Dual Citizenship

Dual Citizenship

Matthew 22:15-22

“Then the Pharisees went out and laid pans to trap him in is words. They sent their disciples to him...”

Have you ever had a plan and then get distracted? ' You ever set a goal just to have circumstances delay or de-rail you in your attempts to reach that goal? ' You ever try to live a good life based in eternal truths only to have folk with selfish or ill-intent come along make life hard? I think, probably, we all have. But after each set-back, after each insult, distraction, and disappointment we get back to the life we have been called to live. We get back to a faith filled life. We get back to living as citizens of the Kingdom of God.

I know that the Fremont football team is likely disappointed but they got to get back out there on Monday morning and get back to practicing football as if their world hasn't been shattered.

Truth is, life is full of opportunities for disappointment. Who could have predicted the things you have faced in your life? Who could have guessed what has happened in the past month? Thank God we have each other. Thank God we live in a place where we don't have to fear the government. Thank God we can gather and worship in the name of Jesus Christ. Thank God that we aren't distracted by our own poverty and we can praise God and give God our full attention so that we may hear what we need to hear.

“They sent their disciples to him...” The Pharisees didn't come out to Jesus that day. Perhaps they got tired of Jesus parables; one after another, convicting them. So they sent their students, their learners instead to set a trap for Jesus.

You see once someone has figured you out. You'll know if you're welcome in their presence. If you desire only good for others and they know it, you will always be welcome and you may even become friends. If you always tell the truth, whether it is easy or difficult, people will learn to trust in what you say. If you live life in a way that is not harmful to others you will invite less hostility.

Jesus obviously had the Pharisees figured out. He knew their game and they knew it. He did what others dared not do. He spoke openly against them in areas where they were misguided or just plain wrong.

I don't know about you but it can be embarrassing to be publicly corrected. This summer I saw a posting on the internet about Pepsi putting the pledge of allegiance on their soda cans. The article said that they left out the words “under God” as to not offend atheists. The article was a complete fabrication and untrue but I believed it. I believed it because that sort of thing happens all the time. God is being taken out of all sorts of things. Or rather, I should say mention of God is being taken out. God is there whether we mention God or not.

God is there we believe in him or not.

God is there whether we follow him or not.

In one way God is like a vast ocean. Whether we believe in that ocean, or talk about it or listen to it or not one thing is true, if we step into that ocean we will get wet.

So the article said that Pepsi was taking the words “under God” out of the printing of the pledge of allegiance in their soda cans. I was infuriated. The posting suggested that we boycott Pepsi. I don't drink much soda, so that would be no big task for me. But did do something that I rarely do. I copied that post and I RE-POSTED. I felt like I was taking a stand!

Until a couple hours later when my older sister in fine older-sister fashion informed me, on-line, publicly that it was a hoax. My first reaction was to be angry with my sister for embarrassing me like that. But really I was just embarrassing myself. And I took down the post.

Jesus continually challenged and corrected the Pharisees in public. The Pharisees, the religious authority of the day, he embarrassed them. Or rather, he was pointing out to them that they were embarrassing themselves. They may have had enough of the humiliation so they sent their disciples. And they buttered him up before they laid out their carefully worded verbal trap. “We know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren't swayed my men, because you pay not attention to who they are (You don't pay enough respect to our teachers).

Then the trap, “Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

Jesus, who came into this world in the most humble of ways, born to an unwed teenager in a barn, came to show the world the love of God. He himself is God in human form. He came to teach, to heal, to set the oppressed free, but ultimately Jesus came to give his life so that all who believe in him will have eternal life.

Jesus mind was set on the highest of goals. Jesus intent was the salvation of the world. Jesus love for humanity is boundless. He was willing to give every thing so that even the least of us could have life and have it in abundance.

They sent their disciples to him...” asking a scheming question about taxes as to be able to discredit and embarrass Jesus. But Jesus would NOT be dissuaded. Jesus would NOT be derailed. His high motives would not be brought low.

They sent their disciples to him...” but that didn't mask their intentions. A good disciple represents their masters teaching as closely as possible. The disciple is an extension of the teacher. Jesus was not to be fooled.

He said to them “you hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” “Whose portrait is this? A whose inscription?”

“Caesar's,” they replied.

Then he said to them, “give to Caesar what is Caesars, and to God what is God's.”

Their question was never about paying tax. It was about chopping Jesus off at the knees. They wanted to discredit him in some way so that he would go away. But he wouldn't go away. He didn't go away. They had him killed and the grave wouldn't even keep him away. Jesus is the eternal Lord and the is here whether you know it or not. Whether you believe it or not. And whether you like it or not.

You see the Pharisees knew that they were living in a world where they had to deal with dual citizenship. They were under the authority of the Roman Empire in their earthly life and they were the people of God bound to His law. And they found difficulty in managing the two. They assumed that Jesus would have the same difficulty. Instead Jesus lays down a principle for that we can use to guide our lives. “Give to Caesar, (the government, our earthly responsibilities) what is Caesars.” Meet your responsibilities do what you have to do. But make sure you give to God what is God's. What is God's? Where do you draw the line between what is Caesars and what is God's. It would be an interesting exercise to go about your day inventorying everything that you give to Caesar and what you give to God.

They sent their disciples to him...”

Jesus too is sending his disciples. He is sending us. When we go out into the world we go representing our Lord, our teacher to the best of our abilities. We try to live and to teach as accurately as we can be to duplicate what Jesus taught.

So how is it with you today on your journey with Jesus? Do the people around you know Jesus and his teaching better because of your life?

Would you pray with me?