Jesus is asked a trick question by the Pharisees about responsibility to a secular authority that proclaims the Emperor is a god..  Jesus responds by saying we have responsibility to God but also to earthly authorities.  The question He doesn’t answer is what exactly do we owe to God.  Paul in his letter to the Thessalonians commends their faithfulness, their works of love, and their witness in spite of persecution.  These are the things the belong to God:  our faith, our expressions of love, and our witness to the world.

God calls us to remember that all we are and all we have belong to God

Confession

God, our creator and redeemer, We sometimes forget that we belong to You.  We forget that You created us, and we don’t offer You the praise You deserve.  We forget that You have redeemed us from sin, and call us instead to live in Your love.  We don’t show love to those around us, or we offer it only with conditions.  But Your love is unconditional.  We forget that You are the source of all we have, and we cling to possessions.  Forgive us, and teach us to live in You.