Today's Daily Lesson comes from Matthew chapter 22 verses 15 through 22:
15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. 16 And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. 17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” 18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites?19 Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. 20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?”21 They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.”22 When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away.
July 4 weekend is always a tricky one in the church -- or at least it should be.
On the one hand, everyone has fireworks and cookouts on their mind and if they come to church -- a big if -- they don't exactly remove the patriot's hat at the door. A church that expects that is probably kidding itself. While the liturgical banners will be green this Sunday, it is guaranteed that a lot of the ties will be red, white, and blue. Some acknowledgment of our country and its meaning is warranted -- whether in sermon or prayer.
On the other hand, what is not needed in the House of the LORD is a patriotic parade. The Church of Christ is universal -- meaning it is comprised of people from all races and nations and the people who show up to worship on July 4 weekend show up to worship God and not country. A pastor and his or her people need to have that clear every Sunday -- including this one.
Bent on setting a trap for Jesus, it was the Pharisees who presented him with the false choice between God and Caesar. The choice is not "either or" and it's not even "both and". In fact, it's not really a choice at all. We live under Caesar; and we live under God. As Christians we are called to honor both. Caesar's honor is not to be slighted; but neither is it to swell. It's always "God and country"; but God is always first.
It's July 4 weekend. Let's celebrate and give thanks for the great country we live in and let's go to church and pray for it to grow into the full measure of its creed of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness for all. And at the same time, if when we go to church we discover that the preacher happens to be preaching on the lectionary text about a foreign, enemy general named Naaman who the prophet cleansed of leprosy, let's hear that too. For it is good to be reminded that God's will is indeed to bless the USA and the whole rest of the world also.
God and Caesar. It's not a choice for us; let's don't make it one.
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