By Such Stripes Are We Healed
by Jack Shaver
©The United Church of Canada, 1985
All Rights Reserved
ISBN 0-88622-196-X
7M/12/85/APL
Used with Permission
Tuesday
Keeping the right company
Luke 19: 1-10
In two previous reflections we dealt with what came to be a central biblical theme - that God has a special interest in the poor, the powerless, the imprisoned and the victims of injustice. In Matthew's parable (Matthew 25: 31-46) Christ is identified with the least. When we neglect to serve these, we neglect to serve Jesus Christ.
I am not sure we are very convinced of this; that is, I am not sure we live very much of the time as if we believed it were true. But I think most of us would agree that God's identification with the least is a fine, noble notion.
Today's story presents us with an identification of a different quality. A great many of the good people of Jesus' day did not approve of this identification whatsoever. I am sure most of us can appreciate their disapproval.
The publicans of Jesus' time were an alienated class of people throughout the Roman empire. Members of the conquered peoples, they collected taxes for the occupying power. They had the protection of the army of occupation. They were required to deliver a stated amount to the imperial power and anything they collected over and above constituted their remuneration. The ceiling was whatever they could get away with. It takes little imagination to picture the relationship between these publicans and their compatriots. The Gospel records repeat a phrase that must have been in common use - "publicans and sinners ".
- Zacchaeus was one of these publicans. He was also short. In a crowd he would have no chance of getting into a position where he could size up Jesus. So he climbed a tree. Jesus addressed him in what Zacchaeus thought was his safe perch
"Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for I must stay at your house today." We know the story has a happy ending. Zacchaeus received Jesus joyfully, unloaded his ill-gotten gains and gave half his wealth to the poor. Jesus said of him, "Today, salvation has come to this house." Accompanying that outcome is another scene: - And when they saw it they all murmured, "He has gone to be the
guest of a man who is a sinner." - Jesus could not befriend this despised one without becoming tainted. Yet it was this identification with publicans and sinners that proved to be a main factor in alienating Jesus from the community leaders. It was a big factor in his rejection.
That God is identified with sinners is a shattering notion.- It will always be news.
- But it is the only news that is adequate to heal.
Confession
Gracious God,
we are coming before you to ask your forgiveness.
There is not other way for us to be born again.
There is no other way we can get to be somebody without damage to
others.
There is no other way for us to accept our true selves.
There is no other way we can be responsible for anything without
destroying it.
There is no other way we can love without danger to our loved ones.
There is no other way we can defeat the hosts of hell.
There is no other way for us to be reconciled to you in whom is life eternal.
We bring our lives,- the way they are lived and
what they are lived for, to you to be forgiven. - For it is as forgiven sinners that we are safe and right.
It is as forgiven sinners that we are given to each other .
It is as forgiven sinners that we are entrusted with your ministry of
reconciliation.
Amen