Giving God what is his

Taxes

Give back to God what's due -

One of the first big instances of civil unrest I remember was the poll tax riots.

I was watching on TV as nearly quarter of a million protestors gathered in Trafalguer square, more than the police expected or could handle. The sense of injustice of this tax that had only 12% support was immense and got ugly, with shops being burnt and lotted. It would also contribute to Thatcher's resignation shortly afterwards. More recently we have seen unrest – camps around st pauls cathedral for nearly 4 months against cororate ‘greed’

There is currently growing unrest about austerity cuts – and changes to the benefice system that will affect the poorest of our society.

Money, Tax has always been an emotive issue. It can cause unrest, even violence. It can topped governments and even powers from different ages. In Jesus time was no such exception.

The Romans were masters of 'peace through victory' (Caesars often used) But for those who lived in the lands being conquered it was death & Destruction - peace very much depends on which side you are on! Emperor, the Caesars saw themselves as gods on earth. Bringing peace and prosperity They demanded overt displays of worship and acknowledgement from subjects They wanted worship as sons of god one had a choir that followed him wherever he went singing 'you are worthy our lord and our god, to receive the honour and glory and power' Heart of this empire is basic economics

to control people, you need their money

When people went to the market to buy and sell you had to give an offering acknowledging Caesar as lord. an obedient subject.

If you refused this, you could not take part in the economy which meant you had no money and you would starve.

It is believed that s record was kept who had not made the offering to Caesar. The money itself had Caesars head on it. This was controversial for the Jews who did not believe in even having images on their coins. Imagine what this is like for the Jews. There money has been defiled. Here we have them being occupied, taken over by the Romans. This culture of worshipping the emperor was everywhere, common place. It’s as normal as the celebrity worshipping life you and I live. On the coin it proclaimed Caesar as son of god, high priest. So not only did you have to give an offering to Caesar as lord, the currency you were using pronounced him as the son of God. Jesus knew all this of course, and the consequences of crossing the Romans. When Jesus was a boy, man called Judas led a revolt. He was crushed mercilessly. Hung on a cross. Everybody knew about it and it was a pretty good deterrent for anyone thinking of doing the same.

Then you had ‘spies’ which were Herodian’s , loyalty to Herod and known to wilfully cooperate with Romans and tell them when someone was looking like rebelling.

So, in our gospel reading today we have set the scene.

It is the Herodian’s asking this question and imagine their glee and excitement about getting Jesus to one side and to ask him this question. This was one he could never get out of! How do they begin? With flattery. Set him up as a fool. 'you claim to be so wise, take this!' Then the killer question - should we pay our taxes to Caesar? Should we partake in this system that glorifies Caesar as Lord? They thought this would be the killer question because they could only foresee two ways Jesus could answer this one. If he said that people should not pay - well, that would mean he would end up on a cross, before it was time. like many before them. He would be condemning himself, and that suited the Herodian's very much indeed. On the other hand, if he advised that everybody to pay their taxes surely, he would lose all credibility amongst his fellow disciples. How can you hold up both Caesar and Jesus as lord? They would leave him and he would end up having no support. That would also have suited them very much thank you! So, they waited, hands being rubbed together for an answer. But Jesus saw more than the two questions being asked of him. He saw the motivations behind the questions. And you can tell he was angry!! What Jesus did, was not a cop out or a side step. He introduced a third way into the argument. A Kingdom way, A God way that any of those that did not have a relationship with God would have had no idea of what he was talking about.

He asked them to take out a coin and show it to him. (take it out the box).

Imagine Jesus' distaste as he sees the coin with the head and inscription. This was a clever move already, as he is demonstrating that those people that asked the question are already owning and using the coins themselves, they were part of the system that they seemed to be criticising. Jesus knew where they were coming from. He asks, 'who's image and who's description is this?' When they tell him, he says “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” What an answer! It was one that was looking beyond the question and pierced the hearts of those listening. Because, if you were like the Herodian's that expected the tax to be paid then you could not have a problem with giving Caesar his due. Likewise, if you were against paying Caesar his due you could be pleased, see it as a cryptic remark to 'give Caesar his due'. And those who already knew the kingdom of God, those that knew who Jesus was, those with wisdom read something very different into that comment and were enriched by it.

The coin bears Caesars image. Let him have it.

But what does it mean to us?

Well we are very much like that coin, except we do not bear the image of ourselves on it.

We bear the image of God, it is his image that we are made in.

We belong to God and are built to reflect his glory.

We are made to reflect his godliness, his character.

We do however forget that very easily. just like those nations that had been conquered by the Romans we get used to the culture around us, comfortable with it and forget that we are built to worship God. We are wired that way , that's why religion has survived despite us being in one of the most secular countries in the world.

But it also means that we stop remembering that we are made in the image of God and we should give God what is his – which Is US freely and wholly.

This story reminds us that we can offer to the people in our community our third way.

To stop worrying about the small things in life , but to become free and live life as God intended – a life that allows us to reflect him.

Real living is to give God what is his - yourselves ! Wholly !

I keep saying to wake up in the morning and give yourself to God every day – have ou done it yet?

It is character forming and a way of starting this process. Just saying, I am yours God – and this day belongs to you

And once people see that little bit of God in us (and it is a little bit!). They see something different, something that lasts. Another way.