There Is No Part of Your Life God Doesn’t See

SERMON

Oct 25

Scripture: Matthew 22:15–22

There Goes God's Quarter

A pastor once told the story of a little boy who was given two quarters. One was for Sunday School, and the other was for an ice cream cone after church.

On his way to church, the boy dropped one. It rolled down the sidewalk, bounced over the curb, and disappeared into a storm drain.

He stared down at the grate, realized the quarter was gone, then looked toward heaven.

"Well, God, there goes your quarter."

It's funny because we recognize the logic. The boy hadn't planned to cheat God. But once circumstances changed, he was remarkably quick to decide whose quarter had been lost. Pasted markdown

We can be pretty good at that ourselves. We find reasonable ways to divide what belongs to us, what belongs to others, and what belongs to God.

Then Jesus comes along and makes those divisions much harder.

It's a Trap

In Matthew's Gospel, the Pharisees and Herodians approach Jesus with what sounds like a legitimate question: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar?

But they aren't looking for wisdom. They're setting a trap.

The two groups have very different relationships with Rome. The Pharisees oppose Roman occupation, while the Herodians benefit from the political system Rome supports. Yet they share one problem: Jesus threatens both of their interests. Pasted markdown

If Jesus says yes, pay the tax, he risks alienating those who resent Roman rule. If he says no, he can be accused of opposing Rome.

Either answer could be used against him.

Jesus sees exactly what they're doing. Instead of accepting their two choices, he asks to see the coin used to pay the tax.

And suddenly, the people setting the trap are caught in one of their own.

The religious leaders are carrying Roman currency. When Jesus asks whose image and title appear on it, they answer: Caesar's. Pasted markdown

Then comes the line we still quote today: Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.

Except Jesus isn't finished.

Whose Image Do You Bear?

Caesar's image is stamped on the coin. Give it back to him.

But whose image is stamped on you?

That question changes everything.

Jesus moves the conversation from currency to identity. Scripture tells us that human beings bear the image of God. If that is true, then our relationship with God cannot be reduced to the money we put in an offering plate or the hour we spend in worship on Sunday. Pasted markdown

It extends into the rest of the week.

It affects how we spend our money, how we use our time, how we treat our neighbors, and how we speak about people with whom we disagree. Yes, it even reaches our politics, not because God belongs to one political party or another, but because no part of our lives is exempt from examining what faithfulness requires of us. Pasted markdown

Jesus doesn't hand us a neat formula for every decision.

He gives us something harder: responsibility.

Caesar Takes. God Gives.

We still try to divide things neatly.

A little over here for Caesar. A little over there for God. Pay our taxes, make our offering, say our prayers, and perhaps everything is settled.

But Jesus refuses to make faith that transactional.

Caesar takes. Governments take taxes, expect allegiance, and promise security and stability in return.

God gives.

God gives life, mercy, grace, and love. These aren't things we've earned. Yet God continues to give them, and remarkably, this is the image we are called to bear. Pasted markdown

If we bear God's image, then our lives should begin to reflect the God whose image we carry.

That changes the question from "How much do I owe?" to "How am I called to live?"

More Than an Offering

There is no coin we can hand to God and say, "There. That should be enough."

God isn't simply interested in what is in our pockets. God is interested in who we are, how we live, how we love, how we treat one another, whether we forgive, and whether we seek justice and practice mercy. Pasted markdown

That's considerably more demanding than paying a bill.

It is also considerably more beautiful.

We bear the image of a God who gives. So wherever we go, into our homes, workplaces, neighborhoods, relationships, and communities, we have an opportunity to make that image visible.

The coin may belong to Caesar.

But who do you belong to?