Reading: Matthew 22:15-22
I wonder if anyone here is a rugby fan. If so you probably watched one of the great games the other day, between South Africa and Australia. Hard tough rugby played by two teams at the peak of their skill. But it made me ponder the road South Africa has travelled to be present not only on this sporting field but all sporting fields over the past 20 years. It does not seem so long ago that they were banned from them, because of the cruel and unjust system of apartheid their country had adopted.

I have recently read a book by Desmond Tutu, called God is not a Christian and other Provocations. In it are sermons, statements and various writings from him that confront the powerful in his country during that time. Not for him a separation of church and state. He lived with a government that went against the God he believed in, a God of justice, goodness and love, so he spoke up. And he continues to speak up. In fact he has become a voice for the oppressed and marginalized everywhere, not just in South Africa.

Let us hear a few of his words . . . (Karen reads from p 135, concluding with the words: I am sorry but that is not what the bible says.)

`I am sorry but that is not what the bible says`. I would add, `That is not what Jesus says`.

Today we hear one of the classic biblical passages from Matthew, which appears in all three gospels. It is a passage that needs to be understood in context. For often it is used to justify a separation of the affairs of the church with the affairs of commerce and government which is a misreading, and a misunderstanding of Jesus mission and message.
The goal of the story was to entrap Jesus and divide his followers with a question about paying taxes to Rome. The crafty opponents are specified, `Some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians`. Both these groups, while varying in their enthusiasm for Rome, favoured paying the tax. However, both parties must have also suspected Jesus` position which is why they asked the question in the first place.

The tax was not a duty on goods but a poll tax instituted in 6 AD. It was a direct administrative tax levied by the Roman government on the Jewish people and was paid with a silver coin, the denarius. Lots of Jewish blood had already been shed because of this tax, with many Jews refusing to pay it.

A simple yes by Jesus would have made him seem as if he was supporting the Romans. A simple no would have seen the Pharisees and scribes plot against him and destroy him.

Jesus` answer is clever, and significant, for his followers then and for us now.

He initially asks for a coin, implying he does not have one of his own with which to pay the tax. Then he asks whose head and title are on the coin. The coin bears the image of the emperor, a powerful image of who is supposedly in charge at that time.

Jesus then finishes with a message that is very subversive. `Give the emperor the things that are the emperor`s, and to God the things that are God`s`. Jesus is not really concerned about whether people should pay taxes or not but rather who do we belong to. By placing both God and the emperor side by side, he is asking who has the ultimate authority in our lives. When push comes to shove our allegiance must lie with the true God seen in Jesus, not the emperor.

It is this challenge which highlights the political nature of Jesus and how much the world has misunderstood him. In Jesus we glimpse the kingdom of God, a kingdom of compassion, justice and peace enacted on earth. And when it conflicts with the secular powers it is God and his kingdom that has ultimate authority. God is the final arbiter of what we owe the government.

So what does it mean for us?

It means, just like Desmond Tutu, our faith is not just a Sunday job, but something that affects everything we do and say.

It means, just like Desmond Tutu, we have to be heard opposing those rules and regulations, legislation, and governments that seek to divide rather than unite people. Jesus was in the world challenging them, and so should we.

Some of us will rally, will be arrested, and will be tagged as unwelcome agitators. Some of us will write letters and join internet blogs, petitions and agencies that call for change. Some of us will preach and teach and inspire others. Some of us will use the power of our votes to change things.

But all of us belong to a wider church community which has its own voice. We as members of the Uniting Church need to prompt our own community to be more vocal and public in the call for justice and peace, for equity of land and human rights, and for the protection of our environment, for these are of God. And not be worried about it. At Synod this year there was a visioning time, and the question was asked, `Where do we see the Uniting Church in ten years` time?`. Many thought the church as we know it may not even exist in ten years` time. I was a little bit more optimistic. But the church has to become the community Jesus called us to be. We belong to God, all people belong to God and we have a responsibility to ensure all people get the chance to live fulfilling lives in a world that has not been destroyed by greed. A vision of a church right in the midst of our society calling for the kingdom of God to be present now is a vision I could warm to. We belong to the church. Let our voices be heard as well, for we have plenty of models to follow.