November 1, 2020
Here we are at the final stewardship sermon for this season. We have talked about stewardship as belonging- belonging to each other, to the created world and to God. In our belonging we are stewards of God’s abundance. Then last week Myles taught about Paul’s declaration of stewardship as generous joyful giving as we care for the ministries around us. Today we will be looking at a familiar passage- the story of Zacchaeus one I have preached on many times but one that I saw in a new light. So many times, I have focused all the details of the story, Zacchaeus’ lack of height, his profession, his seeking out Jesus from the sycamore tree. I even love the fact Jesus singles him out personally and dines with him in his home. Of course, the grumbling of the onlookers is a good tidbit we can relate to as well. But if you strip all of that away, what you have is a man seeking Jesus and once he relates to Jesus, connects with him over a meal, his relationship to money changes.
God led me to this new understanding. A couple weeks ago, Edd Breeden who many of you know from his preaching here for much of my time on sabbatical, called me up and asked to stop by. I said sure. There we were standing on my new patio and he shared with me two new books he has written about money and stewardship. In the section called, “Giving and Faith Go Hand in Hand,” Edd shares the story of Zacchaeus.
Two things to note: Zacchaeus seeks out Jesus. He is curious, he wants what Jesus has, he is willing to climb a tree to see him and he welcomes Jesus into his home on the spur of the moment. But all of that is to say, Zacchaeus seeks out Jesus. This is important because no matter what your relationship to Jesus is at the moment, all you need is a desire to draw closer to Jesus and then Jesus will do the rest. Zacchaeus climbed a tree, you got up on a Sunday morning and logged into Zoom. But both actions say seeking Jesus. Your action is saying I want to be closer to the Messiah.
Secondly, once in relation with Jesus, his relationship to money changes. I have always thought of this as a response to the fact that Zacchaeus was a tax collector, which I am sure is part of it. But two things happen after Jesus spends time with Zacchaeus. First, he shares his resources with the poor and then he makes financial amends. So being in Jesus presence, breaking bread with this holy man creates generosity in a man not known for that trait. Zacchaeus is changed, generosity pours forth. Jesus does that. God’s love does that.
In our book study on Love Wins by Rob Bell, we are reading about how good the good news is. In the chapter entitled, The Good News Is Better than That, Bell argues that it is better than the kind of gospel that simply gets you a pass into heaven. Rather the good news is so good, it is heaven on earth when we live in the peace and joy of God. He makes this point by talking about the stories we tell ourselves. The stories of the shame we hold, the failures we regret, the way we feel not good enough, and how our story is very different from the story God is retelling through the gospel of Jesus. Grace, love, mercy and wholeness are the gospel story. God retells your story in light of those. The question is can we hear the new story and are we willing to trust God in the retelling of our story in light of the God magnificent grace. Bell writes, “What the gospel does is confront our version of our story with God’s version of our story” (pg. 171). I am going to make that even more personal. “What the gospel does is confront your version of your story with God’s version of your story” Can we see ourselves as the beloved children of God and not the person who continues to fall short? God sees us as more than enough; God showers us with love and grace. But if we cling to our broken and hurt story, then we are not trusting God’s version of our story, we are not living into the gospel.
Zacchaeus trusted Jesus version of his story and he was changed. He could let go of his past, the harm he had done to others and he could live in the light and love of God from meeting Jesus. Then his relationship to money changed as well. He gives away half of his possessions because he trusted God’s version of his story, because he lives in the power of God’s amazing love and joy.
Seeing himself in God’s new version of his story, Zacchaeus also saw his shortcoming and decides to make amends. As a tax collector he had cheated people, that was the way the system worked. But when in the presence of love and grace, he corrects the financial wrong he had done, promising to give back four times what he took. Edd writes this, “Zacchaeus was so transformed by Jesus that he offered a comment that goes with his life changing experience. ‘To anyone I might have cheated I will gladly give them back four times as much.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Now you and your household will experience salvation because you demonstrate yourself to be a child of Abraham. My mission as the Son of Man is to find those who are lost and bring them salvation.’ (Luke 19:8-10 ebsb) Salvation comes to Zacchaeus because of his willingness to repent of his sins and let his money be used to bless others.” (Money, Money, Money, pg. 186).
Salvation is really our trusting in God’s retelling of our story. Your story and my story all wrapped up in God’s love is the good news of the gospel. Jesus insists that he’s one with God, that we can be one with him, and that life is a generous abundant reality. When we live in Jesus’ generous abundant reality, we are able to be generous too.
Thank you if you have already shared your pledge with us, living in the abundant reality of God’s love. If you have not yet done so, please send an email to the office with your annual commitment for 2021. We will count that as your pledge card. You will also receive a thank you letter confirming we have received your pledge. We hope to complete our stewardship season this week, so please help us with that goal by sharing your pledge so we can do the work of God and plan our budget for next year.
We will soon come to table, breaking bread with our Lord. Several of you have said it is not the same as being gathered in person, and I hear you. But I am so thankful and grateful that we can share this meal with each other via Zoom. Some churches have not had communion since COVID started. Breaking bread with our Lord had power to change Zacchaeus when he did it, and it still has that power today. May our hearts and minds welcome Jesus at this meal, just like Zacchaeus welcomed Jesus into his home. May our tasting this bread and wine be a way of affirming God’s retelling of our stories so that we live in the fullness of the transformative gospel, the love, grace, peace and joy of our new life in Christ.
Amen.
