Today is the 4th of July, as Americans we celebrate our freedoms and like most countries we have a "pledge of allegiance"

My question is simple----do we pledge our allegiance to country or God.
- which comes first?
- Can we pledge to both?
-

Mark 12:13–17 (NIV)
13 Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words.
14 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?
15 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.”
16 They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they replied.
17 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.

Remember the Pharisees (hated the ) and Herodians (followed Caesar and hated the Pharisees)

There were three taxes which were collected: 1. Ground Tax: Made up of 10% of all the grain and 20% of all the wine and fruit produced.
2. Income Tax: 1% of a person's income
3. Poll Tax: A flat tax (a day’s wage) men from 14 to 65 years of age and women between the ages of 12 to 65

The third son of Herod ruled the southern part of Israel and he was a bad ruler in 6 A.D. the Romans stepped in they initiate it new taxes a guy by the name of Judas of Galilee call against taxation/ and no better was no better than slavery. the call actually became no tribute to the Romans

- Coinage would always have the image of the person in charge, since the coins have the image of Caesar, we give to Caesar what is Caesars.
“The denarii bore the head of Tiberius and the inscription TI. CAESAR DIVI AVG. F. AVGVSTVS
(Tiberius Caesar, son of the divine Augustus, Augustus).

- but humanity has God’s image / we are created in Gods image so we need to give to God what is owed to God

1 error one or the other: Give to govt it’s due, to GOD, God’s due

Mark 12:18–27 (NIV)
18 Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question.

(Sadducees: hated the Pharisees and Herodians- no resurrection (only accept Torah(Pentateuch)

19 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.
20 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died without leaving any children.
21 The second one married the widow, but he also died, leaving no child. It was the same with the third.
22 In fact, none of the seven left any children. Last of all, the woman died too.
23 At the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?”
24 Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?
25 When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.
26 Now about the dead rising—have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the account of the burning bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?
27He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”

two Errors
a. “I am the GOD of….” There is a Resurrection
b. and no marriage in Resurrection---sorry folks

Matthew 22:30 “For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like angels in heaven.

Mark 12:28–34 (NIV)
28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

- (the Shema---Devout Jew morning and evening and affirms the truth of monotheism, one God)

30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

- (Jesus unites two OT teachings: the Shema and Hosea

32 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

(teacher quotes Hosea 6: 6 I desire mercy not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings)

34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

I Pledge Allegiance to....


Ask yourself these questions....

THOUGHT - If your horizontal relationships are "messed up," do not pretend to be in communion and fellowship with God (vertical relationship. John said it this way "If we say that we have fellowship with Him (VERTICAL) and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another (HORIZONTAL), and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:6-7+)