WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.440 Father, we ask that you would gently but deeply pour out the Holy Spirit upon us. 00:00:06.299 --> 00:00:13.859 Father, we give you thanks and praise that as the gospel becomes more clear and more dear to our heart, 00:00:14.220 --> 00:00:18.960 and as we begin to know you better, that we can begin to know ourselves better, 00:00:19.559 --> 00:00:25.080 ourselves as we truly are, but in a way that also means that we know that we are deeply loved by you. 00:00:25.079 --> 00:00:30.159 So, Father, do a wonderful work in our hearts and minds as we think of your word. 00:00:30.859 --> 00:00:34.879 I ask, Lord, that people will not remember so much what I said, 00:00:35.339 --> 00:00:41.420 but that they will have your word be more real and deeply held in their hearts. 00:00:41.619 --> 00:00:44.859 And I ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son and our Saviour. Amen. 00:00:45.359 --> 00:00:46.179 Please be seated. 00:00:46.179 --> 00:00:47.179 Thank you. 00:00:50.179 --> 00:00:59.140 So, I guess it was in early October, I was working at one of my favourite coffee shops, 00:00:59.679 --> 00:01:04.079 and a fellow that I'd just gotten to know over the last couple of months, just slightly, 00:01:04.680 --> 00:01:07.620 I almost said his real name, but his name, of course, is Bob. 00:01:09.039 --> 00:01:13.039 Everybody I've talked to, if they're a guy, they're Bob, and if they're a woman, they're Sue. 00:01:13.040 --> 00:01:18.640 So, Bob, I sit down, Bob comes and sits down, just sort of near me, 00:01:19.080 --> 00:01:21.800 and he says, George, I have a question for you. 00:01:22.040 --> 00:01:24.800 And he doesn't usually ask me questions, so I said, oh, what? 00:01:25.160 --> 00:01:29.219 He said, what do you think about the fact that the Russian patriarch just said 00:01:29.219 --> 00:01:33.700 that any Russian soldier who dies in the war in Ukraine will have all of their sins forgiven? 00:01:34.960 --> 00:01:36.820 He asked me that question, he smiled at me. 00:01:37.540 --> 00:01:38.880 Now, I hadn't heard this, by the way. 00:01:39.240 --> 00:01:42.700 I don't know, I was living in a cave or something like that, but I hadn't heard this. 00:01:43.040 --> 00:01:48.040 So, without any prompting, I just said, that's completely and utterly reprehensible. 00:01:49.300 --> 00:01:55.540 It's completely, utterly reprehensible, and it's an offence to the Christian faith. 00:01:55.640 --> 00:02:01.680 Now, he was really surprised at my quick and very confident answer. 00:02:01.680 --> 00:02:06.880 So, we ended up having this very, very brief little bit of a discussion about it. 00:02:07.380 --> 00:02:12.719 We didn't get to the forgiveness of sins bit, but we did get to this other part about, 00:02:12.819 --> 00:02:15.340 he said, well, how, you know, like, how can you say that? 00:02:15.920 --> 00:02:20.180 And this guy's a really wonderful guy, research scientist who's now retired. 00:02:20.180 --> 00:02:25.300 I happen to know, because of some other earlier conversations, that he had no, he's a, you know, 00:02:25.340 --> 00:02:32.860 just, he's a guy that you'd love to have as your neighbor, friendly, smart, good listener, 00:02:33.040 --> 00:02:40.560 good conversationalist, you know, and I said, you know, the idea of the separation of church 00:02:40.560 --> 00:02:47.379 and state, that's something that the Bible teaches, and it's a Christian idea. 00:02:47.379 --> 00:02:53.400 And he was very surprised at this, and I said, you know, people think it's something 00:02:53.400 --> 00:02:58.240 that comes from, like, reason, but it actually doesn't come from reason. 00:02:58.400 --> 00:03:00.819 Jesus was the first one who said anything about this. 00:03:01.000 --> 00:03:03.800 He introduced this brand new idea into human consciousness. 00:03:04.620 --> 00:03:09.719 He said, give on to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. 00:03:09.740 --> 00:03:11.259 And he was fascinated with this. 00:03:11.300 --> 00:03:13.159 He had never heard that in his entire life. 00:03:13.159 --> 00:03:18.240 He said that he just assumed that that was something that, like, secular people came up 00:03:18.240 --> 00:03:21.379 with to protect secular people from the church. 00:03:22.079 --> 00:03:24.460 And he just, he was blown away. 00:03:24.519 --> 00:03:29.599 In fact, he asked me if I would send him the Bible text to show that this was, in fact, 00:03:29.659 --> 00:03:30.960 originally a saying of Jesus. 00:03:31.780 --> 00:03:35.359 Now, we're going to look at this text, and we're going to look at it in a way that's not 00:03:35.359 --> 00:03:40.120 just for political geeks, although I know there are a lot of political geeks and nerd types 00:03:40.120 --> 00:03:42.819 in the room who are interested in questions of public policy. 00:03:43.480 --> 00:03:45.340 And we'll talk a little tiny bit about that. 00:03:45.400 --> 00:03:49.140 But fundamentally, one of the things which is so interesting about this story is that 00:03:49.140 --> 00:03:57.140 Jesus doesn't just sort of answer this query that comes from his enemies, but he talks 00:03:57.139 --> 00:04:06.459 about it in such a way that, he talks about this in such a way that he also talks about 00:04:06.459 --> 00:04:10.799 issues of human identity and how we can have a secure sense of who we are. 00:04:11.319 --> 00:04:15.739 So if you were, want to turn in your Bibles to Mark chapter 12, verse 13 and following, 00:04:15.839 --> 00:04:16.639 we'll look at the story. 00:04:17.180 --> 00:04:20.139 And if you're using these Bibles, it's on page 74. 00:04:20.379 --> 00:04:24.319 Mark chapter 12, verses 13 to 17. 00:04:24.319 --> 00:04:31.740 And so as you heard just a little bit before this, if you're coming to this just for the 00:04:31.740 --> 00:04:33.659 sermon, you won't know this, so I'll say it again. 00:04:36.099 --> 00:04:40.379 This story, this little incident is taking place in the context of the story. 00:04:40.539 --> 00:04:45.759 Mark is one of the ancient biographers of Jesus, giving an eyewitness account of what 00:04:45.759 --> 00:04:47.420 Jesus actually said and did. 00:04:48.060 --> 00:04:53.180 And Jesus had predicted and prophesied that he was going to die on a cross in Jerusalem. 00:04:53.180 --> 00:04:55.680 And then he was going to rise from the dead. 00:04:56.480 --> 00:04:57.759 And we're now in Jerusalem. 00:04:58.259 --> 00:05:02.780 And Jesus knows that in a couple of days, he's going to die on the cross. 00:05:04.060 --> 00:05:07.160 His disciples have heard him prophesy, but they don't believe it. 00:05:07.680 --> 00:05:11.819 And in fact, all of the evidence would appear to be the contrary of what Jesus has predicted. 00:05:11.980 --> 00:05:18.340 Given the massively popular entrance into Jerusalem that he had just had, it would be inconceivable 00:05:18.339 --> 00:05:21.839 to them that Jesus was going to die on the cross in a couple of days. 00:05:21.919 --> 00:05:25.759 Whatever he meant by it, I'm guessing they would have thought that maybe he meant some 00:05:25.759 --> 00:05:28.799 type of spiritual or metaphorical thing that will happen in the future. 00:05:28.799 --> 00:05:34.599 But they wouldn't know that they were just a couple of days away from Jesus dying on a 00:05:34.599 --> 00:05:34.859 cross. 00:05:34.959 --> 00:05:36.359 But Jesus knows this. 00:05:36.360 --> 00:05:42.520 And just before this, he's had yet another conflict with the elites. 00:05:43.920 --> 00:05:44.939 The elites. 00:05:45.480 --> 00:05:54.180 And in a sense, all of the principal elites in Jewish society, he has had a conflict with 00:05:54.180 --> 00:05:54.420 them. 00:05:54.819 --> 00:05:57.199 And the story continues here with verse 13. 00:05:57.199 --> 00:06:05.219 And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians to trap him in his 00:06:05.219 --> 00:06:05.699 talk. 00:06:06.920 --> 00:06:11.699 And, you know, there's an old saying that just because you're paranoid doesn't mean that there's 00:06:11.699 --> 00:06:13.759 not some time when people are out to get you. 00:06:14.680 --> 00:06:19.439 And I think most of us here probably don't believe in conspiracy theories. 00:06:19.899 --> 00:06:22.199 But sometimes there really are conspiracies. 00:06:22.719 --> 00:06:25.620 I mean, sometimes there are conspiracies that happen. 00:06:25.620 --> 00:06:29.939 And we see here Jesus in the midst of conspiracy. 00:06:29.939 --> 00:06:32.040 Not that he's involved with this conspiracy. 00:06:32.600 --> 00:06:35.079 He's the one that conspiracy wants to get. 00:06:35.860 --> 00:06:40.899 And when it says here, they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians 00:06:40.899 --> 00:06:42.899 to trap him in his talk. 00:06:42.980 --> 00:06:47.660 First of all, the word trap in the original language doesn't just sort of involve like 00:06:47.660 --> 00:06:53.000 playing tag after church with the kids and you trap them in the corner and you touch them 00:06:53.000 --> 00:06:53.660 and you get them. 00:06:53.660 --> 00:06:56.880 No, the image is a violent image. 00:06:57.040 --> 00:06:58.439 It's a murderous image. 00:06:58.700 --> 00:07:02.580 It's to trap and kill, to trap and to destroy. 00:07:03.280 --> 00:07:07.340 And the second thing is the they is referring to the elites. 00:07:07.980 --> 00:07:15.220 The elites, the intellectual, the cultural, the spiritual, the political, the economic, 00:07:15.740 --> 00:07:17.300 the elites of that society. 00:07:17.300 --> 00:07:21.180 All of the elites except one are involved in this conspiracy. 00:07:21.180 --> 00:07:25.900 And that final elite in that society will be involved within a couple of days so that 00:07:25.900 --> 00:07:27.079 Jesus will die on the cross. 00:07:27.220 --> 00:07:34.620 So the elites have sent these two groups to go as a united front to ask them questions. 00:07:34.620 --> 00:07:41.819 And we can't appreciate the significance when it says Pharisees and Herodians, but it would be as if you... 00:07:41.819 --> 00:07:47.360 I think I've been sort of out of it because I was at a big event for four days and another big meeting. 00:07:47.780 --> 00:07:48.740 I think Elizabeth May. 00:07:48.840 --> 00:07:51.060 She's become the head of the Green Party again. 00:07:51.120 --> 00:07:51.680 Is that correct? 00:07:51.680 --> 00:08:00.500 So to understand this, imagine that you hear that Donald Trump and Elizabeth May go somewhere to ask somebody a question. 00:08:04.079 --> 00:08:10.180 Or Trump and Singh, the head of the NDP, or Trump and Trudeau. 00:08:10.540 --> 00:08:13.319 They show up to ask somebody a question. 00:08:13.920 --> 00:08:16.420 Now you'll know something weird is going on here. 00:08:17.519 --> 00:08:17.720 Right? 00:08:17.720 --> 00:08:25.760 They don't come all buddy-buddy, high-fiving each other to come and speak to somebody together. 00:08:26.060 --> 00:08:27.360 And that's sort of... 00:08:27.360 --> 00:08:32.440 This is completely different groups, generally quite hostile towards each other. 00:08:32.840 --> 00:08:36.740 And they've come together from the elite to try to trap Jesus in his talk. 00:08:37.420 --> 00:08:38.180 I guess another... 00:08:38.180 --> 00:08:39.660 Anyway, I won't keep multiplying. 00:08:39.820 --> 00:08:41.480 Ask odd couples. 00:08:41.820 --> 00:08:42.660 So what do they say? 00:08:43.100 --> 00:08:45.560 So what they do, of course, is they lie and they flatter. 00:08:47.720 --> 00:08:53.680 Because, of course, no matter how much we might say that we don't like flattery, we all love flattery. 00:08:55.680 --> 00:09:00.120 And so they come to flatter him and they come to lie through their teeth. 00:09:01.620 --> 00:09:03.519 Here's what they say, verse 14. 00:09:04.139 --> 00:09:07.200 And they came and said to him, teacher, we know that you are true. 00:09:07.860 --> 00:09:14.639 Actually, they think he's a no-good liar, false prophet, destroyer. 00:09:14.639 --> 00:09:18.519 But we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. 00:09:18.679 --> 00:09:20.779 And they might actually think that was true of Jesus. 00:09:22.620 --> 00:09:24.179 And that's one of the reasons they hate him. 00:09:25.299 --> 00:09:27.500 Because he doesn't care about their opinion. 00:09:28.159 --> 00:09:29.639 He was a good guy. 00:09:30.019 --> 00:09:31.779 He would care about their opinion. 00:09:32.340 --> 00:09:32.439 Right? 00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:37.519 And then for you are not swayed by appearances once again. 00:09:37.779 --> 00:09:38.720 That's sort of true. 00:09:38.720 --> 00:09:40.519 And that's another reason why they hate him. 00:09:40.920 --> 00:09:42.840 He doesn't care about appearances. 00:09:43.320 --> 00:09:46.040 If he did, he wouldn't be doing the things he was doing. 00:09:46.740 --> 00:09:51.420 But truly teach the way of God, which they believe the opposite. 00:09:51.540 --> 00:09:53.519 They don't believe he's truly teaching the way of God. 00:09:53.700 --> 00:09:55.019 So they flatter him. 00:09:55.759 --> 00:09:57.259 And then here's the two questions. 00:09:57.500 --> 00:10:00.820 And by the way, there's at least two lawyers in the room. 00:10:00.820 --> 00:10:03.820 And I'll try to give a brief analogy about this. 00:10:03.920 --> 00:10:08.320 But they can explain the distinction which is implied here in the questions. 00:10:08.500 --> 00:10:10.260 It's a very, very clever. 00:10:10.780 --> 00:10:14.240 You can see that these came from the legal elite. 00:10:14.720 --> 00:10:18.440 Sent them to make sure they asked the question in a particular way. 00:10:19.260 --> 00:10:22.220 And when it says here lawful, by the way, of course it's the law. 00:10:22.340 --> 00:10:24.060 He means in terms of God's law. 00:10:24.240 --> 00:10:26.040 So they're not talking about secular law. 00:10:26.039 --> 00:10:29.779 It was according to the triune God, according to the God, or not. 00:10:30.639 --> 00:10:33.419 Should we pay them or should we not? 00:10:35.379 --> 00:10:37.000 Okay, now it seems like it's two questions. 00:10:37.139 --> 00:10:41.719 But what it is, it's the difference between what the law says and what... 00:10:41.719 --> 00:10:42.360 Oh, I'm going to get this. 00:10:42.399 --> 00:10:43.279 I should have written it down. 00:10:45.620 --> 00:10:47.519 It's not just what the law says. 00:10:48.219 --> 00:10:49.839 It's the facts of the case. 00:10:50.719 --> 00:10:51.039 Right? 00:10:51.179 --> 00:10:53.500 It's both the law and the facts of the case. 00:10:53.500 --> 00:10:56.500 So you might ask a lawyer, is it lawful to do this or not? 00:10:56.559 --> 00:10:57.519 And they might say yes. 00:10:57.899 --> 00:11:00.980 But inwardly they're saying, but the facts of the case mean you don't have to do it. 00:11:02.139 --> 00:11:02.500 Right? 00:11:02.860 --> 00:11:04.799 So it's a very, very clever question. 00:11:05.220 --> 00:11:05.759 What is the law? 00:11:05.879 --> 00:11:07.320 Taxes to him or not? 00:11:07.360 --> 00:11:09.720 And in the original language, you can't get it in the English. 00:11:10.259 --> 00:11:13.899 The tax, it's a very specific type of tax which is mentioned. 00:11:14.000 --> 00:11:15.419 It's not just taxes in general. 00:11:15.759 --> 00:11:18.860 It's a tax to the imperial power. 00:11:18.860 --> 00:11:24.440 So Jesus, these people have conquered us. 00:11:25.500 --> 00:11:31.120 They think the emperor is semi-divine, that his dad was a god and his mom was human. 00:11:32.480 --> 00:11:33.639 They've conquered us. 00:11:33.960 --> 00:11:37.539 What do you think God's word says about paying taxes to them? 00:11:37.639 --> 00:11:42.159 And by the way, given the facts of the case, should we actually do it? 00:11:44.379 --> 00:11:45.639 So what does Jesus say? 00:11:45.779 --> 00:11:47.340 They think they've got him, by the way. 00:11:47.340 --> 00:11:49.300 This is a gotcha question. 00:11:49.460 --> 00:11:50.740 This is, I've cornered you. 00:11:51.080 --> 00:11:51.980 I've got you. 00:11:52.700 --> 00:11:57.320 This is a question hoping that you see, you know that look when people ask you a question 00:11:57.320 --> 00:11:57.800 you don't want. 00:11:57.860 --> 00:12:00.740 It's like the deer with, you know, the deer in the headlights. 00:12:01.720 --> 00:12:03.259 They want to see him squirm. 00:12:03.360 --> 00:12:07.840 They're hoping that all of a sudden his knee is tapping and there's sweat underneath his 00:12:07.840 --> 00:12:07.980 arm. 00:12:08.040 --> 00:12:08.660 You know what I mean. 00:12:08.740 --> 00:12:09.440 That's what they're hoping. 00:12:09.540 --> 00:12:10.600 That's what they think they've done. 00:12:11.000 --> 00:12:11.900 So what does Jesus do? 00:12:11.940 --> 00:12:12.940 Look at verse 15. 00:12:12.940 --> 00:12:19.280 And one of the things which is so interesting is that Jesus's answer is grace-filled. 00:12:21.020 --> 00:12:24.200 Jesus's answer is not only grace-filled. 00:12:25.200 --> 00:12:27.060 It's very, very wise. 00:12:27.059 --> 00:12:32.059 And it opens the door to what it means to be human. 00:12:32.879 --> 00:12:38.359 Like he doesn't just say, I'm just going to use this opportunity to get them back so they're 00:12:38.359 --> 00:12:40.339 all look big and they'll look stupid. 00:12:40.479 --> 00:12:41.500 No, he doesn't do that. 00:12:41.859 --> 00:12:42.699 He could have. 00:12:43.359 --> 00:12:44.219 He doesn't do that. 00:12:44.319 --> 00:12:51.519 His answer is an opportunity for them to repent. 00:12:51.519 --> 00:12:58.779 And his answer is an answer that opens the door to what it means to be human. 00:12:59.740 --> 00:13:01.240 Like it's a far-reaching answer. 00:13:02.120 --> 00:13:02.879 So what does he say? 00:13:03.179 --> 00:13:03.860 Verse 15. 00:13:04.720 --> 00:13:08.539 But knowing their hypocrisy, he's not fooled. 00:13:09.100 --> 00:13:12.659 He said to them, why put me to the test? 00:13:12.659 --> 00:13:19.059 And the word test there implies a test you know I'll fail, right? 00:13:19.159 --> 00:13:22.519 It's like asking me to jump over the Grand Canyon. 00:13:23.199 --> 00:13:24.339 That's the test, George. 00:13:24.439 --> 00:13:26.839 The test is you jump over the Grand Canyon. 00:13:26.959 --> 00:13:28.120 It's a test I'll fail, right? 00:13:28.379 --> 00:13:32.139 So why do you put me to a test you think that I will fail? 00:13:32.699 --> 00:13:37.319 Bring me a denarius, which is a silver Roman coin. 00:13:37.320 --> 00:13:41.260 And in that day and age, it was the average wage. 00:13:41.640 --> 00:13:47.700 It would have been, if you took what the average wage in Canada was, is, okay, whatever that is, 00:13:49.540 --> 00:13:55.660 and you took it for what that guy would make in, or gal would make in one day, that's what a denarius was. 00:13:55.840 --> 00:14:01.000 One day's work for the average working person in the world at the time. 00:14:01.120 --> 00:14:02.660 It's a silver Roman coin. 00:14:02.800 --> 00:14:04.860 So he says, bring me a denarius and let me look at it. 00:14:04.860 --> 00:14:05.300 Okay. 00:14:06.060 --> 00:14:15.159 And then they say, verse 16, and then it's verse 16, they brought him one, and he said to them, 00:14:15.580 --> 00:14:23.080 whose likeness, and the original word there in the original language is the word we get icon from. 00:14:25.560 --> 00:14:25.960 Okay. 00:14:26.080 --> 00:14:32.279 Whose icon and inscription, you know that little thing like in, you know, in God we trust or something like that, right? 00:14:32.279 --> 00:14:39.159 In this one, there's a very clear reference to the gods and goddesses and Caesar's divine power. 00:14:39.319 --> 00:14:41.179 That's the inscription on it, right? 00:14:41.259 --> 00:14:44.539 So whose icon and inscription is this? 00:14:44.899 --> 00:14:47.699 And they said to him, Caesar's, the emperor's. 00:14:49.139 --> 00:14:50.559 And now listen to this answer. 00:14:50.559 --> 00:14:59.599 Jesus said to them, render to Caesar's, the things that are Caesar's, and to God, the things that are God's. 00:15:00.479 --> 00:15:02.059 And they marveled at him. 00:15:02.059 --> 00:15:15.219 Now, this is a, I mean, on one hand, as my very, very secular friend didn't realize, 00:15:15.879 --> 00:15:25.619 this simple little saying of Jesus was launched into the world and has changed how human minds think. 00:15:25.620 --> 00:15:38.539 This uneducated guy who dies under Roman occupation in an obscure corner of the Roman Empire 2,000 years ago 00:15:38.539 --> 00:15:44.440 changes how virtually all educated people in the world now think. 00:15:44.440 --> 00:15:48.560 Not all accept it. 00:15:50.080 --> 00:15:59.780 If you were in some parts of the Muslim world, it would be a sign of Christian decadence to make some types of statements like this. 00:15:59.780 --> 00:16:10.120 In totalitarian countries, totalitarian and atheistic regimes, it would be a hateful, wrong statement. 00:16:10.120 --> 00:16:12.139 But it's now something that's there. 00:16:13.039 --> 00:16:19.340 It's natural for human beings to think, if you think about it for a second, why wouldn't, if we know the best, 00:16:19.759 --> 00:16:25.159 if we know wisdom, and whether that's a spiritual wisdom, whether that's a religious wisdom, 00:16:25.320 --> 00:16:32.179 whether it's a tribal wisdom, whether it's just ancient wisdom, whether it's secular wisdom, 00:16:32.240 --> 00:16:35.600 if we know wisdom, shouldn't wisdom rule? 00:16:35.600 --> 00:16:40.360 And if wisdom comes from Islam, it should rule. 00:16:40.480 --> 00:16:42.759 If wisdom comes from Christianity, it should rule. 00:16:42.899 --> 00:16:45.820 If wisdom comes from Judaism, it should rule. 00:16:45.940 --> 00:16:49.159 If wisdom comes from being progressive, it should rule. 00:16:49.320 --> 00:16:52.659 If wisdom comes from Marx, it should rule. 00:16:52.779 --> 00:16:57.600 It is just the natural default way that the human mind and imagination works. 00:16:57.600 --> 00:17:03.860 And Jesus says the natural way that our human imagination and mind works is wrong. 00:17:05.400 --> 00:17:08.059 There's a difference, and the difference matters. 00:17:08.839 --> 00:17:11.860 You give to that wisdom, you give to Caesar, what is Caesar's? 00:17:11.880 --> 00:17:13.920 You give to God, what is God's? 00:17:14.039 --> 00:17:18.880 It now is seen, in fact, as my secular friend thought, he thought, I guess, I don't know, 00:17:18.920 --> 00:17:24.440 that Rousseau or Hume or Kant or something like that had thought this up, 00:17:24.440 --> 00:17:29.140 or Plato or Aristotle, he didn't realize that the idea comes from Jesus. 00:17:31.400 --> 00:17:37.100 But he also does something in here which starts to put into... 00:17:37.100 --> 00:17:41.920 It's also an invitation for him to these guys to reconsider what they're doing. 00:17:42.480 --> 00:17:46.380 Because if you think about it for a second, even once you understand that you should give to God, 00:17:46.620 --> 00:17:51.080 you render to God the things that are God's, and you render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, 00:17:51.380 --> 00:17:54.019 most of us would say, well, what should we render to God? 00:17:54.019 --> 00:17:54.279 Right? 00:17:54.359 --> 00:17:56.980 It's one of the things which is so powerful about this idea. 00:17:57.039 --> 00:17:59.700 I'm not going to spend much more time on it, because it's not a... 00:17:59.700 --> 00:18:01.900 You know, maybe if I was speaking on Parliament Hill or something, 00:18:02.599 --> 00:18:06.240 or a group of policy geeks, we'd look at it. 00:18:06.359 --> 00:18:13.039 Jesus' statement just says there's going to be a division between the state's power and God's powers over it, 00:18:13.079 --> 00:18:14.299 but the state still has power. 00:18:14.379 --> 00:18:16.359 But it doesn't actually draw specific... 00:18:16.359 --> 00:18:17.460 It's not legalistic. 00:18:17.559 --> 00:18:20.759 It works at the level of the imagination and all of that. 00:18:20.759 --> 00:18:26.819 But even if we think about it at a very simple level, we would say... 00:18:26.819 --> 00:18:29.099 Most people would say, well, what should you give to God? 00:18:30.660 --> 00:18:36.660 Like, probably if you just went to a Tim Hortons or a Starbucks or a Bridgehead or some trendy place 00:18:36.660 --> 00:18:39.900 that old guys like me have never heard of, because I'm not trendy or hip, 00:18:41.339 --> 00:18:42.140 you'd say, well, I don't know. 00:18:42.180 --> 00:18:42.980 Like, you should... 00:18:42.980 --> 00:18:43.319 To God? 00:18:43.359 --> 00:18:44.059 If there was a God? 00:18:44.140 --> 00:18:44.400 I don't know. 00:18:44.460 --> 00:18:45.099 You should be... 00:18:45.099 --> 00:18:45.819 What should you give to God? 00:18:45.879 --> 00:18:52.359 Well, you should be honest, kind, nice. 00:18:55.159 --> 00:18:56.879 None of which these guys are. 00:18:57.899 --> 00:18:59.019 None of them are that. 00:18:59.879 --> 00:19:04.159 They're dishonest, lying scoundrels. 00:19:04.160 --> 00:19:14.800 Claiming they're serving God where they don't render him a single thing that any reasonable person says they should. 00:19:15.400 --> 00:19:20.800 And the irony is that when Jesus asks for a denarius, he has to ask, 00:19:21.019 --> 00:19:23.980 because he doesn't have a denarius. 00:19:23.980 --> 00:19:32.860 And these guys who think they're so godly do have an image of the semi-divine Caesar in their pocket. 00:19:36.339 --> 00:19:39.099 They're rendering everything to Caesar and nothing to God. 00:19:40.120 --> 00:19:47.039 And that's an opportunity for them to go, oh, maybe I should reconsider the path I'm on. 00:19:48.720 --> 00:19:52.539 Maybe I should reconsider the path I'm on. 00:19:52.539 --> 00:19:58.539 Now, in terms of some, you know, pushback... 00:20:01.920 --> 00:20:02.539 Okay, so... 00:20:03.659 --> 00:20:07.220 Oh, here's the other thing about it. 00:20:07.859 --> 00:20:08.960 No, I'll talk about it in a moment. 00:20:10.399 --> 00:20:12.899 Okay, George, you might say that Jesus is... 00:20:12.899 --> 00:20:14.059 That's a really good example. 00:20:14.299 --> 00:20:19.539 Like, many people in Canada would say that Jesus is wise, that he was a good teacher. 00:20:19.539 --> 00:20:22.519 And they'd say, wow, I didn't know that. 00:20:22.559 --> 00:20:23.039 I didn't know that. 00:20:23.059 --> 00:20:24.480 Like, that's a really cool idea. 00:20:24.779 --> 00:20:26.099 Like, it's a really cool idea. 00:20:26.839 --> 00:20:28.659 And I didn't realize it came from Jesus. 00:20:28.799 --> 00:20:32.000 But I've always sort of thought that Jesus was wise, that he was a good teacher. 00:20:32.819 --> 00:20:36.039 George, the problem is that you go overboard with it. 00:20:36.119 --> 00:20:37.619 Like, you become religious. 00:20:37.720 --> 00:20:38.379 I'm not religious. 00:20:38.500 --> 00:20:39.859 I don't see the point of religion. 00:20:39.859 --> 00:20:45.159 Like, it's fine to have Jesus being a wise teacher and saying a couple of wise things 00:20:45.159 --> 00:20:49.959 that we can sort of take in, and it's helpful to society and all of that type of stuff. 00:20:50.019 --> 00:20:53.979 But, you know, all this other stuff about dying for your sins and him being God, 00:20:54.059 --> 00:20:57.879 like, that's just not right. 00:20:57.880 --> 00:21:06.680 You know, the fact is that if you push into most people, the fear they have about worshiping God 00:21:06.680 --> 00:21:10.260 or knowing the triune God is that he'll crush them. 00:21:12.040 --> 00:21:13.960 He'll crush who they really are. 00:21:16.220 --> 00:21:17.880 Like, why does a... 00:21:18.560 --> 00:21:19.940 He'll crush who they really are. 00:21:21.140 --> 00:21:23.820 That he'll make them do things which we hate. 00:21:23.819 --> 00:21:26.279 And it doesn't... 00:21:26.279 --> 00:21:28.000 And it's just a very common... 00:21:28.000 --> 00:21:29.659 It's a very common fear. 00:21:29.839 --> 00:21:32.839 Like, it could be the very secular neighbor who says, 00:21:32.939 --> 00:21:37.279 Oh, gosh, if I become a Christian, I have to get up early on a Sunday morning. 00:21:37.399 --> 00:21:38.359 I've got to go to church. 00:21:38.439 --> 00:21:39.460 I've got to give some money. 00:21:40.399 --> 00:21:41.079 And I just... 00:21:41.079 --> 00:21:41.439 I don't know. 00:21:41.480 --> 00:21:46.579 I can't sit around in my pajamas all afternoon drinking beer and watching football. 00:21:47.319 --> 00:21:48.759 Like, you'll frown upon it. 00:21:48.759 --> 00:21:53.099 You know, or the trans person, the gay person, the person in adultery. 00:21:53.819 --> 00:21:55.740 Like, it's a very common type of fear. 00:21:57.179 --> 00:22:00.879 And for many people in our culture, they think that, you know, something like Christianity 00:22:00.879 --> 00:22:04.500 just is one of the main things that creates outsiders and insiders. 00:22:06.099 --> 00:22:11.079 And that, in fact, it's just a tool of powerful people to oppress powerless people 00:22:11.079 --> 00:22:12.379 and keep them in their place. 00:22:12.380 --> 00:22:17.040 And that it creates this type of terrible, boring uniformity. 00:22:17.140 --> 00:22:18.640 Like, look at The Handmaid's Tale. 00:22:19.300 --> 00:22:20.620 You look at series like that. 00:22:20.660 --> 00:22:21.940 It's just going to crush people. 00:22:22.240 --> 00:22:26.380 And it creates this uniformity and this sameness which... 00:22:27.800 --> 00:22:30.620 So it's one thing, George, to think that Jesus is a wise teacher. 00:22:30.700 --> 00:22:31.880 I think he's a wise teacher. 00:22:32.040 --> 00:22:34.280 But that's just sort of where it stops. 00:22:34.279 --> 00:22:40.819 And to go anything beyond that is to sort of get into a territory which is a little bit creepy. 00:22:44.119 --> 00:22:53.859 Jesus, in his answer to the question, opens the door to something that shows how wise and sane 00:22:53.859 --> 00:23:00.839 and grace-filled and freeing and strengthening the gospel is. 00:23:02.459 --> 00:23:07.199 Two weeks ago when I was speaking at the church in Hamilton, 00:23:08.500 --> 00:23:11.699 in the context of the sermon, I was praying a lot about how to... 00:23:13.279 --> 00:23:15.699 In fact, they wanted me to speak on... 00:23:16.419 --> 00:23:20.599 Believe it or not, they wanted me to speak on the Bible and the gospel 00:23:20.599 --> 00:23:22.699 and the LGBTQ plus movement. 00:23:23.859 --> 00:23:26.519 And I was stressed out a bit about it. 00:23:28.039 --> 00:23:34.159 And God gave me a song. 00:23:34.399 --> 00:23:38.839 I was really trying to figure out how to express it in a way which is both clear 00:23:38.839 --> 00:23:44.199 and shows the wisdom and the sanity and the grace of the Christian teaching 00:23:44.199 --> 00:23:48.439 and why once you start to get to know the gospel, 00:23:48.599 --> 00:23:51.500 there's something very beautiful and powerful about it 00:23:51.500 --> 00:23:56.660 that we need to try to model better and communicate clearer. 00:23:57.160 --> 00:24:00.000 And there's this hymn from the 1600s, 00:24:00.079 --> 00:24:01.460 My Song is Love Unknown. 00:24:01.460 --> 00:24:06.460 And I'm just slightly paraphrasing one of the lines that has this wonderful line. 00:24:06.519 --> 00:24:08.420 I'm just paraphrasing it. 00:24:08.420 --> 00:24:11.420 Love came and died for the loveless. 00:24:11.759 --> 00:24:12.079 Sorry. 00:24:12.460 --> 00:24:14.460 Love came and died for the loveless, 00:24:15.240 --> 00:24:17.980 that loved and lovely you may be. 00:24:17.980 --> 00:24:22.900 Love came and died for the loveless, 00:24:22.900 --> 00:24:27.120 that loved and lovely you may be. 00:24:27.119 --> 00:24:30.879 And this little incident, 00:24:31.259 --> 00:24:33.539 Jesus opens up this window to something. 00:24:33.659 --> 00:24:35.879 And you remember that Jesus is saying this. 00:24:35.959 --> 00:24:39.039 He knows that in a couple of days he's going to be on a cross dying. 00:24:39.579 --> 00:24:42.500 And he knows why he's dying on the cross. 00:24:42.679 --> 00:24:44.219 He's dying on the cross. 00:24:44.719 --> 00:24:46.379 He's dying for the loveless, 00:24:46.779 --> 00:24:48.259 that loved and lovely, 00:24:48.699 --> 00:24:49.219 you and I, 00:24:49.319 --> 00:24:51.579 and those people even trying to trap him, 00:24:51.639 --> 00:24:52.419 that they may be. 00:24:52.420 --> 00:24:56.539 And he opens up this little window 00:24:56.539 --> 00:25:00.380 on his way to the cross. 00:25:00.700 --> 00:25:02.560 And it's by this simple word, 00:25:02.759 --> 00:25:03.060 icon. 00:25:04.680 --> 00:25:07.140 And for the people who are there listening, 00:25:07.800 --> 00:25:09.420 they would have instantly known 00:25:09.420 --> 00:25:11.920 that Jesus is using the exact same word 00:25:11.920 --> 00:25:14.320 as is used in the very beginning of the Bible. 00:25:14.779 --> 00:25:18.440 When God says that he makes human beings, 00:25:18.440 --> 00:25:21.539 he makes every man and every woman equally, 00:25:21.539 --> 00:25:24.000 in his icon. 00:25:27.339 --> 00:25:30.960 That's the very, very, very, very beginning of the Bible. 00:25:31.139 --> 00:25:33.779 Before there's any sin or evil in the world, 00:25:33.940 --> 00:25:36.639 God makes every single human being, 00:25:36.879 --> 00:25:38.839 man and woman, male and female, 00:25:39.379 --> 00:25:41.220 humanity, every human being, 00:25:41.879 --> 00:25:44.039 in his icon. 00:25:44.039 --> 00:25:47.159 And this, 00:25:47.519 --> 00:25:48.599 just if you think about it first, 00:25:48.700 --> 00:25:51.960 there is no greater equity imaginable 00:25:51.960 --> 00:25:55.099 than being made in the icon of God. 00:25:55.259 --> 00:25:59.139 There is no greater equity imaginable 00:25:59.139 --> 00:26:03.220 than being made in the icon of God. 00:26:03.500 --> 00:26:04.399 What is this saying? 00:26:05.039 --> 00:26:07.240 Doesn't matter if you're born in Africa, 00:26:07.240 --> 00:26:12.420 America or Asia or North America or Europe. 00:26:13.039 --> 00:26:15.500 You're made in the icon of God. 00:26:15.759 --> 00:26:20.240 It doesn't matter if you are the world's strongest woman or man. 00:26:20.500 --> 00:26:23.380 It does not matter whether you are the world's fastest 00:26:23.380 --> 00:26:25.220 or most brilliant human being, 00:26:25.220 --> 00:26:27.079 or if you have Down syndrome. 00:26:27.079 --> 00:26:31.500 You are made in the icon of God. 00:26:31.500 --> 00:26:34.559 It does not matter if you are 107 00:26:34.559 --> 00:26:36.819 and you don't have very many days left, 00:26:36.960 --> 00:26:40.720 or if you are a baby in a mother's womb. 00:26:41.059 --> 00:26:44.379 You are made in the icon of God. 00:26:46.379 --> 00:26:49.980 And the strongest and wisest 00:26:49.980 --> 00:26:53.279 and most beautiful and most powerful 00:26:53.279 --> 00:26:57.200 are not more in the icon of God 00:26:57.200 --> 00:26:58.160 than the weakest. 00:27:00.859 --> 00:27:02.299 The baby in the womb, 00:27:02.920 --> 00:27:04.460 the Down syndrome child, 00:27:04.599 --> 00:27:06.579 the severely handicapped infant. 00:27:08.119 --> 00:27:10.519 I just overheard just a terrible, 00:27:10.680 --> 00:27:12.220 terrible, tragic story. 00:27:12.859 --> 00:27:15.279 I was in a two-day meeting 00:27:15.279 --> 00:27:16.480 before the conference 00:27:16.480 --> 00:27:18.019 at which I helped organize 00:27:18.019 --> 00:27:20.899 in an indirect way and spoke at. 00:27:20.900 --> 00:27:23.420 And we were going around the room 00:27:23.420 --> 00:27:24.580 getting to know each other 00:27:24.580 --> 00:27:27.460 because we're talking about this potential venture, 00:27:27.660 --> 00:27:29.019 hopefully, that is of God 00:27:29.019 --> 00:27:32.480 that could help spread the gospel in Canada. 00:27:32.540 --> 00:27:33.160 And we're going around 00:27:33.160 --> 00:27:34.480 and one of the fellows shared 00:27:34.480 --> 00:27:38.600 how, I won't tell all of the details 00:27:38.600 --> 00:27:40.240 to protect the privacy of them, 00:27:40.360 --> 00:27:42.440 but basically a month or two 00:27:42.440 --> 00:27:45.120 before the baby was born, 00:27:45.600 --> 00:27:47.200 they discovered that the baby 00:27:47.200 --> 00:27:50.360 had a severe, severe medical issue 00:27:50.359 --> 00:27:52.359 that meant that within hours 00:27:52.959 --> 00:27:54.099 of the baby being born, 00:27:54.199 --> 00:27:55.039 the baby would die. 00:27:56.740 --> 00:27:58.740 And so he told us the date 00:27:58.740 --> 00:28:01.119 that his baby was born 00:28:01.119 --> 00:28:03.679 and the date the baby died. 00:28:06.679 --> 00:28:08.819 Bill Gates does not bear more 00:28:08.819 --> 00:28:09.939 of the image of God 00:28:09.939 --> 00:28:11.619 than that baby. 00:28:11.619 --> 00:28:15.859 There is no more profound equity 00:28:15.859 --> 00:28:18.599 than this teaching. 00:28:25.459 --> 00:28:26.679 Your identity, 00:28:27.199 --> 00:28:28.459 and here's the thing, 00:28:29.399 --> 00:28:30.979 your identity and worth 00:28:30.979 --> 00:28:33.019 comes because you are made 00:28:33.019 --> 00:28:34.899 in the image of the triune God. 00:28:35.519 --> 00:28:37.819 The dignity and greatness 00:28:37.819 --> 00:28:39.460 of human beings 00:28:39.460 --> 00:28:41.879 is because they are made 00:28:41.879 --> 00:28:44.439 in the image of the triune God. 00:28:45.200 --> 00:28:47.939 And it explains so much 00:28:47.939 --> 00:28:49.500 about human experience 00:28:49.500 --> 00:28:51.079 because the Bible, 00:28:51.259 --> 00:28:52.460 if you go and you'll look 00:28:52.460 --> 00:28:53.379 from Genesis 3 00:28:53.379 --> 00:28:55.859 and then the Bible teaches something 00:28:55.859 --> 00:28:58.439 which is the most true thing 00:28:58.439 --> 00:29:00.200 about human beings. 00:29:00.700 --> 00:29:03.519 And that is that we do evil, 00:29:03.839 --> 00:29:05.500 that evil comes from within us, 00:29:05.500 --> 00:29:07.420 that we choose to do what is wrong. 00:29:08.500 --> 00:29:09.859 And the Bible says 00:29:09.859 --> 00:29:10.720 that what that means 00:29:10.720 --> 00:29:11.980 is that the image of God, 00:29:12.059 --> 00:29:13.079 the icon of God 00:29:13.079 --> 00:29:14.019 that each one of us, 00:29:14.200 --> 00:29:15.079 in a sense, bears, 00:29:15.299 --> 00:29:16.200 that it's bent, 00:29:16.319 --> 00:29:17.640 it's twisted a little bit. 00:29:17.779 --> 00:29:19.299 And so we do evil. 00:29:19.740 --> 00:29:20.220 And you see, 00:29:20.279 --> 00:29:21.000 here's why it is 00:29:21.000 --> 00:29:21.900 that we're so often 00:29:21.900 --> 00:29:22.859 a mystery to ourselves. 00:29:23.000 --> 00:29:23.539 First of all, 00:29:23.579 --> 00:29:24.680 we're a mystery to ourselves 00:29:24.680 --> 00:29:25.980 because we have a sense 00:29:25.980 --> 00:29:27.859 of the greatness 00:29:27.859 --> 00:29:28.759 and the dignity 00:29:28.759 --> 00:29:29.440 and the worth 00:29:29.440 --> 00:29:30.059 and the value 00:29:30.059 --> 00:29:31.180 of every human being. 00:29:31.279 --> 00:29:33.059 We have a sense about that. 00:29:33.119 --> 00:29:34.960 Even when people try to shame us 00:29:34.960 --> 00:29:36.200 or people say 00:29:36.200 --> 00:29:37.340 that we're losers 00:29:37.340 --> 00:29:38.440 or we're not good 00:29:38.440 --> 00:29:39.680 or we're outcasts, 00:29:39.680 --> 00:29:40.559 that we know 00:29:40.559 --> 00:29:41.860 that there's something within us, 00:29:41.920 --> 00:29:43.200 that those are lies, 00:29:43.299 --> 00:29:44.259 that that is not true, 00:29:44.680 --> 00:29:45.460 that we don't have 00:29:45.460 --> 00:29:46.700 the grammar and the logic 00:29:46.700 --> 00:29:47.940 of most people in the world 00:29:47.940 --> 00:29:48.539 to understand 00:29:48.539 --> 00:29:49.539 what the Bible teaches, 00:29:49.720 --> 00:29:50.840 that they are sensing 00:29:50.840 --> 00:29:51.680 something is true, 00:29:51.759 --> 00:29:52.660 that we are made 00:29:52.660 --> 00:29:53.259 in the icon, 00:29:53.400 --> 00:29:54.180 the image of God. 00:29:54.319 --> 00:29:55.600 And at the same time, 00:29:55.700 --> 00:29:57.440 we can't just look within 00:29:57.440 --> 00:29:58.100 to figure out 00:29:58.100 --> 00:29:59.500 what our true identity is 00:29:59.500 --> 00:30:00.900 because if we look within, 00:30:01.259 --> 00:30:01.960 we cannot distinguish 00:30:01.960 --> 00:30:03.579 just by looking in 00:30:03.579 --> 00:30:04.600 from that which is bent 00:30:04.600 --> 00:30:05.720 and broken within us 00:30:05.720 --> 00:30:06.779 and that which is truly 00:30:06.779 --> 00:30:07.940 and utterly of God. 00:30:08.180 --> 00:30:09.900 We need God to speak to us 00:30:09.900 --> 00:30:10.460 from outside 00:30:10.460 --> 00:30:12.039 to clarify these things. 00:30:12.319 --> 00:30:13.279 And if you and I 00:30:13.279 --> 00:30:15.120 are made in the icon of God, 00:30:15.200 --> 00:30:16.200 we will never know 00:30:16.200 --> 00:30:17.019 who we are 00:30:17.019 --> 00:30:18.880 unless we know the God 00:30:18.880 --> 00:30:19.920 in whose image 00:30:19.920 --> 00:30:20.740 we are made. 00:30:22.660 --> 00:30:24.140 You will never know 00:30:24.140 --> 00:30:25.340 who you really are 00:30:25.340 --> 00:30:27.220 if you're made 00:30:27.220 --> 00:30:28.400 in the icon 00:30:28.400 --> 00:30:29.940 of the true triune God 00:30:29.940 --> 00:30:30.680 unless you know 00:30:30.680 --> 00:30:31.779 the one in whom 00:30:31.779 --> 00:30:32.740 you were truly made. 00:30:39.279 --> 00:30:40.180 People might say, 00:30:40.380 --> 00:30:41.220 but, okay, well, George, 00:30:41.320 --> 00:30:41.840 that's, wow, 00:30:41.900 --> 00:30:42.860 I didn't sort of get that 00:30:42.860 --> 00:30:43.480 in the text. 00:30:43.759 --> 00:30:45.799 And remember what I said, 00:30:45.880 --> 00:30:46.799 love came and died 00:30:46.799 --> 00:30:47.680 for the loveless 00:30:47.680 --> 00:30:48.980 that loved and lovely 00:30:48.980 --> 00:30:49.640 you may be. 00:30:49.900 --> 00:30:50.720 And so people wonder 00:30:50.720 --> 00:30:51.299 about Jesus. 00:30:51.460 --> 00:30:52.759 Well, here's the wonderful thing. 00:30:52.860 --> 00:30:54.380 Jesus is putting this idea 00:30:54.380 --> 00:30:55.640 in the apostle's mind 00:30:55.640 --> 00:30:57.140 a couple of days 00:30:57.140 --> 00:30:58.740 just before they go 00:30:58.740 --> 00:30:59.819 and they go, 00:31:00.140 --> 00:31:01.180 he goes to the cross 00:31:01.180 --> 00:31:02.779 and he's reminding them 00:31:02.779 --> 00:31:03.339 of the fact 00:31:03.339 --> 00:31:04.240 that human beings 00:31:04.240 --> 00:31:05.920 are made in the icon of God. 00:31:07.140 --> 00:31:08.120 And what they're going 00:31:08.120 --> 00:31:09.519 to understand later on 00:31:09.519 --> 00:31:10.539 after the resurrection 00:31:10.539 --> 00:31:12.460 is that when they're looking 00:31:12.460 --> 00:31:14.120 at Jesus dying on the cross, 00:31:14.359 --> 00:31:15.799 they are looking at the one 00:31:15.799 --> 00:31:17.779 in whose icon we are made, 00:31:18.599 --> 00:31:19.740 dying for all 00:31:19.740 --> 00:31:20.980 who bear his icon. 00:31:21.980 --> 00:31:23.039 And if you think about it 00:31:23.039 --> 00:31:23.519 for a second, 00:31:23.640 --> 00:31:24.319 there is no way 00:31:24.319 --> 00:31:25.980 that Jono dying on the cross, 00:31:25.980 --> 00:31:27.579 that he could cover 00:31:27.579 --> 00:31:28.579 anybody's sin 00:31:28.579 --> 00:31:31.400 or Alex 00:31:31.400 --> 00:31:32.420 or Victor, 00:31:33.640 --> 00:31:34.240 Harold, 00:31:34.660 --> 00:31:35.099 Victory, 00:31:35.539 --> 00:31:36.240 or George. 00:31:37.279 --> 00:31:37.640 I'm just, 00:31:37.900 --> 00:31:38.960 we're just one bloke 00:31:38.960 --> 00:31:40.880 or one gal 00:31:40.880 --> 00:31:43.079 really only dying 00:31:43.079 --> 00:31:43.819 for ourselves. 00:31:44.620 --> 00:31:45.980 But if every human being 00:31:45.980 --> 00:31:47.180 is made in the image 00:31:47.180 --> 00:31:47.779 of God 00:31:47.779 --> 00:31:49.839 and that very one, 00:31:50.039 --> 00:31:52.120 that the image itself 00:31:52.120 --> 00:31:53.640 that we bear, 00:31:53.640 --> 00:31:55.840 only the image itself 00:31:55.840 --> 00:31:57.080 can stand for all 00:31:57.080 --> 00:31:58.680 who bear the image of God. 00:31:59.500 --> 00:32:00.360 And that is why 00:32:00.360 --> 00:32:01.920 only what Jesus does 00:32:01.920 --> 00:32:02.920 in his life and death 00:32:02.920 --> 00:32:03.560 and resurrection 00:32:03.560 --> 00:32:04.460 can stand 00:32:04.460 --> 00:32:06.380 for people in Africa, 00:32:07.480 --> 00:32:09.360 for people in United States, 00:32:09.520 --> 00:32:10.580 for people in Asia, 00:32:10.820 --> 00:32:12.480 for people in the first century, 00:32:12.680 --> 00:32:13.740 for people today, 00:32:14.520 --> 00:32:15.800 for babies in the womb, 00:32:16.940 --> 00:32:17.580 for the aged. 00:32:19.080 --> 00:32:21.000 His death can stand for all. 00:32:21.000 --> 00:32:22.599 I mean, 00:32:22.700 --> 00:32:24.799 if you think about it 00:32:24.799 --> 00:32:25.420 for a second, 00:32:26.420 --> 00:32:28.799 there is no greater inclusion 00:32:28.799 --> 00:32:32.279 than Jesus died 00:32:32.279 --> 00:32:33.240 on the cross for you. 00:32:34.000 --> 00:32:37.039 There is no greater inclusion. 00:32:40.640 --> 00:32:42.640 We receive it by faith. 00:32:43.500 --> 00:32:45.180 Even how we enter 00:32:45.180 --> 00:32:47.240 into what he has done for us, 00:32:47.240 --> 00:32:49.599 not all of us 00:32:49.599 --> 00:32:52.660 can answer complicated crosswords. 00:32:52.839 --> 00:32:53.640 Not all of us 00:32:53.640 --> 00:32:55.700 can run a four-minute mile 00:32:55.700 --> 00:32:56.920 or many of us 00:32:56.920 --> 00:32:57.579 probably couldn't run 00:32:57.579 --> 00:32:58.620 a ten-minute mile 00:32:58.620 --> 00:33:02.740 or answer complicated math questions. 00:33:02.880 --> 00:33:03.359 But you know what? 00:33:03.440 --> 00:33:04.519 Everybody can be humble. 00:33:05.859 --> 00:33:07.079 Everybody can receive. 00:33:12.400 --> 00:33:13.599 But what about this idea 00:33:13.599 --> 00:33:14.339 that he crushes? 00:33:14.400 --> 00:33:14.640 You see, 00:33:14.720 --> 00:33:15.460 that's once again 00:33:15.460 --> 00:33:16.140 the brilliance 00:33:16.140 --> 00:33:16.720 and the wisdom 00:33:16.720 --> 00:33:17.519 of his answer. 00:33:18.539 --> 00:33:18.880 You see, 00:33:20.740 --> 00:33:21.799 he doesn't say, 00:33:22.720 --> 00:33:22.940 I mean, 00:33:23.019 --> 00:33:23.819 what's going on here 00:33:23.819 --> 00:33:24.200 is that, 00:33:25.160 --> 00:33:26.940 so this little coin, 00:33:27.460 --> 00:33:29.500 it bears the icon 00:33:29.500 --> 00:33:31.460 of this guy 00:33:31.460 --> 00:33:32.819 who thinks he's semi-divine, 00:33:32.920 --> 00:33:33.640 but he's not. 00:33:34.420 --> 00:33:35.299 He doesn't bear 00:33:35.299 --> 00:33:36.120 the image of God 00:33:36.120 --> 00:33:37.380 any more than you or I. 00:33:38.620 --> 00:33:39.200 And the people 00:33:39.200 --> 00:33:39.880 listening to this 00:33:39.880 --> 00:33:40.860 all know that the Bible 00:33:40.860 --> 00:33:41.500 is telling them 00:33:41.500 --> 00:33:43.019 that they walk around 00:33:43.019 --> 00:33:45.259 bearing the icon of God. 00:33:45.460 --> 00:33:46.700 That's who they are. 00:33:48.059 --> 00:33:49.299 Icon bearers, 00:33:49.400 --> 00:33:50.079 so to speak, 00:33:50.140 --> 00:33:51.720 of the triune God. 00:33:53.799 --> 00:33:55.059 And Jesus says, 00:33:55.319 --> 00:33:56.019 but he doesn't say 00:33:56.019 --> 00:33:57.599 that Caesar doesn't have a place. 00:34:01.640 --> 00:34:02.480 You see, 00:34:03.000 --> 00:34:03.960 it isn't that 00:34:03.960 --> 00:34:05.079 when you put your faith 00:34:05.079 --> 00:34:06.599 and trust in the triune God 00:34:06.599 --> 00:34:08.139 that God's desire 00:34:08.139 --> 00:34:10.179 is to crush diversity. 00:34:12.619 --> 00:34:13.559 Not at all. 00:34:14.239 --> 00:34:14.639 He's saying, 00:34:14.699 --> 00:34:15.019 you know what? 00:34:16.119 --> 00:34:17.599 I always intended, 00:34:18.079 --> 00:34:18.719 in a sense, 00:34:19.559 --> 00:34:20.059 that there'd be 00:34:20.059 --> 00:34:21.079 lots of diversity. 00:34:21.339 --> 00:34:22.480 That's why I made 00:34:22.480 --> 00:34:23.739 people with different 00:34:23.739 --> 00:34:24.380 hair colors, 00:34:24.539 --> 00:34:25.119 eye colors, 00:34:25.339 --> 00:34:26.039 skin colors, 00:34:26.500 --> 00:34:26.920 heights, 00:34:27.579 --> 00:34:29.019 ages. 00:34:31.259 --> 00:34:33.039 This beautiful diversity. 00:34:33.039 --> 00:34:36.599 And in my kingdom 00:34:36.599 --> 00:34:37.559 and under my rule, 00:34:37.679 --> 00:34:38.920 it's not that I squish 00:34:38.920 --> 00:34:40.980 and quash diversity. 00:34:40.980 --> 00:34:42.340 It's not that all of a sudden 00:34:42.340 --> 00:34:43.259 I'll take away 00:34:43.259 --> 00:34:44.239 all of your fingerprints 00:34:44.239 --> 00:34:44.960 being unique 00:34:44.960 --> 00:34:46.199 and make them all the same. 00:34:47.059 --> 00:34:48.900 No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. 00:34:48.960 --> 00:34:49.980 There's going to be governments. 00:34:50.239 --> 00:34:51.300 There's going to be families. 00:34:51.480 --> 00:34:52.480 There's going to be marriages. 00:34:52.820 --> 00:34:53.920 There's going to be churches. 00:34:54.259 --> 00:34:55.679 There's going to be single people. 00:34:56.259 --> 00:34:57.739 There's going to be big families 00:34:57.739 --> 00:34:58.980 and small families. 00:34:59.099 --> 00:35:00.279 There's going to be babies. 00:35:00.559 --> 00:35:01.639 And you know that we're having 00:35:01.639 --> 00:35:02.480 all this diversity? 00:35:02.480 --> 00:35:03.559 Yeah, good grief. 00:35:03.639 --> 00:35:05.539 There can be a stamp collecting club, 00:35:05.639 --> 00:35:06.539 which isn't a thing anymore, 00:35:06.599 --> 00:35:06.920 I guess. 00:35:07.000 --> 00:35:08.460 That's like an old-fashioned analogy. 00:35:08.659 --> 00:35:09.320 And you know, 00:35:09.380 --> 00:35:11.300 there can be a mountain biking club 00:35:11.300 --> 00:35:13.019 and there can be a quilting club 00:35:13.019 --> 00:35:14.820 and there can be all this diversity. 00:35:15.059 --> 00:35:15.340 And it doesn't... 00:35:16.199 --> 00:35:17.940 Jesus doesn't sort of come 00:35:17.940 --> 00:35:18.920 to squish us 00:35:18.920 --> 00:35:21.039 and make all of us 00:35:21.039 --> 00:35:22.699 like identical marbles 00:35:22.699 --> 00:35:24.300 or all like identical 00:35:24.300 --> 00:35:26.240 little Lego pieces 00:35:26.240 --> 00:35:27.440 all the same color. 00:35:28.440 --> 00:35:29.500 In his answer, 00:35:29.599 --> 00:35:29.960 he's saying, 00:35:30.019 --> 00:35:31.000 no, there's going to be government. 00:35:31.000 --> 00:35:32.420 And in fact, 00:35:32.480 --> 00:35:32.699 actually, 00:35:32.739 --> 00:35:33.380 if you think about it 00:35:33.380 --> 00:35:33.820 in his answer, 00:35:33.880 --> 00:35:34.539 he's even saying, 00:35:34.599 --> 00:35:34.820 listen, 00:35:35.300 --> 00:35:37.320 he's looking down the ages 00:35:37.320 --> 00:35:37.940 and he says, 00:35:38.019 --> 00:35:39.119 those of you in Canada, 00:35:39.400 --> 00:35:40.739 you're going to have your Caesar. 00:35:41.280 --> 00:35:42.440 Those of you in China, 00:35:42.579 --> 00:35:43.800 you're going to have your Caesar. 00:35:43.960 --> 00:35:46.039 Those of you who are my children in Iran, 00:35:46.260 --> 00:35:47.619 you are going to have your Caesar. 00:35:48.059 --> 00:35:50.219 Those of you in Florida, 00:35:50.380 --> 00:35:51.639 you're going to have a seat. 00:35:51.639 --> 00:35:55.019 He's calling us to be... 00:35:55.019 --> 00:35:56.739 He knows that he's going to call 00:35:56.739 --> 00:35:58.359 ordinary people 00:35:58.359 --> 00:35:59.940 out of every tribe 00:35:59.940 --> 00:36:00.539 and nation 00:36:00.539 --> 00:36:01.679 and language group. 00:36:05.179 --> 00:36:06.759 We're not going to have 00:36:06.759 --> 00:36:08.139 a Mecca. 00:36:09.219 --> 00:36:10.519 We're not going to have 00:36:10.519 --> 00:36:11.219 a Jerusalem. 00:36:11.839 --> 00:36:13.179 We're not going to have 00:36:13.179 --> 00:36:13.839 a Moscow 00:36:13.839 --> 00:36:15.059 or a Washington 00:36:15.059 --> 00:36:17.639 or an Indian subcontinent 00:36:18.460 --> 00:36:19.440 upon which our identity 00:36:19.440 --> 00:36:20.039 is based 00:36:20.039 --> 00:36:21.460 and it's not going to be the case 00:36:21.460 --> 00:36:22.519 that real followers 00:36:22.519 --> 00:36:23.860 are all going to learn 00:36:23.860 --> 00:36:24.900 the same language. 00:36:27.200 --> 00:36:28.500 Keeping our language, 00:36:29.360 --> 00:36:30.340 keeping our culture, 00:36:31.579 --> 00:36:33.500 these things are all reformed 00:36:33.500 --> 00:36:34.519 and reordered 00:36:34.519 --> 00:36:35.820 and rejuvenated 00:36:35.820 --> 00:36:39.200 in God's kingdom. 00:36:42.460 --> 00:36:45.320 It is a most excellent 00:36:45.320 --> 00:36:48.340 and most awe-inspiring 00:36:48.340 --> 00:36:50.019 diversity. 00:36:51.539 --> 00:36:52.320 One of the things, 00:36:52.480 --> 00:36:53.300 just in closing, 00:36:53.920 --> 00:36:54.860 that's so wonderful, 00:36:55.019 --> 00:36:56.460 if you ever have the privilege 00:36:56.460 --> 00:36:57.420 of going to Jerusalem, 00:36:57.480 --> 00:36:58.519 not because Jerusalem, 00:36:58.820 --> 00:36:59.360 on one hand, 00:36:59.400 --> 00:36:59.900 is the center 00:36:59.900 --> 00:37:00.720 of the Christian faith, 00:37:00.820 --> 00:37:02.440 but it is interesting 00:37:02.440 --> 00:37:03.059 to go there 00:37:03.059 --> 00:37:04.640 and know that 00:37:04.640 --> 00:37:06.880 it was on stones 00:37:06.880 --> 00:37:07.920 underneath us 00:37:07.920 --> 00:37:09.039 that Jesus walked. 00:37:09.820 --> 00:37:10.480 But one of the things 00:37:10.480 --> 00:37:11.539 which is more wonderful 00:37:11.539 --> 00:37:12.180 than that 00:37:12.179 --> 00:37:15.079 is seeing 00:37:15.079 --> 00:37:16.419 the Christian pilgrims 00:37:16.419 --> 00:37:17.299 from China 00:37:17.299 --> 00:37:18.500 and Nigeria 00:37:18.500 --> 00:37:20.659 and India 00:37:20.659 --> 00:37:22.579 and England 00:37:22.579 --> 00:37:23.579 and Australia 00:37:23.579 --> 00:37:25.719 and Argentina 00:37:25.719 --> 00:37:26.719 and Chile 00:37:26.719 --> 00:37:29.339 all coming to see 00:37:29.339 --> 00:37:30.579 where Jesus had lived. 00:37:33.259 --> 00:37:34.799 And hear the wonderful 00:37:34.799 --> 00:37:36.940 dozens and dozens 00:37:36.940 --> 00:37:38.419 and dozens of languages 00:37:38.420 --> 00:37:40.099 of people 00:37:40.099 --> 00:37:40.980 who called Jesus 00:37:40.980 --> 00:37:41.659 their Savior 00:37:41.659 --> 00:37:42.220 and the Lord. 00:37:42.780 --> 00:37:44.700 There is no greater diversity. 00:37:45.220 --> 00:37:46.659 There is no greater equity 00:37:46.659 --> 00:37:47.539 than in the gospel. 00:37:47.740 --> 00:37:49.119 There is no greater inclusion 00:37:49.119 --> 00:37:50.360 than in the gospel. 00:37:50.460 --> 00:37:52.000 And there is no greater diversity 00:37:52.000 --> 00:37:53.300 than in the gospel. 00:37:53.460 --> 00:37:54.820 And he wants to include you. 00:37:57.099 --> 00:37:58.320 I invite you to stand. 00:38:04.920 --> 00:38:06.240 Bow your heads in prayer. 00:38:06.239 --> 00:38:12.279 Father, 00:38:12.479 --> 00:38:12.879 you know, 00:38:12.959 --> 00:38:13.459 we confess 00:38:13.459 --> 00:38:13.979 that sometimes 00:38:13.979 --> 00:38:15.019 we get worried 00:38:15.019 --> 00:38:15.639 about equity 00:38:15.639 --> 00:38:16.479 or we get worried 00:38:16.479 --> 00:38:17.239 about inclusion 00:38:17.239 --> 00:38:18.019 and we get worried 00:38:18.019 --> 00:38:18.839 about diversity. 00:38:19.159 --> 00:38:19.599 And Father, 00:38:19.699 --> 00:38:20.859 I know that on one hand 00:38:20.859 --> 00:38:21.799 there are certain ways 00:38:21.799 --> 00:38:22.779 that that's talked about 00:38:22.779 --> 00:38:25.199 in our post-post-modern world 00:38:25.199 --> 00:38:26.359 that should worry us. 00:38:26.459 --> 00:38:28.199 That some modern forms 00:38:28.199 --> 00:38:29.239 of diversity 00:38:29.239 --> 00:38:31.399 actually create sameness 00:38:31.399 --> 00:38:33.799 and some modern forms 00:38:33.799 --> 00:38:34.479 of inclusion 00:38:34.480 --> 00:38:36.119 actually create exclusion 00:38:36.119 --> 00:38:37.240 and some forms 00:38:37.240 --> 00:38:38.860 of modern equity 00:38:38.860 --> 00:38:39.619 do in fact 00:38:39.619 --> 00:38:41.179 create disequity 00:38:41.179 --> 00:38:43.099 and disorder. 00:38:43.679 --> 00:38:44.460 But Father, 00:38:44.559 --> 00:38:45.360 we give you thanks 00:38:45.360 --> 00:38:45.900 and praise 00:38:45.900 --> 00:38:47.340 that in your gospel 00:38:47.340 --> 00:38:48.119 you call us 00:38:48.119 --> 00:38:48.740 to a true 00:38:48.740 --> 00:38:49.380 and deeper 00:38:49.380 --> 00:38:50.500 and greater equity 00:38:50.500 --> 00:38:51.119 and inclusion 00:38:51.119 --> 00:38:51.960 and diversity, 00:38:52.280 --> 00:38:52.480 Father. 00:38:52.639 --> 00:38:53.599 And we ask, 00:38:53.760 --> 00:38:53.840 Lord, 00:38:53.900 --> 00:38:54.719 that you would help us 00:38:54.719 --> 00:38:55.579 to be so gripped 00:38:55.579 --> 00:38:56.300 by the gospel 00:38:56.300 --> 00:38:56.840 that it would be 00:38:56.840 --> 00:38:58.119 so real to our heart 00:38:58.119 --> 00:39:00.019 that we would have 00:39:00.019 --> 00:39:01.199 a secure identity, 00:39:01.519 --> 00:39:01.699 Father, 00:39:01.800 --> 00:39:02.219 in you, 00:39:02.219 --> 00:39:02.799 that knowing 00:39:02.799 --> 00:39:04.879 that you have made us 00:39:04.879 --> 00:39:05.799 to bear your image 00:39:05.799 --> 00:39:07.439 and your son died for us 00:39:07.439 --> 00:39:08.539 and that he is now, 00:39:08.639 --> 00:39:09.839 when we put our faith in him, 00:39:09.919 --> 00:39:10.799 he is our savior 00:39:10.799 --> 00:39:11.539 and our Lord 00:39:11.539 --> 00:39:13.439 and he is fitting us 00:39:13.439 --> 00:39:14.759 for a new heaven 00:39:14.759 --> 00:39:15.599 and a new earth 00:39:15.599 --> 00:39:17.339 that he is not going 00:39:17.339 --> 00:39:18.399 to erase us 00:39:18.399 --> 00:39:19.359 or destroy us 00:39:19.359 --> 00:39:20.079 or crush us. 00:39:20.139 --> 00:39:20.899 He will take away 00:39:20.899 --> 00:39:21.519 our sin 00:39:21.519 --> 00:39:22.419 and our idols 00:39:22.419 --> 00:39:23.319 and our shame 00:39:23.319 --> 00:39:25.079 and make us more fully 00:39:25.079 --> 00:39:26.419 and truly ourselves, 00:39:26.899 --> 00:39:27.859 beginning to understand 00:39:27.859 --> 00:39:28.619 the mystery 00:39:28.619 --> 00:39:29.199 and riddle 00:39:29.199 --> 00:39:30.079 of who we are 00:39:30.079 --> 00:39:31.639 as we understand you better 00:39:31.639 --> 00:39:32.879 and can look at ourselves 00:39:32.879 --> 00:39:33.759 more clearly 00:39:33.759 --> 00:39:34.799 in light of the gospel. 00:39:35.339 --> 00:39:35.839 And we ask, 00:39:35.960 --> 00:39:36.039 Lord, 00:39:36.099 --> 00:39:36.639 that you would do 00:39:36.639 --> 00:39:37.739 this wonderful work 00:39:37.739 --> 00:39:38.659 of the Holy Spirit 00:39:38.659 --> 00:39:39.420 deep within us 00:39:39.420 --> 00:39:40.359 to make the gospel 00:39:40.359 --> 00:39:41.940 more real to our heart 00:39:41.940 --> 00:39:42.920 that we might live 00:39:42.920 --> 00:39:43.839 free 00:39:43.839 --> 00:39:45.539 and unafraid 00:39:45.539 --> 00:39:46.839 in this world 00:39:46.839 --> 00:39:47.559 for your glory. 00:39:48.699 --> 00:39:49.019 And so, 00:39:49.139 --> 00:39:49.239 Father, 00:39:49.299 --> 00:39:50.379 we ask that your Holy Spirit 00:39:50.379 --> 00:39:51.539 would do this wonderful work 00:39:51.539 --> 00:39:51.879 within 00:39:51.879 --> 00:39:53.259 and we ask this 00:39:53.259 --> 00:39:54.219 in the precious name 00:39:54.219 --> 00:39:54.719 of Jesus, 00:39:54.920 --> 00:39:55.539 your son 00:39:55.539 --> 00:39:56.299 and our savior. 00:39:57.159 --> 00:39:57.500 Amen. 00:40:01.639 --> 00:40:03.639 Amen.