This One Life Into Life Jon Fredricks Today’s Scripture: Luke 20:20-26 NIV __________ Luke 20:20-26 NIV Paying Taxes to Caesar 20 Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be sincere. 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?” 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.” 26 They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent. Luke 19:35-36 NIV 35 They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36 As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. Luke 19:45-48 NIV 45 When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling. 46 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be a house of prayer’; but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’” 47 Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. 48 Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words. Luke 20:2 NIV 2 “Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?” Luke 5:10-11 NIV 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. 1) COME OUT OF THE SHADOWS Luke 20:21-22 NIV 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?” Genesis 3:8-10 NIV 8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” 10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” Acts 17:27 NIV God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 2) TAKE A CLOSE LOOK IN YOUR POCKETS Luke 20:24 NIV 24 “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. 1 John 1:8 NIV If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 3) SAY NO Luke 20:25 NIV He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” Matthew 8:18-22 NIV 18 When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. 19 Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go. 20 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 21 Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” 4) INVEST DAILY IN YOUR GROWTH Matthew 22:29 NIV But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, since you do not understand the Scriptures nor the power of God. Colossians 2:6-7 NIV Spiritual Fullness in Christ 6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
