DAY 85
Marc Turnage
Scripture
Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be sincere. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said, so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor. So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
He saw through their duplicity and said to them, “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent. - Luke 20:20-26
During Jesus’ final week, we find the chief priests conspiring to publicly embarrass Him, trip Him up, and back Him into a corner, but they can’t do that! Instead of falling into their trap, He publicly exposes their corruption.
Jesus is the Son of God, continuously calling them, and us, to repentance and to acknowledge God’s lordship. Even in the midst of a world that sometimes frustrates, overwhelms, and confuses us, Jesus still challenges us to continue to submit to God’s rule and reign, and to give to God that which is God’s: our love and our obedience.
Question: Could there be a situation in your life where you are holding someone else to a standard that you yourself are breaking? What areas in your life could you be tempted to give your primary allegiance to something else other than to God?
Family Chat: What does this statement mean: "Give to God that which is God’s: our love and our obedience"? Discuss as family what this practically looks like.
Take Action: Write down each time this week you sense God prompting you to obey Him. Journal about your experiences and talk to your accountability partner about the outcomes—when you got it right, and maybe when you missed the mark.
Additional Resources: