I love the story of Zacheus, the short guy up a tree (Luke 19). Firstly it gives short people a part to play in the Jesus movies. But also because I think it reveals to us just how bad we are missing Jesus' idea of what it was to be him. We are all trying to be him but missing the point so badly... just as we miss the point of this passage so badly. I always hear this passage talked about with regard to how keen Zacheus was to be in the presence of Jesus, or how he didn't want to miss Jesus passing by etc etc. But think about, Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem to be executed... no small point. There is a crowd of people around him and he takes the very centre of his ministry to a person on the edge of society... one of those we label as "on the fringes". Often we think about encouraging these people into our churches with a variety of programs etc, or better, I think, we think about going to them, however this is all too often with the intent of bringing them into our ministry program (probably the one set up to attract people in). I think Jesus goes further. He takes the very centre of his ministry into Zacheus' world. In fact, Zacheus' house, for all intensive purposes becomes the house of the Lord for a time.
Then at the end of this passage we get the phrase "the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost".
I think we miss the seek side of the equation. We have, for the most part just put programs out there for the lost to seek us (which may happen from time to time). What does it look like for us to make the lost the very centre of our ministry? To dwell there (metaphorically or actually).
Ah the fringes of society... it is such an interesting discussion that rages on about how the church meets with the finges of society... it is so hard when for so long we have considered ourselves the centre of society (perhaps rightly so for a time, but I am not convinced that it was a good thing for us). Now we are so fooled by our history that many Christians still consider Christianity as the centre of society but I think if we do then we may be fooling ourselves. It is this fooling of ourselves that makes it so hard for us to reach the fringes! But don't worry, don't stress, it will only take a few more years until we are so marginalised by our own inability to truly connect with the real influencers of society that we will suddenly realize we are the fringes. Perhaps when we get out there then we may be able to connect with those around us... our fellow fringe dwellers, Zacheus and the sinful woman and blind Bartemaus and the heamoraging woman and the Samaritan woman and the demon possesed man and all their friends! (Including the homeless guy on "Bruce Almighty", see my earlier post).
We are so worried about the marginalisation of Christianity... perhaps it is not such a bad thing after all?
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3 comments:
Yeah, I was just reading that yesterday; an encouraging story of Jesus' compassion towards outsiders.
It's really cool in the context of what has just come before the story in Luke's gospel. In Ch 18:15-17 Jesus teaches that the kingdom is to be recieved freely as a gift - we can't earn it; and then we're introduced to the rich ruler of vs18-30, who thinks he can actually earn it ('what must I do to inherit eternal life'). This rich dude didn't accept the offer of the kingdom and following Jesus because he loved his stuff too much. Even though it seems phenomenal to the disciples that this guy couldn't enter the kingdom, Jesus reassures them that it's God's power alone, not ours, which makes it possible for someone to be saved.
Zacchaeus is a delightful contrast to the rich ruler, because although he is also rich (19:2) he recognises the greater worth of Jesus and the kingdom, and seeks to follow Jesus, giving up his wealth freely in the process. God is saving people who recognise their poverty and trust in his Son! - even rich, seemingly impossible Zacchaeus's - because the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.
Yes, I have always enjoyed the contrast between the rich ruler and Zac. But... have you ever noticed that the text on the rich young ruler does not actually say he did not accept Jesus ivitation? It simply says "he became ver sad, because he was vert wealthy." Perhaps he was sad because he knew he had to give away his wealth! Perhaps Jesus following comment "How hard it is ..." is actually a comment acknowledging the difficulty that the rich ruler now has to work through? And in vs 27 it seems that Jesus is hinting toward the fact that this rich young ruler may actually be able to work through the pain of giving away his wealth because with God all things are possible.
Like all of us the rich ruler genuinely had two options, we often think he didn't accept Jesus challenge... but that may be more a reflection of our quickness to judge. The real point of this guy is that the options were hard but genuine... yours and mine too, the challenge is which ill we choose 'to give or to keep?' If the rich ruler is still listening by verse 29 then I would imagine he might be convinced to give away his wealth? I think Jesus is actually tenderly working with a struggling spirit to make a good decision.
Look also at the way the story is introduced... The rich ruler calls Jesus 'good' and Jesus uses it as an opportunity to discuss his own deity... in actual fact he is asking the rich rucler 'do you believe I am good, do you acknowledge my good-ness when you know that God alone is good? Anbd it seems the rich young ruler does because he does not respond to Jesus' hints at his own deity... the conversation simply continues.
I don't know if it is right but it is an interesting thought, and it opens up a new possibility for us when reading and studying this passage.
Blessings, from Dave
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