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Tuesday
33rd Week OT
St. Luke’s Institute
November 18 2014
ZACCHAEUS UP A TREE ++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ø Zacchaeus desires 2 C J & goes
2 extraordinary length to do so
Ø He risks social stature he’s
carefully built up
Ø Small in physical stature, acts in
most undignified way, racing ahead & climbing a tree!
Ø When J sees how far out on limb
literally & metaphorically Z has gone, he does the same
Ø Calling him down, J says he must
stay at Z’ house
ZACCHAEUS’ RESPONSE TO JESUS +++++++++++++++
Ø Like Martha, who receives Jesus
into her home & Mary Magdalene, whose discipleship is expressed in
financial service, so Z receives J w/ joy, opening his heart & wallet in
generous outreach
Ø Z declares that ½ his
possessions’ll go 2 poor & any ill-gotten $ he’ll repay 4x over
Ø In addition to his dignity &
reputation, Z risks his financial security & social standing among his rich
cohorts
Ø Gospel’s not specific about ways
in which Z feels lost, or what prompts him 2 look 2 J 2B found
Ø Nonetheless, J perceives Zs’ need
& leaves w/ him saving grace 2 negotiate challenges that are surely ahead
for him
IMPLICATIONS OF HIS RESPONSE TO JESUS ++++++++
Ø J doesn’t ask Z 2 leave behind his
profession nor 2 give away rest of his possessions
Ø Rather, he meets him in
the place of his seeking & opens up a saving way forward w/I
his particular circumstances
Ø 1 wonders what’ll be cost 2 Z 2
live out of this saving grace
Ø Will he be ostracized by the
Jericho elites?
Ø Will he follow Jesus out onto the
final limb, the tree of the cross?
Ø Will his life, like that of
Jesus’, seed new shoots of hope and life?
CONCLUSION
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ø That isn’t the question that
should be on our minds
Ø Our question is will this
encounter w/ J in this revelation seed new shoots of hope and life in us?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
