Children Don't Have to Pay
I recently preached a sermon titled "What King are You Serving" in which I spoke about the difference between serving a king who takes and uses versus the King who gives and serves (and sometimes takes and uses, but only for the sake of love and when we say yes). In this sermon, I brought forth ideas dealing with the mentalities tied into both kingships. In the kingship of taking and using, people are only objects that can gratify our desires whereas in the Kingship and Reign of giving and serving, people are partners in which we can join in solidarity as we give and serve to the One who gave and served first. In the rule of the king who takes and uses, there is no partnership, relationship, or freedom of will, there is only robotics and a living outside of promise in bondage. Within the reign of the King who gives and serves, we recognize a life more abundant and eternal in which relationship and partnership is a part of being children, heirs, co-heirs, and beloved by the King above every other king, (There is much more in this sermon and if you are interested in listening click here [Palace or Prison - Part 6].)
As I woke up Monday, I continued in reading the Gospel account of Matthew. I was in chapter 17 when I recognized something so beautiful and radical it wrecked me (that's why I'm writing this...). Chapter 17 of Matthew starts with the transfiguration of Jesus in which Peter, James, and John see Jesus transfigured before them. It is such a beautiful story because this follows the account of Peter declaring Jesus' Messiahship and then denying it, and yet Jesus still invites Peter to come with Him for this experience (grace anybody!?). In the middle of the transfiguration the voice of the Father speaks, "This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!" This is the second time in Matthew the Father's voice has been heard declaring the Son's Belovedness and the pleasure that the Father has in the Son.
Immediately following this account Jesus is confronted by His disciples who could not heal a boy with severe epilepsy. Jesus heals this boy and casts out the demon that is within him by speaking to the demon harshly.
And then something happens that I have never noticed.
The collectors of the temple tax approach Peter and ask if his Rabbi pays the temple tax, to which Peter responds positively. Peter comes back home to Jesus, who already knows and speaks to Him first (that's prophetic...) asking Peter, "From whom do the earthly kings collect tax, from their children or from strangers?" Peter responds, "Strangers." And then Jesus states, "Then the children don't have to pay." Nonetheless Jesus tells Peter to go to lake, catch a fish, find a coin in its mouth and then pay then tax to not offend these collectors.
Did you catch it? Earthly kings tax strangers. Why? Because the kings of the earth do not practice family like the King of kings does. Jesus tells Peter that the children don't have to pay, meaning that they are already paid for. The children are free and not only are they free, but they also have access to miraculous provision (such as coins in fish's mouths).
The question is: are we viewing God as the good Father He is? As a Good Father, are we believing that He just wants to use us or to be with us, empowering us to make the best choices from the place of already having what we need in Him alone. We have a Good Father who has paid in full with the price of His Son that we might become sons and daughters who are provided for in full; that we might be those who access into the full wealth of the Kingdom that miraculously appears in unusual places.
Or are we viewing God as the king who taxes strangers? Are we those who are believing God has to take from us (like some Greek mythology god)?
Here's the good news: the tax is paid, the children don't have to pay, and we have access to provision beyond our imagination. The question is: are we believing God to be who He said He is, and are we believing we are who God says we are? I think if we walked in these realities our trust, relationships, work, thoughts, words, actions, etc. would look a lot different, and there would be millions more children knowing that they have been paid for in full.
The children don't have to pay. Let's walk in that grace that was expensive enough that one Son was the price for all children. My God is a King who has given and serves so that we can give and serve Him and others in the Love that opens clouds and says, "This is my Beloved Child. I'm crazy in love with him, and I'm delighted he is Mine."
