Matthew 17:1-13
“Glorification”
Intro
Vs. 1A.) The first thing we note here is the timing of this event, 6 days. So about a week transpires between Jesus’ words about the cross and His glorification. He had left them with the statement of verse 28 about His glorification. I bet they were just milling over His words the whole week.
B.) The next thing we see is that Jesus takes just three of His disciples with Him. Peter, James, and John. Now these guys were friends prior to being disciples; they were business partners. It is interesting that three times He takes these three aside for something special each time it has to do with death.
1.) In Luke 8:51, they were the ones taken into the home of Jairus at the raising of his daughter. There He taught them of His victory over death.
2.) Now in this passage He was talking to them about His method of that victory, the cross, and how from that He would be glorified.
3.) Lastly, we shall see them in the garden called Gethsemane just 6 months from this time, where He shall teach them about the surrendering of the will to God.
Each one of these men will have interesting encounters with death; Peter will be the first one told that he would die (John 21). James would be the first disciple to be martyred; we are told that he was sawed in two lengths. John was the last to die. They had tried to boil him to death, but it did not work, so they exiled him to a little desert island where he was given the book that would unveil Jesus as glorified.
2.) It says here that “Jesus took…them up on a high mountain.” The traditional tourist stop for the mount of transfiguration is Mt. Tabor. The problem with this is that we know that they were in the region of Caesarea Philippi (16:13) and that it was more than a six-day journey to Mt. Tabor. So most likely the true place of transfiguration is Mt. Herman, which is the mountain right above Caesarea Philippi. Its name means “sacred mountain.”.
Vs. 2 Now we move to the experience. With a simple but profound word, Matthew writes what transpired: “He was transfigured before them.” The word “transfigured” is the word metamorphosed in Greek. It is the same word that describes what happens to a caterpillar inside a cocoon. It describes a change on the outside that comes from the inside.
Jesus, glory was not reflective; it was radiant. We are further told that His face is shown like the sun. Folks, this was not like some spotlight on Him; the light was not from without, but rather from within!
Old Moses had prayed in Ex. 33:18, “Please, show me Your glory.” Then in the 20 verses, God replies, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me and live.” Here the request was granted to these three. If you trace the use of this word in scripture, you will find it used only 4 times.
Here in Mark 9:2, where they describe this event, and also in Rom. 12:2, where we read, “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, acceptable, and perfect will of God.” Then again in 2 Cor. 3:18, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
The effects of this inward glory were that Jesus appeared as He relay was unveiled by human flesh. Folks, the miracle was not this moment, rather it was that He did not radiate this glory all the time. John spoke of this moment in his life in John 1:14, where he says, “And we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” All the intellectual understanding and all the witnessing of divine power in His life broke through the hardened heart.
I still remember that time in my life when, in my heart, I saw Him unveiled. His glory broke upon my soul. I was metamorphosed. We are only changed from glory to glory by the “Spirit of the Lord” to the degree that we gaze into His face. Our glory is reflected in the source of glory.
It is here that I must pause. I say that it is good for us to get away alone with the Lord that we might see Him, not by the light of the day with all the crowds, but alone upon the Holy Hill!
Vs. 3 Moses represented the law Elijah, the prophets; the sum of O.T. revelation comes to meet Jesus as He was transfigured. Jesus is the fulfillment of this revelation, Heb. 1:1-3.
“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high; Moses is seen as a guy that dies and goes to glory.”
In Luke 9:31, we are told what they were saying about His death. Can you imagine what was running through Peter’s mind? Peter could not see any good coming out of Jesus going to Jerusalem to die; now before him stood a glorified Jesus with the summation of truth speaking of the truth of His death and the glory that would come from it.
Vs. 4-8 Hear Jesus Only
Vs. 4 There are things in every person’s life that you wish you would have just kept quiet; this is one of those for Peter. There is an old saying that I would do well to head more often. “Better to keep your mouth shut; let everyone think you’re an idiot, then open your mouth to remove any doubt!”
Peter did not mean to say that all three of these guys were on the same level, but that is what he said. He just wanted to prolong his experience. Folks, the important thing is not the experience; it is the person! All too often we get all raped up on some spiritual experience and begin to worship the experience. So what’s the antidote?
Vs. 5: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear Him!” Is that not great? The Lord breaks through everything and reaffirms the truth of His Son. You cannot put anything or anyone on the same plain as Jesus. Peter would some time later say that there is no other name under heaven whereby men might be saved.
How many times have we made this same mistake listening to something other than Jesus? Jesus is the final authority. He is the alpha omega of revelation. It is not Jesus plus the law or works. It is not Jesus plus my experience. It is Jesus, as seen in the word of God.
May, I say the trouble with mountain tops is that sooner or later you are going to have to come down. If you come down upon your experience, you will get blown away by reality, but if you stand upon His word as your final authority, you will be alright.
6-8 I love this; they are all afraid here; they fall on their faces upon the “word of God” touching them. God’s grace blows me away. The voice of God sends us trembling, whereas the grace of God picks us up!
Also noticed what they saw after He picked them up, “Only Jesus”!!! That’s it, folks. This is what we ought to desire to be like. May we be instruments by which people see only Jesus!
Vs. 9-13 The Timing of the Vision
Vs. 9 Now Jesus does not want them to lose perspective of the cross. He has shown them that the cross will bring about His glory, but He does not want them to see the glory apart from the cross.
Vs. 10-13 Now these guys want to know when the fulfillment of what they just witnessed will happen. So they are trying to figure out the timing of it all. You see, they are confusing the first coming with the second coming. So Jesus explains this to them. You are right. Elijah will come first before the second coming; you can read of him in Revelation chapter 11, where he is one of the two witnesses and commands it not to rain for 3 1/2 years.
Then Jesus goes on to explain that part of what Elijah was to do was fulfilled in John the Baptist; just like John was put to death, so will Jesus. A lot of people are trying to figure out how much time is left today. May I say that, as far as the Bible is concerned, the clock is stopped? These days are right before us. How exciting it is! The greater question is, are you ready?
Matthew 17:14-21
“Christianity It Works”
Vs. 14-18 Failure in the Valley
Intro
Last week we were taken to the heights, and as the veil of humanity was removed, Jesus’ glory shone forth. Wow, what an incredible moment in the lives of the three. I love how the apostle John speaks of his experience of the Lord in 1 John 1:1, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life.”
Now this passage in English loses some of its power; literally, it reads, “That which we heard at the present moment is still ringing in our ears, that which we have seen with the discerning eye at the present moment is fixed in our minds, that which we inspectantly gazed upon, that which our hands have searched out concerning the Word of Life.” Sixty years had passed since John had this physical encounter with Jesus, yet He was still sounding in his ear, still a fixed gaze in his mind. That’s an unforgettable impact. I have found that after these kinds of experiences, there is usually a valley.
How was your 1998? Was it a valley or a mountaintop? Mine was a valley that flooded! Were we in the last year of the Millennium? Everyone that I know is wanting a better year. I was reading a true story about this guy that was working on his motorcycle on the back porch. He was revving up the engine when, for no reason, the bike with him aboard slipped into gear, sending him through the sliding glass door.
As he landed on the floor, glass blood everywhere, his wife dialed 911. In a few minutes, the paramedics arrived and took the fellow to the emergency room. After a few hundred stitches, he was released to go home. His thoughtful wife had taken the mangled bike out, boarded up the broken door, and cleaned up the gas that had spilled all over the floor with paper towels.
The guy was pretty bummed out as he surveyed the damage and went into the bathroom for some solace with a cigarette. As he finished he put the smoldering butt between his legs into the bowl. The next thing his wife heard was an explosion. As she ran into the bathroom, there was her husband moaning with the toilet bowl on top of him. You see, she had disposed of the paper towels by letting them float in the toilet bowl.
He was badly burned in very sensitive areas. The same paramedics were called to the scene only a few hours after their first visit. As they were wheeling him down 35 steps onto the driveway, they asked the wife what had happened when she told them they burst out in laughter only to let go of the stretcher, sending our guy flying. When he had landed, he had a compound fracture of his leg.
Now that’s a bad day! So the next time you think you have had a bad day, remember our friend here. I sometimes feel as though I’ve had days like this, but it is in the valleys that I learn the most about myself—who the Lord is in everyday life.
Vs. 14-18 Failure in the Valley
Vs.14 Now only the three disciples, Peter, James, and John, went up; the rest of the nine guys were left behind. So when Jesus comes down, He is confronted by several things:
A distraught father, who was facing an impossible situation.
B.) Mark 9:14 tells us that the Scribes were there mocking the disciples’ failure. Now what is not told is that this father had most likely tried the religious approach first; it had not worked.
Next, He faced these embarrassed, disappointed, and defeated nine guys who were probably already upset that they did not get to go up with Jesus.
D.) Lastly, he faced a helpless demon-possessed boy who was systematically being destroyed but that which possessed him.
Hey, it sounds just like another day at the office, doesn’t it? This is real-life experience! So much of what people here think of Christianity is that theological theory stuff. Six days earlier, Peter affirmed Jesus’ identity and mission. Then Jesus spoke of the method by which this would be accomplished. Then he did a seminar on predestination and free will! No, He goes right into how the truths He just proclaimed worked.
I have a poem on my wall to remind me of this truth: how I need to be accessible to you all the way.
“The village pastor of austerity climbed up high in his church steeple to be near God so that he might hand down God’s word to the people. And so a sermon script he wrote, and he dropped it down onto the people’s heads two times one day in seven. In his old age, God cried out to him, “Come down!” To which he replied from his steeple, “Where are you, Lord?” And God did say, “Why, down here among My people!”
That is where you will find Jesus, “Down in the valley among the people.” In spite of the failure of Christian’s religion, Christianity works. It works because of who Jesus is because He cares. Peter knew this when he wrote 1 Peter 5:7. “Cast your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.” Peter did not say to cast your cares upon the church or religion, for they will fail you, but not so with Jesus.
Vs. 15 There is a very unfortunate translation of a word in this verse; it is the word “epileptic.” Epilepsy is a physical disorder that causes the person who has it to go into convulsions or seizures. That is not what the boy had. Verse 18 clearly says the boy was demon-possessed; furthermore, we are told in Luke that he was mute by this same demon.
So the translators got together, looked at the symptoms, and said, “Kind of describes epilepsy.” Instead, they should have looked at the original language, for the word literally means “smitten by the moon.” Some translations actually call it right “lunatic.”
There was a belief that if a person stayed out all night under a full moon, they would become demon-possessed. Now I don’t want to go too far down this path, but there is a correlation in the rise in crime full moons. It seems that during this time all the “loonies” come out.
At any rate, we are given a list of the symptoms of this boy’s insanity:
A.) Mark said that He was mute, who would foam at the mouth. So that he was unable to communicate.
B.) Here we are told that he was in severe pain.
C.) He was suicidal; that is, the demonic possession made him that way.
D.) He, as I said, had seizures of some kind.
E.) Lastly, after the episodes, a sort of rigor mortis would set in.
Vs. 16 As tragic as these symptoms are, this statement makes it far worse. In a moment we will get into why they could not cure the boy, but first we need to establish the fact that they had been given the power to do so. Clearly this is a case of Christianity not doing what God has empowered it to do!
In the 10th chapter of Matthew, we were told that Jesus “gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out.” The word used there for “gave” means kept on giving, so it was a continued flow. Then in the 6th chapter of Mark we are told that they were successful in this, where verse 13 reads, “And they cast out many demons.” So what has changed? Well, clearly, it was not a case of a lack of power, nor was it a lack of experience; they had both of these.
Vs .17 Once we are struck with the harshness of Jesus’ reply. It is important to realize that Jesus’ reply was not just to the embarrassed disciples but to the father of the boy, the crowd, and the scribes, all of whom were present.
Next, it is important to realize that, apart from the failure of those present to cure the boy, the father did eventually go to the only person who could make the boy well. May I say that this is the central point of Jesus’ words here?
Folks, touching the world and helping people in need does nothing; indeed, it is incompetent if it is not His touch! Christianity is not some formula that we put into action. It is instead individual people who are in consistent, regular fellowship with the living God who are among the people allowing Him to touch through them. So much of what passes as Christianity looks like some incantation conjuring up something to act on our behalf. That is powerless! Now Jesus’ words to this group.
1.) Faithless: Simply put, that is lacking faith. Jesus says that the whole generation could not be provoked to trust Him. In its context, it is the lack of trusting Him that is at issue. They were trusting in their formulas for all sorts of things, but not the one who could cure the boy. May I attach the latter part of His statement? “How long shall I be with you?” For three years He had been with them all; what further proof did they need that it was He alone that needed to be trusted, not some formula?
What are you trusting in? Well, I am trusting in my prayer time to get me through! I’m trusting in my Bible. Hey, these are the instruments that cause us to draw near to Him, but they are not good luck charms.
2.) Perverse: This is a word that means distorted or misinterpreted. It describes a generation that was twisted to the point that they were unable to think correctly. They were living on things seen. “Ahh, so Jesus said to do this that way, so if we say to do it the same way, it will work.” G. Campbell Morgan, that great teacher of old, aptly put it: “A generation that loses its faith becomes distorted out of shape.”
Let us go back and read verse 16 again as this hopeless father brings to Jesus a boy who His own disciples (and read this carefully) “could not cure.” It does not say “would not,” but “could not.” I am thankful that we have gotten beyond “would not,” but the could not is one of the saddest verses in the Bible in light of what we have seen concerning the disciples.
How incompetent the church is now in our lifetime! It cannot cure! The word “cure” is the word we get therapeutic from; it means to wait menially, to relieve (of disease), by bringing them to worship. A church that does not serve nor bring people to worship can never cure. It will just have, as Paul said in 2 Tim 3:5, “a form of godliness but denying its power.” The power is not a formula, not a force; the power of God is a person!
Vs. 18 This illustrates what I have been saying so well that it needs no comment! The father had come to the right person, desiring mercy for a son who could not be changed from his state by form or religion only by the presence of Jesus. In the 14th chapter of Revelation, there is, I believe, the greatest definition of what it means to be a Christian. Describing the 144,000 Jewish evangelists in the last days, we are told that they “follow the Lamb wherever He goes!”
Vs. 19-21 Successful Service
Vs. 19 Here we are given the difference between the world religions followers of Christ. It is this question, “Why could we not cast him out?” Would the church ask this question more often? Let’s go further. Would each of us ask this question more often? “Lord, why can I not be a better parent, husband, or wife?” Why can I not impact those around me for your glory?” Again, I said before it was not a question of “would not”; it is a question of “could not.”.
Before we can get to the “could not,” you need to ask yourself if you are willing! It does no good to ask why you are not successful if you are not willing to apply the truth.
In . verse 21, Jesus will tell them the reason and explain to them the symptoms of it.
A.) Unbelief: We first must define what belief is. Clearly these guys believed they had cast out demons earlier. The issue is not in belief but rather what they believed in! You cannot trust in past accomplishments; you can trust in the formula applied no matter how successful it was in the past. All of those are still categorized as “unbelief.” The belief is not in the power but in the person.
May I just say that this is what has caused the paralysis in the church—a lack of trust in Jesus? Oh, people are trusting in the church, in people in the church, in methods 7, all sorts of things, but they are not trusting in Him! Only total reliance upon Jesus can change anything or anyone. The point is not that the believers faith enables God to work, but rather that the ability to receive is limited by the absence of faith. It is God who does the impossible, not me.
Vs. 21 Now belief as seen in two things Jesus lists here:
1.) Prayer: Why prayer? Prayer or talking in fellowship with God is the way that we attach ourselves to God. Not as a ritual but rather as a continual conscious, humble dependence upon God. You cannot give up faith; you have to be in continual contact with Him. You cannot possess His power unless you are possessed by Him! Dare I say that prayer is not the once or twice a day talk with God where we bring out our shopping list and ask Him for stuff? No! It is a constant, continual consciousness of Him in whom we live, move, and have our being.
2.) Fasting: Why fasting? Fasting is that which we detach ourselves from the world. It is the denial of the self. The surrender of what our flesh wants to that of what God wants. It is interesting that you must first have reliance upon Him before you will surrender. We will never be more powerful until these are accomplished. Jesus seems to say that in this life we will have “little faith” and our lights will flicker.
Matthew 17:22-27
“Death and Taxes”
Vs. 22-23 Death Betrayal
Vs. 24-27 Tax The Kings Kids
Intro
There is an old axiom that goes something like, “Nothing is certain except death taxes.” This was once quoted in a speech by a U.S. Congressman to which a bystander yelled out, “Yeh, but at least death doesn’t get worse when Congress is in session.” The next two things we are to look at in this chapter are death taxes. Jesus will again speak of His death and resurrection.
And then they will be questioned about the payment of temple taxes. Whenever you speak of taxes and the government, especially this time of year, you get the feeling that you have heard it before. I read this off of a bumper sticker the other day; it just caught my funny bone: “Deja Moo: The feeling that you have heard this bull before.” Hopefully you won’t be having Deja Moo this morning.
Now remember last week we were shown the failure of the church as seen in the inability of the nine disciples to cast out the demon from the young man. An act that they had accomplished before empowered by the Holy Spirit. Jesus then explained to them their failure, “unbelief,” which was seen in their lack of complete dependence upon the Lord and no dependence upon themselves (prayer fasting).
I believe that failure can be the greatest key to future success. It is only when we try for ourselves to fail that we see what we need to change in order to succeed. Someone once said, “Experience is something you don’t get until just after you need it!” It is my prayer that we learn from these disciples failures as well as our own. Another wise person said, “It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.” Hey, folks, these guys serve as a warning to us!
Vs. 22-23 Death Betrayal
Vs. 22 This is the third time that Jesus speaks to them about His death; each time He spoke to them, He mentioned the resurrection. Now it was obvious, as I have stated before, that they did not fully grasp His coming. They believed like the rest of Israel that when the Messiah came He would restore Israel to the place of world ruler and put all of the other kingdoms at her feet. That is what is behind James’ request in Mark 10:35, where they asked Jesus, “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.”
As we move closer to the new Millennium, this is a topic of great interest. A lot of folks are talking about something happening: the return of Christ. I love what the author of Hebrews says concerning the imminent return of Christ, 10:22-25. “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the day approaching.” It is these qualities that ought to be seen in our lives as we contemplate the soon return of Jesus.
As you look over the statements that Jesus makes concerning His own death, burial, and resurrection, you will see certain facts emerging.
A.) It was a concrete certainty. “He must go!”
B.) The location was Jerusalem.
C.) The penalty was prescribed, “suffer die.”
D.) The agents were listed as “chief priests scribes.”
E.) The outcome was told, “Be raised the third day.”
In all of this, Peter and the others questioned the course. The method of victory was foreign to them, and Jesus tried to explain it to them. Yet with that said, this is the first mention of the means by which all this was to take place: “Betrayal!” All they knew by this statement was that one of their own company of followers was capable of having a part in His foretold death.
It is interesting to me that the response is not denial, not rebuke, or even finger pointing. “Well, you know, Lord, I’ve always been a little suspicious of that Thomas character.” Not one of them knew that it was Judas. In fact, if you had polled these guys, he probably would have gotten the fewest votes. Look at their response to Jesus’ words of betrayal: “They were exceedingly sorrowful.” Literally, they were grieving violently! The fact that we read that they “were” grieving violently tells us something:
1.) Their reaction was universal. In other words, they all thought of the possibility that it could be each one of them. What came over their hearts was the reality of their own fallenness—that the One that they loved, worshiped to the point of death, was capable of giving over to destruction. I know that I am dwelling on this, but let me ask you a question: Are you capable of betrayal?
What would it take for you to sell out? Folks, in our fallen nature, we are all quite fickle. What makes the difference in us selling out or staying committed? I’d like to offer this statement as the answer. I think when we are devoted to someone based upon what they give us, then we are prone to betrayal, because when we stop getting it, we can justify our actions.
These men each knew what it was that they loved about Jesus; deep down, what they loved about Him was what He did for them, not who He was. You will never betray someone when you are devoted to who they are, not what they do! All too many of us are devoted to Jesus for what He does for us; this can be sold out the moment we feel we are getting enough out of it.
2.) Second, it reveals that they understood their own depravity personally. There is in some zoos a list of all the most deadly animals in the world. As you go down the list in order to read each one, eventually you come to a blank wall with just a mirror and the words, “The deadliest creature on the planet!” With all the news of man’s inhumanity to man around us, we are prone to think that we are not capable of certain acts.
The truth is that in the worst-case scenarios, given enough time to sear our consciousness, we are all capable of the worst things. You are no better than those who have acted upon their thoughts; we are sinners, sick people. It is awful to come into the mirror of the truth of your depravity.
3.) Lastly, and don’t miss this, notice the victory of Jesus’ death in light of what I just said. Jesus tells them that one of their own was going to be involved in His death, to which they all respond to the truth of that fact, yet look at verse 23. “He will be raised up!” Jesus told them their failure; He let them see their own hearts, then proclaimed to them that He was going to concur our depravity. I am without any doubt the worst sinner I’ve ever met. I’m the biggest failure I’ve ever met, but that does not limit the Lord, for He has taken my failure to the cross, then to the tomb raised from the dead! Wow!
Again, we see in light of this that their response shows perhaps pride. “I thought I would have been better than the others, but I’m not!” “I’m just like every other crud!” Do yourself a favor this morning; stop blaming your parents, your environment, and whatever you take responsibility for being the worst sinner you have ever met. Allow yourself to grieve over the truth of that, then rejoice that Jesus has won victory even over your sin nature!
Vs. 24-27 Tax The Kings Kids
Vs. 24 They left Galilee and moved to Capernaum. The issue was the payment of temple tax. In Jesus’ time, they did not pass a plate or have a love box in the back. The temple was not supported by the tithe offerings of the people. Instead they followed the tradition of Exodus 30:10, where every man 20 years of age up annually paid a half-shekel of silver for atonement.
It started out to supply the silver sockets on which the tabernacle pools were inserted, then later moved to where it was used to support the temple. Later, the money served as a reminder that they had been redeemed from Egyptian slavery. It was viewed as a great deed and a sacred offering.
Vs. 25 So it came time for this tribute to be brought forth; they wanted to know where Jesus stood on this. Peter, being a good Jew, answered, “Yes!” As we shall see, Jesus had not paid the tribute; judging by how he gets the money, He did not have it to give. Most of the Jewish Rabies pleaded for tax exemption; perhaps these guys wanted to know if Jesus was going to claim the same. What follows is not Jesus’ argument against paying taxes or supporting God’s work but rather the motive behind it. Several things make this story unusual:
A.) It is only recorded by Matthew. Of course, Matthew would be interested in this, for he was a tax collector for the Romans against the Jews.
B.) It is the only miracle performed to meet His own needs. Jesus never did anything for His own benefit; even this, we are told that it was so that “they would not offend them.”
C.) It is the only miracle using money. What a far cry today when we have the faith teachers saying to sow your seeds of faith.
D.) It is the only miracle; for Peter, it is also one in which we are not told the results. Think of how God put this little miracle together. Someone would have to have lost the coin. Then a fish would have had to take that coin in its mouth and keep it there. That same fish would have to bite on Peter’s hook, with something in its mouth already. Man, that is an amazing coincidence!
With that said, what does all this show us?
A.) First, Jesus uses the argument from a natural position. No king would ask tax from their own sons. So what is He saying? Well, let’s follow the argument:
1.) Who is the temple tax paid too? God (for His temple)
2.) Who pays the tax? The Jewish people.
3.) Who had not paid the tax? Jesus’ disciples.
So if Kings do not tax their family and God is the One to whom the tax is paid annually, then the Jewish people are not by virtue of their race alone children of God. Then who are the king’s sons? Those who have not paid. And what makes them His sons? Relationship! Allow me to say that the Jews are God’s chosen people, but they are not part of God’s family. To be part of a family, you must have a relationship; that relationship is through faith, not works!
Folks, religion, or race can provide personal relationships. You may well have been born into a Christian home, but that just means that you had a good upbringing. You still need to respond to God by faith.
Vs. 27 Therefore, not out of obligation but rather not to cause anyone to be offended, he paid. Never use your freedom to hurt or destroy others. Notice that Jesus told Peter what to do; Peter did it just as he was told. Meeting our needs is always as simple as being obedient.
It must have been pretty humbling for Peter, who was a commercial fisherman. Men used to use nets to take a line to the water. The Lord alone knows where there is a fish with a silver coin in its mouth. You don’t always need a net, but you will always need an obedient heart! Jesus is always making the miraculous out of the mundane, isn’t He? He takes our ordinary lives; if we are open to Him, they become supernatural.