Putting God First - Taxes

Matthew 17:25-27


    After they had returned home, Jesus went up to Peter and asked him, "Simon, what do you think? Do the kings of this earth collect taxes and fees from their own people or from foreigners?" Peter answered, "From foreigners."
    Jesus replied, "Then their own people don't have to pay. But we don't want to cause trouble. So go cast a line into the lake and pull out the first fish you hook. Open its mouth, and you will find a coin. Use it to pay your taxes and mine."


Isn’t this interesting? I often wonder what it was like to follow Jesus while He was here on earth. How often did the disciples think to themselves, “Is He nuts?”


I mean really. Go fishing, open the mouth of the first fish you hook, there will be a coin in it. It had to either take a lot of faith on Peter’s part to follow this instruction or he just loved and respected Jesus so much that no matter how weird the request sounded, Peter did what he was asked. Either way I am in awe.


If it had been me, I imagine I would have had to ask Jesus all kinds of questions first. And if I did as instructed I would have had the attitude of “whatever”. I would do it but most likely wouldn’t expect to even catch a fish; let alone one with a coin in its mouth.


Jesus often did this didn’t He? God often gave instructions that seemed, well…a bit odd.
• Feed thousands with just a few fish and a few loaves of bread.
• Go ahead of Me and tell them to give you the donkey and its colt.
• Destroy a fortified city with a large army by walking around it making a bunch of noise.
• “I will make you fishers of men.” (Did they even know what that meant?)


What is God asking of you today? Does it seem impossible or improbable?


In the verses above, what was the lesson for Peter? Was it to pay taxes even if they might not be required? Was it to not cause trouble? Was it to look for coins in the mouth of fishes? Or maybe, it didn’t have anything to do with taxes. Maybe, just maybe, Jesus used it to teach Peter something else. Something about who He was.


I see in this section of scripture a God who is wise and gentle. Teaching and instructing with lessons that will be remembered for years. I know I certainly would never forget pulling a coin out of a fish’s mouth to pay my taxes. I see a God who doesn’t use conventional methods to accomplish His will. I see in this lesson that I need to be ready for “WHATEVER” God asks of me, even if it seems odd. Expect God to do great things. He has in the past, He is right now, and He will be in the future!

Victory (Easter 2010)

He died so that you could live

What more do you need Him to give?

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He came to earth just to die

Many still question "Why?"

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Love held Him to that cursed tree

Now He asks..."Are you free?"

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He died to bring you new life

No more sorrow, no more strife.

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But what is it that He asks?

What can you give and not take back?

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Give your heart and you will see

He wants you in eternity

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God, then man and God again

Where His life ends, yours begins

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The grave is empty, the battle won

Christ paid the price, "It is done."

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