Sermon for October 19th

Today, in the gospel of Matthew, Jesus is asked, “Is it lawful to pay taxes to the Emperor or not? Is it lawful? To pay taxes? According to the law of the land everyone had to pay taxes just like everyone has to pay taxes now. But the question being asked isn’t about the law of the land, the laws of people in power. Jesus is being asked if he thinks God thinks it is right to pay taxes. I mean, for a good Jew, what not give money to the temple, or, for us today, why not give money to support our churches rather than pay taxes. That sounds very nice and religious doesn’t it.

For instance, if I didn’t have to pay 15% of my income to Social Security, then that 10% tithing wouldn’t be so difficult . . . theoretically. “Then I’d have more to give to God!” so the thinking goes. When you look at your checkbook doesn’t it seem like money is getting more and more scarce? There never seems to be enough to go around. Tithing, giving ten percent of your income as an offering, feels like a pretty darn big favor to God! I mean that’s a lot of your money . . . money that keeps getting more and more difficult to find.

But Jesus’ response doesn’t speak about scarcity. Jesus talks about abundance. “Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s and to God the things that are God’s.” Pay your taxes—that money is already God’s anyway. He’s got enough to go around.

When I’m at home figuring out how to pay for everything, I try to remember that I need to be a good steward of MY money. MY time and talents. The stuff God gave ME. I don’t often look at my checkbook or at the cash I have and ask myself, “What am I going to do with God’s money?” But, if I did, maybe it wouldn’t feel so bad when there’s none leftover each month. I wouldn’t have lost anything because it wasn’t mine in the first place.

What are you doing with God’s money? I’m not talking about giving more or giving percentages or giving the right things. This is an issue of faith and trust. You see, if the money in your bank account is only YOUR money, then you need to work harder, you need to save more; you need to cut corners. If it’s not your money, but God’s money—well, you work hard, use what he gives, pray for more when you need it and say thanks when you get it. Those are two very different kinds of faith—one puts trust in yourself and your abilities as a rugged individualist. The other is faith in God as a God who promises to provide for you.

As church-goers, you have to deal with these questions all the time. Every time the offering plate comes around. What do you do? What do you think about? If that skit you saw this morning says anything, I think it points out that we all fail some way or another. We all sin and fall short of God’s glory . . . even with our finances. I’ve heard too many sermons talking about how we are giving our hard-earned money to God as a great big spiritual sacrifice! But just because you make it SOUND spiritual doesn’t mean it suddenly is for you. In fact, have you ever given so that you’ll feel more spiritual afterwards, “It makes me feel good to give.” Even giving becomes all about us. But here is the truth. God doesn’t need your money. God has all the money in the world

God doesn’t need your money; God wants you—all of you—God wants everything. God wants your love. God wants your faith. Psalm 51 says, “The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” God doesn’t need your money—God wants your trust. Out of a heart full of faith and trust, whatever money comes out, no matter how much, is perfect and acceptable to God.

I need to make one thing absolutely clear: I am not encouraging you to change you “mindset”. I’m not trying to motivate you to “give more”. I’m not telling you to “think” differently. Thinking differently will only work as long as you don’t look at your budget and logically figure out that you have more loans to pay. That’s probably why self-help books don’t usually work very long—we tend to have pretty well ingrained thought patterns and behaviors that don’t change quickly.

This is not a question of “thinking” about money differently. This is about all of us confessing that we have put our trust in the wrong place. Being rich is not a sin, it is a blessing. But placing your trust in money instead of God is a sin whether you’re rich, poor or middle class. We have trusted in only ourselves and we think our money is ours and ours alone. We must confess this and ask God to forgive us, renew us and ead us. So that we all might trust God alone, above anything else. We need a new heart and a new spirit that only God can give.

What are you going to do with God’s money? God doesn’t just want 10% of your income, he wants everything. Your respect. Your love. Your trust. But if there was one thing I’d want you all to hear it is this: you aren’t going to start tithing because you’ve learned to use your money more wisely. You’re not going to start tithing by working harder to make more. You’re not going to start tithing by not paying taxes. You need faith, to trust God above anything else. And faith only comes through the Holy Spirit.

In the name of Jesus Christ, I forgive you for trusting in your own powers and abilities to produce money. God forgives you for claiming his money as your own. God loves you—no strings attached. It won’t cost you a thing. He promises to provide you with food, shelter, clothing, relationships and everything you need. He promises to listen when you pray to him about anything, including anything about money. And he promises to continue to provide you with his money even when you aren’t sure how or why or what to do with it. God is a God of abundance and he is sharing it all with you. Amen.