Salvation in the House

Rev. Todd R. Lattig

FRESH START • Sermon • Submitted a year ago

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A bold act of inclusion changed the life of Zacchaeus the tax collector as well as the whole community. How many lives can we transform if we really devote ourselves to inclusion? A fresh start requires being open to Jesus’ invitation to us as well as to those who are not valued in our community – the outcasts or the marginalized.

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Scripture Passage

Luke 19:1–10 (NLT)

1 Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. 3 He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.” 6 Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. 7 But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled. 8 Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!” 9 Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

Focus Statement

A bold act of inclusion changed the life of Zacchaeus the tax collector

as well as the whole community.

How many lives can we transform if we really devote ourselves to inclusion?

A fresh start requires being open to Jesus’ invitation to us

as well as to those who are not valued in our community –

the outcasts or the marginalized.

Point of Relation

I have been watching the show Friday Night Lights as of recently, which is a great drama centered on Football but is not at all solely about football.

Really it is about life.

In the show, there’s this one kid Landry who is your stereotypical Geek or Nerd.

It is obvious he has never probably ever had a girlfriend, and he so desperately wants to be seen as cool, especially when his friend Matt Saracen gets the QB1 position, meaning he’s now the starting QB and becoming more and more popular.

And, of course, despite that nobody really notices Landry and if they do, they think he’s a joke.

Without giving too much away, there’s this girl named Tyra who he has a major crush on.

Yet she won’t even look at him let alone talk to him…he’ s just that annoying Geek or Nerd who has absolutely no chance with her.

Even after circumstances, such as having to tutor her, bring them closer together and she secretly comes to really like him...

There is no way she will be seen with him in any sort of romantic sense because of the reputation she has and the image she was to keep.

Peer pressure can certainly cause people to do the wrong thing, even when it is against what their hearts really want or desire.

Landry wants nothing more than to have a FRESH START from his nerdy reputation, but not even joining the football team seems to help much in that regard.

And Tyra, well, she won’t really give him (at least not up to where I am in the show) a FRESH START either.

Things to Consider

In our culture(s) and even congregations,

there are various groups of people who, like tax collectors,

have a reputation for doing injustices to the community.

(Sometimes, the church has this reputation in the broader world too.)

Who would our community resist giving a fresh start to?

Even within one church/community,

if there is division along particular issues or lines,

this question might be answered differently depending on who is being asked!

What Scripture Says

First, let me say that it was a bold act for Jesus to calling on Zacchaeus and choose him as host.

In the ancient world, who you had a meal with meant something.

Jesus did not give in to community pressure not to engage Zaccheus, an outcast for good reason...

Tax Collectors were collecting taxes against their own people, the Jews, for the Roman Empire.

What’s more, they were collecting more than what was owed to Rome in order to make a profit off of it.

So, they were paid employees who were stealing more by raising the taxes that were actually owed.

Again, even though Zacchaeus was Jewish by birth,

his job as a tax collector led to his rejection by the community because tax collectors worked for the ruling Roman empire

and so were seen as cheaters/betrayers.

But as chief tax collector, Zacchaeus was seen as an even worse offender.

So yeah, the community is upset at Jesus’ actions and they “grumbled” as it says in verse 7.

Next, the encounter with Jesus changes Zacchaeus.

It not only offers him new life, “salvation,”

but a restored relationship in the community.

(Perhaps more accurately, restored relationship is part of what salvation is).

In seeing Zacchaeus as more than just a tax collector, as a son of Abraham, like the rest of the community,

Jesus sees him as a human being with worth in God’s eyes.

This interaction leads to accountability and Zaccheus’ repentance, followed up with justice.

Not only Zaccheus, but also the community is restored through these acts of reconciliation.

A fresh start with Jesus has an impact on many.

Finally, Jesus says that he, “came to seek out and save the lost,” (v. 10).

In the case of Zacchaeus, that was someone who was seen as a bully or traitor in the community.

Often, Christians are comfortable with the idea that Jesus saves “the lost” who belong to certain categories (e.g., “poor,” “homeless”).

But this passage challenges us to see and understand “the lost” as including even those who have sinned against us,

who have harmed our communities, or who we consider ‘enemies’.

This radical inclusion of the “lost” or the “sinner” is not the same as accepting or condoning the harm they’ve committed,

but it does mean extending hospitality, seeing them as people, as opening the door for repentance, justice, and reconciliation.

What This Means for You

Jesus invites us into fresh starts that will change us and that ultimately can restore the communities to which we belong.

I want to remind you that Jesus offers all people relationship right where they are.

Do you hear Jesus’ invitation in your own life?

Are you willing to trust that Jesus invites others too?

I want to Invite you all to consider who you would not invite to your dinner table.

How can you begin to interact with those you might see as unworthy of a fresh start

(e.g., a neighbor, family member, or even politician)?

What This Means for Us

Jesus offers a fresh start to everyone today.

As the body of Christ, how will we be used to invite others to see the fresh start God has in store for them?

For instance, as a church, how can we show people that we are a community that offers God’s fresh start to them?

Where in the community do we need to be to do that?

We could take time out of our day to help out at Treasures or Manna House...

But those are obvious ministries...

We could also give people rides who are otherwise unable to come to worship with us.

We could visit or call people who are in need of company or a friendly voice.

We could show up at town hall meetings and advocate for the least of these in our community.

There are so many different ways for people to know who we are.

Make this a challenge for yourselves – really consider it and be bold!

Amen? Amen.

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