WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:01.439 Well, thanks for joining us. 00:00:01.600 --> 00:00:05.839 We are in week two of a series that we started last week titled N I L. 00:00:06.080 --> 00:00:12.240 Now, I don't know when you're watching this, but at the time that we are recording, is it is August, and we live in the South. 00:00:12.320 --> 00:00:17.760 And so if that means, uh, what that means is that we in the South are all about football. 00:00:17.920 --> 00:00:28.320 That's Friday Night Lights, that's college football, that's NFL, all things football in the South, this time of the year means back to school and football season. 00:00:28.480 --> 00:00:34.960 And so if you're unfamiliar with sports and you're not really a sports person, then let me briefly explain what we mean when we say NIL. 00:00:35.359 --> 00:00:42.399 NIL is a hot topic, especially in the world of college athletics right now, and it stands for name, image, and likeness. 00:00:42.479 --> 00:00:55.439 And if I could summarize it just very briefly, it's this that five years ago, the NCAA, the governing body of college athletics, ruled in favor of college athletes could be compensated financially. 00:00:55.520 --> 00:01:00.479 They could be paid for their name, image, and likeness. 00:01:00.640 --> 00:01:09.680 Now, we don't need to get into all of the weeds on that, but suffice it to say that the last five years have been somewhat of the wild, wild west when it comes to college athletics. 00:01:09.840 --> 00:01:18.799 For many people, NIL has been a tremendous advantage, and athletes are now being compensated to some degree millions of dollars. 00:01:19.040 --> 00:01:22.079 However, it hasn't all been sunshine and rainbows. 00:01:22.159 --> 00:01:43.840 And the reason is that in the aftermath of NIL, there are also coaches and athletic directors, and to an extent, even the fans who are left frustrated when a particular athlete leaves their team behind or promotes him or herself above the team and ends up leaving that team for another team in pursuit of finances. 00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:47.439 But all in all, here is the idea of NIL. 00:01:47.680 --> 00:01:49.760 It was really a topic of fairness. 00:01:49.920 --> 00:02:03.439 And what I mean is that for years the NCAA had profited off of TV contracts, and TV ratings drove up these TV contracts into the billions of dollars. 00:02:03.599 --> 00:02:17.039 And so at some point, people said, hey, it's not really fair because the NCAA is profiting billions of dollars, and yet the people, the individuals, the athletes who are making this must-see TV aren't making anything. 00:02:17.280 --> 00:02:33.599 And so the idea, the argument in favor of NIL was that these athletes are entitled to compensation because it is their image on a TV screen that is driving the ratings that then produce billions of dollars of contracts. 00:02:33.759 --> 00:02:37.680 And so the idea was it was the athlete's image on the screen. 00:02:37.759 --> 00:02:39.599 That's why people were watching. 00:02:39.759 --> 00:02:44.639 Therefore, they deserve, they were entitled to this compensation. 00:02:44.879 --> 00:02:49.599 Now, long story short, here's where NIL gets it wrong biblically. 00:02:50.080 --> 00:03:07.680 Biblically, where NIL gets it wrong is that our image, whether it's on a TV screen, whether it's on social media, whether it's on an ad, on the radio or TV, whatever the case may be, is that NIL gets it wrong because biblically, our image is not our own. 00:03:07.840 --> 00:03:15.680 Let me say it this way, that our image is not to be used strictly and primarily for our own profit and gain. 00:03:16.080 --> 00:03:19.599 Now, if you have a Bible, turn with me to Mark chapter 12. 00:03:19.840 --> 00:03:24.240 Mark chapter 12, here's the timeline of where we are in Jesus' life. 00:03:24.319 --> 00:03:27.120 This is the last week of Jesus' ministry. 00:03:27.360 --> 00:03:32.080 Mark chapter 11, Jesus enters into Jerusalem, referred to as the triumphal entry. 00:03:32.240 --> 00:03:36.479 And so this begins the last seven-day period of Jesus' ministry. 00:03:36.639 --> 00:03:48.960 And what Mark tells us in Mark chapter 11 is that part of the reason this is the last week of Jesus' ministry is because this group of people, known as the chief priests and the scribes, have already made up their minds. 00:03:49.120 --> 00:03:52.960 They've already decided that they want Jesus dead. 00:03:53.199 --> 00:03:59.520 Now, this is not just we disagree with Jesus, we disagree with his opinions, his takes, his ideologies. 00:03:59.680 --> 00:04:03.840 It's that, no, we need to get rid of Jesus. 00:04:04.080 --> 00:04:09.199 And so Mark tells us in Mark 11, verse 18, that they have already decided they want Jesus dead. 00:04:09.280 --> 00:04:10.960 And so here's what they have to do, though. 00:04:11.199 --> 00:04:14.319 They then have to decide, well, how can we pull this off? 00:04:14.479 --> 00:04:17.040 Because they only had one problem, and that was this. 00:04:17.279 --> 00:04:23.600 They could not just outright have Jesus killed because the crowds were astonished at Jesus. 00:04:23.839 --> 00:04:27.120 The crowds, many of these people had heard of Jesus' ministry. 00:04:27.279 --> 00:04:39.759 Some of them had witnessed his miracles, they had seen him live and in person, they had heard his teachings, and so a large portion of these Jewish crowds now were looking to Jesus as the Messiah. 00:04:40.000 --> 00:04:47.439 And what that meant was their hope for Jesus was that he was going to be the one who would restore the kingdom of God. 00:04:47.759 --> 00:04:54.240 He would be the one who would restore the nation of Israel, he would free them of their Roman oppression. 00:04:54.480 --> 00:05:02.079 And so, for many of the people, they look to Jesus as the coming king, the Messiah, the one who would deliver them from Roman rule. 00:05:02.240 --> 00:05:11.519 And so standing between the chief priests and the scribes and their desire to have Jesus killed are the crowds who are enamored with and astonished at Jesus. 00:05:11.680 --> 00:05:22.319 The crowds who on that day when Jesus entered Jerusalem were shouting, Hosanna, Hosanna, here comes the king into Jerusalem riding on a donkey. 00:05:22.560 --> 00:05:34.079 And so what Mark does in Mark chapter 12 is in Mark chapter 12, verses 13 through 17, Mark tells us about an encounter between Jesus and two groups of people. 00:05:34.560 --> 00:05:47.439 But what he's really telling us in the greater picture is this that Mark chapter 12, verses 13 through 17 are part of a greater plan and scheme by the chief priests and the scribes to turn the crowds against Jesus. 00:05:47.680 --> 00:05:51.680 If they can turn the crowds against Jesus, they can eliminate Jesus. 00:05:51.839 --> 00:05:54.800 So Mark chapter 12, verse 13, here's where we pick up. 00:05:55.120 --> 00:06:03.040 Then they, the they there is the scribes and the chief priests, the same ones who in Mark chapter 11 have already determined that they're going to kill Jesus. 00:06:03.199 --> 00:06:05.519 They just have to decide how we can do this. 00:06:05.759 --> 00:06:10.079 It's the crowds who love Jesus, who are enamored with Jesus, who are astonished at Jesus. 00:06:10.240 --> 00:06:14.079 They stand in the way in between them and their schemes. 00:06:14.240 --> 00:06:19.680 And so their idea is we have to do something to show that Jesus is a fraud. 00:06:19.839 --> 00:06:24.639 We have to do something to turn the crowds, public opinion against Jesus. 00:06:24.959 --> 00:06:27.920 So Mark tells us that verses 13 through 17 is part of this scheme. 00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:38.959 So in verse 13, then they, the chief priests and the scribes, part of their plan was they sent some of the Pharisees and the Herodians to Jesus to trap him in his words. 00:06:39.279 --> 00:06:42.800 So Mark tells us that this entire encounter is a trap. 00:06:42.959 --> 00:06:49.600 They are laying a trap, but here's what happens: in the background are the chief priests and the scribes who are scheming and planning Jesus' demise. 00:06:50.000 --> 00:07:02.399 But instead they send the Pharisees and the Herodians, these two other people, a religious party and a political party, they send them to the forefront to disguise their intent. 00:07:02.959 --> 00:07:05.920 Because they want Jesus arrested, they devise a plan to trap Jesus. 00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:07.600 And here's the plan in verse 14. 00:07:07.759 --> 00:07:18.639 So when they came, the Pharisees and the Herodians, they said to him, Teacher, we know that you are truthful and don't care what anyone thinks, nor do you show partiality, but teach the way of God truthfully. 00:07:18.959 --> 00:07:33.680 By the way, you can hear the religious jargon in which they are saying these things out loud in the presence of the crowd, saying, Oh, Jesus, we know that you don't value man's opinion, you only value what your father says, and we know that you treat teach the truth. 00:07:33.920 --> 00:07:40.319 So what do you think about, and here's their question Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? 00:07:40.959 --> 00:07:44.480 Should we or shouldn't we pay these taxes? 00:07:44.720 --> 00:07:50.879 Now here's the reality behind this is that the Jews lived under the rule of the Roman Empire. 00:07:51.040 --> 00:07:53.680 The Jews were not an autonomous nation. 00:07:53.920 --> 00:07:59.360 They were burdened by the taxes that were levied on them by the Roman government. 00:07:59.680 --> 00:08:08.319 As subjects of Caesar, they then had to pay whatever taxes Caesar and Rome mandated that they pay. 00:08:08.560 --> 00:08:20.879 And so these chief priests and scribes come up with a plan that in the public setting, they will ask Jesus point blank, should we or should we not pay these taxes that are a burden to our people? 00:08:21.519 --> 00:08:23.839 And here's why it was a trap for Jesus. 00:08:24.079 --> 00:08:25.759 Because when they ask, is it lawful? 00:08:31.120 --> 00:08:33.759 Their question was in terms of Jewish law. 00:08:33.919 --> 00:08:37.519 In other words, what does God say about this? 00:08:38.159 --> 00:08:41.919 Now here's the dilemma that they're thinking Jesus is going to be faced with. 00:08:42.159 --> 00:09:05.360 If Jesus says yes, you should pay taxes, then ultimately the crowds who love Jesus, who see Jesus as the Messiah who will free them from Roman oppression, if Jesus says yes, then now the crowds will be turned against Jesus because they look to him to liberate them from Roman oppression, not take the side of the Romans saying, yes, you should pay these taxes. 00:09:05.759 --> 00:09:15.039 However, if Jesus says no, then the crowds would continue to see him as this liberating figure who would free them from Rome. 00:09:15.200 --> 00:09:25.360 However, if Jesus says no, it's unlawful, now Jesus can be portrayed to the Roman government and officials that he is now an insurrectionist. 00:09:25.519 --> 00:09:31.919 He is one who's leading a rebellion against Rome, trying to overthrow Roman authority. 00:09:32.240 --> 00:09:40.480 So, in other words, the scribes and the Pharisees who want Jesus dead, they come to Jesus under the guise of what does God say about this? 00:09:40.639 --> 00:09:50.559 We care about what God says, we care about what is true, we care about what is lawful in God's eyes, but deep down their motives are malicious. 00:09:50.960 --> 00:09:53.120 They don't actually care about what God thinks. 00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:55.120 They don't actually care about what is true. 00:09:55.360 --> 00:10:10.320 They just know that whether Jesus answers yes or no, they can trap him and they can either turn Jesus away from the public opinion of the crowds, or they can turn him over to the Roman government saying, This guy doesn't agree with taxes, therefore he is a rebel. 00:10:10.799 --> 00:10:12.720 In their minds, it's the perfect plan. 00:10:12.879 --> 00:10:18.399 They put on a religious persona, and yet deep down their motives are wicked. 00:10:18.720 --> 00:10:25.679 But verse 15, but knowing their hypocrisy, Jesus says to them, Why are you testing me? 00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:31.279 Jesus is not fooled by the facade, the image that they are portraying. 00:10:31.600 --> 00:10:38.000 Instead, he sees right past that and he knows deep down that their real intent is to trap him. 00:10:38.159 --> 00:10:45.440 And so Jesus says, Your hypocrisy, why are you trying to test me, to trap me, to catch me? 00:10:45.600 --> 00:10:49.679 And so what Jesus does is he says, Bring me a denarius to look at. 00:10:49.840 --> 00:10:56.320 Now, a denarius would be part of the taxes that are owed to the Roman government, ultimately to Caesar. 00:10:56.480 --> 00:11:00.879 There was a certain tax in the Roman government that the Jews would have to pay once a year. 00:11:00.960 --> 00:11:04.000 They would have to pay one denarius, which was one day's wage. 00:11:04.159 --> 00:11:11.360 And so Jesus, in the topic of taxes, he says, Well, actually bring me one of those coins that you have to pay as tax. 00:11:12.000 --> 00:11:13.759 Now here's their hypocrisy. 00:11:14.000 --> 00:11:21.039 Their hypocrisy is they are trying to manipulate theology to serve their own selfish outcomes. 00:11:21.440 --> 00:11:27.200 They know, and Mark is clear, that they actually are not concerned with what God thinks about taxes. 00:11:27.279 --> 00:11:29.600 They don't actually care about what the answer is. 00:11:29.759 --> 00:11:34.080 They just know that whatever the answer is, they will have Jesus trapped. 00:11:34.320 --> 00:11:39.840 They are attempting to hide behind their religious osity to cover their true motives. 00:11:40.000 --> 00:11:43.120 Deep down, their motives are, we want Jesus dead. 00:11:43.279 --> 00:11:49.440 Yet the image that they are portraying is that actually we care about what God thinks. 00:11:49.840 --> 00:11:56.799 To disguise their true intent from the crowd, they project a righteous searching heart. 00:11:57.200 --> 00:12:10.159 Here's the thing they're projecting an image of sincerity, but in reality, here's what they're doing: they are appealing to the law, they're projecting righteousness, they are hiding behind this idea that, oh, what does God think? 00:12:10.320 --> 00:12:16.639 But really they're trying to use theology, they're trying to use God to serve their own evil purposes. 00:12:17.120 --> 00:12:20.080 And so Jesus says, Well, bring me one of those coins. 00:12:20.480 --> 00:12:29.120 Verse 16, so they bring a denarius, they brought a coin, and Jesus asks this question, Whose image and inscription is this? 00:12:29.759 --> 00:12:30.639 He asked. 00:12:30.799 --> 00:12:33.200 And they replied, Caesar's. 00:12:33.360 --> 00:12:37.200 Now, what we have to understand is that the Romans would mint their own coins. 00:12:37.360 --> 00:12:40.559 In fact, they had certain mines where they would mine these precious metals. 00:12:40.720 --> 00:12:48.399 Those metals would then be heated up and softened, and then they would have these molds in which they would hammer into and stamp these coins. 00:12:48.559 --> 00:12:55.519 And what they would do is that every time there was a new Caesar, they would produce new coins with that Caesar's image on it. 00:12:55.759 --> 00:13:08.159 And sometimes the same Caesar, because some Caesars would rule for 10, 15, 20 years at a time, is that sometimes the same Caesar would continue to produce new coins, but they would have different inscriptions on them. 00:13:08.399 --> 00:13:12.960 And the inscriptions were really, really and truly used as propaganda. 00:13:13.279 --> 00:13:19.360 It was a way to communicate mass communication to this vast Roman Empire. 00:13:19.519 --> 00:13:35.919 And so coins were a reminder to the subjects of Rome that this is your Caesar, this is your Lord, as they would say it, this is your ultimate authority, and there would be some type of inscription to remind you that you live under the authority and the power of Rome. 00:13:36.159 --> 00:13:38.720 And so Jesus says, Well, bring me one of those coins. 00:13:38.799 --> 00:13:42.000 And when he brings the coin, he asked them, Well, whose inscription is on there? 00:13:42.159 --> 00:13:44.399 And they replied, Caesar. 00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:53.440 And so Jesus tells them in verse 17, Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. 00:13:53.759 --> 00:13:56.399 And they were utterly amazed at him. 00:13:56.799 --> 00:13:58.399 Now here's what Jesus does. 00:13:58.639 --> 00:14:06.159 Jesus says to them, looking at this coin with Caesar's inscription, his image on it, and he says to them, Hey, I have bad news. 00:14:06.240 --> 00:14:07.279 You need to pay your taxes. 00:14:07.519 --> 00:14:08.960 But here's what Jesus is really saying. 00:14:09.120 --> 00:14:11.679 This is not really about paying your taxes at all. 00:14:11.919 --> 00:14:14.080 He says to them, Give to Caesar. 00:14:14.159 --> 00:14:22.960 That word give to can actually be rendered returned to, because this denarius that they were paying taxes with actually originated from Caesar. 00:14:23.200 --> 00:14:29.120 Caesar is the one who authorized the minting of this coin with his image and his inscription. 00:14:29.279 --> 00:14:36.080 And so, really and truly, this coin was distributed into the Roman Empire by Caesar himself. 00:14:36.240 --> 00:14:45.679 And so Jesus is ultimately saying, hey, the taxes that you're paying are simply, quite frankly, giving back to Caesar what was already his. 00:14:46.399 --> 00:14:51.919 These coins were distributed by Caesar, his authority, his authorization in the Roman Empire. 00:14:52.080 --> 00:14:55.600 And so Jesus is saying, hey, these things actually originated with Caesar. 00:14:55.759 --> 00:14:58.159 When you pay your taxes, you are simply giving back to him. 00:14:58.240 --> 00:15:02.320 You're returning to him what was already his. 00:15:03.039 --> 00:15:03.759 But here's the point. 00:15:03.919 --> 00:15:11.279 Jesus is not really talking about taxes because he takes it a step further and he says this give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's. 00:15:11.440 --> 00:15:15.360 Now here's why this is a step further is because they did not ask about God. 00:15:16.399 --> 00:15:21.679 They asked about taxes because their motive was impure and they wanted to trap Jesus. 00:15:21.919 --> 00:15:26.799 Jesus takes it a step further and he says this, give back to God what is his. 00:15:27.600 --> 00:15:29.440 Now here's what Jesus is saying. 00:15:29.679 --> 00:15:40.720 If the coin that bore Caesar's image belonged to Caesar, then the person who bears the image of God belongs to it's as if Jesus leaves that line blank. 00:15:40.960 --> 00:15:43.200 It's as if Jesus is asking a rhetorical question. 00:15:43.360 --> 00:15:45.600 He's saying, Whose image is on this coin? 00:15:45.759 --> 00:15:49.759 Therefore, this coin belongs to Caesar because his image is on it. 00:15:49.919 --> 00:15:53.200 Therefore, you're simply giving back to Caesar what is his. 00:15:53.759 --> 00:16:04.399 But when Jesus takes it a step further, he's asking them a question, a rhetorical question that they already knew the answer to, and it's as if he's saying this the person who bears the image of God belongs to who. 00:16:06.480 --> 00:16:08.320 Now here's the question that I have for us. 00:16:08.799 --> 00:16:16.559 They were trying to trap Jesus because if he said no, you should not pay taxes, that would have made him an enemy, a rebel against Rome. 00:16:16.639 --> 00:16:21.039 Therefore, they could turn him over to the Roman authorities and have him killed. 00:16:21.360 --> 00:16:22.720 Now here's my question. 00:16:23.039 --> 00:16:31.919 If not paying taxes made you an enemy of Rome, then what does not giving or returning back to God, what is his, mean for us? 00:16:32.799 --> 00:16:44.000 I think what Jesus is trying to communicate to these people with malicious intent, with with desire to kill him, I think what he's saying is, hey, I know your plan. 00:16:44.159 --> 00:16:48.320 You're trying to portray me as an enemy and a rebel of Rome. 00:16:48.559 --> 00:16:58.320 So what I'm gonna ask you is if you, with your life who bears the image of God, are not giving back to God what is already his, then what does that make you? 00:16:58.879 --> 00:17:05.200 You see, here's the thing about these scribes and these chief priests is that they hid behind religiosity. 00:17:05.359 --> 00:17:10.240 They hid behind a portrayal, an image of righteousness. 00:17:10.480 --> 00:17:21.039 And yet what Jesus has done over and over throughout his ministry is he has exposed them and said the image they portray is not a reflection of their heart. 00:17:21.839 --> 00:17:40.640 And I think what Jesus is trying to communicate, not only to the chief priests and the scribes and the Pharisees and the Herodians, but what he's trying to convey to the crowds is this is that these people who portray an image of righteousness are actually rebels against the God of heaven. 00:17:41.039 --> 00:17:44.319 They are actually enemies of the God of heaven. 00:17:44.559 --> 00:17:57.440 What they are portraying is that they are a friend of God, they are teachers of the law, they are concerned with righteousness and what God thinks, but in reality, what lies beneath the surface is that these people are actually rebels. 00:17:57.680 --> 00:17:59.599 They are enemies of God. 00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:01.680 And how do we know that? 00:18:01.839 --> 00:18:09.119 There's no clearer picture than the incarnate God who stands before them and yet they want him dead. 00:18:10.160 --> 00:18:23.039 Jesus, God in flesh, the one who left the throne of heaven to take on humanity, is standing in front of them, who has confronted their hypocrisy and yet they want to kill him. 00:18:23.920 --> 00:18:33.359 What Jesus is saying is that these people hide behind an image of righteousness and yet they are enemies of God because they rebel against the things of God. 00:18:33.759 --> 00:18:35.680 So here's the question I have for us. 00:18:35.920 --> 00:18:37.440 I actually want to read this. 00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:44.160 This is a fairly long excerpt, but it comes from John Piper, the great thinker and writer and pastor. 00:18:44.640 --> 00:18:48.960 He says this, and I want us to reflect on what does it mean to be made in the image of God? 00:18:49.039 --> 00:18:51.920 What does it mean to give back to God what is his? 00:18:52.240 --> 00:19:06.799 Because if the image of Caesar on a coin makes that Caesar's property, then the image of God that is reflected in every single human being means that we have an a returning to do, that we return to God what is his. 00:19:07.039 --> 00:19:07.759 What does that mean? 00:19:07.839 --> 00:19:10.160 What does it mean to be made in the image of God? 00:19:10.480 --> 00:19:12.160 John Piper says it this way. 00:19:12.400 --> 00:19:14.880 He says, in what sense are we in the image of God? 00:19:15.119 --> 00:19:24.319 The simplest thing, the plainest thing, and in fact, for me, the most practical thing, and the way it has an actual effect on my life is to say that images are created to image. 00:19:24.799 --> 00:19:30.319 If you create an image, you make a sculpture of someone, you do it to display something about that someone. 00:19:30.559 --> 00:19:42.559 You put it in the town square in the middle of town, and you want people to look at it, to notice it, to think about that person, to think something about them, that they were noble or strong or wise or courageous or something. 00:19:42.799 --> 00:19:48.400 Now, what would it mean if you created seven billion statues of yourself and put them all over the world? 00:19:48.640 --> 00:19:59.759 It would mean you would want people to notice you, that God created us in his image so that we would display or reflect or communicate who he is, how great he is, and what he is like. 00:20:00.559 --> 00:20:02.880 He summarizes in this way and he says this. 00:20:03.119 --> 00:20:19.680 So I think being created in the image of God means that we image God, that we reflect God, that we live in a way, we think in a way, we feel in a way, we speak in a way that calls attention to the brightness of the glory of God. 00:20:20.960 --> 00:20:26.640 Here's the question and the thought that I want to leave you with is that Jesus is very clear. 00:20:27.200 --> 00:20:30.000 They ask about taxes, but this is not about taxes. 00:20:30.160 --> 00:20:35.680 You give to Caesar what is rightfully his, you return back to him what is his, and the same is true of God. 00:20:35.839 --> 00:20:47.440 Every image bearer of God, which is every human being ever created, is that we, our purpose in life, is to reflect the image of God so that he is made known. 00:20:48.079 --> 00:20:55.200 So the thought that I want to leave us with is this that we don't have to create an image, we already have one. 00:20:55.759 --> 00:21:00.319 See, the culture in which we live tells us that we have to make ourselves known. 00:21:00.640 --> 00:21:20.079 We have social media, and the the heartbeat behind social media is to put yourself forward and to make an image for yourself, to portray the best version of yourself through filters and through edits, to project a certain life, whether it's true or not, so that other people will think much of you. 00:21:20.960 --> 00:21:28.400 And yet, what Jesus reminds these people of, and what he reminds us of, is this that we don't have to create an image. 00:21:28.559 --> 00:21:32.720 We don't have to portray an image because it's not about our image. 00:21:32.880 --> 00:21:34.000 We already have one. 00:21:34.240 --> 00:21:40.240 Our purpose in life is to reflect the image of God that bears and marks every human being. 00:21:40.480 --> 00:21:43.759 So here's the question: we don't have to create an image, we already have one. 00:21:43.920 --> 00:21:45.759 Who is yours promoting? 00:21:46.960 --> 00:21:48.880 Are you promoting yourself? 00:21:49.920 --> 00:22:01.759 Or do you live your life in such a way that you promote and you reflect the glory of God so that when people see you, they actually see a reflection of God and they don't stop and just gaze at you for who you are. 00:22:02.640 --> 00:22:03.920 Let me ask it this way. 00:22:04.319 --> 00:22:14.400 We sing a song here in person live sometimes that's it's called Great Are You Lord, and there's a line in that song that says, It's your breath in our lungs. 00:22:14.960 --> 00:22:16.240 Let me ask you this. 00:22:16.480 --> 00:22:22.400 The breath in your lungs is the breath of God breathed life into your human existence. 00:22:22.559 --> 00:22:25.119 So how do you use the breath in your lungs? 00:22:25.359 --> 00:22:34.480 Do you use the breath in your lungs to promote yourself, or do you use the breath in your lungs to reflect the glory of God so that he would be made known? 00:22:34.720 --> 00:22:39.599 Or what about whatever gifts and talents and abilities that you possess? 00:22:39.759 --> 00:22:46.160 You did not form yourself in the womb, you did not design yourself with whatever capabilities and talents and abilities that you possess. 00:22:46.559 --> 00:22:58.079 And so do you use your capabilities, whether it be intellectually or creatively or musically or artistically, do you use your abilities, your gifts, your talents to promote yourself so that people will think much of you? 00:22:58.319 --> 00:23:05.279 How smart you are, how successful you are, how musically gifted and talented you are, how creative you are? 00:23:05.599 --> 00:23:11.839 Or do you use the gifts, abilities that you possess, realizing that God is the one who created and formed you in your mother's womb? 00:23:12.000 --> 00:23:14.640 Do you use those things to make much of him? 00:23:16.160 --> 00:23:27.119 Are we using the things that God has given us, the breath in our lungs, the gifts, the talents, the abilities to call attention to ourselves, or to shine a light on a God who is worthy? 00:23:27.519 --> 00:23:31.279 This is the heartbeat behind Jesus' statement. 00:23:31.759 --> 00:23:36.559 That we give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's because his image is on the coin. 00:23:36.720 --> 00:23:39.759 We are simply giving back to him what originated with him. 00:23:40.319 --> 00:23:42.079 The question is, how do we live our lives? 00:23:42.160 --> 00:23:50.720 Do we live our lives promoting our own image, taking the breath in our lungs and our abilities that God has given us to promote ourselves? 00:23:51.359 --> 00:23:56.480 Or do we, image bearers of God, return to God what originated with him? 00:23:56.960 --> 00:24:02.880 Do we live our lives in such a way that we reflect the glory of God so that he is made known? 00:24:03.200 --> 00:24:08.160 I'll leave you again with that final thought is that we do not have to create an image for ourselves. 00:24:08.400 --> 00:24:09.519 We already have one. 00:24:09.680 --> 00:24:14.720 The question to reflect on is this who is the image that we possess, who is it promoting? 00:24:15.440 --> 00:24:16.960 Are we promoting ourselves? 00:24:17.519 --> 00:24:25.920 Are we promoting the God in whose image we were created for his glory and to reflect him to the world around us? 00:24:26.160 --> 00:24:27.039 Let me pray for you. 00:24:27.519 --> 00:24:29.839 God, we thank you for this reminder. 00:24:30.079 --> 00:24:49.039 God, we thank you that though this may step on our toes, this may challenge our thoughts and the way that we live our lives, God, may we see that if to not pay taxes to Caesar made us a rebel of the Roman Empire, then what does it mean for us if we refuse to give back to you what originated with you? 00:24:49.920 --> 00:25:10.000 Lord, may we not be found as enemies of you, trying to advance our own kingdoms, but instead through our humble submission at the feet of Jesus, may we realize that we exist to promote the glory of God and to make his glory known among the earth. 00:25:10.240 --> 00:25:12.880 Lord, help us to do this and to be this kind of people. 00:25:13.119 --> 00:25:14.960 We love you and we ask this in Jesus' name. 00:25:15.200 --> 00:25:15.440 Amen.