Matthew 22:15-22 | Greed

Good morning. Welcome back! I gotta say I’m happy to see most of you returned after last week’s message. We looked at a sobering truth didn’t we? Before the message, last week, I was chatting with one of you about the parable we were going to look at together about entitlement and hell and the gentlemen said something like, “well you’ll know if the people hate the message because these chairs will be empty next week!” He said it in jest and we had a laugh, but I’ll be honest, it was a sobering statement for me. Hell is not a fun topic to think about, but Jesus talked about it and it’s in the Bible and we here at Crossroads try our best to teach, live and believe what’s in the Bible, not just what’s easy for us to stomach!

All that to say, thanks for coming back and for being gracious with me and for not just wanting to hear what’s easy to hear. This family takes a challenge very well and very graciously! So way to go, and hopefully as sobering as last week’s message was, hopefully you left with the hope of Jesus. Although all of us deserves hell, you recognize that it’s only the pleasure and goodness of God keeps us from hell currently and you remember that Jesus Christ has made a way for each and every person on earth to escape the clutches of hell by faith in Himself! There is grace for us sinners and hope for eternity all because of Jesus! We don’t deserve it, but by golly Jesus came for us and continues to pursue us with his never stopping, never giving up, unbreaking, always-and-forever love!

May we all grow in our wonder and awe at His amazing grace! Amen!?

Now we’re shifting gears from entitlement to focus on another enemy of gratitude this morning. If you’ll remember, we’re in a series looking at attitudes and emotions that have a tendency to steal the joy of Jesus from our hearts! And this morning we’re going to look at Greed.

We’ll continue in Matthew 22, picking up where we left of in that section of scripture last week by reading starting in verse 15.

So if you will, please open your Bibles with me to Matthew 22:15 and lets read it together… vv. 15-22. They says this:

Matthew 22:15–22 (NIV)

15 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words.

Remember what Jesus told them last week? Jesus told them that the tax collectors, the traitors to the Jewish nation and the sinful prostitutes were better than these entitled religious and political elites! He told them that if they persist in turning down God’s invitation to join the wedding feast of the lamb, remember some tore up the invitation because they didnt’ like how it was worded, others resented that God Himself didn’t show up with signs and wonders before them to invite them himself, others still were to busy to be bothered to attend the party. Some thought the party was going to be lame because God, the great stealer of joy and fun, was the one throwing it. Even still one guy showed up but refused to wear the proper attire! Remember, I don’t care who’s party this is, I don’t care who God is, I’ll come to the party but I ain’t wearing what He tells me. God doesn’t get to tell me how to dress or how to live my life. Remember these entitled people? Well Jesus tells the Pharisees and sometimes some of us, we are these people and that if we make war God in this manner, then He’ll kill us, burn our cities, tie us up and throw us out into the utter darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth!

Very positive and encouraging KLOVE! Ha!

So when we get to v. 15 here, is it any wonder that it says “Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words?” I think not… they are quite upset and done with the Jesus fella! But He’s not done with them! What a picture of grace Church, the God of Heaven comes to His own. The mock Him. They despise Him. They seek to set traps for Him that He might be captured, imprisoned of killed by the Romans and yet, He still engages them! These people are quite literally hell-bent on killing the God who made them. The God who could but speak a word and turn them into a pile of ash, and He still engages them. He still hears their questions and seeks to soften and change their hearts so that he might befriend them and win them to His love! What amazing and incredible love!

Nevertheless, the Pharisees seek to trap Jesus it says and they (verse 16)

16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians.

Real quick,one word on the Pharisees and the Herodians. Church this is not a common sight. These two groups could not be more opposite. Them together, united in a shared cause… it’s like oil and water… imagine the Tea Party and the so called Squad of Congress uniting together in a shared mission!?

It’s not exactly the same but it’s similar. The Pharisees hated Rome and everything Rome stood for. Even though they were too cowardly to preach it, they believed that it was sinful to pay Roman taxes and even taught that Jews should have Roman currency! Rome is so sinful, to even use their money was to defile oneself before God!

And then the Herodians, these were the Jews in their group who had profited quite nicely by cozing up to Rome. Listen, if you can’t beat’em, join’em was their mantra and they exploited their own people, becoming very cuddly with the Romans and inking very profitable business deals in the process!

Oil and water, very unlikely bed-fellows, but here they are united in a shared cause, we hate Jesus.

Friends, the prince of the air, Satan, He ain’t a democrat or a republican, but he’s quite happy to co-op both parties for his political aims, to take down King Jesus and His Kingdom so he can set up his counterfeit kingdom here on this earth, one devoid of faith in God and Jesus all together!

Because of this, if you side with Jesus, you will not have a home in either political party! Because of this the conservatives and the liberals who don’t know or love Jesus, will despise you. Because of this the religions of the world will unite against you.

Nothing in this world unites the people of the world and the people of political ideology and the people of all the other religions of the world which are ultimately lead by Demons, nothing unites these uncommon bed-fellows more than opposition to Jesus Christ!

If you’re a Christian don’t be surprised when people who wouldn’t other wise be united, unite to come against you and Your King!

The Pharisees and the Herodians come against Jesus. and they ask him this question:

“Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are.

Ha, I love this. “Teacher we know you’re a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth… You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are.”

Remember Jesus last week. Going into these folks’ place of power and prestige and putting them in their place. These scoundrels are speaking some truth, but they don’t love Jesus for this truth. They hate Him for it! And we know this by the trap, which comes next.

17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”

They plant a question in the crowd, a question about paying taxes to the Romans. And here’s the trap folks… it’s a real double bind for Jesus.

If Jesus says it’s unlawful to pay taxes (again, as the Pharisees think but are too afraid to teach publicly), then the Romans will snatch him up for being an instigator. If he says that it’s fine to pay taxes to the Romans, then the religious zealots in the crowd will stone him for going against God’s Word. Real sticky wicket for Jesus, but Jesus is Wisdom incarnate, like chili con carne! Chilli with Meat! Jesus is wisdom con carne or incarnate… Wisdom with meat, with flesh on! … He’s too shrewd to be trapped by their question. He knows their hearts… He knows our hearts as well friends.

“Is it lawful to pay taxes to the Roman emperor?” Jesus answers their question with another question, as he is prone to do: “Anybody got a coin,” he asks.

He’s not about to do a magic trick; he just doesn’t even have a coin on him. The King of Kings, Lord of Lords, has nothing in his wallet. Have you been their before… low on funds. Jesus knows what’s that’s like friend. Verse 18:

18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” 21 “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” 22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.

From a book I’ve found helpful through this series, A Preacher’s Guide to Lectionary Sermon Series, the author writes:

You’ve got to imagine this is an embarrassing moment for the Herodians and the Pharisees as they dig into their pockets and produce a coin, because the Pharisees shouldn’t even have one. They publicly teach that Roman currency is appalling to God, and here they are in the courts of the temple; so if they have one, they have exposed their hypocrisy in front of the crowd.

They nervously hand Jesus the coin, and he looks at it as if he’s never seen one before.

“Who is this on the coin? There seems to be someone’s picture on this coin.” The word in Greek is “icon.” “Whose icon, image, is on this coin?” Jesus asks them.

Well, duh. It’s the image of the emperor.

Maybe he’s not as smart as he looks.

Without going any further, Jesus says, “Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s, and give to God what is God’s.” The literal translation would be: “Pay back Caesar what belongs to him, and pay back God what belongs to God.” Give to them what they deserve.

Come on Church, isn’t Jesus just the best! These entitled, greedy scoundrels come trying to trap Jesus in a no win question and He cuts through all their bull straight to their hearts and to yours and mine as well!

Who in here likes to pay taxes… show of hands. (If anyone raise their hand, call them out! :)) Ha, I taught my son Clark about taxes when he was 4 after Halloween once. Buy making him give me some of his candy as payment for the goods and services and entitlements he enjoys within our home… Needlesstosay, there were tears! Right, not one of us likes giving the government our hard earned coin, do we! But it goes beyond just taxes… there is something inside all of us, a fear of running out, a lack of trust, a greed that makes us want to grasp tightly on to what we see is ours!

If we work for it, we want control of it and we don’t trust other folks to know how best to spend it! For crying out loud, this is what founded America Church, this is what we as a nation were founded upon! This is in us and it’s in us deep! No taxation without representation!

But look with me at what Jesus is talking about for a second… before you start going down all the political ranks and discussions about taxes, look with me at what Jesus is actually talking about.

Who’s picture is on the coin, Jesus what’s to know. Caesars… our presidents… And Steve Harvey said… good answer good answer. Give to Caesar what is Caesar Jesus’ says.

And here’s His next question. Receive it loved ones: Whose image is on you?

OOOOOOO Come on Jesus! Now this will preach folks. Whose image is on you!

It’s God’s. You were created in the image of God! His face, His likeness, it’s all over you! You are reflection of God! Of his personhood. Of His creativity. Of his personality! Of His ability to reason, think and love. God’s image is all over you and me!

Then Jesus says, give to God what is God’s!

Now if we were in any other Church I might take this a different route, but we’re not. We’re here in Crossroads, in our brand new facility, that you all have so generously given too! You all have paid cash so far for over 700,000 dollars of this project! Many, many of you have given sacrificially to support the vision God has given to this Church, to sharpen this ministry tool that we can shift into a higher gear of helping the lost get found and the found live free!

You have given sacrificially of your time! Dollars for Demo not only raised 10,000 dollars, but it also accomplished over 250 hours with laborer that we didn’t have to pay contractors to do! You all and the men of the renewed mind painted this entire facility sacrificing your time for free and saving the Church at least $20,000 dollars! Not to mention the many many volunteers that give of their time every Sunday to serve our children in the nursery and serve us in the cafe and in the sound, tech and worship teams! The generosity of this Church has enables rich ministry to happen here every week on Sundays and throughout the week in small groups.

The generosity of the church has enabled the construction of this facility and I’m excited to announce that although myself and the leadership didn’t think we could swing it financially when we started the project, that because of your insane generosity, not only have we been able to sharpen this facility but we voted last week as an Elder Board and Management team to go ahead and set into motion a parking lot expansion.... we know that as we’ve been growing our parking lot has been a bit of a nightmare! And because of your generous hearts rather than a greedy hearts, we are able to expand our parking lot!.

It will be gravel for now, but the hope is that if the generosity continues, hopefully sooner rather than later… we really want to be good stewards and understand that although pavement is nicer, gravel will suite us for a time, that said if generosity continues, hopefully sooner rather than later, we will be able to pave it down the road.

Church, 2 years ago when we launched our vision and the capital campaign of Shift we asked for 500,000 in pledges over 3 years to help us pay for this project and to date we’ve paid over 700,000 in cash! And we’re only 2 years into it! We’ve still got one more year to go!

Currently, with the addition of the parking lot, we’re looking at a mortgage of about $900,000 when it’s all said in done, but based on your generosity, I have a sneaking suspicion it will probably be less than that!

And isn’t it fun Church! Isn’t it joyous to see what God is able to do when we hold loosely to His stuff and we say here I am Lord send me, use me, use my stuff!

I was talking with a friend of mine from Crossroads several months ago about the sacrificial giving that this Church has done and he said, you know my wife and I, we decided to do Shift and to do it sacrificially and when I crunched the numbers, we both, her and I we thought, this is gonna hurt, we’re not sure if we can swing this… but do you know what he told me a year and a half into them making good on their commitment to God to give to this project.. he said you know what Levi, we haven’t even missed it!

I feel the same way Church. Rachel and I, Wes and Lynne, Your Elders and Management team we felt strongly that leaders need to go first in giving and we did and while I can’t speak for all of them, I can tell you I agree with my friend, God’s been faithful and Rachel and I haven’t missed the time or the cash we’ve invested into God’s Kingdom here!

This Church is what Jesus is talking about in this passage. The opposite of greed and I know I’m preaching to the choir but can we just say amen! The gratitude and the joy we’ve experienced as a Church family because there is so little greed in this body. We are not a people who say don’t touch my stuff! We are not a people who say this is mine and you can have 10% and no more! No, the Shift Campaign has showed me that we are a people who say, God I know you’re image is on me! I know I belong to you and all that you’ve given to me belongs to you, I will not hold to it tightly but I will give as you call me to give! We are a people who say, here I am send me Lord! Here I am send me! And look around and what God is doing when his people say no to greed and yes to God! Thank you Lord! Amen!?

Greed church, it will steal your joy! Don’t let it! Those pieces of paper in your wallet with presidents on them… give to Caesar what is Caesar and do so with joy! You are a child of the King and your King, well He owns this whole world! He owns thousands of cattle on thousands of hills and He loves you. He will provide for you! Look at the beauty of the fall leaves, the flowers, look at how he takes care of them! How much more important to Him are you than these! Look at the birds and the animals. They don’t work or toil and yet the Father cares for them! How much more important to you are them! His image is all over you! He will care for you. He will provide for you!

You need not clingy tightly to this life or your stuff! Hold it all loosely before the Lord and release it all to Him! As you do, greed will melt away and you will experience not only the provision and care of the Lord which will build your love and faith but you will also experience the truth that it is truly more blessed to give than to receive!

And the next time greed, the desire to cling and control and horde what’s “yours” sticks up it’s ugly head in your heart,” remember the pop tarts. Do you remember my story about the pop tarts from our Galatians series a while ago?

So a while back one of my sons, comes into my room first thing in the morning and he’s furious. He does not have the joy of Jesus, he’s not feeling real generous or greatful, no greed had a hold of his heart because one of his sisters, wanted to eat one of “his” poptarts!

You see the day before, Rachel had let Graham pick out a few different kinds of poptarts from the store. So there’s like 5 boxes of pop tarts in our pantry now! And Ellie wanted one, but Graham had a freak out! Those were his! What if they ran out! No he wasn’t going to share them! He picked them out, they were his! I don’t say this to shame my son, I’ve been right where he is before, haven’t you!

I worked hard for this thing or that thing, so it’s mine and I should have to give it away or share it with anyone else. We’ve all been here. Holding tightly on to what’s mine! It’s greed and we’ve all been here. It’s a joyless place to live isn’t it. Gripping tightly on to all our stuff to all our time. It’s a fearful place to live. What if we run out! There’s not enough time to do all that needs doing! There’s not enough money to make ends meet! What if she eats all my poptarts! No, we cry, God, my sister, my brothers and sisters in Christ, the hurting in the world, those in need, they can’t have what’s mine!

Hmmm… hear the words of Jesus friends… don’t be afraid little flock. Who’s image is on you, little flock?

Graham comes into my room all worked up. She can’t have what’s mine. and so what did I do?

I screamed at him to shut up and share or I’m gonna spank you, you greedy little punk!!

Ha! No, thankful in this moment God gave me grace to control my anger and respond with a little more wisdom than that. Now don’t mis hear me, I firmly believe the Bible teaches that spankings are an appropriate and necessary form of discipline at times, but this situation required something more subtle and tactful then that. Graham wasn’t being straight up disobedient here. He was afraid. He had forgotten who’s image was on him and he simply needed to be reminded.

You see gratitude and generosity cannot be forced from someone with threats of violent or consequences, no… gratitude and generosity only flow from those who recognize to whom they belong and experience the comfort of this amazing truth!

So while I didn’t love being awakened to screaming and fighting over poptarts, I believe the Lord gave me the grace and wisdom to simply ask my little Grahamcracker a question. Son, whose image is on you?

I asked him, Buddy, who bought those pop tarts? Did you pay for them?

No, you and mom did!

That’s right, and where did we get them?

The store.

Mmmhmm, and does the store have more of them?

Yes.

And, son, if we run out don’t you think your mom and I would love to buy you and your siblings a few more boxes?

I guess.

Of course we would because we love you and you belong to us and our image is on you! We love getting good things for you and making sure you have breakfast to eat!

Turns out, Church, all that was needed to defeat this enemy of gratitude, all that was needed to defeat his greed, was a reminder of who’s image was on him and who his father was and what he was willing to pay to make sure his children had all the poptarts they needed!

And by now, you’re all smart enough to know, just like Jesus wasn’t talking about taxes, I ain’t talking about poptarts any more…

Loved ones, Little Flock, Who’s image is on you? To Whom to you belong? What was God willing to pay to make sure you always would have everything you need?

How often we need to be reminded. Who’s image is on us! The God of Heaven, who sent His one and only son for us—and to help us remember and defeat greed in our hearts— among so many other beautiful things— the Lord Jesus gave us a reminder didn’t He? He gave us a reminder! We call it communion, which we will turn our attention to now!

We here at Crossroads believe that if you’ve chosen to start following Jesus by faith, then you have become a Child of the King. And because of that reality, you have an inheritance of eternal life coming your in the future. And as a down-payment-guarantee of that promise, you can experience the resurrection life of Jesus today because Christ’s resurrection has made it possible for you receive the same power His Resurrection, that is His Holy Spirit. And because Christ has made His home within you by the power of the Spirit, His image is even more emphatically enshrined upon you and you will always have everything that you need because Jesus is all that you need!

If you know this reality by faith, then we invite you to partake of communion this morning. We will be passing it down the rows today. There are several couples we’ve asked from our family that have the privilege of serving us this beautiful reminder. I’ll ask you to hold on to the elements until they are all passed out and then I’ll prompt us to take them each, the bread and then the cup together at the same time.

As we take this morning. Let us rejoice and remember the price Jesus paid to make us His own. Let us fight greed by being glad and grateful as we remember who’s image is all over us and what it cost Him to make it so!!

Pray.

Bread… The body of Christ broken for you… take it in gratitude remembering what it cost him to make you His own by faith.

Blood. … The Blood of Jesus poured out on the cross, initiating the New covenant! Let us take and remember and proclaim the Lord’s death and resurrection until He comes again!

Stand and sing.