Relentless
Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Matthew 22:15-22
It seems that the Church Year, which has been around for a lot longer
than our country, has brought us a timely topic in the Gospel reading.
Jesus' famous saying to render to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God
what is God's shows that God has something to say about our
relationship to government. A timely topic with the election just
weeks away and our nation facing a financial crisis. The Bible is
clear that we are to obey government. God has instituted government
for the good of society. Taking Jesus' teaching on giving to the
government what is owed it and to God what is owed Him doesn't help us
out much in who to vote for and how to get through the financial
crisis.
There's something bigger going on here. You and I could each give a
list of all the big things going on in our lives. At the same time, we
collectively are facing an onslaught of issues and disagreements and
views on how best to run the country. For months we faced skyrocketing
gas prices. When it seemed we were finally getting a break from them
we were hit with a meltdown on Wall Street. Last year we were reeling
from out of control fires, as if we hadn't gone through enough three
years before. As some are again flaring up around the region we wonder
if we'll be hit again. People are facing uncertainty with employment
or with the value of their house, or if they'll even get to keep their
house. We live in uncertain times on the world stage with wars that
don't seem to have an end in sight and economies crumbling around the
world and the continual threat of terrorism.
Sometimes the big problems may not seem to press down on us. They may
not seem to affect our day to day decisions. The relentless pace of
our lives may give us more than we can handle without having to worry
about what's going on in the world, let alone the nation. If we're
struggling with problems with our kids, facing stress at work, in
conflict with our neighbors, constantly bombarded with health
problems, we may wonder when we'll get a break. When you're living in
a fallen world, the problems you face can seem relentless. When you're
surrounded by sinners along with yourself there will be no end to
difficulties.
But Jesus has something to offer you. And it's much more than a trick
for knowing how to walk into the voting booth on November 4 or whether
to buy or sell stocks. He has something to offer you in the barrage of
difficulties you face.
If we weren't flies on the wall, as the Holy Spirit has allowed us to
be with Matthew's comment that the Pharisees were trying to bring
Jesus down, we might think that the men who came up to Jesus posed a
legitimate question. In the same way, if Jesus weren't God and had
simply taken the men's words as they stood, He would have had reason
to believe that they were asking Him a fair question. After all, isn't
what they said about Jesus true? "Teacher, we know that You are true
and teach the way of God truthfully, and You do not care about
anyone's opinion, for You are not swayed by appearances."
It's true: He's genuine, He's the real thing. And, yes, He does teach
the way of God faithfully. At the same time, He is not swayed by the
mere opinions of people. He is God. He is a Rock when it comes to
being the source of truth and acting on it. The question they ask is
indeed a legitimate question. We have those same kinds of questions
today. The campaign this year has shown that there are many
disagreements about the role of government in society. Even among us
Christians, what does it mean to obey government while still being
faithful to God?
The men who approached Jesus weren't interested in His opinion. They
didn't care about His teaching on the matter. This was one more attack
on Him, one more attempt to bring Him down. The religious leaders were
relentless in their attempt to get rid of Jesus. And He knew it. His
answer silenced them. They couldn't believe it. They had been foiled
again. How could they bring this guy down? Matthew says that they left
Him. Did that mean that their relentless pace was finally slowed down?
No, it means that they left Him at that moment. They would emerge
again at an opportune time. We know that they would finally be
successful in bringing Jesus down as they would arrange things so that
He'd be hanging on a cross by the end of the week.
No, the relentless pace continued. Jesus' entire three year Ministry
was a constant barrage of attacks from them, of being tempted by the
devil, and of facing struggles and problems. I don't know how you're
feeling today, and how you're doing with all that's going on on the
big stage of the world and the nation or in your personal life, but I
don't imagine it's any worse than what Jesus had gone through in His
Ministry.
What was different is why He went through it. You're stuck. Sometimes
you can't get out of the mess you're in. When life's relentless pace
seems to kick it up a notch, you may feel like you're just hanging on.
Jesus put Himself in the thick of the problems and sin of this world.
When you're struggling to overcome a habit that's causing you
heartache, before you can get a leg up on it, new temptations overcome
you. If the issues facing our society are enough to cause you to
despair, you may wonder what hope there is for you to be a Christian.
When all the little things in your personal life pile up so that
you're racing like mad to put out fires here and there, you may wonder
if there's any solace in the new life Christ has given you.
Don't walk away from here today glad that you have a better attitude
about how you'll vote or what you can better do to manage your money.
Walk away from here rejoicing that you have received what Christ gives
you. And that is Himself. With everything God commands us there is a
blessing involved. When Jesus says to render to Caesar what is
Caesar's we can rejoice that God cares enough about us that He doesn't
leave societies to their designs but institutes order for the well
being of people and the punishment of those who cause others harm.
Before you wonder about our government, just think about the
government of Jesus' day, the government of Caesar—he declared himself
to be God. When we pay our taxes we also have the opportunity to pray
for our government, pray God to guide and bless our leaders, that they
would lead in a godly way.
When Jesus enjoins us to render to God what is God's we can rejoice
that no matter what condition we live in, whether we live in a free
country or not, all that we have is from God. Blessings in this life
are granted freely by God because He loves us. But if the relentless
pace of life has you wondering if there's more to life than simply
trying to keep your head above water, then know that rendering to God
what is God's means that all who we are and what we have is from Him
because He has reconciled Himself to us. It's easy to put blame on
others or government for our problems, but we are too often like
Caesar, putting ourselves before God. If the financial crisis has you
down, do you trust that God will keep you in His care—no matter what?
When you're facing one thing after another in your personal life and
you just want it all to go away, are you refusing to rejoice in the
blessings God gives you even in the midst of trials?
Let us not test God. Let's instead render to Him the confession due
Him. Confessing our sins, acknowledging our lack of trust in Him,
seeking our solace in Him alone. The relentless pace of problems in
our lives is unmatched by the relentless pace of God in loving us and
serving us. Rendering to God what is God's is done through the Son of
God. Living in peace is not being free from difficulties but in
thanking God for salvation in the one who was marred beyond
recognition. When all you see around you is things falling apart, look
to see the one who is in the center of it all, the precious Lamb of
God, the Son sent by the Father to rescue us not from financial
collapse or even sickness but sin and hell. Our country may rise or
fall, but God has prepared a place for you in heaven which will
remain. God is relentless in His love for you, His unfailing love
upholding you through the temporal things and gracing you in His
presence for eternity. Amen.
SDG
--
Pastor Paul L. Willweber
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church [LCMS]
San Diego, California
princeofpeacesd.net
three-taverns.blogspot.com
It is the spirit and genius of Lutheranism to be liberal in everything
except where the marks of the Church are concerned.
[Henry Hamann, On Being a Christian]
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