As we get closer to realizing our vision for a new church, the issue of money has come more and
more to the forefront. Kim Bishop from Cargill reminds us that Jesus spoke more about money than
anything else except the Kingdom of God.

In one way the Gospel stories about tax collectors and the like provide a good contrast with our own
approach. (At least I hope it does!) We tend to speak a little awkwardly and self-consciously about
money, but people like Zacchaeus, the tax collector, were in a different category. As I mentioned a
few weeks ago, tax collectors in 1st Century Palestine were not popular people. They were the ones
who betrayed their fellow Jews by aggressively collecting taxes on behalf of the Roman Empire, and
often extracting a little extra to build that new swimming pool at home.

That’s really what makes today’s Gospel story about Zacchaeus pretty amazing.
I have to start by saying that the name “Zacchaeus” brings back some curious memories from my
childhood. Did anyone here sing that Sunday School song about him? [“Zacchaeus was a wee little
man and a wee little man was he…”`It ends up with Jesus playfully wagging his index finger at the
tree-hugging Zacchaeus and saying, “You come down!” And in the version we learned, there was a
little English twist as Jesus   completes the line by singing, “For I’m coming to your house for tea.”

For me this evokes an image of Jesus and Zacchaeus in their flowing robes, retiring to Zacchaeus’
stone and clay house to ease back into stylish Victorian chairs and balance delicate teacups filled
with Jackson’s of Piccadilly. And Jesus’ words to Zacchaeus being delivered over a table of crumpets
and scones. (So much for historical context.)

One of the dangers of a familiar story is that we may tend to read it a little too lightly, and miss some
of the important detail. But the telling of this story by St. Luke gives us a snapshot of our Lord and
how He interacted with others. Luke tells us first that Zacchaeus is the chief tax collector, and he’s
rich. There’s a great commotion all around him as this miracle-working rabbi passes through town.
Naturally enough, Zacchaeus wants to see what’s going on, but as the PCV translation, the
“Politically Correct Version” tells us, he’s vertically challenged. He can’t see over the others in the
crowd. So Zacchaeus runs ahead and climbs a sycamore tree so he can see this man. Jesus
approaches, looks up into the tree, and says, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at
your house today.”

Whatever a person may say about Jesus and who He is, one thing we can never accuse Him of is
cowardice. He often got in the faces of the power people of His time. He spoke the truth regardless
of the personal dangers that it caused. And ultimately he offered Himself up to die an anguished
death on our behalf. But He also acted in other ways that didn’t match up with the conventions and
sensibilities of His time. This story is a classic example.

In the middle of the crowd he greets a wealthy, despised, traitorous tax collector, up in a tree, no
less, and invites himself over to spend the afternoon at his house. The text says that the people
start grumbling. “He’s gone to be the guest of a sinner!” “Hey, we’ve got houses here, too! What are
we, chopped liver?” I mean, think about this scene. If I were surrounded by people whose good will
can turn on a dime, I’m not at all sure I could bring myself to so public a demonstration of
unconditional love for one who was the archenemy of the people.

But Jesus shows us something very important about himself here. He shows us that no one is
beyond the reach of His grace. One of our prayers for mission in the Morning Prayer liturgy says,
“Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the Cross that
everyone might come within reach of your saving embrace.” This story demonstrates how these
arms of love were stretched out even before the Cross. No one is beyond the reach of His grace. No
one is so hopeless that we should write them off.

One of the nastiest tricks of Satan, the accuser, is to con people into believing that they, or for that
matter, anyone, is simply too bad a person to be embraced and changed by our Lord’s love.
Christian history is bursting with the stories of saints who at one time could have been written off as
hopelessly lost or evil.
Think of that person who you see as being against everything you hold near and dear. That one
whose behavior shows beyond doubt that they’re lacking any whit of goodness or sensitivity to
others. Who is it that pops into your mind? [You don’t have to say it out loud!] That person is within
the reach of God’s grace!  And therefore, that person deserves our prayers, rather than our
condemnation.  

In J.R.R. Tolkien’s great book, The Lord of the Rings, Frodo the hobbit is infuriated at the crimes of
that horrible creature called Gollum. He says to Gandalf the wizard, “Do you mean to say that you,
and [Bilbo], have let him live on after all those horrible deeds? At any rate he’s as bad as an Orc,
and just an enemy. He deserves death!”

Gandalf replies: “Deserves it! I daresay he does. Many that live deserve death. And some that die
deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. For
even the very wise cannot see all ends. I have not much hope that Gollum can be cured before he
dies, but there is a chance of it.  My heart tells me he has some part to play yet, for good or ill,
before the end; and when that comes, the pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many—yours not least.”

And of course later in this great story Gollum does indeed play a key part in the destruction of a
great evil. Like Frodo the hobbit, I think we would do well to remember that grace is bigger than our
imaginations, and God’s ultimate plan may use surprising people and events.

But let’s think of ourselves here, too. Has there ever been a time when you wanted to give up on the
Christian life because you just can’t live up to its expectations? Maybe you’ve had trouble forgiving
someone, or maybe you keep returning to a sin that’s become a habit. And you feel like some kind
of hypocrite every time you come to church.

If so, please hear this clearly. That feeling is not from God. Jesus’ work for us on the Cross covers
all sins, all sins, past, present and future. Do you believe that this morning? St. John tells us, “If we
confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.” Nothing can separate us from His love. This is a promise for all people, for all
time. And it applies to you. We’re not a fellowship of perfect people, but of forgiven sinners. That,
really, is the joy and freedom of the gospel message.

And for Zacchaeus, being chosen by Jesus despite his track record of sin and corruption is
momentous. His heart understands the significance of what Jesus is doing. The text says that, after
Jesus invites himself over to his house for lunch(!), Zacchaeus hurries down, and is happy to
welcome him.

The other major lesson from this story has to do with exactly this. Zacchaeus’ heart is grateful for the
unmerited love shown to him by Jesus. And this feeling of gratitude is followed by a change in
behavior. The lesson Zacchaeus embodies is that a genuine response to grace will always show a
change in behavior.
Jesus has reached out to Zacchaeus, braved the scorn of the crowd, and shown that Zacchaeus is
not beyond the reach of grace.

It might have been easy for Zacchaeus to take what he could get from the situation, to revel in his
acceptance by this popular new prophet and teacher.  Maybe even to gloat in front of those who’ve
rejected him. (“Look who I’m having lunch with! In your face!”)

But he doesn’t do this. Instead, grace has taken hold of him. He’s moved by gratitude and by the
overpowering presence of love he senses in Jesus, and he says, “Look, half of my possessions,
Lord, I’ll give to the poor; and if I’ve defrauded anyone of anything, I’ll pay back four times as much.”

Now listen closely: It’s only then that Jesus exclaims, “Salvation has come to this house!”  It’s only
after Jesus sees clearly that his grace has been accepted, and the heart of the chief tax collector is
converted, that He says, “Salvation has come to this house.”

You see, Jesus has reached out and offered his grace and forgiveness to Zacchaeus, but he doesn’
t leave it at that.  He’s not there to affirm Zacchaeus in his sin, and say, “Zack, it’s OK; it doesn’t
matter what you do because we’re all under grace now, and you just need me to remind you of how
wonderful you really are.” Instead, he sees Zacchaeus’ repentance linked to the conversion that he’
s undergone when he responded to grace.  

It’s the same with all of us. In other words, Jesus invites us to come just as we are, but not to stay
just as we are. And this, too, shows his love for us. He knows what’s best for us in the scheme of
eternity, and will settle for nothing less for His beloved children. Jesus has taken our sins onto His
shoulders and borne them away. We’re free!  And he’s also given us His Spirit, which empowers us
slowly but surely to identify sin, and free us from its power.

In pondering how a genuine response to grace involves a change in behavior, I think of my former
work with alcoholics and addicts out in Gallup. It’s wonderful to see people who, just a few days
earlier were violent, strung out and incoherent, clean up and start becoming healthy and civil again.  
It’s like they’re given a new lease on life. But we also had to work hard to help them actually begin to
see how to change their behavior, with God’s help and guidance.  

And when people refuse to be helped this way, it sometimes ends in tragedy.  In addiction, the
stakes are high. But sometimes we forget that in life and with our souls, the stakes are high also.  
Jesus knows this more than anyone, and after he cleans us up, He wants us to stay clean. Thanks
be to God, He gives us the means to maintain the new lease we have on life. [And, thanks be to
God, the life on which He has given us this new lease, is eternal!]

It’s abundantly clear to me that this wonderful church is brimming with people who show a life
transformed by grace. I see it in your words and actions, and in the love you demonstrate week after
week. Real conversion does involve real change.  

And here’s one final and very important point: This change involves other people. Zacchaeus’ act of
repentance is his determined pledge to give half his possessions to the poor, and to pay back
fourfold anyone he’s defrauded.  He’s not only making actual, tangible amends to those he’s injured,
but he’s practicing charity toward his neighbor as well. These are the fruits of real repentance and
conversion, and they provide Jesus with the proof that causes him to exclaim, “Today, salvation has
come to this house, because Zacchaeus too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek
out and to save the lost.”

May we, as servants of the same Master, gratefully receive His gift of salvation, and shower those
around us with its overflow. In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.
Zacchaeus the Godly Sinner
(Luke 19:1-10)
November 4, 2007
Fr. Dan Tuton
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