God's Economics
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· 7 viewsGod's economy is one based in love and service and not money, power, and fame.
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Introduction
Introduction
Good morning and welcome back!
This morning I would like for you to start turning in your Bibles to .
In just a few moments we are going to reading and while you are turning there I would like for you to start thinking about economics for a bit.
Just last week we celebrated, if you want to call it that, tax day!
The glorious day that we all look forward to when our taxes for the previous year are due to the government.
A day that most do not look forward to.
The question always is, did I pay enough in to get some of it back or are they going to want some more?
It is something that none of us look forward to and one that I dread.
I dread it so much that I try to file my taxes as soon as possible so I don’t have to worry about it. If I am getting a refund I send it right away, but if I owe, I wait till the last minute to send it off.
I don’t mind doing my part but also hold on to it as long as I can.
In our introductory passage this morning, the Pharisees are approaching Jesus about the issue of paying taxes.
Taxes were not an invention of the government of the United States.
Taxes have been around as long as people have been buying and selling goods.
The reason being is that nobody wants to buy anything the government sells, so they had to think of ways to get money to run the government.
And since their products were not very good, they decided we’ll just take a portion from the people in order to offer them all these services that they may or may not need.
So, it is not a new concept, and since our government is a republic that was adapted from the Roman form of government, the tax system was very similar in that the government got a percentage.
So, in our passage it was tax time and the Pharisees decided they were going to confront Jesus with a situation and see how he would answer them and address them, which is where we will pick up this morning.
So, if you have found in your Bible I’d invite you to stand as we read starting in verse 20.
Scripture Focus
Scripture Focus
Luke 20:20
20 Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be honest. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor. 21 So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 22 Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 23 He saw through their duplicity and said to them, 24 “Show me a denarius. Whose portrait and inscription are on it?” 25 “Caesar’s,” they replied. He said to them, “Then give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” 26 They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.
To Pay or Not to Pay, That is the Question
To Pay or Not to Pay, That is the Question
So, we have to set the stage a bit here.
Jesus had been causing a lot of stir in Israel with all the wonders, miracles, teaching about repentance, the Kingdom of God, and such.
He had also caused quite stir with his claims to be the Son of God and the fact that this world is not His kingdom and quite frankly he was not subject to the ways of this world.
So, what they thought they would do is trip Jesus up and get him to say something that would give them the ability to go before the Romans and accuse Jesus of causing an uprising against the government.
The Romans really didn’t care so much what the people did, so long as it did not interfere with the government or cause issues.
If they could convince the Romans that Jesus was telling people not to pay their taxes and not to obey the government’s rules and laws, then in their mind the Romans would get rid of him and problem solved.
So, that is why they hatch this plan that they are going to trip Jesus up, which is what we read in verse 20 . . .
20 Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be honest. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor.
So, they send out these “spies” as the Bible puts it, pretending to be followers of Jesus, so they could catch him in the act of doing something.
There’s a couple of problems with this though.
#1. Jesus isn’t going to do anything dishonest or wrong anyway so they are wasting their time.
#2. Jesus is the Son of God, we would think that Jesus already knew what they were doing anyway.
So, they were pretty well wasting their time, but they do it anyway, and apparently some conversation about taxes must have came up somewhere along the way because they decide to ask Jesus a question.
First though they set up the question . . .
Luke 20:
21 So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.
Man, they are buttering him up good here: “Teacher (oh great teacher), we know that you speak and teach what is right.”
“We know that YOU do not show partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.”
And as we read this, we are thinking “how obvious” what they are doing is, but we do the exact same thing.
When we want somebody to agree with us or do something we want to do, the first thing we do is start buttering them up.
We want them to let their guard down so we can suck them in. The same thing is going on here. The only difference is they are trying to do it to Jesus, who we know cannot be fooled.
But how often do we try to fool God or butter God up into giving us what we want?
“Oh, Lord God, great and mighty God, we love you, PLEASE grant us this one request....” Sound familiar?
Remember though what Paul tells us . . .
7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
Mocked meaning God cannot be “deceived” or “fooled.”
And the reason behind is that we try to approach God from a human standpoint and human point of view.
Folks, that don’t work. Remember, God created us. We can’t fool God, we can’t hide from God. God knows everything!
And most importantly or feeble attempts to justify the sin in our lives does not work either.
Jesus didn’t say, “come to me and explain why you sin . . .”
No, Jesus said . . .
2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
He told the woman caught in adultery . . .
11 “No-one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
John tells us that we have an advocate if we sin, not when we sin. ().
The point being, we might as well be honest with God because God cannot be fooled anyway.
We are not going to “pull one over” on God. So, we need to just give up the game and be honest with God.
Admit our sin, repent, and move forward.
At any rate though, these “spies” thought they had Jesus right where they wanted him and were going to trip him up, so they ask him . . .
22 Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
John 20:
22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
Isn’t that the age old question. If this world is not our home anyway, why do we pay taxes?
Why do we follow the laws and rules of the United States?
After all this isn’t our home, right?
Why can’t we just do our own thing? We don’t bother anybody.
And we have probably all asked that question at one time or another.
Jesus’ response to them AND to us is brilliant . . .
23 He saw through their duplicity and said to them, 24 “Show me a denarius. Whose portrait and inscription are on it?”
Luke 20
Listen to what Luke says about Jesus here, he saw through their duplicity. They were trying to merge two things that really didn’t have anything to do with each other.
God has authority over all things but the economy of the Kingdom of God and the kingdoms of man are two separate things.
The kingdoms of man operate because God allows it and the things in the kingdom of man that are not directly against God, God expects us to follow and obey.
We see this play out in Paul’s words to the Corinthians about order in the church.
33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. As in all the congregations of the saints,
And this is not just limited to the churches.
God is a God of order and peace, not anarchy and lawlessness.
The reason we have lawlessness and anarchy in our world is because we have free will, which leads some to live a life of sin.
But that is the opposite of God.
And their question is what they SHOULD do, not what people actually do.
And actually the Kingdom of God is a higher Kingdom than that of man and IF people would live here like they belonged to the Kingdom of God, there would be no issues to even discuss what to do.
But they ask the question and Jesus answers them . . .
24 “Show me a denarius. Whose portrait and inscription are on it?”
To which they respond . . .
25 “Caesar’s,” they replied. He said to them, “Then give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
If Caesar’s picture is on it, give it to him, it’s his.
Here is the catch though, Jesus says give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.
Which leads us to the question, what is God’s?
What Belongs to God?
What Belongs to God?
I am glad you asked. :-)
The simple answer is EVERYTHING!
1 The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;
1 Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer.
And of course our favorite . . .
10 for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.
That is one reason why it really doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things how much the government takes from us, because it is really all God’s anyway.
And the argument is (and it’s a valid one), “they leave me with nothing.”
But I want to remind you . . .
25 I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
Now, does that mean that we will have absolutely everything we want? No, but God will take care of us, so what is the government’s give to the government.
Because more importantly, what is God’s we need to give to God.
And, just what does God want?
Matthew
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
-Do we understand this?
We offer ourselves FULLY to God. We give God all we are.
We don’t hold anything back.
We are talking about being sanctified wholly through and through here.
Turning ourselves over to God.
And, our taxes, our payment into God’s economy?
God wants us, our heart, our mind, our soul.
37 Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’
God’s economy is an economy built on love.
God is love and everything built on God is built on love.
God desires for us to willingly love God with all our heart, soul, and mind.
And as a demonstration or “payment of the taxes of love” God desires for us to love our neighbor as ourselves.
Paul tells us in . . .
Jesus tells us this about his mission here . . .
16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. 17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” 20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, 21 and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Luke 4:
Jesus says he has been anointed and given the mission to :
#1. Preach the good news to the poor.
#2. Proclaim freedom to the prisoner.
#3. Recover the sight to the blind.
#4. Release the oppressed.
#5. To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.
The problem is they thought that Jesus was only talking about those who were literally poor, in prison, blind, and oppressed.
And Jesus did all those things, but he did so much more.
Jesus released us all from our poor human economy, he freed us from the bondage of sin, he removed the blinders of sin, and he released us all from the oppression and death that sin carried with us.
This IS the YEAR OF THE LORD’S FAVOR, because Jesus came and Jesus conquered death, hell, and the grave, ON OUR BEHALF.
We can have freedom, not from the governments of the world.
No, OUR freedom is an eternal freedom from DEATH AND THE GRAVE.
Jesus tells us that . . .
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me.
And also . . .
32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Knowing Jesus SETS US FREE!
Paul reminds us that . . .
55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Cor 15:55-
And finally, we DO NOT have to wait till we get to heaven to enjoy this freedom . . .
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
If you are a child of God, YOU ARE FREE.
If you have been filed with the Holy Spirit, YOU ARE FREE!
And you are NOT BOUND by the world’s economy, so give to Caesar what is Caesar’s.
HOWEVER, if this is what you claim, then you are required to give God what is God’s.
Which is, YOU. ALL OF YOU.
Altar Call
Altar Call
Our passage ends with this . . .
26 They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.
Jesus silenced them and all their tricks and schemes.
None of their excuses seemed to matter or fit at this point.
When they had nothing else, they became silent.
They realized that they could not trick or outsmart God.
And neither can we this morning.
Many of us are wrapped up in this world and this world’s ways, but I remind you of Jesus’ words . . .
35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
And John . . .
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives for ever.
Because this world and it’s kingdoms are under the authority of God and God’s kingdom, it is eventually going to be subject to God’s justice and God’s wrath.
The question this morning though is will you be part of that judgement?
Do you find your home in this kingdom or in God’s?
That is ultimately what we are talking about here. Which kingdom do you belong to right now?
For now we all live here, but our home should be there.
This should only be a journey to our home.
And if you say that heaven is your home, are you paying into God’s economy?
Have you paid your taxes to God?
And I’m not talking about good deeds or tithes.
I’m talking about offering yourself to God completely.
I’m talking about giving yourself to God, fully.
I’m talking about receiving Christ as your Savior and submitting to Him as your Lord.
Have you done that today?
If not, taxes are due and the penalty is not a fine, the penalty of sin and remaining in sin is death.
It is a penalty that you do not want to pay and one that can be avoided today.
Are you willing ? Jesus paid the debt, all you have to do is accept the gift.