Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
November 02, 2022: SOAP #4717: Job 23-24; Mark 11-12

SCRIPTURE:  Mark (NIV) 12:13 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 you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by men, 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 taxes 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 portrait is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. 17 Then Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” And they were amazed at him.

OBSERVATION:  Their goal was to catch Jesus in His words.  They wanted to entice him to say something that they could use against him.  Not only were Jesus’ answers recorded, so were their questions.  They wanted to catch him in his words, but they were caught in their words.  They will answer for their words. 

Their glowing words of praise, “a man of integrity,” and “you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth,” were merely shams to cover their evil hearts.  They intended to present themselves as appreciating who He was while they were hoping he would say something that would bring the Roman government against Him.

APPLICATION: I too will answer for my words.  When I speak of him as “Lord,” I must then live like it is true.  Christianity is more than a word game for Sundays.  It is a relationship I live every moment of every day.

PRAYER:   Lord, especially today, let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable to you.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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