Zaccheus, a short little man who climbed a sycamore tree in order to get a better look at Jesus as he came to Jericho, ended up with the surprise of his life. How in the world did Jesus choose this greedy, selfish, tax collector—the word used in this case was achetelenos, which means the ‘chief tax collector’, to dine with? Why was Zacchaeus, one of the richest men in town as well as one of the most immoral reprobates, stealing as he did from his own Jewish countrymen as he skimmed off the top of those other tax and toll collectors who took all they could as their ‘commission’, even interested in Jesus? This man had the reputation of being the worst of the worst when it came to sinful behavior, a real crook! His job as chief tax collector meant that he was in charge of this unjust system. Now it really shouldn’t surprise us that Jesus would want to dine with someone seen as an outcast in his community. We have many other examples of social misfits, ne’er-do-wells that Jesus liked to party with, spend his time with, the kind of people that most religious people would never invite to their homes, wouldn’t even spend time with them outside of their homes except in a judgmental, disdainful way. But why was Zaccheus so interested in Jesus? Why was he so happy to welcome him to his house? Maybe he was just curious or maybe he had heard the rumors about Jesus liking to hang around with ‘the wrong kind of people—sharing drinks and swapping stories with whores and toll collectors.

Wouldn’t you love to know what Jesus said to Zaccheus as he dined in his house that day? Whatever Jesus said or did, maybe it was just the simple act of chosing him and his household, transformed Zaccheus. This man changed from having a greedy, thieving heart to having a generous and thankful heart. According to the OT laws (Lev. 6:5), anyone who has stolen or defrauded others should pay the amount back plus one-fifth. Zacchaeus promises to pay 4 times as much to any he has defrauded, plus give half of his possessions to the poor. What inspired this action? The Stewardship Committee and I would love to know what we might say in our letters to you that would promote this kind of generosity! Just in the previous chapter in Luke is the familiar story of the rich man, a very good man who followed the Torah, who was unable to follow Jesus’ advice to give all he had to the poor. In Jesus’ conclusion he said that it was harder for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. In this story we have not only a very rich man but also a very sinful man who in Jesus’ words was saved: “then Jesus said to him, ‘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 to save the lost.’ (vv. 9-10) Being a son of Abraham meant that all the blessings in Abraham’s Covenant with Yahweh were now Zacchaeus’ as well. In many places Jesus indicates that not only the tribe of Israel, but all people can be saved, or made whole. As he said when discussing the earlier rich man that could not give up his possessions, “what is impossible with men is possible with God” (8:27)

There are two major points that I want to make related to this scripture. First, I don’t think it really mattered what Jesus said at that special welcoming meal at the home of Zacchaeus. I believe what mattered was that Jesus loved Zacchaeus and showed him that love by choosing him. Over and over again Jesus’ actions indicate how much God loves the biggest sinners as well as those who do justice, love kindness and walk humbly. Do you know people who stay away from Church, or maybe come to church but don’t take Holy Communion because they feel they are not good enough, that their life is too sinful for God to want them around? I urge you to let folks know that you can be the worst sinner in town, just like Zaccheaus, and Jesus very much wants to be at the table with you. There is absolutely nothing that is too bad for us to be forgiven. This is just as true at Jesus’ meal in memory of his betrayal and death, our Holy Communion, our coming together at the Lord’s table. As human beings and even us church folks who know better are in the practice of withholding love from those that we disapprove of—whether it be a family member that is making choices that rub us wrong, maybe a teenager who is rebelling or a spouse that’s drinking too much; maybe it’s a neighbor whose dog keeps barking night and day, or your boss that is making unreasonable demands. Maybe it’s that waiter in a Paris café who is very arrogant and irritable when your French is not understandable. Maybe it’s someone who practices a sexual orientation that you disapprove of. Sometimes it may even be ourselves whose sinfulness makes us disapprove and not be loving towards. I want to say very clearly that Jesus loved Zacchaeus right in the middle of his sinfulness, right in the middle of his not approving of his sins, he still loved and accepted him. We may do things that Jesus would disapprove of, and still he loves us. Yes, when you and I are at our sinful worst, Jesus and the Holy One loves us and wants to be with us.

If we let that love in, if we truly believe and accept that love than we too will be transformed. And that’s the second point I want to talk about. Transformation. A long word that means change. When we talk about transformation in church circles we mean change in a positive way. We mean the kind of change that happened to Zacchaeus. Rev. Edward Markquart from Grace Lutheran Church puts it this way: “…Jesus didn’t simply come into Zacchaeus’ house that day. Rather, Jesus got into Zaccheus’ heart that day. That’s what changed him. No one is ever changed to be a generous person unless Jesus gets into your heart; and when Jesus gets into your heart, your life will be changed…It is his presence, not any special words that changes us. When the Spirit is right, any words will do.”

When Jesus gets into our hearts, the resulting transformation means a changed attitude and changed behavior about many things, including how we interact with the poor and the marginalized. I get concerned when newly converted Christians focus on their personal salvation, their inner tranquility with no thought about action for social justice. Transformation and conversion are about revolution, about crying out for justice. You who listen me week after week know my litany of showing compassion, visiting the sick and grieving, feeding the hungry, housing the homeless and so forth. In the transformation of Zacchaeus, not only was his life saved but the poor benefited as he gave away half of his possessions and repaid four-fold the money he had immorally taken for his own benefit; therefore, the society around him was improved. The love of God is not dependent on your doing good for society; I assure you again that God loves you unconditionally. However, when we truly open our hearts to this love, we too want to love God and our sisters and brothers all around the world—whatever their race, color, religion, social class, nationality, sexual orientation. Moreover, we will use whatever gifts we have to bring justice and peace to all. None of us can do it all, but each of us can do something to make this world a better place. Some of us pray, some of us write, some of us stand in picket lines, some of us give financial donations, some of us build houses for the homeless or work in the food pantry. The list goes on and on. I want to tell you, my church family, how much I appreciate everything that you do. Please let’s continue to motivate each other to do even more. Love and transformation. Jesus has called us by his love. We didn’t even have to climb a sycamore tree. Yet in some way he has said to each of us, “let me come into your heart”. Those of us who have heard him and let him in will like Zacchaeus never be the same again. Amen and amen!