Weekly Sermons

The Christians Dual Citizenship

Throughout history there have been countries like Rome with Leaders who were often threatened by worship of God – and God’s people have had to learn how to “honor” the role of their earthly leaders while only worshipping their Eternal King. Today’s passage helps!

Matt. 22:15-22

God’s people currently live in countries in which their default setting is to obey the laws of the land, but will one day live under King Jesus’ rule over the world from Jerusalem. When authorities now ask us to violate our faith, we must obey God instead, regardless of the consequences.

Opposition to Jesus makes strange allies                                              V. 15-21a

There would have been very little these two groups agreed on and they did not like each other at all – but opposition to Jesus brought them together!

Herod the Great was still King when Jesus was a baby, and tried to have the prophesied “King of the Jews” killed. His son Herod Antipas had John the Baptist killed and wanted to kill Jesus (Luke 13:31).

“I am the Way, the Truth, the Life, no one comes to the Father except through Me!”                 -John 14:6

When they ask “Is it lawful” they are asking “is it in accordance with the divine teaching, the sacred law, the Torah.”

But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.                                               -John 2:25

This coin was a silver coin, the value of a day’s wages for a Roman soldier. The word for inscription is eikon; in the Greek Septuagint the same word is used to say people are created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27).

Following Jesus gives Christians dual citizenship                              V. 21b-22

Caesar’s image is on the coin, so he can lay claim to a citizen’s money through taxation, but God’s image is on humanity, so He can lay greater claim to each individual’s life.

“There is not a square inch in the whole domain of human existence over which Christ, who is Lord over all, does not exclaim, ‘Mine’!”                                                                                     -Abraham Kuyper

What the Christian realizes is that God is sovereign over the situations His people are born into. One of the realms of discipleship is learning how to serve God as citizens of the country we are in. Some of those countries are hostile to our faith, but we can make a difference in those countries!

The Christian’s default setting is to render obedience to governing authorities and be among the most helpful citizens; We only disobey authorities when they command us to disobey God (Rom. 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17; 1 Timothy 2:1-4; Acts 4:18-20; Acts 5:27-29).

“Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”                                                                               -2 Corinthians 5:20

Christians are ambassadors now in the countries they live in. One day Jesus Christ will rule the world physically from Jerusalem. In the mean time we have dual citizenship and live as ambassadors for Christ.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD: plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.    -Jer. 29:11

Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, do not decrease. Seek the welfare (shalom) of the city (Babylon) where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on it behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.   -Jer. 29:5-8