BBD 04.15.09 Tax Day
Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>
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The Burning Bush Devotional
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04.15.09
Tax Day
When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to
Peter and said, "Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?" He said, "Yes."
And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, "What do
you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes,
from their sons or from strangers?" Peter said to Him, "From strangers."
Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are free. Nevertheless, lest we offend
them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first.
And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take
that and give it to them for Me and you." - Matthew 24:24-27.
Then they asked Him, saying, "Teacher, we know that You say and teach
rightly, and You do not show personal favoritism, but teach the way of God
in truth: Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" But He
perceived their craftiness, and said to them, "Why do you test Me? Show Me a
denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?" They answered and said,
"Caesar's." And He said to them, " Render therefore to Caesar the things
that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." - Luke 20:21-25.
Today is the day in the United States that most citizens are required to
file a tax return. Some of us may file extensions and send in the completed
form later, however, whatever money you owe is still due today. Failure to
file your tax return is a crime and failure to pay will result in
accumulating financial penalties and interest charges. So, even if you do
not have the money to pay all that you may owe in taxes you should always
file your tax return. Although I have personally known some people who have
not filed a tax return in many years.I guess you could call that a denial of
the reality of the world in which we live.
Across the United States today tax protests in the form of tea parties are
being held. The original tea party helped to stir the colonies to rebel
against England back in the 1700s. Some 2,000 tea parties are planned today
but no one really knows how many will attend or what impact they may have.
No doubt many of us are frustrated by the amount of taxes that we pay and
what now appears to be an increasing tax burden coming our way.
One question for us as Christians is whether or not God would have us to pay
our taxes? The answer is, yes. Jesus paid not only the Roman tax but also
the temple tax. One problem with the Roman tax was that the Roman Emperor
claimed that he was divine. So if the tax was paid would it amount to
worship of a pagan god? Jesus answered the question by saying, "Render
therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that
are God's."
For those of you that believe in a very literal translation of the Bible
here are some questions. Since Jesus paid his taxes with a coin should we
only pay our taxes with coins? Perhaps pennies? Then, of course, you have
the fish question. Are you only able to pay your taxes if you go fishing and
find a coin in the mouth of the fish you catch?
The good news from the Bible about tax day comes from Matthew 6:25-26 as
Jesus says, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you
will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on.
Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the
birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet
your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?"
Copyright © 2009. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
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