Sermon Tone Analysis

Made in His Image

Taken from wikipedia: "The accounts in Matthew 22:15–22 and Mark 12:13–17 say that the questioners were Pharisees and Herodians, while Luke 20:20–26 says only that they were "spies" sent by "teachers of the law and the chief priests".

They anticipated that Jesus would oppose the tax, as their purpose was "to hand him over to the power and authority of the governor".[Luke

20:20] The governor was Pilate, and he was the man responsible for the collecting of taxes in Roman Judea.

At first the questioners flattered Jesus by praising his integrity, impartiality, and devotion to truth.

Then they asked him whether or not it is right for Jews to pay the taxes demanded by Caesar.

In the Gospel of Mark[12:15] the additional, provocative question is asked, "Should we pay or shouldn't we?"

Jesus first called them hypocrites, and then asked one of them to produce a Roman coin that would be suitable for paying Caesar's tax.

One of them showed him a Roman coin, and he asked them whose head and inscription were on it.

They answered, "Caesar's," and he responded: "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's".

The questioners were impressed.

Matthew 22:22 states that they "marveled" (ἐθαύμασαν) and being satisfied with the answer, they went away."

Taken from <https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/1093/why-is-the-give-to-caesar-what-is-caesars-answer-so-great>

:

You are making the interpretation that Jesus' answer was great: the text does say that the Pharisees who tried to 'trap' or 'entangle' Jesus 'were amazed' or 'marvelled'1 but the text does not spell out the reason why.

Other's here understand the 'trap' to be a question that would harm Jesus whichever way he chose to answer it, assuming that Jesus would face either:

the people turning against him if he came out in support of paying

the wrath of the authorities if he came out against

However the plain reading of Jesus response is that he does simply state that the tax should be paid (he doesn't only say that, but he does clearly say that), so the Pharisees amazement must have been because they were expecting the opposite response, and not because the response was somehow a clever way of wriggling out of their trap.

So, the answer 'amazed' them because they were expecting Jesus to reject the tax

This is well supported with a close look at the approach the Pharisees took:

16And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances.

17Tell us, then, what you think.

Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” ESV

the Herodians would not have been interested in coming along if they were expecting the answer Jesus gave: they must have been anticipating something they could use against Jesus

the Pharisees make a particular point of goading Jesus to tell the truth in his answer: Jesus enemies did not deny that he did good, but they interpreted his good deeds as a cover for an evil intent.

They thought he would tell the truth and were trying to make sure he gave an answer by drawing attention to his truthfulness with evil-intentioned flattery

the question is not about whether it is right to pay taxes to Caesar, but about whether it is legal.

This only makes sense if the practice of paying taxes to Caesar instead of the tithes stipulated by the law was occurring.

Jesus directly addresses this with his response:

“Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

The answer Jesus gives has amazing depth.

As well as addressing the legal question the Pharisee's ask, Jesus:

makes the point that Caesar already owns the what he is demanding of them

by implication asserts that God also already owns the things He commands them to give to Him

alludes to the image of God that Adam was created in: the suggestion is that God not only owns the taxpayers money, but also his very being: which must there be offered back in tribute

Conversation with Edith: I grew up knowing that being made in God's image had implications to my relationship with God.

Somehow, it helped me understand that I had a vertical connection between me and God, and that in some ways I reflected something of Him.

However, it wasn't until I was older that I learned how that had implications on my relationships with other people.

I had a unique personality.

God did not only create a body when He made me, but He also created a person; a soul, a personality, a will, and a mind.

"Let us make man in OUR image."

Notice that God did not say let us make man in my image.

There is a community and relationship aspect to God.

Read with me, .

(ESV)

26 Then God said, “Let us [why does He say "us?"] make man in our image [What is the significance of "our" in our image since I am one person?],

after our likeness [What did God intend by "likeness?"

He didn't mean physical resemblence since God is invisible.

So in what way do I reflect Him?].

And let them have dominion [Why did God desire for them to have dominion?

And what is dominion?]

over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

[

28 And God blessed them.

And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

29 And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit.

You shall have them for food.

30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.”

And it was so.

31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.

And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Parallel or contributing Verses to "Image bearers":

;

(ESV)

1 This is the book of the generations of Adam.

When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. 2 Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them Man when they were created.

, we try to create God in our image; our likeness.

But we cannot recreate Him in our image.

We must realize that we were meant to reflect His image.

We should show others what He is like.

People around us should be able to learn about God by how we live.

- Satan has blinded people from God.

They are desperate for hope, and peace and healing.

But they don't know what they are really wanting is only found in Jesus.

Jesus is the light.

gives a brief explanation of how we were made through Jesus, and He is the light that we reflect when we follow Him.

And that light in this dark world is being blocked.

The true image of God is Jesus, and we were made in Jesus.

When we come back to that basic relationship of following Him, we reflect His image.

; When we trust and believe in God, we are like new people.

And Paul is saying that Christian person truly reflects the image of God.

He gives two characteristics: true righteousness, and holiness.

and teach us that we have altered that image.

We need to be renewed to a true knowledge according to God's image.

We were meant to reflect God.

Resisting a Rest

I. God's Rest is a Promise for Later.

;

II.

God's Rest is a Gift for Now.

; ;

Use it to delight in Him.

[Seventh year, and 50th year of Jubilee.

, and , ]

Intro: Samuel and I walking.

I don't need to slow down or stop because of weariness or the lack of ability.

I stop so that Samuel can catch up and be with me.

If I continue at my pace and my ability, Samuel will be alone.

Why did God rest?

Why make a big deal about the 7th day of the week?

Why set it apart and make it "holy?"

Should we observe a sabbath day or rest day?

: ; [don't use Luke]