If your eyesight is poor, you may not know that I am not Matthew.
And for that, I apologize, but I am not sorry.
My name is Drew Arrington, and unlike Matthew and Jeff who preceded me last Sunday, I am not a PCA teaching elder.
But rest assured, I am an ordained minister in a sister denomination called the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church.
My wife and I, well, skipped a little bit.
I am currently serving, however, as a chaplain in the United States Army like Jeff.
Let's see.
Yes, my wife Allison and I, along with our three daughters, moved here last spring from Clarksville, Tennessee.
And if you ask them, they will tell you that is the absolute best place to live in America.
Most of it has to do with a lot of really great friends and a school that they adored.
But our family greatly appreciates the fellowship and appreciation that you have extended to us as the CMPC family.
And my wife and daughters are all in the process of joining this wonderful church.
So thank you for that welcome.
Well, that's enough about me.
After all, you didn't come here to learn about who I am and my family, but you came here to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.
So with that in mind, let's shift a little bit and start looking at today's passage.
So Matthew has been leading us through an exposition of the Gospel of Mark.
And it's my great honor to pick up that study following a break for Advent and Christmas.
And this week, we find ourselves in the 12th chapter of the Gospel, where we consider a passage that contains a deep truth of significant importance for those of us that are being transformed into the image of Christ.
Well, the events of Mark chapter 12, 13 through 17 occur in the middle of Passion or Holy Week, which is that week leading up to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The week began on Sunday with Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, not on a majestic war horse, but on a lowly, borrowed donkey.
On Monday, he cursed a deceptive fig tree and cleared the temple of profiteers, placing obstacles in the path of those who came to praise God.
On Tuesday, leading up to our passage, Jesus' disciples saw the withered fig tree in the morning light as they were entering back into Jerusalem.
They would then go to the temple where Jesus would critique the religious leaders using the parable of the evil vineyard tenants.
Today's passage records an exchange between Jesus and some of those same religious leaders later that afternoon before he and the disciples would head out to the Mount of Olives for the Olivet Discourse.
So I alluded to a deep truth embedded in this exchange between Jesus and the religious leaders of the day.
However, as I was studying, I realized that that deep truth is often missed, not just by common readers of Scripture, but also by many commentators.
And in many ways, there missing this deep truth is like the white witch's inability to understand the deep magic in C.S. Lewis' beloved classic, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
Thinking she understands the deep magic, Jadus exuberantly accepts Aslan's offer to trade his life for the life of Edmund the traitor.
She does so because she expects that with the Grand Lion out of the way, she can secure her reign as the undisputed sovereign of Narnia.
Unfortunately for the white witch, her faulty understanding leads to her tragic end.
And it is my hope that by God's grace and the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, that will not be our end this morning.
Instead, that we may avoid the twin traps of viewing this passage as an encouragement for the separation of church and state,
or the endorsement of obedience to the fulfillment of the civil magistrate, both of which are great concepts, but both of which miss the deeper and more important truth in this exchange.
Rather, it's my prayer that we may lay hold of that deep truth that we and a culture infatuated with image, icons, and idols desperately need.
But before we go any further, let us pray for the reading and preaching of God's word.
Please join me.
Almighty God, creator of our world and all that is in it,
you did not choose to remain silent and distant, but instead inspired men of old to record and encapsulate your word for us within the pages of scripture.
Just as your Holy Spirit has preserved your divine proclamations,
we ask this morning that he press that saving and preserving salve deep into our hearts and minds,
that we may be comforted and conformed to the image of Christ our Lord Jesus Christ.
Grant us this, we ask, according to your faithfulness,
for the glory of our Savior and the good of his bride, the church.
Amen.
Well, if you've not already turned in your Bibles,
do so now or open your worship guide or direct your digital device to the word of God recorded in Mark chapter 12,
verses 13 through 17.
And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians to trap him in his talk.
And they came and said to him,
Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion.
For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God.
Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?
Should we pay them or should we not?
But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them,
Why put me to the test?
Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.
And they brought one.
And he said to them,
Whose likeness and inscription is this?
They said to him,
Caesar's.
Jesus said to them,
Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's,
and to God the things that are God's.
And they marveled at him.
Well, in this short passage,
which, by the way, is recorded in all three of the Synoptic Gospels,
we see the discernment and disarming wisdom of Jesus
in response to the plotting of desperate and deceitful men.
As such, Christ's response here is an example and an encouragement for his church
as we live in and engage a culture infatuated with image icons and idols.
But before we examine the discernment of Christ's response
and the disarming wisdom of Jesus,
we need to take a moment and look at the plot of these desperate and deceitful men
in the first two verses that we read.
See, this is a plot.
It is a deceitful and desperate plot
by the religious leaders
to entrap Jesus,
to catch Jesus,
to snare Jesus
in his words.
They're setting up
these
highly impossible situations,
trying to present him with
yes or no answers
in order
to trap him
in what he says
because so far
they've not been able to trap him
in what he's done.
We see that this is a plot
born of desperation
and we see hints of that desperation
in the awkward alliance
here between the Pharisees
and the Herodians.
These are
two groups of
religious leaders
on opposite ends
in first century Jerusalem.
you have the Pharisees
who find,
who established their position
and find pride
in the idol
of self-righteousness,
being strict
adherence
to the law
of God
as interpreted
by man
and having
tons and tons
of additional requirements
placed upon themselves
and the people.
Then on the other side,
you have the Herodians
who weren't so much
religious in nature
but political,
looking towards
the icon of Herod
for security
and stability.
So why
would these two
disparate groups
join together
in desperation
to find
some fault
with Jesus?
Image.
their image
as being
the leaders
was threatened
by the presence
and the proclamations
of Jesus Christ.
We saw that
the last time
Matthew
delivered a sermon
from Mark
about the
wicked
tenants
of the vineyard.
And those leaders
left understanding
that Christ
was upsetting
the status quo.
He was tarnishing
their image
as the leaders
in first century
Jerusalem
and Israel.
But that desperation
born of the awkward
alliance
was also united
in deceitfulness.
We see here
the flattery
in the early parts
of verse 14.
And there are some
commentators
who have suggested
that this wasn't
flattery.
this was just
the normal way
that people
would exchange
with a leader.
And I could
almost buy that
except for the fact
that Luke
in the parallel passage
says that these men
pretended
to be sincere.
They pretended
to be sincere
when in fact
they were flattering
him
and bringing
to him
a false concern.
they weren't
really concerned
about whether
or not
they should
pay taxes
to Caesar.
In fact
honestly
they came
from different
positions
on the issue.
The Herodians
would say
yep absolutely
because it's
going to strengthen
the Herod family
and be politically
expeditious
for us to do so.
And the Pharisees
even though
they would have
not liked
to pay the tax
would have paid
the tax
because it meant
stability
and they could
remain in power.
So they had
different positions
but they had
the same
practical practice
that they would
pay the tax
but they came
to Jesus
and said
should we pay
this or should
we not?
But you know
this is not a story
this story
of desperate
men
deceitfully
engaging
others
is not
isolated
to first
century
Jerusalem.
It's a tale
older than
the deep
magic
of C.S.
Lewis
in fact
if we understand
scripture right
it's perhaps
even older
than the creation
of the earth
itself
as we understand
that Satan
in an act
of desperation
deceived
other angels
into rebelling
against God
because he felt
that his image
was more important
than that
of God.
We see
this deceit
and this
desperation
in the life
of Abraham
not once
but twice
when he fails
to recognize
Sarah
as his wife
but instead
says no
no no no
let's keep
the image
that we're
not married
because it'll
be safer
for me.
we see
this deceit
and this
desperation
and in
the life
of Jacob
who deceives
both his
brother
and his
father
in order
to secure
the position
that God
had promised
him
and then
suffers
that same
deceit
and desperation
at the hands
of Laban
when he seeks
one of his
daughter's hand
in marriage.
and we
could go
on and
on about
the desperation
and the deceit
exhibited
by the kings
of Israel
and Judah
including
King David
who was a
man after
God's own
heart.
History books
are littered
with men
and women
who are
desperate
and in
their desperation
deceive
others.
In 1920
a guy
by the name
of Charles
schemed
about
$15 million
over a period
of eight months.
He really
did steal
as Jeff
pointed out
last week
he really
did steal
your grandma's
inheritance
and life
fortune.
He was
so successful
that that's
now known
as a Ponzi
scheme
after his
last name
and people
today
have engaged
in Ponzi
schemes
that benefit
their own
lavish
lifestyle.
We think
of the
Elizabeth Holmes
the Sam
Bankman
Freeds
people
practicing
deceit
to desperately
gain
something that
they feel
is theirs.
Jeff
pointed out
last week
we have
also the
Harvey Weinsteins
in the world
today
that use
their power
to deceive
in order
to gratify
their own
desires.
Let us
not forget
the breaking
news of
the George
Santoses
who use
in their
desperation
use deceit
as a way
of grasping
power and
influence.
but it's
not just
the history
that we
read
it's not
just the
headlines
it's our
lives
it's our
encounters
with desperate
and deceitful
people
people that
violate our
trust
abuse the
authority that
God has
given them
maybe it's
the people
that maliciously
misrepresent
what we
believe
or who
flagrantly
flaunt
our
cherished
values.
Well before
we get too
personal and
too far down
that rabbit
hole
let's get
back to
the text
into verse
15
where we
encounter
the discernment
of Christ's
response.
See here
Jesus Christ
instead of
becoming angry
he lovingly
responds
to desperate
and deceitful
men.
And how?
How is he
able to
lovingly
respond?
Well first
he is
extremely
socially
aware.
He understands
what's going
on.
It says
in our
text today
he says
he knows
knowing their
hypocrisy
knowing that
they were
coming to
trip him
up.
Matthew
says
knowing
their
malice
Luke
says
knowing
their
craftiness
Jesus
was
extremely
perceptive
and understood
the social
happenings
around him
and what
the society
was going
through
and he
was not
caught
off guard.
He was
able
to lovingly
respond
to these
men.
But also
too
Christ
has
a very
penetrating
perception.
He is
able to
peer
through
the
actions
the
actions
that
may
have
seemed
sincere
but
weren't
sincere.
He was
able to
look
straight
into the
heart
of each
and every
one of
the men
that were
present
there
questioning
him
and trying
to trap
him.
We also
see that
Jesus
challenges
his
conspirators
and he
does this
out of
love not
only for
the
conspirators
but also
love for
the
observers.
You see
Jesus
could have
very easily
just dismissed
that and
said okay
show me
the
narrators
but no
he said
why do
you test
me?
He pointed
out to
those desperate
men hey
I know
what's going
on here
and it
wasn't
just
out of
love for
them that
he pointed
out their
deceitfulness
it was for
the love
of those
nearby.
He said
you know
what this
is not
normal you
are not
doing this
out of a
great concern
for yourselves
or for the
people you're
doing this
to entrap
me why?
In doing
that he
demonstrated
love for
the onlookers
because they
then were
cued in
that this
is not
the way
you should
treat
people
and other
and not
way that
you should
engage
in deceit.
And then
we see
a deflating
delay
and this
is a
deflating
delay
through a
very simple
request.
He said
hey
bring me
a denarius.
That may
seem like
a
not a
great point
in this
passage
but the
denarius
was a
Roman coin.
It was a
Roman coin
that represented
about a
day's
worth
of work
and they
were in
the temple
and you
may not
know but
in the
temple you
don't use
a Roman
coin.
You pay
your tithes,
you pay
your offerings,
you buy
other offerings
with the
shekel,
not the
denarius.
So with
the worth
of the
denarius,
there's
very likelihood
that would
not be
present in
the temple
and then
Jesus would
have time
not only to
think but
others would
have time
and the
situation
would begin
to dissipate.
So after
some time
we'll get
to the
point where
the denarius
return or
comes to
the temple
but in the
meantime
we could
take time
and talk
about Christ's
response here
and how
he lovingly
responded
in a
situation
where we're
tempted
oftentimes
to not.
We could
spend the
rest of the
sermon
talking about
that but
we're not
because we
are after a
deeper truth
and I will
entrust you to
take a look at
that this
afternoon
on the
Lord's Day
and consider
how your
exchanges with
others might
be shaped
by Christ's
example.
But instead
we are going
to look at
how at
the text
we're going
to look at
the disarming
wisdom of
Christ in
these last
two verses.
Now I don't
know if you
caught it but
a couple of
months ago
the former
vice president
Mike Pence
gave an
interview with
David Muir
and if you
watched that
I think the
most fantastic
question and
response was
recorded in
that interview
and David
Muir
asks a
question he
says
now Mr.
Vice President
this is a
very simple
question to
answer yes or
no should
Donald Trump
be president
again?
and Mike
Pence
demonstrating
great awareness
and discernment
doesn't miss a
beat and he
says David
that's for the
American people
to decide.
And you see
what he did
he avoided
the yes
no and he
found a
third answer
that deflated
the situation
and that's what
we see Jesus
doing here.
he doesn't
bite on the
yes no
answer.
He doesn't
bite on
answering in a
way that would
entrap himself
that would anger
half the population
and elate the
other half or
vice versa.
Instead
using his
divine
discernment
he is able
to avoid
that entrapment
and to offer
a third way.
So we see
the tension
mounting as the
denarius
arrives there
in the temple
and you can
almost see
the Herodians
and Pharisees
coming out
and say we
got it
we got it
here
waiting to hear
Jesus answer
and finally say
ha ha
we gotcha.
but then
Jesus very
quickly
gains the
upper hand
through a
very simple
question
that I've
alluded to
already
he says
whose
inscription
is on
this?
Whose
image
and inscription
are on
this coin?
and they
say
ah
well
Caesars
you got
to think
that at
that point
the Pharisees
and the
Herodians
were probably
thinking
oh no
this is
not going
the way
we were
thinking
it was
going to
go
and then
we see
in verse
17
two
very rapid
momentum
shifts
right
you see
Jesus
saying
oh
okay
well then
why don't
you give
to Caesar
that which
belongs to
Caesar
and you can
hear him
saying
oh yeah
we got
him
we got
him
and then
he says
and give
to God
that which
belongs
to God
and then
they say
ah
we don't
have him
in fact
the word
there is
they were
amazed
at him
and they
weren't
amazed
at him
because
they said
wow
this guy
is really
wise
and what
great
truth
and man
we could
talk about
this forever
on the
next
Sabbath
meeting
no
that word
amazement
is more
like
perplexed
man
how did
he get
out of
that one
again
we had
this
crafted
tight
there was
no way
out
or it
was a
sense of
frustration
ah
we've
already
tried
this
once
before
and it
didn't
work
it's
not
working
now
we have
to go
back
to the
drawing
boards
we gotta
find a
better
question
a more
tighter
question
one that
he can't
weasel
his way
out of
if you've
been paying
attention
maybe you're
like that
this morning
you're like
wait a
minute
where's
this deep
truth
you've
been
talking
about
you haven't
mentioned
anything
about it
well it
is here
in Christ's
response
when you
ask the
Pharisees
and the
Herodians
he says
hey
whose image
is on
the coin
they say
Caesar's
and he
says okay
well give
to Caesar
the things
that bear
his image
if I can
take the
liberty
and give
to God
the things
that bear
his image
and what
do we
know
well
and that
may be
missed
in today's
society
but it
would not
have been
missed by
those religious
leaders
they would
have seen
immediately
the direct
connection
between
Caesar's
image on
the coin
and man's
image
or God's
image
and man
going all
the way
back to
Genesis 1
that we
read this
morning
and that
the
authors
of our
confession
of faith
also
alluded
to
so what
I would
like to
do
as we
conclude
our look
at this
passage
is to
end
with a
brief
exploration
of how
the deep
truth
of the
imago
Dei
the image
of God
on man
significantly
impacts our
view of
self
others
in our
cultural
engagements
so in
your
bulletin
you have
the
commentary
quote
or commentary
on Genesis
by John
Calvin
a quote
there
where he
highlights
how the
imago Dei
shapes our
understanding
of ourselves
and this
is what
he wrote
men are
indeed
unworthy
of God's
care
if
respect
be had
only
to
themselves
but
since
they
bear
the
image
of
God
engraven
on
them
he
deems
himself
violated
in
their
person
thus
although
they
have
nothing
of their
own
by which
they
obtain
the
favor
of
God
he
looks
upon
his
own
gifts
in
them
and
is
thereby
excited
to
love
and
to
care
for
them
what
an
amazing
quote
about
the
importance
of
the
image
of
God
embossed
on
each
and
every
one
of
you
that
it
is
and
through
this
quote
we
understand
that
while
God
while
created
in
God's
image
we
ourselves
aren't
gods
it's
not
that
we're
gods
that
God
loves
us
it's
because
his
image
his
goodness
his
likeness
is
in
us
and
that
is
what
draws
him
to
us
that
is
what
he
finds
loving
you
know
unfortunately
we've
got a
lot of
modern
thinkers
and
influencers
today
like
Oprah
and
Deepak
that
want to
say
that
we
are
gods
you
know
we
just
have
to
find
our
inner
God
and
it's
not
that
it's
the
image
of
God
that
Calvin
highlights
Calvin
also
highlights
an
important
observation
that
Jeff
helped
us
see
last
week
that
we
all
need
the
shepherd
the
shepherd
Jesus
Christ
to
rescue
us
the
question
is
but
why
should
God
rescue
such
a
rebellious
and
wandering
people
because
he's
attracted
to
his
image
in
us
that
image
that
is
imprinted
on
every
individual
human
being
when
we
understand
that
it's
nothing
within
us
but
it's
only
God's
image
that
he
bestowed
upon
us
that
should
lead
us
to
a
great
sense
of
humility
as
we
engage
the
world
around
us
well
secondly
the
image
of
God
imprinted
on
all
human
beings
is
the
basis
of
human
dignity
and
value
now
there's
a lot
of
questions
today
about
where
do
we
find
what
makes
us
different
why
are
we
so
valuable
and
the
writing
from
R.C.
Sproul
in
We Are
Not
Germs
is
very
helpful
he
says
the
creator
who
possesses
infinite
value
and
worth
has
stamped
us
with
a
value
and
dignity
that
is
derivative
of
his
own
value
and
dignity
lose
that
idea
and
you
have
lost
any
transcendent
foundational
reason
to
treat
human
beings
any
differently
than
you
treat
a
dog
a
dolphin
or
even
a
weed
notice
that
human
beings
are
valuable
because
they
possess
not
because
they
possess
autonomy
over
their
bodies
not
because
they
are
in
control
of
their
own
life
not
because
of
their
ability
to
live
independent
of
the
womb
not
because
they
can
live
independent
of
parents
or
independent
of
family
or
independent
of
medical
care
and
assistance
it
is
not
our
personhood
that
gives
us
value
rather
although
faded
and marred
by
sin
it
is
the
derivative
value
and
dignity
of
God
stamped
on
all
of
us
that
elevates
us
above
every
other
aspect
of
creation
we
give
up
on
that
and
there
is
no
distinction
there
is
no
reason
why
we
should
treat
any
human
being
differently
than we
treat
a
dog
or a
dolphin
or a
weed
finally
it is
the
image
of
God
the
imago
Dei
that
drives
our
engagements
with a
culture
infatuated
with image
icons
and idols
and we
may be
tempted
to
deride
ignore
or
discount
modern
day
Pharisees
modern
day
Herodians
modern
day
tax
collectors
or
even
the
Johns
in our
life
but
understanding
that the
imago
Dei
is
universally
born
by all
human
beings
challenges
that
let's
say that
again
we are
tempted
to
discount
people
because
of their
sin
because
of their
appearance
because
of their
preferences
because
of their
beliefs
because
of the
way
they
look
because
they
didn't
brush
their
hair
the way
that we
think
they should
brush
their hair
but
if we
understand
the
imago
Dei
the fact
that it
is
not
Caesar's
image
impressed
on a
coin
but God's
image
and the
derivative
value
of his
dignity
and worth
that is
stamped
on each
and every
human
being
not just
those of
us
in the
pews
in the
chairs
this
morning
because
we know
that God
is at work
in our
hearts
and has
transformed
our
hearts
but even
those that
are outside
of our
confession
those that
are outside
of the
community
of faith
they
too
have
the
image
of God
stamped
on them
that is
what
John
Stott
communicates
in the
quote
I believe
it's on
the back
of your
bulletin
says
that man
is in the
image of
God
means that
man as a
whole person
both physically
and spiritually
is in some
sense
like his
maker
just what
the nature
of that
likeness is
we are not
told
but we are
told what
really matters
even as
sinners
we bear
God's
image
well if
that's
true
then we
the
rescued
lambs
who are
being
remade
into the
image of
Christ
have a
responsibility
to cherish
the imago
Dei that
remains
even in
the most
vile of
sinners
even in
the Harvey
Weinsteins
even in
the Elizabeth
Holmes
Sam
Benkman
Freeds
even in
the George
Santoses
even in
the homeless
person that
you pass
at various
intersections
even in
the lives
of those
who would
trample
upon
our most
held
and cherished
beliefs
and values
now just
as Herod
had the
right to
and valued
the imprint
of his
image on
the denarius
so too
does God
have a
right to
and
highly
values
his
image
imprinted
on all
of us
by God's
grace and
the work
of the
Holy Spirit
may we
come to
value
the
imago
Dei
in our
fellow
believers
may we
cherish
that same
image
in those
that are
outside of
our
communion
and may
we allow
the image
of God
to inform
our
engagements
with a
culture
that is
truly
infatuated
with image
icons
and idols
amen
let us
pray
gracious heavenly
father we
thank you that
you have
indeed
stamped us
with
unestimatable
worth
not because
we are
stamped with
your
image
oh God
may that
enliven our
hearts
this morning
and encourage
us
father to
love
our
neighbors
whether they
be those
in this
church
building
or those
outside of
it
that we
might find
within
them
your
image
and love
them
because of
that
it's in
Christ's
name I
pray
amen
for
to