Good Citizens
Read This Week: Luke 20
So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” He saw through their duplicity and said to them, “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent. – Luke 20:21-26 NIV
The Bible is such a versatile book. It is the living Word of God and so deep in eternal meaning and theological richness, but it is also wonderfully practical. Luke 20 illustrates such pragmatic teaching with Jesus’ response to the religious spies about being a Christian and a good citizen. In it, we see that the Lord wants those who follow Him and proclaim His gospel to be accountable and integral representatives of His name in the world.
Spies of the Pharisees prompted these words from Jesus after failing to get him to undermine Roman authority. They asked him this question in verse 22: Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not? But they were not interested in his wisdom, insight, or thoughts on the matter. They simply wanted Him to stumble and say something that would violate Jewish law or that would be punishable by the Roman government.
Jesus did neither of those things. Instead, he saw through their scheme and took the opportunity to teach the crowd and us about the kingdom of God and earthly responsibilities. He says in verse 25: Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.
Essentially Jesus is communicating that governmental authority is allowed and instituted by God. People who claim to love the Lord and seek to be His witnesses in the world should respect and abide by that authority. However, this does not mean Christians should have greater loyalty to government institutions than to the word of God or the cause of Christ. But it does mean that God is glorified when we honor our governing authorities. Paul would later write in Romans 13:1:
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
This lesson about members of the kingdom of God living honorably as citizens of this world is relevant and helpful to us today. It is a spiritual template for living in a manner that is dutiful and loving while disagreeing with the choices and policies of those in authority over us.
We can preserve our witness and live in obedience to the principles of the Bible even when it conflicts with the standards of men. Good citizenship by Christ followers, especially when opposing strategies and platforms of secular officials, brings glory to God and attracts those far from Christ to hear the gospel.
We do not have to give in to the misnomer that being disrespectful, unruly, and unkind to those in authority with whom we disagree pleases God and is a greater witness for Jesus. We should allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through our lives to be good citizens while worshipping the Lord and not violating our conscience or compromising the truth. Vertical obedience in giving God what is God’s will always leads to a lasting horizontal impact when we have to give Caesar what is Caesar’s.
This week I got a song in Luke 20
Truth
Today is a new day today is a new day let’s come together praising our Lord we want the truth we want the way we are seeking you Jesus seeking you becoming closer following your ways showing others your love compassion kindness we are serving you showing the truth showing your kindness today is a new day today is a new day we get to spend the day with you Lord Everyday is a new day with you AMEN
Thank you Lord for being the truth and the Way. I love serving you and showing others your love .
God drew my attention this week to Luke 20, Verses 27, 35 and 36.
“27 Also there came to Him some Sadducees, those who say that there is no resurrection.”
“35 But those who are considered worthy to gain that other world and that future age and to attain to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage;
36 For they cannot die again, but they are [n]angel-like and [o]equal to angels. And being sons of and [p]sharers in the resurrection, they are sons of God.”
What God said to me about this is “When it is your time to join me in Heaven you are not resurrected as a human in the nature you know, but you are rising and entering the spiritual realm with Me. Earthly ways will be behind you and what you’ve done on earth will be with you. To ascend is to grow, to transform, to be heavenly with Me.”
We only know what we know and what God has allowed us to know. To think that we can figure it all out is silly. It’s like having a bowl of pasta in front of you at a restaurant and saying “Well this restaurant only serves pasta and we need to focus everything on this pasta”, when in fact there’s an entire menu of food that you didn’t know about. This is not all there is and our focus needs to be on being the best we can be now and eternally with God. Thank you God for your peace and serenity!
God drew my attention to Luke 20:27 Now some of the Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection) came to Him
It always starts with your heart, do you believe in Jesus or not.
I know I do believe in Father God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit!
There will be people who do not believe.
Father God wants to have a real relationship with everyone.
I believe we need to continue to share the truth, make a stand for what Jesus is teaching and share the good news, even when people look like their not interested because the person who shared Jesus with me never gave up on me.
All we can do is keep sharing what we believe and keep loving on them for God.
When you feel disappointed, or when someone tries to make you feel like you don’t know what your talking about because they don’t want to hear the truth, or they get offended, guard your heart because God knows
Give it to God and keep going, pray for them, ask God to keep sending people into there life to help them,
He knows where there at and He knows if they will respond or not to the truth!
Father, Thank you that You never give up on anyone,
I hope that all our loved ones will want to believe in You, in Jesus and your Holy Spirit and the resurrection,
Because when they do they’ll have a life of joy, peace, hope and Have Your Love in their hearts❤️
Thank you God
Love you
I love this song because it goes with Luke 20:27
All we have to do is first believe in our heart ❤️
Thank You God for leading me to this song
This I believe (The Creed)
Our Father everlasting
The all-creating One
God Almighty
Through your Holy Spirit
Conceiving Christ the Son
Jesus our Saviour
I believe in God our Father
I believe in Christ the Son
I believe in the Holy Spirit
Our God is three in One
I believe in the resurrection
That we will rise again
For I believe in the Name of Jesus
(In the name o’ Lord)
Our Judge and our Defender
Suffered and crucified
Forgiveness is in You
Descended into darkness
You rose in glorious light
Forever seated high
I believe in God our Father
I believe in Christ the Son
I believe in the Holy Spirit
Our God is three in One
I believe in the resurrection
That we will rise again
For I believe in the Name of Jesus
I believe in You
I believe You rose again
I believe that Jesus Christ is Lord
(I believe)
And I believe in You
I believe You rose again
I believe that Jesus Christ is Lord
I believe in God our Father
I believe in Christ the Son
I believe in the Holy Spirit
Our God is three in One
I believe in the resurrection
That we will rise again
For I believe in the Name of Jesus
I believe in God our Father
I believe in Christ the Son
I believe in the Holy Spirit
Our God is three in One
I believe in the resurrection
That we will rise again
For I believe in the Name of Jesus
For I believe in the Name of Jesus
For I believe in the Name of Jesus
(We believe in Lord Jesus)
I believe in life eternal
I believe in the virgin birth
I believe in the saints’ communion
And in Your Holy Church
I believe in the resurrection
When Jesus comes again
For I believe in the Name of Jesus
(Come on)
I believe in God our Father
I believe in Christ the Son
I believe in the Holy Spirit
Our God is three in One
I believe in the resurrection
That we will rise again
For I believe in the Name of Jesus
I believe in God our Father
I believe in Christ the Son
I believe in the Holy Spirit
Our God is three in One
I believe in the resurrection
That we will rise again
For I believe in the Name of Jesus
For I believe in the Name of Jesus
Praise you, Lord
Worship you, Jesus
This Week in the Life: Luke 20
For the best experience, we suggest you listen to the first song, then the message, and then the second song.
1. Sunday Worship: https://reachchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/2022-0731-Worship1.wav
2. Sunday Message: https://reachchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/2022-0731-Message.wav
3. Sunday Worship: https://reachchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/2022-0731-Worship2.wav
Join the Party Line Live – Schedule: https://reachchurch.org/connect