Day 30: The Bigger Picture
They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” And they were amazed at him. Mark 12:16-17
It was a bright Sunday afternoon in Columbus, Ohio, and all my dad wanted to do was take me for a treat out to eat at a restaurant. It was a church going community and everyone was coming from some kind of church including us. I was 9 or 10 years old, and we had just been served up our meals. As I reached for the glass ketchup bottle, my dad wanted to teach me a lesson in how to shake the ketchup bottle in the right way as to make sure it was well stirred and can easily come out without much hassle. As my father was demonstrating the appropriate motions of waving the glass bottle and shaking it all around so that the ketchup would come out nicely onto my plate, he forgot one thing. The lid wasn't screwed on. As he demonstrated the technique, ketchup was flying all around to those sitting on every side of the small booth at the restaurant, most of which were wearing suits and dresses. How easy it is to get wrapped up in a situation and forget the bigger and better truth. We so often lose focus of the bigger and better truth, and when we do, it just ends up in a big mess for ourselves and everyone around us.
In Mark 12:13-27, Jesus is presented with 3 groups of people (Pharisees, Herodians and Sadducees) that paraded themselves as holy and followers of God yet wanted Jesus' downfall at any cost. These people had the knowledge that everyone else needed, but were drastically missing the bigger truth. They were well attuned to the gossip of the day and were always willing to share their opinion with each other and teach their opinion to others. As is often the case, people work themselves up over all kinds of matters going on in our world. Today, the hot topics that bring controversy in society usually stem around something political, but if you happen to be in the church, the controversy will be over some religious practice, or something that is not being done that should be done. Just saying the name "Nicola" or "Trump" can cause a nauseous feeling among many, not to mention a whole conversation about it. Or how about churches that have split because of certain stances they have decided to take concerning whether to meet or not meet during Covid? Should we sing in church or wait a little longer? Is it any surprise that these are some of the same questions that are being brought to Jesus? "Hey Jesus, should we pay taxes?" (whole congregation whispering in their heads, "please say no, please say no!"). Or how about the age old, all important question "whose wife is she"?
Oh, if we only had the wisdom and finesse that Jesus did and still does. Tricky questions to answer, right?
So often we think we know the right answers or if we know we don't, we easily worry over what the answer might be. Jesus wanted to show them that what they thought they knew was warped. It had glimmers of truth, but was missing the bigger truth. Was it true that Jesus was true (vs. 14)? Absolutely. Was it true that others’ opinions didn't influence Him (vs. 14)? Absolutely. Yet in all the questions they were asking, they were still looking to please themselves and make themselves look good. They were looking only to be right, and in doing so, they were wrong. As the Pharisees looked at that coin as they passed it to Jesus, Jesus was the one who truly knew all. He knew perfectly what was going on. Jesus, the only true God who became man, was standing in front of them as a picture of righteousness and wisdom (which they admitted), and the religious leaders were trying to trick Him with a picture representing idolatry in their culture (emperors, one of whom would have been on the coin, were worshipped at that time). Their focus was on themselves instead of Jesus. The same was true about the Sadducees asking about the men who died leaving behind the same wife for the next brother (12:18-27). Whose wife would she be when they are surrounded with the bridegroom (vs. 23)? Irrelevant. Her focus would be on the one true God. The God of the living. Again, they didn't know, but Jesus did.
What questions or life circumstances are distracting you from knowing the true and living God more? Jesus wanted to show you a better way- a way that includes freedom and victory even when we get the answers wrong. A way that makes the weak strong. That makes the guilty innocent. That makes the depressed joyful. That makes sinners saved. Jesus gave you Himself because He is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). Do you have trouble believing that?
Let us not get overwhelmed with the things of this world that are temporary and miss out on Jesus. There are plenty of sins and other good things in fact that distract us, but put a lid on it and look to Him, who gave His life for you and me and promises to never leave you when you put your faith and trust in Him alone. How will you make Him your focus today?
Written by Mike Davis
Passage for today: Mark 12:13-27
A Thought To Remember: Don't look to be right, but instead, to be like Jesus.
A Question To Ask: What things around me are concerning me more than my relationship with Jesus?
A Song To Sing: We Rest On Thee