Bible Text: Luke 19:1-10 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes
The average height of a woman in Canada is 5’4” or 1.6 meters. The average height of a man in Canada is 5’9” or 1.75 meters. Which means that I, at exactly 5’4”, am average. However, I have to admit that whenever we go to an event that involves standing and observing- I feel rather inadequate, or below average. Try standing and attending a concert amongst many above average people. I in fact have special concert sneakers that give me an entire extra inch and boy do they make a difference. I am also, since the death of my great-nanny, who was the tiny tenacious height of 4′, the shortest person in my family. So, you will have to excuse me if in this one particular area I feel- well less than average. If you are under 5’4”, you likely can identify with what I am saying. Only things you never use go on the top shelf. You have no problem turning to a total stranger in the same grocery aisle to ask for assistance to reach that one can. When you realize that you are taller than someone you all of a sudden think- so this is what the rest of the world feels like. It’s a whole new perspective. Sure, people will say to you, oh but good things come in small packages, sure if you were a diamond you’d be pretty special but in reality you are just you and I am just short. If you are taller than 5’4” then this sermon really isn’t for you. You can go home. Because of course today we encounter the story of Zacchaeus, that wee little man who climbed up into a sycamore tree. But then again Zacchaeus’ height, which does play a part in our story, is not the only short thing about him, so if you are above 5’4” you might as well stay to find out what happens next.
In this familiar narrative from Luke we are almost at Jerusalem, but there is one town left, Jericho. As an archaeologist I just need to mention something interesting. Jericho is a border town but it is also the oldest inhabited city in the world- to date. Archaeologists have found over 20 successive settlements dating back 11,000 years. It is unclear why, at this moment in the Gospel, Luke gives us an actual location but if one knows how close Jericho is to Jerusalem then perhaps Luke is giving a clue to the fact that Jesus has almost made it to his destination. I would like to also suppose that Luke names Jericho to give us a hint of how despised Zacchaeus is, because Luke not only names the town of Jericho but also describes Zacchaeus as the chief tax collector, that he is short and that he is rich. Nowhere else in the Gospel is someone’s height mentioned as an important detail. Being the chief tax collector in such a city would mean that a lot of people would know who he was and while he has gained a lot of money it has likely been at the expense of others. Not only would people know who he was but also, most of them would despise him. In the city of Jericho that could mean a lot of people.
Luke tells us that Zacchaeus is rich before he tells us that Zacchaeus is short. But the two are intertwined. Zacchaeus falls short of morality, falls short of being liked by his neighbours, falls short of being a righteous man, which is a little ironic since the name Zacchaeus means, righteous one. Zacchaeus falls short because he has gained wealth by defrauding others. His height is not the only thing that makes him small. But Zacchaeus is also desperate which means that even though Zacchaeus is both short in character and physicality he is so desperate to see Jesus that he is not concerned with the fact that he is acting like a child, climbing up a tree. He might be rich, he might have a lot of power, but he has lost all shame because he wants to see Jesus.
Sight or seeing is a significant detail in this story. Zacchaeus wants to see Jesus so badly- what is equally fascinating is that Jesus looks up and calls Zacchaeus by name. This isn’t your average story. This is not only a unique story because it only appears in the Gospel of Luke but also because of what Jesus says earlier in the Gospel. While Jesus often fraternizes with tax collectors or uses them as examples of humility Jesus also comments, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” And you know when Jesus says that? Not even a whole chapter ago in Luke 18:24. Zacchaeus might be a tax collector, but he also has wealth. So, here you have the impossible made possible thanks to Jesus presence.
Just as Jesus’ disciples and followers are starting to see his pattern- that he helps the poor, the oppressed, the marginalized, Jesus goes and changes the rules again. Because as soon as Jesus looks up and sees Zacchaeus there, Jesus invites himself over for a visit. While Zacchaeus is pretty excited to have Jesus as his guest, all who see this invitation begin to grumble. Finally, they had figured out the formula, that Jesus helps those who can’t help themselves, and all of a sudden the rules have changed- because clearly Zacchaeus has been helping himself for a long time.
I want to point out something that we often don’t catch because we have been so influenced by this story in Sunday School or thanks to a song we sang in Bible class. According to the text Jesus doesn’t actually go to Zacchaeus’ house. Yes, Zacchaeus accepts the command to take him to his house and he is happy to do it- but it doesn’t actually say they went. For years I have had an image that the two of them are sitting around a table, following a lovely tea time, when Zacchaeus is so moved that he then gives his money away and pays back anyone he has defrauded. But what the text actually says is that, “He stood there and said to the Lord, “I will give half my possessions to the poor.”” They haven’t left the scene of the tree. Now, perhaps they did go to his house and perhaps they did have a lovely tea time. But what this passage actually tells us is that no matter who we are, when we have a deep desire to see Jesus and Jesus responds with his presence- we are liable to stand there in awe and be moved by joy.
Today is Reformation Sunday- next year will mark the 500th anniversary on Oct. 31st when Martin Luther stood at the castle church and nailed his 95 theses to the door. You know what the first point was in this treatise, “When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, “Repent” (Mt 4:17), he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.” That’s important. Luther is saying it is not up to us to decide who gets to be in Jesus’ presence. It is not up to us to take confession of those who are sinners. It is not up to our doctrine to decide who gets to see Jesus. David Lose points out, “[The story of Zacchaeus] embodies the promise that anyone-anyone- who desires to see Jesus will. More than that, anyone who desires to see Jesus will, in turn, be seen by Jesus and in this way have their joy made complete.” We no longer have to worry about falling short, or being below average.
Sometimes it is out of desperation that we turn to seek, find, see Jesus, because we have fallen short of the call laid upon our lives but if we truly desire to see Jesus- Jesus will look back at us and say I’m coming to stay with you and right then and there we understand that the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost, to go above and beyond average. Amen