His enemies wanted desperately to entrap him with his own words. Jesus had rattled them to the core and they were fed up with it. Surely there was some way of getting him to say something blatantly wrong….corner him in a situation with no way out. Perhaps they could trick him into taking sides between the religious authorities and the governmental rulers…..
So, they asked him a loaded question: “Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” Jesus knew their dark hearts and chose to teach them a powerful lesson about giving. He called for a Roman coin and asked them, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. And with their own answer still ringing in their ears, Jesus charged them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” And human logic and divine revelation came together in one profound statement.
This life-defining truth is all too often missed, possibly because we’re so distracted by the clever way in which Jesus put down the deceivers. But, we must not miss his underlying point: Just as Caesar’s image and inscription were on that coin, God’s image and inscription are on us. We are made in his image and destined for salvation. Our very reason for being is to reflect his likeness as he draws us to himself. He owns us. We are his. We are God’s currency. Because of this, we give ourselves to him…. ‘Give to God what is God’s!’ And if he has us, there is nothing about us that does not ultimately belong to him.
No truth of stewardship is more basic; none is more potent. Giving to God what is God’s, first and foremost, means contributing our money, our time, our resources….our very lives unreservedly in his service and for his purposes.
Pray with me…. Our Father, impress on us with each new day the fact that we were made by you and for you. And, that giving by ourselves back to you from the heart, we are committing life’s solitary and most significant act, prompted by conviction born of Holy Spirit. We offer ourselves, all we have and are, to you again this day. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Blessings,
Pastor Ken
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