Friday, July 25, 2014
Shorty makes a save
Today, my daily devotional took me to Luke 19, the story of Zacchaeus.
I've always been a fan of Zacchaeus, and this story's always been one of my favorites. I'm short, so for those of us who are vertically challenged, Zacchaeus is kind of our Biblical superhero. He had to climb a tree to see Jesus for cryin' out loud. There are, however, a lot of good insights from this story.
Those of us who have been "churched" our entire lives know this story well... Jesus comes to Jericho, there are large crowds around him, Zach can't see over the crowds so he climbs into a Sycamore tree to see Jesus. The Lord sees him, tells him to come down for he's going to his house. The old Sunday School song goes:
"Zacchaeus was a wee little man
and a wee little man was he.
He climbed up in a Sycamore tree
for the Lord he wanted to see.
And as the Savior pass that way
He looked up in the tree.
ZACCHAEUS YOU COME DOWN!
For I'm going to your house for tea.
For I'm going to your house for tea."
Seriously, as little children we learned that Jesus went to Zach's house FOR TEA.
Anyway, the ACTUAL scripture says that Jesus WENT to Zach in the tree... He saw him and sought him out to invite himself over. He invited himself over to Zach's house. Can you imagine his wife's reaction... "Hi honey, I'm home and I've brought the Lord with me... FOR TEA" "Zach, again you bring someone home? The kids' dradles are everywhere and we have no tea, or clean dishes, the donkey had a baby today so we don't even have fresh water, and I haven't even brushed my hair... tell him to come back tomorrow..."
But, Zach welcomed Jesus not only openly, but with excitement.
Last weekend my hometown had a big festival called "Pig & Whiskey" where lots of local BBQ places set up tents and fill the city with the smells of delicious BBQ. The local bars set up tents to sell delicious beer and whiskey along side them. It's a reveler's delight and a really fun time with bands and more. I was leaving the festival as a young evangelical preacher was starting to preach on a milkcrate he set up for himself complete with a battery powered portable P.A System.
Not far from the preacher a dude let an F-bomb fly. Not uncommon really, my town is a liberal little suburb - the hip, trendy, gay friendly burb with lots of overall good things going on. So the preacher guy immediately begins his preaching by laying into this dude for swearing in public, how ungodly of this guy to swear in public. He must be going to Hell, whoa to him and all like him. I'm sure you can imagine how effective the preacher was at sharing the love of Christ that day.
Jesus did not run over to Zach to make an example of his poor life choices, or his swindling business, or his swearing - because I'm sure a gentleman of Zach's sort probably swore like a sailor. In fact, Jesus' willing acceptance of Zach and desire to spend time with him shocked the upright community. Jesus sought him out, not to judge or chastise him, but to spend time with him... And Zach's life was changed forever and he gave to the poor and made more than right with those he had swindled.
The Lord seeks us out. He is looking for us, he wants to spend time with us and he wants to change our world for the better. He's not searching us out to judge us or convict us, he's looking to be with us - see how we are, where we are, doing what we do... we just have to be like Zach and have him over... for tea.
Today, my daily devotional took me to Luke 19, the story of Zacchaeus.
I've always been a fan of Zacchaeus, and this story's always been one of my favorites. I'm short, so for those of us who are vertically challenged, Zacchaeus is kind of our Biblical superhero. He had to climb a tree to see Jesus for cryin' out loud. There are, however, a lot of good insights from this story.
Those of us who have been "churched" our entire lives know this story well... Jesus comes to Jericho, there are large crowds around him, Zach can't see over the crowds so he climbs into a Sycamore tree to see Jesus. The Lord sees him, tells him to come down for he's going to his house. The old Sunday School song goes:
"Zacchaeus was a wee little man
and a wee little man was he.
He climbed up in a Sycamore tree
for the Lord he wanted to see.
And as the Savior pass that way
He looked up in the tree.
ZACCHAEUS YOU COME DOWN!
For I'm going to your house for tea.
For I'm going to your house for tea."
Seriously, as little children we learned that Jesus went to Zach's house FOR TEA.
Anyway, the ACTUAL scripture says that Jesus WENT to Zach in the tree... He saw him and sought him out to invite himself over. He invited himself over to Zach's house. Can you imagine his wife's reaction... "Hi honey, I'm home and I've brought the Lord with me... FOR TEA" "Zach, again you bring someone home? The kids' dradles are everywhere and we have no tea, or clean dishes, the donkey had a baby today so we don't even have fresh water, and I haven't even brushed my hair... tell him to come back tomorrow..."
But, Zach welcomed Jesus not only openly, but with excitement.
Last weekend my hometown had a big festival called "Pig & Whiskey" where lots of local BBQ places set up tents and fill the city with the smells of delicious BBQ. The local bars set up tents to sell delicious beer and whiskey along side them. It's a reveler's delight and a really fun time with bands and more. I was leaving the festival as a young evangelical preacher was starting to preach on a milkcrate he set up for himself complete with a battery powered portable P.A System.
Not far from the preacher a dude let an F-bomb fly. Not uncommon really, my town is a liberal little suburb - the hip, trendy, gay friendly burb with lots of overall good things going on. So the preacher guy immediately begins his preaching by laying into this dude for swearing in public, how ungodly of this guy to swear in public. He must be going to Hell, whoa to him and all like him. I'm sure you can imagine how effective the preacher was at sharing the love of Christ that day.
Jesus did not run over to Zach to make an example of his poor life choices, or his swindling business, or his swearing - because I'm sure a gentleman of Zach's sort probably swore like a sailor. In fact, Jesus' willing acceptance of Zach and desire to spend time with him shocked the upright community. Jesus sought him out, not to judge or chastise him, but to spend time with him... And Zach's life was changed forever and he gave to the poor and made more than right with those he had swindled.
The Lord seeks us out. He is looking for us, he wants to spend time with us and he wants to change our world for the better. He's not searching us out to judge us or convict us, he's looking to be with us - see how we are, where we are, doing what we do... we just have to be like Zach and have him over... for tea.
