Moving backwards, we can find ourselves asking: "What is God's?"
In the parable Jesus points out a vineyard. Do you recall other times Jesus spoke about a vineyard? John 15: 1-17-only in this parable Jesus points out that we (the people, the world, followers/disciples & all) are the branches and He is the "True Vine."
Jesus says in our context in Luke, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and God, what is God's." Who is Jesus addressing? =The scribes and chief priests...the head honchos of the religious world in their culture/city.
The religious leaders were trying to trip Jesus up, catch Him saying something wrong. Instead, like always, Jesus was one step ahead of them per say.
"Whose image is on here?" Jesus asks those "pretending to be righteous" in response to their question about paying taxes.
I see everything flowing together here. You see, the political leaders had control of the people's money, but the religious people had "control" of the people's spirituality. Jesus saw and called out this corruption before he said a word about the government.
"Give God back His people." Jesus seems to say. Look again at the parable. The man who planted represents God. The tenant farmers=the spiritual leaders. The slaves sent to collect the harvest=the Old Testament prophets. The son=Jesus.
Going back to the rulers, Jesus doesn't say we shouldn't serve them. This is again emphasized later in the New Testament-Romans 13: 1-7
But should we serve those who go against God's laws regardless of the fact that God has allowed them to come into power?
Remember the story of Daniel?-Daniel chapter 1 and chapter 6
When is it right to obey and disobey our government? Is this even a question we should ask, why or why not?
Jesus's approach and mentality seems to portray the same as Moses in the movie Prince of Egypt (1998) :
"Yes...it's true. Pharaoh has the power. He can take away your food, your home, your freedom. He can take away your sons and daughters. With one word, Pharaoh can take away your very lives. But there is one thing he cannot take away from you: your faith. Believe, for we will see God's wonders."
What is eternal then? We are. What exactly about us is eternal? Our soul. What percisiously is our soul? It's what make you, you; it's what is on the inside...This is what God desires. The rulers of this world will try their best to take it away from us, but again scripture holds your answer: Eph. 6:12 and Luke 12:4 -while we look back at the previous chapters in Luke, do you remember the parable of the 10 minas? Luke 19: 11-27 It's a brutal one in the end, but again the main point is giving back to the Master/King what they asked for.
If you are in a religious leadership position, may you know that they people you "shepard" are not your "flock"-they are the Lord's. Give back to God what is God's.
If you are not in a leadership position, may you know that you still have an important job to accomplish. Multiply="Go and make disciples, baptising them of every nation in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit...and love as I have loved, for they will know you are mine by your actions."-Jesus
This is how we obtain heaven on earth. The very thing you pray for religiously, "the Lord's Prayer":
"Our Father, who are in heaven.
Hallowed by your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done-
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread
and forgive our tresspasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory
forever and ever. Amen."
The government was suppose to help the people do God's will (when we look back into why the Hebrews wanted leaders in the Old Testament), but God knew that these leaders would only focus on the outward/physical things concerning man and not the internal/spiritual-where the real work needed to take place.
Why allow them then? Can our actions ever transform our hearts? Can the hands ever move first before the brain?
All in all, we can find ourselves asking again: does the end justify the means? Does some good (speaking still of having government) outweigh all the bad?
I don't have the answers, but I'm looking. That's where many people fail. They say, "I don't know." and then never seek.
The same can be said to my next question. How many times have you heard or thought in some way, shape, or form this: Does the Father's will become changed or "tainted" by His love for His children?
You have heard or seen stories where although love is great, it seems to be blind. Does God's love for us trump His righteousness? Some could say that love is really a weakness. Think about it. How would you describe love? To me, it is a giving of one's self to another for their greater good. Hadn't God done that?
However, let's refresh our theology for a minute. Yes, our God is love...but He is not love as we have come to understand love. His love empowers. His love is infinite and unyielding. He can give and give and give, but His "well" will never run dry. He wants you, yes. He doesn't need to you though. Yet, this distinction doesn't diminish His desire for you. That desire is more for our fulfillment than His, but it is all for His glory.
Main jest, God loves us. God love you. And we were created to love; many of the scripture I shared with you elluded to that.
If we look back at our tenant farmers (who remember, are representing the religious leaders), what could we say they were motivated by? They chose to fight and kill...hmmm possibly a reflection of they have been taught by the government? Either way...could we truly say they were motivated by love? Or would fear be more accurate? Fear of perhaps not having enough to themselves? Fear that the Farmer would cheat them? Fear that the Farmer would really see that they weren't "the best of the best" and thus, would take away their share?
Fear seems to be cover up...a cover up for what's really going on in the inside. A cover up similar to Adam and Eve's "fashioned leaves to hide their nakedness." A curious thought, huh?
If only they would have acknowledged the Farmer's great generosity in putting them in the garden...I mean vineyard in the first place....If only we...I mean they...would have recognized the fulfillment they already had in the Farmer's care....how He not only provided them with a job, but a mission...not just a mission, but a purpose...still not just a purpose, but a calling...an identity.
Instead the people let their doubts trump their faith when they in their hearts rationalized within their own wisdom: "Why should we toil over serving others...why should we toil in serving someone we don't even see...why should we toil at all?...There is no ruler...There is no God...we are alone in this...We should take over all of this...we will be our own gods."
It's amazing to me how we can ask and rationalize towards this deep, dark hole but still God gave his only begotten son to come and die for our sins.
"...teach truthfully the way of God..." said the spies in our reading.
Truthfully, we suck. But in God's great mercy for us, while we were still sinners, He came to make us righteous through Jesus's resurrection.
"..stop speaking in parables..." they said.
But could they...can we handle the truth? The truth being that it is only through grace you have been saved, not but works and that nothing in heaven or hell, things present nor things to come can ever separate you from the love of God?
Where does this all leave me???
I can't help but keep coming back to, "Give God what is God's."
It's not just about my service...my "religious duties"...although faith without works is dead. James 2: 14-26
Instead, like I have "preached" from the beginning....it's an internal thing...it's all about my heart & mind.
"Love the Lord your God
with all your
heart,
soul,
mind,
and strength."
I don't know about you, but I am a worker...and I am ready for the harvest. Not only that, but I will produce fruit for my King.
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