Seeking Grace

Luke 19:1-10

Once there was a Polish man who climbed a tree to avoid paying the taxi fare. The angry taxi driver pursued this man. The man was on a tall tree. The taxi driver called the police, the police called the fire department, then a police psychologist, and the crowd gathered to watch this event. Finally, they took the man down, and you know what, it cost him $4300 to pay for all these service men and women. His cab fee was nothing compared to this amount!

Lately, for almost a year some tree lovers have been climbing trees in UC Berkeley. Why? The university administration wants to cut these trees to do some construction. The environmentalists are against it. Therefore, some people have been living on those trees for about a year! Last week the judge ruled all tree-sitters to be removed from the trees.

Well, two thousand years ago a similar unusual event happened. A man called Zacchaeus climbed a tree. It is an unusual event to see a man in his position climb a tree. How many bank CEO’s have you seen climbing a tree lately except the previous stories that I told you? It would be ridiculous to see a man like Zacchaeus, a tax collector, climb a tree.

Why did Zacchaeus decide to do that unusual act, an unorthodox move in his successful life? After all, he was a successful businessman.

Let me draw to you the context of those days. Jericho was a wealthy important town. It was called the “City of Palms.” It had a forest of palm trees. Josephus, the famous Roman historian called this city a “divine region,” “a fattest in Palestine.” The Romans exported the dates all over the world. A very prominent place to collect taxes.

To be a tax collector those days was similar to being an Arabic – English language translator for the US troops in Iraq these days. Jews did not appreciate the fact that they lived under the Roman occupation. Moreover, they did not appreciate that Romans were collecting taxes. And to find a Jew working for the Romans was not welcomed at all.

Three things would happen to a man became a tax collector.

1- His family would disown him

2- He was not allowed to worship in the synagogue

3 -He was looked down as a murderer.

He was a successful businessman, yet alienated from the society.

Do you know anyone who is in this condition? Maybe you feel that way yourself. You have everything, but you feel something is missing. In fact, in the US and Europe one can find more people living a better life financially, yet they are not content.

When I was in Switzerland for Not Yerk concerts, I met so many social workers and pastors. You will be surprised to find many young people were depressed. You will be surprised to find many institutions for rehabilitation from drugs or alcohol. I was surprised to find that half of the people I met are either counselors or psychologists helping the youth.

There are many who are seeking a meaning in life. Financial success is not contentment. It satisfies some hunger, but does not provide real contentment. Here we find a man who is seeking Jesus wholeheartedly.

He is short, and he wants to see him. Not just seeing, but he wants to meet Jesus. There is something different in this man. “Tall” individuals are blocking his view. Zacchaeus knows that people hate him. He knows he is not loved. Everyone judges him. He has heard about Jesus. He has heard that this Rabbi forgives sinners.

This is an important point in Zacchaeus’ story. I think Zacchaeus seeks Jesus to find forgiveness. He is tired of individuals who lecture to him about forgiveness. He is tired of hearing how bad a person he is. Zacchaeus comes to Jesus because he has heard that the Master receives adulterers, publicans, blind people, the outcast of the society. He comes because he finds an outpouring GRACE coming from this Master.

How did Jesus react?

We will continue in English sermon.