May 23, 2012 God's Inscription

God’s Inscription Mark 12:13-17 Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. 14 They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? 15 Should we pay or shouldn't we?” But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” 16 They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar's,” they replied. 17 Then Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's.” And they were amazed at him. WHEN the Bible says in Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” God is making it clear he has put his mark on every person who is ever born. Thus, when Jesus says, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's.” he could be talking about money, but it is easy to see he is talking about Kingdom commitment. “Yes,” Jesus says, “pay Caesar his coin. Then give to God what is his—your self—you.” Made in the image of God, you are stamped with God’s image. You are clearly his. Give to him your commitment. Pause and consider—a coin’s image changes. God’s does not.