Today as I speak, the political scene in the United States is like a ticking time bomb. Christians in America are becoming more & more marginalized. People in our culture live in open hostility to the gospel while they totally embrace what God says is evil. Good is called evil and evil is called good. The talking heads on our news feeds spread deceptive propaganda. Our social system is a basket case. The church throughout our country suffers from so-called Christians with lazy hearts & itching ears. The institution of the family is broken. Our culture is permeated with a victim mentality that has undermined accountability and empowered people to believe they are entitled to handouts. Self-expression is valued over self-denial. Self-esteem is desired over God-esteem. The times we live in seem dismal & scary but the truth of this passage is that… “In the midst of a hostile & deceptive world, Jesus is the answer that silences the opposition.”

Look at Luke 20:19 – 26…

19 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. 20 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 governor. 21 So they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God. 22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?” 23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, 24 “Show me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?” They said, “Caesar’s.” 25 He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 26 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.

It seems providential to me that we would land here in Luke’s Gospel during the times we currently live in. Philip Ryken in his commentary on this passage says this, “If you want to start a good argument, start talking about religion or politics – either one. But if you want to start a war, then bring your religion into your politics. Few things seem to cause more difficulty than an unholy alliance between political power and religious faith.” Ryken’s comments almost seem prophetic right for us right? Think about the hostility and the deception that seems to be running rampant throughout our country and the world at large at this very moment.

The Hostility Of Jesus’ Enemies… (19-20)

Have you ever encountered someone that was so hostile to the gospel that they would stop at nothing to discredit the words of Jesus? Ever experience the threat of emotional or physical harm because of the truth of the gospel? Ever felt like someone was watching your every move and just waiting for your foot to slip so they could pounce on you? Ever been in a relationship with someone who pretended to be sincere when all along they were just looking for ways to use you, discredit you or cause you pain? This is exactly what is happening in this passage as we look at the hostility of Jesus’ enemies.

Luke tells us that Jesus’ enemies “sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that he 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 governor.” Jesus had just told a parable that confronted the hypocrisy and selfishness of the religious leaders and they weren’t happy with how he confronted their sin. They wanted to kill Jesus but they couldn’t because they were fearful of what the people who hung on Jesus’ every word would do if they followed through with it. So in their hostility towards Jesus they kept their eye on him and secretly hashed out a plan to employ the help of some super deceptive spies so that they could catch him or better yet trap him in something he said that would condemn him in the eyes of the Roman authorities.

The hostility of Jesus’ enemies was rooted in anger, jealousy & fear. And oftentimes this is what we will encounter in the world around us. People will be hostile to the gospel. People will be angry with you for standing firm on the principles of the gospel. People will be jealous of your Spirit empowered ability to stand firm in the gospel. People will be afraid of the implications of the gospel on their lifestyle. But you and I can rest in the truth that… “In the midst of a hostile & deceptive world, Jesus is the answer that silences the opposition.”

The Deception Of Jesus’ Enemies… (21-22)

Have you ever encountered someone so deceptive that they reminded you of a slimy car salesman? Proverbs reminds us that “kisses from an enemy are deadly but wounds from a friend give life.” In other words… If you love to get your ego stroked by smooth talking friends who gloss over & excuse your sin rather than speaking words of loving truth to you then you will die rather than live. That’s the problem with the world we live in today. People would rather have their ears tickled by deceptive words instead of hearing & responding to the truth of the gospel by walking in repentance. And if you continue to speak the truth of the gospel in our culture then you will experience the heartache of other people’s deceptive words towards you and about you as they attempt to destroy you. This is exactly what is happening in this passage as the deception of Jesus’ enemies comes into full view.

Luke tells us that the spies who were sent by Jesus’ enemies 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?” This statement and question from Jesus’ enemy’s just reeks of the stench of deception because first of all if they really believed what they were saying about Jesus then why didn’t they just simply obey him? If they really believed he was a great teacher who taught the truth of God’s Word then why didn’t they obey what he taught?

Secondly… the question they’re asking is a deceptive question meant to get Jesus on the ropes of a dilemma. If he answered by saying that they should pay their taxes then the people who hung on his words would hate him because no one likes to hear someone tell them to pay their taxes. Especially to a corrupt governing authority and that’s exactly what was happening during this conflict. On the other hand if Jesus answered by saying that they shouldn’t pay their taxes to the Roman government then the Roman government would have ample evidence to put Jesus to death on the spot for teaching against the laws of the land.

Do you live in the bondage of deception? Do you say one thing about Jesus and his instructions to you and then go on living in ways that undermine the truth you claim to believe about him? Do you find yourself looking for loopholes in what God has said so that you can continue living in your sin? Think of the ways you manage your money or invest in relationships or steward your time. Do you proclaim Christ while deceptively living in opposition against him? If this describes you… and quite honestly all of us are guilty of giving God lip-service while living in open rebellion against him at times… but if you are cut to the heart in these moments regarding any deception in your life… then I pray that you hear this truth and that you believe it and act upon it because… “In the midst of a hostile & deceptive world, Jesus is the answer that silences the opposition.”

The Truth Of Jesus’ Answer… (23-25)

It’s common today to argue for a separation between church and state. But Jesus doesn’t advocate for that separation. Instead… it’s as though, Jesus, in his infinite wisdom argues for the truth that our obedience to the government must flow from our obedience to the Lord. This is the truth of Jesus’ answer. Our obedience to any human institution must flow from our obedience to the Lord.

Luke tells us that Jesus “Perceived their craftiness, and said to them, ‘Show me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?’ They said, ‘Caesar’s.’ He said to them, ‘Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’” In other words… Jesus is instructing us to live in obedience to the laws of the land out of our obedience to the Lord. This is the truth of Jesus’ answer. It’s so simple and profound at the same time. There is no “either-or”… there’s only a “both-and”.

Let me explain it this way… If you or I were a Roman citizen then the tax for being a Roman citizen was a denarius with the Roman emperor’s picture on it and let’s not forget that Roman emperors thought of themselves as god. Those coins literally belonged to Caesar because his picture was on them and they actually had an inscription on these coins that referred to Caesar as God. So implication of this tax was that a human god, named Caesar, actually owned you and would put you to death if you refused to pay the tax he asked for.

Now think about our Father in Heaven for a minute. Think about what he has given to purchase you from the slave owner of sin and the paycheck of death. Think about whose picture has been inscribed on you and think about what God asks you to give to him. Aren’t we to give ourselves to the One who has created us and loved us from the beginning and sacrificed his Son on our behalf? Jesus in all of his truthfulness is simply saying “give to the government what belongs to them as you give yourself to God as his belonging.”

What does this simple truth provoke within you? Do you pray for our governing authorities? Do you speak winsomely about our governing authorities? Do you diligently seek to live within the laws of our governing authorities? Do you do these things because you understand that by doing them you are in fact giving yourself to the Lord as his belonging? When we seek to live in ways that are obedient and honoring towards our governing authorities because we desire to give ourselves obediently to the Lord then we shine as lights in a dark and deceptive world. We effectively become Jesus’ ambassadors in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation that lives in open rebellion and opposition to Christ. We should do all of these things and more because… “In the midst of a hostile & deceptive world, Jesus is the answer that silences the opposition.”

The Result Of Jesus’ Answer… (26)

When Jesus drops the microphone of truth in this passage he silences the opposition, he silences the hypocrisy & he silences the deception because in the presence of truth… opposition, hypocrisy & deception are silenced. This is the result of Jesus’ answer.

Luke explains that when Jesus answers his enemies’ deceptive question with the simple truth that our obedience to governing authorities should flow from our obedience to the Lord… his enemies “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 what the simple truths of Jesus’ answers to our complex questions do. His simple truthful answers silence the opposition, the hypocrisy and the deception both around us in the world and within our hearts. This is what we need the most today. We need Christ to come and speak the simple & practical truths of the gospel into our hearts and lives. When the raging world around us and the tumultuous seas within us are in need of silencing… the truth of the words of Christ are capable of flowing into every situation and silencing the opposition and the hypocrisy and the deception because…“In the midst of a hostile & deceptive world, Jesus is the answer that silences the opposition.”

Final Thoughts…

Hostility. Deception. Truth. Results. Are you in any way living in open hostility to the Lord? Are you living in the bondage of deception? Are you hearing the simple truths of the gospel? Are the results of the gospel evidenced in your life? To live in hostility towards the Lord is to live in opposition to him. To live in deception is to live in opposition to the Lord. But the truth of the gospel can set your free because… …“In the midst of a hostile & deceptive world, Jesus is the answer that silences the opposition.”