A wee little man? (Proper C26)

Dylan suggests that Zacchaeus was already righteous in his actions.

LK 19:8 But 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.

She argues that since the verbs give and pay are present tense in the Greek, he is already making it a matter of practice. Chuck pointed out at our ministerial meeting today that in studying this very thing he came across a tradition that held Zacchaeus as a supervisor of tax collectors who would chastise his subordinates for cheating the public.

If this is the case it does a lot to change what we have been taught of this wee little man. The crowd held the view that we commonly do—that he is a sinner.

But God knew his name. Do you ever wonder why Jesus calls some by name, that he foreknew Nathanael, Zacchaeus, the woman at the well? Is there some reason that he should be concerned about these more than others? He is omniscient you say? Yes, but what did he empty when he became flesh?
Both with Nathanael and Zacchaeus Jesus makes a statement about their relationship to the patriarchs.

JN 1:47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true
Israelite, in whom there is nothing false."

When he hears of Zacchaeus’ actions, Jesus declares him a child of Abraham, a child of faith.

In both cases salvation comes, not because of their actions, but their faith. This story speaks to grace by faith. Righteousness is a proper response to faith, but it is Zacchaeus’ faith that draws Jesus and brings salvation to his house.

Is not there unusual faith found in the woman at the well also? Is that the kind of person God already knows, and calls by name? Hmm… what does that say about election? I come from a tradition that swings towards Arminiansim, though I am more open to a paradoxical interpretation where Calvin and Arminius do not disagree. God’s grace is powerful and effective in its various forms, but it is made complete by response. God’s call and response is the way of Spiritual Formation. When we respond we participate in the work of grace. Engagement allows the grace to truly transform us. Faith leads inexorably to righteousness.

Habakkuk's complaint

As I read this week's texts, this section gripped me. Why do the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper? Would the Babalonian king be held accountable?

Yes, because he is wicked and the righteous will live by his faith, not some puffed up pride.

Interplay (Proper C26)

I drove by Wisner UMC this afternoon, Pastor Chuck had his sermon titled already: "amazing Grace." As I drove I thought about it, and grace is a pretty good word to sum up all this week's readings. Again the first thing that jumps out at me is two separate threads of interplay.

If you start with the Habakkuk text and Psalm 119:137-144 you wind up at 2 Thessalonians along a thread of Righteousness coming by faith. If you have the other reading starting in Isaiah you wind up at the gospel text looking at sin and forgiveness.

Faith and righteousness do intersect the gospel slightly, here's how: Zacchaeus makes amends, doing right, he shows righteousness. Jesus then declares that salvation has come to this house. How? Not by the tax collector's works but because he was a child of Abraham too. We can understand that he is a child because of his faith.

As usual with the ordinary time, this connection is a little weak for me to be comfortable as an expository preacher, but since the themes of the two threads, salvation and faith are so intertwined (their braiding creates the cord of grace) I don't think it is an improper hermeneutic. There is also woven into this cord a thread dyed red-persecution, and faithfulness through trial.

Grace, grace, and more grace! Grant it to us O Lord.

The story of Zacchaeus is so familiar. (Zacchaeus was a we little man... la la la...) Can we find something fresh and exciting to our souls this week?