Daily Devotional in Matthew 22

Daily Nugget:
“Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? 19 Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. 20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? 21 They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.” Matthew 22:17-21

Among Christians, there is often the question, “Should we support the government financially?” Here in Matthew 22, Christ declares that we should pay our taxes.

Knowing that the religious “powers” of His time were trying to trap Him, Jesus answered them wisely when He was asked about supporting the government. Christ knew they wanted Him to say that it was wrong to pay taxes to the Romans, so they could turn Him in and let the government get rid of Him. His answer surprised and quieted them. He told them that they should pay their taxes.

Some Christians today make the stand that they will not pay their taxes, support their government, or even have any part in defending their country. Their defense is often, “The government today is doing wrong things. I will not help them do wrong with my money. I will not give them my money, so they can abort babies, encourage homosexual activity, and do other things that I know are against what God wants us to do.”

No, God does not want anyone to purposely and directly support the murder of the unborn, homosexuality, and any other activity that God forbids explicitly. However, He does want us to support and help our government do more of what He commands.

Jesus paid His taxes (Matthew 17:24-27), and He knew what the government did with His tax money. It may have been His money that funded the soldiers’ salaries that nailed Him to the cross. Christ knew what was going to happen to Him in the future, and He knew who would have a part in His death. Still, He paid His taxes. Jesus also knew that it would be the same Roman government that would extend their rage against Christians and have them burned to death, thrown to lions, and tortured in unthinkable ways, yet He still paid His taxes.

“Why,” ponder many, “would the all-knowing Saviour support such a thing?” Because He knew His Father ordained government, and that He and we should support it and try to improve it. Yes, there always will be and have been those in government who are corrupt and ungodly. These people use their power to meet their own selfish goals. Nevertheless, the government has a necessary God-given role in the lives of its people. The purpose should be to reward good and punish evil, but that has rarely been the case.

It is the government that should arrest those that do wrong. It should be the government that legislates righteousness and protects its people from those trying to take away what God has allowed them to have.

Immediately most respond, “Well, that is not happening today” The government certainly is not enforcing righteousness, and they are even perverting what is right.

Government should be encouraging and legislating what is right, and that is where a Christian’s intervention in speaking up and standing for righteousness should alter it and help it be more God-fearing and abiding. We are supposed to be the light and salt to help our nation to be more as God commands! It is our support, intervention, vote, and stand that could help the government be what God intends it to be.
“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. 7 ¶ Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.” Romans 13:1-7

Today’s Thought: 
“When law and morality contradict each other, the citizen has the cruel alternative of either losing his moral sense, or losing his respect for the law.” — Frederic Bastiat

Words to Understand:
Parables: verbal illustrations teaching or showing a lesson
Render: give
Resurrection: raised from the dead; revival from doing nothing or little
Superscription: writing abouve smething else, as a picture or other writing

Today’s Reading:
Matthew 22
1 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,
2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
15 ¶ Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.
16 And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men.
17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?
19 Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.
20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?
21 They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.
22 When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.
23 ¶ The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,
24 Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
25 Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother:
26 Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.
27 And last of all the woman died also.
28 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.
31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
32 I am the God of Abraham, and 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 multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.
34 ¶ But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.
35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
41 ¶ While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,
42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David.
43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying,
44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?
45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?
46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.

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