Pastor Michael Cofer
Matthew 22:15-22
They say there are two certains in life: death and taxes. Both seem to be faced with an almost equal dread. I don’t know of anyone — except maybe Warren Buffett — who was excited by the prospect of paying taxes. Let’s face it, part of the success of the Tea Party movement is their strong stance against taxation.
I have to say, I felt a little disappointed reading our Gospel today. Jesus had the perfect opportunity to forbid paying taxes… And he blew it!
Not really though, because what he said is far more meaningful, and frankly a brilliant move given the situation. So let’s get the context straight. As you well know, the Pharisees would do anything to trap Jesus… even enlisting the help of folks on the opposite side of the religious or political divide. We don’t know tons about the Herodians, but they were clearly a pro-Rome political group. Pharisees weren’t necessarily a policital party, but they were the experts in the religious law.
Now I want you to imagine a denarius. It was a silver coin with the face of Caesar engraved on it, and an inscription that said he was the son of “deified Augustus,” and on the back he is proclaimed the high priest. Got that image in your mind? If you were an orthodox Hebrew, you know what you might call that? A graven image. An idol.
There was a bit of controversy in Jesus’ day as to whether Jewish people could handle Roman money. So in the mind of th Pharisees, paying taxes could be called idolatry, and in the eyes of the Herodians not paying taxes would be criminal, or even rebellious.
It was a pretty good trap, I think. I’m sure I would have tried to avoid the topic if I were in Jesus’ sandals… Or done some sort of non-committal, politician answer. But Jesus never wastes an opportunity to teach, and he can’t be intimidated by anyone, so he faces down the Pharisees with a simple, direct statement, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar, and to God what is God’s.”
I’m pretty sure that means I have to pay my taxes. But is that all there is to learn from this passage? Definitely not. In fact, I think that a bigger question opens up: what does it mean to give to God what is His?
Well, as a starting place, let’s ask the question “What belongs to God?” If we confess that God is the maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible… I think we have to admit that everything belongs to God. They are His stars. This is His earth. This is His church. We are His people, made by Him in a very specific way that makes us each unique. Everything blessing we enjoy comes from Him. It is all His.
But I can’t very well give God the universe, can I? Maybe I should just give all of the stuff I own to God. Maybe that’s what Jesus means… Pay my taxes, then give the rest of it to God. Then I’ll have nothing, and I won’t owe any money to Caesar, and I can just starve to death and go to heaven.
Whoa…. Back the train up. That isn’t the kind of life and/or death that Jesus is advocating. God gave us our lives and our stuff and this world, and we ought to take good care of it. The trick is that none of that stuff can become an idol.
See, God isn’t all that concerned with material gifts. If we give to Caesar (or Washington) what bears Caesar’s (or Washington’s) image, then perhaps we should give to God the thing that bears God’s image. God doesn’t want our stuff; He wants us. He wants us to love Him the way He loves us. Wants us to live like we’re His children. He wants us.
But it isn’t that cut and dry, is it? Because, I don’t know about you all, but I can get awful wrapped up in my stuff. Money can do some really great things, but it can be a huge source of anxiety, or on the flip side it can offer a false sense of security. Whether you have too much of it, or too little, money will often occupy way too much of our attention.
That is part of the reason that tithing and offerings are so important. It is one way that we remind ourselves that God is in charge, and that He will provide. God doesn’t want to tax you 10% on what you make… that’s not what tithing is about. It’s about checking your priorities on a regular basis.
But, let’s not stop at talking about just money. Because God wants you, and you are much more than my bank account. God made you uniquely, and has positioned you exactly where He needs you to be.
Giving God what’s His means exploring and growing and stretching into the person that He has made you to be. When God knit you together in the womb, He had in mind a fantastic person: someone who abounds in love and grace, someone who excels in their talents, someone who walks closely with God.
Giving God what’s His means cultivating the art of thanksgiving. Take the time to enjoy and appreciate your life, your family, and this world. God knew what he was doing when He made those things, and they are dear to Him. For Christians, thanksgiving is the practice of looking at God’s creation and saying along with Him, “It is good.”
God loves you so much. He is the proudest parent you know. And the thing He wants most in all of the world is for you to love Him too.
