October 22, 2023

 There was a big argument on Facebook a month or two ago on one of the pages for Glacier National Park.  Because we visited there this summer, I joined the page to figure out what hikes we should take and any other helpful advice people had to share.  The debate was about a painted rock.  Someone had painted a rock and placed it on a trail at Glacier to be found.  The person who found it was none too pleased!  In their view, this rock was litter, graffiti, something that defaced the pure, unadulterated beauty of Glacier.  Many people joined in the outrage about the rock.  And many people joined the opposing view that someone was trying to bring delight and joy, leaving something for someone to find, playing a game.  On the one hand, the beauty of Glacier National Park was of at utmost value, a beautiful work of art.  A Christian would say it is God’s handiwork, with God’s fingerprints all over it.  On the other hand, someone brought their own artwork into the space as an improvement and not everyone agreed it was an improvement.

            In today’s Gospel, Caesar puts his likeness and image on a coin and Jesus and the Religious leaders have a conversation about who it belongs to.

            Jesus calls for the coin and for the people there to examine their relationship to it, to God, and to the Political leaders.  For Jewish people, the coin was a mixed symbol.  It was a symbol of oppression and occupation by a foreign Empire and yet it was something they needed to get by in life.  A denarius was a day’s wages, so it symbolized work and energy and even being exploited at work.  The coin bore the image of Caesar who declared himself a god.  It was not permitted in the temple since it could be construed as an idol or referring to a false god.  It was shocking that they had this coin here in the temple, but maybe it had skittered across the floor earlier in the week when Jesus overturned the tables of the moneychangers. 

            Here is this image of this leader in the Temple, in God’s dwelling.  The two together make quite a contrast.  God made everything good and full of value, independent of whether it could be used to generate wealth or not.  God called the birds of the air good, the seas, the dry land, the light and the darkness, all the creeping things, and all the green plants for food even before humans were created and able to use them for anything.  God created all this, including this gold used to make the coin and assigned it value in relationship with everything else and in proper balance, to give blessing and life each in their own way.  God created all this to allow blessing to flow among all creatures and so life would flourish.

            What a contrast to Caesar and many of our political leaders who value what enriches them, and each of us to a certain extent.  It is part of our fallen nature to be selfish and afraid and to hoard.  Caesar was the best at playing the power game, which is why he ended up at the top and then he used his power to increase the power of his friends and those who could enrich him. He used his power to put his likeness on coins and statues so everyone would know he is important and of value.

            How different from God, who didn’t want God’s image anywhere.  God’s fingerprints were already all over this earth, God’s hallmark in the availability of blessing and the flowing of life. 

            So here we have money, which only has the value we assign to it.  It is a concept, not a thing, a symbol of access to all that God has made.  God made everything and showed it to the humans and asked them to steward it faithfully, to keep the land and protect it, gave them access, although with limits, because just because you can access it doesn’t mean you should.  I speak of the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.  So humankind had access but also warned to watch out since not everything was healthy for humans. 

            As a fallen humanity, we have claimed what is God’s and given access by way of money.  You can have enough to eat and good quality food, but you have to pay for it.  You gain access with money.  You can have a safe place to live and comforts if you have money that gives you access.  God gives access as a free gift for the flourishing of life.  Money restricts access or grants it without regard to what is best for the flourishing of life.  As we look at this coin, we take all this in.

            Here is Jesus who these religious leaders are buttering up with compliments like, “You show no partiality.”  In other words, you let the blessing flow regardless of merit or who will bless you back.  The rain falls on the good and the bad alike.  So here is this coin bearing Caesar’s image and here are we, humankind, the ones bearing God’s image, made in the likeness and image of God.  How do we live out that image?  By letting the blessing flow, of course--=by showing no partiality.  What does it mean to bear the image of God we carry within each of us? I hope it isn’t about looks, but about our hearts.  It certainly must mean a responsibility to carry God's values within us. What is it about God's image that we hold in common? It is the heart of God, the values of God, the focus of God on life-giving ways. And we take that image wherever we go. It isn't just something we wear or embody at church. Yes, we may dress up a bit, shave, put on a clean outfit, to come here. We also try to put on a good attitude and a friendly smile, even if we aren't feeling that social. But God's image is stamped on us every other day of the week, as well. We carry God's image, God's values to work with us. We carry it with us to the store, to the ballot box, to the bank, when we drive our cars, when we take out the trash, when we fill out our estimate of giving card, when we volunteer our time, when we forgive, when we show no favoritism, and even when we pay our taxes. Jesus' values led him to give his life that we might have life, to disregard his own welfare for the sake of others. We give thanks that he made new life possible for us, that he made that connection between God and humankind, between heaven and earth so clear and so available to us who have done nothing to deserve a place at God's table of grace. Yet, here we are, all valued, all invited, all chosen by God.

Next week, we estimate our giving for the coming year in a way that incorporates God's values. Our estimates help the congregation create a budget, so we aren't guessing. It helps you set an intentional goal, with prayer, to use this gift from God, money in a way that supports God's values. It also helps separate you from your money, which can so easily become an idol, no matter who's image it has on it.

It used to be that the offering was taken, the first fruits from the field, the best of the flock, and it was burned. Many a pastor has fantasized about taking the offering, putting it on the altar, and setting it on fire. The reaction would be priceless. Nowadays, very little of what ends up in the plate is paper money anymore. Most of it is online giving or checks, so it wouldn't be so effective. But the thought of destroying the money, in theory, is appealing. It means the giver truly has to let go and says, “This isn't mine anymore.” Like the prayer says, “We release what has been given to us.” Then no more could one's offering be held over the church's head. No one could say, “Do it my way or I will withhold my tithe.” No one could say, “We can't offend this or that important/rich person in the congregation or they will stop giving.” Destroying the money destroys the power it can have over us, the partiality we might have because of it.

However, if the money is destroyed, it can't be used to do the work that supports God's values of giving life impartially and supporting all in need. Alas, there will be no fire in the offering plate today. We work together to pass a budget that we believe supports God's values. Our budget tithes our offerings to the larger church to pay some administration costs that help us stay connected to other Lutherans and from time to time get support for calling a new pastor or other support during a conflict or challenge.  Our budget provides support for a food pantry that feeds hungry people in our neighborhood and trains neighbors to prepare for disasters so that blessing and life can flow.  These gifts provide baby care kits, that creates partnerships between our congregations. Our budget also pays the staff to carry out the work we see as important.

So what about the painted rock at Glacier National Park?  Glacier is an especially sacred place to a lot of people because of its natural beauty.  God’s image is all over it.  People leave their fingerprints, too.  Humans have built roads and trails to provide access to all this beauty in a limited way, in a way that is meant to contribute to that sense of the sacred.  Since we’re going to leave our mark, we should leave it in a way that points the sacred beauty, rather than to us and our artistry.  I would argue that in this case, this painted rock might show beauty and a sense of the sacred, but that it would fit better in a community garden or in someone’s yard where our own image and fingerprint doesn’t get in the way of God’s.

God has given us generous hearts and gifts to share and put God’s image all around us.  So let us examine our relationship with all that has value.  God gives us something priceless, of ultimate value, love and relationship which hold firm through disasters and all the surprises in life.  The value of this relationship with God only increases as time goes on.  So let us hold to what is truly important and lasting and worthy of praise and let the beauty of all that God has made inspire us to live lives of justice and peace.