Zacchaeus: When Salvation Comes

 Scripture: All Saints Sunday Scripture

For Pentecost 21C:

Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4 and Psalm 119:137-144  • 

 

Isaiah 1:10-18 and Psalm 32:1-7  • 

 

2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12  • 

 

Luke 19:1-10

We have the latitude of celebrating All-Saints this Sunday, or following the Lectionary in the 21st Sunday after Pentecost.

In "Dead Sinners: Revised and Edited," The Rev. Cannon Frank Logue explores what makes a saint. 

Tamara Plummer expounds upon the All Saints gospel of Jesus' telling one to turn the other cheek when struck in " Paradox."

In "When Salvation Comes," Debie Thomas takes us on a journey with Jesus as he encounters the tax collector, Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus wants to see Jesus from his perch in  sycamore tree. He is delighted to be seen by Jesus. Jesus tells Zacchaeus that he wants to go to Zacchaeus' home. That day, Jesus announced that salvation has come to his house. How can salvation come to our homes? Do we want to be seen by Jesus? Does he see us? What does he see? How do we see others? Do we want salvation to come to our homes?

In "Zacchaeus: The Tale of a Tax Collector ," Dan Clendenin examines the Greek syntax and discusses two different interpretations of Zacchaeus' response to Jesus' calling. What is our response?

Self Righteous Judgment

 Scripture: 

• Joel 2:23-32 and Psalm 65  • 
 
• Sirach 35:12-17 or Jeremiah 14:7-10, 19-22 and Psalm 84:1-7  • 
 
• 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18  • 
 
• Luke 18:9-14

The last few weeks we have considered lessons in "faith living." We have read and discussed scripture and articles which have provided things to consider in living out the gospel innately, so that it becomes so much a part of us that we manifest God's presence and love.

Some of the lessons we have learned are: (1) keep it simple, and go about our work and what is expected of us, with our "hand to the plow" - the reward will come; (2) go about our work with a spirit of humble and joyous thanks and praise for God's gift of a present hope and blessing; (3) and, as we considered last week, the lesson of keeping our faith through persistent prayerful relationship with God, which builds trust and assurance that God's will will be done in God's good time, and God's purpose for us will be fulfilled.

Last week we considered Jesus' parable of the unjust judge. This week, the next lesson in "faith living" concerns our judgment of others, and the trap of being self righteous in the process. What are the consequences? In our judgment of others how can we avoid being self righteous?

Consider Bruce Maples' article "Seeing Others as Zeros," The Rev. Joseph Pagano's Modern Day Donatism and the Church  and The Ven. Irene Maliaman's  Sinners

Persistent Faith

 Scripture: Jeremiah 31:27-34 and Psalm 119:97-104  •  Genesis 32:22-31 and Psalm 121  •  2 Timothy 3:14-4:5  •  Luke 18:1-8

 This week Jesus continues "faith lessons" with a story of a widow who persists in calling on the unjust judge who gives her justice so she won't wear him out by continually calling on him. Jesus tells us how much quicker God will grant justice to those who call on him day and night.

We have had a series of lessons about faith the last few weeks. I have often thought how we can carry out God's call to us, to live in discipleship without having to think about it, or rationalize it, so that it is such an innate part of us, that God's compassion, love, mercy and justice are manifest in and through us in all we say or do.

Two weeks ago, part of that answer was given - keep it simple, like servants who know what is expected of them, and continue to work without regard for the reward. Last week, we were told to go on living our lives joyously, in thankfulness and praise, and not let the opportunity to hear God's call slip by, even in the midst of crisis, uncertainty - even in exile, and even when we need an exodus. 

The Rev. Lucy Strandlund, in " Telling the Story," gives us food for thought as she invokes the faith which is handed down through generations, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit in her homily from Paul's second letter to Timothy.

This third step of faith enabling us to act out God's love and faith innately, without a second thought, is praying and building a relationship with God which results in trust, and gives us hope that God's will be done in God's time. 

Through all of this, Jesus tells us "Your faith has made you whole."

Thankfulness

 Scripture: Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7 and Psalm 66:1-12  •  2 Kings 5:1-3, 7-15c and Psalm 111  •  2 Timothy 2:8-15  •  Luke 17:11-19

In this week's gospel Jesus heals ten lepers, outcasts living in isolation who cry out "Unclean!" to passers by, and who seek Jesus' healing. In "A Foreigner's Praise," Debie Thomas tells us that this story is much more than just thankfulness. Why did the one return to give thanks to Jesus, and the others didn't? What was missing in the leper's life? In our lives? What does it take to find what matters most? To be healed? To get on with our lives? How does this affect others we commune with, associate with, who we see as others or foreigners, who we include and exclude? Who of us misses the mark (ἁμαρτία - the Greek word for "sin")? Who is worthy of healing, love, forgiveness, acceptance? What stands in the way?

Talk about thankfulness! Read Dan Clendenin's  

beautiful "The Lord is Your Keeper," remembering the birth of his granddaughter. Give thanks.

What is faith?

 Scripture link.

What did Jesus just say? He's at it again. In Luke's gospel we have considered some hard stories to hear. Squandering, philandering sons, dishonest managers and beggars getting rewards! And this week, hard working slaves are told to come to the table only after they have finished their work, and rather than to expect to be commended for their work, they are to say "We have only done what we ought to have done!"

As Christopher Burkett says, it is no wonder the disciples said to Jesus, "Increase our faith!" What is the point of these parables? Consider The Rev. Rick Morley's "keeping it simple -  a reflection on Luke 17:5-10"; and Christopher Burkett's "Love bade me welcome." 

What is it to have faith? What does Jesus mean in his response to the disciples plea to oncrease their faith? Read  Debie Thomas' "If You Have Faith."

Getting real

 Scripture: Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15 and Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16  •  Amos 6:1a, 4-7 and Psalm 146  •  1 Timothy 6:6-19  •  Luke 16:19-31

This Sunday's lesson follows Jesus' teaching concerning serving wealth and serving God, and gives us his  story of the rich man, unnamed and living behind the gate, who dies and goes to his eternal torment, having failed to see Lazarus in his poverty and unhealthy squalor.  One the one hand, reading this along with the words of the prophet Amos, and the appointed Psalms, this is another indictment of the distance and problems we have when we foster the widening chasm between the "haves and the have nots."

But, as in all of Jesus' parables, there is so much more. The rich man is unnamed, while Lazarus has a name. The rich man has buffered himself from noticing Lazarus and his condition. Don't we do the same as we bury ourselves in our cellphones, social media, and become engulfed in the world created by talking heads with all their theories and opinions on everything, some creating fantasies and conspiracies that defy reality and even common sense? 

Jesus is telling us to get real. To see as God sees. To truly "take hold of the life that really is  life." Do yourself a favor and read the words of Paul to Timothy in the link above,  and Joslyn Ogden Schaefer's "Real Life." And take hold of the fulfillment of  the life that really is life.

Wealth and Serving God

 Scripture:

Jeremiah 8:18-9:1 and Psalm 79:1-9  • 

 

Amos 8:4-7 and Psalm 113  • 

 

1 Timothy 2:1-7  • 

 

Luke 16:1-13

This week Jesus gives his disciples the parable of the dishonest manager. Scholars, preachers and teachers have a myriad of difficulties with this text. Why did the master of the dishonest manager commend him? Some say it has to do with being shrewd in times when shrewdness is needed. What if the dishonest manager is otherwise a good husband, father, or mother? Are we to write the person off as a bad person? What about the teaching that one who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest in much? Or, the flip side, one who is faithful in a very little is faithful in much? How do we reconcile these teachings? How are we reconciled in conflicts within ourselves, and with others? Humans are complex, not just simply one thing or another.

What about forgiveness? Can one serve both wealth and God?  

Consider Debie Thomas' honest grappling with this Sunday's gospel in "Notes to the Children of Light."

The Rev. Marshall A. Jolly in "Shrewdness," calls attention to our tendency to label people, saying, " We have labels...: a person who commits a crime ceases to be a person and instead becomes a criminal or an inmate. A person who enters the country illegally is reduced to an illegal immigrant. A person caught in the cycle of addiction disintegrates into the lexicon of addict or user or pill head. The language we use to refer to people whose behavior we find morally or ethically objectionable betrays us. They become something less than a person; something unworthy or unfit for our care and concern." Words matter.  How often do the rich blame the poor for their poverty? How often do we blame the victim? For a comprehensive look at Jesus' parable see Dan Clendenin's "Lovers of Money"