RENDER UNTO GOD
Matthew
22:15-22
"Then
saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's;
and unto God the things that are God's."
INTRODUCTION:
1. Matthew
22:15-22.
2. The
Pharisees had hoped to trap Jesus in his teaching. But Jesus’ reply to them
indicates he saw through their hypocrisy.
3. Jesus’
response indicates we have a responsibility to God.
4. Render
unto God. It is interesting that Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament
Words indicates the word render as used in Matthew 22:21 means, "to give up
or back." Notice James 1:16-17 – "Do not err, my beloved brethren.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the
Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."
5. Consider
the words of David, recorded in Psalm 116:12-19. Consider God’s benefits
toward us.
a) The
country in which we live.
b) Our
material goods.
c) Our
spiritual blessings.
d) Has
God blessed you with a loving family?
e) Has
God blessed you with loyal friends?
6. In
what ways do we render unto God the things that are God’s?
DISCUSSION:
WE RENDER OUR COMMITMENT TO GOD
Consider David’s words.
Psalm 116:14 – "I will pay
my vows unto the Lord."
WE RENDER OUR THANKSGIVING UNTO GOD
Consider David’s words.
Psalm 116:17 – "I will offer
to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the
Lord."
WE RENDER OUR SERVICE TO GOD
Consider David’s words.
Psalm 116:15 – "I am thy
servant."
WE RENDER OUR LOVE TO GOD.
We are to love God with all our
being. Jesus considered this the greatest commandment of the law.
Matthew 22:34-38 – "But when
the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were
gathered together. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a
question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment
in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all
thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first
and great commandment."
Loving God involves obeying his
commandments.
I John 5:3 – "For this is
the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not
grievous."
We are to commit ourselves to God.
Romans 12:2 – "Present your
bodies a living sacrifice."
WE RENDER OUR OBEDIENCE TO GOD.
Jesus taught that keeping his
commandments is an indication of our love for him.
John 14:15 – "If ye love me,
keep my commandments."
John 14:21 – "He that hath
my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me."
John 14:23 – "If a man love
me, he will keep my words."
Our obedience ought not consist of
mere outward acts, but is to originate from our heart.
Romans 6:17 – "But God be
thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart
that form of doctrine that was delivered you."
WE ARE TO MAKE GOD OUR NUMBER
ONE PRIORITY.
God’s will should be our first
priority.
Matthew 6:33 – "Seek ye
first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness."
God’s will is to be our priority
not only in our personal concerns, but also in matters of duty to our country.
Acts 5:27-29 – "And when
they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest
asked them, Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach
in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and
intend to bring this man's blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles
answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
CONCLUSION:
1. What
we render to God is an indication of our appreciation for what has been done for
us.
2. What
we fail to render to God is an indication of our lack of appreciation for what
he has done for us.
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