The Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost

The Ven. Richard I. Cluett

Luke 19:1-10

Why might this passage be of any interest to you? What in the world could you possibly have in common with Zacchaeus? Is your life anything like that of this first century Jewish tax collector? Is there anything for you to learn here that could possibly be of use to you?

Well, to begin with I want to dispel a view of Zacchaeus that has gained quite a bit of traction over the centuries, particularly in the last few decades. It may seem like a picky point, but I believe it is an important one. It is this; the scripture does not tell us that Zacchaeus is the worst of the worst of sinners. We have come to believe that not only was he a representative of an unpopular government (that being Rome), but that he also took advantage of his position as tax collector to line his own pockets at the expense of his fellow citizens. The take on Zacchaeus is that he was “the worst of the worst”. One of “those people”.

The translation of the scripture that we heard this morning points us in that direction. We heard, “When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today." So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. All who saw it began to grumble and said, "He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner." Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Look, 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." Then Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house…”

The King James Version and the Greek read a bit differently. “And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, that he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, this day is salvation come to this house…”

So, it is not I will restore, but I restore. Not I will give to the poor, but I give to the poor. It is my practice to do these things. This is how I live my life. This is how I try to be fair in my work and to do what is good and right in my life.

He is not somebody who routinely rips off people. He is not someone who neglects the poor. He tries to live a righteous and just and fair life – even while being an agent of a repressive government. And Jesus says that he will come to his house – even before Zacchaeus has told him about himself, he says he will come to him.

Zacchaeus is not “the worst of the worst” of sinners. I think he is just an average Joe in many ways. He tries to do what is right. And Jesus comes to his house. Jesus enters, not just his house, but also his life, because even an average Joe or Jane loses the way from time to time – lost to him- or her- self and needs to experience the Good News that Jesus brings.

Now that, I believe, puts Zacchaeus pretty much in the same category of sinner that you and I inhabit. Not that any of us is the agent of a repressive government, at least to my knowledge.

What we have here is a cathedral full of people, who try to do their best. Try to be fair in their dealings with others. Try to remember and respond to the needs of those who are poor and in need. Try to live according to a code that honors our selves, our families, our community, our faith, and our God. We try to base who we are and what we do on what we have heard, and learned, and known, and believed about God’s way and God’s will for us.

But if we didn’t need to meet Jesus again and again and again to help us find and keep on the good path, the right way – what are we doing here this morning? Why would we be here?

I think we are here because we want to be visited by Jesus, to experience the Good News of Jesus in our lives. We are here because life is so hard at times, because life is so uncertain at times, because life is so chaotic at times, because life is so frightening at times, because life is so depressing at times, because life comes at us like water from a fire hose that beats us down, rather than gives us a refreshing drink.

A beloved dies. A job is lost. A marriage ends.  Life seems to have lost all options but one. A child turns away. Sickness, disease and disability strike. The money’s gone. We have lost God.

Who has not been so hungry for what we have heard about Jesus, who has not been in such need of what Jesus has to offer that we would not extend ourselves, even to the point of climbing into a tree to get a better glimpse of that goodness? If there is such a person here this morning that has not been there, then I say to you, “Just wait. Give it time. The world, life, circumstance, bad luck, fate, karma, call it what you will, it will at some point bring you to a time and place when you will do almost anything to have Jesus come to you, come into your life, to receive what Jesus has to offer.”

There are times when wanting to do and to be good are not enough. We just don’t hack it. They are not enough. And the good news of today’s’ gospel is that Jesus is seeking us, even before we know we are seeking him.

How do I know this? My name is Zacchaeus. I am Zacchaeus. I try to do and to be good. If I wrong someone, I try to make it right. I remember and respond to those who are poor and in need – out of a generous heart. But from time to time, I have been lost. From time to time, life has beaten me down. From time to time, I seem to have just run out of resources and I am at my wits end, depleted, empty, and I eagerly seek what Jesus has to offer. I might even climb into a tree to have Jesus come back into my life with healing and strengthening and direction and purpose.

As it was for Zacchaeus, so it is, I believe, also for Rick, and Joe and Jane, and Barbara, and Frank, and fill-in-the-blank with your name. So also to you and to me, Jesus will come and enter where you live, enter into your life.

And he will bring what we need, be it strength, or forgiveness, or healing, or direction, or meaning, or succor, or mercy.

I think we hold the humility of our humanity in common with Zacchaeus of Jericho. And as Habakkuk reminds us, we don’t ever want to lose the vision, the vision of what Jesus will bring when he enters into our life.

Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus. Eagerly I seek you. Enter into my house; come into my life – again. Let me catch a glimpse of your life-giving Spirit. Maranatha! Amen.