always do our Christian duty as Americans to vote for a government that most aligns to the Bible, regardless of the results, we have to always remember that we do not place our hope in a ballot box. We place our hope in the returning King. And so, in the perfect providence of God, our text this morning speaks directly to this very division between human government and divine authority. So, last week we examined Luke 20, verses 9-18, where Jesus told the two main parables of wicked tenants. And Pastor David, he preached on this, and the passage laid bare the tragic sweep of redemptive history. And God planted a vineyard and sent prophet after prophet, only for them to be beaten and rejected.<\/p>\n

And if you recall, the vineyard owner had finally sent his beloved son, and the tenants conspired to kill him to seize the inheritance. And Jesus, he warned the religious leaders that the stone the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone, and it will crush whoever it falls upon. So, in our passage today, verses 19-26, the rage of the religious elite reaches a boiling point. Having been publicly exposed as fraudulent caretakers of God’s house, they shift from theological debate to political sabotage. And what’s going to unfold in the temple courtyard is not an honest inquiry into civic duty or government, but a carefully engineered death trap. It’s a death trap designed to destroy the Son of God using the politics of the day.<\/p>\n

Yet, as we will see, human politics or political cunning is utterly defenseless against divine wisdom. So, no matter what the politics are, I mean, here in the United States, we have so much freedom anyway, right? If you are a Democrat, when you’re red, when the Republicans were leading, really, nothing changed too much, right? And vice versa. When Democrats are leading, I mean, yes, Republicans are upset, but really, has the United States really changed? Maybe in the ideologies, yes, but ultimately, we’re going to see that God is sovereign. He’s in control. He places people in governance on purpose for his ultimate glory.<\/p>\n

Now, to really understand the deadly nature of the question hurled at Jesus in our passage today, we have to grasp the volatile political and economic climate of the first century Judea under the Roman occupation. In AD 6, Rome deposed Herod, Archelaus, and placed Judea under direct Roman military administration governed by a procurator. And at that time, Rome instituted the census and imposed an annual poll tax known as the tribute. And this tax had to be paid by every adult male and female directly into the imperial treasurer or the treasury of Caesar. And so this tax, it provoked intense outrage among the Jewish people. They were outraged. They were upset. There was a rebel named Judas of Galilee.<\/p>\n

He met a fierce insurrection, arguing that paying taxes to a pagan emperor was treason against the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And this was almost a continuation to what the Maccabeans did. So Rome, they crushed this rebellion. That anti-Roman resentment simmered for decades. And to make matters worse, this tax had to be paid with a specific coin. And this is a coin called the Roman denarius. And it was minted with high silver purity. The denarius bore the image of Emperor Tiberius Caesar at that time. And it was inscribed around his profile where his words declaring him, Tiberius Caesar, August son of the divine Augustus.<\/p>\n

That was minted on the back of the coin. And on the back of the coin, as well, it said high priest. So it was saying that Caesar, Tiberius Caesar, was a high priest. So to the pious Jew, carrying that coin was not just an economic burden, it was an act of carrying an idol. A direct violation of the second commandment against graven images. So the parallel accounts of what we’re going to study today in Matthew 22, 15-22 and Mark 12, verses 13-17. It tells us that two opposing factions joined forces to orchestrate this ambush. So we have the Pharisees and the Herodians. Now these two groups despised each other.<\/p>\n

The Herodians were the ones who loved Herod. And then, of course, you know who the Pharisees are. If I were to compare the Herodians today, I would say they would be like the MAGA group. They’re the ones who pushed President Trump and they loved him. So these two groups, again, they despised one another. The Pharisees were the strict religious nationalists who hated Roman occupation. The Herodians were political opportunists who supported the dynasty of Herod and cooperated fully with Rome. And under normal circumstances, they would never sit at the same table. Yet, just as Psalm 2, verses 1-3 prophesied, that the king of the earth and rulers would take counsel together against the Lord and against His anointed.<\/p>\n

And these bitter enemies made a pact of convenience. The enemy of my enemy right now is my friend until we no longer are friends. They were united by one common hatred, and that hatred is Jesus of Nazareth. And we’re going to see this later on play out in the future of this work. You’re going to see a bunch of false religions come together. It’s going to be like an ecumenical council, which is a one-world religion. They’re all going to come together and they’re going to oppose Christ. They’re going to oppose Jesus. And Satan is gathering these leaders of false religions to oppose Christians.<\/p>\n

And that’s going to happen later on during this seven-week tribulation. And it even happens today. There’s a lot of ecumenical councils. This church was actually invited to an ecumenical council, which I, of course, said, well, thank you. Thanks for inviting us. One of the LDS churches had invited us to come along with the Catholics and the Muslims, et cetera, et cetera, so that we could all coexist. But with religions that have differing views of who God is, there is no way as Christians that we can agree to what they worship. And that’s what they’re asking these councils, when they come together, to do, is to agree with one another and to get along and coexist with one another.<\/p>\n

And that’s something we can’t do, because what does the Bible say? Jesus is the only way to the truth and the life, and there’s no other way to the Father but the Son. And so because of that, and because we know who God is, and because we know who Jesus is in the Holy Spirit, well, we have to oppose the other false religions. And that’s just how that works. So let’s go to our passage, Luke chapter 20, verses 19 to 26. It says, The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people. So they watched him, and sent spies who pretended to be sincere, that they might catch him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the government.<\/p>\n

So they asked him, Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not? But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, Show me a Denarius, whose likeness and inscription does it have. They said, Caesars. He said to them, Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesars, and to God the things that are God. And they were not able, in the presence of the people, to catch him in what he said. But marveling at his answer, they became silent. This is the word of the Lord. Let’s pray. Sovereign Father, you are the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Nations are as a drop in a bucket before you, and hearts of kings are like channels of water in your hands.<\/p>\n

You turn them wherever you wish. As we sit under the authority of your word, grant us the spiritual discernment to see through the deceptiveness of our own hearts. Father, free us from the subtle trap of hypocrisy. Teach us how to live faithfully as citizens of this earthly realm. But even more, cause us to surrender our entire being, body, mind, and soul. Father, open our eyes and our ears, our spiritual eyes and ears and hearts, to receive your word today. Fill us with your Spirit. Allow us to understand what is being taught. Father, allow your Holy Spirit to speak through me. Use me as your vessel, and remove any of my thoughts and opinions, Lord God. Allow your word to speak. Father, we lift all this up to you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.<\/p>\n

Alright, so Luke, he opens up this scene by revealing the frantic desperation of the religious authorities. Look at verse 19. It states that they sought to lay hands on him that very hour, but they feared the people. The only barrier standing between Jesus and the indictment was the sovereign restraints of God operating through the popularity of who Jesus was among the crowds. They loved Jesus. They saw him doing miracles. They saw him pray. They saw him preach. So right now Jesus is really popular with the crowds. And God uses this to restrain any harm being done to Jesus. And because they could not arrest him, the Pharisees and the Herodians, they couldn’t arrest him openly without starting a riot.<\/p>\n

So they shifted to an espionage way of thinking. Verse 20 says, they sent spies who pretended to be sincere. And the Greek word Luke uses for pretended or fiend was hypopronomai, which is where we get the English word hypocrite. So in classical Greek culture, an actor on a theater stage who wore an oversized mask to play a part was called a hypocrite. These men, they put on these theatrical masks of piety and then they pose as devout conscientious men seeking moral guidance from a respected rabbi. So their true objective here had nothing to do with theological clarity. Verse 20 plainly reveals their motives. They wanted to catch him in something he said. So that they may hand him over to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor, Pontius Pilate.<\/p>\n

Now notice their cowardly strategy. If the Jewish religious court executed Jesus, they risked an uprising from the people. But if they could trick Jesus into making a statement that could be framed as treason against Rome, well, the Roman garrison would execute him for them. That’s kind of what they did. They didn’t want to arrest Jesus themselves. They took him to Pontius Pilate. And Pontius Pilate was basically saying, well, I don’t find anything wrong with him. But they kept pushing. They kept pushing. Rome was ruthlessly efficient at putting down sedition. And Pilate, Pontius Pilate had legions of soldiers stationed right next door at the fortress of Antonia. Ready to crucify anyone who challenged Caesar’s authority.<\/p>\n

That’s why they were asking, who do we pay taxes to? Should we be paying our taxes to Caesar? Should we listen to Caesar? Should we follow his laws? And in verse 21, these spies, they approach Jesus and attempt to butter him up with the lavish praise. They’re trying to flatter him. Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God. They were flattering him. Now consider the sheer irony of their words. Everything they said about Jesus was objectively, gloriously true. He did speak and teach rightly. He did show no partiality. He did teach the way of God according to truth. In fact, Proverbs 29.5 warns that a man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet. So John Calvin rightly commented on this passage that wicked men often use truth as an instrument of deceit.<\/p>\n

Wrapping poison inside the praise. So they thought they could stroke his ego. But they forget, I guess they don’t really know who they’re speaking to. This is God in the flesh. They thought if they flattered him enough for being bold and fearless, he would cast aside caution and give a reckless, rebellious answer. Proverbs 15.3 reminds us that the eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. So we or you or no one can’t flatter omniscience. God knows everything. Jesus knows everything. You can’t charm the King of Glory. Jesus looked past their smiling faces and saw the murderous wrath within their souls and within their heart. And Jeremiah 17 declares that the Lord searches the heart and tests the mind.<\/p>\n

Now having set the stage, they spring the trap in verse 22. At least they think they are. Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar or not? That was their question. Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar or not? And from a human standpoint, if you think about it, this trap was brilliant and inescapable. It was designed as a binary question, a simple yes or no. Answer the question, Jesus, yes or no. Because if Jesus answered no, it is not lawful. The Herodians and the spies would have dashed straight to Pilate, Pontius Pilate, to report that this Nazarene Jesus was inciting tax evasion and rebellion against Rome. And under the Roman law, advocating non-payment of taxes was actually a capital offense. It was a capital treason, punishable by crucifixion.<\/p>\n

Can you imagine that? If you don’t pay your taxes, you get crucified. The Romans would have arrested him before sunset and crucified Jesus. Now on the other hand, if Jesus answered yes, it is lawful. Well, he would be thoroughly discredited in the eyes of the Jewish crowds. Because remember, the Jewish crowds, they hated Rome. The people would view him as a Roman sympathizer, a traitor to Israel, and a compromised false prophet. His popularity would vanish instantly if he answered yes, leaving him isolated to the Sanhedrin. They could have arrested him quietly, without fear of a mob. Now they believed they had backed the Son of God into a corner. They said, we got him this time. Whatever he answered, we got him. Either Rome would crucify him as an insurgent, or the crowds would abandon him as a collaborator.<\/p>\n

But verse 23 shows the calm majesty of Christ. What does it say? It says, he perceived their craftiness. He already knew. He knew what was going on. Luke uses a Greek word, panorgia, which speaks of unscrupulous cunning, tricky manipulation, and deceitful versatility. The Apostle Paul uses this same exact word in 2 Corinthians 11-3 to describe how the serpent perceived Eve by his craftiness. And Jesus, he exposes their scheme immediately. He says, show me a denarius. Because Jesus didn’t have a coin on him, right? He says, show me a denarius. And that simple request is an indictment in itself, if you think about it. Jesus, he didn’t have the coin on him. So these hypocrites who were asking, who were trying to trick Jesus, who pretended to be so berthed by the theological question of whether God’s people could associate him with Rome, they reached into their own pockets, or their man purses, and they pulled out the very pagan coin they claimed to detest.<\/p>\n

They were carrying Caesar’s money right inside the holy temple precincts. So Jesus, he holds up the coin, and he asks the foundational question in verse 24. He says, whose likeness and inscription does it have? And what did they say? Caesar’s. Right? Caesar’s. Then Jesus delivers one of the most brilliant, profound statements ever recorded in human history. At least, you know, when it comes to the government. Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. Now in one single sentence, Jesus dismantled their trap, and laid down a timeless theological blueprint for the relationship between the believer, the state, and the almighty God. First, consider what it means to render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s. Well, the word render doesn’t mean to give a voluntary charitable donation. It means to repay a legitimate debt.<\/p>\n

Right? Jesus looked at the denarius. Caesar’s face is stamped on it, Caesar’s name is engraved on it, and it was minted in Caesar’s mints. Because it bears Caesar’s image, it belongs to Caesar’s sphere. It belongs to the government. And Jesus is acknowledging that secular government, even a flawed pagan government like Rome, provides a civic order, public roads, civil defense, and legal protections. That’s why God uses governments to protect its people. Right? This truth is fleshed out later in the New Testament by the Apostle Paul in Romans 13, 1-7, where we are reminded that civil governing authorities are established by God as ministers of justice and Christians must pay taxes and give honor to whom honor is due. Peter echoes this in the first Peter chapter 2 verses 13 to 17. He’s urging believers to be subject to every human institution for the Lord’s sake.<\/p>\n

And the Christian faith is not a call to anarchy or civil revolt. We should be praying for our government whether we are happy with them or not. We pray for them. We pay our taxes, we honor civil law, and we seek the peace of the city where God has placed us just as Jeremiah 27 commanded the exiles in Babylon. All right, yet Jesus, he didn’t stop there. He continues on. He added the decisive clause, and to God the things that are God’s. Give to God the things that are God’s. Why did the coin belong to Caesar? Because it bore the image of Caesar. Now if we were to ask a more a deeper theological question, what bears the image of God? Human beings. What bears the image of God? Human beings. We all do, right? Man does. Human beings. Genesis chapter 1 verses 26 to 27, it makes it unmistakably clear. God created man in his own image.<\/p>\n

In the image of God, he created him. Jesus is telling these hypocrites, you’re worried about this silver coin that has Tiberius’ face stamped onto it. Give Caesar his silver back, right? It came from him anyway. But what about you? That’s what he’s asking. What about you? You have a stamp of the living God engraved on your very soul. God created you. God sustains every heartbeat in your chest, and God demands the total surrender of your heart, mind, soul, and strength, as Deuteronomy 6-5 declares. Caesar has jurisdiction over the treasury, but Caesar does not own your soul. God does. The state may draft laws concerning civic administration, but the state cannot command what God forbids, nor can it forbid what God commands. So, as Peter boldly proclaimed before the Sanhedrin in Acts 5-29, we must obey God rather than man.<\/p>\n

And that can be difficult in this world, right? I mean, the law right now allows, well, I guess it doesn’t anymore, but when abortion was allowed, well, it’s okay to get abortion. But as Christians, even though it’s allowed, and it’s okay for them to do it, as Christians, we should not. Culture dictates certain things that we should not follow, because God’s law, God’s word, tells us not to. The Pharisees were hypocritically trying to appear righteous by arguing over a coin, while their hearts were completely withholding love, obedience, and worship from the God whose image they cared. Verse 26 gives us the glorious aftermath, and they were not able, in the presence of the people, to catch him in what he said. But marveling at his answer, they became silent. What Jesus said shut them up. The trap snapped shut, but the architects were the ones caught in it.<\/p>\n

They were trying to trick him, and they tried to either have him say yes or no, but when Jesus said what he said, they couldn’t say anything else. They stood in the temple courtyard dumbfounded, like, oh man, he got us again. Job 5.13 says that God catches the wise in their own craftiness, and that the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end. And so the religious leaders had nothing to say. Divine wisdom had shattered their human cunning, leaving them marveling at his brilliance. Yet still, well, God’s heart continues to harden their hearts. They harden their own hearts as well. And as we examine our own lives in light of this passage, there are three practical realities that we have to confront ourselves based on this passage. First, we have to examine the authenticity of your faith. Examine the authenticity of your faith. And I ask that question where I pose that statement quite a bit.<\/p>\n

Examine the authenticity of your faith. So the religious leaders in this passage were masters of external religious performance. They used theological language, carried out religious discussions, and wore the mask of piety, but their hearts were full of deceit and hatred. 2 Timothy 3.5 warns against having the appearance of godliness while denying its power. You know, as Christians, we can have that Christian exterior. We can sound like a Christian. We can speak like a Christian. We can even act like Christians. However, in the inside, we can be unsafe, right? There are quite a few people, quite a few people who go to churches, who just come to church just to check the box that they went to church. But then inside, they are filthy. You know, they’re like filthy rags to the Lord. Because they’re just plain Christian instead of actually being a Christian.<\/p>\n

You know, we need to, you need to ask yourself honestly, are you wearing a mask? Do you profess Christ on Sunday while living an unrepentant, compromise, compromising life from Monday through Saturday? Right? Do you just come here on Sunday and be Christian? And then Monday through Saturday, you go back to being who you truly are. God doesn’t care about religious splatter. Proverbs 21.2 tells us that every way of man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the hearts. Repentant of externalism and ask God for genuine inward transformation. Is your life being transformed from the inside out? Or are you still living a life according to the world, according to the culture? Secondly, live as responsible, law-abiding citizens who honor God. Live as responsible, law-abiding citizens who honor God. So as believers, we should be the most honest taxpayers, the most diligent employees, and the most law-abiding citizens in our communities.<\/p>\n

When we pay our taxes, respect civil authorities, and conduct ourselves with integrity, we silence the accusations of the unbelieving world, because they’re watching us. Titus 3 verses 1 and 2 instructed that. Right? And Colossians chapter 3 tells us to work as if we’re working for the Lord. So don’t use your Christian liberty as a cover for civic rebellion or ethical corner cutting. We need to pray for our government. We need to obey the laws. Thirdly, recognize where your ultimate allegiance lies. Recognize where your ultimate allegiance lies. So while we render to Caesar the things that belong to Caesar, we must never give Caesar what belongs exclusively to God. Your conscience, your moral convictions, and your eternal destiny belongs to Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We can never compromise that. We should never compromise that. If the state or the government tells us to not go to church, we go to church.<\/p>\n

We live in an increasingly secular culture that continually pressures Christians to bow to the idols of modern ideologies. When the demands of society for the state conflict with the clear, authoritative word of God, our allegiance is severed. We serve King Jesus first, last, and always. We can’t compromise. If the law tells us to do something that is against what God is telling us to do, I guess we break the law. So when you consider Jesus’ words, render to God the things that are God’s, you’re brought face to face with the crushing reality of your own sin. God demands total, unbroken obedience. He created us in His image to reflect His holiness. Love Him with all your heart and glorify Him with every thought, word, and deed. Do you do that 100% of the time? Do you try? We’re going to fail, regardless. But every single one of us, we are going to fail. We’ve held back what rightfully belongs to God.<\/p>\n

We have lived for ourselves, worshipped, created things, rather than the Creator and He faced the divine image within us. Whether it’s money, whether it’s your job, your education, whether it’s another person. We idolize things before we worship God. Romans 3.23 reminds us that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Now according to the law of God, we’re hopelessly bankrupt debtors. And we owe debt the perfect righteousness that we cannot pay, and a penalty of eternal judgment that we cannot survive. So each and every one of us, we’ve broken the law. God’s law, that is. And so that means that if God were to judge us based on His law, strictly on His law, guess where we’re headed? To hell. And this is where the sovereign grace of the gospel shines with dazzling clarity. So what I just shared with you is bad news, but what I’m about to share with you is the good news.<\/p>\n

Jesus Christ, the perfect Son of God, came into the world and did what we could never do. He completely and perfectly rendered to God what was God’s, and He obeyed the Father in every detail, keeping the law without a single flaw. As 1 Peter 2.22 confirms that He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in His mouth. Jesus did not even think anything sinful. He was perfect in everything that He did. Then just days after this confrontation in the temple, Jesus was handed over to Pontius Pilate, the very Roman governor these spies were scheming to use. And Pilate examined Him, Jesus, and he declared three times, I find no guilt in this man. Three times he tried to let Jesus go, but the people kept yelling and screaming, crucify Him. And these were the same people who were at the gates of Jerusalem, waving palm branches, yelling out Hosanna, thinking that Jesus was going to go and conquer Rome and all other governments who opposed God.<\/p>\n

Now did they have it right? Well they did have it right, but they just had their timing wrong. Because when Jesus does come a second time, the second time, He will topple all governments. And He will be the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Heather and I were talking about that on the way here. What movement took place pretty recently about kings? The No Kings movement. And to me, that’s just Satan starting to just put it out. No kings, we don’t want any kings. Well when Jesus comes, He is the King and the ultimate King and the only King. And we are going to profess it, that Jesus is King. And we are about to be down to Him as well. Whether you are a believer or not, it’s going to happen. So by the sovereign plan and foreknowledge of God, as Acts 2.23 explains, Jesus was nailed to the Roman cross. On that cross, Jesus was not dying for His own sins. Think about that for a second.<\/p>\n

Jesus didn’t die for Himself. Remember, He didn’t sin at all. He didn’t die for His sins. He was bearing the full, unmitigated wrath of God against our rebellion. 2 Corinthians 5.21 tells us that for our sake, God made Him who knew no sin to be sin. So that in Him, we might become the righteousness of God. So all of our sins, when we put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, are put onto Jesus and then Jesus’ righteousness gets put onto our account. So when God looks at us, He no longer sees our wickedness, but rather He sees the righteousness of Jesus on us. So on the cross, Jesus cried out, It is finished. What was finished? Him doing the work for us. Right? Dying for sin. The Greek word He used was an accounting term that meant paid in full. Salvation is not about us bringing our meager good works to God to pay it our own way like these false religions do.<\/p>\n

You need to do all of these things in order to get to God. Where we, what we are taught in the Bible is there is nothing we can do. Nothing. We are all sinners. And we are all, we would all be destined for hell if it weren’t for God’s grace and mercy in sending His Son Jesus to die for our sins. And it’s pretty simple really. If you turn away from your own self-righteousness, drop the mask of religious performance, and place your total faith in the Savior who died and rose again, God will pardon your infinite debts and stamp His seal of ownership upon your soul for all eternity. We don’t have to work for it. Now that doesn’t mean that we can say, well, since I’m saved I can do whatever I want. You can’t say that. Because when you’re truly saved, your desires change. You want to do good works. Not to be saved, but because you are saved. And that’s something we have to remember. And that’s something that we have to share with others.<\/p>\n

We’re not going to be like the Mormons. We’re not going to be like the Jehovah’s Witnesses. We’re not going to be like these other false religions that teach that you need to be good. Or we’re not going to practice syncretism. And if you went to one of the Revelations Bible studies or Sunday school, we talked about syncretism. Syncretism is when you take Jesus and you take another belief or other beliefs and you combine them together. You can’t do that. Because if you take Jesus and you put something false along with that, then it’s no longer the real gospel. If you add or remove anything from the gospel, it then becomes a false gospel. The true gospel is only what is shared in God’s Word. You can’t add anything to it. You can’t remove anything from it. Otherwise it becomes a false gospel. Thank God we have the real gospel. We can’t join any other false religions. We can’t be friends with them in regard to mixing our theology with theirs.<\/p>\n

Can we love them? Can we share the real gospel with them? Absolutely we can. We had a gentleman here one time from the LDS church. He attended here several times. He got to hear the real gospel. I wish he would have stayed. He was the one who was inviting this church to join an ecumenical gathering so that we can all be friends. We should never, ever, ever compromise. To the world, of course, it seems good. Let’s just all get together. If it were up to me, which it’s not, I would say, yeah, that makes total sense. Let’s all get together. Let’s just all be friends. Okay, yeah, you can believe that you get there by works, and we get there just by believing in Jesus. Oh, yeah, you can get there by thinking Jesus is just a prophet. We’ll just think of Him as a real God. There’s no way that can mix. You can’t mix together. You can’t mix it together. Otherwise, it becomes false.<\/p>\n

I would encourage you. Know the gospel inside and out. Know God’s Word inside and out. Read it. Study it. Understand it. Listen to Bible-based sermons. Go to a church or a Sunday school that teaches directly from the Bible. Understand it in context. When you do that, the Holy Spirit will start to reveal to you what’s real and what’s false. We will tend to want to live that way. As newer Christians, of course, we’re not going to do everything right, but as we start to mature in our faith, we will start to live the way God has wanted us to live. We’ll start to understand what it means, what adultery truly means, for instance. Yeah, committing physical adultery. Yeah, that’s pretty simple. Did you know that just looking at a woman with lust, you’ve already committed adultery in your heart with her? Did you know that? If you hate your brother, you know that you committed murder.<\/p>\n

That’s what the Bible tells us. Now that we know that, now that we understand it, we start to hopefully approach things differently. More Godly. You’re looking at the man. That’s my quote and my encouragement and my prayer is that our church, we visit another church. We have this in hand and we go in there skeptical. Skeptical. What is this guy preaching today? I mean, with love, of course. You check. You read. Afterwards, you do more studying. You say, yeah, you know what? He was right. Or, no, no, no, he kind of got it wrong. You go into it with a healthy skepticism. And that’s what we need to do on a regular basis. We want to be the bereaved. Make sure that what’s being preached and what’s being taught is correct. And then we practice it. We can’t go out and be the theologians and the pharisees and say, nope, you got that wrong and have almost that anger in your heart.<\/p>\n

Because that’s where I stood when I first really, really, really started to understand theology. And in Revelations, that was the church of Ephesus. The Ephesian church. And even though they had their doctrine right, even though they had their preaching right and they were able to root out false teaching, they lost their first love. And that was Christ. That was the love of Christ. And when you harden your heart to the correct theology and doctrine and finding false teachers and you forget about the love, then you’re going to get that letter from Jesus saying, you forgot your first love. That’s me. And so, we have to take all of what God gives us and put that into practice. Not just up here, but also in practice. Amen? Let’s go ahead and pray. Lord God, Heavenly Father, gracious and almighty God, your wisdom unmasks our hypocrisy. And your holiness exposes our hateful unworthiness.<\/p>\n

We confess that we have not rendered to you full devotion, full love and obedience that your name deserves. Father, we thank you from the depths of our hearts for the Lord Jesus Christ, who fulfilled all righteousness on our behalf and paid our insurmountable debt on the cross. Father, grant us the grace to live as faithful witnesses in this broken world, honoring earthly rulers while holding fast to your ultimate allegiance to you.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/details>\n

.<\/p>\n

\n

The Trap That Snapped Shut<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

Whose Image Do You Bear? A Summary of Pastor Joey Sampaga\u2019s Sermon on Luke 20:19\u201326<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2767 \u2726 \u2767<\/span><\/p>\n

Synopsis<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Caesar\u2019s face marked the coin; God\u2019s image is stamped on you. Pastor Joey Sampaga shows how Jesus dismantled a political trap with one sentence and turns the question on us. Pay your taxes, honor rulers, but never hand Caesar your soul. Whose image do you bear, and who owns you?<\/p>\n

Hope Beyond the Ballot Box<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Pastor Joey Sampaga stepped into the pulpit at East Valley International Church just days after the midterm elections, and he did not pretend to be unmoved. He admitted to disappointment, even anxiety, about the nation\u2019s direction, then anchored his flock in a truth no election can touch. No matter who holds the majority or occupies office, God remains seated on His throne. Psalm 103:19 declares that His kingdom rules over all. Today\u2019s political turbulence is merely birth pains pointing toward Christ\u2019s return.<\/p>\n

\u201cRegardless of the results, we have to always remember that we do not place our hope in a ballot box. We place our hope in the returning King.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n

\u2014 Pastor Joey Sampaga<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Christians should still vote for leaders most aligned with Scripture, and in God\u2019s providence the morning\u2019s text addressed exactly this divide between human government and divine authority.<\/p>\n

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The Setting: A Death Trap in the Temple<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Exposed the week before as wicked tenants of God\u2019s vineyard (Luke 20:9\u201318), the religious leaders are enraged. They shift from theological debate to political sabotage. What unfolds in the temple courtyard, Pastor Joey explained, is not an honest inquiry into civic duty but a carefully engineered trap designed to destroy the Son of God.<\/p>\n

\u201cHuman politics or political cunning is utterly defenseless against divine wisdom.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n

\u2014 Pastor Joey Sampaga<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Caesar\u2019s Tax and Caesar\u2019s Coin<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

In AD 6, Rome deposed Herod Archelaus, placed Judea under direct Roman rule, and imposed an annual poll tax. Outrage followed. Judas of Galilee led a revolt calling the tribute treason against God; Rome crushed it, but resentment simmered. Worse, the tax was paid with a silver denarius bearing Tiberius\u2019s image, proclaiming him son of the divine Augustus and high priest. To a pious Jew, carrying that coin meant carrying an idol in violation of the second commandment.<\/p>\n

An Unholy Alliance<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Matthew and Mark reveal that Pharisees and Herodians joined forces for this ambush. The Pharisees were strict religious nationalists who hated Rome; the Herodians were political opportunists who cooperated with it. Bitter enemies under normal circumstances, they were united by one common hatred: Jesus of Nazareth, fulfilling Psalm 2:1\u20133. Pastor Joey warned that false religions will likewise unite against Christ, noting that the church had declined an interfaith gathering because Jesus alone is the way, the truth, and the life.<\/p>\n

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The Trap Is Sprung<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Masks of Piety<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Fearing the crowds, the leaders sent spies who \u201cpretended to be sincere\u201d (v. 20), the root of our word hypocrite, which originally described a stage actor wearing a mask. Their plan was cowardly: trick Jesus into a statement that could be framed as treason, and let Pilate\u2019s soldiers do the killing for them.<\/p>\n

Flattery as a Net<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

The spies opened with lavish praise. Ironically, every word was true: Jesus did teach rightly and without partiality. But as Proverbs 29:5 warns, flattery spreads a net for the feet, and John Calvin observed that wicked men often use truth as an instrument of deceit.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t flatter omniscience. God knows everything. Jesus knows everything. You can\u2019t charm the King of Glory.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n

\u2014 Pastor Joey Sampaga<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

A No-Win Question<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

\u201cIs it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar or not?\u201d From a human standpoint, the trap was flawless. Answer no, and Jesus would be reported to Pilate for inciting tax rebellion, a capital crime punishable by crucifixion. Answer yes, and the crowds would brand Him a Roman collaborator and false prophet, leaving Him isolated and easy to arrest.<\/p>\n

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The Answer That Silenced Them<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

\u201cShow Me a Denarius\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Jesus perceived their craftiness, the same word Paul uses for the serpent\u2019s deception of Eve (2 Corinthians 11:3). His simple request was itself an indictment: Jesus carried no such coin, but His accusers pulled Caesar\u2019s idolatrous money from their own pockets inside the temple precincts.<\/p>\n

Render to Caesar<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

\u201cRender\u201d means to repay a legitimate debt. The coin bore Caesar\u2019s image and belonged to his sphere. Even a flawed pagan government provides order and protection. Paul (Romans 13:1\u20137) and Peter (1 Peter 2:13\u201317) confirm it: believers pay taxes, honor authorities, pray for leaders whether they like them or not, and seek the welfare of the city where God has placed them.<\/p>\n

Render to God<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Then came the decisive clause. If the coin belongs to Caesar because it bears his image, what bears God\u2019s image? Human beings (Genesis 1:26\u201327). Give Caesar his silver; you are stamped with the image of the living God, and He demands your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. When the state commands what God forbids, we must obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29).<\/p>\n

\u201cCaesar has jurisdiction over the treasury, but Caesar does not own your soul. God does.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n

\u2014 Pastor Joey Sampaga<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The result? They marveled and fell silent. As Job 5:13 says, God catches the wise in their own craftiness.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe trap snapped shut, but the architects were the ones caught in it.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n

\u2014 Pastor Joey Sampaga<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Three Practical Realities<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

1. Examine the Authenticity of Your Faith<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

The spies mastered external religion while their hearts overflowed with hatred (2 Timothy 3:5). Are you wearing a mask, professing Christ on Sunday while living unrepentantly Monday through Saturday? The Lord weighs the heart (Proverbs 21:2).<\/p>\n

2. Live as Responsible, Law-Abiding Citizens Who Honor God<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Believers should be the most honest taxpayers, diligent employees, and law-abiding citizens in their communities, silencing the accusations of a watching world (Titus 3:1\u20132; Colossians 3:23).<\/p>\n

3. Recognize Where Your Ultimate Allegiance Lies<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Conscience, convictions, and eternal destiny belong to Jesus Christ alone. When the state demands what God forbids, such as forbidding the church to gather, we serve King Jesus first.<\/p>\n

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The Gospel: Paid in Full<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Rendering to God what is His exposes our sin. We have all withheld what belongs to Him, idolizing money, careers, education, and people (Romans 3:23), and stand as bankrupt debtors under His law. But Jesus rendered to God perfect obedience and committed no sin (1 Peter 2:22). Days later He stood before the very Pilate the spies hoped to use, who three times found no guilt in Him. On the cross, God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21), and His cry \u201cIt is finished\u201d meant paid in full. Those who drop the mask and trust Him receive His righteousness and God\u2019s seal upon their souls.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou want to do good works. Not to be saved, but because you are saved.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n

\u2014 Pastor Joey Sampaga<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Guarding the True Gospel<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Pastor Joey closed by warning against syncretism, blending Jesus with other beliefs, as practiced by works-based religions such as Mormonism and the Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses. We can love and evangelize their followers, but we can never merge theologies.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you add or remove anything from the gospel, it then becomes a false gospel.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n

\u2014 Pastor Joey Sampaga<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

He urged the congregation to know Scripture inside and out and to test every sermon like the Bereans, with loving, healthy skepticism. Yet he confessed his own past error: correct doctrine without love earns the rebuke given to Ephesus, which lost its first love. Truth must be lived, not merely known.<\/p>\n

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\n

The following is a Claude AI Exposition and Supplemental Bible Study of
\nLuke 20:10-26, from the sermon by
\nPastor Joey at East Valley International Church<\/strong><\/a>, November 8, 2026.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Rendering to Caesar, Surrendering to God<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

A Sermon and Bible Study on Luke 20:19\u201326<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

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Synopsis<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

When spies posing as sincere inquirers asked Jesus whether it was lawful to pay tribute to Caesar, they believed they had cornered Him: answer yes and lose the people, answer no and face Pilate. Jesus asked for a denarius, pointed to the emperor’s image, and replied, \u201cRender to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.\u201d This study of Luke 20:19\u201326 explores the setting, the coin’s imperial claims, and the Christian’s duty to civil authority. Its point is personal: the coin bears Caesar’s image, but we bear God’s, and He claims all of us.<\/p>\n

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The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people. So they watched him and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might catch him in something he said, to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor. So they asked him, \u201cTeacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?\u201d But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, \u201cShow me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?\u201d They said, \u201cCaesar’s.\u201d He said to them, \u201cThen render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.\u201d And they were not able in the presence of the people to catch him in what he said, but marveling at his answer they became silent.<\/i><\/p>\n

\u2014 Luke 20:19\u201326 (ESV)<\/b><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

A Coin in the Temple Courts<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

Reach into your pocket and pull out a coin if you still own one. Turn it over in your fingers. On one side, you will likely find the face of a man who once led the nation, and somewhere near the rim, the words \u201cIn God We Trust.\u201d Most of us handle money every day without a thought about what is stamped on it. Yet one ordinary silver coin, held up in the temple courts of Jerusalem during the last week of Jesus’ earthly ministry, became the occasion for one of the most profound sentences ever spoken about God, government, and the human soul.<\/p>\n

The question put to Jesus that day was designed to destroy Him. The answer He gave not only escaped the trap; it exposed the hearts of His questioners and placed a claim on everyone who has heard it since. \u201cRender to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.\u201d Many have quoted the first half of that sentence to settle debates about taxes and the separation of church and state. Far fewer have reckoned with the second half, which is where the full weight of Jesus’ words falls.<\/p>\n

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A Trap Laid in the Shadow of a Parable<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

Luke 20:19\u201320<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

Luke places this encounter immediately after the parable of the wicked tenants (Luke 20:9\u201318), in which Jesus described vinedressers who beat the owner’s servants and finally murdered his beloved son. The religious leaders understood exactly whom He meant. They \u201cperceived that he had told this parable against them\u201d (v. 19).<\/p>\n

Their response is telling. Convicted by the truth, they did not repent; they plotted. Unable to arrest Jesus openly because of His popularity with the Passover crowds, they turned to subterfuge. They \u201csent spies, who pretended to be sincere\u201d (v. 20). The Greek verb translated \u201cpretended\u201d (hypokrinomai<\/i>) is the root of our word hypocrite<\/i>, a term drawn from the ancient stage, where actors spoke from behind masks. These men came wearing the mask of earnest inquirers. Their real aim was to hand Jesus over to Pontius Pilate, the Roman prefect, who alone held the power of capital punishment in Judea.<\/p>\n

Mark and Matthew identify the questioners as Pharisees and Herodians (Mark 12:13; Matthew 22:15\u201316), an unlikely alliance. The Pharisees resented Roman rule and the taxes that came with it, while the Herodians supported a dynasty that depended on Rome’s favor. Men who agreed on almost nothing politically found common ground in their hostility toward Jesus. It is a pattern that recurs throughout history: the world’s rival factions will often lay aside their differences to oppose the claims of Christ.<\/p>\n

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Flattery Baited with a Hook<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

Luke 20:21\u201322<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

The spies began with flattery: \u201cTeacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God\u201d (v. 21). The irony is striking. Every word they said about Jesus was true, yet none of them believed it. They praised His impartiality to box Him in. A man who shows no partiality, they reasoned, could not soften his answer to please either the crowd or the governor.<\/p>\n

Then came the hook: \u201cIs it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?\u201d (v. 22). The word \u201ctribute\u201d (phoros<\/i>) refers to the direct tax Rome levied on its subject peoples, a hated symbol of occupation. In AD 6, when Rome took direct control of Judea and ordered a census, Judas the Galilean led a revolt on the principle that God alone was Israel’s master and that paying tribute to Caesar betrayed Him (Acts 5:37; Josephus, Antiquities<\/i> 18.1.1). The revolt was crushed, but the sentiment smoldered for decades and would erupt again in the war that ended with Jerusalem’s destruction in AD 70.<\/p>\n

Why the Question Was a Trap<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

The question was framed so that either answer seemed to doom Jesus:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • If He said yes,<\/b><\/span> He would appear to endorse pagan domination and lose the confidence of a crowd that longed for deliverance from Rome. Could the Messiah urge God’s people to fund their oppressors?<\/li>\n
  • If He said no,<\/b><\/span> the spies would have exactly what they needed to report Him to Pilate as a seditionist who forbade payment of Roman taxes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    The second outcome was not hypothetical. Within days His accusers would stand before Pilate and claim, falsely, \u201cWe found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar\u201d (Luke 23:2). The lie they told at His trial was the very answer they had hoped to pry from His lips here.<\/p>\n

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    Whose Image Is This?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

    Luke 20:23\u201325<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

    Luke writes that Jesus \u201cperceived their craftiness\u201d (v. 23). The word panourgia<\/i> describes cunning, a readiness to do anything to get one’s way. Paul uses the same word for the serpent’s deception of Eve (2 Corinthians 11:3). Jesus saw through the mask at once.<\/p>\n

    Rather than answer immediately, He asked for a visual aid: \u201cShow me a denarius\u201d (v. 24). The denarius was a silver coin worth about a day’s wage for a laborer, and it was the coin in which the tribute was paid. Notice that Jesus did not produce one Himself. His questioners did, and they did so in the temple courts. Some devout Jews found such coins offensive because of the image they carried, yet the men posing as scrupulous defenders of God’s law had Caesar’s money ready to hand in God’s house.<\/p>\n

    The denarius most likely in circulation was minted under Tiberius. Its face bore the emperor’s portrait with an abbreviated Latin inscription meaning \u201cTiberius Caesar, son of the divine Augustus, Augustus.\u201d The reverse carried the title Pontifex Maximus<\/i>, \u201chigh priest.\u201d The coin was not merely currency. It was a small piece of imperial propaganda claiming divine ancestry and religious authority for the emperor.<\/p>\n

    \u201cWhose likeness and inscription does it have?\u201d Jesus asked. They answered, \u201cCaesar’s.\u201d Then came the reply that has echoed for two thousand years: \u201cThen render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s\u201d (v. 25).<\/p>\n

    The verb matters. The spies had asked whether it was lawful to give<\/i> (did\u014dmi<\/i>) tribute. Jesus answered with a stronger word, apodid\u014dmi<\/i>, which means to give back, to pay what is owed. The coin bore Caesar’s image, came from Caesar’s mint, and circulated within the order Caesar’s government maintained. Returning it in taxes was not idolatry but simple obligation. Yet in the same breath Jesus stripped the inscription of its pretensions. Caesar was owed his coin. He was not owed worship. His claim to be the son of a god and the world’s high priest was quietly set aside by the One who truly is the Son of God and our great High Priest.<\/p>\n

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    Rendering to Caesar<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

    Jesus’ answer establishes a principle the apostles would develop in their letters: civil government has a real, God-ordained sphere of authority. Paul writes, \u201cPay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed\u201d (Romans 13:7). Peter, writing during Nero’s reign, says simply, \u201cHonor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor\u201d (1 Peter 2:17).<\/p>\n

    These men were not naive about the abuse of power; both would eventually die at Rome’s hands. Yet they understood that ordinary civic duties, such as paying taxes, obeying just laws, and respecting those in authority, are part of a believer’s faithfulness, not a compromise of it. A Christian who cheats on his taxes or treats every official with contempt does not display superior spirituality. He disobeys Christ.<\/p>\n

    But Jesus’ words also draw a boundary. Notice the order of Peter’s command: \u201cFear God. Honor the emperor.\u201d The emperor receives honor; God alone receives fear. When Caesar demands what belongs only to God, whether worship, ultimate allegiance, or obedience that requires sin, believers answer as the apostles did before the Sanhedrin: \u201cWe must obey God rather than men\u201d (Acts 5:29). The early church paid Rome’s taxes, yet when the aged bishop Polycarp was urged to say \u201cCaesar is Lord\u201d and save his life, he refused and was put to death (Martyrdom of Polycarp<\/i> 8\u20139). He rendered to Caesar what was Caesar’s and refused to render him what was not.<\/p>\n

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    Surrendering to God<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

    If the coin belongs to Caesar because it bears his image, the obvious next question is this: what bears God’s image? The answer appears on the first page of Scripture.<\/p>\n

    So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.<\/i><\/p>\n

    \u2014 Genesis 1:27 (ESV)<\/b><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Jesus’ hearers knew this text well, and the connection could hardly be missed. Caesar’s face was stamped on silver; God’s image is stamped on human beings. The early church saw this clearly. Tertullian, writing around AD 200, explained Christ’s meaning as giving Caesar his image on the coin and giving God His image in man (On Idolatry<\/i> 15). The coin goes to Caesar. You go to God.<\/p>\n

    Here the passage presses beyond politics into the deepest places of the heart. Caesar can take your money. He cannot claim your soul. God, however, claims all of you, because you bear His likeness and inscription. \u201cThe earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein\u201d (Psalm 24:1). Even Caesar, for all his claims to divinity, was a man made in God’s image and accountable to Him.<\/p>\n

    That is why the title of this study joins two words. Rendering<\/i> to Caesar means paying a portion. Surrendering<\/i> to God means giving the whole. Paul put it this way: \u201cpresent your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship\u201d (Romans 12:1).<\/p>\n

    The tragedy of the spies is that they were careful about a coin and careless about their souls. They came to debate a tax and never considered that the image of God in them had been defaced by sin and needed restoring. That restoration is exactly what the gospel offers. Through faith in Christ, who is \u201cthe image of the invisible God\u201d (Colossians 1:15), believers \u201care being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another\u201d (2 Corinthians 3:18). The image marred in Eden is being renewed in Christ.<\/p>\n

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    The Silence of the Spies<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

    Luke 20:26<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

    Luke closes the scene simply. The spies \u201cwere not able in the presence of the people to catch him in what he said, but marveling at his answer they became silent\u201d (v. 26). The men who came to trap Jesus left trapped by the truth. They marveled, but marveling is not believing. Amazement that never leads to surrender is only a more sophisticated form of unbelief.<\/p>\n

    Many people respond to Jesus the same way today. They admire His wisdom, quote His sayings, and praise His moral teaching, but they never bow to His lordship. The silence of the spies is a warning: it is possible to be impressed by Jesus and still be lost.<\/p>\n

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    Living as Those Who Bear His Image<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

    How should followers of Christ live in light of this passage? Several practical implications follow:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • Be a faithful citizen.<\/b><\/span> Pay your taxes honestly, obey just laws, and speak of those in authority with respect, even when you disagree with them. Your conduct commends the gospel (1 Peter 2:12).<\/li>\n
    • Keep Caesar in his place.<\/b><\/span> No party, leader, or nation deserves the trust and devotion that belong to God alone. Hope in politics is a poor substitute for hope in Christ.<\/li>\n
    • Honor the image of God in others.<\/b><\/span> Every person you meet, including the political opponent, the stranger, and the prisoner, bears God’s likeness and deserves dignity.<\/li>\n
    • Give God the whole, not a portion.<\/b><\/span> God does not ask for a tithe of your heart. He asks for all of it.<\/li>\n
    • Answer honestly, not cleverly.<\/b><\/span> Jesus’ enemies used words as weapons. His followers speak the truth plainly and in love (Ephesians 4:15).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

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      Citations<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

      The Holy Bible, English Standard Version<\/i><\/strong><\/span>.<\/strong> <\/span>Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2001. Scripture quotations are from the ESV\u00ae Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version\u00ae), copyright \u00a9 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
      \nBock, Darrell L. <\/strong><\/span>Luke 9:51\u201324:53<\/i>.<\/strong> <\/span>Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1996.
      \nJosephus, Flavius. <\/strong><\/span>Jewish Antiquities<\/i> 18.1.1.<\/strong> <\/span>In The Works of Josephus<\/i>, translated by William Whiston. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1987.
      \nThe Martyrdom of Polycarp<\/i><\/strong><\/span> 8\u20139.<\/strong> <\/span>In The Apostolic Fathers<\/i>, edited and translated by Michael W. Holmes. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007.
      \nTertullian. <\/strong><\/span>On Idolatry<\/i><\/span> 15.<\/strong> <\/span>In Ante-Nicene Fathers<\/i>, vol. 3, edited by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1994.<\/span><\/p>\n

      \n

      Colophon:<\/strong><\/span> Researched and drafted with the assistance of Claude (Anthropic) as a scholarly research collaborator. <\/em><\/span>The author<\/span> retains full editorial authority over the final text.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      . Here is\u00a0the full transcript\u00a0[Click HERE to close] – Good morning. Before I get started, I just wanted to mention a few things. Let’s keep Kuya Ed and John, John Q, in our prayers. They’re going through health problems, so keep them in prayer. And pray for those who are traveling. And just a reminder,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[46,172,57],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9270","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-christianity","category-e-v-i-c-study-notes","category-religion"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9270","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9270"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9270\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9274,"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9270\/revisions\/9274"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9270"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9270"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novus2.com\/righteouscause\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9270"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}