SPEAKER_00: Well, thanks for joining us.
SPEAKER_00: We are in week two of a series that we started last week titled N I L.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: And so if that means, uh, what that means is that we in the South are all about football.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: NIL is a hot topic, especially in the world of college athletics right now, and it stands for name, image, and likeness.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: They could be paid for their name, image, and likeness.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: For many people, NIL has been a tremendous advantage, and athletes are now being compensated to some degree millions of dollars.
SPEAKER_00: However, it hasn't all been sunshine and rainbows.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: But all in all, here is the idea of NIL.
SPEAKER_00: It was really a topic of fairness.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: And so the idea was it was the athlete's image on the screen.
SPEAKER_00: That's why people were watching.
SPEAKER_00: Therefore, they deserve, they were entitled to this compensation.
SPEAKER_00: Now, long story short, here's where NIL gets it wrong biblically.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: Let me say it this way, that our image is not to be used strictly and primarily for our own profit and gain.
SPEAKER_00: Now, if you have a Bible, turn with me to Mark chapter 12.
SPEAKER_00: Mark chapter 12, here's the timeline of where we are in Jesus' life.
SPEAKER_00: This is the last week of Jesus' ministry.
SPEAKER_00: Mark chapter 11, Jesus enters into Jerusalem, referred to as the triumphal entry.
SPEAKER_00: And so this begins the last seven-day period of Jesus' ministry.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: They've already decided that they want Jesus dead.
SPEAKER_00: Now, this is not just we disagree with Jesus, we disagree with his opinions, his takes, his ideologies.
SPEAKER_00: It's that, no, we need to get rid of Jesus.
SPEAKER_00: And so Mark tells us in Mark 11, verse 18, that they have already decided they want Jesus dead.
SPEAKER_00: And so here's what they have to do, though.
SPEAKER_00: They then have to decide, well, how can we pull this off?
SPEAKER_00: Because they only had one problem, and that was this.
SPEAKER_00: They could not just outright have Jesus killed because the crowds were astonished at Jesus.
SPEAKER_00: The crowds, many of these people had heard of Jesus' ministry.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: He would be the one who would restore the nation of Israel, he would free them of their Roman oppression.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: The crowds who on that day when Jesus entered Jerusalem were shouting, Hosanna, Hosanna, here comes the king into Jerusalem riding on a donkey.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: If they can turn the crowds against Jesus, they can eliminate Jesus.
SPEAKER_00: So Mark chapter 12, verse 13, here's where we pick up.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: They just have to decide how we can do this.
SPEAKER_00: It's the crowds who love Jesus, who are enamored with Jesus, who are astonished at Jesus.
SPEAKER_00: They stand in the way in between them and their schemes.
SPEAKER_00: And so their idea is we have to do something to show that Jesus is a fraud.
SPEAKER_00: We have to do something to turn the crowds, public opinion against Jesus.
SPEAKER_00: So Mark tells us that verses 13 through 17 is part of this scheme.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: So Mark tells us that this entire encounter is a trap.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: Because they want Jesus arrested, they devise a plan to trap Jesus.
SPEAKER_00: And here's the plan in verse 14.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: So what do you think about, and here's their question Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?
SPEAKER_00: Should we or shouldn't we pay these taxes?
SPEAKER_00: Now here's the reality behind this is that the Jews lived under the rule of the Roman Empire.
SPEAKER_00: The Jews were not an autonomous nation.
SPEAKER_00: They were burdened by the taxes that were levied on them by the Roman government.
SPEAKER_00: As subjects of Caesar, they then had to pay whatever taxes Caesar and Rome mandated that they pay.
SPEAKER_00: 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?
SPEAKER_00: And here's why it was a trap for Jesus.
SPEAKER_00: Because when they ask, is it lawful?
SPEAKER_00: Their question was in terms of Jewish law.
SPEAKER_00: In other words, what does God say about this?
SPEAKER_00: Now here's the dilemma that they're thinking Jesus is going to be faced with.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: However, if Jesus says no, then the crowds would continue to see him as this liberating figure who would free them from Rome.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: He is one who's leading a rebellion against Rome, trying to overthrow Roman authority.
SPEAKER_00: 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?
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: They don't actually care about what God thinks.
SPEAKER_00: They don't actually care about what is true.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: In their minds, it's the perfect plan.
SPEAKER_00: They put on a religious persona, and yet deep down their motives are wicked.
SPEAKER_00: But verse 15, but knowing their hypocrisy, Jesus says to them, Why are you testing me?
SPEAKER_00: Jesus is not fooled by the facade, the image that they are portraying.
SPEAKER_00: Instead, he sees right past that and he knows deep down that their real intent is to trap him.
SPEAKER_00: And so Jesus says, Your hypocrisy, why are you trying to test me, to trap me, to catch me?
SPEAKER_00: And so what Jesus does is he says, Bring me a denarius to look at.
SPEAKER_00: Now, a denarius would be part of the taxes that are owed to the Roman government, ultimately to Caesar.
SPEAKER_00: There was a certain tax in the Roman government that the Jews would have to pay once a year.
SPEAKER_00: They would have to pay one denarius, which was one day's wage.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: Now here's their hypocrisy.
SPEAKER_00: Their hypocrisy is they are trying to manipulate theology to serve their own selfish outcomes.
SPEAKER_00: They know, and Mark is clear, that they actually are not concerned with what God thinks about taxes.
SPEAKER_00: They don't actually care about what the answer is.
SPEAKER_00: They just know that whatever the answer is, they will have Jesus trapped.
SPEAKER_00: They are attempting to hide behind their religious osity to cover their true motives.
SPEAKER_00: Deep down, their motives are, we want Jesus dead.
SPEAKER_00: Yet the image that they are portraying is that actually we care about what God thinks.
SPEAKER_00: To disguise their true intent from the crowd, they project a righteous searching heart.
SPEAKER_00: 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?
SPEAKER_00: But really they're trying to use theology, they're trying to use God to serve their own evil purposes.
SPEAKER_00: And so Jesus says, Well, bring me one of those coins.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 16, so they bring a denarius, they brought a coin, and Jesus asks this question, Whose image and inscription is this?
SPEAKER_00: He asked.
SPEAKER_00: And they replied, Caesar's.
SPEAKER_00: Now, what we have to understand is that the Romans would mint their own coins.
SPEAKER_00: In fact, they had certain mines where they would mine these precious metals.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: And the inscriptions were really, really and truly used as propaganda.
SPEAKER_00: It was a way to communicate mass communication to this vast Roman Empire.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: And so Jesus says, Well, bring me one of those coins.
SPEAKER_00: And when he brings the coin, he asked them, Well, whose inscription is on there?
SPEAKER_00: And they replied, Caesar.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: And they were utterly amazed at him.
SPEAKER_00: Now here's what Jesus does.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: You need to pay your taxes.
SPEAKER_00: But here's what Jesus is really saying.
SPEAKER_00: This is not really about paying your taxes at all.
SPEAKER_00: He says to them, Give to Caesar.
SPEAKER_00: That word give to can actually be rendered returned to, because this denarius that they were paying taxes with actually originated from Caesar.
SPEAKER_00: Caesar is the one who authorized the minting of this coin with his image and his inscription.
SPEAKER_00: And so, really and truly, this coin was distributed into the Roman Empire by Caesar himself.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: These coins were distributed by Caesar, his authority, his authorization in the Roman Empire.
SPEAKER_00: And so Jesus is saying, hey, these things actually originated with Caesar.
SPEAKER_00: When you pay your taxes, you are simply giving back to him.
SPEAKER_00: You're returning to him what was already his.
SPEAKER_00: But here's the point.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: Now here's why this is a step further is because they did not ask about God.
SPEAKER_00: They asked about taxes because their motive was impure and they wanted to trap Jesus.
SPEAKER_00: Jesus takes it a step further and he says this, give back to God what is his.
SPEAKER_00: Now here's what Jesus is saying.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: It's as if Jesus is asking a rhetorical question.
SPEAKER_00: He's saying, Whose image is on this coin?
SPEAKER_00: Therefore, this coin belongs to Caesar because his image is on it.
SPEAKER_00: Therefore, you're simply giving back to Caesar what is his.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: Now here's the question that I have for us.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: Therefore, they could turn him over to the Roman authorities and have him killed.
SPEAKER_00: Now here's my question.
SPEAKER_00: 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?
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: You're trying to portray me as an enemy and a rebel of Rome.
SPEAKER_00: 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?
SPEAKER_00: You see, here's the thing about these scribes and these chief priests is that they hid behind religiosity.
SPEAKER_00: They hid behind a portrayal, an image of righteousness.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: They are actually enemies of the God of heaven.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: They are enemies of God.
SPEAKER_00: And how do we know that?
SPEAKER_00: There's no clearer picture than the incarnate God who stands before them and yet they want him dead.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: So here's the question I have for us.
SPEAKER_00: I actually want to read this.
SPEAKER_00: This is a fairly long excerpt, but it comes from John Piper, the great thinker and writer and pastor.
SPEAKER_00: He says this, and I want us to reflect on what does it mean to be made in the image of God?
SPEAKER_00: What does it mean to give back to God what is his?
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: What does that mean?
SPEAKER_00: What does it mean to be made in the image of God?
SPEAKER_00: John Piper says it this way.
SPEAKER_00: He says, in what sense are we in the image of God?
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: If you create an image, you make a sculpture of someone, you do it to display something about that someone.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: Now, what would it mean if you created seven billion statues of yourself and put them all over the world?
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: He summarizes in this way and he says this.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: Here's the question and the thought that I want to leave you with is that Jesus is very clear.
SPEAKER_00: They ask about taxes, but this is not about taxes.
SPEAKER_00: You give to Caesar what is rightfully his, you return back to him what is his, and the same is true of God.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: See, the culture in which we live tells us that we have to make ourselves known.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: We don't have to portray an image because it's not about our image.
SPEAKER_00: We already have one.
SPEAKER_00: Our purpose in life is to reflect the image of God that bears and marks every human being.
SPEAKER_00: So here's the question: we don't have to create an image, we already have one.
SPEAKER_00: Who is yours promoting?
SPEAKER_00: Are you promoting yourself?
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: Let me ask it this way.
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: Let me ask you this.
SPEAKER_00: The breath in your lungs is the breath of God breathed life into your human existence.
SPEAKER_00: So how do you use the breath in your lungs?
SPEAKER_00: 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?
SPEAKER_00: Or what about whatever gifts and talents and abilities that you possess?
SPEAKER_00: You did not form yourself in the womb, you did not design yourself with whatever capabilities and talents and abilities that you possess.
SPEAKER_00: 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?
SPEAKER_00: How smart you are, how successful you are, how musically gifted and talented you are, how creative you are?
SPEAKER_00: 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?
SPEAKER_00: Do you use those things to make much of him?
SPEAKER_00: 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?
SPEAKER_00: This is the heartbeat behind Jesus' statement.
SPEAKER_00: That we give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's because his image is on the coin.
SPEAKER_00: We are simply giving back to him what originated with him.
SPEAKER_00: The question is, how do we live our lives?
SPEAKER_00: 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?
SPEAKER_00: Or do we, image bearers of God, return to God what originated with him?
SPEAKER_00: Do we live our lives in such a way that we reflect the glory of God so that he is made known?
SPEAKER_00: I'll leave you again with that final thought is that we do not have to create an image for ourselves.
SPEAKER_00: We already have one.
SPEAKER_00: The question to reflect on is this who is the image that we possess, who is it promoting?
SPEAKER_00: Are we promoting ourselves?
SPEAKER_00: Are we promoting the God in whose image we were created for his glory and to reflect him to the world around us?
SPEAKER_00: Let me pray for you.
SPEAKER_00: God, we thank you for this reminder.
SPEAKER_00: 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?
SPEAKER_00: 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.
SPEAKER_00: Lord, help us to do this and to be this kind of people.
SPEAKER_00: We love you and we ask this in Jesus' name.
SPEAKER_00: Amen.