Jesus has already taught that he
has come not to abolish the law but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17). So the
questions that come about applying the law have to run through Jesus who bids
us to follow him. The answer will not come in propositional statements or even
a well-told story but through life in him.
In this way, all the questions that
come to Jesus in these last days, even with the best of motives, cannot be
answered by simple citation. At the end of the day (or the sermon) we are not
called to show how Jesus is clever but whether we will commit our lives to him.
–– Stephen C. Kolderup
Matthew 22:15-22
To those of us who routinely pay
taxes to the secular authority, the strength of the emotions involved in the
question of “rendering to Caesar” may seem strange. This is not just the sort
of reluctance that we all feel about paying taxes. Jewish nationalists were
deeply offended by the requirement to pay taxes to Rome; the Herodians and
Pharisees, supportive of Roman rule, would have considered refusal to pay the
tax treasonous.
Perhaps we can get a better sense
of the intensity of feelings about this issue when we realize that the poll tax
provoked the Jewish rebellion against Roman rule in 66. . . His opponents thought they had Jesus trapped.
But. . . Jesus tells them to give the coin to Caesar, while not neglecting to
give to God what is God's. –– Joseph McHugh
Isaiah 45:1-7
Cyrus II, founder of the Persian
dynasty, attributed his success in conquering many nations to his pagan god.
But the prophet Second Isaiah knows that it is YAHWEH who is the cause of
Cyrus' success. We should not minimize the impact of the first sentence: Cyrus,
a pagan king, is the Lord's anointed, his “messiah.” This is the only time that
scripture bestows the title on a pagan.
The prophet calls upon his people
to. . . see that the Lord has called Cyrus to conquer Babylon and other
nations on behalf of Israel. . . To borrow the wording in the Gospel, in
conquering Babylon, Cyrus will be giving to God what belongs to God. –– Joseph
McHugh
1 Thessalonians
1:1-10
Paul opens this letter with much
thankfulness for a congregation that is grounded in faith, love, and
steadfastness. This is a church has that has fully embraced the calling of God
to be a beacon of light in the world as they live out their faith. They are not
mere adherents to doctrinal propositions or denominational polity. No, the
church in Thessalonica recognizes that its purpose is to live in response to
the Gospel's invitation to new life in the Holy Spirit through repentance and
faith.
. . . This congregation has come to
the realization that if they are going to be a true living witness then the
members' lives must be authentically lived. There must be an intentional and
incarnational presence manifested daily to a world that is searching for
something to believe in, that needs to see the love of Christ demonstrated
through action, and that wants consistency in commitment. –– Chris L. Brady
Chris L. Brady
is lead pastor of Wilson Temple, United Methodist Church, Raleigh, North
Carolina.
Stephen C. Kolderup, a PCUSA pastor, recently served as
temporary pastor to Frenchtown Presbyterian Church, Frenchtown, New Jersey.
Joseph McHugh is
a freelance writer who writes on scripture and other religious topics.
Homily Service 41, no. 4 (2008): 80-89.
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