Here now is quite a picture! Zacchaeus, an obscenely rich and powerful man of society, clambering up a second-class tree in his finery – expensive robes and designer sandals – to get a look at what the fuss was about in the streets. Naturally, he would try to be as inconspicuous about this as possible, concealing himself as best he could.
Jesus notices the hidden man in the tree, calls him by name, invites himself over to his home. Jesus must know this would send murmuring and rumours through the crowd. He picked the most hated individual of the crowd and favours his household with his presence.
As if Zacchaeus didn’t have enough already, a success in many measures of our world; he had money and power. Sure nobody liked him, but with enough wealth and influence, friends and enemies didn’t matter much. The fact that he positioned himself on the outside must have struck a chord with Jesus.
We know Jesus gravitated to the outcast and marginalized. We tend to look upon such groups as the lepers, the prostitutes, the widows and the impoverished. Why and how did this man become the focus of Jesus attention that day? Better miracles could have been done that day.
The crowd responds as expected: Zacchaeus?! That guy? The thief, the money-grubbing, puppet of Rome? Turned his back on his own people, can’t be trusted, good for nothing Zacchaeus. If we were looking for someone on the outside, I think we’ve found our man.
While he makes a good show of repenting, of citing biblical laws of atonement (the book of Leviticus presents a formula of 4:1, one stolen sheep requires repayment of 4 sheep to the rightful owner), there is still a question of the sincerity of his decision. Is he trying to buy favour and friendship from his peer group now?
The follow through of a lifestyle change, of dispersing his assets, and we wonder if maybe Zacchaeus was a decent guy caught up in a system of corruption, unable to see a way of getting out. After all, the name “Zacchaeus” means “clean” or “innocent.” How long with this new found attitude last? Maybe he really and truly is just a greedy tax collector at heart.
Who was Zacchaeus really? We know him by his occupation, by his physical qualities, but God looks beyond that. God sees us in our hiding places, calls to us, and restores us to community. No matter what public façade we put on, no matter what qualities and characteristics we have that are positives, we all feel outcast and excluded in some way.
Which is why I uphold that the church needs to be a place of welcome and acceptance and hospitality. Not just for people on the edges, or up in the trees, but also for those in the crowds, there is a place where it is possible to be known and accepted. God’s attention and focus seeks us out and brings us forward....
In Christ, Zacchaeus experienced the power of being noticed. In this encounter, the hated tax collector was identified by name, invited to share time with a saviour whose time was at a premium. For much of his life, Zacchaeus was noticed for the negative reasons; caught in that tree, he was noticed and accepted for who he was. Jesus already had committed himself to coming over whether Zacchaeus repented and repaid people or not.
As a congregation, we are caught in a crowd and are milling about seeking the same thing as other churches. We want the secret to success, the magic procedure, the key to relevance and vitality. We jostle and crane our necks to see if we can find it, looking where our neighbours are looking, borrowing their fundraising schemes or worship ideas.
Might we take a page from Zacchaeus, of bringing attention to oneself by being on the outside, of doing something different, by breaking away from the pack? Is there a way to make a new name for ourselves? What might be done here that is uniquely suited to the strengths of this community?
Fine for me to ask that now, I’m leaving in the new year, 8 Sundays after today. In the meantime there will be ongoing dialogue with Presbytery and Conference about the needs and visions for this charge, an accelerated confirmation class, preparation for Advent and Christmas, and getting ready for our goodbye.
Amid the crowded list of things I’d like to do before departing, I’ll remind myself to look elsewhere, off the beaten path, to notice the little things that matter, that make a difference. For trees and leaves, harvest and homes, we give our thanks.
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