10/18/2026
For this 21sy Sunday After Pentecost, we have a reading from Isaiah, who is prophesying to, mmm… Israel, mmm… about Cyrus? The Hebrew word used, “mashiach”, which our English translates into “anointed” can also be translated into messiah. So, Isaiah is prophesying to Israel that Cyrus is their long awaited messiah. Wait! What! Not a Hebrew, not an Israelite, but a Gentile. Can you imagine a prophet having to go before the religious leaders, who were banking on another Moses-type deliverer to exit them out of their decades long Babylonian captivity, to tell them, “Sorry folks, but God is going to use a Gentile this time to deliver all y’all.” Surprise! Surprise! God is an international God! A God of the world! A God of the Cosmos! A God bigger than any box, synagogue, Temple, Church or any religion we create. God never stops defining and expanding God’s-self.
Fast forward to Jesus’ Temple confrontations in Matthew. The religious leaders of his day were always trying to win-one-over on Jesus. They were responding to him with their win-lose worldview. They were trying to protect their religion, make sure their religion would win, sometimes at any cost. So the religious types thought it would be good to side with the political types, the Herodians. These two groups seldom agreed, but both parties despised the message Jesus was bringing about grace, selfless love, and God beyond the law, a win-win gospel. There is always danger when the religious and political types band together, especially for the sake of power, which leads to win-lose or win at any cost. Each side willing to relinquish their integrity and even core identity to win. If we look closely at our reading in its own context, we can see that happening with the religious leaders who were confronting Jesus. They never saw the win Jesus’ parables left open for them. Even this parable for today.
On this question about taxation, Jesus is asking for an example of this precious money they wanted to hold onto. They present it to them, and Jesus takes them on a journey of “image”. What image is on the money? Caesar’s? Then give that image to Caesar, and give that (image) that is God’s to God. Daaaamn! There’s your win-win religious types! There’s your win-win political types! It not about winning so we have losers. There is no win-lose in the kingdom of God! We are all create in God’s image, and that love God has for the world, the cosmos, is for all of us! We can all win if we embrace that image of God’s love, revealed in Jesus’ selfless acts. A selfless love that led him to the cross, so even death could not hold onto the win-lose message.
Come join us at Trinity @9:30am and Redeemer as we share this good news! Both services will be live-streamed on YouTube and Facebook.
Chelsea Moon w/ the Franz Brothers in a live performance of "What W...
