Who are we paying?

We have started paying to Caesar what is God’s and to God what is Caesars.

Matthew 22:17–22 ESV

17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” 18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. 20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” 21 They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 22 When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away.

Romans 13:6–7 ESV

6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

Today many people are giving to Caesar what is God’s and to God what is Caesar’s.

We should be in this world but not of this world.

This means to give to God what is God’s and to Caesar what is Caesar’s.

What is God’s?

Our heart.

Psalm 51:16–17 ESV

16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

God desires the deepest and most important part of us.

What is our heart?

The seat of our life.

Thoughts

Intentions

Wants

Passions

No man knows His heart entirely.

Jeremiah 17:9 ESV

9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

What is Caeasars?

The temporal

The physical

Proverbs 4:23 ESV

23 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

When our hearts belong to God then our life aligns with Him.

Who have you given your heart to?