Luke 19: Zacchaeus

Auto-generated from the audio — may contain errors.

0:00 This is the last Sunday of the church year. Next Sunday starts a whole new church year. The church year always starts four weeks before the celebration of the incarnation at Christmas. That season, that four week season is called Advent. So the new church year starts on Sunday. We're gonna have a New Year's party that means on next Friday, December 6th up here.

0:30 At 7P, you should join us. It'll be fun. Next Friday, December 6th. We could go to that college right next Friday. Yes. Oh, that's right. Not this coming Friday. The following, December 6th, 7P. We'll be up here with the New Year's party for the new church year. It also means that we're finishing, this is the last Sunday of the church year. Today.

1:00 And to do that, I wanna look at the story of Zacchaeus in Luke. It's Gospel. We've been moving through different stories of people called by God to do stuff. And I'm still kind of enamored with this. I was having explained to somebody else this week that it's funny to me. Just this week, I was telling someone, it's funny to me that God doesn't do it himself. You know? And they were like, what do you mean?

1:31 I'm like, it's interesting that Jesus accomplishes the incarnation, life, death, resurrection, and then gets to the hill of Galilee, pulls his closest friends together and says, hey, all authority in heaven and on earth, all authority in all of existence has been given to me, Jesus says. Therefore I go and send you. It's worth noting that if I were Jesus and I had all authority in heaven and on earth,

2:03 I would tell everyone else to sit down, I'll take care of it from here. I've accomplished the incarnation, the life, I've made it through the crucifixion, come through the tomb, now I've arrived, I have all authority in heaven and earth, I will sit here on this throne, ancient of days. Anyone who needs anything can come to me and wait in line. That's how I would do it, right? And to be honest, I actually kind of wouldn't mind that. I like the idea that there might be an ancient of days

2:35 whom I could see. Hey, and I could go visit if I have a question. Hey, Jesus of Nazareth on the throne, ancient of days, I have these two options, which one should I pick? I have this situation, tell me what to do. And at least if he was gonna be vague or duplicitous or somehow confusing, I could hear the words to my face instead of having to guess the vagueness in prayer

3:07 or circumstance, right? There's something that would be nice about Jesus if he had just done it himself, but he doesn't, right? At the hill of Galilee, he says, all authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. Therefore I go and send you, right? And that what we've been looking at is that God is, this is consistent, Jesus of Nazareth actions here on the hill of Galilee are consistent with the actions of the God of creation and life,

3:37 the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, and then the God of Christ in the church that we can see consistent strategy, character, approach of the God all the way through the whole stories of Scripture, right? And so when you look all the way back at the very first ones, who will be the image-bearers of God? When will people observe the character of the God? When his crowning of creation, his image-bearers walk through the garden, they will observe

4:08 the countenance of God. God doesn't carry his image himself through Eden, he sends the first ones to do it. And all through the story of Scripture. And last week we were looking at the story of Jonah where God has in mind that this enemy nation, the capital of this enemy nation, Nineveh, would be a warrant for warrant that destruction is coming, that he's announcing judgment. And instead of God telling them himself, he sends Jonah. And when Jonah declines, no thank you, I'd rather die than do your will. God rescues him from death, though Jonah didn't ask for it,

4:41 spits him up back and says, try again. And uses begrudging, reluctant Jonah. And when you read the story, probably rescues Nineveh in spite of Jonah, but still uses the mouth of Jonah to announce the word will wisdom of God into Nineveh. And so with this running theme has been perhaps, God would accomplish something through you.

5:11 I've been sitting with the question since last week, I would like for God to work in the world through me, not in spite of me. There's a question in the story of Jonah from last week. Nineveh repents and misses the destruction of God, kind of in spite of Jonah.

5:42 Nineveh observes and benefits from the mercy of God. The question is will Jonah observe and benefit from the mercy of God? And so one of the questions that spent resonating with me this last week is, I don't want to miss the work of God in the world. And I think that comes into the story that we have

6:13 this morning, the story of Zacchaeus. Anybody learn the story of Zacchaeus as a child? Just hand raise, I won't make you sing the song. Awesome. The wee little man Zacchaeus. I'm not a very big guy. My dad was even smaller than me, not a lot smaller, but he was a little round better by the end. But he was also a little bit shorter than me. Yeah, I'd give it a few years, I'll get there.

6:47 And he would joke that he could relate with Zacchaeus. Let's look at the story. Luke chapter 19 starting at verse one. He, Jesus, entered Jericho and was passing through and there was a man named Zacchaeus and he was the chief tax collector and was rich. Just a reminder here, Jericho, this is the famous city of Jericho.

7:20 Walls came tumbling down Jericho. It's a kind of a, it's a mid-sized city at this point. And remember the story that Jesus tells about the Good Samaritan on the busy road. The road he's talking about is from Jerusalem to Jericho. It's a very well-traveled road because Jericho is one of the larger cities close to Jerusalem. So people were on this road a lot. And just before we got to this story, Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem for the trial flintry, the Palm Sunday where they wave the Palm Franz

7:53 and he comes in with a big parade into Jerusalem. He's on his way from Jericho down to Jerusalem for that. And on his way into the city, he's healed the blind guy who saw the group walking. And now Zacchaeus comes across. And the first thing that we learned about Zacchaeus is a tax collector. That's because whoever's reading Luke would know there's a thing we know about tax collectors. And so Jericho's part of Israel, it's an occupied country occupied by Rome.

8:24 One of the things that Rome did very effectively was figure out how to collect taxes from their conquered countries and keep the taxes flowing. Which funded the war, which expanded the military, which expanded the reign. And the way that you got to be a tax collector, this is a little bit crazy, you would bid to be the tax collector for a region. So you would send to the governor, he would open up, we're ready for a new tax collector

8:54 and you would make a bid. Here's the amount of money I believe I can deliver to you based on the region that you're giving me. And then the highest bidder wins, right? And then the tax collector's job, he doesn't get a salary from Rome, right? The tax collector's job, now he's got to go collect the money, meet the bid and whatever else he can extort or claim, he keeps his salary.

9:25 So the system benefits someone who knows just how hard he can squeeze every little person, right? I remember the Disney Robin Hood movie, the sheriff who's the tax collector who's banging the coins out of the cast of the guy like every last dime, right? And so this is why tax collectors were always bad guys because in the story of scripture, because the way they made their money was extorting people, right?

9:58 And they were better, the Romans liked it if they were culturally specific. So if they didn't have like a Roman transport to Jericho to be the tax collector, but they had someone from the region because they would know better how much money they could get out of everyone, right? And so they were usually these turncoats who were from the region but decided to extort as much money as they could. They were naturally dishonest, it kind of was the way it worked. Zacchaeus is one of these guys, Luke tells us.

10:30 The other thing that's worth mentioning is that this story is not about a random tax collector, it's about Zacchaeus, the tax collector. The reason that's worth mentioning is because most of the time, if Luke, remember that Luke will find out later when he writes the Acts of the Apostles, joins up with Paul on several missionary journeys. He's like a used to be a physician. And so he writes the story not only of Acts, but he goes back and if you read the beginning of Luke, he says he did a bunch of interviews

11:01 to determine what happened in the story and then he writes a detailed account, right? And so if Luke, who more than likely was not in Jericho for this story, was not at the triumphal entry in Jerusalem, knows who Zacchaeus is, it's probably because he went on to be someone notable in the church, that people, when the gospel of Luke is disseminated and people read it, it's like an origin story, it pings. Ah, this is when Zacchaeus came in.

11:31 The tradition of the church that Zacchaeus became the Bishop of Caesarea, which is actually a prominent city in the story of the Acts of the Apostles. It's where Philip went to preach after he converted the Ethiopian eunuch, he went to Caesarea underneath the leadership of Zacchaeus, the Bishop of the church. So Zacchaeus becomes a big guy, but he has an ignoble, like a unholy, unhelpful beginning,

12:03 right? He's an extorter, he's a tax collector. And there's something in him, in the beginning of the story, let's see what happens, sorry we stopped pretty quick there. He entered, Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through and there was a man named Zacchaeus, he was a chief tax collector, big guy, and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was. It was this guy that everyone's talking about, but on account of the crowd, he could not.

12:37 There was already a bunch of people around Jesus before the triumphal entry in Jericho, remember he's raised Lazarus not too long ago, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a Sycamore tree to see him. I don't know enough about the area, but I'd love to know why they mentioned Sycamore tree. It's just a tree, but they wanted to let us know it's a Sycamore tree. There must be something there, I don't know why.

13:08 Okay, Sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass by. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, hey Zacchaeus, hurry, come down, for I must stay at your house today. I imagine this doesn't necessarily take any special knowledge of Jesus, this is not a Jedi mind trick or something that he knows Zacchaeus' name

13:39 and knows who Zacchaeus is. If you're the cheap tax collector of Jericho, people know who you are and how to avoid you. You know what I'm saying? Like when he dresses like a cheap tax collector, he's rich. Jesus has grown up around the area, he's probably been through Jericho a couple of times. So this is not like, the I know the droids you're looking for or like I can read your mind.

14:11 This is just like Jesus walking through Jericho and sees the cheap tax collectors, like I'm going to your house today. So Zacchaeus meant, Zacchaeus, why are you chilling in that tree? I'm about done here, get down, get home, get ready to welcome us. And maybe you've heard, but it is true that in Israel, in the ancient Near East, it's a big deal to go to someone's home. There's like a fellowship that is meaningful

14:42 and significant to eat together. It's beyond, it goes beyond like we can shake hands and be cordial to one another. To have someone in your home is intimate and personal. And there's a meaningful connection that other people will notice. And so Jesus, the rabbi who has raised Lazarus from the dead, who on the way into town, has healed blind Bartimaeus and given him his sight in front of everyone, a crowd too big

15:14 that short Zacchaeus can't see over. He's got to climb up the Sycamore tree to look down. Jesus looks up at him while he's in the tree and all the people are around and announces in full view of everyone Zacchaeus, I'm coming to your house. Makes no demands of Zacchaeus. This is important. It's not, it's not hey Zacchaeus, if you renounce your ways and change, and I know that you will, so I'll be at your house tonight. It's not Zacchaeus, do you have anything you'd like to say to me? It's not Zacchaeus, could you demonstrate to people

15:44 why you're climbing this tree to look down at me and show them your fervor and love? He makes no demands of Zacchaeus at all. But in full view of everyone offers complete like a, acceptance. Makes no demands of Zacchaeus at all, and in full view of everyone offers complete acceptance to Zacchaeus.

16:19 He doesn't, he accepts Zacchaeus before Zacchaeus changes. He accepts him without the promise of a change. He accepts him without forcing him to acknowledge his evil or poor choices. He just says like, you exist Zacchaeus, and I love you. It's important.

16:50 Same is true for you. You exist? Man, he loves you. I was talking to a friend today, and he was, or not today, this week, sorry, I was talking to a friend this week, and he was ruminating on deep questions

17:21 about the existence of a God. And if that God might be particular or general, if the God had a name or just was any God of all. We were trying to find common ground places we agreed. And I was like, I just, I think that you are too unique to have happened by accident. That you,

17:52 that you were brought forth with intention and purpose. He's like, yeah, I think that's probably true. I said, if something made you, you could not merit being created. And this existence that you have, what a gift. Free and unmerited.

18:25 To the great benefit of the ones you love, to the consternation of the ones you hate, to the benefit of the work that exists in the world because you are here. Unwarranted, unmerited, something brought you into the world out of great goodness and grace. Your existence here is affirmation

18:55 of this character trait of Jesus of Nazareth. You need to do nothing to merit his love and acceptance. You exist, he loves you. All the way. He looks at Zacchaeus in the Sycamore tree. Man, I'm coming to your house today. Right? Okay. So he looks at Zacchaeus in front of everyone. I'm coming to your house today.

19:25 Okay. Zacchaeus, hurry. Okay. So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. He was excited. And when they saw it, they all grumbled. They, in general, right? Everyone else grumbled. He's gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner. And why would they grumbled?

19:59 Probably because they feel ripped off. Right? Like, here I am trying to do the thing that's right. And you go to Zacchaeus's house who is not trying to do the thing that is right. They feel ripped off. I get it. Right? I get it.

20:34 And maybe there is a degree of bummer in the fact that he goes to the Chief Tax Collector's house in son of someone who's like following him and faithfully. It's faithfully as they can. Someone who's working hard. Maybe there is some sadness in the fact that he picks Zacchaeus's house over these people who have been trying hard.

21:04 But if it's Jesus of Nazareth, what does your grumbling get you? I mean, if Jesus of Nazareth is accepting Zacchaeus, who's a big old sinner, and it's frustrating the people who are trying to be holy, and they stay out here in their frustration,

21:35 what do they get? Frustration. I mean, that's it. The party's over here. The message to the grumblers is, I can understand why you would be upset that he picked Zacchaeus's house over yours. What are you going to do about it? He's still over here. Jesus of Nazareth is over here. Get over it and get into the house where Jesus is. You might as well, because over here you've got grumbling

22:06 by yourself. Over here, Jesus of Nazareth. Who loves all? Right? It's like the story of the prodigal. So you can understand why they'd be grumbling, but it's like kind of like, get over it. Okay. Zacchaeus hurried and then they grumbled, and he has gone to the, okay, verse what, six. And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord,

22:39 behold, Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore fourfold. I restore it to them fourfold. This is significant. Zacchaeus says half of all my goods I give to the poor, we already knew he was rich. This is a good day for the poor in Jericho, right? Because we already know Zacchaeus is the chief tax collector,

23:11 half of everything he does he has he gives to the poor. Good day for the poor in Jericho. Then he says, if and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold. If he has defrauded anyone of anything, he's the chief tax collector. He has defrauded some people of something, right? And he's a tax collector, he's been keeping books. He knows how much he's defrauded, right?

23:41 And this is what I was thinking a little bit, it's like Jesus doesn't walk in and go, great Zacchaeus I'm here. Now you notice that I'm here, here's what is an appropriate response to my love and inclusion for you. You got a lot of money, let's give some of it away, right? He just walks in, he's like Zacchaeus I'm coming to your house. And Zacchaeus response to the love and inclusion of God is justice, generosity, mercy, creativity.

24:21 If we were to keep going, which we won't, I'll just tell you this story, because it's going to take long if we were to read it all. But the next story Luke puts it here, he's like Jesus looks around and he realizes that some people are thinking that he's close to Jerusalem so the reign of God will come quickly. So he tells a parable. And the parable is the one about the talents, do you remember? We're this master, he has this a bunch of money and he's shrewd and he's going away and he gives all these servants a different amount of money, right?

24:51 And then he comes back and he asks them to make an account of what they've done with the money and the ones to whom he gave them some and they use it to produce more. He likes that and the guy who was afraid and buried the money in the ground and doesn't do anything with it and gives him the money back, he's like, right? And the story is often about like what have you done with your talents and your gifts, right? But I was thinking about it in contrast to the story of Zacchaeus. And I was thinking about what was Zacchaeus given and what did he do?

25:30 Right after Zacchaeus says, I give half of all I have to the poor and if I've defrauded anyone, I'm going to return it to him fourfold. Then Jesus says, and Jesus said to him today salvation has come to your house since he also is a son of Abraham for the son of man came to seek and save the lost. He says today, this is, Jesus loves Zacchaeus.

26:03 Why? Because Zacchaeus exists. Jesus loves him. And when Zacchaeus receives the love, he realizes what else matters. When he receives this like gift of generosity, unmerited favor, love from Jesus of Nazareth that he could not deserve or imagine

26:35 getting as the chief priest, he responds with love himself. Justice, mercy, generosity, kindness. And Jesus then is like, oh wow, fantastic. You have recognized what matters. What? The love of God. It looks like a story about money.

27:07 And the parable of the talents sounds like a parable about money. But the point of both of them is to remind you your money does not matter. I mean, give it away. Use it for justice, but not because it's the thing. Use it for justice and give it away. Not to demonstrate how good you are.

27:40 Not as though it were powerful in a way that mattered. Respond in gratefulness because those things don't matter. Because you have everything that does matter. This will tell you the way my brain works. Most of the time I read the story of Zacchaeus. From the time I was young, until now, I'm like, ah, my first reaction is Zacchaeus,

28:12 have you run those numbers? Can you pull that off? That's my first, the first place my brain goes is like, oh man, half he has to the poor. And then fourfold? Is there enough there? I don't know. I'm sure he has. He's a chief tax collector. But the point is, and it doesn't even matter.

28:42 All the money in all the world belongs to God, right? Zacchaeus is recognizing holy smokes that the God of the universe loves me and includes me. He doesn't need a specific calling. When God loves you, you are an agent of justice, generosity, mercy. You just are. You don't need any special capabilities or powers.

29:13 You don't need any special dispensation or spirit. You don't need any special calling. Just to be loved by God means you are an agent of justice, generosity, mercy, because you have everything that matters you can spare at all. I mean, I don't know what he has left. Half of my possessions to the poor and four times all I've defrauded. He better get back to work, maybe. Right? Or is this rely on the kindness of others now that he will be loved in town.

29:49 Right? And for you, you have been loved from the moment of inception, from the moment of creation, up to today, you have been loved, unmerited, unwarranted. How do you respond?

30:20 I want to respond like Zacchaeus and quit running the numbers, you know, just be an agent of justice. Let's pray. Hey, Lord, thank you for the gift of your son and his radical inclusion. Teach us to respond gratefully, mercifully, with justice and generosity to those around us in his name, we pray and ask it. Amen.