Live The Message

Live The Message
Exodus 33:12-23 Matthew 22:15-22
October 19, 2008
Rev. Alan Claassen

Jesus had a way of seeing things that was different from most of us.
He could look at a mustard seed and see the kin-dom of God.
He could look at lilies of the field and see an example of trusting in God.
He could look at his own disciples’ fears of not having enough and in five loaves of bread, two fish, and a prayer to God Jesus could make a way to feed a multitude.
He could look at a man ignored on the side of the road because of his blindness and Jesus could see that man back into sight and back into his community.

And in the passage that was read this morning from the Gospel according to Matthew Jesus could see a trick question. More than this he could see the false choices that the religious and political leaders were presenting to him and to all the people.

The choice between Caesar and God is a false choice. Just as it false to believe that we have to choose between jobs and the environment. Just as it false to say that we have to choose between prisons or more schools. Just as it false that have to choose between responsible fiscal management and making a profit. Just as it is a false choice that have to choose to allow our nation to be a leader among industrialized nations in selling weapons but way behind the pack when it comes to investing in our children’s future through education or health care.

Jesus was able to see the false choice because of his deep love and commitment to God. And it is good to remember that this love was informed by the knowledge that Jesus had of his tradition, which included the prophets: Amos, Jeremiah, and Isaiah.

Quoting Jim Wallis, in his book, The Soul of Politics, “The biblical prophets encourage us to be suspicious of concentrations of wealth and power; to mistrust ideological rationales that justify subordinating people to causes; and especially to become sensitive to the poor, the disenfranchised, the stranger, and the outsider.” (pg 38-40)

Jesus knew what the prophets taught and so he turned the trick question into an opportunity to see what is most fundamental in life, what has the deepest source of strength, and what is most needed by people to realize their intimate connection with one another and all God’s creation.

The question put to Jesus by the religious and political authorities was, “Rabbi, teacher, we know that you’re honest and teach God’s way sincerely. You court no one’s favor and don’t act out of respect for important people. Give us your opinion, then, in this case, “Is it lawful to pay tax to the Roman Emperor Caesar, or not?”

It is important to see the set-up in the question, when those who posed the question were trying to butter up Jesus. They were setting up a false choice in question. They implied, that to give all one’s attention to God means that we shouldn’t care the affairs of humanity. And this was very important -- as the setting of the story – the country in which Jesus was living—was an occupied territory. Rome was the occupier and the Jewish religion was only allowed to continue it practices if it kept itself within the confines of the temple. Don’t mix religion and politics. It’s alright if you feed the poor, Jesus, but don’t start asking any questions about the conditions of a society that creates poverty in the first place.
But this was a false choice for Jesus because he knew, from the prophets, that love of God and love of neighbor are not able to separated and that even kings are accountable to law of the Covenant.
And so Jesus, replied to the question, in his kind, sweet, don’t want to upset anyone manner, saying,
“You hypocrites.”
Even when we allow Jesus to vent a little frustration by calling the hypocrites out for what they are, he does still love and he still works for their transformation by posing a question. “Whose face is on the coin you use to pay taxes?”

They look and see Caesar’s face and Jesus says, “Then give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, but give to God what is God’s.”

And those of the trick question, those trapped within the realm of false choices walked away amazed. Maybe the seed of transformation was placed within them. Maybe one of them later showed up at a house church meeting of the followers of Jesus, seeking to remember to call of the Covenant.

Whose face is on the coin we use to pay our taxes? I am thinking of the faces of former Presidents who are on the face of our coins and I wish instead that there were a child’s face on those coins. Or a mother’s face. Or the face of student who attends a school of 1200 students in a building designed for 800.

Whose face is on the coin when we decide where to spend it, give it, invest it, share it?

Remembering the call of the Covenant where do we as a nation choose to place our coins? Jim Wallis, the author of The Soul of Politics, which I quoted earlier, said that our country is in need of a spiritual renewal that is based on social justice, compassion, and community.

I remember the words of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. who said, “All that evil requires to prosper is that good men and women do nothing.”

I remember our own United Church of Christ, which sponsored a nationwide conference a few years ago on Freedom of Conscience and the rise of the Religious Right.
One of the papers that came out of that Conference says, “ When political power is exercised in the cause of love, care, and compassion, it deserves our respect and support, not cynical indifference. When political power is not used toward these aims it is the church’s calling to hold accountable those who would use power and authority for selfish ends, to do violence, and to divide human communities.”
(Freedom of Conscience and the Radical Religious Right
Office for Church and Society, Board of Homeland Ministries)

This Sunday is a special day in many churches and faith communities. This day is being celebrated around the country as Children’s Sabbath Day. This is a day for faith communities to take a good look at how we are caring for our children and grandchildren.
It is a day for us to lift up the historical values of health care and public education that our church so vigorously supported, as we were a part of the building of this nation.

And so I remember the words and work of Marian Wright Edelman, Director of the Children’s Defense Fund. It was her organization that first created the Vision Statement, “Leave No Child Behind.” For Marian Wright Edelman this is more than a slogan, it is a call to put our coins in the places where the need is greatest for the health and well-being of our nation’s children.

She writes:
“We must convey in earnest the importance of participating in the civic life of the community, state, and nation. Democracy is not a spectator sport.
Indeed, the religious community must lead the way in taking a stand for children to bring their needs before the conscience of the nation.
We have come to a moral crossroads in our nation, one at which we have to decide whether or not to stand up for children. Will we take the path of least resistance, or selfish indifference, or the road less traveled?
As Christians we called to be relentless in our pursuit of social justice, resolute in our efforts, and renewed in our spirits.
We must live by the Word and keep walking down the road to justice. So use your walking stick, your wheelchair, or your own two feet to stand for children and keep moving on down that road.”
Living the Word, the Message means wanting and working for the same thing that Jesus wanted and worked for—a universal community of peace, compassion, and justice sustained by the experience of a loving God.
Living the message means making the connection between the love of God and love of neighbor.
Living the message means thinking seriously about where you are going to place your coins.
For me, all things belong to God first of all. Whether I decide to place my coins in the hands of a local grocery store clerk, in paying taxes as a citizen of a great nation, in making a contribution to my church or favorite non-profit organization, I am always first rendering unto God what belongs to God. Every choice is a sacred choice.
We live the message of God’s love and compassion when we vote, when we contribute, when we pay our monthly bills. Everything we have, in time, talent, and treasure comes from God, and we live the message when we consciously choose to give what we have received back to God through healthy, life-giving choices.
Marian Wright Edelman once said, “I may not be able to be a great leader, I may not be able to move mountains, but I can take a stand for children.”
So I encourage everyone to vote. Vote with your coins. Vote with your ballots. Live the message of compassion with the conscious awareness that all of God is in all places. When we quiet our anxieties we can listen and hear music over our heads.
Because there is a God somewhere, right here, right now. Let’s sing the message!