Out on a limb . . . for a man up a tree

Out on a Limb .  .  .  for a man up a tree

RUMC 10/31/10

Zacchaeus was a wee little man and a wee little man was he. 

He climbed up in the sycamore tree for the Lord he wanted to see. 

And as the Savior passed his way, He looked up in the tree, and said, "ZACCHAEUS, YOU COME DOWN, for I'm going to your house today

 for I'm going to your house today.  "

I decided to sing that today for three reasons

·        First, it got your undivided attention. 

·        Second, for once you were glad when I started preaching, because you knew it meant I was done singing. 

·        Third, you all know who I am talking about today. 

What you might not remember form that little Sunday School ditty is that Zachaeus was not just short in stature; he was short on friends, short of ethics, and short of respect. 

Remember I told you last week that the people of Jesus day considered Roman tax collectors to be criminals and traitors.  That might even be a little mild for Zachaeus because he was not just a tax collector.  He was the Chief Tax Collector!!!  Roman taxation was a franchise business allowing some to become owners of a territory.  The more they collected – the more they made and the chief tax collector took the most – he was the fat cat, head honcho!  Most of the village hated this little man.  The wee little man was a social pariah.  People wouldn’t even want to walk on the same side of the street as him.  It wouldn’t be too strong to say that people loathed him.  Every day they would have to hand over their hard-earned cash to him and he would see the hatred in their eyes.  As far as they were concerned, Zacchaeus had sold his soul for money!  The fact that he was a Jew, but tossed that aside to line his own pockets was the worst thing he could do.  He was making hard lives harder – and taking far more than was owed.  They knew it, and knew there was little they could do about it.  As far as they were concerned he was dead, irredeemable, beyond hope.  They’d written him off!

There were who were considered “untouchable” – barbers, tanners, shepherds;

there were those who were considered  “immoral” – prostitutes, adulterers, gamblers, and murderers.  Atop of the list of the worst of the worst were tax collectors. 

Tradition taught that the presence of a tax collector in any house, made the food, and the premises unclean.  You cannot redeem a germ after all.  In addition, repentance for tax collectors was out of the question.  Ironically, the name Zacchaeus means “clean and innocent!”  That must have lead to many cruel jokes at his expense. 

I can understand why he chose that job though.  If I were short instead of merely vertically challenged.  .  .  If I were short and had been subject to all the short jokes in school, and all the teasing- you know: "Hey, I heard that Zacchaeus was studying to be a rabbi.  Well at least all his sermons will be short.  "  ”Stand up Zachaeus,  No I mean really stand up!”  “I guess you’ll never have to worry about hitting your head on a ceiling fan.  ”  “Can I get a booster seat for you Zachaeus?  ”  If I had listened to all those jokes for all those years, I might want a job where I could get revenge too.  And that's what he did.  As tax collector, he had all the power of Rome behind him.  Those who teased him when he was young now trembled when he knocked on their doors.  To those who handed him insults, he now handed bills.  Those who once laughed at him now addressed him with respect: "Yes, Mr.  Zacchaeus.  No, Mr.  Zacchaeus.  Good day, Mr.  Zacchaeus.  "

He got a job where he could be the bully for once.  In addition, he enjoyed it.  He enjoyed the power.  He enjoyed the money.  He enjoyed all the things he could get with the money. 

Because of his career choice, however, you can imagine that Zachaeus was he was short on friends, short of ethics, and short of respect.  He made choices that had him up in a tree so to speak.  He alienated the whole territory.  He was lonely.  He was empty inside.  He craved something.  (I’m speculating of course, but it certainly seems possible that he felt trapped by his own choices and his desire to see Jesus may have been a deep desire for something more; something all is money could not buy.  )

Therefore, he climbed up in the tree. 

What happened next stunned everyone – Zacchaeus included.  Jesus invited himself for lunch!  We love this though don’t we?  !  We love the thought of the underdog coming out on top; we love the idea that Jesus reached out to someone like Zacchaeus – the outcast – the untouchable.  “That’s right!” we want to shout!  Because we love the end of this story.  We love the fact that Zacchaeus did one of the most monumental ‘U’ turns recorded in the Bible. This greedy lifelong extortionist was transformed into a magnanimous philanthropist.  Someone who was extraordinarily greedy became someone who was extraordinarily generous.  Nevertheless, if we are not careful we may miss the point completely. 

Think about the crowd there that day.  Moments earlier they were cheering Jesus – now they are angry and hostile! Jesus wants to have lunch with a traitor!  Zacchaeus is the wrong kind of person.  When Jesus invites himself to Zacchaeus’s house no-  one knows how this story will end.  Jesus took a huge risk.  Many people there would have said it was scandalous behavior.  To sit at a table with someone was to share intimacy - how could you share intimacy with an unrepentant chief tax collector?  The expectation of the crowd would have been that Jesus treat Zacchaeus as everyone else did. 

But he didn’t.  Jesus went out on a limb for Zachaeus.  Jesus was a preacher and if he had an SPRC, I’m pretty sure there would have been an emergency meeting that day.  There had to be many unhappy people who thought they were more deserving of Jesus’ company than that old snake Zachaeus. 

Jesus really took a chance by even associating with Zachaeus, let alone eating with him.  Jesus really went out on a limb here for the wee little man who, by his own doing, found himself up a tree. 

We all seem to have a knack for getting ourselves into bad situations don’t we?   We have a knack for getting ourselves up a tree. 

·        People find themselves up a tree making poor choices about relationships.  Marrying a man that reminds you of your alcoholic father.  Staying in abusive relationships.  Letting the lines of communication disintegrate in a marriage.  Having children in hopes of strengthening marriages.  Giving up on a long-term relationship because it is easier than solving the problems.  Sleeping with someone who is not husband or wife.  Letting little things fester between children and parents; or between brothers and sisters.  People use friends for selfish gain, neglect aging parents for convenience, and keep their kids busy in activities so they don’t really have to parent them.  Then we wonder why we are lonely.  We have used, neglected, and argued our way up a tall, lonely tree. 

·        People find themselves up a tree because they make poor choices about careers; it is pretty common for people to select jobs for they pay.  It is not uncommon for us to change careers because the pay or benefits are better.  There is nothing wrong with considering those things.  Unless it makes you miserable, and then you feel trapped.  Some people climb their way to the top of the company ladder not caring whom they step on as long as they keep going up.  When they get to the top, they discover they have destroyed their friendships and base of support.  Pastors enter churches with the attitude that everything has to be their way.  Even if their ideas are great, they alienate the membership who are proud of their church and risk a major backlash.  We all know people who think they are entitled to a job even if they don’t have much to offer and many times don’t even show up on time.  All these people find themselves up a pretty tall tree just waving back and forth in the wind. 

·         There are people who continually make bad choices about substance abuse.  Their bodies become, weaker, their ability to say no fades into addiction, and soon relationships, jobs and actually just about all of life is a mess.  They find themselves up a tree without the inner strength to begin the long climb down. 

·        Many people find themselves up a tree financially.  Credit cards, upside-down mortgages, gambling, unpaid bills, and collection agencies are just the beginning. 

·        Parents find themselves up a tree trying to keep the family, a job, the school and 3 sports teams all balanced. 

·        Children find themselves up a tree, cornered by so-called friends who would have them make bad choices.  They feel caught between the desire for independence, and the reality of adolescence. 

·        People with mental health problems develop their tree climbing habits early, finding coping skills that are often more destructive than helpful.  Good help is hard to find, so they find themselves getting further and further out on a smaller and smaller limb until they can barely hang on with their fingertips. 

·        You can add your own tree.  Where have you lived yourself into a corner with no plan of escape, no hope for another chance, no idea what you will do next? 

Are you up some kind of tree?  What will you do? 

Let me tell you  what to do.  .  .  Watch for Jesus.  You have already done enough damage to your life and those around you.  You have already climbed far enough up the ladder of self-inflicted ruin.  You took your best shot and look where you are.  Too high to jump and too scared, or too proud, or greedy, or addicted, or self absorbed to climb back down. 

So I say.  .  .  Hold tight and watch for Jesus.  The only hope for those who have messed up as bad as we have is Jesus.  The only way down from our tree is if someone will go out on a limb for us.  The good news is that Jesus will do just that. 

Go to God in prayer in the name of Jesus Christ and there we find hope, there we find power, there we find the promise that God is already looking for us.  There we will hear.  .  .  __________  come down from there, for I’m going to your house today.  ((x 2-3))

Zachaeus could not have known what we know today.  That shortly after Jesus went out on a limb for him; Jesus went out on a limb for all of humanity, a limb we call the cross that sat atop a hill called Calvary. 

He took a chance going out on a limb for the lowest of the low. 

Jesus took a chance going out on a limb for those who have messed up relationships and careers. 

Jesus took a chance, going out on a limb for those who make bad choices about substance use and finances. 

Jesus went out on a limb for parents and children. 

Jesus went out on a limb for the mentally and physically ill. 

Furthermore--- and this will blow your hat off---  Jesus went out on a limb for you and me. 

Jesus went up that tree, out on the limb so we could be freed from the traps we have created by all of our sin-induced decisions. 

Jesus went up that tree out on the limb and died right there, for little people like Zachaeus, and me and you. 

Jesus calls your name today.  Not to invite himself to your house for dinner, though that would be cool and if that happens, I hope you would invite me too. 

No, Jesus calls your name today to make his home in your heart. 

And the next move is yours. 

·        Scramble further up the tree I hopes of hiding? 

·        Open up the door and let the master make himself at home in your heart. 

for I'm coming to your heart today; for I'm coming to your heart today.  "