Give Back To God The Things That Belong To God (Matthew 22:21b)
Proper 24, Year A
Every time God looks in the mirror, God sees the ways you resemble each other. God keeps your baby picture in the divine wallet. Posted on heaven’s refrigerator are photos of you with Santa, playing soccer, graduating, and your wedding day (The Rt. Rev. Frank S. Logue, October 18, 2020, Proper 24, Year A sermon). God is our heavenly Parent. We are made in the image of God. Everything and everyone around us is made by God and entrusted into our care. God places things into our care so that we and all people, creatures, and creation can multiply and be fruitful. The Book of Genesis testifies to the truth of our image and calling:
God created humans in God’s image, in the image of God they were created; male and female. God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and care for one another and the earth…” Genesis 1:27-28
We live up to our Divine likeness by hearing and heeding our call. Our calling is to be good stewards of ourselves, loved ones, communities, and whatever is within our spheres of influence and control. The job of saving souls was assigned to, and accomplished by Jesus. The mission of generating, preserving, and restoring creation belongs to God and will be accomplished by God. Our responsibility is taking care of the part of creation God gives us. God calls us to faithfully use what the church identifies as ‘time, talents, and treasures.’ We are born and baptized to be stewards of our lives, skills, and money. Jesus, in his discussion with disciples of the Pharisees and Herodians, defined faithful stewardship as “giving to God what belongs to God” (Matthew 22:21b).
Jesus (clever dude that he was) turned a trick question posed by the people trying to discredit him into a faith formation lesson. The Herodians were secular Jews. They went to the synagogue when they had time and made sure they were seen in the Temple on high holy days. They complied with the commandments and laws when these did not interfere with their their civil service jobs. The Pharisees strictly adhered to every commandment, law, and religious tradition. Everything about their lives and relationships reflected who they understood God to be, and what they believed God expected. These groups criticized one another and avoided each other. Like MAGA red Republicans and Liberal left blue Democrats today, they demonized one another.
Their concerns about Jesus, brought these polarized parties together. These ‘strange bed fellows’ conferred and cooperated to stop Jesus. His teaching and ever increasing number of followers, threatened Herodians’ and Pharisees’ power and positions. They devised a question to entrap Jesus. Jesus’ response would either provide evidence for the Herodians to arrest and convict him as a traitor of the state, or for the Pharisees to arrest and convict him of idolatry. Jews were forbidden to make or use graven images. Roman currency contained the image of the emperor. This is why Jews exchanged it for Temple currency when purchasing items used for worship. The Herodians and Pharisees sent representatives to one of Jesus’ faith formation sessions. They began by feigning respect for Jesus.
“Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?” (Matthew 22:16b-17)
Jesus’ response shows he did not care about taxes. His real concern was about how people lived into the image and likeness of the God. (The Rt. Rev. Frank S. Logue, October 18, 2020 Proper 24, Year A sermon). Jesus replied,
“Show me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, “Whose head is this and whose title?” They answered, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to Caesar the things that belong to Caesar and to God the things that belong to God.” (Matthew 22:19-21)
All that we are, all that we have, everyone we know (those we like and dislike), the homes we live in, the food we eat, the money in our accounts, everything and everyone comes from God, belongs to God, and is entrusted to our care so that we can multiply and be fruitful. Anne is officially a member of St. Ann’s choir, but every time there is a pickup choir at Christ Church she joins them. Bill is a good steward of his wife’s recipes. Each time he attends church, Bill brings things he baked to fellowship hour honoring her life and talents. Roz, Susan and Charles regularly serve on the altar. Donna, Charlot, and Lyn regularly read lessons. Diane is a good steward of children, her own and others. She attends Pierson soccer games cheering on the team even when winning is impossible and, along with Gale, she taught our kids in church school. Now that there aren’t children in church, she teaches us about God’s bounty by making sure there is food after worship. Matt, Larry and Kim’s son, made a mistake when he ordered dinner. Instead of ordering a 16 inch pizza, he ordered 16 pizzas. Matt, owning his mistake, paid for all the pizzas and then drove to the college campus where he works to give them to students. As he distributed the pizzas, students asked Matt “what’s the catch?” The catch is that everything we have comes from God, belongs to God, and should be given back to God so that we, others, and all creation can be fruitful.
Live into the image in which you were created. Hear and heed your call to be caretakers, stewards of your time, talents and treasures. Let the vote you caste in the midterm elections reflect God’s image. On the pledge cards I mailed to you, write donations that reflect your divine likeness. When Moses asked to see God’s image, God responded,
“I will make all my goodness pass before you and I will proclaim before you my name, grace and mercy” (Exodus 33:19).
Let your vote, your pledge card, and all that you do reflect the gracious and merciful likeness of God in you. As Paul wrote in his letter to the Hebrew Christians,
“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for these sacrifices are pleasing to God.” (Hebrews 13:15, 16)
