 Today we're in chapter 20. We're going to be looking at verses 19 through 26. So let's begin reading together here in Luke chapter 20 at verse 19. I'll read to verse 26 and we'll get into our study. Luke chapter 20 beginning at verse 19. Luke writes, and the chief priests and the scribes at very hour sought to lay hands on him. But they feared the people for they knew he had spoken this parable against them. So they watched him and sent spies who pretended to be righteous that they might seize on his words in order to deliver him to the power and the authority of the governor. Then they asked him saying, teacher, we know that you say and teach rightly and you do not show personal favoritism but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not? But he perceived the craftiness and said to them, why do you test me? Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have? They answered and said, Caesar's. He said to them, render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's. But they could not catch him in his words in the presence of the people and they marveled at his answer and kept silent. And so what we have here is a continuation of the antagonism that has been demonstrated towards Jesus Christ by the religious leadership. And these are people who are bent on bringing Jesus Christ down. These are people who are strategizing how they may do so. They've been desiring to have him put to death for the longest time. John had told us that it began really in earnest when he had healed a crippled man on the Sabbath and it's been continuing ever since then. And now in recent times Jesus had done some things that really got him upset. He had healed and continued to be healing on the Sabbath, but in recent days he had cleansed the temple and actually had entered in on Palm Sunday and cleansed the temple and that had gotten them greatly upset. And he had recently raised a man from the dead, a man by the name of Lazarus. And as a result of that many people had begun to believe in Jesus Christ because of that particular miracle. In chapter 12 of John's Gospel I'll read this to you. In John chapter 12 it says in verses 10 and 11 the chief priest plotted to put Lazarus to death also because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus. And so they were greatly upset at the fact that Jesus Christ was well respected and followed by many people and they've been designing to put him to death for some time. Matthew tells us concerning this in chapter 22 if you take notes it's found in Matthew 22 verses 15 and 16 that the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle him in his talk and they sent to him their disciples with the Herodians. And so what we actually have according to Matthew is an alliance that has been formed between Pharisees and Herodians. So instead of them taking to heart the words that the Lord Jesus Christ has been speaking they have made a determination all the more to resist him. And instead of being convicted because of their sins they now reject him and they're rejecting his message. Jesus has been ministering to them and that's what blows my mind as I look at all of these chapters that we've studied together here in the Gospel of Luke and he's been ministering to them and teaching them and doing some incredible things. And yet instead of them being open to what God can do they are rejecting him. They're hardening themselves against him. They're resisting him. They're strategizing how they can entangle him in his words. They're trying to find a way that they might be able to put him to death and not only Jesus but they'd love to put others to death who are followers including Lazarus. The Bible tells us in Hebrews chapter 3 verse 15 as has been said today if you hear his voice do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion. If you have an opportunity to hear and to respond the writer of Hebrews would say then respond. Don't be in that state of rebellion. You hear what God's saying? Respond to him. Stop rejecting him. Stop resisting him. So many times people will hear a message and hear a message and hear it again and just constantly harden their hearts against it. How many times have you been to church where you've heard a message? You've read the passage for yourself. You've heard a message. It has spoken to you. It has convicted you and maybe there in that pew there in your seat you're saying you know this is true I have to do something about it. But the minute you walk out you go right back to what you've been doing. You harden your heart. Well that's what took place here. They have hardened their hearts. They've seen the works that Jesus has done. They saw the works of power that he's done. They've heard the message that he's been giving. They saw his authority as he entered into the city of Jerusalem there on the full of that donkey. They saw the people there as they were crying out Hosanna to Jesus Christ and instead of joining in with that happy throng those people who were crying out praises to him they actually went so far as to tell Jesus to silence his disciples. They just could not hear what the Spirit was saying. They hardened their hearts. They wanted nothing to do with it. And so instead of responding they're plotting against him. And so what they do is they get together these Pharisees with a group of people called Herodians and they as Matthew had said they plot how they might entangle him in his talk. Now when Matthew said that they were trying to entangle, that word entangle means to ensnare or entrap. It's a word that was used to speak of trapping birds. What they're trying to do is they're trying to elicit from Jesus a remark that can be turned into an accusation against him. And so they're watching him. That's what we see in verse 20 here in Luke chapter 20. It says they watched him and sent spies who pretended to be righteous that they might seize on his words in order to deliver him to the power and the authority of the governor. And so they're not taking direct action. Notice that with me. The reason is because they fear the people. For them it would be wiser. It would be easier to get Rome to make a move on Jesus Christ. And so they have formed an alliance even as we read a moment ago in Matthew 22, an alliance has been formed with the Pharisees and the Herodians. Now, when you study your New Testament, you know that Pharisees were looked at as being very religious. They had a reputation for spirituality. But the Herodians did not have a reputation for being spiritual. The Herodians actually had a reputation of being worldly. They were called Herodians because they were loyal to Herod Antipas. Herod Antipas was the one who imprisoned and killed John the Baptist. And these Herodians were people who actually gave their allegiance to Rome because Rome had granted them power. Normally Pharisees and Herodians would be antagonistic towards one another. But now they have joined forces. They've united against Jesus Christ. It's that old saying, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. And that's what you have here. You have two antagonistic groups that normally would be at odds with one another who normally would be antagonistically opposed to one another. But now they have formed an alliance. And they are forming this alliance because it's been made clear that Herod Antipas would like to kill Jesus Christ. Remember in chapter 13 here in the Gospel of Luke, do you remember at verse 31 where we had read some Pharisees came saying to Jesus, get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill you. Well, the Herodians and the Pharisees now are joining forces. And as they join forces, that joining of the Pharisees and Herodians actually will add credibility to the charge that they're about to form. Because everybody knows that Herodians and Pharisees don't get along and therefore if they're united over something, there must be some truth to their accusation. And so what they're doing is they're trying to entrap Jesus. And notice they're trying to trap Jesus through the things that Jesus Christ has been saying. That's what they're trying to do. They're trying to entangle him in his talk. They're like seasoned politicians, if you will. They expect him to say something that they can use to turn against him. All you have to do, and we know this, it's a political year and we see this already. All you have to do is follow somebody around with a camera long enough and record everything they're saying. And before you know it, you'll discover that they say one thing to this crowd and they say something else to another. These are seasoned politicians. And so they're basically thinking that they can entangle Jesus in the things that he's saying. You see the Proverbs in Proverbs 10 verse 19 says, in the multitude of words, sin is not lacking. But he who restrains his lips is wise. They figure that if Jesus speaks long enough, he's going to say something they can catch him with and use as an accusation against him. It's what the Psalmist is talking about in Psalm 56 verses 5 and 6 when he says, all day they twist my words. All their thoughts are against me for evil. They gather together. They hide. They mark my steps when they lie in wait for me. So all day they twist my words. Their thoughts against me are for evil. That's what's taking place here and so they're trying to catch Jesus Christ and so they're doing so under the guise of being righteous. Notice how it says verse 20. They watched him, sent spies who pretended to be righteous that they might seize on his words in order to deliver him to the power and the authority of the governor. They're hoping he's going to say something that can get a capital charge lodged against him. And ultimately we know that we'll be seeing that is exactly what they do. And so in verse 21 what do they do? Well it says they asked him saying, teacher we know that you say and teach rightly and you do not show personal favoritism but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Now when they say to him teacher, notice verse 21, teacher that's a title of honor. It's a title of honor that is reserved for distinguished rabbis and so what they're doing is they're beginning their conversation with Jesus by using flattery. I was taught a long time ago never believe anything or everything people say to you. Never believe the bad things they say because you're probably not that bad and never believe the good they say about you because you most certainly aren't that good. You're normally somewhere in between and so when somebody comes and uses flattery you can immediately know that this isn't something good. Proverbs 29 5 says whoever flatters his neighbor is spreading a net for his feet and that's the absolute truth and that's why we pray Psalm 120 verse 2 deliver my soul oh Lord from lying lips and from a deceitful tongue because people will use flattery they will try to find a way to get you to the point where they can deceive you into believing something or to do something that ultimately they're going to be able to use against you. That does happen and so they're setting a trap here. Notice how they say it they say we know that you say and teach rightly and that you're impartial that's basically what they're saying. In other words you have a reputation you have a great reputation of not adding to or taking away from God's word that's basically what they're saying here. You see in the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy in chapter 4 verse 2 God had made a command he had said you shall not add to the word which I command you nor take away from it that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you and so they're basically saying to Jesus you are a wonderful teacher you're a distinguished rabbi you do not show partiality you teach the word of God in truth you don't add to it you don't take away from it and so they're saying to him you're an individual that we can trust because you teach rightly you're also saying and you do not show personal favoritism in other words you're not swayed by threats you're not swayed by arguments you are faithful and you are impartial to all that's a very important aspect of a person's character they're saying basically you are a man who exudes wisdom you're somebody who is discerning you are not taken by flattery you're able to hear both sides to make a decision that is right and so you're not somebody who shows partiality when you make your judgments it's like Proverbs 24-23 when it says these things also belong to the wise it is not good to show partiality in judgment and that's the absolute truth it is not good to show partiality in judgment this is something I've taken to heart as a man as a man who wants to be a strong Christian to try and to hear things in a fair way and not to show partiality not to say well this is my friend this is my brother, this is my wife, my child and therefore blood is thicker than water whatever it is I believe them I'm not quite like that I actually learned that from my mom because my mom told me when I was a kid quite a few years ago now my mom has said well David when somebody says to me that you did something bad I'll tell them I don't doubt it thanks mom but she'd say I don't doubt it he probably does worse you've seen it and she was right in that the point she obviously was making is truth really must prevail and every human being is capable of doing wrong and just because you're my son doesn't mean that I'm going to back you in everything because if you're wrong you're wrong and we have to deal with what is wrong not everybody does that there's quite a number of people who say was my kid right or wrong you see there was a time years ago now of course that if somebody's kid did something wrong and a neighbor brought the kid to the parent and said I'm sorry but your kid was just cussing or your kid just beat up my son or whatever the parent of the kid who had done wrong would thank the neighbor for actually caring enough to let them know how bad their kid had been and then they would take that kid into the house and they would deal with them that's the way it was it used to be that way not anymore now if you approach somebody there's a good chance if you approach them and your kid was just using some pretty foul language they might cuss at you too I mean they defend their kid their kid's right or wrong and that's just not the way to do things because truth has to prevail and that's basically what they're saying here they're saying we know that you're somebody who is not partial in your judgment we know that you teach the word of God rightly you're an individual who is known for having integrity and because of that we think we can ask you a question but in reality what they're doing is they're setting a trap for him and notice what the trap is in verse 22 they say is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not that's their trap when they say is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar it's another way of saying is it lawful for us as religious Jews occupied by a foreign nation to pay taxes to pagan Romans it really has a religious base to it they had to give taxes the Jews would give a tax of one tenth of their grain they'd give one fifth of the wine and oil they'd give one percent of their income tax as wage earners and as they did so the tax would be used to support Roman troops that was occupying that were occupying the nation of Israel and that made their taxing of the Jews a very hated thing they hated that tax because think about it they were paying for an invading army to remain in occupation in their country how would you like to do that here how would you like it I wouldn't like it if a nation invaded the United States overthrew us and I have to pay my tax money to keep their soldiers guarding me and my family it would be something that I think most Americans would hate too and the Jews hated it the Jews hated tremendously it was a hated tax as a matter of fact hatred for that tax it was a very bold revolt in AD 6 and it's even referred to in the book of Acts it's found in Acts chapter 5 verse 37 when one of the teachers of Israel a man by the name of Gamaliel said this he said, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census and drew away many people after him he perished and all who obeyed him were dispersed he's referring to an uprising that took place over this hated tax and so the Jews hated the tax for them it was a perfect question you see the reason it's a great question to ask is this if Jesus says pay the tax he alienates the Jewish population the Jews hate that tax so they're going to reject him but if he says don't pay the tax now he's going to be accused of rebellion against Rome and he can be arrested and so he's they think that they have him on the horns of a dilemma funny thing about this whole thing is the Herodians supported the tax and the Pharisees rejected it and so they bring this question that even they fight over to the Lord Jesus Christ but notice how it says here in verse 23 as they have asked that question is it lawful well verse 23 he perceived their craftiness perceiving their craftiness is another way of saying he knew their hypocrisy in other words he saw through them Proverbs 117 says surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird Psalm 4421 says he knows the secrets of the heart and Hebrews 413 says there's no creature hidden from his sight all things are naked and open to the eyes and to whom we must give account Jesus saw right through them he saw right through the insincerity of that question there have been times even I as just a regular guy have had somebody approach me and ask me a question and sometimes they've used flattery as a matter of fact often they have oh pastor I know that you'll tell me the truth if I ask and then they'll ask a question that they're trying to entrap me with there have been times that I actually got to the point where I would ask do you want an honest answer to that are you trying to start an argument do you want an honest answer I can give you an honest answer if you want one or is it an argument that you want because if it's an argument that you want I'm not going to argue with you but if you're asking a sincere question then I'm more than willing to give you an honest and sincere answer but it's up to you are you wanting to start an argument or are you wanting an answer to a question which is it going to be and I have to be honest with you because you can see through those things sometimes people say well I think and then they're going to tell me what they think and then we've saved me having to try and answer a question that was really a setup and then I can let them give me the sermon take an offering I don't give and then they leave you know and that's basically the way it is kind of like you guys but that's who I'm just teasing kind of no I'm just teasing so how does he respond he says why do you test me show me a denarius whose image and inscription does it have and they answered and said Caesar's and so what he does is he actually and I want you to see this he actually openly confronts them this is not being done in secret this is being done in open this isn't just Jesus and some people in a private discussion around and so he openly exposes their hypocrisy he publicly confronts them for testing him you see this is something sadly that in the nation of Israel's history their forefathers were guilty of their forefathers had been guilty of testing the Lord as a matter of fact in Psalm 95 verse 9 God says you're not to test the Lord thy God and yet this is what they're doing they're testing him they're trying him and so Jesus confronts them first and he asks them why are you testing me why do you intend to try and cause me to stumble and to do something that is wrong why are you doing that but then he goes on and says show me a denarius a denarius is a roman coin it was the one that was acceptable to be speaking about when you would look at a denarius on one side was an engraving of the emperor and on the other side was an engraving of Caesar sitting on a throne in priestly robes being designated as a high priest and because at that time it was common for emperors to claim to be divine they would even refer to themselves as God's son and and so this was a coin that the religious Jews hated because it was idolatrous it was blasphemous but he says show me a coin and they have one and they show it and he asks a question whose image and inscription does it have well they answer and they say well it's Caesar's so they're waiting with baited breath because if he denounces Caesar we now have a basis of an accusation we can now form a charge we can take it to the governor and this is what Jesus Christ put to death they're not expecting the answer that he gives there though because in verse 25 he said to them render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's into God the things that are God's they didn't expect that I promise you his answer simply put is this it's perfectly legitimate to pay Caesar because the tax is under his domain and taxes serve purpose in society because the taxes do things like building roads and ensuring that police are a part of a society that can keep that society safe and orderly and so he's saying there are things that you do you pay your taxes because there's a place for that in other words the state has a right to assess taxes because taxes lie within the sphere of its responsibility so he says pay your taxes and I as an American citizen bringing this into a 21st century application I pay my taxes too I pay no less than I'm supposed to and I do my very best not to pay anymore than I have to I will pay my fair share and so an application to this is Christians of all people ought to be the best of the citizens in the nation there's no doubt about that we believers ought to be the best citizens that this nation has 20 when I was 20 years old I'd gotten saved and I started going to church it's going to a small church in Costa Mesa called Calvary Chapel people today will say Calvary Chapel which one when I got saved there was only one and as far as I'm concerned there still is only one I'm simply associated in fellowship with Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa when somebody says Calvary Chapel they ought to think Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa because Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa is Calvary Chapel and we here in Chino Valley have simply been given the privilege and honor of being associated in fellowship with Calvary Chapel there in Costa Mesa it's really that simple and when I first got saved I started going to the small church called Calvary Chapel and I was enjoying it but here was my dilemma I had an uncle who had invited me to come and spend some time to actually move and to live with him for a while he sent me a letter and invited me to come and I had just gotten saved and I really didn't want to go live with my uncle but he had asked me if I would come as a matter of fact he ordered me to come as my uncle Sam I got drafted and I didn't want to go I didn't want to go I didn't want to go into the military not because I was a pacifist not because I was a conscientious objecter because I am neither I didn't want to go into the military at that time because I had just gotten saved and as I had just gotten saved I wanted to grow in my faith and I was concerned I was afraid that we were right to go into the military at that time that I wouldn't have any fellowship I wouldn't have any Bible teaching I wouldn't have the things that I was just beginning to acquaint myself with that were becoming very valuable to me and I was concerned about that and you see I had been drafted to go into the military as many of you know because I've shared this before I had been drafted to go into the military August 25th, 1970 that was the date I was supposed to report for active duty I had received this draft notice and it said you are hereby ordered to report for active duty on August 25th, 1970 and I had appeared at that time there in Los Angeles at the induction center and had gone in but because I had at the age of 18 I had burglarized a jewelry store in the Whittier Quad I had taken a crowbar and actually a tire iron and I had busted open a glass window at jewelry store there that was at the Quad I had gotten arrested for that for felony offense it had been on my record though I did know that it had been basically expunged because I had gone to court and my dad had hired an expensive lawyer by the name of Stanley Brown out of Beverly Hills who continued sending me Christmas cards for years hoping that I was going to get in trouble and remember good old Stanley but he that's the truth but I knew that when I went into the induction center they didn't and so the individual there that I was speaking to said we have discovered that you have a record your record is a felony we have two options one is we can induct you and just work it and clear it now or we can send you another notice to appear and you can leave and he said so which is it and I smiled and I laughed and I've shared this with you before my dad had given me some money he gave me ten dollars and it just so happens that that day another guy a friend of mine his name was Gary had also because he had a criminal offense on his record he had been released so he and I together were released but we didn't have a ride home well it turns out that Gary was carrying with him some grass some marijuana and I had ten bucks and so we stepped out and got some breakfast I called a friend of mine he came and picked me up dropped me off at my house and so once again I came staggering into that it's not really staggering I didn't stagger when I was loaded on grass I just kind of walked in and I was high and my dad sees me and my dad says what are you doing home and I said to him even the army doesn't want me and I started laughing and I went into my room and I got letters from from my uncle you are hereby ordered to report for active duty September so and so and I wrote him a letter and I say no I said I've got a doctor's appointment because I found out you could do that and so they sent me another letter in October you are hereby ordered to report for active duty nope got to go to court and I just started making up lies and I just I had a pen pal and uncle that I would write and I would say nope, nope, nope, nope and I kept doing that I kept doing that till December because I knew they weren't going to come to get me I knew that they'll just keep writing me and I wasn't going then I got saved and now I'm in a quandary what am I going to do you know I am now a believer but I don't want to go in I don't know what to do and as a new believer I began to wrestle should I not and of all things I was at my aunt's house and watching TV and she happened to have well on the TV on the program that day was Sergeant York of all things so I'm watching Sergeant York and I'm enthralled by this because it turns out that he was a Christian and he has the option of going into the military or choosing to be a conscientious objecter and he goes off some place in the movie to pray and seek the Lord and the answer comes to him render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and unto God the things that belong to God and that is the scripture that Sergeant Alvin York the most highly decorated individual from the 82nd in World War I that's what got him into the military in the first place and so when that happened I thought you know the Lord has given me an answer render unto Caesar the things that belong to Caesar and to God the things that belong to God and that's why I made a choice to go into the military and so what I ended up doing is volunteering they called it volunteering for the draft I volunteered for the draft I chose my induction date March 15, 1971 and I went into the service and that's how that worked because I did believe and I do believe that the scriptures are very practical I do owe the government that I have freedoms under I do owe them certain things and I owe God certain things and so that's how I made my choice and so as a Christian I want to be a good citizen and as a good citizen I understand something as a Christian good citizen and that is I know who is in ultimate control of all things you see I know that human government is one of the three foundational building blocks that God has given to humanity to civilization to society within nine chapters in the very first book of the Bible the book of Genesis within nine chapters you find three building block institutions that are established by God you have marriage you have the church and you have human government and human government is found in Genesis chapter 9 chapter 6 whoever sheds man's blood by man his blood shall be shed for in the image of God he made man that's the first reference to man having to enact judgment for certain offenses human government is established in chapter 9 and then when you study in the New Testament you look at Romans 13 for example where the apostle Paul says everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities there is no authority except that which God has established the authorities that exist have been established by God God is the one who ordains human government he goes on in Romans 13 verses 5 through 7 to say therefore it is necessary to submit to the authorities not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience this is also why you pay taxes for the authorities are God's servants who give their full time in governing give everyone what you owe him if you owe taxes pay taxes if revenue then revenue if respect if honor then honor Paul isn't the only person who refers to that because the apostle Peter in first Peter chapter 2 verses 13 through 15 says something similar he says submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men whether to the king as the supreme authority or to governors who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and commend those who do right for it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men human government has been ordained by God now some people say was it ever right to resist human government quite obviously the answer is yes there are times when even as the apostle said Peter said you know whether it is right to obey you or God you decide but we will obey God there are times when laws are passed that are unjust and therefore there would be a righteousness in resisting that which is wrong and there are times when we do resist that which is wrong many many years ago now I had an opportunity to go into China in the 80s and I took a team with me and we brought in suitcases of bibles suitcases of them because in China even to this day there is a restriction on the availability of bibles in Chinese and yet the Chinese government restricts the freedom of religion and these believers many people didn't even have a Bible I mean we were aware of churches that in churches of several hundred they had one Bible and what they would do is they actually would take that Bible they would take the Bible apart piece by piece page by page and they would actually give it to members of the church would hold on to those pages because they only had one and when the pastors putting together a message he actually asked for them to come and bring the page that they have so we can use that for his message in preparation we were aware of that and many things like that and so I was asked if I wanted to come and bring some Bibles to Christians who did not have the ability to read the scriptures now somebody said in our church some people got upset well you're breaking the law well I believe that God's law as it pertains to the things that relate to freedom to understand and know him are greater than man saying you can't know him and we're not going to let you bring this Bible in and so we smuggled Bibles in and I didn't have any conscience that was negative towards that at all I felt I was doing God a service and I felt I was doing a service to those believers who didn't have a Bible see we Americans have so many Bibles we can have several I have at least seven to ten Bibles of my own we have Bibles we all have Bibles all of us do more Bibles than you can imagine you can go into our bookstore and you know this and you can stay there for an hour trying to pick out the right one then then once you finally found the version or translation what color do I want it to be you know what I'm saying I mean we are so rich in this but these people aren't and so I had no problem with that at all and I appealed to the fact that there are times that you obey God rather than man all times you obey God rather than man and so that's something that I have conscience towards and I'm aware of yes we honor government until it begins to impose itself on us in the worship of God and in the exercise of our conscience towards him now to try and become a little practical again it's an election year I can say a few things not you know I'm not going to tell you who to vote for and you know that but I do think it is something that I cherish I relish is something I do I encourage all of us in here to take part in that and what we do is we have the opportunity here in the United States to vote and we do so as part of what would be called an orderly process of governing society that's why we vote and so I do cast my vote and I look very carefully at the candidates and as I do so I know this I know that no candidate whether he's from one party or another Democrat, independent, Republican doesn't matter no candidate is going to 100% reflect the things that I believe and hold most dear not one is going to and I'm aware of that and so are you but I feel a responsibility to cast a vote how do I do that how do I make that choice how do I make that decision well I see it as a moral choice so I spend time looking at candidates records I look at a variety of things that they believe and do what their track record is etc but I especially like to concentrate on issues that are moral and so I try to determine certain things I try to determine if I perceive them to have some honesty about them do they have stability in their judgment are they mature are they experienced are they in line pretty much with the views that I hold I begin to ask questions I don't vote I'm not one who votes just a party though I have a registered party I belong to I don't feel any compulsion whatsoever compunction at all to have to always vote that ticket and I don't I vote the candidate that most reflects what I believe and so I ask questions and I ask moral questions I want to know how they stand on various things of course I want to know how they stand in issues of economy of course and military those are quite obvious those kinds of things but I also ask questions of them like what does there stand on partial birth abortion how do they feel about abortion in general what do they feel about education are they encouraging parents to decide where the kids go to school how do they stand on issues that relate to that I look at their moral issues do they support and endorse homosexual movement are they in favor of homosexual marriage do they do they restrict people from the right of freedom of speech by endorsing things like legislation that relates to what is called hate speech because I know that if you can pass certain legislation that relates to hate speech then you've opened up Pandora's box you've opened up something a slippery slope has now been entered into because if you can penalize a person for calling somebody else a certain name to the point of imprisoning them I also know that you can tell a pastor that he cannot preach the word of God as it pertains to things like issues of homosexuality I know that and I've seen that it's already true in countries such as Sweden where they imprisoned for 30 days a pastor who gave a study on homosexuality and said God is opposed to it they said it's a form of hate speech and they put in jail for 30 days I know that in Canada they ban teaching against an opposition to homosexuality because they say it's a form of hate speech and I also know that there are those of religious persuasions such as Islam that are actually encouraging that kind of legislation because if that legislation is passed then if I speak as a Christian pastor and say Islam has incorrect or wrong then they could use that against me say that I am hateful towards their religious beliefs and I could be fined or put in jail these are the things that are taking place right now and I'm aware of those things and we need to be too I know that the next president of the United States is going to probably appoint two or three Supreme Court justices I know that I know that there are some justices right now who are very old and waiting to retire but they're waiting to see who's elected as the next president because Supreme Court justices continue the office until they voluntarily retire or they die and they do not want certain judges to be placed in there and the next president of the United States is going to be loading the benches with judges I'm aware of that and I also know that though we have a form of government that is divided into three basic fundamental blocks I know that the judiciary is actually superseding the other areas of government I know that because they're the ones that are having laws passed that are restricting my speech or attempting to restrict my freedom of religion and conscience I'm aware of those things and I know that the next president who's going to be in office is going to be supplying us with new justices who are going to be more than likely activists who are going to be presenting not the constitutionality of law but rather they're going to be bringing in their idea their take their spin and they through the law are going to change the moral tone of the United States I'm aware of these things and so should you be and that's what informs me when I involve myself in the political process I render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars but I also render into God the things that belong to God and I make sure that I'm aware of those things you see on the one hand I'm aware of what government is I know how it is established but I also know as Jesus said that I'm not to withhold from God what belongs to him and so the point he's simply making here is pay your taxes to Caesar but reserve your worship for God you see in 1 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 20 Paul said you were bought at a price therefore honor God with your body you were saved honor God and you do so God is within you now as this is taking place notice verse 26 they could not catch him in his words in the presence of the people and they marveled at his answer and they kept silent they marveled Jesus saw right through them and when he confronted that when he was able to extricate himself from their trap when he nimbly dealt with it he gave them an awareness to them that they weren't about to outsmart God when that happened all they could do and it was the wisest thing they could do by the way is just to keep silent because you just can't out argue God you can't win the argument with him there have been times when my kids they don't do this any longer but when they were younger and their teens especially when they were teenagers at the same time four teenagers if you don't believe in hell four teenagers man that was one rough season and my kids are very much like me they speak their mind I wish they took after their mama but they don't they would speak their mind and I as a father have this tendency you know I prefer knowing rather than you walking around the house with that ugly face of yours don't give me those ugly faces anybody ever say that don't make a face don't be making that face what's on your mind so they've always had the freedom to talk to me and I let them and I have no problem with that still to this day they want to come they can vent they can say what they want dad will listen but there were times I would raise my hand up and they know what that means it means you're one step from the grave I would raise my hand and I'd say something like this that's enough I'd say no this is where this begins to be something else at this point don't become confused this is not a conversation because a conversation requires two people communicating and both listening this is a monologue I'm speaking you're listening and then go you know how mean and say yes right you want sympathy right dear Abbey you because this is dad speaking and this is not a conversation so don't get confused see this is what you're going to do you know there are times and those are few and far between and I actually did that I actually did I'd say no more no conversation this is me talking to you this is what you're going to do I'm your dad you're going to listen that's the way it is listen to you long enough tired of hearing you this is what you're going to do it's over no more stop this isn't a conversation you listen to what I'm saying and it's time for you to be quiet I think it's an amazing thing that we actually think that we can argue with God but there's this old saying your arms are too short to box with God and it's true when God has something that he's saying it's wiser for me to listen don't you think it's wiser to listen it is because especially my kids if they kept spouting off you know you're really putting yourself in a bad position because the more you talk the more problems you're going to have it's really wiser for you to stop about this point here you've already dug a hole so deep you're not going to get out of it for a week you continue doing that and you know what stop it it's time to stop our parents who are involved in our kids lives we actually do things like that because we love them not because we're mad at them and hate them because we love them and it's enough we have to lay down well you know what God does that too and well we think we can argue with him we think we can instruct him we think we can tell him what he's supposed to do and how he's supposed to do it and when he doesn't do it we get mad at him we hold our breath and we pout and we're very angry because we just don't understand and so you see a godly man like Job and you see him in the first chapter how God is speaking to Satan how Satan is going to and fro throughout the earth and he's up to no good and God asks Satan what have you been up to and he says I've been looking around and God says have you considered my servant Job and he says yeah but you put a hedge about him I can't touch him what have you been doing God is speaking as an interrogator he is interrogating an individual calling that person Satan to have to give an account of his behavior his actions that's what that's all about God being God Satan being Satan God calls him into account what have you been up to I've been going to and fro when he says I've been going to and fro it's another way of saying I've been up to no good I've been looking for something I've been prowling that's what it is he's a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour and so in Job we see that what I've been going to and fro I've been throughout the earth okay that means you've been looking around have you considered have you weighed have you looked at closely have you found a weakness in my servant Job that's what it means when he says have you considered my servant Job of course God knows that he did so Satan says yeah I've been looking for a weakness I've been looking for some kind of weakness in his in his life yes I have I've considered him and I've come to realize that no matter what I try to do I can't touch him because you have put something around him you've got a hedge of protection about him but you know what if you were to if you were to take his wealth chapter 1 if you were to take his health chapter 2 he will curse you to your face yeah you put a hedge about him I can't touch him but I can tell you there are two things that matter to Job that matter to humanity in general health and wealth my dad when I was growing up said son take care of your health because you got to work if you don't take care of your health you can't go to work you can't pay your bills what was my dad teaching me the same thing yours probably taught you you have to have health in order to have wealth that's right out of the Bible and Satan knew it and he says yeah you touch his health you touch his wealth you touch those things and the result is he will curse you to your face and so what happens God says you can touch him but you can't kill him we know the story of Job before you know it this most honored men in the east is sitting in dust and ashes he has broken piece of pottery scraping his his diseased skin well the children are singing songs about him and are ridiculing him and in great misery he is there suffering to the point where his loving wife says curse God and die thank you sweetheart I appreciate your advice not today shall we receive only good from the hand of God and not evil in all these things he did not sin against God with his lips so what happens here comes his buddies Job's comforters they sat with them for several days remained silent the best thing they could have done is just be quiet but nope they have to start giving him advice you're not getting as much as you should get you're worse than you think and off they go Job you deserve everything now Job isn't going to put up with that and he doesn't so he begins to argue finally he says I wish I had a mediator to go between God and me I could plead my case and I could succeed because I have been unjustly placed in this position we read the book of Job up into a right around chapter 40 or so right in that area when Job says rather God decides it's time to break into Job's life in a personal way and he says Job I got a few things to ask you you've been asking me a lot of questions now it's my turn to ask you guard yourself like a man and answer me and then you find a series of questions in the book of Job where were you when I placed the stars where I placed them where were you when I told the sea and the waves to stop there at the shore and to go no further if you know these things please instruct me and God begins to ask a series of questions to Job if you know so much answer the simplest questions well can he of course he can to what happens we know the story I put my hand over my mouth he says to the Lord and I will be silent he said I have heard of you with the hearing of my ear but now I have seen you with the seeing of my eye and I abhor myself I humble myself before you for I have spoken wrongly the last thing that you can never do is just be quiet just let God do what God does and when Jesus spoke and he said answer me and gave that answer to them and gave that show me a denarius and he says render to Caesar they couldn't deal with this you see in Job 5 verses 12 and 13 it says he thwarts the plans of the crafty so that their hands achieve no success he catches the wise in their craftiness and the schemes of the wily are swept away they marvel at his answer and they're quiet because you can't out argue God and Jesus pointed that out very clearly