Sermon Guide

CONTROVERSIAL FAITH | THE CHURCH AND POLITICS

Teaching Text

Mark 12:13-17

Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?” But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” And they were amazed at him.

Sermon Recap

This Sunday, Pastor Jon Tyson continued our series on Controversial Faith with a message on how we, as Christians, should engage with politics. As seen in Mark 12, when Jesus was confronted with questions about politics, He asserted that we have an obligation to obey the government and respect our leaders because all human government is ordained by God. Furthermore, the true purpose of government is for God-ordained human flourishing. When conducted rightly, a government should contain order, work toward justice, cultivate virtue, champion the prosperity of its people, and provide safety. When we vote, we must look to parties and candidates that best encapsulate this framework for flourishing. We can prayerfully look to someone's policies, character, and competencies to understand their vision, and vote accordingly.

As followers of Jesus, we can also bring much to the political sphere. First, because we believe everyone bears the image of God, we bring a vision of human dignity. In addition, we bring an obligation to care for the poor and vulnerable among us. Third, because we know the heart can lead us astray, we bring a healthy suspicion of human nature, resulting in checks and balances. We also have a responsibility to "the other"— that is, we are called to love our neighbors and bless our enemies, no matter who they are. Lastly, Christians bring the power and favor of God to the sphere of politics.

While Jesus did establish the legitimacy of the government when He said to "give to Caesar what is Caesar's," He also says "give to God what is God's." This means there are times when we must resist the government, as any human institution has its limits. State authority is not definitive but derivative, because it derives all its power from God. In times of civil disobedience, we should be theologically measured, biblically informed, self-controlled, and sacrificial. We lose our witness if we don't protest when the need arises, but we also lose our witness if we protest in an ungodly manner.

There is no such thing as a Christian nation because we are all exiles, dual citizens in both our country and the Kingdom of God. We must live with a new, primary loyalty to the people of God and the mission of God, influencing culture through redemptive participation. As people of God, we can participate in politics with eschatological hope and humble conviction instead of despair. Ultimately, we pray, vote, protest, and practice principled pluralism because we know the solution to the problem of politics in our modern world: declaring Jesus is Lord.

If you missed this talk, you can watch it here today.

Discussion Questions

Connect

1. What is your favorite (or least favorite) part of Springtime? Do you have any traditions you look forward to in this season?

Character

Ask someone to read the teaching text (Mark 12:13-17) aloud. Then ask the following questions:

1. What words, phrases, or images stand out to you in the passage?

2. What do you observe about the way Jesus responds to the Pharisees and Herodians' question?

Consider

1. Do you feel eager or relucant to engage in politics? Why is that?

2. What do you think it means to "give to Caesar what is Caesar's" and to "give to God what is God's" in 2024?

3. Christians bring strong distinctives to the political sphere, namely, caring for the poor, expanding their view of their neighbor, and loving their enemies. How are you bringing these into your political sphere and/or how can you grow in living this way?

4. Pastor Jon mentioned four ways for Christians to redemptively engage in politics: pray, vote, protest, and engage in principled pluralism. Which one of these areas could you challenge yourself to practically grow in this year?

Cover

Think about one of your fears surrounding our politics today. Quiet your heart and ask the Spirit if He would like to say anything in response to your fear.