Sermon Tone Analysis

Call to Worship

Introduce choir song

Time of prayer for Andy and Lily tonight

Bible Reading

Larger portion of reading today

Luke 20 is a series of 5 questions

We have seen 2 so far

Luke 20:2 “2 And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things?

or who is he that gave thee this authority?”

Luke 20:3-4 “3 And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me: 4 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?”

Today’s passage has 2 parts

The record of an attempt to trap Jesus in His Words

Then Jesus response

In the response we are taught on how we relate to the government as a believer.

Let me set the scene a little bit for you.

It is Tuesday or Wednesday of Passion Week, Wednesday.

By the end of the week Jesus will be crucified.

Luke 20:19–26 (KJV)

Question #1

19 And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.

20 And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.

21 And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly:

22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no?

23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me?

24 Shew me a penny.

Whose image and superscription hath it?

They answered and said, Caesar’s.

25 And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s.

26 And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace.

Thus ends this reading of God's holy, inspired, and inerrant Word.

May He write its eternal truth upon all our hearts.

Question #2 Luke 20:27-40

Question #3 Luke 20:41-45

Remaining verses go into the next portion that we will cover in a couple of weeks.

He will show you the widows offering in context of the passage.

Introduction

Have you ever had a job interview with a series of questions designed to determine if you were a good fit for a company?

Recently Grant shared a story of a job interview.

After the questions he determined he didn’t want the job.

It was a custom among the Jews before the Passover Lamb was killed to shut it up for several days for examination.

Jesus the Lamb of God's submitted Himself to this same scrutiny

We are in a series of questions.

What do these questions say about those asking them?

They were motivated by fear and self preservation.

Luke 20:19 “19 And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.”

The parable from last week was the parable of the husbandman.

In that story the owner of the land send servants to check on the land but the husbandman beat them.

Then the vineyard owner sent his son and they said “if we kill the heir, the land is ours.”

If they did anything that looked like what Jesus said they were going to do, they would then create a self-fulfilling prophecy and bring the wrath of the people down on their own heads.

They had to play this one very carefully.

They needed a drastic shift in the popular culture of the day

Luke 20:20 “20 And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.”

Common enemy brought these religious leaders together Mark 3:6 “6 And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.”

Judaism’s brain trust of that day was plotting together.

Chief priests, position made up of many Sadducees / they get involved as Jesus comes to the Temple / favorable to Rome

Scribes - experts of the law.

Pharisees - we have heard much about them and their zeal

Herodians - wanted political independence for the Jewish people.

They wanted to overthrow Rome and have their on King.

And now the Sadducees - this group is defined in Luke 20:27 “27 Then came to him certain of the Sadducees, which deny that there is any resurrection; and they asked him,”

Let’s not forget the Zealot that is traveling with Jesus; The party of no compromise

Their strategy reveals their hearts

We we live is what we believe.

Everything else is just so much religious talk.

Vance Havner

Jesus says in Matthew 22:29 “29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.”

If you think it was painful for Him to go in with a whip and clean out their business

, how painful was it for them to take that shot at their theology?

They prided themselves at being interpreters of Scripture.

Not motivated by believing Jesus was not really changing lives, concerned he would change their way of life.

John 11:47 “47 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.”

We often speak of how the Gospel can change a life.

Satan takes the same idea and uses it to create fear.

Common Strategy: Acts 19:25-27 “25 Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.

26 Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands: 27 So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.”

What did these groups have in common?

Pretended to be religious - which should feign themselves just men

Had a mutual hatred for Jesus

Desired to turn the city against Jesus

Desired to preserve their way of life

How were they going to do that?

Crowds had welcomed Jesus to town.

They did not have the authority to put Jesus on trial and execute Him, they needed to “deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.”

They desired to catch Jesus in a trap with His Words Luke 20:20 “20 And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.”

They believed Jesus had to die or they would all perish.

John 11:50 “50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.”

They had to have a plan.

Rome was hyper-sensitive about one crime, insurrection.

Hid their motives behind feigned respect for Jesus.

Luke 20:21 “21 And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly:”

Believe that Jesus, like fallen man, could be puffed up with pride and speak more freely after being celebrated.

Wanted people to believe they were in agreement with them about their view of Jesus.

Perhaps one of the most overlooked and unconsidered characters in the Bible is the crowd.

Empty flattery: “You teach and speak correctly.

You’re not partial to anyone, but teach the way of God in truth.”

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Step out of the story for a moment and into 2023

Still the most dangerous sort of men are those who would feign a mutual respect for Jesus but have the hidden motive to undermine Him.

We begin by acknowledging not just the possibility of false teaching, but the certainty of it.

Acts 20:29-31 “29 For I (Paul) know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.