God Outside the Box

Proper 24A: Isa. 45:1-7; Mt. 22:15-22; St. Paul’s, Smithfield 10/22/2017

Jim Melnyk: “God Outside the Box”

There’s a cartoon I’ve seen many times over the years.  It shows several open boxes scattered along a driveway and a side yard.  There’s a cat sitting in each box.  The caption reads, “The cat traps are working.”  Now I’ve never had a cat as a pet, though our son has two.  And it seems a universal thing that cats love putting themselves in a box – really in almost any sort of open container.  And we get a kick out of seeing them in their boxes, or bags, or whatever they get themselves into at any given moment.

Cats like being put in boxes – and we like putting them there...in fact, we humans like putting all sorts of things in boxes.  It’s easier to keep track of things that way.  It makes for more predictable outcomes.  All of which makes God so often frustrating for us.  Because God does not like being put in a box.  Nor does Jesus, for that matter.  And that makes our faith so much less predictable.

Isaiah kicks off our readings this morning with a prophecy directed to the people of Israel who are exiled in Babylon.  Their captors have been defeated by the Persians in another round of political musical chairs in the mid-east.  Israel is told by Isaiah that God has raised up a Messiah – someone whom God has anointed with the power of God’s Spirit – God has raised up a Messiah who will set captive Israel free – a leader who will allow them to return home to Jerusalem.  His name is Cyrus – someone whom God calls by name.  And he is the king of the Persians.  He has been given power and victory by God, so that all might know God’s power to save.  He is anointed by God as a savior.  He is also a Gentile.  And that goes beyond the comprehension of a people whose understandings of God are bound by borders – by national boundaries.  God, working outside the box.

Jesus doesn’t like being trapped, or even placed, in a box any more than does God.  Once again a group of ornery Pharisees, this time along with some Roman-leaning Herodians, come in an attempt to trap Jesus with his own words.  They come seeking to push Jesus into a box of their own making – or push him over the edge – and they don’t much care which way it goes, as long as their understanding of God and humanity wins.  These particular Pharisees – and we should remember that there were Pharisees that supported Jesus as well – these particular Pharisees seem quite adept at coming up with trick questions.

“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. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?”  What cunning malice.  If Jesus says “yes,” he is supporting Caesar and the people will turn against him.  If Jesus says “no,” Rome will see him as a troublemaker – and we know how Rome deals with troublemakers – it’s something called crucifixion.

Jesus, however, will not fit conveniently into any of his enemies’ theological or political boxes.  Can’t you just see Jesus patting down his pockets, looking for a coin and then turning to his challengers and asking, “You got any money on you?  Great!  Let me see it.  Ah, whose likeness do you see on the face of this coin?”  Jesus doesn’t have to remind the guy who handed him the denarius that having a Roman coin in the Temple precinct – one with an engraved image on it – was forbidden by their faith.  Either way, they already know they’ve blown it just by carrying into this sacred space a coin bearing upon it the engraved image of the emperor. 

“Well,” they admit, perhaps a bit sheepishly, “it’s the emperor’s likeness.” Left unsaid are the words on the coin accompanying the image, “Tiberius Caesar, august son of the divine Augustus, high priest” (Synthesis, 10/24/17).  They must be squirming by now.  Eyes lowered.  Feet shuffling in the dust, maybe trying to nonchalantly whistle a tune….

“Give to the emperor what belongs to the emperor,” says Jesus.  “But, more importantly, how about you?” Jesus implies.  “Whose image do you bear?  Remember our sacred stories of faith when on the sixth day of Creation the Holy One says, ‘Let us make humankind in our own image, according to our likeness.’ ‘So God created humankind in God’s image, in the image of God, the Divine created them; male and female the Holy One created them’ (Gen. 1:26-27).  Yes!  So, then, give to the emperor what belongs to the emperor, but give back to God what belongs to God.  Give back what God has given you – give your whole selves back to God.”  Mic Drop!  God in Christ living and moving outside the box!

As one theologian puts it, “In order to belong to the kingdom of God while living in the [midst of] empire, one needs to choose God consciously at each and every moment of [one’s] life” (Min-ah Cho, Sojourners Online, Preaching the Word, 10/22/2017).

And I guess it’s no surprise this reading comes up at this time of year – while churches all around are in the midst of stewardship programs.  And although the idea of giving all of oneself to God truly does impact what we do with our money, it means so much more.  What do we have that belong to God?  The answer, of course, is everything.  Everything we are or have comes from God.  So then, how do we begin the journey of giving back to God what is God’s?

Perhaps the best starting place is with our hearts.  How difficult – or how easy is it – to love God with all our heart?  How difficult – or how easy is it – for us to have a deep, abiding, sense of loyalty to the God who creates us, who loves us, and who lives within us – the God in whom “we live and move and have our being?” (Acts 17:28)  How well do we live day-to-day as if we believe this wondrous truth to be real for us?   How regular are we in our prayers and in our worship?  That is, how much time are we willing to spend with God?

Perhaps a more tangible set of questions rises out of how we demonstrate our love for others.  Sara Miles, author of the book, Take This Bread, writes, “Apparently, Jesus thinks there are two kinds of people in the world: our neighbors, whom we are to love, [and] our enemies, whom we are also to love” (citation lost).  You mean even…? Yes, even….  We may not have any warm fuzzies toward someone – may not even like or even trust the person a whole lot – but that person is still someone created in the image and likeness of God, no matter how much they may have dragged that image through the mud.  How willingly – or not – do we seek to love our neighbor as someone who, even in the midst of all our diversity, is like ourselves – each of us flawed as well as gifted?

Finally there’s the question requiring the most difficult introspection.  How willing are we to use the gifts we’ve been given – our skills, our knowledge, our time, and yes, even our money, to help change the world?  Are we even willing to believe that the world needs changing – that the world needs some loving repair-work done?  Can we believe that we are called, as followers of Jesus, to be part of the repair team – part of the in-breaking kingdom of God?

Boxes are great for cats – boxes are even great for children and their games.  But God despises being placed in a box – as does Jesus – nicely and neatly tucked away to our great comfort.  Nor does God want us to put ourselves or each other in neat little boxes.  God lives and works outside the box – and so should we.