Render to God What Is Gods

RENDER TO GOD WHAT IS GOD’S

Matthew 22:15-22

In these verses you find another attempt to try and “trap” Jesus so that they might ruin His report with the people…

And that is a pretty common tactic even today…people who want to destroy Jesus’ character so they can destroy His influence with people.
And people will do the same with each of us…if they can destroy your good character they can destroy your good influence for Christ.
So, we must always be on guard to maintain our good influence…to make sure that we do not give those who oppose us fuel to feed their destructive fire.

Anyway, those who oppose Jesus once again try to destroy His report with the people…and what they would really like to do is find justification to have Him put to death.

Now as we start this story it is interesting “who” was sent to “trap” Him.

The Pharisees and the Herodians were two groups of people who lived in Palestine who despised each other.
The Pharisees had dedicated themselves to keeping the “law of God” and were great sticklers for keeping Judaism pure and uncontaminated by pagan influence…especially by the Romans.
They resented the Romans presence in Palestine.
The Herodians were partisans of the Herod family.
What power and authority and prestige they enjoyed they did so because it was preferred to them by the Romans.
They supported the Roman occupation of the region.

And so what you have here is two opposing groups who despised each other, putting aside their hatred for one another in order to try and trap Jesus.

But they have a problem.

Everywhere Jesus has gone He has draw a great multitude of people.
And many of the people thought very highly of Jesus.
Some thought He was a prophet sent from God.
Others thought He was the one who God had sent to drive the Romans out of Palestine.
Many of the people were amazed at Jesus…and these Pharisees and Herodians were going to have to be careful not to anger the people as they tried to trap Jesus.

So they try to conceal their intentions behind flattery and the pretense of sincerely wanting to know an answer to a matter of conscience.

So, in verse 16 they come to Jesus and they claim Him as their “Teacher.”
And they tell Him that He is “One who is truthful and who teaches the way of God in truth, and who defers to no one; who is not partial to any.”

Now, I think it is interesting that if these guys are saying here what they sincerely believe…then in just a few days when they encourage and support Jesus’ death and crucifixion…they bring judgment upon themselves for killing one who they themselves said, “taught the way of God. “

If they spoke these words without believing them, then their hearts and mouths were full of deceit and evil purposes…and again they stand self-condemned.

So these men who come to “trap” Jesus…with their false pretenses and insincere words actually “snare” themselves.

But in any case, they come with all of this flattery, trying to disarm the crowds.

And after they tell Him how “wonderful” He is…they ask Him a question that they think will truly trap Him.
They ask, “ Is it lawful to pay a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?”
“Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?”

Now, this was a loaded question.

The Jews hated this tax.
It had been instituted upon them 25 years before.
And for 25 years this has been a very hotly debated topic among them.
And if Jesus says “Yes, pay the tax” He could very well alienate Himself from all these people who have followed Him.

But on the other hand, if He says, “No, don’t pay the tax”, the Herodians will make sure that Rome finds out.

And one thing that Rome will not tolerate is someone refusing to pay the tax…or telling others not to pay the tax.
If He says, “Don’t pay the tax He could be charged with treason…and that would mean death for sure.”

So this is a loaded question, and they think they have Him trapped.

Surely, there is no way out this time.

But notice how He deals with their attempt to trap Him.

First, Vs. 18 says that “He perceived their malice.”

The look at what He says next: “Why are you testing Me, You hypocrites?”

He knew they were not coming to sincerely know the truth to this matter.

It always amazes me how people think they can fool Christ.

How they think that if they put on an act they can get away with it.

Jesus knows. You do not fool Him.

Act all you want….pretend all you want.
Say everything that sounds so good.
Praise Him…call Him Master…acknowledge Him as one who teaches the truth of God.
And do everything that looks so right.
And do it as skillfully and artfully as you can.
But if you don’t say it from an honest heart and do it with sincere intentions…Jesus knows.

And notice, Jesus isn’t impressed by their flattery.

So many times preachers and teachers like the flattery so much that they “play” to it.
Not Jesus.
Jesus knows who He is and what His purpose is.
Their flattery doesn’t impress Him.

He sees their hypocrisy…and He knows the malice that is in their hearts.

And so He asks, “Why are you testing Me?”

And then He tells them to “Show Me the coin used for the poll tax.”

And they bring one.
And Jesus asks them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?”
And they say, “Caesar’s”.

And at this point, all eyes and ears are on Jesus.

You see, the Herodians are standing there waiting to see if He is going to belittle the image of Caesar and the inscription that is on the coin.
And they want to see if he is going to denounce paying the tax.
If He does “They have Him!”

The Pharisees are waiting to see if He endorses paying the tax…if so, then they too can accuse Him of being a traitor to the Jewish people.

One who endorses the will of Caesar over the will of God.

All eyes are on Jesus…waiting to see what He says.

Anxiously they want to trap Him.
They are standing there with this evil intent in their hearts.

And what Jesus says next turns this whole situation back on them.

Look what He says in verse 21.

He says: “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

Now most people think that Jesus’ primary point here is He is telling people to pay their taxes.

Maybe that is, in part, what Jesus is saying here?

Maybe he is telling us as disciples that we are to pay our taxes and respect the governing authorities.

I believe that Jesus is saying more than that here.

I believe that what Jesus does here is he uses this coin…and this question about taxes…to point out once again these people’s hypocrisy and unfaithfulness.

And to point out once again what they really need to be doing.

Look at this.

The issue here is not “submitting to the government or what all the government does for us.”
These guys come and “ask if they should or shouldn’t pay this tax.”

And what does Jesus do.

He asks for a coin…and when they bring it He says, “Whose image is on that coin…and whose inscription is on it?”

They say “Caesar’s”

What did Caesar’s image and inscription on that coin mean?

It meant that that coin was Caesar’s.
It belonged to Caesar.
It came from Caesar…
It was made because of Caesar…
It was made by His authority…to serve His purpose.
And his image and inscription on that coin was there to honor Caesar.

And Jesus speaking of that coin says, “Render”…or give back or pay back to Caesar that which is Caesar’s”

Don’t refuse…don’t rebel…don’t deny him that which belongs to him.

Now notice what Jesus says next.

You see, I believe that Jesus uses the first part of this statement to set up the second part.
He says, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, AND TO GOD THE THINGS THAT ARE GOD’S.”

What was there at the time that belonged to God?

That coin had Caesar’s image and inscription on it…marking it as belonging to Caesar.
And he says “render it to Caesar.”
What had God’s image and inscription on it?

They did!

They were His people.
He made them a mighty nation.
And through His laws and commandments He stamped His image on them.
People were supposed to look at them…and watch them…and see God through them…and know through them that they belonged to God.

But instead they had rebelled against God…and had rejected God…and denied God.

And in the temple where God should have been honored…they made mockery of it by making it a place of profiteering.
And now God’s own Son had come to call them back to God…and instead of listening to Him they are trying to destroy Him.

And I believe that what Jesus is telling these people here is, “just as this coin belongs to Caesar you belong to God…render to Caesar that which is Caesar’s, and to God that which is God’s. “

Why?
Because to rebel against Caesar…to reject Caesar…to deny Caesar would mean punishment.
So too for those who rebel against God.

You see, I don’t think it is an accident that this passage follows the Parable of the Vineyard and the first 13 verses of this.

In the Parable of the Vineyard these people are described as God’s vineyard.

And God planted them…and protected them…and provided for them.
And He made them special among all the peoples of the earth.
And they were to bear fruit for God.

But they rejected God’s messengers…and killed them.

And they rejected God’s Son…and plotted to kill Him.
And in chapter 21:43, Jesus says “that because they did, they would be destroyed themselves.”

And just before this these people are described as those whom God invited to a wedding feast for His Son…and they refused.

And now, once again, here in these verses Jesus is calling them to “Render to God what is God’s.”

Give themselves back to God.
And I think that is the lesson for us this morning.

Let me show you something. Turn to Ephesians 1. Look at verse 13.

Paul is talking about Christians here and look what he says:

13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation– having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of {God’s own} possession, to the praise of His glory.

What this says is, as a Christian you were sealed…you were marked…as belonging to God.

Do you know when that happened?
At baptism.
Acts 2:38 says that at “baptism you received the gift of the Holy Spirit” and the Holy Spirit marks you as belonging to Him.

So when you were baptized you became one of God’s possession.
You were purchased for God by the blood of Jesus; Acts 20:28.
You belong to Him…to glorify Him…to serve Him…to fulfill His purpose in your life…to Honor Him.

But, it may be that some of us have done the same thing as the Jews did.

We have rebelled…rejected Him…denied Him.
And we are doing what we want to do.
Living for self.

Well, just as He told these people, Jesus is telling you…”Render to God that which is God’s”

Give yourself back to God.
Because failure to do so will result in destruction for you.

If you have never been baptized into Christ…I want you to do something…I want you to look at your hands.

The scriptures tell us that each one of us are “fearfully and wonderfully made” and that God gives to all “life, breath, and all things.”
You exist only because of God.
- Don’t you think it is time for you to give God that which belongs to Him?
- You can become His possession by allowing the blood of Christ to cleanse you of all your sins at baptism.