“Politics, Legalism, and the Hope of Glory”

“Politics, Legalism, and the Hope of Glory”

Series: “The Gospel Truth”

Text: Matt 22:15-46

Introduction: (What?)

We are living in a day of political upheaval in our country. We’re also dealing with the battle between legalism and liberalism in churches, but one thing remains the same. There is hope. Specifically the HOPE OF GLORY which is the second coming of Jesus and the fulfillment of the promised resurrection for those who are in Christ. This is nothing new. Jesus faced the same things in His time on earth.

Examination: (Why?)

1. God and Caesar

Mt 22:15-22 “15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to trap him by what he said. 16 So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are truthful and teach truthfully the way of God. You don’t care what anyone thinks nor do you show partiality. 17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 18 Perceiving their malicious intent, Jesus said, “Why are you testing me, hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin used for the tax.” They brought him a denarius. 20 “Whose image and inscription is this?” he asked them. 21 “Caesar’s,” they said to him. Then he said to them, “Give, then, to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.”

Jesus actually taught that paying taxes was a good thing. Although He was not happy about those tax collectors, like Zaccheus, who gouged people for more taxes than the law supported, He did not say that the people of His day, nor the people of our day should resist taxation. However, He did emphasize that, just as we pay taxes because it is the civil law, we should also honor God because it is due Him and is part of His Law. (Deut 6:4-5 “4 “Listen, Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” )

Because we like driving on paved roads, crossing rivers on bridges and numerous other “perks” that come from our taxes, we should pay taxes. At the same time we should honor God by loving Him with all of our being and supporting the spread of the gospel across the world. John McArthur noted in his commentary that “Caesar’s image is stamped on the coin; God’s image is stamped on the person. The Christian must “render” obedience to Caesar in Caesar’s realm, but “the things that are God’s” are things that do not belong to Caesar an should be given only to God.”

Consequently we should never worship the government or politicians, even though we should submit to their leadership.

(In Ro 13:1-7 Paul reminded us: “1 Let everyone submit to the governing authorities, since there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are instituted by God. 2 So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval. 4 For it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For it is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong. 5 Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath but also because of your conscience. 6 And for this reason you pay taxes, since the authorities are God’s servants, continually attending to these tasks. 7 Pay your obligations to everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes, tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect, and honor to those you owe honor.”

Peter wrote 1 Pet 2:13-17 “13 Submit to every human authority because of the Lord, whether to the emperor as the supreme authority 14 or to governors as those sent out by him to punish those who do what is evil and to praise those who do what is good. 15 For it is God’s will that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. 16 Submit as free people, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but as God’s slaves. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brothers and sisters. Fear God. Honor the emperor.”

In recent years political conservatism has been equated with Evangelical Christianity. That is dangerously close to worshiping Caesar as God. While our political views should be guided by our spiritual convictions, we should never give politics equal standing with our faith. The realty is that when we honor God, He will pull the strings on the politicians.

(Prov 21:1 “1 A king’s heart is like channeled water in the Lord’s hand: He directs it wherever he chooses.” )

Paul wrote to Timothy in 1 Tim 2:1-3 “1 First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, 2 for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is good, and it pleases God our Savior,”

So, our Biblical mandate is to worship God with all our being, pay our taxes and pray for civil authorities, specifically for their salvation.

2. Legalists and Doctrine

(Mt 22: 23-40 “23 That same day some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came up to him and questioned him: 24 “Teacher, Moses said, if a man dies, having no children, his brother is to marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first got married and died. Having no offspring, he left his wife to his brother. 26 The same thing happened to the second also, and the third, and so on to all seven. 27 Last of all, the woman died. 28 In the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be of the seven? For they all had married her.”

There are always those legalists who want to present “what ifs” to try to manipulate the literal interpretation of scripture to fit their bias. The Sadducees were not really concerned about who would be considered the legal spouse of the woman. They wanted to trick Jesus into negating the resurrection of believers (something they did not believe in). Using their interpretation of the levirate marriage in

Dt 25:5-10 “5 “When brothers live on the same property and one of them dies without a son, the wife of the dead man may not marry a stranger outside the family. Her brother-in-law is to take her as his wife, have sexual relations with her, and perform the duty of a brother-in-law for her. 6 The first son she bears will carry on the name of the dead brother, so his name will not be blotted out from Israel. 7 But if the man doesn’t want to marry his sister-in-law, she is to go to the elders at the city gate and say, ‘My brother-in-law refuses to preserve his brother’s name in Israel. He isn’t willing to perform the duty of a brother-in-law for me.’ 8 The elders of his city will summon him and speak with him. If he persists and says, ‘I don’t want to marry her,’ 9 then his sister-in-law will go up to him in the sight of the elders, remove his sandal from his foot, and spit in his face. Then she will declare, ‘This is what is done to a man who will not build up his brother’s house.”

…they presented a “what-if” situation that they thought would trap Jesus. Instead Jesus’s answer rocked them back on their heels. Knowing what they were up to, Jesus answered in a way that exposed even another of their false beliefs, that there were no angels.

Mt 22:29-33 “29 Jesus answered them, “You are mistaken, because you don’t know the Scriptures or the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like angels in heaven. 31 Now concerning the resurrection of the dead, haven’t you read what was spoken to you by God: 32 I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” 33 And when the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.”

Legalists love to “proof-text”. That means that they will quote a scripture out of context in order to prop up their argument. When confronted with the passage in context, they don’t have a leg to stand on.

The Pharisees were listening in on the interaction between the Sadducees and Jesus and thought they would try their hand again trying to trap Jesus.

Mt 22:34-40 “34 When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they came together. 35 And one of them, an expert in the law, asked a question to test him: 36 “Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?” 37 He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the greatest and most important command. 39 The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. 40 All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.””

Since the Pharisees considered themselves to be experts in Mosaic Law, they thought they were safe in asking this question. They were even in agreement with Jesus’s answer, but He wasn’t through with them yet.

3. Our Blessed Hope

Mt 22:41-46 “41 While the Pharisees were together, Jesus questioned them, 42 “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” They replied, “David’s.” 43 He asked them, “How is it then that David, inspired by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’: 44 The Lord declared to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet’? 45 “If David calls him ‘Lord,’ how, then, can he be his son?” 46 No one was able to answer him at all, and from that day no one dared to question him anymore.”

Our blessed hope is in Messiah. He is the One who paid the penalty for our sins by His death on the cross. We can never have assurance of salvation from the party we support or the legalistic Biblical interpretations we make…only by surrendering to Christ, lock, stock and barrel. In Col 1:27 Paul wrote; “27 God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

Application: (How should I respond to this message?)

Your only “hope of glory” (eternal life with Christ”) is having Christ in you. That only happens when you abandon your efforts to earn your way into glory and surrender your life to Christ alone, through faith alone.

If you have been somewhat Pharisaical, or Sadducee-an in your religious life, today is the day to repent and surrender to Christ.