Day 11 – Give It All To God
Mark 12:13-17 (ESV)
And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone’s opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar’s.” Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at him.
I turn to Matthew Henry and his comments to understand this:
“He knew their hypocrisy, the malice that was in their hearts against him, while with their mouth they showed all this love. Hypocrisy, though ever so artfully managed, cannot be concealed from the Lord Jesus. He sees the potsherd that is covered with the silver dross. He knew they intended to ensnare him, and therefore contrived the matter so as to ensnare them, and to oblige them by their own words to do what they were unwilling to do, which was, to pay their taxes honestly and quietly, and yet at the same time to screen himself against their exceptions. He made them acknowledge that the current money of their nation was Roman money, had the emperor’s image on one side, and his superscription on the reverse.”
—Matthew Henry Unabridged
However, I personally feel that the most important phrase and teaching in this discussion is “Render unto God the things that are God’s!” What should be given to God? What should you give to God? Your life, your abilities, your gifts, your time, your finances, your all?
Folks may think I am crazy or foolish, but during the recession and the drop in the stock market I decided to quit investing in this world and in an unsteady stock market and I moved all of the money that I had been putting into my 401K into giving to the work of Union Rescue Mission, and specifically, our Hope Gardens Family Center, and now for our South LA Satellite for families. I wanted to lay my treasures up in heaven, and do life changing eternal work with my limited resources. I do not regret my decision.
Jesus said, Luke 12:33-34 (ESV)
Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
An even greater gift to give is your all.
Paul writes in Ephesians 2:10 (TLB)
And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone’s opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar’s.” Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at him.
It is God himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others.
Consider today what you might give to God.
Rev. Andy Bales
President/CEO of Union Rescue Mission