WEBVTT 00:00:09.720 --> 00:00:13.300 Hello and welcome to the Kalamazoo church of Christ podcast. 00:00:13.519 --> 00:00:14.839 Thank you so much for listening. 00:00:15.300 --> 00:00:16.199 We're startup church. 00:00:16.280 --> 00:00:23.460 We just planted in September, 2020 and at the Kalamazoo church, we believe that Christianity is done best when it is done together. 00:00:23.539 --> 00:00:32.299 And so if you live in the Kalamazoo area, we would love to connect, be it coming to a Sunday service, one of our small groups, or even just grabbing coffee with a member to learn more. 00:00:32.500 --> 00:00:36.439 You can visit kalamazoo.church in order to do that. 00:00:37.039 --> 00:00:40.359 We pray that you are inspired by what you hear today. 00:00:43.539 --> 00:01:01.600 So we're, we're in Matthew 22 and uh, you know, this lesson is, uh, what we're going to talk about is two words that begin with I, we're going to talk about our image and our identity and you know, our, our image is what we project and what we promote and what we look like on the outside, our identity. 00:01:02.079 --> 00:01:10.299 We'd understand as Christians, our identity is Jesus and, and what that looks like, like living a life devoted to and dedicated to him. 00:01:10.799 --> 00:01:19.819 Um, as disciples or as Christians, this should serve as perhaps a reminder, um, for what you already believe. 00:01:19.900 --> 00:01:22.480 You're like, I've got it set up and I've already, I already do a great job. 00:01:22.540 --> 00:01:22.980 That's awesome. 00:01:23.140 --> 00:01:24.099 Keep doing a great job. 00:01:24.099 --> 00:01:35.540 Um, I think this also should serve perhaps if you are a follower of Christ, but you're, you know, up and down or struggling, or maybe you're in a low point or maybe you're in a struggle, uh, you know, struggle season. 00:01:36.079 --> 00:01:42.120 I would say this should serve as a bit of a, maybe a pebble in your shoe that, oh man, there's something more there. 00:01:42.159 --> 00:01:47.019 There's something I got to change and uh, you know, this is not, I hope I was, I was writing it. 00:01:47.060 --> 00:01:48.120 I wasn't preparing it this way. 00:01:48.140 --> 00:01:52.519 You know, there's perhaps some lessons where we listened to and we're like, man, that person really has to hear that one. 00:01:52.519 --> 00:01:54.359 Uh, maybe I should send it to them. 00:01:54.819 --> 00:02:03.680 Um, I hope this is not that I think we would probably, we probably, maybe we missed the boat if that's ever how we feel 100%, but for sure with this lesson, there'll be something in here for you. 00:02:03.739 --> 00:02:03.879 Amen. 00:02:04.599 --> 00:02:15.080 Uh, you know, if you're not yet a Christian or you're not yet fully committed, uh, let this be and I just, our manifesto of sorts, like this is our standard. 00:02:15.139 --> 00:02:19.840 This is what we're going to hold ourselves to if we're going to call ourselves followers of Christ. 00:02:20.419 --> 00:02:29.039 And I think these, these realities, these concepts that we're going to talk through, they, they, they can permeate every area and aspect of our lives. 00:02:29.460 --> 00:02:32.080 Uh, there's going to be something for everyone in here though. 00:02:32.139 --> 00:02:33.439 We're going to be in Matthew 22. 00:02:36.379 --> 00:02:40.960 We're just going to read the first little bit and we're going to break down the scripture in Matthew 22. 00:02:41.139 --> 00:02:47.159 Jesus is by all accounts kind of entering into the last phase of his ministry. 00:02:47.599 --> 00:02:55.500 He'd spent time preaching and teaching and healing and things are coming to a head right now. 00:02:55.620 --> 00:02:59.400 Things are coming to a head and that he realizes in just a few chapters. 00:02:59.639 --> 00:03:02.039 Well, it doesn't, it says it in a parallel account. 00:03:02.400 --> 00:03:05.639 It says that Jesus from that point on, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 00:03:05.639 --> 00:03:07.620 Like he knows this is where I'm going to be crucified. 00:03:08.560 --> 00:03:18.580 And um, and so in Matthew 22 it says in verse 15, then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. 00:03:19.300 --> 00:03:22.439 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians teacher. 00:03:22.659 --> 00:03:27.300 They said, we know that you're a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 00:03:27.699 --> 00:03:31.460 You aren't swayed by others because you pay no attention to who they are. 00:03:32.199 --> 00:03:34.060 Tell us then, what is your opinion? 00:03:34.780 --> 00:03:38.960 Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not? 00:03:39.620 --> 00:03:40.340 Stop here. 00:03:41.939 --> 00:03:56.379 And so immediately we have these two groups of people that were taught that there's Pharisees and there's Herodians and they're setting up to try to trap him and they're currying his favor and they're saying nice things about him and they say, you're not swayed by what other people think. 00:03:56.400 --> 00:03:57.699 We know you're a good man. 00:03:57.800 --> 00:03:58.819 And you know, it's interesting. 00:03:58.919 --> 00:04:07.780 A few chapters really at the beginning, it's Mark three, you don't got to turn there, but it says basically Jesus, he heals a guy on the Sabbath, a crippled man. 00:04:07.780 --> 00:04:22.379 And they say now at that point, the Pharisees went to the Herodians and started to conspire like how we can, what we can drum up to ask Jesus or to manipulate Jesus or to crucify Jesus or to at least remove him from where he is right now. 00:04:22.459 --> 00:04:23.439 What, what can we do? 00:04:24.019 --> 00:04:31.740 And, uh, you know, it got, it got me thinking that, uh, well, these are just a little bit of, uh, who the Pharisees would have been or what we're talking about here. 00:04:31.779 --> 00:04:33.060 Perhaps you already know this. 00:04:33.339 --> 00:04:36.740 Maybe you have a little bit less understanding of the Herodians Pharisees. 00:04:36.740 --> 00:04:40.759 This is the, this is a massive religious sect inside of Judaism. 00:04:41.199 --> 00:04:45.540 It was, it was relatively popular amongst the Jewish people. 00:04:45.779 --> 00:04:54.459 They valued personal piety and some of the two, especially in Jesus's time, there were two big schools or schools of thought. 00:04:54.860 --> 00:04:56.680 One was from Rabbi Shammai. 00:04:56.779 --> 00:05:06.139 The other was Rabbi Hillel and Rabbi Shammai had this very strict approach and it was very, it was anti Rome, um, especially anti Rome taxation. 00:05:06.660 --> 00:05:17.040 And there's, there's just this deep disdain that he would have taught his people inside of this Jewish, uh, this Jewish cult based or Jewish sect of a Christian or Jewish sect. 00:05:17.139 --> 00:05:19.699 He would have taught them, this is how we operate. 00:05:19.759 --> 00:05:20.639 We're not going to pay taxes. 00:05:20.740 --> 00:05:22.420 It's not, it's not lawful for us. 00:05:22.519 --> 00:05:24.759 And then Rabbi Hillel would have been a little bit looser. 00:05:24.879 --> 00:05:29.819 He might've taught, uh, that, you know, it's okay, but don't bow down in this way and whatever. 00:05:29.819 --> 00:05:42.720 But most of the people in that time would have likely identified with the top one or at least the, the common folk would have said, okay, this top guy, he's the one who we want to, uh, you know, place our allegiance to if we're going to do that. 00:05:43.000 --> 00:05:47.800 The Herodians were, uh, this is, we, we know a lot less about the Herodians. 00:05:48.259 --> 00:05:56.819 We, uh, there's, it's talked about twice in the, in the Bible, but there's not an awful lot of stuff outside of the Bible that, that talks about Herodians. 00:05:56.819 --> 00:06:01.139 We understand them to be Jewish people who supported Herod. 00:06:02.160 --> 00:06:09.800 Uh, they were, these were likely promoters of Hellenistic culture, uh, maybe at the expense of their Jewish identity. 00:06:09.860 --> 00:06:13.259 Uh, we don't, we're not positive, maybe at the expense of their Jewish identity. 00:06:13.519 --> 00:06:20.079 Uh, they viewed Herod as a way for there to be peace and security, even if it was just for a finite time. 00:06:20.100 --> 00:06:28.660 And so these guys, if you, if you're understanding it, how the Bible intends for us to understand it, then they would be pretty opposed to each other. 00:06:28.800 --> 00:06:34.660 Like naturally the Pharisees and the Herodians would not see eye to eye on an awful lot of things. 00:06:34.779 --> 00:06:40.100 But on the topic of Jesus, it seems like they saw eye to eye with each other. 00:06:40.839 --> 00:06:47.959 Um, the guy, it gets me thinking, I think for, for us, as we look at, we even begin the conversation on what is our image, what is our identity? 00:06:48.220 --> 00:06:58.439 I think we ought to, uh, if we're doing things, if we're living a life that is offensive in some ways to people who identify as being religious. 00:06:59.300 --> 00:07:11.220 And if we are living a life that is offensive to people who do not identify as being religious and identify as a very like earthly beings, I think we're getting closer to where we should be. 00:07:11.300 --> 00:07:22.319 I think if we're living a life, uh, as followers of Jesus, that means there's a religious people that the religious people are going to look at us and be confused and be frustrated and look down on us. 00:07:22.339 --> 00:07:23.199 And I think that's okay. 00:07:23.199 --> 00:07:32.180 And if we are living a life for Jesus, then certainly people in the world who put their allegiance in the world are going to look at us and they're going to be confused and they're going to be frustrated. 00:07:32.680 --> 00:07:33.240 And that's okay. 00:07:33.480 --> 00:07:38.079 We now, now it's not like it's just maybe a, maybe it's more of a gauge than it is. 00:07:38.199 --> 00:07:40.279 If you're doing it, you're doing everything right. 00:07:40.420 --> 00:07:42.899 You know that, but it's more of a gauge for us to consider. 00:07:43.420 --> 00:07:59.819 So you've got these, these two groups of people and Jesus, uh, it says, it says this, it says in verse 18, Jesus knowing their evil intent said, you hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 00:08:04.480 --> 00:08:11.500 You know, this, this question, it was an important question for them to ask him if they were going to try to trap him. 00:08:11.560 --> 00:08:13.800 Like it seems like there's, there's no way out. 00:08:13.899 --> 00:08:20.699 Uh, if they were to say, if Jesus says, yes, pay taxes, do that, that people would have been frustrated with them. 00:08:20.699 --> 00:08:29.860 This, uh, the, the Pharisees would have looked at him and he would have been identified perhaps as a bit of a, a, a bit, a bit like Corodian in nature. 00:08:30.420 --> 00:08:32.220 Um, and he didn't want to do that. 00:08:32.298 --> 00:08:35.418 He was not identifying with a political group or a group in general. 00:08:36.038 --> 00:08:43.340 Um, if you were to say, no, don't pay taxes, that would be against what, what the teaching of the law of the day is. 00:08:43.360 --> 00:08:45.580 And so he would be confronted with that. 00:08:45.620 --> 00:08:58.159 And so there's like, if you're picturing, I think the proper way he's hemmed in on all sides, it says these, this, this thing though, it says Jesus knowing their evil intent. 00:08:58.720 --> 00:09:03.080 And then, and then he speaks, there's a parallel, there's two parallel accounts of this. 00:09:03.139 --> 00:09:10.679 And I found it really interesting that, uh, so in Matthew, it says he knows their evil intent in Mark. 00:09:10.700 --> 00:09:15.519 It says he knows their hypocrisy and in Luke, it says he sees their duplicity. 00:09:15.879 --> 00:09:21.220 And you know, we, these words are similar or perhaps they, they give similar connotations, but they do mean different things. 00:09:21.799 --> 00:09:24.559 Um, in the, in the Greek, I pulled the Greek out of it. 00:09:24.820 --> 00:09:38.440 Uh, so in, in, you know, Mark, this, this word hypocrisy, it's like this, a stage player, basically like you're putting on a show and we all know you're putting on a show, but you're putting on a show and he sees, it says he knows their hypocrisy. 00:09:39.100 --> 00:09:48.419 In Luke, this duplicity is a false wisdom or craftiness, or I'm trying to skirt my way around, around what, what you're saying. 00:09:49.200 --> 00:09:55.279 And then in Matthew, uh, the evil intent, Matthew, I mean, he speaks pretty plainly about it. 00:09:55.340 --> 00:09:58.759 This is malice, ill-intentioned actions, and all of that. 00:09:58.820 --> 00:10:01.000 And Jesus sees all of that. 00:10:01.019 --> 00:10:06.840 And I would say for us, we ought to become experts at seeing that in, in people as well. 00:10:09.409 --> 00:10:10.190 Work with me here. 00:10:10.210 --> 00:10:19.470 Like we, we, we should strive to become great at seeing and knowing when, uh, when, when people are acting in these types of ways, we're never going to be like Jesus. 00:10:19.470 --> 00:10:20.669 We're never going to have my Jesus. 00:10:20.889 --> 00:10:22.490 He had an, a great understanding. 00:10:22.590 --> 00:10:23.789 Like he had a perfect understanding. 00:10:23.909 --> 00:10:26.330 We can think, man, somebody is being a hypocrite. 00:10:26.429 --> 00:10:30.269 Maybe they're living in an authentic life, you know, but Jesus had a perfect understanding. 00:10:30.429 --> 00:10:34.169 We ought to strive to be like Jesus in this way, though. 00:10:35.230 --> 00:10:41.429 Yeah, we should strive to identify these characteristics from those we listened to and those we let into our lives. 00:10:41.730 --> 00:10:46.990 Uh, the goal understanding of this is not to be jaded, uh, and seeing like somebody always has an angle. 00:10:47.070 --> 00:10:48.330 There's always, they're always trying to get me. 00:10:48.330 --> 00:10:49.990 That's not what I'm communicating. 00:10:50.809 --> 00:10:59.370 Uh, what I will say though, is as we're trying to understand this, we understand this, then we'll understand, okay, this is how they're trying to trap me. 00:10:59.409 --> 00:11:00.350 You're trying to manipulate me. 00:11:00.389 --> 00:11:02.330 And now I'm going to respond in a spiritual way. 00:11:02.730 --> 00:11:16.429 Often, perhaps you, you might have, uh, you know, there's, there's been, there's one time in particular that I look at in my life where somebody was acting for sure with some duplicity and I just fed into it entirely. 00:11:16.429 --> 00:11:29.509 There was another Christian group on campus and I think his job was like inside of the Christian group, his job was to incite conflict, uh, in, in, in, in general, like he did everything he could. 00:11:29.590 --> 00:11:37.110 Like he would, uh, the people that we were, we were studying the Bible with a few people and he would just come in randomly and try to be our friend. 00:11:37.110 --> 00:11:39.070 And he'd sit down, Hey guys, what's up? 00:11:39.070 --> 00:11:46.450 And then afterwards he tried to get their numbers and try to tell them how, uh, the group that I was leading was a fake Christian group. 00:11:46.629 --> 00:11:48.549 We didn't have real values. 00:11:48.850 --> 00:11:49.610 We are a dead church. 00:11:49.690 --> 00:11:51.809 Like that was his goal on campus. 00:11:51.950 --> 00:11:56.190 But every time I interacted with him, he seemed like a nice guy. 00:11:56.389 --> 00:11:59.110 Like, like he, he went about his way and we would talk. 00:11:59.149 --> 00:12:01.629 And I remember the first time I met him, he said, Hey, great to see you. 00:12:01.690 --> 00:12:05.850 You remind me just like my old campus minister, man, I can tell you're a spiritual guy. 00:12:05.870 --> 00:12:08.029 And he was speaking all of these words. 00:12:08.029 --> 00:12:12.909 And in my head, I'm like, man, I was told one thing like he, he kind of developed a little bit of a reputation. 00:12:13.769 --> 00:12:15.710 Um, but I thought, you know, I'll give him a chance. 00:12:16.289 --> 00:12:18.950 And, uh, perhaps that was the right action. 00:12:19.289 --> 00:12:25.129 Uh, but over time it became clear, like his, his speech was, was duplicitous. 00:12:25.129 --> 00:12:31.210 Like he, he would say one thing to me and then he would say something else to the people that I was studying the Bible with. 00:12:31.769 --> 00:12:36.850 And he would look to me and say one thing, say he's living this type of life. 00:12:37.350 --> 00:12:47.970 And then behind the scenes, there was a number of areas that became clear that, uh, maybe he was a super pious in one area, but he was missing a lot of other areas. 00:12:48.029 --> 00:12:52.809 And I remember getting sucked in to this conversation. 00:12:52.809 --> 00:12:59.789 It happened at least twice, but one time in particular, so much so that I just got on the phone and I talked, I just made, I made a fool of myself. 00:13:00.090 --> 00:13:05.350 Uh, but I wasn't trying to, and I think this is what happens a lot of times when we're not aware of evil. 00:13:05.350 --> 00:13:11.529 Like we, we come in with sincere hearts, sincere motives, and yet it feels like we just get undressed. 00:13:11.649 --> 00:13:15.250 Like, I, I just, I remember, uh, you know, he asked me, what about this? 00:13:15.289 --> 00:13:15.990 And what about this? 00:13:16.009 --> 00:13:16.870 And what, what about here? 00:13:16.870 --> 00:13:20.750 And I was like, you know, we're trying to live a spiritual life, dude. 00:13:20.769 --> 00:13:22.850 I mean, I don't, I mean, I'm, we're not perfect yet. 00:13:22.909 --> 00:13:24.029 Hey, what about your group sin? 00:13:24.070 --> 00:13:26.210 And I said, no, bro, my group does have sin. 00:13:26.230 --> 00:13:27.389 Like, I think your group does too. 00:13:27.470 --> 00:13:29.129 I mean, we're trying to not have sin. 00:13:29.210 --> 00:13:31.389 I don't like, well, you know, what would you do if you were me? 00:13:31.389 --> 00:13:34.409 And I'm, I'm, I, my, my heart was sincere. 00:13:34.409 --> 00:13:44.509 And yet, uh, because of my lack of awareness of evil, I, uh, I just fell right into the trap that the Pharisees and the Herodians wanted Jesus to fall into. 00:13:47.190 --> 00:13:59.330 Since your heart, I, I, I wanted to, I don't even know if I, I certainly I could have done better and I did do better in the, in the coming weeks as we had interactions, but I don't even think I'm to blame necessarily. 00:13:59.370 --> 00:14:00.669 I just, I wasn't very aware. 00:14:00.669 --> 00:14:04.389 And our awareness of this stuff has to be quite high. 00:14:04.549 --> 00:14:07.409 You know, where our awareness is not quite high. 00:14:07.429 --> 00:14:11.470 I would say is great to see you Festus, dude. 00:14:11.610 --> 00:14:12.769 What's up, man? 00:14:14.289 --> 00:14:14.909 Oh, bro. 00:14:14.950 --> 00:14:16.269 It's so good to see you, dude. 00:14:17.029 --> 00:14:18.970 Festus is in school over in Chicago. 00:14:19.169 --> 00:14:21.789 If you, if you didn't know, that's why we haven't seen it for a little bit. 00:14:23.710 --> 00:14:30.090 You know, our, our awareness, uh, our awareness is maybe face to face, pretty, pretty good. 00:14:30.090 --> 00:14:33.389 I would say when we, when we interact face to face, I kind of know that person. 00:14:33.490 --> 00:14:43.889 There's something more going on where it lacks is, uh, when we're looking at somebody through a screen, you can go on, uh, any kind of social media. 00:14:43.970 --> 00:14:45.850 You can get some, uh, health advice. 00:14:46.070 --> 00:14:48.090 You can get parenting advice. 00:14:48.669 --> 00:14:52.809 You can see a number of ads telling you why this person is great. 00:14:52.850 --> 00:14:55.429 And a number of ads telling you why this person is not great. 00:14:56.129 --> 00:15:02.950 You can, uh, you can listen to a bunch of music that doesn't affect you. 00:15:03.230 --> 00:15:06.389 And you can watch a lot of movies that have no effect on you. 00:15:07.029 --> 00:15:10.830 And you can watch advertisements that you are not swayed by. 00:15:16.519 --> 00:15:29.740 And if we are not looking to be aware of the hypocrisy or the duplicity or the evil intent, we are going to fall victim to the same thing that the Herodians and the Pharisees were trying to make Jesus a victim to. 00:15:30.259 --> 00:15:32.820 That's not understanding your identity. 00:15:32.980 --> 00:15:34.840 You're making your image, something that's not your identity. 00:15:39.539 --> 00:15:46.519 You know, this is a, it's a gauge again, we're looking at gauges and maybe you're in a great spot with us. 00:15:46.580 --> 00:15:47.100 Maybe you're not. 00:15:47.320 --> 00:15:55.360 I, one of the gauges that I try to use is to ask myself how are, in what way are people trying to take my money? 00:15:55.399 --> 00:15:57.600 And in what way are people trying to get my support? 00:15:58.419 --> 00:16:17.080 And if your assumption, as you're looking on social media, or as you're listening to music, or as you're watching, whatever you're watching, if your assumption is someone's trying to take my money and someone's trying to get my support, you, uh, you might become a little bit more aware of some of the evil that's going on that you, you, you wouldn't ordinarily see. 00:16:19.090 --> 00:16:34.870 I have a, an illustration that I put down here of a, uh, of an artist who has done a masterful job of convincing her followers that, uh, that, that she really cares about them, but I'm not even going to say that this one, I'm going to, you're going to, or you can talk to me later. 00:16:34.929 --> 00:16:35.590 I have opinions. 00:16:36.570 --> 00:16:41.830 Um, but, but I just, I, it probably would, I, it would lose, it would lose some value if I, if I said it here. 00:16:41.990 --> 00:16:43.429 Uh, let, let's keep going. 00:16:43.470 --> 00:16:44.610 Let's go to Matthew 22. 00:16:47.279 --> 00:16:48.279 I got you interested. 00:16:53.509 --> 00:16:55.330 So Jesus knows their evil intent. 00:16:55.389 --> 00:16:57.909 And he says, you hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 00:16:57.929 --> 00:17:02.110 And then he says, show me the coin used for paying the tax. 00:17:02.450 --> 00:17:06.108 So they brought him a denarius and he asked them whose image is this? 00:17:06.108 --> 00:17:07.930 And who's inscription Caesars? 00:17:07.930 --> 00:17:08.450 They replied. 00:17:09.970 --> 00:17:12.150 Then he said to them, so give back to Caesar. 00:17:12.150 --> 00:17:14.490 What is Caesars and to gods? 00:17:14.630 --> 00:17:15.289 What is gods? 00:17:19.220 --> 00:17:20.960 When they heard this, they were amazed. 00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:23.720 So they left him and went away. 00:17:26.400 --> 00:17:35.680 The fact alone that they, they brought a coin would have meant that they were already, uh, they were already doing dealings with, uh, with, with Rome. 00:17:35.700 --> 00:17:37.880 Like they were, they weren't living off the grid. 00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:51.779 They were experiencing whatever safety, perhaps, uh, hemmed in safety, or perhaps it was, uh, safety with also some restrictions, but they were already participating in this, this, you know, native, this culture of the Romans. 00:17:51.920 --> 00:17:52.960 So it says, give me your coin. 00:17:53.339 --> 00:17:54.500 They show them the coin. 00:17:55.099 --> 00:17:57.380 It says, give the Caesar with Caesars give to gods. 00:17:57.480 --> 00:17:57.960 What is gods? 00:17:58.039 --> 00:18:02.500 And so we have to ask ourselves, well, well, what is, what is, what is Caesars? 00:18:02.579 --> 00:18:04.160 Like, that's a good question, I think, to ask. 00:18:04.180 --> 00:18:05.299 And how, how is that relevant? 00:18:05.740 --> 00:18:08.160 People have taken the scripture and it's really interesting. 00:18:08.220 --> 00:18:27.740 This one in particular, people have taken it to say, okay, well, this means that we definitely need to pay taxes and be subject to every law of our country, and people have also taken it to say, this means that we do not need to pay taxes at all to our country. 00:18:27.839 --> 00:18:32.299 And people have taken both and there's, there's sects of Christianity on either side. 00:18:32.319 --> 00:18:34.880 And I was, I was surprised hearing this as well. 00:18:37.380 --> 00:18:41.279 There's various degrees of what is, what point do I give tax? 00:18:41.339 --> 00:18:42.400 And who do I give tax to? 00:18:42.440 --> 00:18:43.180 And what does this mean? 00:18:43.180 --> 00:18:44.839 Is it just the money I give? 00:18:44.920 --> 00:18:47.980 Or is it also, what is, what, is it everything else? 00:18:48.039 --> 00:18:48.519 Is it the land? 00:18:49.140 --> 00:18:53.259 I think it's perhaps more valuable for us to identify what is gods. 00:18:53.359 --> 00:19:06.720 And if we do that and we can learn where, where, where Caesar has reigned or where our culture has reigned or where our government has reigned and we can also learn though, where, where God has reigned, what is gods? 00:19:06.819 --> 00:19:08.599 This is the more relevant question. 00:19:08.759 --> 00:19:12.140 And so I would ask you whose inscription do humans have? 00:19:15.900 --> 00:19:17.559 We're made in God's image, right? 00:19:18.900 --> 00:19:31.079 In the same way that a denarius has the image of Caesar and was made in accordance with how Caesar desired and made, we, we were made by God and in his image, and that's what we ought to bear. 00:19:32.299 --> 00:19:34.460 We are, we are his special possession. 00:19:34.660 --> 00:19:36.319 The Bible says it's first Peter two. 00:19:36.440 --> 00:19:37.279 You can just reference it. 00:19:37.359 --> 00:19:48.539 It says you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 00:19:50.890 --> 00:19:52.750 You are God's special possession. 00:19:53.009 --> 00:19:57.109 So what does God own more than certainly he can own whatever he wants. 00:19:57.210 --> 00:19:58.329 He does own everything. 00:19:58.549 --> 00:19:58.869 Absolutely. 00:19:59.450 --> 00:20:01.710 If you ask him, what's the most important thing for you? 00:20:01.809 --> 00:20:04.809 If you, God, you know, this is, you know, we're, we're getting weird here. 00:20:04.849 --> 00:20:07.049 If we said, God, you can only own one thing, what would it be? 00:20:07.089 --> 00:20:07.890 He would just say humanity. 00:20:08.029 --> 00:20:09.670 It wouldn't even, it wouldn't be a question. 00:20:09.829 --> 00:20:11.150 Of course he would choose you guys. 00:20:14.490 --> 00:20:18.990 If that's the case, then our image ought to reflect our identity. 00:20:19.150 --> 00:20:22.210 If we are made in God's image, that's our identity. 00:20:22.410 --> 00:20:26.250 Then that's then everything that we project should, should promote that. 00:20:33.069 --> 00:20:38.150 You know, there's, there's hear me now, and this is, I'm going to, I'll qualify it. 00:20:38.250 --> 00:20:45.289 If this hits you in a, in a way where you're, you pull back a little bit, then I would ask that just let me finish. 00:20:45.670 --> 00:20:47.890 And if it hits you in a way that you're like, yeah, they need to hear that. 00:20:47.890 --> 00:20:51.170 Then I would ask that, that you say a quick prayer for humility. 00:20:55.750 --> 00:21:01.529 There's, there's no there's no politician who has your best interest in mind as a Christian. 00:21:04.539 --> 00:21:12.640 Now, if you, if you primarily identify as something other than a Christian, then perhaps they, they do have your best interest in mind. 00:21:12.720 --> 00:21:17.319 Like if you identify as a black Christian, you can probably find a good politician for that. 00:21:17.579 --> 00:21:20.599 If you identify as a white Christian, you'd find a good politician for that. 00:21:20.599 --> 00:21:24.960 An Asian or Hispanic Christian, you'd probably find somebody for that. 00:21:25.000 --> 00:21:28.180 If you're a poor Christian, then you'd find a politician for you. 00:21:28.200 --> 00:21:32.559 If you're a rich Christian, then I think you, you'd be able to find your politician. 00:21:33.000 --> 00:21:34.559 Perhaps one of them has your back. 00:21:34.980 --> 00:21:43.380 If, if you put any image of yourself before you identify as a Christian, then, then there's going to be someone for you. 00:21:44.019 --> 00:22:04.009 But if you are just a disciple, if you're just a Christian and there's going to be nobody who has your best interest in mind, we ought to live a life that is, is counter-cultural, we're called to live a life that projects Christ in every area and every facet of our being. 00:22:04.130 --> 00:22:08.190 We are called the world, the world should hate it. 00:22:08.269 --> 00:22:10.490 It's not, it's not even the world's fault necessarily. 00:22:10.630 --> 00:22:12.569 Like it should hate it if we're doing it correctly. 00:22:13.809 --> 00:22:25.289 I've seen the lives of so many Christians be sapped of their joy because they see themselves as primarily something else before a follower of Jesus. 00:22:27.190 --> 00:22:29.609 This is, this is not just political. 00:22:32.150 --> 00:22:34.609 Because I'm, I'm proud to be a husband of Bianca. 00:22:34.930 --> 00:22:38.549 I'm proud to be the father of Jordan and Madison and a baby boy. 00:22:39.029 --> 00:22:43.789 I'm proud to be the son of Calvin and Kim, and I'm proud to have Angela as a mother as well. 00:22:44.289 --> 00:22:46.210 I'm grateful to be a minister. 00:22:46.589 --> 00:22:48.710 I'm proud to be half Indian and half white. 00:22:49.190 --> 00:22:51.029 I am proud to be an American. 00:22:51.589 --> 00:22:55.089 I'm so grateful to God that I was chosen to live in this country. 00:22:55.529 --> 00:22:58.230 I believe it to be the greatest country in the world. 00:22:58.329 --> 00:23:01.529 My opinion doesn't mean an awful lot, but I, I believe it to be the greatest country in the world. 00:23:02.670 --> 00:23:04.150 I don't plan to go anywhere else. 00:23:04.210 --> 00:23:05.750 I love being a Midwesterner. 00:23:06.250 --> 00:23:08.109 I'm, I'm proud of, I'm proud of the Midwest. 00:23:08.250 --> 00:23:10.029 I'm a, I'm happy to be a Packer fan. 00:23:27.589 --> 00:23:34.549 And, and, and when somebody else says it, I, I, I get a little defensive because don't you dare talk bad about Kalamazoo. 00:23:36.910 --> 00:23:39.809 There's not, there's not great ethnic food, but we got some great diners. 00:23:39.910 --> 00:23:40.890 This is what I tell people. 00:23:42.490 --> 00:23:45.690 But none of these things should hold more weight than me being a Christian. 00:23:46.970 --> 00:23:47.670 None of them. 00:23:50.579 --> 00:23:59.839 In my relationship with my spouse, it cannot be, I, I can't, I can't be more concerned with my relationship with my spouse than I am with her relationship with God and my relationship with God. 00:24:00.559 --> 00:24:02.720 I can't be concerned with keeping the peace first. 00:24:02.839 --> 00:24:06.380 I can't be concerned exclusively with what will please her. 00:24:07.279 --> 00:24:08.839 My allegiance is to Jesus first. 00:24:08.940 --> 00:24:09.660 And so was yours. 00:24:11.140 --> 00:24:13.900 In my parenting, I need to be a Christian first. 00:24:13.980 --> 00:24:16.779 I can't be a parent before I am a disciple. 00:24:17.740 --> 00:24:22.400 I need a parent, my, my, my children out of a reverence for God. 00:24:22.400 --> 00:24:31.859 My love for America and the Midwest and Kalamazoo, it cannot shape my view of people or my view of politics. 00:24:32.259 --> 00:24:38.000 It's all through the lens of Christianity first, where I spend my money. 00:24:38.000 --> 00:24:40.119 It ought to be a reflection of my love for God. 00:24:45.599 --> 00:24:50.839 This is if you squint too hard, you're just going to get a headache. 00:24:50.839 --> 00:24:56.000 If you look at this picture too long, this is what happens when things aren't really aligned all of that. 00:24:56.000 --> 00:24:59.519 Like you see the outline of, of a city. 00:24:59.819 --> 00:25:01.700 It looks like it's probably the evening. 00:25:02.299 --> 00:25:03.440 There's some lights. 00:25:04.619 --> 00:25:04.839 Yeah. 00:25:05.000 --> 00:25:06.759 Maybe there's some water underneath there. 00:25:06.779 --> 00:25:08.579 I guess I can't, I can't see very well. 00:25:08.579 --> 00:25:09.559 And maybe it was just rain. 00:25:09.619 --> 00:25:10.519 We don't really know. 00:25:10.579 --> 00:25:15.480 We see the makings of something, but we don't see it all that well. 00:25:16.559 --> 00:25:18.740 This is the life that you and I live. 00:25:18.779 --> 00:25:24.240 When we decide that our identity is going to be secondary to whatever image that we care about more. 00:25:29.259 --> 00:25:30.400 So what do we do with this? 00:25:30.579 --> 00:25:32.539 What, what, what, what do you, what are we supposed to do? 00:25:32.619 --> 00:25:34.019 Well, there's a scripture. 00:25:34.180 --> 00:25:41.380 I think it has some pretty perhaps not clear, but direct direct objectives that we can, we can strive to. 00:25:41.460 --> 00:25:50.279 If we're going to be those who live a life where our identity, Matt, or our image, excuse me, matches our identity in Christ this is Paul talking to Timothy. 00:25:52.099 --> 00:25:56.940 Perhaps it's his last letter, certainly written to Timothy, but perhaps it's his last letter that we have recorded. 00:25:56.940 --> 00:26:10.940 It says no one's serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer, similar, similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor's crown except by competing. 00:26:10.940 --> 00:26:16.980 According to the rules, the hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. 00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:22.339 Reflect on what I am saying for the Lord will give you insight into all this. 00:26:25.930 --> 00:26:35.349 It's going to be an amazing day when I can be old enough where I can just read something and say a few like cool lines and say, you know what? 00:26:36.170 --> 00:26:37.250 Just pray about that one. 00:26:37.390 --> 00:26:38.410 It's going to make sense later. 00:26:40.170 --> 00:26:41.269 That's what Paul's doing here. 00:26:42.730 --> 00:26:51.009 But think about, I mean, on a much grander scale, like he knows that we're going to be reading this and he's writing it and he says, that's going to give you some insight. 00:26:51.369 --> 00:26:53.369 Uh, I don't have, I don't have absolute insight. 00:26:53.450 --> 00:26:54.369 I got a little bit though. 00:26:54.829 --> 00:27:04.390 Uh, it says, uh, no soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, tries to please their commanding officer. 00:27:04.490 --> 00:27:06.190 This is our, what's our objective. 00:27:06.250 --> 00:27:07.690 Our objective needs to be to please God. 00:27:07.750 --> 00:27:12.490 Like we cannot be concerned with the world, the world's values. 00:27:12.490 --> 00:27:14.049 And we cannot forget that we're soldiers. 00:27:14.529 --> 00:27:21.809 Uh, there's, there's a number of songs like rah rah songs that we talk about being a soldier, but a soldier is a protector. 00:27:22.289 --> 00:27:24.250 A soldier is an advancer as well. 00:27:24.250 --> 00:27:27.269 And we need to protect the gospel and we need to advance the gospel. 00:27:29.759 --> 00:27:36.680 And it says anyone who competes as an athlete, doesn't receive the victor's crown, except competing according to the rules. 00:27:38.559 --> 00:27:39.700 What says we got to compete? 00:27:39.920 --> 00:27:46.559 Like there, when I, when I'm interacting with people, when you're interacting with people and there's a little bit of fight, there's a little bit of energy, it raises your energy. 00:27:46.559 --> 00:27:51.180 Even if you think it's for something foolish, there's a little bit of energy being raised. 00:27:51.539 --> 00:27:55.380 Um, even if it's for fantasy football, there's a little bit of energy being raised, right? 00:27:55.380 --> 00:27:57.460 This is, it's a, it's, it's dumb. 00:27:57.599 --> 00:27:58.240 It's menial. 00:27:58.700 --> 00:28:03.480 And yet when you, when you find somebody that really likes it, you're like, okay, I can, I can get myself into this thing. 00:28:03.500 --> 00:28:06.700 Or maybe, uh, you know, you can fill in whatever you want to fill in there. 00:28:08.779 --> 00:28:09.140 Compete. 00:28:09.240 --> 00:28:14.440 Uh, but it says compete according to the rules and allow yourself to be subject to someone else. 00:28:16.529 --> 00:28:17.630 I don't need the rules. 00:28:17.769 --> 00:28:26.910 You, I mean, man, I deep inside of us, I think we all, maybe we like rules, but the people who like rules probably the ones that made them growing up. 00:28:26.910 --> 00:28:28.529 Um, like I, I don't know. 00:28:28.589 --> 00:28:30.549 I mean, I, I just interact with my children. 00:28:30.549 --> 00:28:32.930 Like my, my girls, they know everything already. 00:28:33.009 --> 00:28:34.470 I don't, I have nothing to give to them. 00:28:34.890 --> 00:28:36.609 Uh, they already know it all, right? 00:28:37.029 --> 00:28:43.650 Uh, they already know exactly what to do and I can try to teach them and train them, but deep inside of all of us is something that says, no, I think I know a little bit better. 00:28:44.109 --> 00:28:46.390 This is saying, Hey, you got to follow the rules. 00:28:46.829 --> 00:28:49.049 Um, you gotta be subject to someone. 00:28:49.130 --> 00:28:51.430 You have to allow yourself to be under somebody. 00:28:53.259 --> 00:28:59.339 And this, this third thing, the hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. 00:29:00.059 --> 00:29:03.259 Does work hard, uh, and identify those who work hard. 00:29:03.519 --> 00:29:07.579 Uh, because there's times when you're working and you realize I'm not the hardworking farmer today. 00:29:07.700 --> 00:29:10.019 Somebody else is, let me let them go. 00:29:10.400 --> 00:29:12.619 Uh, there's, there's a self-awareness that's necessary. 00:29:12.619 --> 00:29:17.900 If we are going to, uh, follow what the Bible teaches and it's saying, you got to realize that you work hard today. 00:29:18.339 --> 00:29:21.220 Uh, and if you did great, like you're going to receive something. 00:29:21.240 --> 00:29:24.000 If you didn't work hard tomorrow, work hard a little bit later. 00:29:28.160 --> 00:29:40.279 I think if we are focused on living our true identity as, as Christians above everything else, then, then there's something in here for all of us. 00:29:40.359 --> 00:29:41.519 We're not going to get entangled. 00:29:41.940 --> 00:29:50.359 We are going to allow ourselves to be subject, but we're also going to be self-aware enough to realize when someone does well, we're going to identify it. 00:29:50.400 --> 00:29:53.240 And when something's wrong, we're going to identify it and we're doing well. 00:29:53.259 --> 00:29:56.920 We're going to, we're going to feel great about that because we will receive an award, a reward in the end. 00:29:56.920 --> 00:29:57.160 Amen. 00:29:58.180 --> 00:30:01.900 We are going to, uh, we're going to get ready to take communion here. 00:30:02.319 --> 00:30:19.079 And, um, it was a passage that, that Jesus shares, uh, that Jesus says basically it's in John 18 and he's interacting with, with Pilate in verse 33 says, then in John 18, excuse me. 00:30:19.099 --> 00:30:25.720 It says, then Pilate went back inside the palace and summoned Jesus and asked him, are you the King of the Jews? 00:30:25.720 --> 00:30:27.740 Is that your own idea? 00:30:28.119 --> 00:30:30.900 Jesus asked, or did others talk to you about me? 00:30:31.920 --> 00:30:32.539 Am I a Jew? 00:30:32.720 --> 00:30:36.660 Pilate replied, your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. 00:30:37.140 --> 00:30:38.640 What is it you have done? 00:30:40.180 --> 00:30:42.000 Jesus said, my kingdom is not of this world. 00:30:44.509 --> 00:30:49.390 If I were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. 00:30:49.569 --> 00:30:53.630 But now my kingdom is from another place. 00:30:54.289 --> 00:30:55.269 You are a King. 00:30:55.269 --> 00:30:58.029 Said Pilate, Jesus answered. 00:30:58.289 --> 00:30:59.210 You say that I'm a King. 00:30:59.329 --> 00:31:04.109 In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. 00:31:05.069 --> 00:31:09.230 Everyone on the side of truth listens to me. 00:31:12.359 --> 00:31:16.700 Jesus says, my kingdom is of another place. 00:31:16.779 --> 00:31:20.839 And this is the place that you and I are looking forward to. 00:31:21.140 --> 00:31:25.660 This is a place whose rules we are called to live out. 00:31:25.660 --> 00:31:30.180 Even right now, as, as interesting, as crazy, as deep of a concept as that is. 00:31:30.279 --> 00:31:36.640 And us taking communion is a reflection that Jesus, you have done the work. 00:31:36.980 --> 00:31:40.980 We, uh, we remember your blood shed on a cross. 00:31:41.099 --> 00:31:49.740 We remember your body broken for us to give us the chance to, to listen to you, to give us a chance to be on the side of truth. 00:31:49.799 --> 00:31:50.079 Amen. 00:31:50.579 --> 00:31:52.119 Let's, let's pray right now. 00:31:54.900 --> 00:31:58.900 Dear God, Lord, uh, we, we love you. 00:31:59.359 --> 00:32:05.539 We are, we, we want to, we want to live lives that project you and promote you. 00:32:05.539 --> 00:32:09.460 And not because of anything more than that is who we are, Lord. 00:32:09.519 --> 00:32:27.319 We know that, that the world has perverted the idea of living an authentic life or being true to yourself, or we realized that God, we want to turn to you in an effort to live who you made us to be Jesus, we're so grateful that you saw us as worthy before we were worthy. 00:32:27.759 --> 00:32:32.180 We are so grateful that you saw us as good when we were not good. 00:32:32.660 --> 00:32:37.059 We're so grateful that you saw us as loving when we were just full of hate. 00:32:38.039 --> 00:32:49.640 Lord, we, we pray that you will, uh, you, you will use us, but Lord, that you will, uh, just push yourself onto us, Lord, that you will give us a no choice, but to follow you Lord. 00:32:49.740 --> 00:32:54.099 I pray that our awareness of what you're doing and what you've done will, will only grow. 00:32:54.400 --> 00:32:55.579 Jesus, we love you. 00:32:55.839 --> 00:32:58.519 We thank you so much for your sacrifice on the cross. 00:32:58.859 --> 00:33:00.339 This is in your name that we pray. 00:33:26.160 --> 00:33:30.980 Thank you so much for listening to the Kalamazoo church of Christ podcast. 00:33:31.359 --> 00:33:34.680 If you're in the Kalamazoo area, we'd love to get connected. 00:33:34.880 --> 00:33:44.900 Please go to kalamazoo.church and fill in your information to come to a Sunday service or any other event that we have going on in any case, you'll be hearing from us next week. 00:33:58.700 --> 00:33:59.359 We love you so much.