Proper 24: Gospel, Matthew 22:15-22                                    

Matthew 22:15-22

I think it would be fair to say that I hold in contempt the Federal Government of my own nation. I pray for its leaders. I desire that all our elected officials would come to saving faith in Christ. I know I have brothers and sisters in the government ranks. I pray their influence may be felt, and that their hearts and minds might be kept by the Word of God. I also pray that the evil intent of evil men and women would be restrained. They dominate our halls of earthly power. But like it or not, in my humble opinion (and that’s all this is), our current national government is among the world’s most corrupt. And it goes all the way to the top. Thanks be to God that in our system of government, the highest authority isn’t a sinful human, but a document: the U.S. Constitution. It is not inspired by God, but the minds of some of the most brilliant men in history wrote it. And its foundational twin, The Declaration of Independence was laid on parchment “with a firm reliance on Divine Providence.” Argue over their individual spiritual communions if you will, but these men at least recognized they were not the final arbiter of truth. Neither individually nor collectively. They knew of a greater Governor.

Our gospel reading points us to allegiances. Sometimes allegiances are singular and sometimes they are shared. But Jesus, while pointing to our responsibility to honor those He has set in power, also makes clear that only ONE deserves our unreserved devotion. Not Caesar. Not a President or Prime Minister. But the Governor of the Universe, mentioned briefly above. Currently in our nation many Christians have lost their way and have made unhealthy and perhaps even blasphemous connections between country and Kingdom, between the Divine Master and sinful men elected under an amazing system called a Constitutional Republic.

Questionable are those allegiances which join anything of mankind to the King of the Universe. While He has created us, loves us with an everlasting love, and has saved us to the uttermost, there is no place for shared allegiances. Love your country, yes. Give human honor to whom it is due, yes. But worship the King, and only the King.