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.
-Mark 12:13-17
The average person makes up to 35,000 decisions a day. Some decisions are easy! Should I brush my teeth today? Yes. Yes, you should. Easy decision! Some decisions aren’t so easy. Should I shift my career? What should I major in? Do I start a particular treatment? When faced with difficult decisions, we consult with someone. Whether it’s a friend, family member, counselor, or medical professional, we ask someone else what we should do.
Mark 12 tells us that Jesus has an answer when we’re not sure what to do. This passage is a pillar to this truth because:
When we faithfully look to Jesus as our counselor who helps us make decisions, it becomes clear that Jesus is the Lord of our decisions. So, what decision do you need help making today? How can you bring Jesus into all 35,000 decisions you make in a day?
In the Old Testament, God walked with His people. In the New Testament, He became one of us through Jesus, embodying love and sacrifice. We are called to follow Jesus’ example by serving others sacrificially, even those we disagree with, because Jesus did this for us. While we were sinners, Jesus laid down His life to bring us back to the Father. Now, we must extend that same grace and love to everyone around us.
Desire is what we chase, whether big or small. While the world urges us to follow our flesh, the Kingdom calls us to live by the Spirit. As Christ followers, we surrender to Jesus, but old desires can linger. It takes intentional heart change to turn from these desires and embrace the freedom found in Christ.
The challenges from your past, which you once may have viewed as disadvantages, could actually be part of God's preparation for your future. Although you may not realize it, you’ve been practicing your talents and gifts since childhood. God will help you know when it’s “game time,” time to put that practice into play. Think of it like a navigation device in your car that recalculates your route when you veer off course; while missing your turns means the journey may become rougher and longer, if you’re listening, you can course correct and head toward your intended destination. Even during frustrating moments, God says, “Be Still” and know the Father's voice— He’s always present and loves you deeply.
A lot of us have an obsession with taking care of the outside of our bodies, but tend to not think twice about the inside. We focus solely on treating the outward symptoms so that other people don’t know our "flaws." In doing that we not only hide from those around us but also end up hiding ourselves from God. We focus so much on our worldly exterior that we miss our heart that is falling apart. When we accept Jesus into our lives, we have a new identity to recognize, and a call to SURRENDER our hearts to him. Surrender can’t just be a one-time thing. We sin daily and need to seek forgiveness from the sin, be authentic with others and God, and not try to hide the symptoms.
The order of God’s Kingdom is upside down from the order of the kingdom of this world. Even more so, the pattern to God’s kingdom is incompatible with the pattern of this world. It is our responsibility as a church to know the difference or we will mistakenly live into the wrong kingdom. The world’s kingdom leads to brokenness, emptiness and regret, but God’s Kingdom leads to healing, wholeness and blessing. Knowing that, how should the church interact with the world? Jesus teaches that we are to live in the world, but not like the world. God has designed an order between the church and the world. God asks us to be compassionate and broken towards the world and by doing that we make it easy for people to enter into a relationship with Jesus.
In a world filled with anxiety from financial instability, job stress, and personal struggles, it seems impossible to escape the constant worry that overtakes our minds and hearts. However, in the Kingdom of God, peace is meant to be the norm. While external stressors will always exist, our response to them can be transformed. As believers, we're called to seek God's Kingdom first, laying down our burdens and embracing His peace. To practice this peace, we can engage in prayer and journaling, focusing on God's promises and allowing the Prince of Peace to calm our anxious hearts.
Raising a family on Godly values can be challenging, but it’s crucial to keep God at the center. Regardless of your upbringing, God’s purpose and design for families remain constant. Reflect on God’s mission for families, find your allegiance, identity, and calling in Christ, and connect with a spiritual family for support. Joining a group can help you build a strong spiritual foundation for your family. Consider finding a group through 12stone.com/groups this week.
How forgiveness is handled in the Kingdom is different than how it’s handled outside the Kingdom. We know the Kingdom of God has a King, a culture, and a calendar, but it also has a code. The world’s code tells us to “get even.” But the Kingdom Code of Conduct instructs us to approach life differently. For followers of Jesus, the Kingdom Code that governs relationships is forgiveness. But sometimes forgiveness can be complicated. We need to forgive, and we need to be forgiven.
