SUNDAY SERVICE [5/31/26] - Stumped by the Savior (Part 2)

Luke 20 sets a trap and shows Christ step through it without a scratch. The alliance that forms around the question is unholy and unlikely, Pharisees and Herodians now shoulder to shoulder, soon enough the Sadducees too, all for the wrong reason, a shared hatred of Jesus. The flattery drips first, teacher, you speak rightly, you teach the way of God, then the snare is sprung, is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not. The question is designed as a lose lose, if yes, he looks like a Roman stooge, if no, he looks like a seditious rebel. Jesus sees the craftiness, asks for a denarius, and makes the coin preach. Whose likeness and inscription, Caesar’s. Then comes the line that shuts their mouths, render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.

The coin carries Caesar’s image, so Caesar may claim the coin. Genesis 1 announces God’s image on man, so God claims the person. The Greek word in Jesus’ question, akone, image, reaches all the way back to creation, and the implication hits home, what bears Caesar’s likeness goes back to Caesar, what bears God’s likeness goes back to God. Taxes belong to civil life, honor and respect belong to governing authority by office, Paul says as much in Romans 13, Peter echoes it in 1 Peter 2. But the bigger claim is divine, the heart, the mind, the worship, the money, the body, the politics, the whole person stamped by God belongs to God.

First Samuel 17 puts a human face on the universal dislike of taxes. Saul promises riches, a royal daughter, and tax exemption to anyone who will take down the giant, and rewards clearly matter. Yet David’s driving aim is the glory of the Lord of hosts, not a break from the taxman. That thread runs forward to Jesus, who pays taxes willingly in Matthew 17, and who, as the Lord who instituted offerings in Exodus 30, stands above Caesar while submitting within Caesar’s world.

The manner of Christ here is as instructive as his answer. The question is malicious, the plot is thick, yet he refuses revenge and shows restraint. Mercy toward enemies outstrips retaliation, and grace lands hardest where it is least deserved. A Philadelphia anecdote from the Revolution throws light on the ethic, a pastor walks 70 miles to plead for the life of his bitterest enemy, and a pardon is signed. Jesus models that nobility in real time, he exposes hypocrisy without cruelty, he answers with wisdom, and he calls image bearers to give God what carries God’s mark, themselves.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Render what bears its image The coin bears Caesar’s likeness, so civil dues go back to civil authority. The person bears God’s image, so the whole self belongs to God without remainder. The question about tax becomes a summons about worship and ownership. Identity drives obligation, image determines destination. [58:59]
• 2. Mercy outmuscles vengeance in strength Christ reads malice and still refuses to retaliate, choosing wise candor over payback. True strength is self controlled mercy, not the rush of getting even. Grace lands with the greatest force when it meets the least deserving. Kingdom nobility shows up when obedience is costly. [73:10]
• 3. Alliance against truth cannot stand Pharisees, Herodians, and later Sadducees unite in an unholy coalition, yet their trap collapses under one sentence. Shared hatred may forge a momentary bond, but it cannot overcome the clarity of God’s wisdom. Cynical strategy always underestimates the Word that reads hearts. [48:25]
• 4. Civic duty bows to divine claim Jesus affirms legitimate government and the paying of taxes, yet he lifts the issue into first things, God’s claim on God’s people. Honor the office, fulfill the due, but do not mistake Caesar for Lord. When priorities are straight, obedience in both realms stops competing. [58:19]
• 5. Rewards matter, glory leads the way Saul dangles tax exemption and riches, and Scripture does not blush to name the rewards. Yet David burns for the honor of the Lord of hosts, not a lighter bill. Desire finds its proper order when God’s fame outruns personal gain. Glory reorders every lesser incentive. [28:39]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [19:31] - Climbing the hill of ascents
• [20:41] - Texts opened, 1 Samuel 17 and Luke 20
• [22:57] - Missions vision and cultivating missionaries
• [24:59] - Indonesia trip and missional focus
• [26:52] - Reading David and Goliath
• [28:39] - David’s confession, the battle is the Lord’s
• [33:48] - Jesus pays taxes willingly
• [36:34] - Turning to taxation in Luke 20
• [39:15] - Reading Luke 20:19-26
• [44:40] - The alliance, Pharisees and Herodians
• [51:41] - The adulation, flattery before the trap
• [54:46] - The ambush and Christ’s answer
• [58:59] - Whose image, the claim of God
• [62:25] - Give God what bears his mark
• [63:40] - Mercy story, Peter Miller and Whitman
• [72:10] - Enemies unmasked, grace over revenge
• [76:45] - Sovereign over government, yet submitting
• [78:08] - Prayer and sending out

1. What two groups formed an alliance to trap Jesus, and why was their partnership unusual? [44:40]
2. How did Jesus’ question about the denarius (“Whose likeness and inscription does it have?”) connect to the creation account in Genesis? [58:59]
3. What practical examples from the sermon show Jesus’ refusal to retaliate against His enemies, even when they acted with malice? [01:13:10]

1. Why did Jesus’ answer (“Render to Caesar… and to God…”) silence His critics, and how did it redefine the priorities of His followers?
2. The sermon linked Caesar’s image on coins to God’s image on humans. What does this imply about how and why we belong entirely to God?
3. The story of David and Goliath highlighted Saul’s offer of tax exemption as a reward. How does David’s focus on God’s glory challenge our motivations for obedience today? [28:39]

1. What practical steps can you take to ensure your civic responsibilities (taxes, voting, etc.) don’t overshadow your ultimate allegiance to God?
2. When have you been tempted to retaliate against someone who wronged you? How might Jesus’ response in Luke 20 reshape your approach to conflict? [01:12:10]
3. The sermon mentioned “unholy alliances” formed by shared hatred. Are there areas in your life where compromise or bitterness has clouded your commitment to truth? How can you address this?
4. David prioritized God’s glory over personal gain. What rewards (approval, comfort, success) compete for your heart’s focus, and how can you reorient your desires toward God’s fame? [28:39]
5. The story of Peter Miller’s mercy toward his enemy required costly obedience. Is there someone in your life who needs grace they don’t deserve? What would it look like to extend Christ-like mercy to them? [01:07:02]