Proper 24 (A) + Why not both? + 10.22.17

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(From the British Museum)
M. Campbell-Langdell
All Saints, Oxnard
(Exodus 33:12–23; Ps. 99; 1 Thess. 1:1–10; Matthew 22:15–22)

“…they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?” They answered, “The emperor’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away (Matthew 22:19b-22).”
I had a convicting experience at the conference I attended last week. I was surrounded by so much art. During our sacred space, we wandered around the large room dotted with little tables covered with different art installations over which to ponder and pray, as well as art hung from the walls or the ceiling. Some of it was interactive. And I kept realizing – I could do this! Not to the same extent as the artists who had come. Clearly they were more accomplished. But I came to realize that, although I am very interested in art and have used it in my own spiritual life for several years, I have not always seen so clearly how to integrate it into parish life. Until I saw these two with their prayer stations. Some exquisite, but most beautifully simple. And I thought, I could do that.
I told God, I have focused on just being a pastor and letting others do the art. And I felt a response in my heart: “Why not both?”
Why not both? Don’t you love it when God asks you a trick question? I believe this statement speaks to today’s scripture.
The Pharisees and Herodians, strange bedfellows as I understand,[1] approach Jesus with a trick question. You see it is tricky on at least two levels. First, if they are Jews and Jesus is bringing about a new kingdom, do they have to pay the tax to the Roman Emperor? Why not just reject Roman rule and avoid taxes at once? Another aspect is that the denarius coin used to pay the tax showed the head of Tiberius, the emperor, and around his head it literally says (in Latin): “Tiberius Caesar, Son of the Divine Augustus, Augustus.”[2] So in the context of the temple, this coin could be considered to be bearing a graven image of a god other than God. So Jesus has those who would trick him bring him a denarius. And he asks them about the image on the coin. Whose is it? God or the emperor? And what insignia?
A trick question for a trick question.
Because yes the answer is correct- it is the emperor on the coin. But also, the emperor’s coin shows him as son of God. But of course this is the rub – Jesus said that he was the real Son of God, whereas the emperor was just a son of an emperor who was following in the ancient tradition of making himself seem like a God in order to bring compliance to the people. Jesus is the real Prince of Peace. Even though Caesar Augustus used that term too, his peace was just a forced end to fighting.
So Jesus says yes, we must give to the emperor that which is the emperor’s. Which means yes, we pay the tax. Sorry folks –we have to keep paying the IRS! There is no way to extricate ourselves fully from our conflicted responsibilities living in this world. When there isn’t an emperor to pay, there is always another government needing your contribution. That’s just the way it is. There are always those things we have to do until the kingdom comes that are mixed-some good and some bad. But what can you do? You live in this world, too. And we certainly do not want chaos, or no government.
But comfort with money and paying tribute to the emperor can lead to certain idolatry, as is the case with this coin. Last week, in the reading from Exodus, we saw the people raise up a Golden Calf, and in today’s reading they have turned from this idolatry, and they see God, or at least Moses does, on their behalf. How do we keep turning from idols, even though we live in this world?
Back to the gospel passage, Jesus then says the thing that really stirs the pot. Give to God that which is God’s. This is not just a fancy rhetorical side-step on Jesus’ part. This is the heart of the matter. Why not both? Because... what is not God’s? And so this is the challenge to you and to me. How to find a way to give back all that God has given us by not only acquiescing to living in this world with its conflicted loyalties, but also finding a way to give back to God.
How can we give everything God gives us back up? Sometimes for family and personal needs, sometimes for God’s needs; ministries and other good deeds. But all of it is about repairing the world by making it more whole.
Because the simpler way we interpret this at this time of year is to give of our Time, Treasure and Talent for the work of God’s kingdom. This may be in regular giving to the church and or to other charitable organizations which we feel are doing God’s work. And that is awesome. But not just because every little bit helps us keep on doing the ministry we are doing in this community and around the world. But also because we need to be able to both live in this world and give our “all” back to God.
Giving our “all” back to God means two things. One, if you are up for the challenge, it means that you give to God off the top of your income before you even pay any other bills. If you just try it, with a very limited percentage at first, and you will be amazed how much this gesture of trust helps you realize just how fully reliant you are on God to continue providing everything else. It’s like a dare: God, I will give you this, but you then must give me what I need. Not everything I want, but enough. And I will be OK.
But it goes even farther. It means looking at your whole self and meditating a bit. What gifts has God given you? Are you using all of them to the fullest? Or are you focusing on just surviving in this world and letting other people do the important work? I think honestly we have to banish the concept of important work, in a way. Not many of us will do truly game-changing work. But each of us has a special gift to share, and letting our light glow just ever so slightly less because it is easier that way does us all a disservice. I don’t mean to say that I am an Artist in the classical sense, but I feel convicted to use that part of myself more often in church, even if it is just once a month or so, in order to create small installations like I did for today. Places to go and look at. And perhaps to pray over and think. What belongs to the rulers of this world? And what belongs to God? And how can I give generously of my whole self, to the world? What is God asking me to do? And perhaps that annoying question: “Why not both?”


[1] Rolf Jacobsen, Karoline Lewis, Matt Skinner, “Working Preacher Sermon Brainwave Podcast #564,” for Sunday October 22, 2017: https://www.workingpreacher.org/brainwave.aspx.

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