We've been describing rebellion against and rejection of God (the things of the sinful flesh) quite a bit as of late. There is no question that at times it is quite overt as we learned from the Gospel last Sunday (including outright attack against those who confess Jesus Christ as Lord). It can be more than this though. Sometimes rebellion against the Lord drips with the honey of flattery. The disciples of the Pharisees said to Jesus: "Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances (St. Matthew 22:16)." Wow! Impressive words! These words, however, were strategic for trapping Christ. On the one side, the Herodians were ready to find Christ guilty of sedition against Caesar if He had said to withhold taxes from Caesar's pagan government; on the other side the Pharisees were ready to find Christ guilty of religious compromise if He said to pay taxes to Caesar who claimed to be the "son of the divine August" and the "Pontifex Maximus" (High Priest). Either way, Jesus was in deep water. His enemies must have been amused by the inevitable trap laid down. Much to their surprise, however, they discovered that those who try to trap God will find themselves trapped by God. Jesus came back with one of His most popular responses recorded in Scripture: "Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's (St. Matthew 22:21)." Did the Lord set up for all time Jefferson's high wall between church and state? No, He didn't. Luther's "two kingdoms" notwithstanding, the Lord would have us know that He really does have all power and authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28). God was powerful enough to take the pagan Persian emperor Cyrus (Isaiah 45) and make Cyrus God's "anointed." Go ahead and do what is right. Pay your taxes to the government and it will still be under God's power (Romans 13). Jesus once told Pilate that he would have no authority unless it had been given to him from above (St. John 19:11). We who in sin try to trap God are trapped by God. There is no getting away from His power and authority! The point of it all is that we are convicted by our awful tendency to try to trap and trick God: "O God even though I do not worship You, even though I do not thirst for the Sacrament, even though I do not pray, even though I do not cling to your Word; even though I completely ignore what you say; I still love You, you are still a great God, I still believe in you! Do you buy it God?" Answer: no, not for a second! We are called to render to God the things that are God's! What are those? Answer: everything. "Love the Lord Your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind (St. Matthew 22:37)." Render that o sinner! We stand convicted with the Herodians and Pharisees! We need Jesus Christ who rendered unto the Father perfect obedience and the ransom for the sins of the world, namely His precious blood! Cling to Jesus and through faith you shall be counted as having properly rendered to God. In Christ, you've paid in full! In Christ, it is finished! Dr. Espinosa

The accounts from St. Matthew's Gospel the last few Sundays not only depict Jesus' authority questioned, but the flat and adamant rejection of the Lord. Such responses to Christ reveal the true reaction of our flesh towards the Savior from sin, death, and the power of the devil. By nature we desire to cling to these and are hardened against God. This past Sunday's Gospel (St. Matthew 22:1-14), however, provides additional insight on how such rebellious attitudes are actually expressed. From verse 5: "But they paid no attention [to the invitation to the wedding feast/the invitation to the kingdom of heaven] and went off, one to his farm, another to his business." Many people are just disinterested and apathetic, caring less about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is a simple fact. Their reaction is "Look, I've no time for that! I'm too busy, leave me alone!" In this case, the Word of God seems irrelevant; a totally unnecessary thing. I think of Laplace's attitude about God in the face of understanding the natural realm (creation) from his particular scientific perspective: "Sire, I did not need that hypothesis." Look around at our culture today. It seems that the easiest thing in the world is to get along without God and for heaven's sake, especially the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The other kind of rejection is different. From verse 6: "while the rest seized [God's] servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them." This rejection is a violent one. It is not enough for this attitude to dismiss, it must retaliate. Belief in God -- especially belief in the exclusivity of the Gospel -- must be the target of enmity and attack because we who are accused of being "intolerant" are not tolerated. It should surprise none of us that in the 21st century a Christian may be considered an infidel worthy of martyrdom. In the face of such rejection and attack, however, is the unwavering and powerful Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is amazing to take into consideration that for all who respond to Jesus in this way Jesus prayed, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do (St. Luke 23:34)." We also carry with us the sinful nature that says, "I don't care!" or "I hate you!" But in Christ's mercy, not only have we been called (as all have been called through the universal atonement of Jesus Christ), but we have also been chosen. How is that? We have been chosen through Holy Baptism which has united us to Jesus; through the Word that has entered our ears and our hearts and created faith in the One who died even while we were still His enemies (Romans 5:10); and through the Holy Sacrament which marks us as receptors of the blood that covers our sin (God's blood, Acts 20:28). We know indeed that many are called, but thank God that you who confess the saving name of Jesus are also chosen, chosen no longer to reject, but to rejoice that He has clothed you and welcomed you into His kingdom. He is your clothing, your righteousness, your life. Thanks be to God! Dr. Espinosa

It's easy to feel a little confused about what the Lord once said in respect to His parables: "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand (St. Luke 8:10)." The Lord was of course speaking to His disciples, but why would He say this about "others" for whom He also lived, died, and rose? It is true of course that God loves all and "desires all people to come to the knowledge of the truth (1st Timothy 2:4)." And this is where it is important to step back and consider to whom Jesus is actually speaking the parables to in the latter chapters of St. Matthew's Gospel. Take note that in the parable of the tenants (St. Matthew 21:33-46) "the chief priests and Pharisees...perceived that he was speaking about them (St. Matthew 21:45)." It just so happens that in this particular instance the chief priests and Pharisees are named, but the underlying characteristic of having parables your favorite dish served from God is because of the sinful state of rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ. The state of affairs is nevertheless challenging for even the most devout disciple of Christ. Isn't it true that the sinful nature dwells in us all? Isn't true that on account of this sinful nature that all of us fight against God? Yes, these things are absolutely true. By nature we are "good" chief priests and Pharisees every one of us. Quite frankly the grace of God cramps the sinful mind. If we are won over to God's side, we will lose our side and our pride will complain every step of the way. If therefore we are not drawn (St. John 6:44) there is no crossing over from death (in all of its rebellious glory) to life (St. John 5:24). But those who are in Christ have crossed over. This is not our doing, it is His. And at the same time, every one "born again of water and the Spirit," is no better than the one who is not. If nothing else this should so humble anyone who confesses Christ as Lord to such an unimaginable degree that our greatest preoccupation ought to be sharing the wealth, sharing the news, giving unto other sinners that saving Gospel that pulled us out of the pit of hell. We were worthy for God's Word to remain the deepest, darkest mystery on account of our sin, but in Christ the light has shined on us and God has unraveled His parables for us and now we see: the saving work of Christ has kept us in God's vineyard, kept our landowner the Lord, kept the wall and fortress of His Word around us, kept the winepress feeding our souls with the blood of immortality and the antidote against death (St. Ignatius), and kept the tower of His holy ministry watching over our souls. Thank God that the One rejected has in love and mercy not rejected us who are baptized into His Name most holy! In Christ, Dr. Espinosa