Following The MessiahSample

Teaching a big lesson through a small coin:

It was just a small silver coin. The pharisees hoped to catch Jesus in front of the crowds and make him unpopular with His followers. Should we pay taxes to Caesar? The Roman Emperor was widely unpopular with the Jews of the 1st century. Paying taxes was not something people enjoyed (maybe you can relate with that feeling). Jesus heard the question and immediately knew the hearts of those asking. He asks for a denarius—a small coin—worth about a day’s labor.

What Jesus does next is a lesson we all can learn from. He tells the people to pay unto Caesar that which belongs to Caesar and to God that which belongs to God. He takes the political and religious high road. Jesus doesn’t skirt around the issues, He doesn’t make up an excuse or He doesn’t take the opportunity to trash the government because He disagrees with their policies. Very plainly He tells the people to deal fairly with the government and at the same time make sure you’re giving God what is owed to Him. This of course wasn’t the answer the pharisees were hoping to receive.

Today we may be faced with controversial questions. We might be asked to take a stance that could be seen as unpopular. Popularity isn’t important; following God matters. Jesus wasn’t concerned with popularity contests, like the pharisees. Jesus wasn’t thinking about what the people might think of Him if He didn’t give them the answer they wanted to hear. He was concerned with giving them the right answer, God’s answer. We need to make sure we live according to God’s way, not the popular way.

Watch episode 7 of Following the Messiah.