Friend of Sinners, Pt. 7

LOVING PEOPLE AND USING THINGS (LK. 19:1-10)
One of the greatest novels written, as well as my favorite Broadway musical, is Les Miserables, the story of Jean Valjean’s transformation from an uncaring and unfeeling man into a kind, noble, generous, sacrificial, and selfless man late in his life. He provided jobs to the poor, gave aid to the needy, and rescued kids off the streets in famine-stricken 19th century France, but unknown to the grateful town folks, their benefactor used to be a hardened criminal. As a 25-year-old young man he stole bread to feed his sister’s seven children and was immediately sentenced to five years of imprisonment for the crime. He considered the punishment extreme for the crime he committed, so he attempted to escape, as many as six times. The law was merciless. His sentence was eventually lengthened to 19 years, and by the time he was released, he was cold, vengeful, and hateful. He hated God, society, and the authorities for the injustices he bored.

Jean Valjean’s transformation began when he sought refuge at a church from the cold, harsh night after released from prison. Instead of thanking the priest who took him in, he repaid his host by stealing the silver plates and ladle in the church. Unfortunately, law enforcers arrested the suspiciously behaving man out on the street, found the expensive silverware on him, and brought him before the old priest for questioning.

However, the old priest did not turn Jean Valjean in; instead the priest surprised the police, dismayed the church caretakers, and changed Jean’s life forever by saying that the silverware was given Jean Valjean, not stolen, and even chided Jean Valjean for forgetting to take with him the silver candlesticks, which were worth two hundred francs – a lot of money at that time. After thanking the departing policemen, the priest sent Jean Valjean on his way with the precious candlesticks and these loving words: “My friend, before you go away, here are your candlesticks; take them. Now go in peace. By the way, my friend, when you come again, you need not come through the garden. You can always come in and go out by the front door. It is closed only with a latch, day or night. Forget not, never forget that you have promised me to use the silver to become an honest man. Jean Valjean, my brother: you belong no longer to evil, but to good. It is your soul that I am buying from you. I withdraw it from dark thoughts and from the spirit of perdition, and I give it to God!”

Jean Valjean cried for the first time in 19 years and disappeared into the night into an illustrious legacy of good works.

The transformation of Zacchaeus, who made his riches exacting money from his fellow countrymen, was a sight to behold. Zacchaeus was not just your average tax-gatherer like Matthew (Luke 5:27-28); he was the chief. If other tax-gatherers were disliked or despised, Zacchaeus was hated; if tax collection was profitable or lucrative, Zacchaeus made obscene money and he was filthy rich, one might add; and if the job did not make him notorious or odious, his height made him famous. He was the talk, the joke, and the scapegoat of Jericho residents.

However, Jesus had a different opinion and did the unthinkable. He saved the unpopular, controversial transgressors. Did Jesus not know how Zacchaeus make his money, how people hated him, and how sweet it was to laugh at his height, his misfortune or his exclusion? So why did Jesus save Zacchaeus? What Jesus said to Zacchaeus, then what Zacchaeus said to the Lord before the crowd, and finally what Jesus said to Zacchaeus before the crowd show how salvation was still possible for a dirty rotten scoundrel.

The Lord Knows the Thoughts of Sinners
19:1Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. 4So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 5When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” (Luke 19:1-5)

Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion’s guest room. Instead the angels were given a space in the cold basement. As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied, “Thing aren’t always what they seem.”

The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food they had the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night’s rest. When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field.

The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel, “How could you have let this happen? The first man had little but was willing to share everything, and you let their cow die.”

“Things are always what they seem,” the older angel replied. “When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the wall so he wouldn’t find it. Then last night as we slept in the farmers bed, the angel of death came for his wife, I gave her the cow instead.

Psalms 94:11 says, “The LORD knows the thoughts of man; he knows that they are futile. Jesus knows the true thoughts of Zacchaeus. He knew who he was, where he was, when he arrived, how he felt, why he came, and more importantly, what he sought. Zacchaeus waited for Jesus but Jesus looked for and looked at him; Jesus sought, found, and beckoned Zacchaeus instead. Zacchaeus would had settle for an outdoor sermon, but Jesus asked for a private audience. Zacchaeus thought Jesus got into his house, but Jesus got into his life.

How can one hide from One who sees through people, trees, and pretense? Jesus spotted Zacchaeus perching like a bird, shaking like a leaf, and lingering like a fly. Behind the cash reserves, real estate, and bank account was a meaningless, loveless, and restless soul. Zacchaeus had money, but no friends; he had power, but no respect; he was measured by his character, patriotism, and height, and he stood condemned.

Still, Jesus walked to him, not walk from him; turned his way, and not another way; spoke to him, and not about him. The crowd must have gasped when Jesus made it a point to stop, meet, and greet Zacchaeus. The Son of God beckoned him, and reckoned him a compliant host, a lost soul, and a ready listener.

The heart is hard to discern, slow to respond and difficult to change, but Jesus takes away the front, blows off the cover, and pries open the exterior. He knows who has an open mind, a sincere heart, and a teachable spirit. Jesus did not shake, pull, or force Zacchaeus down. He didn’t need to; Zacchaeus came down and obeyed Jesus without hesitation, fanfare, or condition.

The Lord Opens the Hearts of Sinners
6So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly (Luke 19:6)

There is an old story about two brothers. They were likable young men but they had a little bit of a wild streak. It got so wild that they began earning their money by stealing sheep from the local farmers. As happens to all thieves, one day they were caught.
Rather than kill them, the villagers decided to brand the two brothers on the forehead with the letters S. T. for “Sheep Thief.” The action so embarrassed the one young man that he ran off, never to be heard from again. The other brother was so filled with remorse and repentance that he chose to stay and try to reconcile himself to the villagers whom he had wronged.

At first the villagers were skeptical. Most of them wouldn't have anything to do with him. But he was determined to make reparation for his offenses. Whenever there was sickness, the sheep thief was there to help care for the sick person. Whenever there was work that needed to be done, the sheep thief showed up to help. It made no difference whether the person was rich or poor, the sheep thief was there to lend a helping hand. Soon he was an integral part of the community, never accepting pay for anything he did. His life was totally lived for others. As a consequence, he was a friend of all and became very well respected.

Many years passed and a traveler came through the town. As he sat at the sidewalk café eating his lunch, he noticed the well respected old man with the strange brand on his forehead, sitting at a table nearby. It seemed that everybody in town stopped to pay their respects or share a kind word. Even the children stopped to play or give and receive an affectionate hug. The stranger's curiosity was peaked and he asked the café owner about the old man. “What does the strange brand on his forehead stand for?”

The café owner, a contemporary of the old man, thought for a moment then said, “It happened so long ago that I don't rightly remember. But I think it stands for “Saint.”“
(http://www.stjohns-ucc.org/sermons_becoming.html)

The most hated man in Jericho was not the cold, calculated, and cruel man people thought he was. The people of Jericho agreed that a man as sinister, as savage, and as slimy as Zacchaeus had no room, time or concern for anyone, but they were wrong. The man who hardly opened his door to anyone threw open the doors of his house to Jesus - joyously, willingly, and optimistically. He climbed down like a monkey, grinned wide like a kid, and trotted over like a puppy. His blood was pumping, his heartbeat was racing, his lips were quivering, his knees were knocking, and his hands were wringing. He was beside himself with joy, he was smiling so that his jaws dropped, and he was so happy that only his teeth were seen but not his eyes.

Jesus said, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately (the word “haste”),” and Zacchaeus at once came down or made haste and came down. Twice the Greek word for haste is used with Zacchaeus (vv 5, 6). The only other time the word “haste” is used in the gospels describes the shepherds hurried trip from the countryside to Bethlehem to find the baby Jesus (Luke 2:16) after the angels told them the good news of the Savior’s birth. Jesus pressed Zacchaeus like no other and Zacchaeus passed with flying colors. The test of Zacchaeus’s sincerity before the gasping, disbelieving, and misgiving crowd was severe: he had to act fast, exert effort, and commence operation. Jesus did not shake, pull, or force Zacchaeus down. He didn’t need to; Zacchaeus slid down, jumped for joy, and leapt or sprang or dived into action, without hesitation, fanfare, or condition. Zacchaeus’s eyes sparkled, his shoulders straightened, and he felt ten feet tall and that he was on the top of the world.

Of Jesus’ 10 contacts with known sinners or sayings about them, tax collectors figured in half of those (Luke 5:27-28, Luke 7:34-35, Luke 15:1-2, Luke 18:9-10, 19:1-10). He ate with them (Lk 5:29), they gathered around Him (Lk 15:1), and the outcome was unusually positive and pleasant. Matthew (Lk 5:27) became an apostle, and Zacchaeus was the last man Jesus saved before leaving for Jerusalem.

Zacchaeus was a disgrace, a turncoat, a scab, the least likely to succeed, the least unlikely to share, and the most unlikely candidate for salvation, but Jesus diagnosed his heart like a doctor, opened his heart like a surgeon, and tended his their heart like a nurse.

Jesus did not just visit Zacchaeus’ home; He lodge there. The text did not say how long Jesus was there, but the meaning and intention are clear. He was not spending an hour, a day or an evening with Zacchaeus; he was spending at least one night there. Jesus shone the light on Zacchaeus’ new approachability, sociability, and likeability!

Jesus Transforms the Resolve of Sinners
7All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a `sinner.'“ 8But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” 9Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” (Lk 19:7-10)

Saving Private Ryan was a very touching movie for me. It began with an old man walking hurriedly passed the flags of USA and France, ahead of his family to a cemetery, where he cried inconsolably on arrival. The scenes from his past were later told. Eight men attempted to fight their way into deep, hostile German-held territory in Normandy to bring young James Ryan home from war to his grief-stricken mother who had already lost three sons.

The commander in charge of the operation, played by Tom Hanks, died shortly before accomplishing his mission. Only two soldiers in the mission survived, and the dying commander sat on the floor and whispered in triumph and relief, “Angels on our shoulders.” The young man asked anxiously, “What, sir?” Hanks waved Ryan closer to him, and whispered with his final breath: “James, earn this, earn it.”

The movie ended with the aging Private Ryan weeping by the commander’s grave, confessing, “To be honest with you, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel coming back here. Everyday, I think about what you said to me that day on the bridge. And I lived my life the best I could, I hope that was enough, I hope that, at least in your eyes, I’ve earned what all of you have done for me.” Then he turned to his wife and asked for an answer, “Tell me I’ve led a good life.” The bewildered wife asked, “What?” “Tell me I’m a good man.” His wife answered, “You are.”

Zacchaeus understood his obnoxious past, his tattered reputation, and his distressing record better than anyone else, and he went out of his way to mend fences, correct wrongs, and improve relations. The money-conscious, people-removed, heart-hardened Zacchaeus changed his ways in a big way and in one huge move. Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” (v 8)

Jesus did not ask Zacchaeus to return the money, the crowd did not ask for a refund, and he did not do it to change opinions but to make amends. Extending help, serving Jesus, and starting anew were his motivation. He considered the gain, and not the guilt; the opportunity, and not the opposition; and the breakthrough, and not the bankruptcy. Zacchaeus experienced heart circumcision, radical change, and true repentance. He made a sweeping change, caused a big ruckus, and forged a new course – one of loving people and using things, not loving things and using people; one of looking beyond self-interest to the interests of others; and one of lifting high the name of Jesus and not falling short in the effort.

Bygones were bygones. Zacchaeus was the ugly duckling that became a beautiful swan, and rotten wood that tuned into a new leaf. The town sinner spoke for himself, shocked the people, and stood up for the One who stood with and stood by him. The Old Testament commanded defrauders, extortionists and money finders to give a full refund plus another one-fifth to their victims for restitution (Lev 6:1-5). However, Zacchaeus would give half of his possessions to the poor – 50% disappeared; he was willing to pay back four times those he defrauded – statue of limitation disregarded; and he would also give them there and then – bank interest sacrificed.

Zacchaeus was a bad, hated, and miserable person the first half of his life. He fell short and missed the mark initially but made a U-turn finally. He was Jericho’s biggest miracle – bigger than the walls falling down. The evidence of his transformation was that he opened his heart to the gospel, opened his house to Jesus, and opened his wallet to others.

Conclusion: The good news of Jesus Christ is available to all without differentiation, without prejudice, and without question. Why does Jesus bother with skunks, weasels, and vultures of society? Because He is in the business of catching people who fall, snatching sinners from Satan, attaching people to Himself, and patching relations between people. In the words of Thomas Merton, “He does not love us because we are good, but we become good when and because He loves us.” (Thomas Merton, No Man is an Island 203, San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Publishers, 1955). Do you hear Jesus calling you by name, knocking at your door and asking to come in? Jesus wants to enter the door of your heart, occupy the throne of your life, and make His home in your house.