ONEFamily
Outreach exists to "Connect
Kids to Community and Communities to Kids." Have you considered having a
mission week for your church? This
is one of my favorite "in-depth" ways of reaching out with the Great News of
Jesus Christ. Activities can include:
Interactive and participative praise concerts for children,
youth, and families;
Morning staff studies on "Authentic Leadership"
and "Building a Culture of Intentional Courtesy"
Brown-Bag Luncheon Studies for your community
focusing on our scriptural call to justice;
In-service for your volunteers or teachers on reaching
today's youth and families with the vibrant, living, message of Jesus
Christ;
Evening parent seminars based upon two of
Jerry's recent books: "Significant Conversations: Helping Young People
Live Meaningful Lives," and "The Deepest Longing of Young People; Loving
Without Conditions."
Local networking with other area groups (secular
or faith-based) regarding prevention and intervention strategies for
high-risk and incarcerated youth;
Humorous and thought-provoking school assemblies
(secular or religious, elementary through high school).
ONEFamily
Outreach is primarily
supported by your donations and by trainings, workshops, retreats and concerts.
“Hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”
Luke 19:1-10
Proper 26c
Luke 19:1-10
[Lk 19:1] He entered Jericho and was passing through. [2] And there was a man called by the name of Zaccheus; he was a chief tax collector and he was rich. [3] Zaccheus was trying to see who Jesus was, and was unable because of the crowd, for he was small in stature. [4] So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to see Him, for He was about to pass through that way. [5] When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” [6] And he hurried and came down and received Him gladly. [7] When they saw it, they all began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” [8] Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much.” [9] And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. [10] “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (NAS)
Luke 19:1-2
[Lk 19:1] He entered Jericho and was passing through. [2] And there was a man called by the name of Zaccheus; he was a chief tax collector and he was rich.
He was a chief tax collector and he was rich.
In Chapter 18, Jesus told a story that made a fool out of a Pharisee and a hero out of a tax collector. He went on to invite a rich prince – who could have undoubtedly funded the ministry of Jesus very comfortably –to sell all he has and give the money to the poor if he wants to know perfect joy.
Then, suddenly, we have this amazing conversion story – not just of a tax collector – but of a chief tax collector. He was the shark who stole from all the minnows that fed on the Jewish people; he was a traitor’s traitor.
These stories are too close together to think they are not related. Was it possible that a short man named Zaccheus lingered on the extreme fringe of the crowd when he heard Jesus speak of the redemption of tax collectors [Lk 18:10-14]? Did one of Zaccheus’ minions tell him about Christ’s radical words? Did he hear Jesus implore the rich young man to turn his whole life into a continual and perfect gift [Lk 18:18-24]?
Whatever happened, the link is too obvious, before Jesus even arrived in Jericho, Zaccheus was already primed for a radical conversion.
We never know who is at the fringe of the crowd watching our behavior. What if Jesus’ behavior had been inconsistent? What if Jesus had compromised with the Pharisee’s or the rich young man in exchange for favors, approval or money? What if Jesus had been like so many who say? “Sell all you have and give the proceeds to me,” instead of “sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me [Lk 18:22].” (italics mine)
Who is watching me today that may not come forward until tomorrow? Most people spend a great deal of time judging us from a distance before they ever take the initiative to approach us personally. Who is the “Zaccheus” standing at the fringe of my crowd today? Who is judging my consistency from a distance or even hearing second-hand what I did and what I said long before they see me face to face? What do I need to do in my life so that “sinners” want to “check me out?” Would the “tax collectors” of my town climb a tree so they could get a glimpse of the Christ in me?
Am I even aware that there are tax collectors examining my life for consistency because I wear his mantel or put a fish emblem on the back end of my car? Does my driving behavior point to Christ even more than my bumper stickers? Those who might become a Zaccheus tomorrow watch me from a distance today. Therefore, let the source of all my actions be the One who will never waver; let the Holy Spirit be my source and my strength in all things lest we sully the name of the one we profess.
To move closer to Jesus means we must become more transparent, more vulnerable, and more consistent. Do I have the source of strength that will sustain that kind of life – even when I do not know that I am being watched?
Luke 19:3-6
[3] Zaccheus was trying to see who Jesus was, and was unable because of the crowd, for he was small in stature. [4] So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to see Him, for He was about to pass through that way. [5] When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” [6] And he hurried and came down and received Him gladly.
“Today I must stay at your house.”
Zaccheus – a man who was “short in stature” – has cast a shadow that is over two thousand years long. Why? He responded radically to the command (not the invitation) of Jesus. “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”
Luke quotes our Lord as saying; “I must [GSN1163 dei] stay...”
The root word of “must” is deo [GSN1210]; it means: I am bound, imprisoned, even “put into chains.”
What bound Jesus to stay at Zaccheus’ house? We must look at the character of our Lord and his mission which bound him to heal the sick.
Luke 5:30-32
[Lk 5:30] The Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling at His disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?” [31] And Jesus answered and said to them, “It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. [32] “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”
Can we understand that our Lord is “bound,” even “chained” to the repentant heart? It is his ultimate purpose to free sinners; it is the reason for his incarnation. It is why he gave his life in sacrifice. Zaccheus and Jesus are ultimately and intimately bound. From the moment the short man dropped all of his pretenses to climb the tree; Jesus melted for the man. He was bound to spend time with him; he had to spend time with him.
Can we further understand that if we too are willing to forget about our stature, if we are also willing to put aside our fears of “how will I look to others,” than Jesus will bind himself to us?
Can we make the steps Zaccheus made?
Can we focus our eyes completely on seeing Jesus regardless of what others will think?
Can we rid ourselves freely from the fruit of our sin and manipulation and put it back into giving our very lives to others?
Can we bind ourselves to sinners the way that Jesus bound himself to us?
If we can do that, then we can be assured of these faithful words: “Hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”
Luke 19:7
[7] When they saw it, they all began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.”
They all began to grumble
In my workshops, I define adolescing as a process of maturation, not age. We are “adolescing” as long as our peers interpret our self-esteem.
Alternatively, we are mature when we have the ability to name our critical values and make our life choices (including our friendships) based upon those values. By that definition, there are people in our culture who never stop “adolescing” while there are other – even in their teens – that are already mature. This book focuses on helping adolescing people mature.
In addition, some people feign maturity as long as they are in control, but when they hit a crisis they slide back into adolescing behavior. Let’s call this the “Airplane Syndrome.” As a frequent flyer, I am prone to seeing people (who are otherwise rational) slip into irrational behavior during turbulence. Suddenly, they are looking around at what other passengers are doing. If the majority of other passengers are calm, then they remain calm. Yet, as soon as one passenger loses it, they all reach for the little white “comfort bag.”
There are three responses in this story worth noting:
There is the Lord whose commitment to Zaccheus remains unwavering; despite the “grumbles” of the crowd.
There is Zaccheus whose desire to know Christ frees him to forget about how he looks to others or what his stature will be in their eyes.
There is the crowd who swings with the breeze. They love Jesus when he is paying attention to their needs and seethe with anger when he reaches out to those who would challenge their prejudices.
Sadly, I am more apt to act like the crowd, though I wish that my focus on Jesus would permanently free me of all my prejudices and the adolescing statement, “What will others think?” The desire of my heart is to someday be like Jesus – so centered in my Creator that consistent love flows from inside of me to those most alienated regardless of the opinions of “the crowd.”
Yet, there is something subtle and beautiful that happens at this turn of the story. By calling Zaccheus down in front of the crowd (after all, Jesus could have sent a disciple after him later in the day), Jesus makes himself completely vulnerable to the crowd. When the crowd sees that vulnerability – when they witness Jesus stretching an olive branch toward Zaccheus – they don’t cheer for Zaccheus, they turn on Jesus. It is in that moment that Zaccheus comes to the fore, the chief of tax collectors takes the heat for Jesus! Zaccheus, as we shall see in the next verse, places himself between the crowd and Jesus by throwing away his fortune to those he has wronged.
Jesus becomes vulnerable so that Zaccheus can become committed. Am I willing to do that for others? Am I willing to become vulnerable so that sinners can deepen both their faith and their commitment? Am I willing to put my control aside so that others can take a leading role?
There is the heart of Christian leadership -- it’s not what I can do – it is what I can empower others to do that makes a difference. Will I become vulnerable so that others can lead?
Luke 19:8-9
[8] Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much.” [9] And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham.”
“I will give back…”
As the son of a forester and environmental scientist, I was raised to leave a campsite better than you found it. Is that a reflection of the rest of my life too? Can I say that my life reflects this statement of Zaccheus; “I will give back…”
By law, Zaccheus was required to give back twice as much as he had extorted from someone. He pays back twice the “required amount” and in addition says; “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor.”
When we consider his largesse, we must realize that – at the end of the day – the chief tax collector would be broke.
But to Zaccheus – forgiven by the Son of God – he was receiving immeasurably more than he was giving. He was giving himself into freedom. How hard it is for us to learn that when we liberated by giving – especially when we give those things we most ardently protect. It doesn’t matter if it is a possession, a title or our self-righteous anger. If I love twice as much as I was hurt and offer twice the respect that I think I deserve then, I will know the freedom of Zaccheus.
“I will give back…”
Will I leave this world four times richer than I found it? Will I give myself into liberation? Will I empty myself of my fears to be filled with the joy of Jesus Christ?
Can this become part of my daily prayer? Will I choose to wake every morning and say; “Lord, I will give back…”
“Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham.”
The Jews didn’t want Zaccheus to be a Son of Abraham. They didn’t want Jesus to dine with sinners and, especially tax collectors. They didn’t want our Lord’s compassion to reach beyond their religious ideology and out to their “enemies.” They wanted their prophets to stay inside the walls of their prejudice. Even the disciples did not want the love of Jesus to include Greeks, Romans, Syro-Phonecians, Samaritans; prostitutes, adulterers, but especially tax-collectors.
But Christ’s love was like an unstoppable tide. A current that is too hard for man to impede or prevent. Jesus washes over the world rising above our prejudice and self-righteousness.
Who exactly do I not want Jesus to love? He’s already there… and, if I can’t follow him than I can’t call myself his follower. I am condemned by those whom I would condemn; I am liberated by those whom I would liberate.
On that day, salvation came to Zaccheus’ house. Sadly, some in the crowd would learn that to refuse to embrace Zaccheus was to refuse to embrace our Lord. Who would I rather not embrace? Who would I rather not call a “Son of the Faith?” Of whom would I rather say, “He can’t be a Christian – I know he is a sinner.”
Jesus’ consistent response to the self-righteous was always; “Look who’s talking...”
Lord, let me embrace the Zaccheus’ of my community as one of my own family. Instead, let me go straight to the one’s with whom I doubt salvation is possible and say; “Today, I must stay with you.”
Luke 19:10
[10] “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
“To seek and to save…”
Here is the work of Jesus – here must be the work of his church. Are we looking down into the dark alleys and looking up into the sycamore trees to find the lost children of Abraham? If I am to call myself a follower of Christ – it is not an option. Our purpose is to “seek and to save.” We can be assured that Satan is out to “search and destroy,” are we just as fervent to “seek and to save?”
The hope of the world is Jesus Christ – but who will carry that candle into the darkness? Who will take that water into the desert? Who will give up their pride and prejudice to sit among the lost – even if we wind up insulted by “believers?”
The New Testament Greek Lexicon based on Thayer’s and
Smith’s Bible Dictionary plus others; this is keyed to the large Kittel and the
“Theological Dictionary of the New Testament.” These files are public domain.
The Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon is Brown, Driver,
Briggs, Gesenius Lexicon; this is keyed to the “Theological Word Book of the Old
Testament.” These files are considered public domain.