Text: Mark 12:15–16
“‘Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.’ And they brought one. And he said to them, ‘Whose likeness and inscription is this?’ They said to him, ‘Caesar’s.’”
What do you see when you look in the mirror?
Most of us answer that with some combination of physical detail, insecurity, or identity: our roles, our affiliations, our past, or our plans.
But Jesus wants to take us deeper.
In Mark 12, He doesn’t begin with a sermon—He begins with a coin. His enemies thought they had Him cornered with a political trap about paying taxes to Rome. A simple yes would offend the Jewish crowds; a no would mark Him for Roman arrest.
But Jesus, holding the coin, asks a simple question:
“Whose image is on this?”
It’s Caesar’s. Specifically, Tiberius Caesar, who claimed to be “son of the divine Augustus.” On one side of the denarius: the image of Caesar. On the other: an inscription calling his Mother Pontifex Maximus—high priest. To the ears of a faithful Jew, this wasn’t just taxation—it was blasphemy.
Yet Jesus calmly says,
“Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s… and to God what is God’s.”
With one sentence, He both disarms their trap and awakens their conscience.
Because the question behind His question is this:
If Caesar’s image is on the coin… whose image is on you?
You Bear God’s Image
✒️ Augustine once said,
“The image of Caesar is on the coin, but the image of God is on man.”
Jesus’ audience would’ve recognized this instantly. In Genesis 1:27, we are told,
“So God created man in His own image… male and female He created them.”
You are stamped with divine worth. Your value doesn’t come from Rome, your paycheck, your politics, or your past. It comes from the God who formed you, knows you, and owns you.
That’s why Jesus’ response is far more than political strategy—it’s an identity call.
? RC Sproul writes,
“We owe the state our respect, our taxes, and our prayers—but we owe God our lives.”
Identity Before Allegiance
In today’s world, many Christians are tempted to find their identity in a party, a nation, or a cause. But Jesus will not share your ultimate allegiance.
? Philippians 3:20 says,
“Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Yes, we should vote. Yes, we should pay taxes. Yes, we should respect earthly authorities (Romans 13:1).
But no earthly identity should rival our heavenly one.
? Douglas Wilson quipped,
“Some Christians are more passionate about their candidate’s campaign than Christ’s commission.”
Application: Whose Image Are You Reflecting?
Let’s ask honestly:
- Do your conversations sound more like Fox News or Philippians 2?
- Is your identity more shaped by Twitter than by Scripture?
- Are you more invested in the image you project than the image you bear?
? 2 Corinthians 3:18 reminds us:
“And we all… are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.”
Takeaway Tasks:
- Hold up the coin. What are you giving to Caesar? Are you giving God what is His—your whole self?
- Look in the mirror. Meditate on Genesis 1:27 and ask God to help you live according to His image—not the world’s.
- Let identity lead allegiance. Before you post, speak, or act—ask: Does this reflect the King whose image I bear?
Closing Prayer:
Father,
You created us in Your image—stamped not with silver, but with Your Spirit. We belong to You. Yet so often we forget who we are, trading Your likeness for lesser labels and loyalties.
Forgive us when we give Caesar what belongs to You—our hearts, our hopes, our identity. Help us to live boldly as citizens of heaven, faithfully as ambassadors of Your kingdom.
Give us discernment in our politics, integrity in our conduct, and a deep loyalty to the image of Christ within us. May we reflect Your glory to a world obsessed with lesser images.
In Jesus’ name, the true King and rightful High Priest—Amen.