The Rev. Dan Rondeau
St. Margaret's Episcopal Church & School
Isaiah 1:10-20 | Psalm 32:1-8 | 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 11-12 | Luke 19:1-10
It was a chapter title. It was stunning in its brevity and in its sweep. Even more amazing to me, it stuck in my mind and found a home in my heart. A scholar used it in a book he wrote about reading the Bible. I share it with you this morning as we look at the story of Zacchaeus and see in it the Good News for us.
"More of the same, still to come." That was the title to a chapter in Walter Brueggemann's book, The Bible Makes Sense. More of the same, still to come.
This was his single sentence summary of the stories encountered in the Bible. He believes, as do I, that the stories handed on in the scriptures are meant to help us understand our own story, help us find our way to the Father, help us find light and hope when darkness and despair threaten to overtake us. The story of Zacchaeus is not meant simply to entertain us; the story of Zacchaeus holds out the promise that God will act in the same way with us today "more of the same" and will act in the same way with us tomorrow "still to come."
In fact this has been the belief and practice of our church from its beginnings in Jerusalem and is the legacy we pass on to our children. Every story of our Bible holds the promise of more of the same, still to come.
One other piece of wisdom from Walter Brueggemann before we turn to Zacchaeus. The pattern of God's saving grace, God's amazing grace, is summarized in the book of Exodus. The story of salvation is set in God's actions in Egypt. From the burning bush the Lord spoke to Moses:
"I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians." (Exodus 3:7-8)
The story of salvation: God sees the misery and hears the cry for relief and knows the suffering; more importantly, God chooses to act to deliver those in distress. Again and again this is the pattern. More of the same, still to come.
In Jesus we believe this divine pattern of seeing, hearing, knowing, and acting was profoundly united to our humanity. We acknowledge this in our creed: "For us and for our salvation [Jesus _ true God from true God, of one Being with the Father] came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man."
Divine and human were united in the person of Jesus and so God's seeing, hearing, knowing, and acting for our salvation found its fullest, most holy, and most powerful expression in the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus.
We give thanks as we acknowledge this mystery in our Eucharistic Prayer: "when we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent Jesus Christ, your only and eternal Son, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all." We give thanks because in our humanity God saw and sees our misery, God heard and hears our cry for help, God knew and God knows our suffering, and in our humanity God chose and continues to choose to act for our salvation and reconciliation.
Zacchaeus was rich, but he was a mess. Easily dismissed or ridiculed because he was too short, hated as a tool of the occupation army, feared because he was able to extort without penalty, friendless, he was a tax-collector and sinner to everyone in town. He was already judged, and found wanting. Barely tolerated, not liked at all, that was Zacchaeus. The righteous around him knew, beyond doubt, that someone like Zacchaeus would never be part of God's household. I have no doubt that Zacchaeus, despite all outward appearances, felt this isolation and misery and longed to be reconciled, to be a part of God's family.
It is not difficult to find ourselves in Zacchaeus in some large or small way. It is not difficult to understand that those around us, family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, the people shopping with us at the market, those around us can find themselves in Zacchaeus in large or small measure: carrying a burden, isolated, judged and found wanting, believing the worst about self, hurting. In ourselves we can feel imprisoned or enslaved, with hope fading just like God's people in Egypt or Zacchaeus in the tree. And we no others who feel this way, too. No, it is not difficult to find ourselves and others in Zacchaeus. We are surely out on that limb, just like him, not sure why but convinced that we need to be there.
As the story is presented, Jesus looks up to see Zacchaeus in the tree. Jesus takes the initiative and calls out "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today." In that moment of looking up is it possible that Jesus takes in the misery of Zacchaeus, hears the heartfelt but unspoken cry to be delivered from isolation and futility? Is it possible that he understands, that he knows the suffering of Zacchaeus? Yes it is. I believe Jesus in looking up and speaking, reveals the love of God active from the very beginning. Jesus reveals the God of the Exodus: seeing the misery, hearing the cry for help and relief, knowing the level of suffering and distress, and choosing to act. "I must stay at your house today."
I am here this morning, I believe you are here this morning, because our story is similar to the story of Zacchaeus. Looking at us, taking it all in, taking the initiative, God has called out to us, "Hurry, come down; for I must stay at your house today." We have come to know the truth of the scriptures in our own story; we have come to experience the God who says: "I see your hurt, your misery, I hear your cry, I know what you are suffering, I am here to walk with you, to deliver you."
For you and me, the story of Zacchaeus is played out differently—we don't have Jesus looking up into our tree and calling us to join him—we must be attuned to people and events around us to detect the initiative of God and the grace of God. The truth is, through a variety of people and events and circumstances, the God who loved Zacchaeus and chose to eat with him, has also called out to us and stayed with us. Indeed, in this very service Jesus invites us to a holy and life giving meal (because it is what we need, rather than what we deserve).
We hear that having experienced this grace filled moment, Zacchaeus responds with an amazing generosity. "Half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much." This kind of generosity can only come from a gratitude that is born of experience.
We also come to understand, from this story, that no matter how extravagant our generosity, we will never out give God. Jesus said to Zacchaeus, "Today salvation has come to this house." You are saved, Zacchaeus; welcome into the household, into the family of God, Zacchaeus. Our response of praise, of thanksgiving, our gifts of time and talent and treasure, flow from hearts that have experienced God's amazing grace. And yet, we will never be able to surpass God in generous giving.
More of the same, still to come.
Despite the world's judgment, despite the self-loathing and hopelessness that Zacchaeus may have felt, despite the improbable setting of road and tree limb, Jesus said, "Today salvation has come to this house.... for the Son of Man came to seek out and save the lost." It was Good News to Zacchaeus, it is the Good News we have come to celebrate this morning. No matter our situation, no matter our own self-assessment, we come to give thanks and to worship the God who sees our distress, hears our cries, knows our suffering, and chooses to act on our behalf. Today salvation has come to you and to me, and we give thanks. Amen.