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In Luke 20:41-21:4 Jesus asks a question of his own to invite his adversaries to give deeper reflection to who the Messiah really is. When Jesus quotes from Psalm 110 he reveals the Messiah is much more than simply a descendant of David. He is the Lord over all who will overcome the worst of our enemies - sin and death. When he warns his disciples not to become like the Scribes he demonstrates he is the better ruler. The Scribes were looking for too little in a Messiah. They couldn't see that in Jesus God had given them a beautiful King. A king who gives instead of takes. A king who sacrifices himself instead of exploiting others for gain. A king who gives his life so others might live. Is this the Jesus you know? 

In Luke 20:27-40 the Sadducees confront Jesus about a core doctrine of the Christian faith — life after death. In this third confrontation in the Temple, Jesus responds to an influential group who twists the Scriptures to make a particular belief look ridiculous. A few lessons we can learn as we confront scoffers in our day are: (1) be biblical, (2) be gentle and respectful, and (3) be direct. Christians should respond to those who misinterpret the Bible by being well-grounded in Scripture, confident in both Jesus’ and Scripture’s authority, convinced of the truth of the resurrection, and characterized by gentleness and respect in all discussions.

Without the resurrection, concepts of judgment, accountability, and eternal life lose their meaning. The call is to trust in the authority of God and to present the truth boldly and lovingly, ensuring that our defense of the gospel remains rooted in Scripture.

Big Idea: One is to give to God what belongs to Him—oneself.

Summary: In Luke 20:19-26 the religious leaders attempt to trap Jesus by spying on him and pinning him down with an ‘either-or’ question. Through the issue of “tribute” tax they hope to condemn Jesus either to the Romans politically or the Jews religiously. The king without a coin asks to borrow one so he can teach us something we all tend to miss. Jesus wisely responds to their ‘either-or’ question with a ‘both-and.’ This passage is not primarily about what is owed to the state, but what is owed to God (much like the vineyard owner and the fruit that was rightfully his - Luke 20:9-18). The real questions is this: “Since you have the image and likeness of God inscribed on you, have you given to God what is his?”

Next Steps: Consider the following questions as you read the Scripture and listen to the sermon:

• What does this section mean?
• What does it teach about God?
• What does it teach about Jesus and the gospel?
• What is my next step as a follower of Jesus?

In Luke 20:9-19 Jesus tells a parable of a master who owns a vineyard, cares for it, and leases it to tenants. When he sends messengers to them to gather what belongs to him, they mistreat, shame, and beat them. When he finally sends his son to collect what belongs to him, thinking they would honor the heir and not kill him, the tenants murder the son. Jesus asks a riveting question, “What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?”

From Jesus’ teaching we learn about the forbearance and patience of God in the face of judgment (Romans 2:4), the goodness of God when we overlook his care (Isaiah 5:4), and God’s love for us even while we are still sinners (20:13; John 3:16-17; Romans 5:8). We also come to find out that the stone the builders rejected (Christ Jesus) has become the cornerstone, and eternal life hinges on him (1 Peter 2:6). This is a reference to Christ’s resurrection. Peter quotes Psalm 118 (the very Psalm Jesus quotes in 20:17) in Acts 4:10-12 after the cripple man was healed: “let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

In Luke 19:45-20:8 we learn about a cleansed temple and a questioned Savior. Jesus throws the sellers out because the temple was supposed to be a place to worship and communion with God; not a busy marketplace of big business. This shows us it's possible to be busy about religious things and still miss what's most important -- worship of God from the heart. When the religious leaders questioned Jesus's authority they reveal their own hardheartedness and blindness to the many demonstrations of divine authority he had already given. Do you see and believe who Jesus really is?

In Luke 19, Jesus enters Jerusalem as the promised Messiah (Zechariah 9:9), and his coming as King brings joy or calamity, depending on how he is received.

In Luke 19:11-27, Jesus tells a parable about a throne claimant who goes away and returns as king. Luke tells us the reason for this parable was twofold: he was approaching Jerusalem, and they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. Two major themes surface: (1) Jesus’ authority as king, and (2) the accountability of all to him. If faithfulness is rewarded by an an evil tyrant king, how much more will that be true for the Prince of Peace?

After Jesus tells this parable, he enters Jerusalem as king (19:28-40), but not a king of war and slaughter, but one of peace (Zechariah 9:9; Isaiah 9:6). Jesus looks over the city and weeps, for he knows their rejection of him as king will result in the desolation of Jerusalem within just a few decades. They neither knew the things that made for peace (v.42) nor the time of their visitation (v.44). The king has suddenly appeared at his temple (Malachi 3:1; Luke 19:45-46).

We will not have peace with God, peace with others, peace in the world, or peace within our own heart until Christ becomes our peace (Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:13-14).

In Luke 19:1-10 we meet Zacchaeus, a man most of us have heard about in Sunday School. Zacchaeus’ encounter with Jesus counterbalances Jesus’ confrontation with the rich young ruler (18:18–30). Both men are described as rich and both hold high office (“ruler”, 18:18; “chief tax collector”, 19:2). One walks away from Jesus sad, for he was extremely rich (Luke 18:23). The other received Jesus joyfully and started giving away his wealth. Jesus called Zacchaeus by name. He is known by the community as a sinner, but more importantly he is known by the Son of God as forgiven. They’d never met before, but the Lord knew Zacchaeus before Zacchaeus knew the Lord. Jesus came to seek and to save lost people like Zacchaeus.

In Luke 18:35-43, we learn about a blind beggar meeting Jesus on the roadside. Not only is this blind beggar destitute and entirely at the mercy of others, he is also an outcast and excluded from the worshiping community. He cries out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" This blind beggar stands in marked contrast to the rich ruler (Luke 18:18-24). The rich man had everything the world could offer, but he could not see that Jesus was the greatest gift he could ever have hoped for. In contrast the blind beggar has nothing, yet he saw in the darkness of his blindness the light of heavenly promise in Jesus. Do you see what the blind man sees?

In Luke 18, after a rich young ruler walked away from the greatest gift in the world, Jesus addressed his twelve disciples. Rather than elaborate on the young man’s departure, Jesus prophesied about his own death and resurrection.

Christmas creates a crisis of sorts — a series of questions. Is Jesus the Messiah, the Christ (God’s anointed rescuer of sinful humanity), or not? Is Jesus, the one born in Bethlehem and placed in a feeding trough, truly the eternal Son of God? Can Jesus forgive sin and grant eternal life? Is he the only way to the Father rather than one of many ways? The response to each of these is to believe, and this belief is based on the fulfillment of prophecies concerning Christ’s birth, death, and bodily resurrection.

One of the purposes for Luke providing “an orderly account” is that we “may have certainty concerning the things” we “have been taught” about Jesus (Luke 1:3-4). John said his purpose is “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31). 

In Luke 18:18-30 we find a man who had it all – wealth, youth, and authority. Sadly, he lacked what was most important and he walked away from the greatest gift in the world. Jesus exposed the real treasure of his heart by telling him, "Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor" (Luke 18:22). This man refused to loosen his clutch on wealth and would not receive the kingdom like an infant (Luke 18:17). He came to the right person with a searching question, but he had a wrong understanding of eternal life (John 17:3). Jesus said it's difficult for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God. Here's the good news. Jesus said, "What is impossible with man is possible with God" (Luke 18:27). Don't walk away from the greatest gift in the world.

In Luke 18:9-17 Jesus teaches a parable about two people and two destinies to confront any notion that we can trust in ourselves to be righteous. The Pharisee shows us doing good things does not get you into God's Kingdom. The Tax Collector shows us even the worst of the worst can enter God's Kingdom. Entering God's kingdom doesn't require our self-righteous efforts, it requires depending on God's work of atoning mercy. You will only experience God's Kingdom if you depend entirely on God's mercy like an infant depends entirely on its mother. Do you?

Luke 18-1-8 contains a parable and an application that continue the theme of Jesus’ return. The parable forms the conclusion of 17:20-37. Jesus asks a searching question at the close of the parable — “when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Luke 18:8). What’s the point? Disciples must pray with persistence while waiting for final vindication lest they become despondent during the period of delay when injustice abounds. Don’t lose heart, for justice will be served.