Reflections...

A sermon preached at Kowloon Union Church on 30 October 2022, by Rev.Grace Bok. The scripture readings that day were Psalm 119:137-144, Luke 19:1-10.

Today salvation has come to this house

UK Prime Minister Liz Truss resigned after 45 days in office, making her the shortest-tenured prime minister in British history. A big reason behind that was a tax reduction proposal she put forth that benefited the rich but not the poor. As soon as the proposal came out, the British pound’s conversion rate to the American dollar plummeted to a historic low, forcing the Bank of England to intervene. Taxation is a civic matter that touches everyone. In a democratic society, Liz Truss’ government had to step down. But in Jesus’ times, or in places where there’s no democracy or freedom, people could only stomach it.

 

Back to our story today from Luke 19:1-10 about the greedy tax collector Zacchaeus. This is a story that’s only found in the Gospel of Luke. 

 

The story takes places in Jericho. JJericho is a city on the border, with customs. It’s also one of the wealthiest cities in Palestine, with the luxurious Palace of Herod, giving it a considerable tax base. The chief tax collector is in charge of setting taxes. He also hires other tax collectors to collect taxes. Given his status, Zacchaeus could be rich without having to deceive. But it appears that he took every chance to defraud people, ripping people off and blackmailing others whenever he can. He’s a greedy and obnoxious official.  

 

Zacchaeus is rich and powerful, but he’s got no friends. That’s because tax collectors are loathed; people hate his guts and would want to spit on them. In the eyes of Jews, tax collectors are one of the worst occupations; they are seen as traitors who collude with foreigners to oppress their own people. They are on the same level as prostitutes, robbers and murderers. Tax collectors may not enter temples or have religious lives.   

 

Zacchaeus found himself in the crowd. The Bible describes him as someone of short stature. With so many people, he could not make it to the front. There’s a Cantonese saying that short people are full of ideas (I’m a big proponent). So he climbs up to a sycamore tree and waits there to see Jesus. Why does he want to see Jesus? Is it because the guests who saw Jesus call Matthew the tax collector on a banquet in Luke Chapter 5 spread the news of Jesus calling Matthew to Jericho? Or is it because Jesus is simply a superstar — seeing how he just healed a blind person who sang and praised his way into Jericho, so much so that Zacchaeus begins to wonder who is this Jesus? To paint the scene, we may imagine the head of Hong Kong’s Inland Revenue Department, Mr. Tam Tai Pang, climbing up a tree in his ironed out suit. We can sense just how strongly Zacchaeus wants to see Jesus.  

 

Those who thought they can see, cannot see, while those who thought they cannot see, can see; Those who thought they are righteous, aren’t righteous, while those who look like sinners are in fact righteous.

 

Zacchaeus “wanted to see,” but due to his short stature “could not see.” Here, Luke once again describes how Zacchaeus “wanted to see” Jesus. It suggests that the idea of sight carries a symbolic meaning in this story.

 

The blind person in the previous chapter, Chapter 18, could not see because he’s blind. This chief tax collector isn’t blind, but he still cannot see. He insists on seeing Jesus. It’s worth noting in the end, Zacchaeus sees Jesus not by his own ability. Rather, Luke says Jesus looks up and sees Zacchaeus. This illustrates that just like the blind person, Zacchaeus cannot see. But it is Jesus who lets them see the Lord’s salvation. The people think they can see Jesus, but the blindness in their hearts keep them from truly seeing Jesus, the Lord who brings salvation.

 

Zacchaeus is a Hebrew name that means “pure” and “clean and blameless.” Luke mentions his name three times in this paragraph, perhaps to emphasize the meaning of this name. Given tax collectors are deemed sinners, the chief tax collector is the worst of all sinners in people’s eyes. This chief tax collector is viewed as a sinner by the people, but in God’s eyes he is a “pure” person. Compared to the tax collector, the crowd feels like they’re all righteous, and they begin discussing among themselves, surprised that Jesus would stay at the home of a sinner. But if we look at it from the angle of welcoming Jesus and repenting, how many righteous people are there in the crowd? The people of God is the “lost” community in the scripture. Yet, in this instance a “sinner” who’s despised by the Jews is found, whereas the crowd does not realize that they are the lost people themselves.

 

How many times every day do we play God and judge ourselves and others through our own lens, feeling good about ourselves! Little do we know, it’s not up to us to define who’s righteous and who’s a sinner. Rather, it is up to God. As Isaiah 1:18 says: Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. 

 

Us in God’s eyes?

Tomorrow, 31^st October, we remember the 505^th anniversary of the Reformation. In 1517 Martin Luther pinned “The 95 Theses” on the door of All Saint’s Church in Wittenberg, triggering the Reformation. There were multiple reasons behind this reform, but the religious reasons can’t be ignored. The Reformers found that the Roman church completely strayed away from the church in the New Testament. The Roman church was extremely corrupt; from the Vatican to clergy, it was common for people to buy and sell clerical positions, and for priests to keep concubines. They ask people to buy indulgence as a way to compensate for past misgivings, for their sins to be forgiven; indulgence was what Martin Luther was most opposed to. He claimed that Christians could not enter heaven through buying indulgence. The only way to heaven is through God’s mercy. When Martin Luther was writing the “Commentary on Galatians,” he described the Roman church as “even worse than the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.” To this day, the Catholic church is still facing issues of pedophilia and sexual harassment among priests. As we remember the 505^th anniversary of the Reformation, we shouldn’t get excited too soon. Isn’t Protestantism ridden with sectarianism, even looking down on Catholics and each other? We oppress the dissidents to maintain our own authority, the rules we make ourselves! Martin Luther proposed the concept of being simultaneously a sinner and righteous. Christians are simultaneously 100% sinners and 100% righteous people. When we think of ourselves as correct and righteous, we are sinners. When we confess to our sins deeply and repent, we are righteous. It’s not just words. It’s a deep repentance with actions. Then Jesus calls him righteous. Justification by faith alone — and salvation comes to us.      

 

Today salvation has come to this house

The line “Today salvation has come to this house” is connected to the preceding line “I must stay at your house today.” These two sentences reflect that Jesus’ presence represents the coming of salvation. “Salvation” is no longer an abstract concept; “salvation” is Jesus and the work he’s come to complete. 

 

For Zacchaeus, what is salvation?

 

1.    Friendship

Jesus goes to Zacchaeus’ house, Zacchaeus welcomes Jesus, they eat and drink at the same table, suggesting a hospitable friendship. The word “must” illustrates the urgency for Jesus to come to his house. In a sense, Zacchaeus is cooperating with God’s will and responding to God’s will.

 

2. Joy 

Zacchaeus hurries down and merrily welcomes Jesus. His feeling is one of joy, he feels happy.  

 

3. Zacchaeus is healed 

Jesus declares Zacchaeus to be “of Abraham,” not an outsider. He’s part of all the covenants, and a son of Abraham who receives the promises of Israel.

 

4. No longer controlled by money 

Zacchaeus repents; he no longer chases money by all means. He compensates those he defrauded, gives half of his possessions to the poor. Whoever he blackmailed, he pays them back four times. 

 

For you, what is salvation?

For KUC, what is salvation?

For One Body in Christ church, what is salvation?

 

For OBIC, what is salvation? Like Zacchaeus, we receive hospitable friendship from Kowloon Union Church. We welcome each other, eat and drink at the same table. We also respond to God’s will and cooperate with God! As then-Council chair Paul Cheung said 11 years ago, we are fellows on the same path! We share the conviction that the savior Jesus Christ that we believe in walks with the weak and the humble! We feel joyous and grateful. Our English name is One Body in Christ, but our Chinese name is Jung Lok, meaning everyone is joyful.  

We are also healed. Among the brothers and sisters in our congregation are sexual minorities and those recovering from mental illnesses. They were excluded from church. God loves the world, but the church didn’t welcome them. Now, we are all called sons and daughters of God, we’re no longer outsiders but recipients of God’s promises! 

 

Zacchaeus is no longer corrupt. Meanwhile, due to being accepted, the brothers and sisters of OBIC no longer stays in their own inferiority, self-pity and self-deprecation. In those who come to seek help, whether in academics, career, relationships, friendships, family, life directions or physical and mental health, I see a common theme: They think they are denied, excluded, misunderstood, they feel unaccepted; sad, inferior, wronged, angry, lonely, down, forgotten or unloved. Our upbringing came with many negative energy, burdens, unfriendliness, shyness, fear. But we can now stand up and say proudly: We are a blessed sinner!     

 

Through the story of Zacchaeus in the scripture today, we reflect on ourselves to see if we constantly think of ourselves as righteous and holy. May we all become blessed sinners and receive salvation! Today salvation has come to KUC and OBIC!  

 

I would like to end by sharing 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. 12 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

A sermon preached at Kowloon Union Church on 16 October 2022, by Rev. Phyllis Wong. The scripture readings that day were Psalm 121, 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5, Luke 18:1-8.

Persistence Through Faith

Dear God,

 

Thank you for the Word you have given us. Thank you for your love revealed in Jesus Christ. Thank you for the Spirit to empower us.

 

Open our heart to receive your Word of Life and Love. May you transform us to be more like Christ. Amen!  

 

***

Tong just shared with our children the importance of persistence. Persistence to learn and practice with hard work make success possible. 

 

The parable on the unjust judge and persistent widow demonstrated the importance of persistence. 

 

But is it true that if people persist they will get what they want and demand like the widow in the parable?

 

Apparently, in the world we are living in does not always work in this way.

 

Some people who prayed hard for healing and tried many different ways to cure their illness and yet still suffered and died at the end. 

 

There have been people persistently pursuing democracy, social justice and human rights all their lives who were arrested and jailed in their old age.

 

On persistence, I have a point to make -  a person who persists to approach and date someone he or she wishes to develop a relationship but if that behaviour is considered as unwelcome, it could be a nuisance and regarded as sexual harassment.  

 

Persistence therefore as a good quality is not just about what you are doing and practicing to achieve some skills and a goal in life. 

 

In the scripture reading today - the parable of an unjust judge and widow from Luke 18, was mentioned as a kind of encouragement to the followers of Jesus and early church community. And yet we have to be very careful and mindful to read the text with good understanding of the context.  We cannot use and interpret the scriptures to our convenience or simply use them to justify our behaviour and actions for our own personal interests and for our own ego without awareness. 

 

How do we then reconcile God promises to grant justice but on earth we have witnessed so many injustices and senseless violence against the innocent and people of righteousness? 

 

Before Jesus shared the parable about the unjust judge and the persistent widow, right at the beginning 18:1 “Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart.” 

Jesus was using the parable to illustrate his teaching and encouragement to his followers.

 

Jesus was in fact very aware of the sentiment of the people and his followers in his time.

 

Before we read the parable in Luke 18, we need to first of all be clear what had been mentioned in Luke 17 that leads Jesus to say all these in chapter 18. 

 

From Luke 17, the Kingdom of God was shared:

 

·      17:20 Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming

·      17: 25 He foretold his suffering “But first he must endure much suffering and be rejected by this generation.”

·      Jesus was giving them warning about suffering and uncertainty in life, not only he himself going was to suffer but also those who had decided to follow him and seek the Kingdom of God.  

 

Jesus knew that following his footsteps and advancing the Kingdom of God is never an easy path. The parable Jesus told his disciples was used to encourage those who were truly following him the importance of praying and not to lose heart.

 

After Jesus finished the parable on the unjust judge granting the widow justice because the judge did not want to be bothered anymore by this woman, he concluded with these in 18: 7 & 8 and here I read : 18:7 And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them?

18:8 I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"

 

Jesus was in a way comparing God with the unjust judge. Even the unjust judge granted the persistent widow justice, the God that loved his chosen ones who were crying to him day and night for justice would definitely help them.

 

But in his last sentence, Jesus put it in a question by asking -  “and yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” The key message here is God has promised to offer justice to his chosen people, his followers. And yet, do they believe? Do they have this faith? Will they keep praying without losing their hearts? 

 

Persistence through faith is the key message from the parable.

 

What is the faith Jesus is referring to?

 

Suffering is part of life in the world we are living. Jesus encouraged us to overcome fear, pains and sorrow of rejections. And to accept suffering and pains in life. We all agree suffering is not pleasant at all. Therefore, we should never justify suffering especially unjust suffering due to corrupt power.   But if it comes in our life and in certain circumstances, we just take it without resistance. Like Jesus, he did not want to die on the cross and yet he surrendered to God. He took up the cup of suffering and sacrificed for God’s sake to bring salvation to the world out of love.

 

Jesus died and yet he rose again from the death revealed the Truth of even though there is suffering, pain, and even death, those who believe in God the eternal and follow Jesus Christ who has revealed God’s presence on earth, do not lose their hearts to persist in seeking Life, Freedom, Justice and Peace, all these qualities are found in the Kingdom of God. 

 

Persistence through faith requires of us to accept all things that happened, good or bad. 

 

St Paul through his letter to early church - 2 Timothy 4,  another lectionary reading of this morning shared words of encouragement:

4:2 proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching.

 

St Paul reminded Christ followers and early church community to say yes to all life circumstances. He encouraged believers to be equipped for every good work in the presence of God and in the Kingdom brought by Jesus Christ to proclaim the message – the gospel message of God.

 

Persistence through faith – it requires of us to affirm our faith and trust in Christ Jesus who has given the righteous spiritual power and strength to overcome everything. 

 

Jesus Christ, Godself came to the world in human flesh to fully identify with humanity and experience life, suffering and death to the fullest! This has been the most remarkable, powerful and beautiful element in Christian faith. 

 

While the Word from the ancient texts have given us some insights on persistence through faith in Christ, I would like to share what I see from our contemporary world, that have inspired me to understand what persistence through faith in seeking the Kingdom of God.

 

The parable of the unjust judge and the widow had led me to remember many civil rights advocates who have been jailed in prisons. I can imagine lives in prisons are very difficult. And yet I heard news like a few became Christians and received baptism. Faith in Christ has helped them a lot. Trust in God and faith in Christ have kept many of them strong in spirit and instill in them hope. One former LegCo member did a lot of reflection by writing when he was in prison. His faith and personal experience have kept him continue to devote his time to serve those in prisons even after he was released from jail. He identifies himself as a channel to connect friends in prisons and the world outside. He said his mere presence means something. He said the biblical verse of Matthew 25:36 served as his core faith for his action - “I need clothes and you clothed me. I was sick and you looked after me. I was in prison and you came to visit me.” When this former LegCo member is doing this humble service out of compassionate love and solidarity with the lonely and the persecuted, God’s blessing and the light of Christ is shined upon the righteous through him. 

 

I have also heard touching story like these civil rights advocates tried to do meaningful things inside the prisons like teaching some innates English or simply listening to their story and demonstrating care. You know there are many very well-educated professionals and intellectuals put in prisons right now in HK. 

 

A few months ago, Carl has presented a documentary he made related to migrant workers from the Philippines who have been persistently seeking human rights for the people in their country. In Burma, in Russia, in Iran and in many different parts of the world, we have witnessed thousands and thousands of courageous people continue to seek for justice, freedom and common good by paying great personal cost. On the one hand I feel very sad. On the other hand, these people have demonstrated what persistence through faith all about. 

 

That is the source of our hope and strength! In their persistence with strong faith to serve others and for common good, I see Christ in them. I see God’s Kingdom in them.

 

Yes, on earth there is injustice. Yes, on earth there are unjust people in influential positions like the unjust judge.

 

For common good, it is indeed important to preserve justice by taking concrete actions creatively according to the social-political circumstance of the society we are living in. However, as people of faith, our ultimate goal is not to seek justice from earthly unjust system and unjust people. It is because justice cannot be found there. 

 

For people of faith, we are here on earth to live out the Kingdom of God.  

 

When Jesus was asked where is the Kingdom of God? 

 

He answered – “It is right here in our heart and amongst us!” (Luke 17:20) 

 

In Beatitudes, taken from Matthew 5:10. It also tells us - Where and what is the Kingdom of God?

 

 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”

 

The persecuted for the sake of righteousness have revealed to us what is the Kingdom of God and what is persistence through faith all about.

 

Glory be to God and all who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness. Amen!