If available, this post will be updated later tomorrow with the Worship Service taped at St. Matthews Church in Welland.

Bulletin: Worship Guide

Scripture and commentary (PDF)

Prayer of the Day

Sovereign God, raise your throne in our hearts. Created by you, let us live in your

image; created for you, let us act for your glory; redeemed by you, let us give you

what is yours, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.Amen.

Gospel: Matthew 22:15-22

15 The Pharisees went and plotted to entrap [Jesus] in what he said. 16 So they sent

their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that

you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show

deference to no one, for you do not regard people with partiality. 17 Tell us, then,

what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 18 But Jesus, aware of

their malice, said, “Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show

me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. 20 Then he said to

them, “Whose head is this and whose title?” 21 They answered, “Caesar’s.” Then

he said to them, “Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God

the things that are God’s.” 22 When they heard this, they were amazed, and they

left him and went away.

“Towards a sermon—commentary and reflections”

Matthew is clear what the debate is not about. Also what it is about. Two factions,

(the pro-government-when it suits us Herodians and the anti-empire-make deals to

keep-the wolves- at bay Pharisees)usually at odds find common cause conspiring

to publicly discredit Jesus by setting up a double bind, designed to trap him in his

own words. Spoiler, the critics shuffle away, nonplussed because Jesus not only

‘threads the needle’ he reframes the entire conversation.

Flipping the ‘presenting question’ brings us closer to the core issues Jesus wants to

talk about. Is it legal to NOT pay taxes? Mind you, an empire that never takes no

for an answer wouldn’t take lightly any delinquency on paying taxes and tribute.

In effect, Jesus asks his interlocutors, “What’s in your wallet?”. The denarius coin

bears the emperor’s likeness and his title. For the religiously inclined whose

tradition forbids graven images and titles ascribing god-qualities to a conquering

emperor, having Roman coins jingling in the change purse might create a tad of

dissonance.

How long do you suppose Jesus paused while his critics inspected the coins they

carried before he asked them to describe the denarius? In the same position, we

might let the moment soak in a bit, right?

“So it’s Caesar’s likeness and title on this coin you carry?” The coin represents

more than the metal from which its forged. To one degree or another, the coin’s

message is that the empire owns its subjects.

Our own money buys us our daily food and shelter…money is like the passport

that helps us participate in society. The currency we hold affords a bit of freedom;

at least freedom to make some little choices like selecting Kraft Dinner over the

generic store brand. If you have enough toonies to rub together you get to choose

the neighbourhood you live in, the vehicle you drive, and in some cases to elect to

have medical care overseas because of the lack of availability here.

Tempted as we might be to throw popcorn at Jesus’ opponents and to boo from the

cheap seats, we might want to check our wallets and our gut at the same time….

Carrying the Roman coin, whether or not you like the empire is how you survive.

Distasteful as the regime is, we can’t escape getting some of its stink on us. In

short, you gotta pay to play.

Paying to play means we more or less accept the legitimacy of those who’ve set up

the game. Our participation plunges us into some deeper questions like legality

versus moral legitimacy. In some places slavery is legal. Racial Segregation,

Sharia law, honour killings, public executions, and toting around your private

arsenal of assault weapons is legal in places too. Pretty sure most of us would say

any of these government sanctioned activities is morally bankrupt.

‘What’s in the wallet’ brings uncomfortable questions—to what degree do we

participate in the empire and still keep our own moral integrity and live the tenets

of our faith? How are we complicit with the empire because we go along to get

along? How often do we comply because resisting bears too high a price tag?

Matthew’s community, like Jesus’ disciples and critics, had to wrestle with these

questions. Jesus words about rendering to Caesar aren’t just a ploy. Nor does Jesus

say that the emperor gets his cut and Jesus takes his—even Steven.

We don’t get off scot-free either. Maybe it’s good for trade that the waters near the

arctic are becoming more navigable as ice melts. At what cost to the planet?

Maybe the price of fossil fuel will decrease again. How does creation pay the tab?When resources dry up, how does that affect those who are already barely getting

by?

What is the rendering to Caesar all about then? Maybe its the recognition that

we’re in the world, but we don’t have to be of it, as Jesus says. Rendering to God

means that the empire doesn’t get to dictate the tune we dance to in our moral,

religious and ethical lives. God does. And Jesus spells out the tune and tempo

where those who mourn are comforted, those who show mercy find mercy, those

who wage peace are dubbed God’s children. Jesus’ final parable, which we will

consider in a month or so also drives home the point that how we care for the ‘least

of these’ reflects how we as community buy into to all Jesus is about.

How do Jesus’ mandates to love inform how we live in a day to day world where

Caesar mints the coins and calls the shots? Maybe the Herodians and the Pharisees

have something to teach us—we can take a minute on a regular basis and look at

the denarius coin (or its equivalent) and reflect on who we are and whose we are.

bsc

October 2026