Whose Kingdom Are You Living For? // 9:30 AM

Main message: The sermon teaches that Jesus’ kingdom is advanced through full surrender, not negotiation, and that believers must give God their whole lives because they bear his image. It walks through Mark 12 to show how Jesus answers traps from the religious leaders and exposes the false kingdoms of religion and rebellion.

Key points:

• The Pharisees, Herodians, Sadducees, and scribes each bring a different challenge to Jesus, but all are really clashing with his kingdom.
• Jesus’ answer about taxes means we should render to Caesar what is his, but more importantly render to God what is God’s: our whole selves.
• Civil authority has a real place, but it is not ultimate; God has ultimate authority over everything.
• The coin bears Caesar’s image, but people bear God’s image, so identity and allegiance belong to him.
• The Sadducees’ resurrection question is answered by Jesus with a rebuke: they do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.
• The sermon ends with a call to repent of negotiation, hidden sin, fear, pride, addiction, bitterness, and other divided loyalties, and to come into full surrender to King Jesus.

Scriptures mentioned: Mark 12:13-44, Matthew 11:12, Deuteronomy 10:14, 1 Chronicles 29:11, Colossians 1:15, Romans 13:1, Exodus 1, Daniel 4, Daniel 3, Acts 5:29, Deuteronomy 25, Genesis 1, Acts 2