Taxes

“...Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”  Matt 22:21

 

It is tax season, again! Tax season spans over one third of the year. Then, there are those summer property taxes due as well and can't forget quarterly estimated taxes, either. It does not bother me to pay taxes. I am just not thrilled with the filing of them. I procrastinate. I finally purchased and downloaded one tax program. I am still waiting for the business tax program to come in the mail since there were none available locally and I don't like downloading the program. I like my own copy on a disc. If my computer crashes, which it tends to do during tax season, it is easier if I don't have to remember the passwords.

 

Jesus was asked by the Pharisees if it was lawful to pay taxes to an emperor. This was a trick question. He was being asked if maybe giving tithes to someone other than God could be considered as idolatry. On the other hand if he said no, he would be denying the authority of the emperor to rule in this world. They were confounding the two kingdoms. Jesus responded by asking who's face was on the coin that the they paid this tax with. They brought forth a coin with Caesar's face. Then pay to Caesar what is Caesar's he told them.

 

We may find discomfort in parting with our savings to pay the taxes the government requests. But, do not worry. You are a child of the Kingdom of God. God will provide.

God's Peace - Pr. J 

Acts 23:1-11 Upset By The Truth

Acts 23:1-11 NIV
The truth has a tendency to upset people who insist on living their own truth, which is no truth at all; but, a justification for our sinful beliefs and lifestyles. They will rebel and this will attack those who speak the truth in attempts to make themselves look good and right.

With much turmoil, Paul testified to the resurrection of the dead in Jerusalem. The uproar that accompanied it was so horrific that the troops got Paul out of there for his own safety. "The following night the Lord stood near Paul and told said, 'Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.'” (vs 11) And, so he will. Under guard Paul will be taken to Rome to testify to the truth in Jesus Christ again. He will witness to the resurrection and eternal life in Christ even as he makes that journey.

Where is our journey taking us? Along "The Way," will we be witnesses of the love of God in Christ Jesus; regardless, of how many might attack us because their lives are upset by the truth? How many lives will be changed by hearing the Word?

God's Peace - Pr. J

John 8:21-30 Lifted Up So We Could See

John 8:21-30 NIV
The Pharisees really did not understand Jesus; then again, he was pretty good at talking in circles. They just can't figure him out. Who is he? Where is he from? Where is he going? Is he going to kill himself?

The answer to the last question is: "No, he will not." But, he will die willing for our sake at the very hands of the people who are asking all these questions about him. When people don't understand what going on around them; when they don't take the time to try to understand from the other person's perspective, the inability to communicate often causes problems. It can cause even death at the hands of the people who have come to help.

Words don't always communicate our intent well. Sometimes there needs to be more for people to truly understand. In Jesus' case, he was lifted up on the cross in order for us to see.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

John 8:1-11 Go and Sin No More

John 8:1-11 NIV
We often only look at parts of the story. We like to hear what is going to best justify our role in things; that which is going to help us in our personal quests. We like to pick and choose. So, exactly what does Jesus say about stoning women caught in adultery?

Basically, he tells the Pharisees:  “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” (vs. 7) Jesus, is calling them out on there own sin. It is a reminder that they ought to be forgiving others as they would want to be forgiven.

But, at the same time, Jesus is not condoning sin: He tells the woman: “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.” (vs. 11)

She has received mercy. She has been forgiven. Now what will she do? Will she continue to sin or has the grace that has been bestowed upon her changed her heart so that she will live without committing adultery in the future?

About, the only person who has not been addressed by Jesus in this incident is the man. Where is the man who was committing adultery with her?

We are all sinners. That is true. But, by the grace of God; by His pure love, we are forgiven. May that pure loved fill us so that we would desire to go and sin no more.
God's Peace - Pr. J

Luke 17:20-37 - Kingdom In Your Midst

Luke 17:20-37 NIV
Luke 17:20-21 was one of those "aha" moments for me. I first encountered it about 30 plus years ago.

"Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

These two little verses changed my whole way of thinking about what the Kingdom of God is and when we actually enter into the Kingdom. This Kingdom is not a place far away. Through Jesus Christ, it has entered into this world. All who believe live in that Kingdom even now.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Luke 13:31-35 Threats Do Not Dissuade

Luke 31-35 NIV
Run! Herod wants to kill you, some Pharisees had warned Jesus. Oh well! Whatever! Jesus had a mission and he was not going to run from Herod. He would continue driving out demons and healing people until he reached his goal. His goal was the cross. He was going to die, so what difference did it make whether Herod was looking to kill him or not. He wasn't about to let a few threats dissuade him from continuing the work he was called to do.

Personally, I get a bit weary of the threats. I am not Jesus. But, he is with me and gives me strength to continue onward wherever he will call or send me. He has led me this far. He will lead me home. I know that even though Jesus' journey took him to death on the cross; it also took him through death to the Kingdom of God. So, threats may wear me down a bit, but they will not strike me down completely. I will continue toward the goal, even if it includes a journey to the cross (which it will).

God's Peace - Pr. J

Luke 11:37-54

Luke 11:37-54 NIV
Woe to the Pharisees who heap law upon law; who hold to their traditions and have no real comprehension of justice or the love of God.

I am late writing this today as I spent the night at "the shack" in the town I grew up in so that I could get flowers on the graves. This is Memorial Day weekend and "fixing" the graves is somewhat of a tradition. I did not get to the graves of all my ancestors in the area this year; only about seventeen of them. I did not even know some of them as they died decades before I was born. I am not even sure where a couple of them are in the Paynesville Cemetery; except that they are under a lilac bush. The twins are in unmarked graves. A few years ago, I noticed that no one took care of them any longer, so I started to. It is a reminder to me that we are not islands in the midst of the sea. We are attached to the people around us, as well as those who have gone before us and those will come after us. We are a part of something much greater than ourselves. It is a reminder to me that because we are connected; we should live according to the love of God doing justice; not harm to those around us.

Woe to those who cannot show love or do justice to others.

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. No time to not serve, love, and do justice this weekend. One graveside funeral on Friday and five burials after worship tomorrow. Memorial Day weekend provides no less opportunities to love and do justice than any other day :)

Matthew 23 - Open The Door

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to." (Matt 23:13 NIV)

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in what we should or should not do here in this world, we forget all about the Kingdom of God. We forget to tell people that the door to the Kingdom is open to all who believe. If one doesn't even know that it's open, how will they know to enter through it?

The teachers of the law and the Pharisees were like that. They were so busy worrying about appearances; they were so worried about looking good; they were so worried about making sure that every little ordinance that they came up with was obeyed to the letter that they either didn't know how or maybe they forgot to just "be" and "live" in God's presence. Consequently, since they did not enter into God's presence, they were not able to teach others this great mystery, either.

God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus the Christ, so that we might be reconciled to God in His Kingdom and not just in the future life after death (as seems to be a popular notion); but, in the here and now. He desires that we should be reconciled; to "be" with Him; to "live life" in Him; in His Kingdom, even now.

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing." (Matt 23:37)

Will you enter through the door of the Kingdom? It has been opened for you, by Jesus Christ, our LORD.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Matthew 15 - What To Wear?

“Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 'Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands before they eat.'”  (Matt 15:1-2 NRSV)

On occasion, I have heard a whisper or two about how someone dresses "for church" or how a child misbehaves in "in church." (I have church in quotes, because the term in church is used rather than the term "at worship.") Tradition has taught us that there are certain ways we should dress for and act in "church." These are traditions that have come down through the generations. I'm thinking Jesus probably did not change clothes to go to the temple or to preach as he was traveling from city to city. During the time Jesus ministered, here on earth, one of the big "no, no's" was to not wash before you eat. There were whole rituals set up to ensure that hands were washed - rituals that were not to be broken.

We have the religious and we have the faithful. The religious might also be faithful, but often they will remind us of the Pharisees and scribes who faithfully accused and persecuted Jesus. The man-made laws and traditions certainly set them apart from other people; but did they set them apart because of their faith in God or because of the faithfulness to man-made traditions and laws?

Not long ago, one of our members was dropped off by one of their children for Worship. I invited the daughter to join us - but - she said she couldn't come in because she had a pair of those pants on that sort of look like pajamas. Consider this, who exactly are you dressing for? Who are you afraid of offending? Man or God? Do you not pray at home, in the shower, in your pajamas, in the garden, in your running clothes, at work? Do you run to change clothes before you go before God to speak with Him, in prayer, on all of these occasions? Personally, I don't think God cares what we're wearing.

As that child of God, who felt that she was not dressed for "church" declined my invitation to join us at Worship, I thought of Adam and Eve in that garden, naked. God didn't care that they were naked. After they ate of the tree of knowledge, it was they who cared, not God. Since they were ashamed, God made them clothes to cover themselves with and then closed the garden off to them so that they might not eat of the tree of life and live forever.

I like tradition almost as much as the next person; however, let us be mindful that sometimes these traditions separate us from God rather than bring us (and others) closer to him. It is faith in the One who shed His blood for us and not what we wear that reconciles us to God, our Father, in His eternal kingdom.

"This people honors me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,    teaching human precepts as doctrines." (Matt 15:8-9)

God's Peace - Pr. J
P.S. The winter that I was snow-mobile trail boss in southern Ontonagon County, I often went to Worship Services in my snow-mobile suit, simply because I did not have time to change and had to get back out on the trails immediately after worship. It was either not change or not Worship. Which would you choose?