Foundations Oct 14, 2010

Thursday, October 14, 2010

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Proverbs 18-20 & 2 Corinthians 9

THANKFUL SUBMISSION – Submission to Authority

SCRIPTURE READING 

Mark 12:14-17 (NIV); “Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?” But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” And they were amazed at him.”

The Jews were anticipating a Messiah who would come in zealous revolt against an oppressive political system and invoke His own kingdom of justice. On the contrary, Jesus came in humility to preach the Kingdom of God, though it was a radically different Kingdom than expected. “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s”, He said – pay your taxes, obey the law, submit to authority – “and to God what is God’s.” But what IS God’s? Paul tells us in Romans to offer our bodies as living sacrifices to God – as Believers, WE are ENTIRELY God’s. We need to submit ourselves completely to Him, and in doing so, we will submit ourselves to the authorities that He has placed over us. We need to be countercultural in our attitude towards authority. In a world that tells its children to “respect thy neighbor” only to add a clause that self-respect always trumps the respect of others, we must train ourselves and those under our authority to be different – to live as submitted servants to Christ.

PRAYER & MEDITATION

1. God commands us to “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s”. How does the Holy Spirit want to translate this in your life in regards to governmental authority? How have you neglected this command?
 
2. We are called to “Give to God what is God’s” and we know that God has asked for ALL of us. What are you withholding from God today?
 
3. Ask the Lord to reveal to you how you have and are sowing seeds of rebellion into your  children, or into those who are considered under your authority. Ask Him to show you the consequence of this sin and seek Him as to how to stop it.