They brought Jesus a denarius. Then he said to them, ‘Whose head is this, and whose title?’ They answered, ‘The emperor’s.’ Then he said to them, ‘Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’   Matthew 22 : 19 - 21

Readings this week Exodus 33 : 12 - end; Isaiah 45 : 1 - 7; 1 Thessalonians 1 : 1 - 10; Matthew 22 : 15 - 22

Thought for this week

There is a phrase from 1 Chronicles 29 we sometimes use in churches, “For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you”. Actually a very challenging phrase. Do we really live like this? Knowing that the Lord provides all we need, and everything we give back to Him is His anyway!

We might think of this in the material sense, and it is good to give back to the Lord what He has given us in service to Him, and in thankfulness to Him.

In our Gospel reading today Jesus has a conversation with the Pharisees trying to trip Him up into not paying taxes, or handling the Roman coin that was actually unacceptable to Jews because it bore the head and divine claims of Caesar.

Yet Jesus is asking, who do we really belong to, and who does the coin belong to? Jesus claims us for His own. He is our Good Shepherd. Our Lord, Saviour and true King. He reassures us we are His when we believe and trust in Him and acknowledge Him in our lives. Jesus overrides the claims and authorities of the world. We can celebrate and be truly thankful that Jesus’ authority and sovereign rule brings life, peace, and hope in abundance. 

Rev Paul

Prayer for this week

God, the giver of life, whose Holy Spirit wells up within your Church: by the Spirit’s gifts equip us to live the gospel of Christ and make us eager to do your will, that we may share with the whole creation the joys of eternal life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, Amen

God, our light and our salvation: illuminate our lives, that we may see your goodness in the land of the living, and looking on your beauty may be changed into the likeness of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

We give thanks for…..

For the Norwich Foodbank

For the shoebox appeal

For our gardening and Caretaking team