October 20, 2020 - We turn to Matthew 17:24-27 today. I invite you to read the short passage before proceeding. I keep these articles short and because of that there is an assumption I as the writer must make. One such assumption is that you know the passage I am referring to. In the passage I am referring to, we see Christ walking around Capernaum with his disciples. Simon Peter, the man who we read in the beginning of this chapter was witness to the transfiguration of Christ, was approached by a few tax collectors. The collectors wonder if Christ paid his taxes. Christ answers yes and continues going to a certain home where he begins to teach.
Christ teaches Simon by using ancient culture of Kings to make his point. Christ asks whether a King and his family pay the tax the King himself levied. Simon says others pay it. Christ then concludes that the Kings sons and daughters are free from the tax. However, we should still pay it, not to give offense to others, those who are our neighbor. Christ then has a little fun here and tells Simon to fish and the first thing he catches will have enough to satisfy the tax.
There is a lot we could talk about from the passage but for today I have two points. For one, I don’t think the text points to us seeking to be the most offensive people. We read in Scripture to love our neighbors. That does not exclude times when we will be considered offensive. If you preach the Gospel, you are preaching that which is offensive to sinners. There is a distinction between a seeker of offending than being faithful to what we believe. Second, Simon Peter was to trust in Christ words that the money would be in the fish's mouth. The Lord did provide. He provides for you as well Christian.
He provides common grace for everyone but to the Christian is that special grace that is far bigger than coins in the mouth of fish. The special gift we receive is forgiveness found in Christ, we are made adopted children of the King and it is proclaimed that we are forgiven.
Wynter is an Elder at Mariposa Reformed Baptist Church. Find out more at MariposaChurch.org or email him at wynter@mariposachurch.org. Visit Mariposa Reformed Baptist Church on Facebook.
Pastor’s Corner is a column from Pastor Wynter Sturtevant III of the Mariposa Reformed Baptist Church.
The Church has moved locations, services are now held at the Bootjack Stompers Hall (located at 4662 Morman Bar Crossing) across from the Mariposa County Fairgrounds.
Time of service is at 10:00 A.M. on Sunday.
I am happy to announce that MRBC has its own sermon podcast. Please check it out by clicking on the link below or searching MRBC Sermons on iTunes. New sermons will be posted every Wednesday.
https://mariposachurch.transistor.fm/episodes
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