65: More Than They Asked For (Luke 20:20-44)

Also, if you are a follower of Jesus, we invite you to Good Friday Meal & Communion this Friday 6-8pm (with childcare). Bring a side dish or dessert and dress casually. We will eat together, sing to the Lord, and take time to remember the payment Jesus made on our behalf as we have communion together around the tables.

Also, I want to encourage families to watch a video remembering the life, death, & resurrection of Jesus - 2 recommendations: The Passion by Mel Gibson or ‘The Gospel of John’ free on YouTube.

Years ago I was taking a group of students to Valdosta to see The Passion of the Christ, and Tonya took our cute little 3 year old to the mall. As Tonya opened his door to get him out of the car seat a guy walked by dressed much differently than what Caleb was used to, and he made that very clear as he loudly said these words, “Mommy! That boy looks like a girl. ‘He need a hair-tut. And boys don’t wear earrings, girls wear earrings. And what is that all over his arm - what is he tinkin’?’ Have your kids ever got you into trouble because they gave you more than you asked for?

When the enemies of Jesus tried to trap Him with questions, they too got more than they asked for. Jesus quickly put them in their place & then asked His own question...a question that we NEED to answer, a question that points to the IDENTITY of Jesus. Although His miraculous signs & courageous words proved Jesus as at least being a GREAT PROPHET, it was His wisdom, precision, & interpretation of Scripture that revealed who He really was. And today we will see that…

BIG TRUTH: What Jesus Says reveals Who Jesus ISBIG TRUTH: What Jesus Says reveals Who Jesus ISBIG TRUTH: What Jesus Says reveals Who Jesus ISBIG TRUTH: What Jesus Says reveals Who Jesus IS

BIG TRUTH: What Jesus Says reveals Who Jesus IS

and WHO Jesus IS, can transform your life!

PRAY

Luke 20:20a (NIV)

20 Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be sincere.

Matthew & Mark tell us that this included disciples of the Pharisees and the 'Herodians' (Matt. 22:16; Mk. 12:13) in their plan to trap Jesus. The Pharisees saw themselves as guardians of the Scriptures, pointing to the Messiah who would release them from Roman rule. The Herodians were appreciative of Rome's authority given to Herod & his family. They gave their allegiance to Rome & compromised their spiritual beliefs & behavior because of their political position. So here we have a coalition of political & religious perspectives who joined forces to take Jesus out.

Luke 20:20b-22 (NIV) They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said, so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor. 21 So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 22 Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

This tax was a reminder that the Jewish people were under the rule of Rome. It could only be paid with a denarius.

The denarius was about the size of a dime and was the average pay for a day’s labor. On one side of the denarius was an image of Tiberius with this inscription: "Tiberius Caesar, son of the Divine Augustus”. Augustus was the emperor at the time of Jesus’ birth.

Kent Hughes writes:

"The demand was sobering because for an upright Jew the image of Caesar on a coin was an abomination. The inscription “divine Augustus” was considered a transgression of the Second Commandment against graven images (Exodus 20:4) and thus obvious blasphemy."

This tax, consequently, infuriated nationalist Jews, like a Galilean named 'Yudah' or Judas, who led a revolt against Rome in A.D. 6 (Jos. War 2.118) over this very tax.

So this question posed - “Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” - was a dual horned dilemma, where either answer would impale Jesus. He would either prove to be loyal to Rome and her Emperor OR to Israel and the One True God. “Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” - that’s the question?

If Jesus says 'yes', then the Pharisees can undercut His claims to be the Messiah who would loose them from Rome's grip.

I Jesus says 'no', then the Herodians could charge Him with being a revolutionary who stood against the Romans, which would likely bring a quick execution. Note: This is what they later charge Jesus with to get Him crucified - see Luke 23:2.

23 He saw through their duplicity and said to them, 24 “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. 25 He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

Think about the brilliance of that. The coin belongs to Caesar, because his image is on it…that’s obvious. But Jesus uses that as a springboard to make a more important point: ‘give back…to God what is God’s.’

As the IMAGE of Caesar is imprinted on the denarius, the IMAGE of God is imprinted on PEOPLE. The Scripture declares that God created man & woman in HIS IMAGE (Gen. 1:27)! Give THIS (the coin) back to Caesar, but give THIS (your LIFE) to the God who created you in HIS IMAGE!

26 They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.

Who else could get out of that…LIKE THAT?

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BIG TRUTH: What Jesus Says reveals Who Jesus IS

Jesus could not be stumped by the Pharisees nor the Herodians. So the Sadducees stepped up to the plate. These men were "mean spirited, religious aristocrats" who served on staff at the temple. The high priest - Caiaphas - was a Sadducee, the group whom Josephus - Jewish historian - said were “indeed more heartless than any other of the Jews” (Ant. 18:17)

These religious elite approached the Galilean country boy to put Him in His place. And they wielded the typical tactic they likely used to stump the Pharisees.

Luke 20:27-33 (NIV)

27 Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question.28 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 29 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. 30 The second 31 and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. 32 Finally, the woman died too. 33 Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?”

Do you see the dilemma in the reasoning they are using?

There is no resurrection because the next life would be a big mess, with more problems than answers. How would Jesus respond? Matt. 22:29 & Mark 12:24 give us one phrase that Luke chose to leave out, and it is telling.

Matthew 22:29 (NIV)29 Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.

When I read this my mind inserts ‘old school’ Bat-man action graphics here: ‘Ka-pow! Boom!’

These men had the same view that many have today. You see, the Sadducees believed parts of the Scripture & discounted other parts that didn’t fit with their belief system.

They leaned on the Pentateuch, the 1st five writings, & stressed that they contained no reference to resurrection. Yet they dismissed other OT writings that DID speak of resurrection of the dead (e.g. Job 19:26; Psalm 16:9–11; Isaiah 26:19; Dan. 12:2-3)

We should consider this verbal spanking to the Sadducees as a warning shot across the bow. Don’t bend the Bible to fit your presupposed Beliefs. Instead, read ALL of the Scripture and bend you beliefs to fit the BIBLE!

Then Jesus answers their question: “Whose wife will she be?”.

Luke 20:34–35 (NIV)

34 Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage,

To those in bad marriages this might seem like a breath of fresh air, but to those in good marriages, this seems like punishment. My wife & I have discussed this several times...and we don't like it! But the truth is...we have never experienced any relationships with people completely free of sin...including OUR relationship. Our relationships in the age to come will be DEEPER than ANY you have ever known on earth!

Further, we have never experienced relationships with the security of eternal life! Even when we experience long life with others & they pass away…we still have the sense of ‘This is wrong! Death is our enemy!’ And how this is amplified when a young person dies!

I can’t imagine the pain, loss, & utter frustration for the family of friends of those who just lost their son due to an accident on a baseball field! How could this happen? WHY did this happen? ….NO ANSWER WILL DO.

But the day is coming when those in the kingdom will NEVER again be concerned about death! Jesus makes this crystal clear as He continues by giving them more than they asked for…

Luke 20:36 (NIV) 36 and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection.

What does it mean that people are like the angels?

First, the Sadducees didn’t believe in angels either, so this is a another stick Jesus pokes in the ant pile - that these guys don’t KNOW God’s word - because angels DO exist.

Second, This is NOT teaching that people become angels. They don't. In fact, YOU are a greater creation than an angel and the apostle Paul says we will judge angels one day (1 Cor. 6:3).

Instead, we will be like angels in that will

we never get sick

never die

& be in the Presence of our Creator forever! With God as our Father, there is no need for parents, only brothers & sisters!

Then Jesus uses the Pentateuch - the part of the Scripture they trust - to PROVE His point about eternal life.

Jesus points to Yahweh's meeting at the burning bush with Moses. And although the Jewish patriarchs had long been dead, God tells Moses, "I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob." (Ex. 3:6)

Luke 20:37-40 37 But in the account of the burning bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”

Here is God's powerful perspective on death! People don't cease to exist; they just change addresses.

When the enemies of Jesus tried to trap Him with questions, they got more than they asked for. The gospel writers continue to point to Jesus’ wisdom, precision, & interpretation of the Scriptures! And not only were His disciples blown away, but His enemies were as well!

39 Some of the teachers of the law responded, “Well said, teacher!” 40 And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

BIG TRUTH: What Jesus Says reveals Who Jesus ISBIG TRUTH: What Jesus Says reveals Who Jesus ISBIG TRUTH: What Jesus Says reveals Who Jesus ISBIG TRUTH: What Jesus Says reveals Who Jesus IS

BIG TRUTH: What Jesus Says reveals Who Jesus IS

Jesus quickly put them in their place & then asked His own question...a question that we NEED to answer.

Luke 20:41–44 (NIV)

41 Then Jesus said to them, “Why is it said that the Messiah is the son of David? 42 David himself declares in the Book of Psalms: “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand 43 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” ’ 44 David calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?”

Jesus is quoting from Ps. 110 and there’s a question he attaches to it…the question WE need to answer! How is it that King David calls His great, great, great, great, great, great (lots of greats) grandson… his Lord?!!! You mean to tell me that the Scripture declares that if KING DAVID were alive on the planet…he would bow his knee…to this Messiah? YEP! And just WHO would that BE!?

This is BRILLIANT reasoning from the Scriptures! Jesus is no mere teacher, miracle worker, or prophet! Jesus is the Messiah…the one King David calls his Lord! And once again we see that…

BIG TRUTH: What Jesus Says reveals Who Jesus ISBIG TRUTH: What Jesus Says reveals Who Jesus ISBIG TRUTH: What Jesus Says reveals Who Jesus ISBIG TRUTH: What Jesus Says reveals Who Jesus IS

BIG TRUTH: What Jesus Says reveals Who Jesus IS

Would YOU - like King David - call Jesus your Lord!? The One who you bow your knee to - the One you obey above all others?

If so, you need to continue seek Him first and KNOW WHAT JESUS SAYS. Read the Scriptures. & Bend your beliefs to the Bible instead of bending the Bible to fit your preconceived beliefs. Spend some time in the Scripture this week - Read John 15-21.

If not, what is keeping you from trusting Jesus with your life? Your sin? Is that REALLY FULFILLING your life, or does it leave you empty?

St. Augustine "You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.”

Would you turn from your sin and trust Jesus with your SOUL?

PRAY Lord, what do you want me to do with what I heard today?

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