Sun. Oct. 6, 2013 (Johannes Stolz)

Johannes Stolz spoke on "Three Key Words We Tend to Love or Hate" based on Matthew 22:15-22 after interacting with the congregation about the differences between a Christian lecture and a sermon. The first word -- trap -- was illustrated in the one set by the Pharisees and the Herodians, after baiting Jesus with flattery and then posing a trick question: did he support the Roman occupation or advocate rebellion? Jesus' wisdom was in pausing, asking a question in return, and then escaping the cage of the leading question. The second word -- taxes -- provided the opportunity to point out the reality that we owe governments for their services, but that duty is not to encroach on God's domain. Johannes gave his testimony of choosing between military service and Bible school in Europe. The third word -- trade -- reminds us that rather than stubbornly take our own way, we are called on to trade ourselves back in to God, to whom we rightfully belong, and continue to daily follow the way of Jesus so that circumstances don't dominate us when life is difficult. Johannes exhorted us to give homage to the one whose image we bear. [KH]

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