January 2, 2022
Morning Service

This morning we are picking backup with our study of Matthew.  The perspective we are taking is that we are on this journey with Jesus as the 13^th disciple.  We have seen Him heal everyone that has come to Him, calm storms, raise the dead, and even saw Him in His glory on the Mount of Transfiguration.  There is no doubt in our minds that this Jesus we are following is the Christ, the long awaited Messiah.  Just when we had thought we had seen it all, we enter into Jerusalem to a scene of praise and adoration that we had been longing for.  Jesus finally accepted the praise and we were very excited about what lies ahead for us; not really grasping what Jesus has now told us three times of what is about to happen.  All of our lives were drastically changed when Jesus called us to follow Him, and now this week our lives will take another drastic turn.  Our last message was Jesus teaching us on three parables.  Today we again encounter the Jewish religious leaders, Pharisees and Sadducees, as they try to trap Jesus with questions.

Mat 22:15-22 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk.  (16)  And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men.  (17)  Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?"  (18)  But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, "Why do you test Me, you hypocrites?  (19)  Show Me the tax money." So they brought Him a denarius.  (20)  And He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?"  (21)  They said to Him, "Caesar's." And He said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."  (22)  When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way.

The Pharisees had thought they had the perfect plan.  If He said to pay the taxes they would claim His allegiance was to Rome and not God.  If He said not to pay taxes they would turn Him over to the Romans for rebellion.  Jesus displays divine wisdom as He easily deflates their trap.  He had immediately seen that their intentions were not sincere as He called them out for the hypocrites they were.  They were not seeking truth but simply being deceptive to get the results they wanted.  Jesus is always ready to accept a truth seeker with questions, but He has no patience for those who have other agendas.  From His answer, we as disciples, learn that we as Christ followers have a dual citizenship.  We are citizens of the United States of America and are required to pay taxes and obey the laws as good citizens as long as they do not ask us to do something against God’s teachings.  Romans chapter 13 expounds on this in more depth. Our second and primary citizenship is in heaven that requires our foremost commitment and obedience (Matt. 6:33) to our Heavenly Father.  A faithful follower of Jesus will naturally become a good citizen of the nation in which we live as we are commanded to obey the authorities that rule over us.  The Pharisees marveled at His words and left Him making way for the Sadducees (sad you see because they did not believe in the resurrection of the dead) to take their turn at entangling Him in His words.

Mat 22:23-33 The same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, (24) saying: "Teacher, Moses said that if a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.  (25)  Now there were with us seven brothers. The first died after he had married, and having no offspring, left his wife to his brother.  (26)  Likewise the second also, and the third, even to the seventh.  (27)  Last of all the woman died also.  (28)  Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her."  (29)  Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.  (30)  For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven.  (31)  But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, (32) 'I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB’? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living."  (33)  And when the multitudes heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.

            Again here we see the hypocrisy of these leaders as they asked a question about the resurrections that they did not even believe in.  The question seemed to have legitimacy but only because they did not understand what heaven would be like.  The Law did clearly state that a brother was to take his own brother’s widow as his wife but that does not translate into how things will be in heaven.  We too can learn from what Jesus explains.  Marriage here will mean nothing in heaven as we all are “like the angels” and content fully in being in God’s presence needing nothing else.  Each culture tends to try to define what heaven will be like, but we must be careful to base our definitions on what the scriptures tell us.  We know for certain that heaven will be a place greater than what we can even imagine.  He also clarifies that there will most certainly be a resurrection stating scripture that “God is not God of the dead, but of the living.”  Finally, a lawyer raises a question that is seeking the truth and Jesus answers.

Mat 22:34-40 But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together.  (35)  Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, (36) "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?"  (37)  Jesus said to him, 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.'  (38)  This is the first and great commandment.  (39)  And the second is like it: 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'  (40)  On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

            These religious leaders no doubt often debated the many commandments to determine the most important ones.  Jesus simplifies all that we need to know of the Law and to faithfully follow Him into two commands.  “Love God and love your neighbor.”  Jesus’ answer reveals that if we have given Him our heart and truly love Him and allow that love to flow through us to our neighbors we fulfill the entire Law and all the prophets’ teachings.  Rather than consume ourselves with all the “don’ts” of the commandments, we should simply focus on the two “dos.” Seek God first in your life and surrender your heart, soul and mind totally to Him. Yield yourself to the moving of the Holy Spirit that is within you.  Listen to what the Spirit teaches you through the Word and allow it move you to making needed changes to your life.  He is the Potter and we are the clay.  Once we are in tune with the Spirit, we will realize that life is not only about me.  We will be given a different perspective of those that are around us and be given a compassion for them just as Jesus had; we will see others as He did through the eyes of love.  For those who are lost and in need, we no longer can look the other way but we want to help both physically and spiritually.  We also see clearly and realize we are blessed to have others around us on the same journey as we are and know that we are better together and we are never alone on our journey.

  We too often make following Jesus way to complicated than it is.  Focus on these two commands, love God and love your neighbor, and as you study allow the Holy Spirit to help define exactly what that means for your life and the changes you need to make to line up with it.  I’m not a big “New Year’s Resolutions” but doesn’t it make sense as we head into a new year that we return the basics of our faith and strengthen that foundation?  This year focus on these two commands; love God and love your neighbor.  Simple is good in this complex world.

Heavenly Father, open our eyes to the simplicity of the gospel message, and allow us give to you our heart, soul, and mind, and then allow us to love others as You have loved us.