Sermons

Whose Image Do You Bear?

Sometimes people ask questions because they truly want to learn. Other times, they have already decided what they believe and are just waiting for us to slip up. Jesus knows the difference.

Today, the Pharisees and Herodians approach Jesus with a question about taxes. Normally, they do not agree. The Pharisees oppose Roman rule, while the Herodians support Herod, who rules on Rome’s behalf. Still, both groups want to get rid of Jesus.

They ask, “Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor or not?” This is a trap. If Jesus says yes, he could anger those who dislike Rome. If he says no, they might accuse him of encouraging rebellion.

But Jesus does not let them control the conversation. That is why I sometimes say Jesus is the most human person to ever walk the earth. He has a very high emotional intelligence. He asks for a coin and then says, “Whose head is this, and whose title?”

“The emperor’s.”

“Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” It sounds simple, but it gets harder when we ask what really belongs to God.

For centuries, people have used this passage to keep religion and politics apart, as if faith is just for private life and public duty is separate. But Jesus was involved in the politics of his time. His teachings challenged those in power, and the government eventually put him to death.

The church cannot follow Scripture and ignore how power is used or abused. Scripture tells us to care for those in need, seek justice, love our neighbors, and avoid worshiping power itself. This is not about supporting one political party. It is about letting Scripture’s moral authority challenge every party, every government, and each of us.

Jesus answers their question about the coin, but he leaves us with an even deeper question. Whose image do you bear?

The coin has Caesar’s image. Scripture says people are made in God’s image. Some call this a divine spark, a sacred presence, or the image of our Creator. Whatever words we use, our value does not come from the government, our status, our achievements, or how useful we are to those in power. Our worth comes from a sense of goodness, our higher-mindedness, that good, orderly direction from God.

If we carry that image, we belong to God and to each other. That means we have a moral responsibility. We are called to give God and our community what they need: our courage, compassion, attention, voices, and willingness to stand with those with the least power.

Do not give the best of yourself to the empire. Give it to each other, and especially to those who are most vulnerable.

I am concerned about the upcoming midterm elections and how people will perceive them. People are asking whether the elections will be fair, whether the results will be respected, and whether those in power might try to interfere. These are important questions about the foundation of our democracy, not just worries about which party will win. We also have to ask what we will do if the midterms are messed with, if the DC city election is respected, or if the 2027 Congress is seated.

This is why Scripture’s moral authority matters. Scripture tells us to notice unchecked power, defend our neighbors’ dignity, and speak up when the vulnerable are at risk. Our faith does not give us a list of political rules. It gives us a moral compass, based on the belief that every person carries the image of God.

We gather as a community because we are called to live out this moral conviction together. We are also called to go beyond these walls, wherever that conviction leads us: to speak the truth, protect our neighbors’ right to participate, hold those in authority accountable, and stand with those whose voices are often ignored.

We may not agree on every political issue, but we can keep coming back to the deeper question Scripture asks: Are we honoring the image of God, the spark of the divine, in each other? That is how we measure our faithfulness, and every empire, government, church, and each of us must be willing to answer it.

We are asked it in the baptismal covenant. “Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?” And no, we are not talking about Christ as a person; we are talking about that divinity, that spark that we look for when we see or interact with one another. Always remembering to not give the best of yourself to the empire. Give it to each other, and especially to those who are most vulnerable.

This isn’t just a distant theological idea. It affects how we live every day: whose suffering we notice, whose voices we listen to, whose dignity we protect, and whether we use our influence to help someone who cannot pay us back.

The empire will always demand something from us. It will ask for our attention, our loyalty, our work, and sometimes our silence. Jesus reminds us that these demands are not the most important. No government, political group, or earthly authority can decide whose life matters.

Our deepest loyalty is to God, whose image is found in every person. Therefore, our deepest loyalty is to one another, and, as Scripture calls it, to the least of these.

So when we leave this altar, when we walk out of this place, let us not just look for ourselves in the world. Let us look for God’s image in each other, especially where the world tells us not to look. Let us give our best to compassion, justice, and human dignity.

The coin bears Caesar’s image.

We bear God’s.

Let us live as if we do.

Amen.