QUESTIONING POLITCS

20 They watched closely and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, so that they could catch him in what he said, to hand him over to the governor’s rule and authority.

21 They questioned him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach correctly, and you don’t show partiality but teach truthfully the way of God.

22 Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

23 But detecting their craftiness, he said to them,

24 “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?” “Caesar’s,” they said.

25 “Well then,” he told them, “give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

26 They were not able to catch him in what he said in public, and being amazed at his answer, they became silent. —Luke 20:20–26

TALKING POLITICS:

You cannot follow Jesus and not have him address your

. If he doesn’t, you’re not really following.

The word politics goes back to Aristotle’s book by the same name. It just means how we do things

.

THE QUESTION:

The religious leaders wanted Jesus to take a

on a raging political debate. Should we pay the “head tax?”

If Jesus said yes, he’d be seen as a

-

by the people. If he said no, he’d be seen as a

and put to death by the Romans.

THE ANSWER:

Jesus answer leverages the idea of one’s

.

His answer makes clear they should give Caesar his money but not their ultimate

.

WHAT WE CAN LEARN:

Jesus’ answer should motivate us to reject political

.

We should filter our politics through the

of Jesus not the

of a politician/party.

Jesus’ answer should also motivate us to reject political

and

primacy.

We should engage in the political process with biblically shaped

and

.

Jesus’ answer should lastly motivate us to elevate the

over politics to produce social change.

REVOLUTIONIZING REVOLUTION:

Jesus’ kingdom takes the core values & political wisdom of this world and turns it

down & inside

.

The Gospel revolution changes the world through

not force, substitutionary

not violence.

“Lord Jesus move my politics closer to the

.”