This Sunday, Pastor Adam shared a very thoughtful message. The sermon series, Labels, made us think about labels that we put on others and on ourselves and reminded us of the most important label we carry as children of an Almighty God.
Before the message started, the music in the introduction video sang, “When I look into the face of my enemy, I see my brother.” In the video, a young girl took pictures of various people who could be classified in so many different ways. Every photo she took showed visual differences between people, but the big picture is that all these people are our brothers and sisters.
Today and all throughout history, there have been divisions between people. There are so many divisions that people face in their daily life, and really too many to list, but the big picture is to know where your heart lies in the midst of these divisions. Divisions exist everywhere, we are not immune to divisions; we don’t want to hide under a rock, nor do we need to stand on a mountaintop yelling out our personal feelings or beliefs. What Pastor Adam taught us is that we can choose to disagree politically and love unconditionally at the same time.
Matthew 6:33 – 34 (NIT) reads, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”
The scripture reminds us that in all circumstances, we need to seek HIM first, in any viewpoint or opinion. Sometimes we put labels on others or others’ points of view, and we need to seek our Father before we put those labels on others or ourselves. Pastor Adam reminded us that Jesus exclusively declared that He is the way, the truth, and the life; He is the only way to God. Labels are divisive and create walls between neighbors, the church, and the people that we love. We need to choose to love others unconditionally. When we look at Matthew 6 again, we have to remind ourselves to put our faith first on every issue.
Mark 12: 13-17 (NIV) reads, “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.
As Jesus was teaching the way of God, the disagreeing and divided Pharisees and Herodians came together to try to trick and cancel Jesus. We all hear about cancel culture in today’s society, but even 2000 years ago, people were divided and wanted to put Jesus in a box. In cancel culture, we see how easy it is for society to convey disapproval and pressure others to withdraw support from public figures; it also comes from exerting social pressure on others. This is not what Jesus is about.
In verse14-15 they were trying to trick Jesus, and Jesus responded brilliantly. He asked them to bring him a denarius, and Jesus 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.” Jesus did not choose a side. Jesus reminded us that we belong to God, and God lays claim to our hearts. We can be given labels, but no matter what label you have, the kingdom of God is greater than all of that.
Luke 17:20-21 (NKJV) reads, “Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”
Let us remind ourselves that the Kingdom of God is within each one of us. We need to let the King of kings rule over our lives. Jesus is bigger than a political party. We need to look at others from God’s perspective, not our own perspective. We need to love our enemies, put kingdom values over politics, and set our hope on Christ. Let us show others what unconditional love looks like, even when we disagree.
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Monday: Seeking God above all else and not worrying about the outcome
Do you worry about what your friends, family, or co-workers say to you about their political or religious views? Those are just two of the many easy topics to be divided by. Do you feel labeled by others, or have you put labels on others around you? I’m sure for most of us the answer to one of these questions is yes. The Pharisees and Herodians tried to put a label on Jesus too. Pastor Adam reminded us that He transcends our politics; He is above all, and we do not need to worry about the outcome.
Reflection/ Action:
Read Matthew 6:33-34 (NLT) - Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
What does it look like in your life to seek the Kingdom of God above all else?
Tuesday - Let’s choose to believe it’s possible to disagree politically and love unconditionally
It is our choice to love unconditionally. In Pastor Adam’s message on Sunday, he gave us a snapshot of the politics of Jesus’ day. In the first century, people were also divided by politics, just like we are today. Jesus was in the middle of the mess, and he challenged others to look at their own hearts. Jesus didn’t pick sides, and he defied the labels of that day. We are reminded to put our faith first and not to lose heart. We don’t need to pick sides; we need to love unconditionally in every aspect of our life, even political issues.
Reflection/ Action:
Read John 13:34-35. So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
What does it say to others when we can worship God together with those who are different than we are?
Wednesday - Don’t be like the Pharisees & Herodians
On Sunday, Pastor Adam described in his sermon the differences between the Pharisees and Herodians. The Pharisees, on the right, wanted to make the nation more religious. They wanted to rid the nation of sin and tax collectors and wanted more righteous people. On the left were the Herodians who got along with the Romans and believed that big government was the answer. The two different sides came together to try to catch Jesus in his response.
Reflection/ Action:
Read Mark 12:13-15 (NIV) - 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.”
As you read the scripture, the Pharisees and Herodians stated that Jesus was a man of integrity, not swayed by others, and a teacher of God’s truth. Reflect on the acknowledgments that they made about Jesus. Despite their verbal acknowledgments, Jesus knew they were trying to trap him. Have you been put in a similar situation? How did you respond?
Heart Check: Have you ever found yourself trying to avoid God’s call by finding something you don’t agree with?
Thursday - Give to God what is God’s
Today we are going to continue to read the passage from Mark 12. Jesus responded to the Pharisees and Herodians. They were trying to get Jesus to pick a side, and his response showed his heart. Pastor Adam shared that Jesus held fast to truth and righteousness yet was full of compassion for the overlooked. Jesus had integrity, and he was not swayed. Just like Jesus, we should not sway. Nor should it matter which way the wind blows. We think that the winds may be blowing harder in today’s world, but we must remember that we are made in God’s image, and He lays claim to your heart. With your heart in God’s hands, no gust of wind or hurricane will make your heart sway.
Reflection/ Action:
Read Mark 12:16-17 (NIV) - 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.”
Do you recall a situation where the winds have affected your heart and where it lays? Was it hard to show unconditional love when the winds were flowing gently or when a tornado landed nearby?
After thinking about the situation(s), repeat to yourself: The Kingdom of God is within me.
What does it look like for you to give God what is God’s (yourself)?
Friday - You are God’s icon, made in his image
In Sunday’s message, Pastor Adam shared an image of a denarius, a coin with a picture of Caesar on it. For the past few days, you have been reading verses from Mark chapter 12. In this chapter, Jesus asked whose image was on the denarius. In Greek, the word image is translated as Eikon, or icon, which is a small picture of a larger reality. Jesus’ response was to give Caesar what belonged to Caesar. Adam shared that the coin was minted in the image of Caesar, but we are made in the image of God. We belong to God.
Reflection/ Action:
Read Mark 12:17b - “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”
Read Genesis 1:27 - So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God, he created them; male and female he created them.
Take a few minutes and look at your reflection in a mirror. Think about how God created you in His image.
What does it mean to you to be the image bearer of God himself?
Saturday - Where is the God’s Kingdom?
The kingdom of God is greater than any label that could be placed on you. On Sunday, Pastor Adam shared that the change we long to see is in Him, and in us. His power does not conquer and control nations, but rules hearts. We need to allow the King to rule over our lives; the Kingdom of God is within us.
Pastor Adam reminded us that when we have the perspective that Jesus invites us to have, it changes how we see our neighbors, how we engage with our community, and even how we treat our enemies. As I mentioned above, we need to love our enemies, put kingdom values over politics, and set our hope in Christ. We need to show others what unconditional love looks like, even when we disagree.
Reflection/ Action:
Read Luke 17:20-21 (NKJ) - Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”
How, then, should we live knowing that the Kingdom of God is within us?