Title: Render Unto Caesar, Give Unto God
Theme: To show the importance of giving to the Lord what is important.
Text: Matthew 22:15 - 22
Matthew 22:15-22 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk. (16) And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men. (17) Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" (18) But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, "Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? (19) Show Me the tax money." So they brought Him a denarius. (20) And He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" (21) They said to Him, "Caesar’s." And He said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s." (22) When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way.
NLT 21"Caesar’s," they replied. "Well, then," he said, "give to Caesar what belongs to him. But everything that belongs to God must be given to God." 22His reply amazed them, and they went away.
(15) Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk.
This was a common method that the Pharisees (the religious/political rulers of the day) used speak toward Christ.
There are at least three reasons that they would ask him questions.
1) To legitimately find the answer (Nicodemus - John 3). We learn that after the death of Christ he got with Joseph of Arimathea to bury Christ.
2) To try to respond to him with their own teachings (lawyer "the greatest commandment)
Mark 12:28-34 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?"
(29) Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: ’Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. (30) And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. (31) And the second, like it, is this: ’You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these."
Mat 7:12 NIV So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
Islam: No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself. - Sunna, or, Saying of Muhammad.
Confucianism: Do not do to others what you would not like yourself.
- Analects
The sage goes on to say, "Then there will be no feelings of opposition to you, whether it is the affairs of a State that you are handling or in the affairs of a Family."
Buddhism: Having made oneself the example, One should neither slay nor cause to slay. The text goes on to clarify the maxim: "As I am, so are other beings; thus let one not strike another, nor get another struck by someone else. That is the meaning."
It is only in Christianity where we are told to take an active part. Not just wait on others to do something for us but for us to pursue opportunities to do some for them. Or as Jesus said in Matthew 5:41 go the second mile.
(32) So the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. (33) And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, [62] and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." (34) Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." But after that no one dared question Him.
3) To try to make him look bad in the eyes of people (Pharisees here, and other areas)
Some questions we need to ask ourselves:
1) Am I truly listening to God or am I just praying expecting my answer?
2) Where am I getting my values from? The world or myself.
How do we keep a balance between living in the world but not living like it? How do we keep from letting the world influence us?
Romans 12:1-3 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (2) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (3) For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
Romans 12:1-2 MSG So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life--your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life--and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. (2) Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
A. Our values need to be defined by God’s word not ours.
B. We need to let the Lord “transform” us and not the world “conform” us.
C. We become a part of the world when we let the world "clothe" us. Or dictate the way we are to live.
3) When I ask God a question, what are my motives?
(16) And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians (these were another political group (Jews who followed the way of Herod) who on normal terms would not get along with the Pharisees yet these enemies came together, also notice that they came with the disciples IOW the disciples were still trying to figure Jesus out probably a challenge they could not answer so they brought them to Jesus), saying, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men.
(17) Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?"
This was actually a real question that the religious leaders and people wrestled with. So there is a hint of truth here. The people knew of their heritage and commitment to the Lord. They knew that they were a chosen people so how could they give anything to a secular government? How could they support what was going on around them?
(18) But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, "Why do you test Me, you hypocrites?
"test me" - trap, entangle. Get me caught up in a debate that there is no way out. Some people just want to entangle us.
hypocrites - actors, they were saying one thing but in their heart they meant something different. Jesus could read their heart.
(19) Show Me the tax money." So they brought Him a denarius. (20) And He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" (21) They said to Him, "Caesar’s." And He said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s."
Caesar’s image is stamped on the coin; God’s image is stamped on the person (Gen_1:26-27).
Render Unto Caesar
Respect the Government
Romans 13:2 Whosoever therefore resist the power, resist the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shall have praise of the same: 4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he bears not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. 5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. 6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. 8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
1Pe 2:13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority,
1 Peter 2:17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
We Are Made in His Image
Genesis 1:26-27 God spoke: "Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature So they can be responsible for the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the cattle, And, yes, Earth itself, and every animal that moves on the face of Earth." (27) God created human beings; he created them godlike, Reflecting God’s nature. He created them male and female.
The Christian must "render" obedience to Caesar in Caesar’s realm (Rom_13:1-7; 1Pe_2:13-17), but "the things that are God’s" do not belong to Caesar and should be given only to God.
- Preacher’s Sermon and Outline Bible on Matthew 22:15 - 22
Render “Give” to God.
We often time focus on this passage as being about taxes. I believe it is also about our giving. We get to caught up in what not to do that we miss the principle of what God expects from us. He also expects us to “render” or give some things to him.
1) Give time
2) Give family
3) Give finances – this is especially important as he is dealing with money (a coin here)
Malachi 3:8-12 deals with what God thinks about giving.
Will a man rob God?
Malachi 3:8-12
(8) "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ’In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings.
Rob – to take from someone. It not just in our not giving that we miss the blessing of the Lord, when we don’t give we are also taking something (robbing) from the Lord.
When I think about robbery I think about holding at gun point. Taking that which does not belong to me. It is not mine. The Lord says somethings are not ours.
(9) You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation.
Curse – something has been spoken over you. It must be broken to get release.
(10) Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the Lord of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.
Dake - [storehouse] The storehouse in Israel was the temple and cities of the Levites; but in the church it would be considered the place where one receives his spiritual help, where his gospel needs are supplied and where he meets his responsibility in the work of God -- evangelizing the world and supporting the ministry.
{c) [that there may be meat in mine house] The purpose of tithes and offerings was to support the priesthood and the work of God in general (1Cor. 9:7-14).
Try –test the Lord, put to a challenge, step out in faith.
(11) "And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field," Says the Lord of hosts;
(12) "And all nations will call you blessed, For you will be a delightful land," Says the Lord of hosts.
"pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it"
Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you." (Luke 6:38)
"I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes" - rebuke, call a curse on
1 John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
"he will not destroy the fruit of your ground" - protection
"nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field" - abundance
He will not only bless what we have but he will add more.
Ephesians 3:20-21 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, (21) to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
"and all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land" - reputation
1 Corinthians 16:1-2 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: (2) On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.
Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
2 Corinthians 9:6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
Conclusion
(22) When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way.
They were amazed at what Jesus said. Are we listening to the Lord and His principles? Are we letting Him mold us?
Are we letting Him rebuke the devour? How about letting us be fruitful and bless us? It is God’s principles and we following in God’s way?
