"THE CHRISTIAN AND THE COIN!"
Written and preached by David P. Nolte

MATTHEW 22:15-21

1. BOTH THE COIN AND THE CHRISTIAN BEAR AN IMAGE:
1. Look at the slide: you can see that the quarter bears the image of Washington; the dime the image of Roosevelt, the nickel the image of Jefferson and the penny the image of Lincoln.
2. The Christian bears an image, too: The image of Jesus Christ. We are to be like Him in word, deed, attitude, values, and thoughts.
3. As the engraver's tool etches out the die to strike the coin, he scratches a little off here and a little off there until the die will strike just the right image. So it is that the Holy Spirit works in us and on us and around us, little by little, bit by bit in order to form us into the image of Jesus. Listen to what Paul said:
1. "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first - born among many brethren;" Romans 8:29 (NASB).
2. "But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NASB).
4. Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote a story titled: "The Great Stone Face." A boy named Ernest is its central character. His mother told him in his earliest years about an ancient legend of their valley. She said, "Someday a man will arise, born in this neighborhood, whose countenance will resemble the great stone face which you see on the side of that distant mountain." As Ernest looked at the far-off ridge, he saw in the craggy rocks what appeared to be the features of a fine and noble individual. From then on, he spent hours concentrating on that inspiring sight. He longed for the day when he might see a real face as kind and wise as that. Carefully he scrutinized various ones in the village. Each time, however, he was disappointed. Yet he never became discouraged in his search, but faithfully performed his daily duties with cheerfulness, always seeking to be helpful to others. One evening after many years had passed, while he was speaking to a group of neighbors, his countenance was lighted by the setting sun. Suddenly one pointed to him and exclaimed, "Look! There's the man who resembles the Great Stone Face!" And so it was! In the exercise of his faith and the pursuit of kindness and duty, Ernest himself had fulfilled the legend.

2. BOTH THE COIN AND THE CHRISTIAN HAVE TWO SIDES:
1. On the coin it's "heads" or "tails". One side has the image of a person, that's "heads"; the other side has the image of something else; that's "tails".  The coin's two sides are distinct and different; in fact, a coin with two "heads" or two "tails" would be a phony!   
2. The Christian also has two sides and, on the one hand, the two sides must be different just like the coin.  But on the other hand the two sides must be exactly the same.
   
3. For the Christian the two sides are:
1. The old and new natures. Though we are saved and are new creations in Christ, sometimes that old nature crops up and causes us fits. Paul experienced that and wrote: "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." Romans 7:15 (NIV).  Like the coin, these two sides must be distinctly different; we cannot stay the same as we were before Christ saved us.
2. The inner man and the outer man: There is that person who appears to God and that person who appears to the world. Unlike the coin, these two sides must be the same!  God help us to have a unity of both the inner and the outer. God help us to have no discrepancy between what we appear on the outside and what we are on the inside.  These two sides myst correspond!
4. A little girl was talking about her grandmother who was a devout Christian. She said, "I want to be like Gramma when I grow up." Her mother said, "That's good, dear. But just why do say that?" The little girl replied, "Because she is so happy inside and she just lives her inside on the outside!" So may we live our inside on the outside and not be ashamed of it.

3. BOTH THE COIN AND THE CHRISTIAN BEAR MOTTOS:
1. Note on the coin: "In God We Trust!"
1. Atheists and scoffers have tried to get that removed for years.
2. Satan and his hosts try to eradicate that from our hearts. But nothing should cause us to distrust our God! With Job let us affirm, "Though He slay me, I will hope in Him." Job 13:15 (NASB).
2. Note also on the coin: "E Pluribus Unum" - from many we are one!
1. Satan would like to divide us into warring camps. He'd cause us to splinter and separate, to fight and feud and fuss..
2. Jesus came to bring us into one body - united whether rich or poor, young or old, male or female. Paul wrote: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28 (NIV)
3. Note further on the coin :"Liberty!" That is, we are free!
1. The Bible teaches that in Christ we are made free! Free from law, free from sin, free from death, free from judgment.
2. But there is a responsibility with freedom: Paul wrote: "You, my brothers, were called to be free.  But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love." Galatians 5:13 (NIV).
4. The Christian needs a motto: let me suggest some:
1. May our motto be: "Christ shall even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death." Philippians 1:20 (NASB).
2. May it be, "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Phil 1:21 (NASB).
3. May it be: "I am not ashamed of the gospel," Romans 1:16 (NASB).
4. May ours be the motto of one fellow who had always been a shirker and refused every call to duty; then he got converted and said, "I'm done refusing'!"
   
   
4. BOTH THE COIN AND THE CHRISTIAN MUST BE IN CIRCULATION TO BE PROFITABLE:
1. A coin buried in a field is useless.   The coin and the Christian must be in circulation to be profitable.
2. Let me illustrate:  
1. I collect pennies and stick them in a jar. As long as they sit on my dresser they are a useless as tiddlywinks. I had a gallon jar nearly full in Albany. It was useless except as an anchor or doorstop. When we came here I gave it to my grandkids to divide; there was way over $40.00 in it. They spent it; that's what made it profitable. 
2. An old miser once had a fortune in gold coins. He buried them and never spent a one. He delighted in knowing he had that fortune. Thieves stole those coins and replaced them with rocks. A friend to whom he complained said, "Well, just pretend the rocks are gold coins. After all, what difference does it make? Buried rocks and buried gold coins aren't that much different when you stop to think about it!" The miser failed to put the coins into circulation and uncirculated, they were as worthless as plain rocks.
3. Jesus said we are go to into the world. He said to preach the gospel to all creation. But if we hide out and bury our talent, if we refuse to serve or help or work or give or witness, we are as useless as the buried coins of the old miser!
4. Get into circulation! Step out and be useful for Jesus Christ! Many years ago a contingent of the British army was assigned to duty. On one occasion, when a very hazardous mission was planned, the officer in command called the group together. He told the men what had to be done, how many were needed, and that there would be considerable risk. He said that some might never come back alive. After a brief pause, he continued. "Now, all who are willing to volunteer, step forward one pace."  The men were standing before him in a straight line. He turned on his heel and faced the other direction to avoid influencing them in any way. After waiting for a few moments, he swung around to see how many had responded. The sight that greeted his eyes filled his heart with dismay. The same unbroken line of soldiers was standing before him. It appeared as though not one of them had offered to go. The officer cried out in anger, "What! Isn't there even one who is willing to give himself in Her majesty's service?" There was silence - until one soldier way at the end of the line stammered out, "Sir, the whole line has advanced a pace. We're all volunteers!"

Like the coin, let's get into circulation for Christ, let's all volunteer! Going where He may send, doing what He may bid, lest like those buried coins we prove to be of no use to our owner or to anyone else! Let Christ change your life so your life is profitable for Him, for the church and for the world in which you live. Let Christ direct your life in His service. Let Christ control your attitudes and your actions. Let Christ have His way and you will live a life that is worth living, a life that counts, a life that makes a difference.

Illustrations original, or from Daily Bread and Parsons Illustrator

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