Return To Sender
Pt. 2 - Reel Talk
I. Introduction
Written in 1962 by Otis Blackwell and Winfield Scott the song Return To Sender it was first recorded and released by none other than Elvis Presley. On November 11th, 1962 the song peaked at #2 for 5 weeks on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart because it was featured in Elvis' hit movie "Girls, Girls, Girls." The concept is that a letter or package that was either addressed incorrectly or lacked enough postage is returned to the person who sent it. The idea is that something kept coming back to the one who sent it. We have established that every good and perfect gift comes from God alone. Our source isn't our job, our boss, or our investments. Our source is God! When we acknowledge that, then we must also acknowledge that we should return something to the sender. It is important that when we think about what we have been given, then we must stop and we must return thanks, trust and tithe to sender. Why? This assigns and acknowledges Lordship. Our willingness to return to sender reveals our heart.
I want to continue this thought today by talking about something we probably don't think about very much. If I say we should return worship to God, then we would be familiar with that concept. However, I want to talk about a different aspect of worship today that we must grasp as it relates to what God sends us.
Matthew 17:24-27 (NLT)
On their arrival in Capernaum, the collectors of the Temple tax came to Peter and asked him, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the Temple tax?” “Yes, he does,” Peter replied. Then he went into the house. But before he had a chance to speak, Jesus asked him, “What do you think, Peter? Do kings tax their own people or the people they have conquered?” “They tax the people they have conquered,” Peter replied. “Well, then,” Jesus said, “the citizens are free! However, we don’t want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us.”
Here is a little background. The temple tax was not a governmental tax from Rome. It was a tax levied by the priests to help with the operational expenses of the temple. These guys approach Peter and ask if Jesus pays that tax. Apparently, they were afraid to ask Jesus Himself. Peter responds yes and then rushes to talk to Jesus about it. Jesus' response to Peter is where we want to land today. Jesus tells Peter to go fishing. We read the account and get caught up in the fish story. Let's stop just a second and back up. Jesus tells who to go fishing? Peter! He didn't tell Luke, a former physician, to go fishing. He doesn't tell Matthew, a former tax collector, to go fishing. He instructs Peter to go dust off his Zebco 33, go to the lake and cast in a line and catch a fish. It is essential for us to remember Peter's occupation or place of employment before being a called disciple. Peter was a professional fisherman. So, in a very literal sense, Jesus is sending Peter back to work!
Peter, your assignment is to get your rod and reel, use your skill, your gift and go to work. When you go back to work you will find a coin in the mouth of the fish. Let's have some reel talk. This account reveals to us that the miracle of provision is usually found in and through work!
Too many of us want the coin, but we don’t want to go fishing. Some people want the coin, but they want you to go fishing. They literally want us to enable them to stay on the sidelines while we work. That is called enabling. I have taught you in the past that you are not responsible for someone's irresponsibility.
I think it is important to realize that the word "work" is not a cuss word! Jesus sends Peter back to work.
The fish came up, with money in its mouth, which represents to us the reward of obedience in obedience. What work we do at Christ’s command brings its own pay along with it!
It is time to understand that the miracle of mana came with responsibility to grind. Provision often comes in form of a project. Get your rod and reel and get busy!
What if worship looks work? Let's have some "reel" talk!
What Jesus' command to Peter does is shows us how Jesus views work! Jesus views work as an act of worship!
We fail to recognize worship if we relegate it to what we do here on Sunday morning. Is what we do here worship? Yes! But we are also returning to sender when we drive our truck to the best of our ability. We are returning to sender when we handle customers with grace. We are returning to sender when we give an honest day’s labor for a day's pay. When others are goofing off on the clock and instead, we are busting it because we have learned that we aren’t just working for our foreman. We are actually worshipping the Source when we work hard. This is why Paul tells us in Colossians 3:17 - And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. Some of us think worship is only word. However, the truth is . . .
Work = worship! As we clock in, as we wash the dishes, as we serve our children, we are returning to sender worship!
If you want to return to sender, then go back to work as if you are going to a worship service!
The second thing I want you to notice is that the temple leaders approach Peter and ask them about Jesus' tax. They don't ask for Peter's tax. They ask him for a drachma. It was the amount of tax for one person. Jesus sends Peter to work and tells him, "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.”
I had missed it until now. Peter is confronted for Jesus' tax. Jesus sends him fishing and when he catches the fish there is twice the amount requested. The religious leaders asked for Jesus' payment and through Peter's willingness to worship through work Jesus took care of his and Peter's tax.
Hear me today. This account reveals to us that when we obey, when we work as an act of worship that God will provide. Listen carefully . . . He will provide enough for Himself and enough for you. We miss it if we think our work is just enough for God. We also miss it we think work provides only enough for us. God provides enough for us! Not singular you. Plural us meaning God and you!
I just can't return to sender because I have just enough for me. Then you will miss the miracle of enough. If God provides it through your work, then He provides enough for not only your needs, but also His own! It is enough for us! If we fail to realize this, then when we open the fish's mouth (when you login to see if your paycheck has been auto deposited, when you endorse the back of that paper check, when you accept the cash) we will take the coins there and use them all on us and fail to realize that God provided enough for you to return to sender. It is a lie from the enemy that there isn't enough. He always provides enough for us. If I believe the lie, then when I open the fish's mouth, I think it is just for me. Maybe the reason the fish has quit showing up is because Jesus realized that you were going to use everything He provided for Him on you! Some of us are frustrated at work because we think we are only working for us. The truth is our mindset changes which then changes our attitude when we discover that we are actually working for us - ourselves and for God.
Go to work, receive the reward of work, then return to Sender what belongs to Him and live on the rest.
