Introduction

Good morning, beloved family in Christ. It is always a joy to gather together in the house of the Lord, to share in His word, to seek His face, and to be fortified by His love. We are here today, not by chance, but by divine appointment. The Lord has a word for us, a word that is timely, relevant, and life-changing.

Our text today comes from the book of Matthew, chapter 17, verses 22 to 27. In the New International Version, it reads: "When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, 'The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.' And the disciples were filled with grief. After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, 'Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?' 'Yes, he does,' he replied. When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. 'What do you think, Simon?' he asked. 'From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?' 'From others,' Peter answered. 'Then the children are exempt,' Jesus said to him. 'But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.'"

Debt of Sin

The great preacher Charles Spurgeon once said, "You stand before God as if you were Christ because Christ stood before God as if He were you." Ponder on that for a moment. Isn't it astounding? Isn't it awe-inspiring? The debt of sin that we could never pay, paid in full by our Savior. The divine payment that was required, offered willingly by our Redeemer. The deliverance that we so desperately needed, secured eternally by our Deliverer.

The Bible tells us that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). This sin separates us from God, creating a debt that we are incapable of paying on our own.

Our sin is not merely a series of wrong actions, but a condition of the heart. It is a rebellion against God, a rejection of His authority and a violation of His holy law. This rebellion carries a heavy price. The Bible tells us that "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). This death is not just physical, but spiritual and eternal. It is a separation from God, the source of life, love, and all that is good.

But there is hope! There is a way out of this spiritual bankruptcy. There is a way to settle this debt of sin. This way is not through our own efforts, but through the work of another. It is through the sacrificial death and victorious resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Divine Payment

Jesus, the sinless Son of God, took our place on the cross ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO