Pentecost 22, Proper 26, 2004:

Shortly after becoming President of Berea College, Dr. John Stephenson wrote that a friend of his had called to ask how he liked his new job?

"Oh, it’s great," he said, "I work hard all day, but I go home and sleep like a baby---sleep two hours, wake up and cry, sleep two hours, wake up and cry."

The Gospel of Luke for today is about a man who kind of lived life that way. He probably didn’t sleep well and he perhaps cried a lot.

Have you noticed that society tends to make it difficult for short folks? They have to be resourceful in this world. Like the very short fellow who went around to psychic fairs across the country. He would advertise and conduct seances and guide people in communicating with the other world. His business card said, "Specializing in psychic channeling of created thought, devoted to synchronization of the spiritual self and the physical self to a conscious level. Psychic surgery and channeled energy healing."

He became a fairly popular medium and hung out his shingle in one particular town for several months. Finally, the sheriff had a series of complaints from townsfolk that the little guy was a fraud. He was arrested and put in jail for practicing medicine without a license. After a while he managed to escape, and the next days’ headline in the paper read:

Small Medium at Large

Zacchaeus was a small tax collector at large. He was a wealthy man, living in the wealthy city of Jericho. But he was not very happy. No doubt he was a lonely little man, because he had chosen to earn a living in a way that would make him an outcast. Zacchaeus lived every day with one eye on the money he extorted from others and the other eye on the others who were just looking for a chance to get even. It must not have been a very easy life for Zacchaeus or his family.

Word came to Zacchaeus that a man named Jesus, a rabbi and a teacher, one who was said to welcome tax collectors and sinners, was coming through Jericho. What harm would it do to find out? Would this Jesus have some word for a small, unhappy man? He was despised and hated by people, so why not reach out for the love of God?

Apparently, Zacchaeus became obsessed with seeing Jesus. He was determined to at least see him and wouldn’t let anything stand in the way of fulfilling that desire. Usually Zacchaeus stayed away from crowds. It was particularly dangerous for him to mingle with the mob. Someone in the crowd, recognizing him, would stick a knife in this back and be applauded for doing so. It took courage for him to brave the street that day. His stature made it difficult for him to see and the crowd would not have let him through to see better, you can bet. But Zacchaeus was determined to see Jesus, so he ran ahead of the crowd and climbed a tree. Sure enough, Jesus and the regular band of disciples walked beneath the tree. Jesus stopped and looked up. "Zacchaeus," he said, "Come down and take me to your house for refreshments and conversation."

You can bet that people were watching. Zacchaeus slipped out of the tree and looked at the man looking at him. Something about that gaze convicted him and put him at ease at the same time. "Yes, sir, I would be pleased to have you come to lunch at one of the finest homes in Jericho. Yes, I realize it was built by the profits I made by extorting money from the poor. But, come have lunch anyway."

You can bet that the watching people were none too pleased with Jesus’ choice of a new friend. Perhaps the most despised man in Jericho, the chief tax collector, the big boss, the richest man in town. The thief, the con man, the representative of Rome was Jesus’ choice. What a poor choice the rabbi made thought the crowd.

We are not made aware of the conversation that took place in the home. All we know is that Zacchaeus came out of the house a different man. He was changed, yet we don’t know what Jesus said. I wish I knew what Jesus said to Zacchaeus. Then I would say the same thing on Stewardship Sunday.

Zacchaeus made a decision. He knew that much of what he had had been gained by ill-gotten means. He had no right to be a rich man. So, he made a commitment. He came out the house and looked at the skeptical crowd and apologized for cheating them for years. He had gotten rich at their expense. He decided to make restitution. He would give half of his wealth for the relief of the poor and the other half he promised to use to pay back those he had defrauded. He had gone far beyond what was directed by the law. The crowd was stunned. Their cynical eyes couldn’t believe it. They were waiting on a trick. Surely he wasn’t serious about giving back 400% and he wouldn’t give half of his wealth to the poor, would he? They would believe it when they saw it.

Jesus walked out of Zacchaeus’ house and the crowd quieted down. He looked at the little man and said, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. I have come to seek and save the lost. Zacchaeus was lost and now has been found."

What an amazing story this is. How do we apply it to our own lives? It really is simple when we think about the life, the message, the mission, and the ministry of Jesus. Jesus loved Zacchaeus, the wealthiest and biggest sinner in Jericho. Because Jesus loved him, Zacchaeus was transformed. Jesus loved Zacchaeus, even though he was the worst sinner in town. When you or I are at our sinful worst, Jesus continues to love us. That’s the truth at the heart of the story of the short fellow who is changed by love.

We don’t know what Jesus said to Zacchaeus that day in the house, when they were alone, beyond the gaze of prying eyes and inquisitive minds. But what he said is not the important thing anyway. Jesus did not just come to Zacchaeus’ house that day. Jesus got into his heart. That’s what changed him. No one is ever changed from being stingy to generous unless Jesus the Christ gets into the heart. It is that new tenant that changes a person from greedy to generous, from selfish to selfless, from a thieving heart to a thankful heart.