Mark 12: 13-17
Key Verse: 12:17 ...Then Jesus said to them, “’Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.’ And they were amazed at him.”

 The last words in this passage: “And they were amazed at him.” Describe my reaction also when I first read this passage for the first time. At that time when I was for the first time personally reading the Bible, Jesus’ reply “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” showed me Jesus’ words were not just the words of a wise man. Those that went to trap Jesus were regarded as wise men. They were the elite Jews of their time. They united their wisdom to trap Jesus. Jesus’ response to their well thought out and crafted question showed he is God Almighty. Jesus’ words taught me that even the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom. 
 For people who want to live responsible lives Jesus’ words: “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s” are very instructive. Many questions we may have about what we should give to the state and to God can be eventually answered through prayerfully considering these words of Jesus. This message I pray will be one of many ways we will use to find out personally what it means: Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.

Part I.  Jewish leaders try to trap Jesus with flattery (13-15a)

Look at verse 13: “Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words.” This verse shows all the Jewish religious leaders and political leaders had united among themselves to find a way to arrest Jesus. On any other occasion the Pharisees and Herodians were archrivals. Pharisees opposed Roman occupation of Israel. Herodians were Jews who supported the Roman sponsered Herod dynasty. Both parties found common grounds in their opposition against Jesus.  Often an assasin or hit man is sent to get ride of an opposition leader. At this point in Jesus ministry Jewish leaders felt they could do it more nobly by way of character assassination. They thought they could use the art of flattery to catch Jesus in his words. Look at verse 14 “They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” In our question sheet there is a question which asks: “Is what these men said to Jesus true?” The answer is the words said out loud are true. But their intentions were false and wicked. Therefore we can compare flattery to monopoly money. Both are worthless. If we are experts in the art of flattery we should repent. Or if we are at the receiving end of flattery we shouldn’t place any personal value in it. Doing so will cause us to fall into a trap.
 The purpose of their flattery was to disarm Jesus of his sense of caution. At my work around a personal friend I will freely express my words. On the other hand around someone who is a competitor or an inspector I will cautiously and thoughtfully speak every word. My purpose in my caution is to make sure none of my words will cause me or my company trouble. 
 What then was the loaded question these Jewish leaders had very thoughtfully put together for Jesus to answer?  Look at the last sentence in verse 14 and the first one in verse 15: “Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?
If  Jesus would have said yes to paying taxes to Rome, the Pharisees could charge Jesus with disloyalty to the Jews. Jews believed God gave Israel to them. They firmly believe the only person they should pay tribute too is God alone. On the other hand if he told them they shouldn’t pay taxes, the Herodians would have reported him to Rome as a revolutionary who was instituting people not to pay taxes. Finally the Jewish leaders felt they had Jesus in a trap in which there was no escape.
 
Jesus however is not a mere man that can be trapped even by the united efforts of the greatest of human strategists. Jesus is God Almighty.  He knows the true inner intentions of all men. Verse 15 shows Jesus knew they were not truth seekers but religious hyporcrites.  First, he rebukes them for their hypocrisy by asking them: “Why are you trying to trap me?” These Jews spent late into the night to devise their evil trap. Jesus in broad daylight shines his rebuking word of truth on it to reveal to the world the treachery behind their question. Seeing plainly their question was only ask to trap him Jesus could have left these Jews wallowing in their shame. Instead he chooses to use their question to teach all sincere followers of God their basic duties to the state and to God.

Part II.  Basic duties to state and to God 15b-17
 
First Jesus asks: “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.”  Taking the coin that was handed him he asked the questions: “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?” Every state makes their own money. No one ever complains about having too much money and spending money. Shopping centers are full of every kind of religion of people eager to spend their money. Nevertheless we find very few people who wants to pay taxes to the government, even though it is the government that ultimately issues the money. To answer Jesus’ questions: “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription? The answer came back: “Caesar’s” The money itself Jesus points out answers the question of paying taxes. Verse 17 reads: “Then Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”
 When Caesar had his portrait and inscription placed on the denarius he could never have dreamed it would take part in one of Jesus Christ most famous Bible teachings. 
 Some people may argue and say: “None of the money I use now has Caesar’s portrait on it. I can’t find his name inscribed on it.” People with this argument immediately give away the fact they are too greedy, selfish and cowardice to give anything of value they own to the state they live in or to God their Creator. They would much rather have hoped Jesus would have said: “Get from Caesar what is Caesar’s and from God what is God’s.”  Jesus clearly did not teach to get. Jesus taught: “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s”. Let us now think about these two authorities, which Jesus teaches we have a responsibility to give to. 
 First give to Caesar what is Caesar’s. To begin with this teaching teaches we should give our government all those taxes we see taken from our pay checks or clip on everything we purchase at least here in Maryland. The endless complaints of people everywhere who work for money is: “If I didn’t have to pay taxes I would not have any money problem. The fact is if we didn’t pay taxes we wouldn’t have any money. First of all our taxes support our national defense. History proves those countries that do not have a strong national defense become enslaved by countries with a strong national defense. There is only one reason every country in this world didn’t become conquered by Nazi Germany or Imperial Japan. This reason is because of the money America  was able to pour into its war effort. This money not only came from taxes. It came from millions of Americans who bought war bounds to help finance the war effort. Some people think communism is not bad. Go live in North Korea, China, Vietnam or Cuba and see how they provide a safe place for you to study the Bible. The only people in these countries who openly study the Bible have either been martyred or are in prison. Without America’s strong national defense this entire world would be under communist rule.
 Moreover we could never get to work if we didn’t pay taxes. All these nice roads we drive on or the metro train we ride in just didn’t appear. They were all financed by peoples tax money. You know I can give a countless showing why paying taxes is important.
 Let us think what else we should give to the state. The writings of Apostle Paul teach we should give prayer for our authorities. 1 Timothy 2:1-4 God’s word teaches: “I urge then first of all that requests, prayers intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to acknowledge of the truth.” We see giving prayer for our authorities and living peaceful lives and spreading the truth of the gospel of God are both powerfully assisted and maintained through giving prayer.
 Some of us may ask, “How can I fight terrorism in this country or help our country fight its war on terrorism outside our country?”  Apostle Paul would urge us to make request, prayer and intercession and thanksgiving to God for all authorities in our country. 
   

 Second, Give to God what is God’s. Caesar’s portrait and inscription on the denarius was the only evidence Jesus needed to prove one must give to Caesar taxes. Where then is the evidence that proves we should give to God? In God’s word the Bible we find the evidence. Genesis 1:27 the word of God teaches: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” This  verse reveals that in each male and female is found the image of God. Churches like this that are full of men and women are proof each person has the image of God spiritually inscribed within them. When we first learned this, we were taught by our Bible teachers. This means we are of great worth to God. Certainly God sending his only Son Jesus to die for our sins is the greatest proof how priceless to God we are. In the view of men we may be just a statistic, a SS# or a number in a census. To God Almighty each person is of such great value to him that according to Matthew 10: 30 he has even taken the time to number the hairs on each person’s head. 
 Think for a moment of something of great value you purchased. For some people it may be their car or home. Whatever it is don’t we expect it to give something back to us?  We expect our car to get us to school or work when we need it too. We expect our home to keep us warm in the winter, cool in the summer and secure from the unsavory people roaming the streets.
 Similarly since we are God’s priceless creation he expects us to give to him. Ephesians 2:10 teaches we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Let us now think about the good works God has prepared for us.
 First God wants us to give to him by seeking him, reaching out to him and repenting. Acts 17:27,30 teaches: “God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.”
In these verses we can find the primary purpose for Bible study and personal prayer. Bible study allows us to seek God. It informs us of the clear will of God. Not so we can win Bible trivia games but to help us to repent. Through personal prayer we reach out to God in faith, trust and carry on a personal love relationship with him.
 Secondly, God wants us to give him our first love. Deut. 6:5 reads: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” Once God tested Abraham: He said to Abraham: “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of  Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.” Abraham obey God even to the point of picking up the knife to sacrifice his son then God told him not to lay a hand on him. In view of Deut 6:5 we can say one reason for such a test was to see if Abraham loved God more than the greatest blessing God had given him which was his son Isaac. As a result of showing he loved God first, God gave him the promise that from his offspring would Jesus come who would bless all nations on the earth. If we love first ourselves we will be selfish, petty people. If we love material things we will become like a dog that will fight off any who comes close to his meal. If we love people first we will become empty and broken hearted when they fail us. However, when we give our love to God first he will give us his intangible promises that can satisfy our soul now. Moreover, God will make our lives a blessing to others long after we have left this world.
 Thirdly, God at least expects us to give him tithes. Simply put a tithe is a tenth of our income. Malachi 3:10 the Lord challenges his people in this matter of tithing. He says to them: “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” Giving tithes is the one of the basic duties believers must give to God. In Malachi we see with the direction to give a tithe, it is also accompanied with God’s promise that those who do so,  God in turn will open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that we will not have room enough for it.
 We were born with a selfish nature, which makes us not want to give. If we live our life with this nature we will eventually become like the Dead Sea and have nothing at all to give. However, if we carry out our basic duty to give Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s, our lives will become as bountiful and plentiful as the ocean itself.