 |
| If you enjoy this, the entire AOC Sunday Report is RIGHT HERE! |
The
Twenty-Third Sunday after Trinity
The
Collect.
O
|
God,
our refuge and strength, who art the author
of all godliness; Be ready we
beseech thee to hear the devout prayers of the Church; and grant that those
things which we ask faithfully we may obtain; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Epistle
B
|
rethren, be
followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an
ensample. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even
weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is
destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who
mind earthly things.) For our citizenship is in heaven; from whence also we
look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change the body of our
humiliation that it may be conformed unto the body of his glory, according to
the working whereby he is able even to subject all things unto himself. (Philippians 3: 17-21)
The Gospel
T
|
hen went
the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. And
they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we
know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest
thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. Tell us therefore,
What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cæsar, or not? But Jesus
perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me,
ye hypocrites? Shew me
the tribute money. And they brought unto him a
penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and
superscription? They say unto him, Cæsar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar’s; and
unto God the things that are God’s. When they had heard these words,
they marvelled, and left him, and went their way. (Matt
22:15-22)
The Collect prays we ask out of faith that such petitions might be
granted. But is it possible to ask out of greed or jealousy as did the
Pharisees and Herodians in our Gospel today? Whether they knew it or not,
their prayers of deception were made to God (God the Son). The Herodians were
those who supported the Roman puppet king, Herod. But the Pharisees were
vehemently opposed to Roman rule. How could these two be allied against Christ.
I believe it is because both considered Christ a greater threat to the Roman
rule (Herodians), or the religious life (Pharisees) of Israel. Both wanted,
above all else to preserve their power over the people. But Christ came as the
great Liberator. This, they could not bear - and neither can the larger
religious institutions, or governmental powers, tolerate Christ today.
As our Epistle so
well points out, we have our citizenship in heaven, not in the dirty and
political premises of this world. Our motives should never be centered on
material prosperity, but spiritual enlightenment.
We read how those wicked men of the Pharisees conspire
with their mortal enemies, the Herodians, to entangle Christ in His words and
ministry.
Strange
how enemies can unite against One they consider of greater threat. They fear
that One who speaks truth cannot be bested by those whose works are fleshly.
They
fear their little positions of authority and seek to murder Him to whom ALL
truth and authority belongs.
It
is a deaf EAR they turn to the Gospel of Christ. They only seek something
of which to charge Him or of which to complain. They have witnessed more of His
miracles of healing, restoration to life, and acts of mercy than most of His
own disciples, yet, they fail to believe – WHY?
It
is because they refuse to believe!
Such
contentious ones have not the Mind and love of Christ in their hearts.
True
love and mercy are not divisible. That Love of Christ which we have received is
authenticated by that same love and compassion we show to one another.
Let this mind be
in you, which was also in Christ Jesus (Phil 2:5)
Where
the love of Christ is, there can be no division. Christ is not divided against
Himself! His Mind is also constant – the same yesterday, today, and forever.
They
cunningly say to Jesus: Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest
the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest
not the person of men. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful
to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
Like good
politicians, these men will use deception, or even flattery, to ensnare a
good man.
We
pay tribute today in the form of taxes. Taxes are essential to provide those
limited government services necessary to ensure defense, order and a suitable
environment for trade. It is something we owe Caesar if we are to
live within the borders of his dominion.
If
Christ insists that we pay tribute to Caesar, He will have lost the support of
the people. But if He says that we should NOT, He incurs the wrath of Rome.
So
how does Christ respond to these scoundrels?
But
Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye
hypocrites?
Christ never hesitated to call a spade a spade.
He was not very politically correct was He?
He then says: 19 Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. 20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? In Rome, Caesar’s
money, inscribed with his image, was the coin of the realm. In England, it is
the image of the Queen. In Denmark, it is the image of the King. In America, it
may be George Washington, or Ben Franklin, or another of the Founding Fathers.
The coin of the realm in worldly governments bears the image of the worldly
ruler; however, are we not citizens of another kingdom. In the Kingdom of God,
the coin of the realm bears the image of our Lord Jesus Christ – His visage and
likeness. Do we bear a dual citizenship? Though we must remain IN the world, we
are not to be part and party to it.
Ships are
wonderful vessels constructed for the purpose of bearing great burdens of
merchandise across the sea. They are, in fact, made to be in the sea. As long
as they travel in the sea, all is well. But when the sea gets into the ship,
tragedy stands at the door. Ships are like the church. The Church is made to
season the world and to be a sweet savor to it; but when the world gets into
the Church, it will lose its savor.
21 They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore
unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are
God's.
The image and superscription of God: The Christian disciple is as
silver, purified seven times by the Refiner. He assumes the image and likeness
of His Lord. The silver coin, once tamped by the authority of government,
assumes the value that the authority assigns by his stamp. So, too, does the
Christian assume the authority to teach the Word to all who will listen. The
authority does not reside in the coin, or in the disciple, but the authorizing
power. The value assigned to the coinage of Heaven is the outpoured blood of
our Lord.
American coinage
is the only in the world that has consistently appealed to the trust of God in
its mintage. In God We Trust! In America, we the people are Caesar.
We set our rulers
up, and we take them down by our exercise of the franchise. We can blame no one
for the ungodliness of our rulers…. but ourselves. We will always get precisely
the kind of ruler we deserve!
22 When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and
went their way The Words of God confuse the learned and the deceitful. In His
mouth there is no deceit nor shadow of turning.
Are we citizens
of God’s Kingdom?
Are we stamped
with His image of ownership and authority?
What must we render unto God to receive that title of coinage of
the realm? All of our selves – our being and our daily currency should reflect
His Image just as the coin of the nation represents the image and authority of
that nation.
When men know
you, may they also know Christ through you. I pray that the stamp of Christ is
apparent upon all who are within range of my voice today.
