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morning everyone welcome to free grace baptist church any visitors that are with us this morning we welcome you to our church we do always enjoy having new faces in the pew so welcome to free grace baptist church if you have any questions after the service please feel free to approach us one announcement before we begin worship this morning and that is that Shane Abby has applied for church membership if no one has met or spoken to Shane yet he's been with us for a few months he's out there somewhere and you feel free to talk to him and get to know him he's a very nice young brother who's been with us for a number of months now so again that Shane a be applying for for church membership well let's begin our worship then if you'll turn in your Bibles with me to Psalm 34 that will be our call to worship this morning a reading of Psalm 34 Psalm 34 this is the reading of the living and true God the Word of the living and true God a psalm of David when he pretended madness before Abimelech who drove him away and he departed I will bless the Lord at all times his praise shall continually be in my mouth my soul shall make its boast in the Lord the humble shall hear of it and be glad Oh magnify the lord with me and let us exalt his name together i sought the lord and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears they looked to him and were radiant and their faces were not ashamed this poor man cried out and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles the angel of the Lord in camps all around those who fear Him and delivers them o taste and see that the Lord is good blessed is the man who trusts in him oh fear the Lord you his Saints there is no want to those who fear Him the Young Lions lack and suffer hunger but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing come you children listen to me I will teach you the fear of the Lord who is the man who desires life and loves many days that he may see good keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit depart from evil and do good seek peace and pursue it the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are open to their cry the face of the Lord is against those who do evil to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth the righteous cry out and the lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles the Lord is near to those who have a broken heart and saves such as have a contrite spirit many are the afflictions of the righteous but the lord delivers him out of them all he guards all his bones not one of them is broken evil shall slay the wicked and those who hate the righteous shall be condemned the Lord redeems the soul of his servants and none of those who trust in him shall be condemned amen well let's stand together as a church our first hymn is going to be him 132 in that larger hymnal that's 132 let's stand and sing together let us pray Heavenly Father we rejoice in this new day this new lord's day we thank you for bringing us to this place safely we do pray that your name would now be hallowed by this gathered assembly we would pray God that you would give us that the presence of worship in order that we might return to you all honor and praise we know that we require the Holy Spirit in order to arouse us to stir us up to those high in heavy worshipful thoughts of our triune God and so we do pray for that now we pray that we would honor you and that we would praise you here as we have gathered for worship and again God that around the world in your churches that your people would give you all on or in all praise we pray that your will would be done on earth as it is in heaven we would pray O Lord God that you would work much and act much in this lower world that sinners might be saved that your Saints might be protected and structed and edified and Lord God that you would grow your kingdom on earth and that your name would be victorious that the name of our redeemer the lord jesus christ would be sung by the lips of many saints around the world and we do just pray that today would be a day of rejoicing in you not only in this place but in all your churches we do pray Lord God that today would be a day where your name is vindicated where your name is sung and Lord God where sinners are saved and we do just pray again that you would help us now to worship you we know that we worship a God who is a God of forgiveness and we thank you for the forgiveness of sins we pray that you would forgive us a fresh we know that we are covered by the blood of the Savior the Lord Jesus Christ and that when we sin we have such a blessed advocate before the father for us Jesus Christ the righteous and we know that in him we have salvation that in him we have the forgiveness of sins that in him we have everlasting life and we rejoice in that blessed truth and we know that we were not saved we have not received these things by deeds of righteousness which we have done but rather according to your mercy you saved us we thank you for justification by faith alone through Christ Jesus alone we rejoice in the perfection of his work we know that we have that righteousness that avails with you and that it's not a righteousness of our own but the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received by faith alone we just rejoice in his perfect work is perfect doing his perfect dying upon Calvary's tree his glorious resurrection and we thank you that he now ever lives at your right hand to intercede for his people we do pray that this day we would rejoice in our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ we would ask God that you would be with those who are unwell and those who suffer affliction and disease and injury and those who are presently recovering from surgery we do just pray that you'd strengthen each and every one we would pray that you'd be with the proctors is there unable to join us that you would strengthen John and Sue and we do just pray that you would watch over them and strengthen them in body we do pray God we rejoice at dawn neufeld can be with us we thank you for our brother and would pray that you continue to strengthen him in body as well we pray Lord for many others who are suffering physically that you would strengthen them and cause them to know daily gains and health we would pray that for all of these in the midst of suffering in the midst of pains that they would nevertheless in the inner man rejoice in their God and be holy resign done to your will and all things we would ask God or we we thank you for recent births in our midst and for those who are still pregnant Lord we do pray that you'd watch over each and every mother and watch over each and every child we do pray that you would strengthen those who have been born you would daily grow them that you would strengthen them and cause them in due time to rejoice in Christ by your grace and for your glory we do pray for those still in the womb God that you would watch over them and just attend unto them with your sovereign care we pray in due time that they would be brought forth without issue and the Lord God that again in due time at a young age that they would own our Christ and sing the praises of our God we do pray that you would be with those around the world Lord who suffer persecution for the cause of Christ and your gospel we know that there are many and various nations that are under a constant threat of violence even unto death and we do just pray that you'd strengthen our brothers and sisters in Christ and these situations that you would be near to them that you would be to them their God of all comfort that they would find in the risen and exalted Christ their courage and their motivation Lord to go steadfast to lay hold of the hope of their calling without wavering and we do just pray that you would give them daily supplies of comfort daily supplies of the spirit that they might be able to remain steadfast unto that great and final day we would again pray that you would deal with those who persecute them that you would save some that you would take those out of the way that would seek to remain and in rebellion against you and we do pray that you would cause them to wither away like the snail and that your people would be protected we pray for those who govern over us as we look look out in the world and see the the political game playing out and all of these things the rulers of the nation's seeking and to jockey for position lord we do just pray and we know and we trust the one who truly is the ruler of the earth we thank you that the nations of this world are the nations of our God and of his Christ and we do pray that you would so act in this lower world even that those who rule over us would do so with justice and with equity that they would cast off wickedness they would cast off the sanctioning of abominations and that they would uphold Lord God true and proper law we do pray that in the meantime you would just give us the disposition whereby we are praying for those who rule over us that you might save them and that we might live peaceable lives in this lower world where we're able to live with freedom and Lord God where we were able to propagate to preach to proclaim the riches and the excellencies of Christ Jesus the Lord we do pray that you would now be with us as we worship we pray that you'd be with Pastor Butler give him physical strength as he comes up to stand in this pulpit we do pray that you would also give him that spiritual aid from on I that you would give him that measure of the spirit whereby he might be able to proclaim with great clarity and courage the things of your word we know that ministers true ministers of your gospel do not rest upon their own strength but on that strength which the triune God affords and we do pray that you'd be with him now and that you would be with all of us Lord as we continue in worship we would worship you in honor and praise that we would worship you in spirit and in truth Lord God that your Saints by the preaching of the word would be instructed and edified and again God that this day would be a day of salvation we pray for those who came in these doors in unbelief those who do not believe in Christ we do pray that by your grace and for your glory they would leave singing the praises of our precious Savior the Lord Jesus Christ and it's in his name that we pray amen let's stand and sing again this time in the same larger hymn book it's two-thirty let's stand and sing to 30 together you please be seated our New Testament scripture reading is Matthew 3 so you can turn there with me Matthew chapter 3 will read the entire chapter once again this is the word of the living and true God Matthew 3 verse 1 in those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand for this is he who was spoken by the prophet Isaiah saying the voice of one crying in the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord make his paths straight now John himself was clothed in camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist and his food was locusts and wild honey then Jerusalem all Judea and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan confessing their sins but when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism he said to them brood of vipers who warned you to flee from the wrath to come therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance and do not think to say to yourselves we have Abraham as our Father for I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones and even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance but he who is coming after me is mightier than I whose sandals I am not worthy to carry he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire his winnowing fan is in his hand and he will thoroughly clean out his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire then Jesus came from Galilee to Jordan excuse me then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him and John tried to prevent him saying I need to be baptized by you and are you coming to me but jesus answered and said to him permit it to be so now for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness then he allowed him when he had been baptized Jesus came up immediately from the water and behold the heavens were open to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon him and suddenly a voice came from heaven saying this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased amen well just a number of things here first off it is a picture that we have here of proper Christian preaching isn't it that John the Baptist is not a limp-wristed fellow he is preaching in this account in Matthew 3 and he is preaching to these who have come to be baptized by him note confessing their sins and then we have these Pharisees and Sadducees coming and he doesn't give them what they want to hear he gives them what they need to hear and what God wants them to hear and he changes his preaching tailoring it for them saying brood of vipers who warned you to flee from the wrath to come therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance and do not think to say to yourselves we have Abraham as our Father you see it's never an argument for anyone to argue nationality or to argue somehow that will be saved by the faith of our family members or our parents it is the ability of God to raise forth children of Abraham from these very stones rather we're not saved by our connection to any individual we're saved by our connection to the Lord Jesus Christ were saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone we are to never claimed a salvific patriotism or nationalism or connection to anyone save for Christ alone notices well this interesting and glorious language in verse 12 his winnowing fan the Baptist speaking of Christ is winnowing fan is in his hand and he will thoroughly clean out his threshing floor that word or that phrase translated they're thoroughly clean out is the same phrase used in Hebrews chapter 1 where we read he himself purged our sins Jesus Christ in His both his saving and in his judgment does undergo a thorough cleansing or he engages in a thorough cleansing if you're here this morning and you're outside of Christ you do not want to be part of the thorough cleansing which is described in these words he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire but rather you want to be the recipient of that blessed thorough cleansing whereby he purges his sins the sins of his people he gathers his wheat into the barn it's an interesting turn of phrase at the same language used to burn up the chaff with unquenchable fires the same language used to burn away or to cleanse or to purge away our sins if you're here this morning you want to be found in that latter sense the the purging of sins so bless it to be a Christian knowing that we have the purging the cleansing the thorough cleansing of our sins by the Lord Jesus Christ our blessed Savior and then we have this wonderful account of the baptism of Jesus Christ we have the inauguration here a punctuated if you will inaugurate of his earthly ministry now coming into the public sphere and inaugurated with this baptism of course not for the forgiveness of sins or because of the forgiveness of sins Christ is holy harmless undefiled sinless the unblemished lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world but it is a public and a marked instance where by Christ is now set into his public and earthly ministry as the mediator between God and men we have this wonderful picture here of the Trinity don't we notice the last verse here we have the father the Spirit and Christ we have in verse 16 when he had been baptized Jesus came up immediately from the water and behold the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon him and suddenly a voice came from heaven saying this is my beloved Son in whom I well pleased we don't have to comb the Scriptures you know with sweat dripping from our brows to find evidence of the doctrine of the Trinity we are everywhere confronted by it and in a simple narrative stating of the account of the baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ we have an instance of the triune God brought into a glorious and full picture well let us go to God again in prayer as we move towards another him and the preaching of his word let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you before your word we rejoice in the scriptures and with oh and in what it discloses concerning our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of sins we do pray God that you would encourage those believers here among us this morning we would be encouraged in the reality that we have had our sent sins purged that we have been thoroughly cleansed in the sense that Christ has saved us and he is it by himself purged our sins and sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high we rejoice in forgiveness and we would pray that you'd cause us to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ we do pray Lord for those who have come in outside of Christ again those who if they do not believe will incur that wrath marked by the burning of chaff and unquenchable fire we do pray that you would cause them to turn that they would by your grace and for your glory be saved by amazing and victorious grace that they would turn from their sins and seek to live unto righteousness we do pray that you would come upon those wings of Amazing Grace and pull them from darkness deadness of sin to life and light in you we do pray now that you would be with us as we continue in worship help us to sing with joy in our hearts and help us Lord God to be a tent have been engaged in the act of worship the preaching of your word and made it all be done unto the praise of your Most High name we pray in the name of the Savior the Lord Jesus amen our last him then before the preaching will be 619 if you'll stand with me and sing 619 together please be seated well please turn with me in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 22 Matthew chapter 22 we're going to look at verses 15 to 22 this morning the larger context the Lord Jesus Christ is disputing on the Tuesday of passion week with the religious leaders remember when he comes into the temple on that Tuesday in chapter 21 verses 23 to 27 there is a question concerning his authority of course our Lord answers that effectively he then tells three parables against the religious leadership in Jerusalem or in Israel and indicates that Jerusalem will indeed be sacked he says that in chapter 22 verse 7 in the final parable now there is a series of four questions the Pharisees asked the first the Sadducees the second and then the third are the scribes Pharisees scribe and then the last one Jesus asks to his opponents so this confrontation this dispute this debate continues here in this particular section so I want to read verses 15 to 22 and then we'll ask the Lord's blessing upon our study this morning then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle him in his talk and they sent to him their disciples with the Herodian saying teacher we know that you are true and teach the way of God in truth nor do you care about anyone for you do not regard the person of men tell us therefore what do you think is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not but Jesus perceived their wickedness and said why do you test me you hypocrites show me the tax money so they brought him a Denarius and he said to them whose image and inscription is this they said to him Caesars and he said to them render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are gods when they had heard these words they marveled and left him and went their way amen well just before we pray I did want to mention someone else that we should pray for author Christian man Jerry bridges went into cardiac arrest last night he is 86 years old so we'll remember to pray for our dear brother now so let us go to the throne of grace our Father in Heaven we thank you for this opportunity to come to Holy Scripture we thank you for the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Union that we have in the fellowship that we have as Saints called out of darkness into marvelous light because of your grace and for your glory we pray right now for Jerry bridges we commit this brother to you and to the word of your grace he has served as Lord well and if this is his time of departure we pray that he would go to his reward that he would cease from his labors and know that blessed and eternal rest with Father Son and Holy Spirit he is to recover God we pray that this would be evident that he would make a turn for the better she would uphold him up whole this family and his friends as well our Father now we pray for the illumination of the Holy Spirit we pray that he would come to guide to direct to instruct us help us to think righteously help us to think biblically help us to think your thoughts after you in the situation's we find ourselves in we know scripture is sufficient for all matters of faith and practice and God teach us and help us to put these things into practice in our own hearts and lives we ask that you would forgive us for all of our sins and transgressions we know that iniquity we know that that rebellion against you darkens our understanding in our hearts how we thank you for the blood of the Lord Jesus and even now we pray that you would cleanse us that you would watch us she would fit us for service unto our God and for the reception of your Holy Word and we pray these things through Christ our Lord amen well as we look at this particular section or stay teaching the question concerning taxes we will do so under three considerations first the question itself the question concerning taxes and vs. 15 to 17 secondly the answer concerning subjection because that's ultimately what it's about the taxes are a foil the larger concern is is it proper for us as Jews to be subject to the Roman government and then in the third place will see the conclusion of the dispute in verse 22 now note in the first place with reference to the question will consider three things here the parties the plan in the particulars note the parties the Pharisees had heard these three parables told by our Lord Jesus the Pharisees now depart according to verse 15 says then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle him in his talk they went to the other religious leaders they went among themselves and they continued to plot they continued to develop or to try and figure out a way they can indeed undo the Lord Jesus Christ and then they send their disciples again Pharisees with these herodians will look at the Herodians in just a moment but the Pharisees would have been a party that would have paid their taxes they wouldn't have liked it they would have begrudged it they would not like and appreciate the fact that Israel was subject to the Roman Empire but nevertheless they would have been those that paid taxes but wouldn't like it so of the two disputants here the two opponents the Pharisees would be anti-tax and the Herodians would be pro tax there's not a lot known about these herodians the many many positions or hypotheses are out there concerning their identity what most commentators land on is that they were a party obviously sympathetic to Herot he was a half-jew he was an edomite and these Herodians would have been very supportive of him he of course was Pro Roman and so the herodians would have been very much in favor of paying taxes so on the one hand you ought to appreciate the diabolical wisdom of these two groups of opponents they are seeking to bring Jesus onto the horns of a dilemma and essentially the issue in this if Jesus advocates paying taxes then he's going to be wildly unpopular with the bulk of the Jewish nation they don't want to pay taxes to Caesar but if Jesus says he doesn't think paying taxes is lawful then the herodians will run quickly to the government officials and tournament for sedition so you see the diabolical wisdom involved in this particular situation note secondly their plan this isn't a rabbinic dispute this isn't simply persons theology this isn't simply persons looking for answers to a particular questions the Evangelist Matthew highlights for us three times their particular motive they plot against him notice verse 15 and the Pharisees way and plotted how they might entangle him in his talk this isn't the first time notice in chapter 12 at verse 14 again religious leaders Matthew chapter 12 verse fifth of 14 on the occasion that our Lord Jesus had what they thought broken the Sabbath the lord upholds the sabbath the lord does good on the Sabbath the notice in verse 14 of chapter 12 then the Pharisees went out and plotted against him how they might destroy him and it's in this same way that they come to him on this question concerning taxes notice in chapter 21 closer terms of contacts specifically in verses 14 and 15 this was on the day prior this was on the Monday of the Passion Week the Lord Jesus comes triumphantly into Jerusalem now notice what happens in 2115 but when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did and the children crying out in the temple and saying Hosanna to the son of David they were indignant they were upset they didn't like this popular response to this self-proclaimed Messiah they did not want this they wanted to quell it they wanted to crush it and they wanted to do so by removing Jesus they then say do you hear what these are saying and then notice even closer to home in the midst of the parables after the second 21 verse 45 now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard his parables they perceived that he was speaking of them but when they sought to lay hands on him they feared the multitudes because they took him for a profit why would they want to lay hands on him because they want to destroy him they want to rid this world of their Messiah they of course reject him as their Messiah so they plot against him in fact in mark 36 the only other place where the Herodians and the Pharisees are coupled together it says there that they were indeed there indeed seeking to destroy the Lord Jesus Christ notices well they sought to entangle him look at verse 15 how they might entangle him this is a word that has to do with hunting the hunters in our church know that hunting means you try to find that which you hunt and kill it you don't find that which you hunt and befriend it you don't take the moose home and try and domesticate it you don't put it in your backyard and feed it whatever moosie guess the herbage and that sort of thing looking at my hunter brothers and looking for some affirmation or confirmation I don't think of leucine smeet I know they they don't eat meat but you don't try and domesticate it you entangle it for the purpose of killing it so that you can ingest it this is what their endgame is they want to destroy Jesus they are seeking to entangle him RT France says concerning this word they're not just trying to get the better of him in a debate but they are inducing him to say something which might prove incriminating the stakes are high and as we move through the passage it's not simply tax evasion that is the crime and view it is treason you see for the Jews to reject or resist paying taxes to Caesar is tantamount to saying that we don't want Caesar to rule over us again not simple tax evasion but it is an act of treason or sedition against the Roman government they know all too well what they are saying this is a popular issue among the men of this day and so they come to Jesus and try to put him on this horns of a dilemma the third way that we know something of their planet is by what Christ says why do you test me just like the devil in Matthew chapter 4 Jesus has led by the spirit into the wilderness and the devil comes to test him now these devilish men come to test him by trying to put him on the horns of a dilemma now note the particulars they flatter him make no mistake about it verse 16 is flattery teacher we know that you are true and teach the way of God in truth nor do you care about anyone for you do not regard the person of man in other words he doesn't show partiality he is going to cut to the quick he is going to tell the truth he is going to speak Olli now they don't believe this at all they don't embrace this at all what they are doing is they're disguising the venom with the honey they're disguising the poison with something that tastes good they come to him playing a silly game royal says let us beware of the flatterer this is good counsel Satan is never so dangerous as when he appears as an angel of light the world is never so dangerous to the Christian as when it smiles notice as well something ironic in this statement verse 16 is true isn't it isn't what they say concerning Jesus absolutely true i mean let's see it teacher we know that you are true Jesus will say in John 14 6 I am the way the truth and the life no one comes to the Father except through me he says or they say and you teach the way of God in truth nor do you care about anyone again that doesn't mean he kicks people and he spits at people and he ma the caring for the people there means he doesn't get preference he doesn't show partiality you do not regard the person of man here Spurgeon says all that they said was true but they did not it again it's flattery they're hiding the hook and the bait so that he'll take it and ingest it so they can entangle him according to their plot so they can remove him from their world he goes on to say spurgeon all that they said was true but they did not mean it from their lips it was mere cajole or a great word kajol arre let us take note that when evil men are very loud in their praise of us they usually have some wicked design against us they fawn and flattered that they may deceive and destroy that's what's in view now notice they questioned him tell us therefore what do you think is it lawful to pay taxes to caesar or not this is a theological question when they say is it lawful they mean according to the law of God according to moses according to those things which supposedly bind us together as jews in the first century subject to the Roman government is it lawful in terms of theology their particular question concerns what's called the census tax or a poll tax this was levied once a year it was a Denarius and it was a tax on agricultural yield and on your personal property so it was Caesar's right to what you possess for living and benefiting under Caesars particular particular rule so that's the tax in question now the question is designed as I've already said to put Jesus on the horns of a dilemma if Jesus says yes he will be very unpopular with the rank and file of Jewish people if Jesus says no the Herodians will report him for sedition in the passion account in Luke 23 this is precisely one of the charges that is leveled against Jesus that he forbid us to pay taxes to Caesar how do you get Caesar and his minions on your side will you tell Caesar and his minions that this Jesus forbid us to pay taxes to you he doesn't want to be subject he doesn't want to submit he's engaged in sedition or treason so you see Jesus is in between a rock and a hard place I will probably say several times throughout the rest of this sermon that Jesus response here is brilliant Jesus doesn't need me to affirm him but whether what we do see is the way that Christ navigates this horns of a dilemma is absolutely amazing Telvin says their principal object is to lead the people to dislike him okay get it Jesus comes into Jerusalem on Monday the people go wild they're going nuts the crying Hosanna they're praising and these religious leaders see that they can't stand it they despise it they know of his career they know of his impact they know what he's been doing they've tried to silence him along the way but now he's comin to their fair city now he's coming to the precincts of the temple itself and now he presents himself before these religious leaders and they ask him by what authority do you do this and he asked that why did you reject John the Baptist we don't know what to answer and then Jesus levels three parables at them parables that are very clear even such that Pharisees themselves could understand what was going on they knew according to the second parable that he spoke these things against them the reality that the kingdom of god most high would be stripped from israel Old Covenant Israel and given to a nation that was bearing fruits consistent with that they understood all too well when Jesus talked in Matthew 22 seven about the King burning the city these men understood this he was a threat not only to the nation as far as they perceived it but to the city to the temple and to them as religious leaders so they under this are they with this in mind go they plot Dan tangle and they indeed are seeking to test him the question does not simply concern tax evasion but tree season there's a fellow mentioned in acts five at verse 37 a man by the name of Judas of Galilee da Carson says that paying the poll tax was the most obvious sign of submission to Rome I'll argue through the course of this sermon based on Romans 13 that you pay your taxes but in the grand scheme of things tax evasion is not so serious as treason treason is a capital offense treason is a is a crime against a particular government that they don't take lightly to and certainly this was one of the things that was welling up in the hearts of these men let's get Jesus to admit that we don't pay taxes Carson says paying the poll tax was the most obvious sign of submission to Rome in a d6 Judas of Galilee the man mentioned in acts 537 led a revolt against the first procurator because he took a census for tax purposes Josephus writes about this it was a tax revolt in a d6 and again it wasn't simply evasion but it was treason how do you think the Roman government dealt with that they said well Judas of Galilee we like what you have to say we're going to give you a cabinet position and let you share your thought well they put down this revolt with great prejudice zealots you've heard that word before not like the way we use it but there was an actual class of persons called zealots in the first century now they came to more notoriety or they came to full development in the late 60s just prior to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 the zealots claimed the poll tax was a God dishonouring badge of slavery to the pagans I simply bring this out so that you can hopefully feel the tension that's involved Jesus is being asked to give a yes or a No Jesus being asked to either yay pay and make a lot of people unhappy or no don't pay and get himself executed by the civil authority the trap then put Jesus in the position where he would they're alienate a major part of the population or else lay himself open to a charge of treason now let's look at the answer concerning subjection in the first place we see reproof verse 8 Jesus perceived their wickedness and said why do you test me you hypocrites he perceived he knew their wickedness he knew this wasn't a rabbinic dispute in the temple precincts on the stone the Tuesday The Passion Week we're going to have a dialogue in an interchange he knew this wasn't a fellowship lunch that we have where we might have you know some contrary opinions on some theological issues and it's good to rehearse those it's good to debate it's good to talk always praise god there's an atmosphere in our church where you don't have to tow the party line you do with reference to the deity of Christ you do with reference to the tri-unity you do with reference to justification by faith alone but post mills and our mills and pre mills can all dwell together in unity in our church that's good that's not what's happening here that's not what's in view here you see if the Pharisees have their way and the Herodians have their way Tuesday's going to end with Jesus being executed for sedition now they do ultimately get their way under the plan and predetermined purpose of God so that Christ may indeed save his people from their sins but this is what's in view King Spurgeon said our great thought reading king was not to be deceived by their flattery or their crafting a crafty questioning notice he knows that it's a test and notices well that he calls them hypocrites Jesus wouldn't care one whit about our safe space today Jesus would not be deterred from speaking truth pastor Porter mentioned with reference to John the Baptist he wasn't a limp-wristed proceed preacher would you go out to see you go out to see some court profit that's going to say what you want to hear did you go out to here or did you go out to see a man who's bought and paid for by the government no you went out to hear the truth with John the Baptist well Jesus Christ is the same isn't he you hypocrites I love that instant in Luke's Gospel when Jesus is reproving the Pharisees and someone says to him Lord when you say this you offend the lawyers too and then he says woe to you lawyers he doesn't care about political correctness he doesn't care about your safe space he doesn't care about those things which are near and dear to your unregenerate heart what Jesus cares about is truth you see what they said in verse 16 is absolutely accurate they didn't believe it but it was true here's a regard the face of men he's not holding them in partiality he's not saying we owe the religious leaders in Israel and I I have to be kind and pleasant to you you know there's at instance in acts 23 where the Apostle Paul is before the high priests and the Apostle Paul reproves the high priest and he gets a slap in the face and Paul says well I didn't know he was the high priest interpreters differ on that they said well you know Paul had malaria 'perhaps and his eyes weren't good so I didn't know it was the high priests and so you can't really fault him because he invokes the Mosaic law that you shall not speak evil against a ruler I don't take it that way I think it with Calvin I didn't know you were the high priests because you're not acting like the high priest and if you need to be reproved it doesn't matter who you are or what you say and this is what Christ does hypocrites you mask-wearing fools notice his response then verse 19 show me the tax money it is intriguing isn't it that Jesus and His disciples don't have the tax money not could be inferred that they were poor could be inferred that they were tax evaders don't think so it could be inferred that because the very inscription on the coin offended many Jews they would never be caught dead with it in the temple precinct remember the Jews operated according to the second commandment they thought images of Yahweh were wrong and they were right but images of an earthly Roman God would be wrong as well so why we carry one around our pockets it's another reason why they hated tax collectors in first century in first century Israel because they trafficked in imagery they trafficked in in idols as far as the common rank-and-file were concerned that'll take from this that Jesus is against paying taxes don't take from this that Jesus is against looking at this particular image but it is intriguing that he doesn't have the coin but his opponents do and this is the beauty of this answer you already have the man's head in your pocket you're already subject to him it's been well said whoever controls the money has the power hi dawn also said I don't have a problem with gun control if there's a gun around I just want to be in control right who coins the money who puts their mug on the money you're asking me about whether to be subject to this governing empire and you've got this money in your pocket he's already won the argument when they pull it out and hand it to him he asks them whose images on it whose image and who's inscription well it was Tiberius Caesar and you know what it said on one side of the coin it said Tiberius Caesar son of the Divine Augustus you understand that they thought the Roman emperors were gods this is why when the church called Jesus Lord and Savior yes it was to honor Christ to be sure it was to be consistent with Old Covenant revelation but as well it was to say to the Roman Empire we're not going to call Caesar Lord and Savior there's one Lord and Savior and that's Jesus Christ but you see Caesar positioned himself as Lord and Savior over the Roman Empire so on the one side of the coin it said Tiberius Caesar son of the Divine Augustus and on the other side Pontifex Maximus which means high priest RT France says he is thus proclaimed to be not only son of the Divine Augustus but also a high priest listen the two titles together could hardly be more calculated to offend Jewish piety in other words it couldn't get any worse for a Jew it couldn't be any more of an affront to a pious Jew to consider what was on their queen edge so the question here that they asked Jesus is it lawful to pay taxes or not Jesus says show me a coin they hand in what Spurgeon says this tribute money was not a shekel of Jewish coinage the Roman Empire the Roman government allowed the Jews to do their own coins the shekel for the temple tax the Jews were able to engage in coinage but to pay this census act it had to be the Roman coinage it had to be this with Tiberius Caesar suspension says this tribute money was not a shekel of Jewish coinage but money of the Roman Empire this was a plain proof that whether they liked it or not they were Roman subjects he see his brilliance you see the beauty they put him on the horns of a dilemma he'll ultimately say yes but it will be qualified to be sure but he's already shown them he's already used them to indict themselves you're a far cry from asking whether we ought to be subject to the Roman government or not when you're slapping around their coinage when you've got the image of Tiberius Caesar in your pocket this one who is being accredited son is that outside the divine Augustus as one who's being called high priest with reference to the Roman Imperial cult Spurgeon says and Caesar was their ruler now that brings us to consider finally after the answer Caesars the implication drawn from the coin again i don't think that Jesus wouldn't look at this coin jesus knew the coinage Jesus submitted to the earthly government and fought as far as they did not command and descent wasn't so fast idiots that he wouldn't mention Tiberius Caesar he wouldn't mention this particular coin when they answer him it's Caesars now Jesus draws out this implication render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are gods brilliant do you know how much glorious wondrous and awesome ethics and theology is packed into this statement render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's the tax is an obligation that you are due to pay him you benefit from his roads you benefit from certain things that are in place you benefit from his standing army you benefit so as a result render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's the tax was a due payment for what they had received from the imperial government which they had acknowledged by using the imperial currency you see these weren't the essenes these weren't some persons that went lived out on in huts and repudiated everything about their own government these weren't the guys that you know constructed pulls out in the wilderness and sat on top of them read the history of the church you had months that did that imagine that is your life what's your job I sit on the top of a pole anybody would be inclined to say why do you do that you knucklehead jesus never called you to sit on the top of a pole get down there and be salt and be white and be faithful and be godly and be upright these guys weren't pole sitters they had the Roman currency they acknowledged the Roman government they benefited from it the very fact that they got to coin their own shekels means that they had benefited from the Roman government the kingdom that Jesus Christ preaches and inaugurates does not turn his people into political revolutionaries something we have to observe here we're going to make some application in a few minutes to try and say that the text does as well limit civil government but we need under stand that when Christ came on the scene it wasn't as a political revolutionary if that had been the case when he was led by the spirit out into the wilderness it would have been to be equipped with guns with amo with helmets with flak vest with a tank with a helicopter with all sorts of armament at his disposal because if he's going to revolt against the Roman Empire he's going to do it right he's going to win that's not his purpose brethren that's not the point Matthew 121 is a keyhole by which we interpret the rest of Matthew's Gospel what's the purpose for the Lord Jesus you shall call his name Jesus for it is he who will put down the Roman government for as he will bring up the Israelite nation for it as he will subject your enemy so that they are in an utter subjection to you know it is to save his people from their sins Christ is not a political revolutionary when we get to Luke chapter 23 now obviously the claims of Christ and the theology of christ and the preaching of Christ has political implications to be sure but in terms of his assault on you know the Jewish nation when they turn this around and say that he is in sedition against the Roman government which they just lie in Luke 23 it's just patently false Matthew Henry wrote concerning this passage he says that the Christian religion is no enemy to civil government but a friend to it Christ's Kingdom doth not clash or interfere with the kingdoms of the earth in anything that pertains to their jurisdiction by Christ Kings reign that's proverbs 8 15 where do you think Paul in Romans 13 127 and Peter in 1st Peter chapter 2 verses 13 to 17 got their doctrine when they start to apply the reality of the Christian living in submission to a civil authority notice that Paul and Peter don't tell them go buy guns like the Savior debt i'm not against guns bygones but don't do it to go revolt against ottawa but brethren that is not the instruction given by Paul and Peter with reference to the Civil the believers responsibility the civil government but notice Jesus doesn't stop render the things running a Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are gods these men didn't have any concept of this today these men had no what no inkling whatsoever of rendering unto god what was God's this is a beautiful in balance statement yeah Caesar has lawful jurisdiction in certain prescribed areas he's not without limit he's not on God's level he doesn't have supreme authority he doesn't have absolute sovereignty he doesn't have total dominion so you render to Caesar what is Caesar's but render to God what is God's what does God do God has do everything it's intriguing some of the early interpreters saw that on this coin was the image of Tiberius so therefore Tiberius is due fra do that image it's got his picture on it must belong to him right that makes sense doesn't it is everybody with me now I know that you know there's a little difference between Tiberius Caesar and dead presidents or dead prime ministers but at least right now we don't have an Imperial cult they had an Imperial cult in the Roman Empire and it means by which they celebrated this Imperial cult was on the coinage so if Tiberius's image is on that coin then Tiberius's do that coin some make the connection between that image in the image of God we are the image of God so what is God do God is do us not a coin not a piece of paper money but the totality of our being render to God therefore what is God's do not hold back allegiance yes do what Caesar says that doesn't contradict what God says but never the s give yourself holy to the Lord isn't this consistent with our Lord's teaching in the Sermon on the Mount Matthew 633 seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you isn't this consistent with what the apostle paul says in romans 12 after having developed the doctrine of the Christian gospel in chapters 12 11 he comes to apply it in chapter 12 and following and he says therefore beloved by the mercies of God I beseech you to do what to present your bodies as a living sacrifice unto God it is to be holy it is to be acceptable and this is reasonable or rational service if what is true in Romans 12 11 and it's been applied to you why are you so stingy why do you hold back why do you give him just a little thing here or there you bear His image therefore you belong to him you've been redeemed by his beloved son therefore you belong to him and as a result of that yes pay Caesar what is Caesar's but give to God what is God's Spurgeon says to us the lesson of this incident is that the state has its sphere and we must discharge our duties to it but we must not forget that God has his throne and we must not allow the earth Kingdom to make us traitors to the heaven Kingdom Caesar must keep his place and by no means go beyond it but God must have the spiritual Dominion to himself alone it's beautiful answer isn't it render to Caesar the things that belong to Caesar render to God the things that belong to God now note the conclusion of the dispute they marvel at his wisdom I mean even they could see he successfully navigated that horns of a dilemma he successfully answered he showed us he put us in our place they marveled brethren that's what verse 22 says when they had heard these words they marveled huh what do you think he was going to get out that one huh that was pretty amazing huh we thought for sure he'd be stomped there we didn't see I commented with their walking back to wherever Pharisees and Rodians go and their musing on this interchange scratching their melons and saying we just didn't see that he bested us he got us he confounded us gets what he's going to do the Sadducees the same thing guess what he's going to do to the scribes of the scrollable Pharisee he's going to do the same thing guess how he's going to end this interchange when he asks them about the identity of David's son he's going to do the same thing you see some in this world have good days some in this world give good answers when pressed you watch political debates for instance sometimes they'll make a zener other days they just bought Christ is consistently brilliant Christ is consistently wise Christ is consistently legit Christ is consistently able to shut the mouths of detractors Christ is able to do always those things that please God they marvel and then they went their way that's sad isn't it there'll be people today in this service that might marvel a bit at what Christ answered and then depart and go their way there'll be people all over the earth today that here the Christian gospel they'll hear the preaching of the Cross they'll hear of redemption through bought its own men they'll hear of the beauties and the excellencies of this Christ and they may even nod and say wow I never understood that that's beautiful it's wonderful but they won't believe they'll depart what are you going to do this morning I hope you'll all agree at least at some root fundamental level that what Christ does here is brilliant you know it's brilliant as well when he says the Son of man did not come to seek and to say to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom many it's as brilliant when the Lord Jesus is speaking specifically concerning his death and his resurrection and that for sinners you see everything that Jesus says is brilliant it's wise it's excellent do not make the mistake of these Pharisees and herodians today do not leave him and go there go your own way this is something specifically they had said concerning Jesus notice in verse 16 it says teacher we know that you are true and teach the way of God in truth I don't know if Matthew wanted us to compare this as closely as I'm about to but perhaps he did he teaches the way of God in truth these men marvel at his wisdom and then they depart in their own way contrary to truth contrary to that which is holy and good and righteous and excellent you know it's easy to see these fools in Matthew 22 it's easy to see these Pharisees and herodians and say wow you guys you're not the brightest bulbs in the chandelier and yet as I said right here in this place some will hear concerning the brilliance the wisdom and the excellence of Jesus Christ and you're going to walk out that door or you're going to walk out that door on your own way there is a way that seems right unto a man but its way or its end is destruction Solomon tells us do not be like these Pharisees and herodians do not be like those who plot against Jesus who seek to entangle Jesus who try and test Jesus and when Jesus successfully answers that marvel at it because you've been bested in an argument but not submit to him not bow down to him not confession as Lord and Savior do not make that mistake friend if you're here you've probably been here before or some other house of worship you have probably at some point in your life heard the message concerning Jesus and I will ask you why were you depart and go your own way today when you are presented with the majesty and the excellence and the brilliance and the glory of Jesus why do you refuse why do you resist why do you reject and even when you do come to him plotting and seeking to entangle and and testing it he answers you know many testimonies there's been in the in the history of the church of persons that that set out to read the Bible simply to prove it to be false what happens to them they start and Dan by the time they get to Beersheba their confessing faith in Jesus now I know that hasn't happened every single time the Brethren the Bible has stood the test of time for millennia Joe of it when the tractors comes are you bible-believing fools you'd site there an ostrich sticking your head in the sand well we know better don't we we know that those who resist and reject the Bible are the ostrich sticking their heads in the sand they want to try and disabuse themselves of the knowledge of God they don't like to retain the knowledge of God and so therefore they shove their heads in the sand and hope he goes away that will never work that will never work I think it was Gary tomorrow Greg Bahnson said if somebody pulls a gun on you in the parking lot puts it up to your head it will do you no good to say but I don't believe in the existence of gods I don't believe that guns exist and yet some charging Christianity with pursuing some wish fulfillment are engaged in their own wish fulfillment repudiating the Lord God of truth rejecting the entirety of this this canvassed it screens God and they stick their heads in the sand they may hear in the brilliance of Jesus and then they'll go their own way don't be a Pharisee or a Herodian today well in conclusion I think we see successfully the wickedness of this religious leadership you see by the time we get to all of it by the time Jesus prophecies concerning the destruction of Jerusalem I hope none of us are scratching our head saying I wonder why why did God take vengeance upon this nation why did God visit them with this judgment look at them he came to his own and his own received and not they crucify by the Lord of glory the Messiah that was written of the Messiah that their prophetic scriptures pointed to in great detail very descriptive Lee and yet they plot against him they seek to entangle him they test him and ultimately they'll drama false charges against him and then lead the crowd to say away with him away with him crucify him it is right it is meet it is just for this certain came to be offended at the way these persons responded to this invitation to the wedding fees to burn their city it is consistent with this King to take their kingdom from them and give it to a nation the church that bears the fruits of it secondly I hope you appreciate and I hope you praise god for the wisdom of our beloved Lord he's not taken by flattery how many of us at verse 16 would have said wow you guys are so nice I just love to be fawned over I just love to be flattered what you say is so nice what you say is so wonderful brethren you know there's a good grid cast out the worst things people say about you and cast out the best things people say about you you're probably in between you're probably not the Beast of Revelation that some people identify you as that you're not Paul so do not be doomed with flattery Christ is not a narcissist Christ isn't just drinking it head Christ sees through this he sees the daggers behind the smiles as Davies and Allison remind us and Jesus answers them most effectively thirdly we ought to appreciate now this is a short brief statement render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are gods but it's a packed statement we certainly do not have time to go into everything concerning the believer in the civil authority but let me just give you a few suggestions in the first place we must reflect upon the duties as outlined in Romans 13 127 including taxation in verse 7 and then as well first Peter to 13 to 17 also titus 3 1 and 2 let's reflect upon that the Christian insofar as he hurt her is able ought to be a good citizen ought to be someone that is praiseworthy by Caesar again that doesn't mean Caesars going to invite you over and give you lots of good things in Romans 13 I think the praise that the magistrate gives to the believer is to leave them alone no better praise could I receive from Caesar than that he leave me alone that's it just leave me alone I Wilson praised I will feel happy I will feel delighted the believer second we must recognize that if the magistrate ER government government or civil authority commands us to disobey God we must obey God rather than that acts four acts five they were forbidden to preach the gospel what does Peter say Peter says we must obey God thirdly the believer should and must pray for those who are in authority first Timothy 2 1 and 2 the backdrop I think is the exile in Jeremiah 29 the letter comes to the exiles and the Exiles in Babylon are told to pray for the Peace of the city they find themselves if they were not told to march against Babylon they were not told to go against Nebuchadnezzar they were told to pray for the Peace of the city that they were in exile in so that they might benefit from that piece Paul does the same thing in first Timothy chapter 2 verses 1 and to pray for kings and all we're in authority why so that we can meet a peaceable in a quiet life again best thing government can do is to leave us alone so that we can worship our God best thing farrell could do was to let god's people go so they could go into the wilderness and worship Yahweh he tried to append he tried to stipulate he tried to attach himself every step of the way until the death of the firstborn and then the people went as well we ought to recognize the limits of civil authority the limits of civil authority render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's there is a definite number of things that belong to Caesar he's not omniscient he's not totalitarian he is not Big Brother he's not always watching you he is not the omniscient state brethren I think Christian believers today need to be reminded of this there are limits set upon civil authority they don't have the prerogative to do anything and everything they don't have the right to our lives to our children to our money to our this too they don't have total claims they don't have the prerogative to demand full allegiance now they'll always try they'll always seek to encroach they'll always grab a bit more if they can but believer you need to recognize that there are lawful limits that are to be appended to the Civil sphere we live in a society where we assume federal involvement from cradle to grave now don't come as a prophet who lives out in the wilderness to yell at you people the federal government just spend two spent a few shekels to put my hip back together I can't even envision a world where the government isn't involved in everything let's not always been that way and I don't know that it's always supposed to be that way now to leave you're saying Butler's preaching revolt let's go to the wilderness let's arm up let's march on ottawa no I am Telling You however to recognize that your dependence is upon you alway not cradle-to-grave dependence upon the civil state ask the question sometime brethren in a political election cycle ask what is the duty and responsibility of the state it is very delimited in the Old Covenant what was Israel doing were they involved from the cradle to the grave where the judges involved in every step of you know you know how many oz are in the Old Testament there is the decalogue to be sure the Ten Commandments with our substance foundational to all the rest their 613 you might think that sounds like a big number but there's probably 613 laws that have been passed in Ottawa or in Washington this year alone we've got tax codes that are that fit why do I have to be a rocket scientist or pay someone a great deal of money to pay my taxes again I'm not advocating revolt there is submission to the governing authorities Romans 13 but brethren realized your dependency is not on Caesar we ask the question of the New Testament when Paul is speaking in Romans 13 notice he doesn't talk about stethoscopes he doesn't talk about education he doesn't know about roads he didn't talk about all these systems now yeah those things might have been present I don't know if he talks about the sword why does Caesar wield the sword it was to protect us from enemies foreign and domestic it is to protect us from invaders that want to come and take what we've got and kill us and as well it is for punishment of criminal doers in our societies the role of government should be limited the state is occupied an almost omnipresent presence in North America again I'm not saying go live on you know in a hut go climb to the top of a pole but at some point believers have to ask the question really should they be doing all that stuff maybe we ought to vote for the guy who's not going to micromanage every jot and tittle of my redeemed humanity you know what the best form of government is obviously under Jesus Christ self government control yourself and you won't need micromanagement from some sovereign state should be very small when we all when we boil it all down John Chrysostom said but thou when thou hearest render unto Caesar the things which are Caesars know that he is speaking only of those things which are no detriment to godliness since if anything be such as this detrimental to godliness such a thing is no longer users tribute but the devil's the devil's I fear brethren that not just the world but believers as well have forgotten that fundamental in economic principle called can staffel there ain't no such thing as a free lunch when it appears that the government is handing us freebies we must understand they're getting it from somewhere any other society any other thinking human calls this theft when I take it from someone and I give it to someone else you say well what if they don't take it from someone and they just create money that's inflation that ruins everybody let's just spread the misery to all brethren you are not owed from cradle to grave you are not old freebies from the moment you peer your head out of your mother's womb till the day that you die again I don't have all the answers I'm not saying let's live in huts let's go colonize the Kootenays I'm just suggesting that biblical Christians start to think biblically it's so frustrating we don't have answers for the opposition we don't have answers for the detractors because at the time we can't formulate one iota of biblical teaching on anything and then finally the believer in spiritual authority Cesar doesn't get absolute authority or allegiance rather but God does if you learn anything this morning learned that I didn't advocate revolt but as well learn that you owe everything to God Most High you need to seek first the kingdom of God in His righteousness you need to present your bodies as a living sacrifice to God what is Paul do in 1st Corinthians chapter six when he's urging people in the church to flee sexual in morale what does he do see you have a more satisfied life in that regard if you just tow the line there'll be more fulfillment when you find the guy or the girl of your dreams will be more wholesome in the long run now those would all certainly be good pursuance I don't think any of us should go out to try to make our lives miserable but he says clarified God in your body why shouldn't you yield to that temptation in the backseat of a car because you were purchased with a price blood has been shed when that man or that woman tries to lay claim on something that is not their prerogative you rear back in the language of pastor Robert an insane oh this body was purchased by Jesus Christ you see the principal ender to God yourself give him everything give him your time give him your talents give him your energy we saw this on Wednesday night Michael that deadbeat Michael the wife of David looking through the window in second samuel chapter 6 at verse 16 and she despises David in or heart because he's dancing and he's whirling about now as I said on Wednesday night do not come in here and dance and whirl about that was connected the Old Covenant worship there's an argument to be made as to why that's no longer acceptable in the house of God but the point is David was using accepted conventions he takes off his royal robes he's there in a linen a phone and he is whirling about the Ark of the Covenant because he's thrilled with his God and she says Wow short tries to indict him and said all the maids today got a good glimpse of the king of Israel dead and dead and he says no it was before the Lord I whirl and I dance and I praise and ice cream god it's not because of those maids it's not because of what men say not because of what men see and then David actually has the gall to say Michael you ain't seen nothing yet if this is in dignified you haven't seen anything that I will give my god the allegiance praise the honor the worship and the adoration that is due him it's like Blakey said I quoted him on on Wednesday night yes there's times for calm spirit yes there is time to be subdued but certainly there is something awry when we give the world our zeal and coldness to Christ when we're more fired up at the game or at the political debate when we're more fired up about some recipe we discovered I don't know that that actually happens or we're more fired up about a deal that we sealed at work or we're more fired up about that the car that we've got brethren there's something wrong in Zion when Jesus gets coldness and everything else gets our art and zeal and our heartfelt devotion I'm not talking about people out there examine your hearts this is a call for all of us are we're entering to God the things that are gods we are His image he is owed us the only way to render to God the things that are gods is through the cross you're not a believer here this morning belief look to the lord jesus christ that one of whom we read he preached repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand that one who said all those who come to me will have everlasting life it is faith in christ it is belief in christ it is the cross of christ by which we learn and are enabled to render unto God the things that are gods well let us pray our Father we thank you for the word of God we thank you for the kindness that you display to us we thank you for your mercy and your grace we would pray that help us to understand this very short very support the sublime and most excellent saying of our Savior that we are indeed to render unto Caesar the things that are his God give us grace to render unto God unto God the things that are has helped us to see that you do have total rights to our allegiance you have Dominion and authority over us give us grace as individuals as as children as husbands as wives as parents as churchmen as workers as as citizens may we do all that we do for the glory and the honor and praise of our great God we ask that you would go with us now we pray that you'd bring us together tonight that we may worship you in spirit and in truth and we pray through Christ our Lord amen why don't we stand will sing the doxology a fitting way to end Russian concerning praise and worship and all of us giving all of us to our great God base of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all