A Sermon for the 23rd Sunday after Trinity

Trinity 23

Render Unto Caesar 

“Render unto God the things that are God’s.” (Matthew 22.21)

A favorite movie of mine was Sgt. York.  As I grew up, I was fascinated by serving in the military.  When I became of age, I followed those desires and joined the Navy Reserve.  To render unto Caesar. 

As I grew older however, I came to realize the reality of the cost of war.   It then became my intent to serve as a chaplain someday. 

I figured it was the right combination-duty, honor, country, and God. I cannot help but wonder if I fully understood where God fit in. 

The Jews of our Lord’s time wanted a warrior with a sword in his hand as their messiah. In their disappointment, they hung Him on a cross partly because He spoke of peace and freedom from their sins, not freedom from the Romans.

Yet we see our Lord at times angry, and ready to fight, as He was in the temple with the money changers.  His righteous indignation.

Ultimately, its is our Lord’s sacrifice that we come to understand the most.  He said, no greater love has a man than to lay down his life for his friends.  That indeed defines the men and women who have donned a uniform and picked up a gun, or lest we forget, sailed the ships.

These brave men and women have put all of themselves on the line and no matter what the political issues, their sacrifice remains real.

Sometimes we are called upon to serve willingly, sometimes not.  Ultimately, the willingness to express our own righteous indignation in the face of tyranny should never be discounted.

And we must remember those who will step up to serve—- and those who will serve and not return, and those who do return and can never forget.

We cannot ever forget the cost of war on them, on our friends and our enemies, on those who are just there.  The debt of war lasts long after the fighting has stopped.

Sometimes to render unto Caesar means the full and total commitment of our life. —– It requires a full and total sacrifice.

Today especially and throughout the years, we will honor and remember those who have died and served, — with our memories and sometime our tears.  We will thank those who have given a measure of themselves for our freedom.

And when you really think of it, given His ultimate sacrifice for us on the cross for our salvation, does not our savior deserve the very same. AMEN