Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things which can be Caesar’s, and to God the things which can be God’s” (Mark 12:17), they usually marvelled at him.
In Jesus’ day people were having trouble giving to the federal government what was due it. Today as followers of Jesus Christ we appear to be having trouble rendering to God what belongs to God.
“Christian” is a category in a believer’s life in Jesus that must be higher and greater than “American” or “Democrat” or “Republican.” But as we watch this election yr play out, it seems our isolation, strong disagreements, and desperation have caused a lot of us to place our full or best force into attempting to “save our nation” by deciding who’s President of the United States and who governs our Congress.
Please know that responsible politics is significant inside Jesus’ statement. Jesus wanted the disciples in his day to render to Caesar what belonged to Caesar, but He didn’t want the disciples to render to Caesar what belonged to God.
God tells us that we’re to don’t have any other gods before Him (Exodus 20:3) and we’re to like Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Matthew 22:37). This signifies that at the tip of the day, our best trust is in His Sovereignty over our nation, not our ability or another person’s ability.
As I take inventory of the landscape of our nation, I actually have been greatly disenchanted this past yr in each the Democrats and the Republicans.
If the Democrats and Republicans have done anything this past yr, they’ve revealed to us once more that Jesus is our only hope as a nation. Policy won’t save us, changing pronouns won’t save us, praying to other gods won’t save us, recalling elections won’t save us, women’s reproductive rights won’t save us, loving who you like won’t save us. The Democrats and the Republicans won’t save us. Jesus Christ is the one option to everlasting life and the one hope on this lifetime of our nation being restored to order, unity, and true salvation (John 14:6).
At a critical time within the lifetime of the nation of Israel throughout the time of Jesus, when Judas got here to betray Jesus, Peter withdrew his sword and cut off the ear of Malchus, the soldier. Jesus immediately rebuked Peter and said, “Those who live by the sword, die by the sword” (Matthew 26:52). If you’re a follower of Jesus Christ, let these words stop you, pause you, turn and reflect, perhaps even spend a while fasting and looking for God like Ezra and Nehemiah did throughout the time of the rebuilding of Israel.
Jesus put the person’s ear back on him. They watched him restore the ear of the “enemy”. That is how powerful Jesus is, that’s how different Jesus is from you and me. I feel the angst, I actually have an opinion. I’m tempted as well to render to Caesar what doesn’t belong to God. I’m tempted to take matters into my very own hands as well, identical to Peter. But Jesus is telling us to not. He is telling us to drag up. He is asking us, imploring us, to permit this to be a time to be more Christian than American.
He tells us in his Word that we’re residents of one other city, a city whose builder and maker is God (Hebrews 11:10). We love our nation and need the most effective for our nation, for our youngsters, grandchildren, and generations to come back but at what expense to our faith?
Jesus is asking us to trust Him. Yes, after Jesus healed the ear of Malchus, they still arrested Jesus. Sometimes God’s plan doesn’t appear to be our plans. This is why Isaiah said His ways are usually not our ways and His thoughts are usually not our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8).
We have a nation divided. If we turn, humble ourselves, and see His face, and switch from our wicked ways, we will heal our nation through prayer to Jesus. May all of us be on our knees asking God to humble our leaders by whatever means He decides to make use of to get their attention to do His will.
There remains to be time, but Jesus is our only hope. Let’s drop to our knees in prayer and fasting and render to God what belongs to him and ask God to take care of Caesar.
Stop white knuckling your politics. Open your hands to Him.
Church history tells us that Malchus believed after the resurrection of Jesus and have become a church-planter and pastor and led many to Jesus.
God knows what He is doing, trust Him. Listen to Him. Obey Him. He’s got this! He will bring good out of this. He at all times does!
