Is There Ever Going To Be A Point To Today’s Devotional?
Good Morning Friends,
Today’s lectionary passage from Acts was not really speaking to me initially. It was as if it were written for a particular people in a specific time and not for me. I was struggling to figure out what to write about. Then I passed through a shadow and decided to start writing about a discussion we had at Bible Study under the Chickee Hut at the Clay Place. Yesterday morning we had talked about the Mark of Cain, The Mark of the Beast and in my spirit also the Mark of Christ. And that got me to thinking about a passage from Mark about the mark of the emperor of Rome on the coinage of the realm. And that got me to thinking about taxes and false prophets. And then I was wondering. Is There Ever Going To Be A Point To Today’s Devotional?
Scripture: Now many signs and wonders were done among the people through the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. None of the rest dared to join them, but the people held them in high esteem. Yet more than ever believers were added to the Lord, great numbers of both men and women, so that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on cots and mats, in order that Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he came by. A great number of people would also gather from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all cured.
Acts 5:12-16 (NRSV)
Then they sent to him some Pharisees and some Herodians to trap him in what he said. And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why are you putting me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me see it.” And they brought one. Then he said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?” They answered, “The emperor’s.” Jesus said to them, “Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were utterly amazed at him.
Mark 12:13-17 (NRSV)
Then the Lord said to him, ‘Not so! Whoever kills Cain will suffer a sevenfold vengeance.’ And the Lord put a mark on Cain, so that no one who came upon him would kill him.
Genesis 4:15 (NRSV)
Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell who does not have the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.
Revelation 13:16-17 (NRSV)
For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce great signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
Matthew 24:24 (NRSV)
Message: Most of us have filed our taxes or are in the process of calculating our earnings in preparation to do so in the next couple of weeks. April is just around the corner. Some of us are getting money back. Some of us have already filed and are paying quarterly estimates. But some will still wait until the last moment to file. Typically we hate taxes. Some have argued that they are unjust and immoral, like the Pharisees in today’s text and others, like the Herodians (a sect of the Sadducees), are all for taxation. We of course owe our nation our support, but we must never forget that we owe God our devotion. Unfortunately we muddle the ideas of Church and State…of God and Country. Though we might give happily to the church…the called out assembly of believers, sometimes it is not so easy to find the right bank account. The focus of our hearts are on worldly concerns and I think we miss the true gift of the time.
We want to portray our best to others so that people think highly of us. We shower, brush our teeth and hair and put on clean clothes to make ourselves presentable…. We even calculate what we are going to say and do to impress others with activities of pleasure seeking and personal gratification. Image is everything. And the image on the coinage of the realm…well… you get the point about power and its source. Unfortunately our actions in doing the things we need to do every day betrays our divided interests. Like all the characters in today’s text from Mark we are portraying an image. But are we portraying to the world around us the image of Christ? Friends, if we bear the real mark of Christ we will give of our time, energy, livelihood and heart to the work of the Kingdom. We may want to present an image, but what is actually shining through? Hopefully it is not the shame of the mark of Cain or the curse of the Mark of the Beast with its list of evil outcomes. Maybe we just need to let Jesus reign more in our hearts and lives and not be so concerned about making our mark. Friends choose the Mark of Christ…the mark of a circumcised heart…love.
Pray we have a sincere concern for others. Pray we pay our taxes. Pray we not be afraid of difficult questions that need to be asked but pray we beware of the people who ask them for their agenda may not be sincere. Pray we are sealed with the image of Christ. Pray we operate under His authority and with all of the resources made possible to each of us when we believe. Pray that because we have received freely we freely give. Pray that others see the seal of Jesus on our lives. Pray we have the love of God, mercy and grace and share with all we meet. Pray we have patience in the midst of trials and temptations. Pray we realize that everything belongs to God but that God has entrusted certain things to the government. Pray we have faith that it will all work out. Pray that Christ like love becomes the coin of the Kingdom in our lives. Pray we, government and the community of believers bring glory to God.
Blessings,
John Lawson
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