Good morning. We'll continue our series through the Gospel of Luke, so if you'll open your Bibles to Luke, Chapter 20, we'll be looking today at Luke, Chapter 20, verses 1 through 26. The sermon today is entitled, By One Authority, concerning Jesus's kingdom authority that he reveals clearly today in this passage from Luke, Chapter 20. So we'll be reading Luke 20, verses 1 through 26. Hear God's Word. One day, as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up and said to him, Tell us, by what authority do you do these things? Or who is it that gave you this authority? He answered them, I also will ask you a question. Now, tell me, was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? And they discussed it with one another, saying, if we say from heaven, he will say, why do you not believe him? But if we say from man, all of the people will stone us to death for they're convinced that John was a prophet. So they answered that they did not know where it came from, and Jesus said to them, Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things. And he began to tell the people this parable. A man planted a vineyard and let it out to tenants and went into another country for a long while. When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants so that they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty handed. And he sent another servant, but they also beat him and treated him shamefully. and sent him away empty-handed. And he sent yet a third, this one also they wounded and cast out. Then the owner of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. Perhaps they will respect him. But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, This is the heir. Let's kill him so that the inheritance may be ours. And they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others. When they heard this, they said, surely not. But he said, or he looked directly at them and he said, what then is this that is written? The stone that the builders rejected has become the capstone. Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces. And when it falls on anyone, it will crush him. 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 they sent spies who pretended to be sincere that they may catch him in something he said so as to deliver him over to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor. 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's. And they were not able in the presence of the people to catch him and what he said. But marveling at his answer, they became silent. Thus ends the reading of God's word. Let us pray. Our father, our God, we thank you for the risen ascended Christ at your right hand. We thank you for wisdom incarnate that we see in this passage today. We thank you for the messianic king and prophet and priest whom you've sent your beloved son to save your people. Help us, O Lord, to hear him this day. Help us, O Lord, to be free from distractions, from our cares, and from the world, the flesh, and the devil, and help us to focus in on what the risen, ascended Christ would say to his people this day. We pray these things in Jesus' name. Amen. As we approach Luke 20, let's be reminded of the context. Jesus has entered triumphantly as the Messianic King into Jerusalem. He's entered Jerusalem triumphantly riding on a donkey to extend peace to all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As Jesus enters Jerusalem, he weeps over the city, as we heard in our last sermon. He pronounces a judgment through his weeping because of the unbelief of Jerusalem in the Messianic prophet. Jesus also, in the passage last week, reveals himself in the larger context as the Messianic priest who comes to cleanse the temple and teach the people the truth of the scriptures. Now that Jesus has entered Jerusalem, revealing himself as Messianic prophet, priest, and king, his authority is questioned by the rulers and teachers of Israel who make up what was known as the Sanhedrin. It's important to be reminded that although Jesus has predicted that Jerusalem and her temple will be destroyed. Nevertheless, the good news is that God's vineyard will continue to flourish. The tenants of the vineyard will be destroyed, but not the vineyard itself. Those who believe in the messianic prophet, priest, and king will find in Jesus the cornerstone of a new temple built on the foundation of Jesus, the apostles, and the prophets. Now, as Jesus willingly submits himself to his father in his ministry, his authority is not only inherent because he's equal with God, but it's also derived from the father. Jesus is God's mouthpiece, like the prophets before him. But he's also he speaks as God himself because he's equal to God. Jesus Christ is a unique person who is both God and man. And we want to be reminded of that today as he answers the questions concerning his authority. You see, Jesus had accepted praise from men from Psalm 118 in our last sermon. He had extended to himself the fulfillment of Psalm 18 and allowed the people to say, blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. He had wept over Jerusalem in his authority as a prophet of God and pronounced in prediction the end of Jerusalem and her temple. And he has taken it upon himself to cleanse the temple. All these things he's done because of the authority the Father had given to him. And so the Israelite leaders, Send members of the Sanhedrin come up to Jesus in this passage to question why, who gave you authority? We surely didn't. We do want to understand that if Jesus didn't have the rightful authority to do the things he did in his ministry, he was blatantly audacious and blasphemous. No mere prophet could do what Jesus did and say what Jesus said. But you see, he was God and he had God's authority to do all of the things that he did, and all of the things that he said in his teaching were authoritative from God. Look at verse 1. The passage begins in this larger context by saying, one day, Luke says, Jesus was teaching the people in the temple, and he says particularly he was preaching the gospel. We want to appreciate this, people of God, for a few, literally for a few days. There are glorious days as the true temple of God. Jesus Christ himself teaches and preaches in the typological temple that's passing away. This is good news. Jesus is in the temple. He's the true temple, as we've seen in past sermons. And this temple is truly teaching the people and preaching the gospel. And what's the content of this gospel sermon? How do we know what's the content? Luke doesn't record the actual sermon for us. So how do we know it? We should remember that Jesus's message has always been about the gospel of the kingdom. And as it's here in this passage, the preaching of the gospel is more pronounced the gospel of the kingdom. What does that mean? Well, it means that the content of the message of the gospel of the kingdom is how Jesus Christ fulfills and is at the heart of all of the Old Testament scriptures. That's the gospel. He's preaching about himself, the true temple in the typological temple in Jerusalem, in the temple that served as a type for a particular time period in redemptive history. So right before the people's eyes in these few glorious days where the glory of God has returned to the temple, they're hearing the gospel. And type is giving way to fulfillment in Jesus Christ. And in the midst of this glorious good news that's being pronounced by God in the flesh, there's more opposition from the leaders and the teachers in Israel. Listen, Jesus Christ is bringing good news. He's bringing the gospel of himself to the temple. You see, in cleansing the temple, Jesus didn't merely just get rid of what didn't belong there. He put in place what should be there, the preaching of the gospel to Jews and Gentiles who believe. So he's cleansed the temple. He's taken away what shouldn't have been there in the court of the Gentiles, and he's preaching so that the temple is now fulfilling the purpose of God while men hear the gospel and learn to worship him in spirit and truth. In the midst of the preaching, he's interrupted. The leaders of Israel want to know his credentials. Where did you get your authority to do these things, he said, they ask in verse two. Now, the reason they're asking them in front of everyone is a social undermining. The people know that they're the leaders of Israel. Jesus, his popularity and influence is too much for them to bear. So they're asking him in front for all to hear. We just prove of you who gave you this authority. The implicit implication, the implication is we didn't. What's the intent of this question, where did you get your authority? Here's what they're asking. Why did you allow your followers to use messianic Psalms as you enter Jerusalem? Why did you accept praise that belonged only to God? Psalm 118 is directed to Yahweh. They're asking, why did you take it upon yourself to cleanse this temple when you're not one of the temple authorities? You're not a member of the Sanhedrin. They're asking him, why are you teaching and preaching in our temple? Tell us by what authority you do this teaching and preaching. We have not authorized you. It's important to know who the Sanhedrin was at this time. The men who approached Jesus, as verse one tells us, were specifically the chief priests, the scribes and the elders of Israel. These were the men who made up the Sanhedrin, three groups that were representatives of the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin was the supreme Jewish religious, political, and legal council or assembly that met in Jerusalem. At times, in Jesus' time, in times, at least theoretically, the Jerusalem Sanhedrin sphere of authority extended over all spiritual, political, and legal affairs of the Jews. Because of this sphere of authority, they're very cautious And they want to know from where Jesus's authority came from. You see, if these men had authority and Jesus was not recognized by them as authoritative, where did he get his authority? Now, as we read in other texts this morning, I won't read them all again. I'll remind you what Dr. Luke has already told us about Jesus's authority and that the authority that many in the crowds saw by faith. I'll remind you that In Jesus's teaching back in Luke 4, when the people heard his teaching, they were astonished. In our passage last week, the passage ended in chapter 19 with the people listening to Jesus's teaching and his authority and hanging on to every word that came out of his mouth. We're told, as Jesus says himself to the teachers earlier in Luke chapter 5, the Son of Man, speaking of himself, has the authority to forgive sins. Only God can forgive sins, and yet the Son of Man has authority. We find out that Jesus has been given authority by God himself because he also is God. So Jesus counters the Sanhedrin's question brilliantly here in verse three. He asked them, where did John's baptism come from? And he's speaking of John the Baptist. Where did that baptism come from? So he says, oh, I'll ask you a question. Let me remain in charge. I am God. I'm the great rabbi teacher. Where did John's baptism come from? So Jesus boils the Sanhedrin's intent in their question down to either John's authority is from God or it's from man. Jesus refers to John the Baptist. Why? Because he was the prophetic forerunner of Messiah, who pointed to Christ Jesus as the Messiah, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. Now, you can appreciate the grace of God, even though we know John's dead at this point in Jesus's ministry. John still speaks through this question. John still is used by the Lord. to point forward to Jesus, the Lamb of God, here in this passage. It's a beautiful, beautiful reminder that even though dead, John the Baptist still speaks here through Jesus' question. You see, Jesus has had prophetic witness to himself and his ministry by one who was called, commissioned, and sent with prophetic authority from God, that is, John the Baptist. And the people understand that Jesus has not merely witnessed to his own authority, although that would not be wrong. He's had a witness to himself as messianic prophet, priest and king. You remember in John one six, it says right in the beginning of John's gospel, there was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to bear witness about the light that all might believe through him. John one thirty four, when he sees Jesus, he says, and I've seen it have borne witness that this is the son of God. So Jesus is asking his questioners, if John the Baptist bore prophetic witness to me, then why do you not believe and accept my authority from God? You see, we should be reminded that when John came preaching the wilderness, many in Israel believed they repented. And they were prepared. And only three years prior, they had been baptized with the baptism of John. Some of them still recall that moment of being baptized by John. But you'll remember earlier in Luke, something that Luke tells us very importantly in chapter 7, verse 29, the Pharisees and the lawyers, that is, the leaders or teachers of Israel, rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized. by John. So the representatives of the Sanhedrin discuss amongst themselves in verses five through seven, how do they respond to this question? How do we respond about John's baptism? You see, the hunters who want to trap Jesus become the hunted here. If they answer in the affirmative that John the Baptist had real prophetic authority given by God from heaven, then they'd be accountable to his message as teachers. You see, Jesus will then ask if they say, yes, John's baptism was from heaven. Jesus say, well, why didn't you repent? Why didn't you? Why weren't you baptized? And why aren't you submitting to me as the messianic prophet he pointed to? Why aren't you trusting in the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world then? You see, if the representatives of the Sanhedrin, on the other hand, answer that John's baptism was merely from man, that is earthly, that is, his authority was his own and not God's. than the people who did realize that he was a prophet would stone him. They're on the horns of a dilemma here. You see, he would be stoned. They would be stoned because they would be believing in one who had pointed not to the Messiah, but to a wrong messianic figure. They can't say that John's baptism is of man because that would mean that John missed And Christ was not a true prophet. Remember, verse six says very clearly, the people were convinced that John was a prophet. And so how do they answer in verse seven? We don't know, we're not sure whether John's baptism is from heaven or or is for man. All of a sudden, the great and knowledgeable teachers of Israel become agnostics. Here we don't know is the classic, yet lame, bureaucratic no comment. It's as we would say, they're taking the fifth. But what kind of teachers are these? What kind of teachers are these? The teachers of Israel are to be good shepherds over God's flock. As Ezekiel 34 had taught them, if John was a true prophet sent from God, then why weren't they encouraging people to receive his baptism and repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand? You see, if John was a false prophet, then why aren't they warning the people of that fact? What kind of teachers are these? No comment. We don't know. These are spineless men who sought to cover their own wickedness with their bureaucratic double speak. And so they have this convenient agnosticism that Jesus responds to and says, neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things. And Luke 1944 should echo in our ears because you did not know the time of your visitation. And Jesus wins the first round of this theological battle that will continue between him and Israel's teachers. And Jesus doesn't just stop there, he tells a parable that will offend the people greatly and will be fully understood by the teachers of Israel. He begins by telling the parable, the wicked tenants in verse nine. I want you to understand that he's telling the parable of the wicked tenants to rebuke and indict the teachers of Israel for disobeying and rejecting God's authority in Jesus Christ. We should note that part of Jesus' authority is revealed in his telling of this parable. No mere prophet could tell a parable like this. The parable, as we read from our scripture lesson earlier, the parable is based on Isaiah chapter 5, where Israel is called the Vine. And in Isaiah 5, verse 7, as Elder Davis pointed out this morning, We have the vineyard or the vine being judged, coming under judgment. It says in chapter five, verse seven, the vineyard of the Lord, a host is the house of Israel and the men of Judah are the pleasant planting. And he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed for righteousness. But behold, an outcry. This is the foundation, this is the background we want to understand in Jesus's mind in telling the story. What is the story's content? Well, I could reread the parable. Let me give you just an overview of the content, while also at the same time interpreting the parable. A man, which represents God the Father, planted a vineyard and for a long time let it out to tenants. These tenants are the teachers or leaders or shepherds of Israel. The master had lent it out to the tenants so that the fruit might be born for the master. This is in many ways the entire story of the Old Testament Jesus is telling here. When a servant of the master came to receive the rightful fruit that belonged to the owner, the tenants beat the first servant and sent him away. The servant represents the prophets. Servants were, the prophets were many times called servants or literally slaves or bond, bond servants of Yahweh. And Jesus is speaking of the first one was the prophet that was sent. The tenants rejected the authority of the master and the first sent servant, that is the prophet. So the master sent another servant or prophet. They beat him, they treated him shamelessly, and they sent him away, rejecting the authority of the master again. The third servant came, they wounded him, and cast him out, rejecting the authority of the master again. So the master decided he'd send his beloved son. And again, we don't want to press a parable too far into thinking that this is somehow revealing God, as if he doesn't know the end from the beginning, or that he's somehow not omniscient. The point Jesus is making here is just that In this soliloquy fashion, in this way of soliloquy or speaking to himself, the master asks, I guess I'll just send my son, my beloved. So the master decides to send his beloved son with hopes that the tenants will respect him. We want to be reminded that the beloved son is Jesus Christ. We remember right from the very beginning when Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist. What is the revelation of the father from heaven that this is my beloved son? What was the revelation of God when Jesus showed his glory at the transfiguration on the mount in Luke nine? But this is my son. Listen to him. So it's very clear that Jesus is the beloved son. But how did the tenants respond to the beloved son? The tenants showed their disregard and disobedience again to the authority of the master. And it's important to note that they did realize that this was the beloved son. They're indicted for exchanging the truth of God for a lie, for knowing the truth and suppressing that truth. Watch that one. Jesus in the parable says that they had every bit of knowledge that this was the heir. That's why they wanted to kill him. They killed him. They threw him out of the vineyard that rightly belonged to him. And so Jesus then asked for all to ponder the parable in verse 15b. Notice what he says. He says, what then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? Ponder that he's asking, what would what should the master do to these wicked tenants who have produced no fruit in the master's vineyard, who disobeyed and rejected three of his servants who were sent by that by him and not only has rejected his servants, but has rejected his own beloved son. Now, we want to be reminded that This is not the first time Israel wouldn't been surprised by Jesus's words here. Israel's teachers have been indicted long before by Jeremiah himself. Jeremiah told the people that when he came to tell them the truth, all that they did was close their ears and become stiff necked. Back in Jeremiah 25, it says, You've not listened to me, declares Yahweh, that you might provoke me to anger with the work of your hands that do you no harm. We're reminded later in the book of Acts how Stephen describes the ministry of the prophets and Israel's reception of them. He says, you stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in your heart, in your ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. He says, as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the righteous one, whom you have now betrayed and murdered. So Jesus teaches what will ponder what will the master do? He'll come and destroy. Those tenants, servants and give the vineyards to others who will produce fruit. Jesus is seeking to indict the leaders of Israel for rejecting God's will and authority so that they might pass judgment on themselves, repent and find hope and salvation in the Christ who's right before them. You see. In verse 19, we're told that the teachers of Israel know these representatives of Sanhedrin know that Jesus was speaking about them. And so in verse 19, we're told that immediately the scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that they told that he told this parable about them, but they feared. the people. So in God's sovereignty and his providence at this point, Jesus would continue to teach and preach. They wouldn't lay hands on him because. These men feared the people at this point, and so shocked in disbelief, we hear this cry when they understand that Jesus is going to give the vineyard over to others and the tenants will be destroyed. They say, surely not. This is the term that Paul uses when he says, God forbid, or may it never be meganoita in the Greek. Surely not. No way this cannot be. And Jesus looks at him as he did to Nicodemus in chapter three of John and says, well, what then is it written? Why is it written in Psalm 118? Notice verse 17. What then is this that's written? The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. He asked them, as Jesus says to Nicodemus in chapter 3, in essence, He asked, You're Israel's teachers and you don't know these things? It's obvious to Jesus that these leaders will be the fulfillment of Psalm 118. Not the part of Psalm 118 that says, Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. But the Psalm 18 that says, The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. And he says, everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces. And when it falls on anyone, it will crush it. Jesus is speaking to the leaders as if they should understand this. But they don't. Now, in this quotation, Jesus pulls together three Old Testament passages, he links three passages that we read in our scripture lesson that I'll remind you of. He links the passage from Isaiah chapter one more time from Psalm 118, as I said, from Isaiah eight. and Daniel two. Now, by linking these three scriptures together, Jesus is saying that he and his divine messianic ministry will be three things. Listen closely. Three things here. Number one, the stone, the builders or the leaders of Israel rejected will become a rejected stone. The stone will be rejected. That's the first thing that's clear from these Old Testament passages, Jesus says. Number two, the stone of offense and rock of stumbling will be for both houses of Israel. That is, it will be an offensive stumbling stone won't only be rejected. It'll be an offensive stumbling stone. And three, the stone that was cut out by God himself would bring all opposing kingdoms to an end. It would be a crushing stone. So Jesus draws these three scriptures together from Psalm 118. and brings this quotation from these three places with this imagery of stone or rock and says three things will happen. This stone is predicted to be a rejected stone. This stone is meant to be an offensive stumbling stone. And this stone is a crushing stone. And it's interesting to note that all three passages that Jesus quotes here were considered messianic in rabbinical interpretation of that time. So he understood that he's speaking of himself as being that stone. And Jesus says those who reject that stone will either be broken into pieces or crushed into bits like chaff that will be destroyed. And so the representatives of the Sanhedrin are hearing Jesus say clearly that they will be the ones who will fulfill this Old Testament prophecy. They will reject the Christ, the rock, the stone. It's interesting. And it's very important to note at this point that the tenants will be destroyed. That is, the teachers of Israel, but not the vineyard itself. Very important. The vineyard in Christ, as Isaiah 27 teaches us, will be a fruitful place by God's grace. The vineyard will be a fruitful place. Those who believe in Israel, in Jesus Christ, and receive him as God's authoritative, prophetic messenger and messianic king will be part of the fruitful vineyard in Jesus. Isaiah 27, 2 says, In that day a pleasant vineyard, sing of it. I the Lord am its keeper every moment I water it. He says, in the days to come, Jacob shall take root, Israel shall blossom and put forth shoots, and fill the whole world with fruit. So it's the tenants who will be destroyed, not the vineyard. Why? Because the ultimate vine is Christ. The vineyard is Christ's. It's the place where believing Israel and Gentiles find The ability by God's grace to bear fruit, fruit that will last. See, that's what John 15 refers to when Jesus says in verse five of John 15, I am the buying. You are the branches. He's saying I'm the true Israelite vine. I'm the buying who's fruitful because I'm the true Israelite. He says whoever abides in me and I and him, he it is that bears much fruit. But apart from me, you can do nothing. Sing of the pleasant vineyard unto the Lord, sing as the pleasant vineyard as his people. We should sing of this fruitful vineyard. Which is found in the church, it's found in people who are united to Jesus Christ, the vine, who abide in him and bear much fruit. You are those if you believe in Christ, who are those who can sing because of because of God's grace extended to you, you are those who can produce fruit. So it's important in this context to say again, Jesus didn't come to destroy or replace Israel. He came to reform her. Jesus did not come to destroy or replace Israel. He came to reform her. And the new reformed Israel is made up of both Jews and Gentile believers in Christ who produce fruit by God's grace in his restored vineyards. So Jesus is judging the leaders in their insubordination and for rejecting the authority of God and Jesus as their rightful master and king. The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. What they didn't see in the Old Testament that came to pass in Jesus Christ, what was a surprise for many in Israel, was that the rejection of the stone who is Christ has become the new cornerstone of a new temple that Jesus will build upon himself in his ministry. In Jesus, the new reformed Israel finds their temple in him. He is the true stone that has become the cornerstone. You see, Paul tells us this good news when he writes to the Ephesians believers who are predominantly Gentile. And I would remind you that Jesus says he'll hand this vineyard over to others. Paul writes this very clearly in light of this passage, he's writing to predominantly Gentile believers who are now in Christ, and he says, so then you're no longer strangers and aliens to the covenant, your fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, Christ Jesus being the cornerstone. in whom the whole structure being joined together grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him, you are also being built together into a dwelling place of God. For God, by the spirit. Those who believe in Christ are not only part of his vineyard that bear much fruit in him because of his grace, they're part of his temple that's founded on the cornerstone, which is Jesus Christ. Those who believe, whether they're Jews or Gentiles. Or Heirs to Abraham by faith. As the Apostle Peter writes in First Peter two, verse six, very important verse, he says, I'm laying in Zion stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame. So the honor is for you who believe. But for those who do not believe the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. Listen. They stumble because they disobey the word as they were destined to do. Round two, again, goes to Jesus in this theological match, and Jesus increases the leader's hostility by going on the theological offensive against him against them in this parable. Now, this section of scripture ends with the famous quotation of Jesus here about Caesar's authority and Jesus authority that we want to consider. Let us turn now to the fact that in verse 19, the Sanhedrin now has been silenced and the representatives now send disciples, disciples who are acting as disciples of Christ. But they're really disciples of the Sanhedrin. Matthew 22 says these disciples and or called spies here come to ask Jesus a question. If you notice, the Sanhedrin backed off a little bit. They're more cautious now in front of the crowds because of Jesus being wisdom incarnate and answering wisely in a way that they cannot understand. So they monitor him from afar. They watch his behavior, we're told, and send spies. So the leaders are seeking to destroy and trap Jesus. But if you notice, the spies approach Jesus with flattering words in verse 21. Again, an example that we should be reminded that their lips honor him, but their hearts are far from him. They're flattering him. Notice how carefully they ask the question again, having to do his authority. Very important to consider here. Teacher, is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar or not? Now, when they're saying, is it lawful to give tribute or poll tax to Caesar implied in the question is it is not, is it? It's important to have a bit of a historical background in 6 AD. There were some Palestinians, Jewish zealots, who resisted paying the tribute tax and taught their disciples that the payment of tribute to Caesar was inconsistent with one's faith and confession of one God, who is the sole ruler of Israel. So, is it lawful? They're asking a noteworthy and contemporary discussion. They're asking about an issue that was noteworthy and a point of discussion among Jews of Jesus' time. So what are they trying to do in asking this question? Well, one, the Spice desire either to upset the people's devotion to Jesus, because no Jew wanted to pay a tribute tax to Rome, or to upset the Roman authorities that he may be arrested and in the Sanhedrin not perceived as responsible for Jesus' demise. This is their craftiness. Jews did not like to pay tribute or poll tax to Rome. Rome didn't want anyone rebelling or undermining her authority. and a specifically a tribute to the emperor. So the Roman tribute tax, even though it was relatively minor, it was the point of the thing. I'm a Jew, and it just reminds me every time I dig deep in my pocket to pay this annual tribute tax. It's a reminder that Messiah has not come, and I'm still oppressed by a foreign power instead of seeing God's kingdom. Ironically, God's kingdom is right before them. And so, They want to ask him, is it lawful according to the law of Moses? What do you say about this? How do you enter Jesus into this discussion that's contemporary and current with our thinking? See, if Jesus answers, well, it is good to give tribute to Caesar, then the people would perceive that he supports Rome and that he can't be a Messiah that they were awaiting because Messiah was going to overthrow Rome, not submit to them. If he says it's not good to give tribute to Caesar, well, then he'd be perceived by Rome as another Jewish rabble rouser, a troublemaker, a zealot. And so Jesus perceives their craftiness in verse 23, and he asks for a denarius, which was just a small, minor, day laborer's wage. He asked, whose inscription and image or likeness does it have? And on the coin would have been the picture of Tiberius Caesar, a ruthless king and sovereign over the Jews, paying his tribute, paying his tribute for his rule over them was the Jewish duty and a sign of obeying his kingdom. And so Jesus asked for the coin. On the coin would have been the inscription Tiberius Caesar, son of the divine Augustus, Augustus, implying that his kingdom was eternal. We should be reminded, why would Jesus grab a coin? Well, because a ruler's power over a people extends as far as his coins are worth something in trade. That is, if a person under Caesar's authority can use his coin in that territory, then that means that person rules over that territory, in that area. The coins are accepted as valuable. And so Jesus is pointing out implicitly the practical reality That Caesar reigns over the Jews because his inscription is on the coin. And so Jesus doesn't answer yes or no when he grabs the coin. He says, render to Caesar. The things that are Caesar's and to God, the things that are God's. You see, although Jesus's eternal kingdom is being manifested in himself, even though Psalm 118, the cornerstone, he's saying that I am the messianic king that was spoken of by the prophets, even though that's true, he is not. At this point, overthrowing the power of wrong. In fact, he's submitting to the power. There will be a time when Jesus returns and overthrows all of those kingdoms who oppose the Lord and his anointed one. But for now, he says, rendered a Caesar, rendered a Caesar. It's an important way of saying it. ESB has render. And that's a good way to put it. It's more than just give. Render means that you're to give back to pay honor. to reverence, to submit. You see, Jesus is taught elsewhere that his kingdom must take priority in all the lives of his kingdom disciples. They must be first fully committed to the kingdom of God before all allegiances. But nevertheless, Jesus is teaching the temporal kingdoms find their place in God's sovereign plan over history, including Caesar and Rome. To obey God, to obey and honor earthly kings is to obey God, as long as they don't interfere or oppose the obedience to Christ's kingdom and the allegiance to Christ's kingdom. Remember what the Bible says elsewhere. By me, kings reign, God says in Proverbs 8. By me, princes rule. You see, the people acknowledge Caesar's earthly rule by using coinage with his inscription, and they weren't refused in their commerce. The coins were worth something because of his legitimate authority. So they should also recognize God's sovereign authority in this earthly ruler. The authority that had been given to them at the time was Caesar Tiberius, and this was granted sovereignly by God. But be reminded, what will Jesus say before Pilate at his crucifixion? You would have no authority over me. Unless it had been given you from above. Thus, he's saying, give honor, render to Caesar what becomes what belongs to Caesar. You're using his coins or implicitly submitting and honoring his rule. So give him what his honor deserves. Give what rightly belongs to him by paying him tribute and poll tax. But here's the point that Jesus makes about himself when he says, render to God the things that are God's. Again, Jesus asserts his authority here. As citizens of the temporal kingdom of Rome, as citizens of the temporal kingdom of Rome, men are to pay homage and honor that's rightly due to Caesar, their king and ruler, because his image is on the coins they use. As Caesar. should be honored as Lord, because of his image on the coins the people use. So God should be honored, because his image is on every man, every creature, according to Genesis 1, 26 to 28. Caesar's image was on the coin, and the coinage and taxation rightly belonged to him, because of his authority. So, God's image is on every human being, and every human being must answer to God in his authority, because God is the Lord. All humans, are made in his image and belong to him and must rightly recognize and honor him as God. And so Jesus is saying essentially to the Jewish leadership through this. He's saying to those who have ears to hear that if you recognize my authority as the son of man or the beloved son, then you would realize that in order to render rightly what is due to God, one must recognize God's authority in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Again, Jesus is saying to the Jewish leadership and to all who have years to hear that if you do recognize my authority as the son of man or the beloved son of the parable, then you would realize that in order to rightly render what is due to God, one must recognize God's authority in the person and work of Jesus Christ. See, all mankind are made in God, the creator's image, and should render to God reverence, submission and obedience wholeheartedly. Yet mankind falls short of the glory of God. They cannot find the strength within them to be obedient as God requires. You see, in this passage of God's command and demands by Christ, Christ is implicitly presenting himself to all who believe as the hope of all mankind. In Jesus Christ, God grants forgiveness to wayward rebels who fought against his will and his kingdom rule. So God not only grants forgiveness to wayward rebels, but calls them sons and heirs of the kingdom in Jesus. What we cannot do as image bearers because of sin Christ has done for us. You see, remember back in Luke 12, Jesus says, Fear not, little flock. It's the father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. He wants by grace to give us the kingdom, those who believe, those who are his own. We are heirs in Christ. See, in Jesus Christ, We find the beloved son who was sent, who was fully reverent, submissive and obedient to God's call and commission. We find in Jesus Christ, one who perfectly rendered to Caesar what was rightly Caesar's. And we find in Christ, one who perfectly rendered to God what was God's. Through his obedience to God, so when we believe God grants Jesus is perfect keeping of the law before God. He he he accounts or reckons or imputes to us the the homage and honor that Jesus showed to God, his king. It's as if we showed that same reverence, honor and submission when we believe we remember that Jesus is the king of kings and the lord of lords. All authority has been granted to him in heaven and on earth and those who are united to him. have been given a righteousness they could never, ever muster up, could never do. You see, we cannot render to Caesar what is Caesar's perfectly, nor can we render to God that which God deserves. Only Christ can. In Matthew 28, we're told that all authority in heaven on earth has been given to me, Jesus says. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to observe all that I've commanded you. In Christ, we can learn, by God's grace, to render to Caesars what is Caesar's and render to God's what are God's. That is the honor, the reverence and the submission that is due God's name. So round three goes to Jesus and he wins the theological match against Israel's sparring teachers. But as we end, I want you to notice this is not the end of the wicked schemes and plots of Israel's teachers. Although Jesus ingeniously and wisely countered their crafty schemes here with the truth of God, nevertheless, the same teachers will lie and twist his words later at the crucifixion. At the crucifixion, they'll have the audacity to say in Luke 23 to we found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar and saying that he himself is Christ, our king. That's a half truth. He was indeed saying he is Christ, the king. The authorities of Israel have denied the authority of the beloved son of God and seek, as Jesus has just told them in the parable, to fulfill their destiny by handing him over to the Roman authorities. And yet this has all been part of God's divine messianic plan from eternity past. I want to note, in closing, from Acts 4, 24 to 28, it's important that although Jesus was born to be the authoritative eternal King Messiah, Rome could not and did not prove a threat to his divine messianic mission. Actually, in God's sovereignty, Rome and the leaders of the Jews became the means by which he was crucified for the sins of his people. In Acts 4, 24 to 28, the apostles are praying and they say, Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who threw the mouth of our father, David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, why did the Gentiles rage and the people's plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ. For truly in the city, there were gathered together against your holy servant, Jesus, whom you anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. We want to be thankful as God's true vineyard in Christ, that we have submitted to Christ's authority as the King of the Kings and Lord of Lords only because of the initiating grace of God that has been shown to us. And as we bow our knee in submission, we're united to Jesus Christ by faith, by his spirit.