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.