Dear Readers and Listeners, Friends in Jesus Christ,
Our watchword for the week following the Third Sunday after Trinity is taken from the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 19 verse 10, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost,” (Amplified Bible). Jesus was passing through Jericho and people flocked to come and see him, amongst them a certain man named, Zacchaeus, planned to assure seeing Jesus and thus climbed into a fig tree. Zacchaeus knew, that being short of stature would make it difficult for him to see Jesus, and he desperately needed to see Jesus with his own two eyes. He possibly thought that his planned seat in the fig tree would be rather private, and that nobody would even know that he was seated there. Despite the fact that Zacchaeus was a known person in the community, one who attained great riches, he was not a loved person in the community, for he made unfair gain out of taxes. The gospel does not tells, but it would not be wrong to deduce that under these circumstances Zacchaeus might have wanted to stay hidden there between the fig leaves, as he watched and listened to Jesus. However, Jesus surprised him, called him by name and asked him if he could come and stay at this house. Joyfully Zacchaeus climbed hurriedly from the tree and prepared a feast for the Lord.
The people were indignant and wondered how someone who taught in the temple and was seen as the Messiah by others, could even consider to enter the house of a person who is known for his corrupt deeds of gaining surplus on taxes. They grumbled and judged, and spoke their minds. Scripture does not tell us what Jesus discussed with Zacchaeus, but he stood up and told the Lord, in the presence of all the people, that he would give half of his riches to the poor and return what he has taken wrongfully taken by making restoration of four times that which he took. This declaration showed that Zacchaeus was obeying the rules of the commandments that Moses gave in the desert, on instruction of God, to obtain absolution from wrongs that have been done to the neighbour. We read in Exodus 22 verse 2 that if one has stolen a sheep, one should repay with four sheep as to make restitution towards the offended person. Zacchaeus wanted to make right his wrongs and be in right standing with God and men, because he was sought and saved by Jesus. Jesus saw him there in the fig tree, hiding, due to his shame. Then Jesus restored Zacchaeus to his Father, God, and to his brothers and sisters, for they are all children of Father Abraham, children of the covenant.
The watchword for this Sunday is taken from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, Chapter 55 verse 6, “Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near,” (NRSBV). Zacchaeus must have thought, at first, that he was the one who sought the Lord, and found him. However, when the Lord stood under the tree and looked up and called him by name, Zacchaeus knew, that the Lord saw him in the fig tree, long before he even planned to see the Lord. We are encouraged to look out and see the Lord in every little circumstance of every day and the Lord will be found by us for he was waiting for us long before we even planned to look for him. He has his eye on us so that we will have a future and a purpose, according to his will and plan that he had in mind for us, before the beginning of the ages.
The Apostle Paul teaches in this Letter to the Colossians, in Chapter Two verse 9, “For in Him the whole fullness of Deity, The Godhead, continues to dwell in bodily form, giving complete expression of the divine nature,” (Amplified Bible). Jesus Christ came down to earth as a baby, he emptied himself of his divinity in order to become human, but he is fully human and fully God. He is God, the Son, and in his work as God, the Son, he achieved perfected humanity, being obedient to God the Father, yes, even unto death. He is fully divine, in that he overcame death, by resurrection, thus giving life to all humans, for in his death he consumed death and condemnation. He has been with the Father and the Spirit, before the beginning of the Ages and will be for ever more.
Our Lord Jesus Christ, has fulfilled his ministry on earth and served as the Suffering and Serving Servant, the One who came from heaven to earth, to seek and to save those who are lost. We are called as children of the Lord, to follow his example, to go out and seek those who have become lost in the dark world. We have to turn their eyes to their Lord, as we point them to the Cross, so that they will receive faith, through grace, and new hope and have life, life-everlasting, as they see their Saviour, and believe.
Father, we thank you that you are near, you always waiting for your wondering children to return to you. We ask that you will soften our hearts, so that we will have mercy on those who have gone astray, and bring them back to the foot of the Cross. Lord, we are reminded how you have come to us, there where we cried out to you. You have carried us on eagles’ wings back to the Father, Amen.