Through It All
Today in the United Methodist Church is known as Laity Sunday, a
day to honor the backbone of the United Methodist Church, the lay
members of the church who do so much to keep the church
functioning at the surface level where all can see and behind the
scenes un-noticed.
We are blessed in this church, with laity who are so talented from
their ability to do hands on work, to our mighty prayer warriors, to the
talent of music and endurance. With so many churches struggling to
find something, we at the Tremont City UMC are blessed to have the
gifts of the laity that some churches dream of. Laity who know whom
to serve as Jesus tells us whom to serve in this morning’s scripture
lesson.
Please open your Bible to Matthew 22: 15-22
Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how to entangle
Jesus in his talk. And the Pharisees sent their apostles to
him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know
that you are true, and teach the way of God truthfully, and
care for no men, for you do not regard the position of men.
Tell us, then what do you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to
Caesar or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said,
“Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the
money for the tax.” And they brought Jesus a coin. And
Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is
this?” They said, “Caesar’s.” Jesus said to them, “Render
therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to
God the things that are God’s.” When the Pharisees heard
it, they marveled and they left Jesus and went away.
The devil is a slick chameleon that can fit in where he needs to fit in
and side with whom he needs to side with, to accomplish his goal.
The devil’s goal of trying to humiliate God and destroy the Christian
faith. Such as the case in this text as Jesus realized if he agreed
that it was okay to pay taxes to Caesar, the Pharisees would say
Jesus was opposed to God who was the only king they recognized.
If Jesus said the taxes should not be paid, the supporters of Herod
would hand Jesus over to Herod with charges of rebellion. For the
Pharisees were not motivated by love of God’s law and the
supporters of Herod were not motivated by love for Roman justice.
What Jesus is showing us is that we have a dual citizenship in this
world and in essence that we need to be aware of those hiding
behind a mask of hypocrisy. Be aware of those attempting to be
something they are not on the inside. Our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ knew that those before him were attempting to trap him by
their question and Jesus answered them that we have a dual
citizenship.
As Christians we are responsible to render unto God and to render
Unto Caesar, for we are responsible to answer to God and to obey
the laws of our country, to pay taxes, to pray for those in authority
and to actively speak out and stand up for God, how are those Ten
Commandments looking today, and for God’s laws in government,
the right to life.
Romans 13: 5-7
Therefore one must be subject, not only to avoid God’s wrath but
also for the sake of conscience. For the same reason you must also
pay taxes, for the authorities are the ministries of God, attending to
do this very thing. Pay all of them their dues, taxes to whom taxes
are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, honor to whom honor is
due. The problem is not taxes, or revenue, the problem can be
honor, the problem is what one may profess.
Titus 1: 15-16
To the pure all things are pure, but to the corrupt and
unbelieving nothing is pure, their very minds and
conscious are corrupted. They profess to know
God, but they deny him by their deeds; they are
detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good deed.
Do you remember the show The Lone Ranger, which was about a
cowboy who wore a white hat that sat just above his eyebrows and
a partial black mask that showed his eyes and nose but was just
enough that one could not clearly make out his full facial features.
The Lone Ranger always rode his faithful horse named Silver and
had a partner he rode with who was a Native American named Tonto.
Whenever the Lone Ranger would ride off someone would always ask,
“Who was that masked man?” Then they would hear that familiar
voice as he proclaimed, ‘HI HO SILVER AWAY” as the Lone Ranger
and Tonto would go galloping off full speed on their horses.
In the English language the word hypocrisy comes from the Greek
term “to wear a mask.” In the Greek Theater, actors held masks
over their faces to portray different characters.
In the year 2005, many are asking the same question of Christians,
“Who is that”, as some wear masks over their faces. Sadly in this
world there are a lot of good con artists, fakes, who love nothing
more than to put one over on us while asking, “Tell us then, what
do you think?” For some reason there is something about being
honest that seems to be difficult for some.
In this mornings scripture text, Matthew 22:15-22, the issue is not the
coin. The issue is the image on the coin for Jesus is saying, “Give
back to Caesar’s what is Caesar’s as Caesar’s face is on the coin.
Even more, Jesus is saying “Give back,” “Give back to God what is
God’s” for we all belong not to the coin as the coin is of this world.
We belong to God. For just as the coin bore Caesar’s image and the
coin today bears George Washington’s image, we bear God’s image.
Genesis 1:27
So God created man in his own image, in the image of
God he created him; male and female he created them.
We live in a world where we don’t think twice about shopping or
watching a sporting event for four or five hour’s straight. Some
complain if the sermon or the service is too long and some complain
at the thought of attending church other than the sacrifice of Sunday
morning to stay on the good side of God. They seem to forget that we
are only one breath away from eternity and everything depends on
God, and so everything belongs to God.
Thanks be to God that in the Tremont City UMC the laity are believers
who not only know the truth, but also live the truth. JESUS CHRIST,
for that is what makes this church family so beautiful. There are
children of God here who bear the image of God in their lives, their
actions, and their words.
This morning we are blessed as Mr. and Mrs. Ray and Lois Short have
stated that they would like to become members of the Tremont City
United Methodist Church. I have set with Mr. and Mrs. Short in their
beautiful home in Springfield. Mr. and Mrs. Short have not only made
me feel welcome but I also feel the presence of God when I am
blessed to be in their company.
We as a Church family are blessed as this beautiful couple of God
becomes official members of our church family and I can assure you
they are in love with Jesus and have been called to be His servants
for they have devoted their lives to serving God.
John 14:23
Jesus answered Judas, (not Iscariot) ‘If a man loves
me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him and make our home with him.
He who does not love me does not keep my words; and
the word you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent
me.
On this Laity Sunday thank you, thank you church family, as we
celebrate the ministry of all Christians, Laity Sunday, as your lives
have been empowered for ministry by the Holy Spirit. Because the
beauty of being empowered by the Holy Spirit is that when one is
filled with the Holy Spirit they do not have to wear a mask and ride
off into the sunset.
When others look at us they will not ask, “Who is that masked
person?” They will look at us and say I see the image of God
standing right before me. They are from the Tremont City UMC.
They will know that we have learned and believe as a family of
Christ. SAY IT WITH ME…. Through it all, through it all, I’ve
learned to trust in Jesus, I’ve learned to trust in God; through it
all, through it all, I’ve learned to depend on God’s word.
Let us pray,
Father in this world there are so many searching, hiding behind a veil
Of who they are not, forgetting they are made in the image of God.
May we not get so caught up on things of this world that we are
not living for the next world, heaven, and to serve you Father.
Father I pray that this family rejoices in being in worship
with fellow believers who do not give up, who answer
your call as faithful servants through it all. Thank
you Father for the laity in this family who do
so much to serve you Father not as the
Lone Ranger but as children of God
with love in their hearts.
Amen
10/16/2005JWM
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