When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?” He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?” And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.” Matt 17:24-27 (ESV)
If Jesus is God's Son, He should hardly have to pay tax to the Temple which is His Father's. Yet by what Jesus says here, He testifies about His divinity. Thus by what Jesus does, He shows in deed His almighty power and His omniscience by telling Peter to take a coin from the fish’s mouth. But Jesus, who is God's only-begotten Son, the Almighty Lord, who did not have to pay tax, pays the tax.
Christ's love is the spirit of true humility and peace forming and strengthening society. In this love He has given to His people, the members of His body, so that His spirit in us conquers over the flesh and the unlawful spirit of the devil at work within us.
If you would be a Christian in more than name only, then examine yourselves, so see who you really follow.
Search yourself and your ways to see what spirit you follow: Christ's spirit of obedience and humility or the power seeking / " my way or the highway" spirit of the world.
Do you follow Christ's love which willingly bears the burdens of your companions or the spirit of selfishness and self-serving which murmurs and complains because others refuse your vision or way of how things ought be done?
How many people who stand on their Christian freedom, stand on this freedom not for the sake of humble service to those whom God has joined them or obedience to those God has placed over them, but the sake of escaping any true forms of humble service or obedience.
Such people who talk a great deal about Christ and the freedom they have in Him, are so far from the humble obedience of their Savior and the true freedom that the Christian uses to love and serve their Lord and neighbor. They are enslaved and toil under the yoke of self-will and are controlled by a perverted spirit of freedom which divides and tears apart both the church of which they are a part and human society.
“If you want to belong to my kingdom," the Lord says: “then deny yourself. If you want to rule with me, then put on my humility and my servitude and my obedience. If you want to wear a crown of glory there in heaven above, then bear the cross here and walk in my footsteps of humble service."
The freedom of faith in which we follow Christ can never be used to turn away from Christ in His Word. The one who uses this freedom to turn away from Christ as He gives Himself in Word and Sacrament, has turn away from the very faith that receives Christ and His salvific work.
Many are the times when we so misuse our Christian freedom, thanks be to God that if we be faithless, He remains ever faithful (2 Tim 2:13).
So draw me to you with a repentant heart, Lord, and let me be led in Your humble way. Give me grace through faith, to put on Your mind and to follow You faithfully. Let me be a faithful member of Your holy church on earth which You established – and in heaven a blessed member of the Church triumphant, to which You gather all Your saints. Grant this grace to me and to all who call upon Your name most merciful God. Amen.
Book of Family Prayer
Lutheran Synod Book Company - Mankato, MN
Editing and additions by Pastor Mark W. Love
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