God, Politics, & Taxes
Notes
Transcript
This is a very interesting & important passage
Some context - previous chapters Jesus arrived temple in Jerusalem - last week his life
Drove out money changers & then confronted religious leaders
using 3 parables to highlight their failure to teach, care for, & lead God’s people
So 2 groups of religious leaders join together try find way destroy Jesus
Let’s see what passage has to say to us today (Slide)
The division between Politics & Faith
The division between Politics & Faith
These verses - played important role throughout history
inspired the reformers in 1500s to understand need for Church not control Government
Also - served foundation for US constitution emphasis on separating church & state
So in passage 2 groups involved - unlikely allies - Pharisees - familiar group
kept to themselves - only co-operated with others if national or religious interests threatened
Herodians - small group supported Herod Great & His Family as ruling dynasty
Made peace with Roman occupiers - taxes way fulfil responsibility as Roman citizens
& to maintain power & influence of Herod’s sons as leaders
So Jesus posed threat to both groups - He could upset both national & religious status quo (slide)
so attempt to trap him & take him out of picture...
start by using flattery to lower Jesus guard - give impression want to gain his favour
Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “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 by men, because you pay no attention to who they are.
So religion & politics combined together to defeat Jesus / gospel (slide)
But over history seen when faith combined with politics never works out well for gospel
Illus - Seen this play out in NZ politics - people making political stands as Christians
But falling into moral problems - tripped up by sin - power, wealth, sex
e.g. Christian Coalition & Graham Cahill - convicted of sexual assault on no. underage girls
Conservative party & Colin Craig - ended up in court for defamation & sexual harassment
Tamaki’s - offer strong family values but wanted ban new mosques, temples & other foreign buildings of worship
Want government financial support own church prison programmes
Clear religion & politics aren’t happy partners
So if politics & religion - specifically Christianity - don’t sit well together...
Does that make politics anti-christian or evil? (slide)
Are Politics & Taxes evil?
Are Politics & Taxes evil?
In order trap Jesus - religious leaders create no win scenario throw at Jesus
Question challenge Jesus understanding of Mosaic Law & political position using issue of taxes (slide)
Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
If Jesus answered question in support paying taxes
Loose support from Jewish people - religious leaders could deny him as messiah
If Jesus said no to paying taxes - he’d by charged with starting revolt
Religious leaders could arrest him & see Romans execute him
Question all around whether people should pay Roman poll / head tax
Tax each person had to pay - 1 denarius silver Roman coin each year
On coin - head of Tiberius = Roman Emperor - latin words claiming him as divine / a god
Problem = coin held image of Emperor claiming be god = Jews considered it idol
Pharisees refused to handle coin - believed they’d break 2nd commandment (slide)
Herodians didn't like handling either - tolerated using them - maintain political stability
“You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
Jews believed anything had image of someone / deity - it belonged to that person deity (slide)
But Jesus asks Herodians & Pharisees to bring a denarius coin to Jesus in temple
So they willingly bring something they consider idol into God’s house without 2nd thought
Jesus exposed how false their moral stand & interpretation of Law was
How wrong they view on taxes, politics, faith was
So Question is - are money / taxes / politics evil?
Illus - Interesting how many people think something evil or sinister behind everyday things
E.g. COVID-19 5G conspiracy theory seen several different versions
1st - claimed no coincidence 5G tech trialled in Wuhan, where pandemic began.
2nd - coronavirus crisis deliberately created to keep people home while 5G engineers install technology everywhere.
3rd - 5G radiation weakened people’s immune systems, making them vulnerable to COVID-19 infection
4th - 5G directly transmits the virus
Been proven 5G nothing to do COVID-19 - people still burned down 5G towers
So what does Jesus say about money? (slide)
“No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”
Jesus talking about our relationship with money
If we relate to money & treat it - most important thing in our lives...
our relationship with God come 2nd & will suffer (slide)
Then Paul says...
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Again talking about our relationship with money
If we pursue money & wealth / material acquisition as most important thing in our lives...
then we’ll suffer serious consequences & our relationship with God will suffer
So money itself isn’t evil but its all about how we look at & treat it
But what about politics / government? (slide)
and said: “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.
OT paints clear picture of God’s view on political leaders & governments...
Ultimately God’s in charge - he appoints leaders / governments to serve His purposes
And then there’s NT...
Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.
God commands us through Apostle Peter - should submit ourselves to governments authority
Leaders / governments put there to maintain peace, security, & keep society stable / healthy
Way governments and leaders do that - via taxes (slide)
This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
So whether its PAYE, Income tax, GST, Capital Gains Tax - God says we must pay it
Taxes there to help governments to maintain our communities
That means no reason for Christians / Church avoid submitting to government authority
And no reason for Christians / Church avoid paying taxes government ask of us
If do avoid either submitting to Government or paying taxes then sinning against God
With caveat neither those things conflict with gospel
So its clear what God wants us to understand about money, government & taxes (slide)
Now let’s look Jesus response to no win scenario thrown at him by religious leaders
Faith, then Politics & Taxation
Faith, then Politics & Taxation
Jesus response to question posed to him = both elegant & brilliant
Jesus says 1st give Caesar those things belong to him - those things hold his image (slide)
“Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.
Say Jesus again confirming taxes belong to government and should be given to them
But what belongs to God that should be given or surrendered back to God? (slide)
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Answer to that = you & me - all humanity are creatures have image of God stamped upon it
That means humanity belongs to God - need to give all ourselves back to God
To give our emotions, mind, souls, bodies - all we are to God
Means making God #1 priority and everything should sit under God
Jesus showed religious leaders - although God ordains governments, leaders, & taxes
our relationship with God - most important relationship we’ll have in our lifetimes
Religious leaders went away amazed = Jesus spoke positively for both positions
For government / taxes & for God having priority over all
So what do we do with this?
Want to remind you what God did for you to ensure you will remain with & in Him?
God sacrificed most important thing he had - Son Jesus - on cross
So could be saved from eternal death & separation from God because of our rebellion
Instead experience personal relationship with God & His love, grace, mercy, blessings
& we receive eternal life, no disease, death, injustice, grief, poverty
& renewing / restoration of humanity & all creation where we live with God forever
So if God has done so much to ensure we benefit by belonging to him...
What are we doing in response? Will we be willing to make God our # 1 focus & priority?
Are willing put money, wealth, politics, family, possessions etc under God’s authority
So my question to you is this;
Will you give to God what belongs to Him - You?
Let’s Pray
Heavenly Father - we recognise you appoint our leaders & governments
So we pray for our new government - they’ll ensure Aotearoa NZ becomes a safe, stable place to live
That our communities will became places of growth, health. & life where poverty & injustice will diminish
May we pray for & support our new leaders & government, pay our taxes,
while acknowledging we belong to you - help us through your spirit give all we are back to you
Making you are #1 priority
In Christ’s name we pray, Amen