"The Most Coolest Thing Happens"

Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangled Him in His talk. And hey sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men. Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, "Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? Show Me the money." So they brought Him a denarius. And He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" They said to Him, "Caesar's."  And He said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went there way. Matthew 22:15-22
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As I was reading and came upon these verses they once again do what they always do; stir up my passion to give all to he Lord! I love that what the Pharisees and Herodians mean to be a trap turns instead to be some of the most inspiring statements going. "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

They thought they had Him coming and going. If He said pay taxes to Caesar then they would charge Him with disloyalty to God and Judaism for paying tribute to any other power, king, god, or person. And if He answers with, "No, don't pay tribute to Caesar," than they would denounce Him to the Romans. They were sure they had Him.

It says that Jesus perceived their wickedness, asked them to bring a coin, and then He asked them, "Whose inscription is this?" They answered, "Caesar's." He then responds with, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." It is at this point that the most coolest thing possible took place. Its not just that He answered in a way that got them off His back. Its not even that He showed great wisdom in the words that He spoke. For me the most coolest thing is that when He said, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." He spoke words that made even the most hypocritical of men ...marvel!

With these words, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." Jesus not only shut them up but sent them on their way marveling and even contemplating what was truly due God. His statement,"Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." reveals to us that it is ok to give man what his but even more importantly it shows us  that worrying about what to do with a coin with a man's face on it isn't and shouldn't be the priority. Giving God the things that are His is! We should be giving God our praise, our worship, our obedience, our service, our tithe's and offerings, and most of all...the dedication of our whole life.

In Romans 12:1-2 it says, 'I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

Our reasonable service? The thing that is a reasonable expectation is that we be a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable, with a renewed mind that is focused on the things of God instead of the things of man. When we live in such a way ...giving God all the He is due... then as living sacrifices, holy, and acceptable we too will know His good and acceptable and perfect will. We too will live and respond in such a way that most coolest thing happens ...even the scoffers and the most hypocritical of men ...marvel!