Jesus Pays the Temple Tax

24After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”

25“Yes, he does,” he replied.  (Matthew 17:24-25)

Thoughts: Exodus 30:11 (Neh. 10:32) speak of the voluntary tax for the purpose of materials for worship.  The Temple tax was used to pay for sacrificial animals, wood, salt and other worship materials.  It was in addition to the regular tithe and was seen as voluntary.  This was why the question was asked, "Doesn't your teacher pay the temple tax?"  Peter's immediate reply was that he does.  Jesus was not a rebel against the system.  He was a reformer who wished to make things focused on God again.  Ironically, Jesus paid taxes to the system that eventually led to his own death.  It was not that Jesus did not think that the religious officials were right morally and spiritually. He knew of their sin and spoke against it.  In some ways his paying the tax gave him a platform and right to speak out against the corruption.  In a similar way, we live in the midst of an imperfect church.  We give not because the church is perfect or never makes mistakes.  We give to the Lord- not to any minister, program, or institution.  We give in faith that when we are generous to support the work of the Lord, He will use it and bless us.  Jesus sets us this great example.  

Prayer: Lord, I am not perfect, I do not believe perfectly.  Help my belief.  Your church and body here is not perfect either.  Help me to support your cause even if it is imperfectly lived out on this side of heaven.  

An Elegy of Jesus

22When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. 23They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.” And the disciples were filled with grief.  (Matthew 17:22-23)

Thoughts: Jesus had many times predicted his death.  He did not want the disciples to be surprised.  He also wanted them to have hope in the midst of his death - so he prophecies His own resurrection.   In Jesus, there is always hope.  Jesus gave an elegy- or a lament of His death- but He also tinged it with a silver lining of hope.  Even death cannot snuff Him out.  

Prayer: Lord, help me to always have hope in you.  

Faith and the Impossible

19Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

20He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."  (Matthew 17:19-20)

Thoughts: To incorporate God's power, we would need to have faith in God.  Faith is the key that unlocks the door to God's presence.  Jesus said that the disciples lack of faith kept them from healing the man.  Just because they were believers did not guarantee they were going to succeed.  The disciples believed intellectually, but they had a hard time believing (even after seeing all of Jesus' miracles and answered prayers) that God would work through them or that God could or would do this.
    Jesus said if they had faith as small as a mustard seed, they could have moved a mountain.  The mustard seed was the smallest seed used in Israel's agriculture.  Jesus had just talked about the kingdom of God is like a tiny mustard seed that turns into a tree.  But they didn't even have that much faith.  When we have faith- possibilities happen.  Nothing would be impossible for those who have faith.  Apart from God we can do nothing.  But with faith in Him- nothing is impossible.  Specifically, Jesus was talking about doing God's will (not some philosophical idea of the impossible).  Today we need that kind of faith and hope- and also the love for God and neighbor that also fuels it.  This should inspire in us great courage and boldness.  The church in America seems to have grown timid and is shrinking back in effort and outreach.  Individual Christians too are less bold.  But we should have more courage than anyone- for we have God on our side and nothing is impossible with Him!  

Prayer: Lord, help me to believe nothing is impossible, and to go forward with you.  

Jesus Rebukes Unbelief

14When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. 15“Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”

17“You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” 18Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment. (Matthew 17:14-18)

Thoughts: Later in this chapter we learn that the disciples could not heal the man's son because they had "so little faith."  The disciples were part of a larger unbelieving religious group.  You can be religious or superstitious but not really trust in God and His power to do anything in life.  If God does nothing- answers no prayer, does not bless or hold us to account- then our God is basically a remote and unimportant philosophy.  Jesus rebukes- even becomes angry- at the unbelief of the people of God.  We see Jesus get mad at sin- but especially at religious emptiness without belief.  Belief is the kernel of our soul- the spark that drives all worship and faith.  

Prayer: Lord, let my religion not exist without faith and trust in you.  May you nourish my trust with your love and signs of your presence.  

Picture taken 7/1/17 at Fourth of July Fireworks on Lake Murray.
Notice lightning made cross that parallels wooden cross.  

Taken by Kenny Anderson.  

Elijah and John

10The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

11Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. 12But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” 13Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist. (Matthew 17:10-13) 

Thoughts: Malachi 4:5 says ""Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD."  There were many other hints at this in the Bible and outside of the Bible.  Jesus was saying Elijah did come.  What this also means is that the terrible day of the Lord was also coming- the day the people would be kicked out of the land completely.  The Jewish Wars began about 55 AD about 20 years after Jesus' death and resurrection and ended with a complete annihilation or expulsion by 70 AD.  The Temple- a symbol of God's presence and blessing would be destroyed.  Women and children would be killed.  It was horrific.  For Jesus Elijah came in John the Baptist- who dressed like Elijah, lived in the wilderness like Elijah, called people to repent like Elijah.  When Jesus said, "they did not recognize him but have done to him everything they wished", he was clearly pointing to John the Baptist- his cousin who baptized him.  John was arrested, and beheaded.  Jesus also knew that the authorities would arrest Him.  For Jesus our hope is not found in governments, economies, popularity, but in God.  "Our hope is built on nothing less that Jesus' blood and righteousness."  Jesus did not hope to change the world by persuading Pilate and then Caesar that they were wrong a out certain issues.  He hope to change the world by changing the hearts of others.  Political power tends to muddy things up.  Jesus avoided politics like the plagues.  He paid his taxes but did not want to legitimize the torturous reigns of Herod and the Romans.  He did not try to cause a rebellion like other did before him (Judas in Galilee for example- Acts 5:37).  Elijah and John spoke to the politicians but did not start a political party.  The message of Elijah and John is the message that is always before us- it is not about how we voted- but how we believed, talked, and lived.  

Prayer: Lord, may my hope be in you.  May my strength be found in you alone.  

Speaking of the Transfiguration...

6When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

9As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” (Matthew 17:6-9)

Thoughts: The disciples were in awe when Moses and Elijah came- as well they should have been.  But when they heard the voice of the Father, they were scared to death.  Typically, Jesus was not, and sought to comfort them.  Many times he was saying, "Do not be afraid."  He said it when he walked on water, He would say it before His arrest and at His resurrection among other times.  The point of the Transfiguration event was to help them to have courage as they prepared to face the cross.
      Why would Jesus ask them to "not tell anyone what they had seen until after the resurrection?"  There were several prophecies in and out of scripture that Elijah would come back before the Messiah came.  If the disciples let the word out that Moses and Elijah had shown up, there would have been a huge commotion, and Jesus' threat to the authorities and his arrest would have been even quicker.  The event was real, but the meaning is clearer after the resurrection than before it.  There is a time to speak and a time to refrain from speaking.  We would be wise to follow that same advice, and also the advice to not be afraid but have courage as we seek to minister in His name.  

Prayer: Lord, give me courage to do your will and answer your call.  Also give me wisdom so I may speak your truth where it can be heard.     

Jesus and the Shekinah Glory

5While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5) 

Thoughts: What would it take for you to listen to someone?  If God Himself said to, would you do it?  This certainly made an impression on Peter, James, and John.  2 Peter 1:18 speaks of the "voice we heard out of heaven when we were on the mount."   John 1:14 says, "We have seen his glory and this glory is the light of all people."  Yet, even with this special light and voice; even with Elijah and Moses, Peter denied Him.  Even seeing God's glory in the the Passover and the miracles of the deliverance from Egypt- the people went back to following their old gods.  Miracles inspire- but keeping that inspiration going is hard. We cannot bottle it (see yesterday's devotion).  
    The bright cloud was a symbol of the "shekinah" glory that filled the Temple (2 Chronicles 7:1-3) and was with Moses as he spoke with God on Sinai and occasionally in the Tabernacle. Shekinah comes from the biblical word "shekinot" that means dwelling.  It is the glory of God dwelling in a certain spot.  We also see this special cloud by day (blocking the heat) and a pillar of fire by night leading the people of Israel and protecting them from their enemies.  So these three disciples saw a bit of the radiance of God resting on Jesus.  
    They also heard the voice of God affirming Jesus and approving of His past work and words.  The Father wanted Jesus' disciples to be brave, listening, and obedient but they were not.  

Prayer: Lord, give me grace to listen to you even without a visible or audible sign of your presence.  Help me to obey you by faith and not by sight.