Are You Willing To Trust And Obey Jesus?
Good Morning Friends,
There is a coming storm and glory for Jesus reflected in today’s Gospel reading and our Old Testament passage about Ezekiel’s vision of Jesus on the throne of God. But we are going to focus on the Gospel reading today. For here we see Jesus predicting his own passion and betrayal and a story about him choosing to pay an annual head tax to the Temple, not because he was obligated, for he was the King and his Father the owner of the Temple. As the Son of God, he was exempt and as children of God so too we. And yet we are encouraged to pay anyway. At the time of the writing of Matthew some Christians were reconsidering whether the Temple tax applied to them. Thankfully Peter found a Shekel in a fish to cover the expenses just as Jesus had said. Are You Willing To Trust Jesus?
Scripture: On the fifth day of the month (it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin), the word of the Lord came to the priest Ezekiel son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was on him there. As I looked, a stormy wind came out of the north: a great cloud with brightness around it and fire flashing forth continually, and in the middle of the fire, something like gleaming amber. In the middle of it was something like four living creatures. This was their appearance: they were of human form. When they moved, I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of mighty waters, like the thunder of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of an army; when they stopped, they let down their wings. And there came a voice from above the dome over their heads; when they stopped, they let down their wings. And above the dome over their heads there was something like a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was something that seemed like a human form. Upward from what appeared like the loins I saw something like gleaming amber, something that looked like fire enclosed all around; and downward from what looked like the loins I saw something that looked like fire, and there was a splendor all around. Like the bow in a cloud on a rainy day, such was the appearance of the splendor all round. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of someone speaking.
Ezekiel 1:2-5, 24-28c (NRSV)
As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised.” And they were greatly distressed. When they reached Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax came to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the temple tax?” He said, “Yes, he does.” And when he came home, Jesus spoke of it first, asking, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tribute? From their children or from others?” When Peter said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the children are free. However, so that we do not give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook; take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a coin; take that and give it to them for you and me.”
Matthew 17:22-27 (NRSV)
Message: Today’s Gospel reading is more than a simple story about death and taxes. There is more to this passage than meets the eye. On its first reading it just does not seem like there is much there, but on the third, fourth and fifth reading the gems begin to be sifted out. This post Transfiguration story reveals to us about the relationship of Jesus and Peter and about the character of Jesus. Jesus had performed and would continue to manifest miracles in Peter’s life. Jesus had enabled Peter to walk on water and healed his mother in law and released him from Prison as recorded in the book of Acts, but today’s Gospel miracle is exceptional in many regards because it is so personal and revealing. The passage is rather unique in scripture. The story is only recorded by Matthew, who interestingly enough was a tax collector. It is also distinctive in that the manifestation of a coin in a fish is the only miracle Jesus performs to meet his own needs and the only miracle using money and the only miracle using just one fish and the only miracle performed for Peter alone out of all the disciples, and the only miracle performed that does not give us the results of what happened next. So, the tax collectors come to Peter’s home in Capernaum and ask him if Jesus paid the Temple tax. Impetuous Peter responds “yes” without even consulting Jesus. And what is interesting here is that Jesus knew and anticipated the situation even before Peter says a word. Now some might argue that Jesus was instructing Peter to go fish and make some money to pay the tax, but I like the idea of him discovering a coin, not in the hard labor but as a gift from God. One fish would not have sold for a Shekel. So, what we see in the story is the omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent character of Jesus and the importance of believing in what Jesus says and obeying him and emulating him in extending the grace. Friends, living a life that does not offend is a challenge. There is a certain freedom and liberty being a Christian, but it has considerations so we not prompt others to stumble. That was Jesus’ teaching to Peter and to us as well.
Pray we realize that Jesus knows all. Pray we realize that Jesus controls all. Pray we realize that Jesus serves all. Pray we therefor know the promises of Jesus and believe them. Pray we realize that Jesus knows our needs and anticipates our challenges. Pray we realize that affirming our rights may not be the best response. Pray we embrace our Christian liberty but also express Christian love. Pray we are thankful that Jesus became poor so we might become rich.
Blessings,
John Lawson
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