The Eighteenth Sunday After Pentecost: Proper 24 Year A
Matthew 22:15-22
Christ's Own Forever
“And to God the things that are God's.”
So, I am going to start today's sermon off by doing something that is a little bit unconventional, at least by Episcopalian standards. I am going ask for you all, the congregation, to do something participatory this morning. So what I would like you all to do right now is to reach out in front of you and grab that nice little red book we call the Book of Common Prayer which is in front of you, and I would like each of you to turn to page 308. Now this is a section of our prayer book that most of us are pretty familiar with. The page you are looking at contains the words and prayers which are said towards the end of a Holy Baptism.
They are the very words that were prayed over each of us at the time of our own baptisms, both in the Episcopal Church and in many others. What I want to ask of each of you this morning, is for you to read aloud, together, the words that are normally said as the priest is marking the recently baptized person with holy oil, which can be found right in the middle of that page. So let's try that now. Thank you, you may put your prayer books away. You are sealed by the Holy Spirit in Baptism and marked as Christ's own for ever. WE are sealed by the Holy Spirit in Baptism and WE each are marked as Christ's own forever.
In today's Gospel lesson, Jesus also speaks about markings and ownership, though not in those exact words. When we encounter Jesus this morning, He is facing yet another tricky and challenging question from the Pharisees and this time the Herodians about tax payment. Their question is, of course, intended to force Jesus into offending or upsetting either the general public or the Herodians. However, in His typical fashion, Jesus transcends this challenge by referring to the markings on a Roman coin and basically saying that things should be given to whom they belong. If something carries the mark of someone else, then it certainly must belong to that person, right? It seems to me though, that Jesus' statement to the Pharisees begs a certain question, a question that Jesus, the Pharisees, and each of us, already know the answer to. Is there anything in this world, including Caesar's coins, that are not in all actuality God's? The answer, of course, is no. All things are God's. All that there is, all that we have, and all that we are is God's. We are God's, and we are marked as His forever.
I had to begin this sermon with our re-reading that piece from our baptismal liturgy, because as I began to prepare this week, it was the very first thing that came to my mind when I read this morning's Gospel and I felt that it drove home the point that I believe Jesus is making to each of us today. We are all marked as Christ's own forever. You see, though this Scripture is typically used as a way to speak about money and the responsibility of Christian's to give monetarily to the church, and though it is almost in perfect timing with stewardship campaigns everywhere, I am not really so sure that Jesus is actually talking about money in this morning's Gospel. Not that the idea of giving money for the glory of God is bad, of course. Actually, it is one of the most clear and tangible ways that we can give to God what is God's, and we can support and further the work of Christ in the world. But what Jesus is saying in today's Scripture just seems to go so much deeper than money to me. It seems less about material things or sacrifice, and more about awakening ourselves to an understanding our true identity or purpose in Christ.
I assume that most of us have probably heard many call stories in our lives; stories of pastors, priests, and monastics being called into their ministries. In those stories, regardless of the details of their callings, what we typically encounter at the center is a profound need or urge to give over one's self to God. To let go. To give back. To truly dedicate one's self, and one's life to God as a result of the eternal Love and infinite Mercy shown to us in Jesus Christ.
This is an attempt to truly and fully give to God what belongs to God. It is a deeply challenging and incredibly beautiful effort, one which began for me in a way I will personally never forget, and yet, the question I think we have to ask ourselves today based on Christ's words this morning puts such stories in a different light. Is such a deep level of commitment really only to be reserved for those intending to enter into Holy Orders? In other words, are each of us not to seek God and focus ourselves on God in this same way? Are we not each to strive to live in such a way that places God at the center of our lives as well, at the very core of our beings, in our very hearts? I believe so, and I believe that this is the very message and reminder that Jesus has for each of us this morning. That is what is meant by Jesus urging us to give God what is God's, and that is what we are reminded of in the words of our Baptismal blessing, you are marked as Christ's own forever. We are God's, and we must return ourselves to Him.
You know, this just very well may be one of the most important messages that we can hear today. I mean it seems to me to be one of the most important messages that we can hear as Christians living in a 21st century America. A place and a time where in just a few short years church and the worship/study of God has lost its place of importance in our lives and our society. A place where Wed. evenings are no longer for family gatherings and meals in fellowship at church. A place where Sunday evenings are no longer set aside in our schedules for youth events and service. A place where even Sunday morning itself has fallen drastically in importance in comparison to our sporting events, our jobs, and even our plans, even right here in the good old Bible belt. Jesus' message today, is a wake up call. It's a reminder, a warning to our world that no matter how much we fight it, try to deny it, or attempt to convince ourselves otherwise, WE ARE HIS always.
On one hand, that is our good news this morning. That is part of what I hope we take home with us today: We are His, no matter what, and as the Apostle Paul says, absolutely nothing can ever change that, and that is joyous news. However, on the other hand, I think that we must also take the other side of Jesus' message to heart today as well, and truly begin to reteach ourselves how to give ourselves to God. How do we give God what belongs to God? How do we give ourselves to God?
I venture to guess that we all know the tried and true answers to those questions. We give of our time, talents, and treasure. This is correct, and there are many incredible individuals right here sitting among us now who I am blessed to witness and who have inspired me day in and day out by the incredible amount of joyful service and dedication that they constantly demonstrate here at Ascension. Attending bible studies, volunteering, teaching, greeting, preparing for services, serving in worship, singing, caring for the grounds, or just simply cleaning up the messes that others leave behind. Such individuals are an inspiration to us all. Yet, I dare say that such honorable actions in and of themselves are not exactly what Jesus is talking about in today's Gospel either. Simply striving to give of our time, talent, and treasure, misses Jesus' point for us this morning, because at the end of the day Jesus is not really interested in our actions, or our gold coins for that matter. He is interested in our hearts, for they are His, and it is only from a right heart, a person centered on God, a person overflowing with the joy that comes from realizing the truth of their redemption in Christ, that such actions can truly and authentically spring forth.
I want to encourage us all during this year's stewardship drive, and really always, to seriously think about our hearts. Where do they lie? How have we failed to place God at the center of our lives? Consider whether our offerings of time, talent, and treasure actually come from a place of obligation, or one of joy and celebration. Let us use this time as an opportunity, an opportunity to take stock of our lifestyles and our relationship with God, not simply seeking to find favor in God's sight, but in an attempt to once again live out of the truth of Christ's redeeming Love for each of us, and to let that truth be the sole motivation for the giving of our time, talent, and treasure. Let us work together to reteach ourselves that we really are God's, We are marked as Christ's forever, and it is in celebration of that beautiful truth that we gladly give to God all that belongs to Him, ourselves, our souls, our bodies.
“And to God the things that are God's.”
Amen.
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