Freedom in Christ
A Journey With Matthew • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction:
Pledge
Passage: When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?”
25 He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?”
26 And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free.
27 However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”
Title: Freedom in Christ
Title: Freedom in Christ
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
What we are going to be looking at this morning is “What does Freedom in Christ look like.”
Do you ever ask yourself, “Why do I do what I do, why do I react the way I react, why do I feel a certain way in a given situation?”
These reaction I am referencing here are the negative and harmful ones: to you, to others, or in the situation.
WHY DO I FEEL IMPRISONED BY THEM?
Anyone here this morning like to be free? Raise your hands
Segway:
PICK UP THE FISHING POLE
What have read this morning is a pretty impressive FISHING story.
I have come to the conclusion there are those here this morning that would call yourselves “Fishermen.”
There is one thing that some (If not most) fishermen have in common.
There is one thing that causes some Fishermen to feel trapped in. They feel imprisoned by.
Its the one thing that they cannot stop themselves from doing.
Pause:
And that one thing is Exaggeration.
My grandfather had to be a fishermen because each story he would share seemed to get bigger and bigger every time he would tell someone.
He told me the story of his daughter (My Aunt) Mary Jane.
She had a friend at HS who told her that her father played college Basketball.
Now my Aunt was not up on sports but knew some of the teams.
She came home and shared this with my grandfather at the dinner table.
My grandfather then in turn told her He played Basketball as well.
She asked, “What team did you play for?”
He replied, “I played for the STATE PENN University”
Mary Jane's face lit up with excitement.
Her dad played for State Penn University!
She went to school the next day and shared this information with a couple of friends to only find out that her dad was messing with her.
He did not play basketball for State Penn University. (State Penitentiary “JAIL”)
She was thinking he was talking about Penn State University.
She came home mad at her dad and embarrassed.
Now each time my Grandfather would share that story it seemed to get bigger and longer.
He must have been a fisherman.
Most Fisherman feel they are imprisoned by this thing called Exaggeration.
Your imprisonment might be something different .....
Lying (You don’t know why you do it but you do)
Gossiping (You don’t know why you do it but you do)
Negative attitude (You don’t know why you have one but you do)
Anger (You don’t know why you get angry but you do)
I would be safe to say, the reason “WE DO” is because we have become IMPRISONED by them!
Fishermen feel this way and ....
PUT THE FISHING POLE DOWN
..... this morning we are going to look at a whopper of a fishing story.
Body:
Let’s take a look at this pericope.
Jesus and the disciples are back in Capernaum.
This could be because of the time of the year where this tax is collected.
They call this the “two-drachma tax” or better stated the “temple tax.”
So we find Jesus and Peter in Capernaum (their headquarters for Jesus Ministry.)
And Peter is confronted by the collectors of this tax.
This Tax is not a Roman Tax but one that was a Jewish tax.
We find the Tax back in Each one who is numbered in the census shall give this: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs), half a shekel as an offering to the LORD.
To help support the TEMPLE!
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
2 Drachma’s is half a Shekel. (4 Drachma’s = 1 Shekel)
This tax was about a 2 day’s earning for a person back then.
a custom had arisen, and was being defended in Jesus’ day as a requirement of the Law,
The collectors ask if Jesus is going to Pay this tax.
Peter answers them with an emphatic “YES.”
Peter answers them with an emphatic “YES.”
A custom had arisen (pay the tax), and was being defended in Jesus’ day as a requirement of the Law,
And when Peter comes into the house Jesus immediately ask the question, “What do you think, Simon?”
And when Peter comes into the house Jesus immediately ask the question, “What do you think, Simon?”
From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?”
In reference to others, he means “Strangers.”
Peter answers “from others (strangers).”
Apparently this is the correct answer and then Jesus reveals who doesn’t pay this tax …
The son’s (are free.)
The word free is translated “being free from obligation (exempt).
This analogy for the earthly kings and their sons and others is compared to
..... the Father being the earthly king,
..... their sons is those who believe in Christ,
..... and the others (strangers) are those who don’t believe.
Given the present situation of the dawning of the “kingdom of God” in the ministry and person of Jesus, the paying of the temple tax was or would be, strictly speaking, no longer a necessity.
Those who participate in this new reality are the children of the king and thus need not pay the tax to support what will after all soon belong to the old order.
To sum this up, this tax concerned “redemption money,” the ransom price—“a ransom for his soul”—which every Israelite, twenty years and over, was by the Lord ordered to pay, and which was used for the maintenance of the sanctuary.
And Jesus was saying this is no longer needed because he will be the ransom that will be paid for of all man kind.
But as we read, Jesus doesn’t want to make a big stink about this right now so he tells Peter to go fishing.
And what we read is the most NON-exaggerated fish story of all times.
I could not figure up the odds!!!!!!!!!
Lets just say its astronomical! 1/Gazillion
The shekel will be just enough to meet the tax for Jesus and Peter.
Climax:
The main (Big) idea, the prepositional statement of this pericope can be found in vs 26 - Then the sons are free.
Its about freedom because of us being a son of the King.
Freedom over legalism, tradition, and from man made religion.
A life in Christ is a life of freedom.
Remember, some of you raised you hands, earlier, saying you wanted freedom.
This is where you need to get your pens out and write this down ....
Here is what it looks like?
The future is already known!
I’m not talking about becoming a fortune teller.
Tell the joke about the palm readers in Niles OH.
We don’t know the future but we know the one who does, Jesus!
Why do I say that the future is already known?
Look at this passage of scripture, (Vs 25 “Jesus spoke to him first”)
There are examples of Christ knowing things without being told .....
But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him. 15 Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there.
Knowing their thoughts, he said to them,
15 Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
This life in Christ is a life of freedom from worry about the future.
Let me just say this, if you are a person who worries all the time, you are not experiencing freedom in Christ!
Scripture tells us in “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life ....”
Clothes - “And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin...”
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
Food - “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’
Future - “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.”
What to Say - “When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour.”
Future - “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.”
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
A Life in Christ is a life of freedom.
A life where the future is already known.
But also ....
2. Not obligated to the Past.
The People of Jesus’ day was still living with the rules and regulations of the past.
Jesus helps Peter see they are not bound by the OLD traditions and religiosity of the past.
God himself states this in And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”
Let me give you an example of what is being said .....
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
The bible states clearly, “Honor your father and mother.” ()
But the Bible also says, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” ()
You are to honor your spouse now!
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
One of the major reasons people are not living in freedom in Christ is the PAST.
Hanging on to the old.
or not giving up guilt.
A Life in Christ is a life of freedom.
A life where the past is the past.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
But also ....
3. Needs are Met.
Aren’t you glad we serve a God who can meet our needs?
If a miracle is required Jesus can do that.
What ever the need is, a life in Christ is a life of freedom that needs are met.
Share the story of the check that was not cashed.
We needed $80 to get through the week.
God gave us $81.
A life in Christ is a life of freedom....
The Future is Already Known!
Not Obligated to the Past!
Needs are Met!
Who can free you? CHRIST!
Conclusion: