November 2017
A Message from Tim "I Must Stay in Your House Today" In Luke 19:1-10 is the story of Jesus encountering a chief tax collector named Zacchaeus. As Jesus was passing through Jericho, with crowds rejoicing that Jesus had healed a blind man, Zacchaeus wanted to see him. There is irony in that Luke tells us first about Jesus healing a beggar who was blind, then Luke tells us about a rich man who could not see. Being small in stature, Zacchaeus "ran ahead" to the place where Jesus was going to pass. He climbed a sycamore tree in order to see over the crowds. It is not coincidental that a sycamore tree happened to be where Jesus was going to pass. In that region, sycamore trees are a fruit tree with something like a fig or a mulberry. In the Book of Amos 7:14, we are told that the prophet Amos cared for sycamore trees in addition to being a shepherd. The care for a sycamore tree was the work of the poor, but also the harvest for the poor. Jesus was going to go through the section where the poor were sure to be gathered. It is there where wealthy chief tax collector Zacchaeus climbed the tree whose fruit fed the poor, and by which Jesus was walking. That is where Zacchaeus first encountered Jesus. Interestingly, it is Jesus who first sees Zacchaeus. Jesus said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry come down." Then came the words of Jesus, right in the middle of the story, "For I MUST stay in your house today." Not tomorrow, not yesterday. Today. A decision had to be made. And the crowds who had cheered his healing of the blind man just a few minutes earlier, now complained that Jesus was daring to enter the house of a tax collector. Despite the grumbling, Zacchaeus hurried down in obedience to Jesus. He joyfully welcomed him into his house. After an encounter with Jesus, Zacchaeus confessed that he had done wrong and vowed to repent and to make amends. He would give half of his belongings to the poor, and repay fourfold anyone he had defrauded. In matters of restitution, the law required a person to give one fifth of the value in addition, or twenty percent extra. Zacchaeus was promising four hundred percent! Zacchaeus was changed in the presence of Christ. Perhaps for the first time, he truly began to see. He gave generously, he repented, and he made amends. The lives of the poor, like the recently healed beggar, were immediately improved. May we all respond to the call of Christ to welcome him into our home. Today. And as we prepare for Thanksgiving and the Holy Season, may we demonstrate our changed lives with kindness to the poor, with repentance of wrongdoing, and giving with selfless generosity. Other lives count on it. So does Jesus.
Community Thanksgiving Service Join us as we gather together with our neighbors, Germantown Presbyterian and St. George’s Episcopal, for Thanksgiving worship on Tuesday night, November 21. Service begins at 7:00 p.m. at Germantown UMC.