Luke 20
20 Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be sincere. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said, so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor. 21 So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 22 Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?
Luke 20:20-22
The world loves to poke holes in Christianity. It loves to prove scripture wrong by pointing out contradictions. The world points fingers at God by asking how a loving God can allow tragedies to happen, especially if good people suffer. In the verses above the teachers of the law and chief priests try and catch Jesus out and find a way to arrest Him. Sarcastically they indicate that Jesus teaches what is right and true in accordance with God’s word. However they are not being truthful as Jesus often spoke against them; highlighting their hypocrisy and sins.
The world today acknowledges Jesus as a good teacher but is not prepared to follow His teaching. Jesus gives a brilliant answer to the Jewish leaders’ question, and as a result the Jewish leaders walk away defeated.
Today Jesus is the answer to the most important question of all – how can we inherit eternal life. Jesus answer back then was that he was “The way, the truth and the life”. What we do with Jesus’ answer to this important question is critical. We can walk away like the Jewish leaders and see Jesus just as a ‘good’ teacher, or we can take Jesus at his word, i.e. that he is the answer to life today and for eternity.
If we take Jesus seriously we will not be swayed by the challenges of the world and we will remain firm in our faith. The way in which we live our lives trusting in the Lord should reflect that Jesus is the only answer. Our daily walk with Jesus should be attractive to a cynical world so that our families, friends and colleagues see the difference that Jesus makes. As we give our lives to God we also will give the world what the world needs.