Sometimes creating a sermon feels like pulling teeth. You can work and struggle and think and think and think about a Bible text and not come up with anything that seems meaningful to proclaim today. Sometimes when creating a sermon the biblical texts are so complex and there are so many subtleties that you don’t even know where to start. The challenge becomes how to preach it without oversimplifying things, or ignoring important parts. And sometimes it feels like sermons just write themselves. It is as if the Bible text just flows right into living it. That is the case with the story of Zaccheaus today.
You may have learned the song of Zaccheaus in Sunday school when you were a little kid; about how he was: a wee little man, a wee little man was he. He climbed up in a sycamore tree. The Lord he wanted to see. But Jesus tells him to come down because he’s coming to his house today.
That simple song captures what is going on in the text. We’ll remember that Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem with his disciples. Along the way there have been crowds around him. There have been supporters and opponents. Jesus has given many teachings that are difficult to understand. Right after a particularly difficult teaching a rich ruler approaches Jesus and asks what he must do to inherit eternal life. This man shows that he is righteous. He has followed all the rules since he was a kid. He’s a model of upstanding citizenship. But Jesus tells him that what he has to do is to sell everything, give the money to the poor, and then come follow him. We do not like hearing this from Jesus, but Jesus never was too worked up about sugar coating the truth for those who heard him. So we’re told that the rich ruler became sad and went away.
Last week we read about a blind man asked Jesus to cure him. In that case the blind man did not approach Jesus the way the rich man did. How could he have in the midst of a noisy crowd? But Jesus stops and commands that the man be brought to him. Upon receiving his sight, the blind man glorifies God in happiness and follows Jesus. He was the exact opposite of the rich man.
This week we read about Zacchaeus. The parallels with earlier rich man continue. The story of the rich man began with us being told that he was a ruler. Now the story of Zacchaeus begins with us being told that Zaccaeus is a ruling tax collector. Unlike the ruler who strode up to Jesus and asked him a question, Zacchaeus runs ahead and climbs a tree. He can’t get to Jesus. This is due to two things. First, and obviously, he is short. He’s like the kid at a parade who can’t see over the crowd to see what is passing by. And two, as a ruling tax collector he would have been especially disliked by the crowds. No one was going to make room for little Zacchaeus to be in the front of the crowd.
Zacchaeus doesn’t want to ask Jesus any particular questions. He just wants to see Jesus pass by. Yet still, Zacchaeus is on a quest to see Jesus. He has to go ahead and climb up a tree. While I’ll always maintain that climbing trees is fun, dignified men do not usually make a habit of climbing trees. If the rich ruler was stately and poised as he approaches Jesus, Zacchaeus is childish and embarrassing. He wanted to see Jesus. But did he want to be seen by Jesus? Did he really want to be pointed out to the public as he’s up a tree? The scene is somewhat comic.
But here we get a twist. We’ve been told that Zacchaeus is on a quest to see Jesus. But now we learn that Jesus is also on a quest for Zacchaeus. Unlike the rich man who came to Jesus of his own accord, and unlike the blind man who had to be brought to Jesus by others, Jesus comes to the place where Zacchaeus is up a tree. Jesus gives a command. “Zacchaeus,” (notice that Jesus knows Zacchaeus by name!) “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.”
Zacchaeus is commanded to come to Jesus. And to come fast. And to be told that he will be hosting Jesus that very day. Jesus did not ask if he could come to Zacchaeus’ house. Jesus tells Zacchaeus that he is coming to his house! (I certainly hope Zacchaeus had the place clean and tidy!)
Remember what happens with the rich ruler. Jesus tells him what he must do – he must sell his possessions, give the money to the poor, then come follow him. Now contrast that with Zacchaeus. Jesus has told Zacchaeus what to do – come down and host him at his house. That is all the Jesus has told Zacchaeus to do. In response Zacchaeus comes down from the tree. He is happy to welcome Jesus. And then, without further prompt or command from Jesus, right there in the midst of the crowd in the town Zacchaeus replies.
Here we must depart from our English translations because they twice add a word that is not in what Luke wrote. Our text says, “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will repay back four times as much.”
Except the word “will” is not in what Luke wrote. Luke wrote something more along the lines of Zacchaeus stating to Jesus what he already does, “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I repay back four times as much.”
Thus, when Jesus calls Zacchaeus down from the tree it is not a conversion experience for Zacchaeus. He does not suddenly change his mind about his lifestyle. Zacchaeus is already living by the principles of God’s kingdom.
So the rich ruler we met a few weeks ago thinks he is living by the principles of God’s kingdom by following a set of religious rules. He was seen to be an exemplary citizen. But this ruler tax collector, who as a tax collector was seen as a sell-out to their enemies, is actually living by the principles of God’s kingdom.
In other words, Zacchaeus has already been giving to those who cannot return the favor. And where Zacchaeus does discover mistakes, he rectifies the situation according to the most stringent standards. You would think that someone like Zacchaeus would be using his wealth and power to buy himself a social status and good reputation despite his occupation. But he has not been doing that. He’s been using his resources in ways that he does not get kickbacks of any sort.
In the story of Zacchaeus we find a man who is disliked by society yet who is actually living a godly life. He is seeking Jesus by climbing a tree, then discovers that Jesus is actually seeking him. He obeys every one of Jesus’ commands immediately and happily. Jesus then says, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and save the lost.” We just saw that in action. Jesus has sought out one whom society considered to be lost.
Yes, Zaccheaus gives us a rich and fun story that almost writes itself into a sermon. And with equal ease it tells us how we are to live.
To the extent that you have wealth and possessions, do not use them for self-protection or to leverage yourself into a higher social rank. That’s what the rich ruler did. Like Zacchaeus, use them to build up those who lack power in society. Don’t waste your time and energy worrying about appearances or your reputation. God sees and God knows. It doesn’t matter what other people think.
Live like that and you will be like Zacchaeus, on a quest to see God. But don’t expect it to be the way you think. Many people seek to find God and know God’s will. They do so by climbing all sort of symbolic trees: they go on retreats, seek spiritual guidance, read books, and the like. There’s nothing wrong with that. Just like there’s nothing wrong with a grown man climbing a tree. But don’t be surprised in your quest for God that you discover that God is also on a quest for you. Don’t expect God to climb up your tree to be with you. Most likely, like Zacchaeus, God will call you down from the tree and back into the ordinary, yet complex, messiness of life. God may come to your house, even if it is an untidy mess. There God will proclaim blessing. And there God will give you deep and lasting joy.
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