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Writer's pictureJon Burgess

Stamped By The Savior

Scripture


22Now tell us—is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 23He saw through their trickery and said, 24“Show me a Roman coin. Whose picture and title are stamped on it?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. 25 “Well then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.” 26So they failed to trap him by what he said in front of the people. Instead, they were amazed by his answer, and they became silent. Luke 20:22-26


Observation


This was another in a long line of stellar “drop the mic” Messiah moments. They were trying to draw Jesus into an argument using politics and religion. Sounds like many of the arguments going on these days. Jesus didn’t play games like these. He used this moment, as He did with every moment, as an opportunity to reveal something about God that everyone was missing. The historical context shows the tension of this moment. According to Duzik: 6 A.D. the Jews were forced to pay taxes directly into the emperor’s treasury. Some Jewish patriots (such as the Zealots) refused, not wanting to recognize Roman rule as legitimate. Most others grudgingly paid it. This seemed to put Jesus on the horns of a dilemma. If He agreed the tax should be paid, He seems to deny the sovereignty of God over Israel, and will lose popular support. If He says that it should not be paid, He declares Himself an enemy of Rome, which branded Him as a revolutionary and put His life in danger.” As usual Jesus wasn’t taking sides. He was calling both sides to remember in who’s image they had been made. The Latin term “Imago Dei”- image of God speaks to the uniqueness of man in creation. According to Genesis we are the only part of creation made in the image of God. So, when Jesus tells the crowd give to God what belongs to God it’s a call to return to their creator. To not get caught up in the image of the zealot or rebel. To not get caught up in the image of religious leader or government sympathizer. The coin may be stamped with the face of the emperor but we’ve been stamped with the face of God. We have been stamped by the Savior, but is that what shows through when all we do is argue?


Application


Some people just love to argue. Some just love the sound of their own voice. It didn’t matter that Jesus presented an amazing answer to their ridiculous argument, later on they would accuse Jesus of forbidding others to pay taxes to Caesar (Luke 23:2). Why bother with facts, when lies will serve just fine? Sound familiar? Jesus was showing us how to navigate the polarizing reality we all live in. Keep imaging God. Keep calling peoples attention back to their maker. Don’t get dragged into trying to win arguments when we’ve been called to win souls. Jesus died for everyone on both sides of every argument. When we find ourselves in the tension of that moment and tempers are flaring will we image God or our own opinions, biases, and positions? I’ll be honest. I like to win arguments. But, when it comes to The Kingdom, when I’m winning arguments I’m often missing the point which is the person. That person that stands on the opposite side of my political or religious belief was made in the image of God just like me. When someone backs me into a corner I need to do what Jesus did and point back to my Maker. I have been stamped with the look of the Savior. Is that the impression people have when they talk to me?


Prayer


Help me to speak the truth in love. If all people see are me then they are no better off than they were before. Yet, if they Your love, hear Your wisdom, sense Your presence in their in their interactions with me then there’s a chance they will see the image of You and want to know You for themselves. Forgive me for the times when I’ve only seen the person through my offense or indifference. I have been made in the image of God and so have they. Today, I take off the old self and its pride and I “put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” (Colossians 3:10)




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