METHODIST CHURCH NIGERIA
DIOCESE OF OSOGBO
TWENTY-NINETH (29TH) SUNDAY
IN ORDINARY TIME/NINETEENTH (19TH) SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY, 18TH
OCTOBER, 2020.
GOD’S WORD TO GOD’S
PEOPLE.
THEME: The image (Aworan
naa)
TEXT:
Matthew 22:20
“And
He (Jesus) said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?”
“O
si bi won pe, Aworan ati akole ta ni eyi?”
From
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, the word ‘image’ is seen and can be
used in several ways:
1) Public Opinion: the opinion people have of a person,
organization, product etc seems to be to the public (reputation)
2) Idea in mind: a picture that you have in your mind,
especially about what someone or something is like or the way they look
3) Picture/What you see: a picture in the screen of a
television, cinema, or computer or better still, an image could mean a picture
or shape of a person or thing that is copied on to paper or is cut in wood or
stone. The third definition of image given by Longman Dictionary of
Contemporary English seems better for our meditation today as we consider the
theme: “THE IMAGE”. In the first account of creation, human beings were created
in the image of God, in the image of God they were created male and female (Gen.
1:26 & 27). There are two fundamental truths about man as seen in Genesis
and some other scriptural passages which we need to know:
1. We know that human beings were created by God
2. That God made them in his own image (Gen. 5:1,3; 9:6;
1Cor. 11:7; Eph. 4:24) Although theologians differ in their views regarding the
nature of the image of God in human beings, but the popular opinion is that
since God is a Spirit, his image in human beings can only refer to spiritual
qualities in human’s mental and moral attributes as rational, self-conscious,
self-determining and self-controlled creatures, capable of obedience to moral
law and intended by God for fellowship with himself.
Let us turn to the gospel text chosen for this nineteenth
(19th) Sunday after Trinity, Matthew 22:15-22 and see what led to
the issue of image and the lessons God wants us to learn from the passage. It
was the Pharisees and Herodians, their enemies, who suddenly became friends
that they might entangle Jesus Christ with the words of his mouth. The
Pharisees were opposed to the Roman poll tax while the Herodians were in favour
of the tax because they were supporters of the Herod who got his authority from
Caesar, the Roman ruler over the Jews as at the time of this trial. It is
therefore clear that the Pharisees and the Herodians purposely chose the
subject of the poll tax as their bait to trap Jesus Christ. They know that any
question about payment of tax will be very difficult for Jesus to answer,
because he would not want to offend the Jews, especially the Pharisee by
supporting poll tax and neither would he like to offend the Roman government,
Herod the king and his lovers by saying no to payment of tax. Jesus Christ knew
their scheme as hypocrites, whose purpose was not to get an answer to their
question – “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But their main aim
was to trap him through any answer he would give as a response to this
question. Jesus Christ, however, saw their question as an opportunity for him
to shame and silence his enemies, and to as well teach the people around him an
important truth about image, respect and obedience.
In the Gentile world, most leaders minted their own coins
and put their own image on them. For instance, “penny” (denarius) had Caesar’s
image on it, so it belonged to Caesar as a ruler. Hence, Jesus’ reply to their
question; “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God
the things that are God’s” (Matt. 22:21) In this simple, but profound reply,
some important facts were taught by Jesus Christ. These facts include:
1) He taught that Christians must obey and respect rulers of
the land. (Matt. 22:18-21) The same lesson was taught by Paul in his letter to
the Church at Rome (Rom. 13) and Peter the Apostle in his first epistle to the Jews
in diasasporal and all believers all over the world (1Pet. 2:13-17). Believers
in Christ, have a dual citizenship, in heaven (Phil. 3:20) and on earth where
we are now. It is important for us to respect our earthly rulers (elected or
appointed leaders), obey the law of the land, pay taxes, participate in
community development projects, and pray for all who are in authority.
2) Jesus Christ taught all Christians to honour and obey God
(Matt. 22:21). Through Caesar project himself as God, he was not God and could
never be worship as God. In the same way, government of any nation is not God
and cannot enforce religion (Acts 5:29), hence, there is freedom of religion
and worship everywhere, especially in Nigeria. It is because we worshiped God
and have the image of God in us that we are able to behave well and honour our
country as good citizens.
3) Jesus Christ taught the whole world that human beings are
the image of God on earth. If Caesar’s image was on a penny, then the image of
God is in and on every human being (Gen. 1:27) God created human beings in his
own likeness and as such we owe him all our being. It is true that the devil
misled human being to act against the will of God in the garden of Eden. Our
first parents, Adam and Eve disobeyed God and thus missed the mark set for them
by God and they became sinners, people whose original image had been marred
(Gen. 3:7-10) But glory be to God in heaven who did not allow Satan to gain
permanent victory over human beings, he sent his Son, Jesus Christ, who came to
the world, paid the price of our sin and restore our original image, the image
of God (Eph. 4:24; Col.3:10; John 3:16; 1:12). Fathers and mothers, brothers
and sisters in Christ, have you been restored into the original image of God?
Are you still ordinary dust without the breath of life? Do you know that
without being born again, you are just a dust and not real human? It is Christ
in us that gives us hope of glory because his blood cleanses us, renews us and restores
us to the original image of God. If you have not experienced the new life which
Christ gives, come to him today, give unto God your whole being because it
belongs to him, and you will become the right man or woman that God wants you
to be.
Let
us pray
Rt.
Rev. A.K.O. Ogunrinde, JP, FICT.
Bishop, Diocese of Osogbo.
OS-CAN Chairman.
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