October 31, 2004

Twenty Second Sunday after Pentecost

Reformation Sunday

Luke 19:1-10

“I Can See Clearly Now”

     I did a crazy thing after the Fall Music Festival last Sunday…I drove with my son to Del Ray, Florida.  We left here at 6:00 PM Sunday and arrived there at midnight on Monday.  Like I said - crazy.  Matt and Jon are chefs and they have new jobs at a golf club there.  Since Jon was still at sea, Kay and I thought it would be good if Matt didn’t make the drive to Florida by himself.  So, off I went.  I flew back on Wednesday in time for the Leadership Team meeting.  I didn’t get much of a tan.

   I had about a two-hour wait at the airport in West Palm Beach before my plane took off.  As I waited, I could hear cell phone conversations around me.  People don’t seem to realize someone sitting beside them can hear what they say.  Here are three of the conversations I overheard:

A young businesswoman told a person on the other end of the line, “I feel like I’m on a marathon.  I haven’t had any alcohol in three or four days.”

A middle aged woman with rings covering her fingers spoke into her phone, “You can use your credit card to gamble, but there are limits.  I use mine to buy chips.”

An older woman reassured her daughter, “They’re running an IV?  That’s good, he’ll get plenty of fluids that way.  Are you sleeping in with the baby?”

     Troubled people.  Troubled hearts.  They are all around us.  Perhaps they are us.

     Zacchaeus was a troubled man.  He was hated by his neighbors because he was a Jew profiting from the taxes he collected for the Roman government.  By his own admission, he was less than honest in his dealings.  He could have been seven feet tall and still would have been a small man in the eyes of his community. 

     But Zacchaeus knew his shortcomings and knew where to take his troubled heart.  He sought out Jesus.  He did all he could to get close to the Savior.  To his surprise, the Savior did all he could to get close to him, too.  Jesus ignored the criticism.  Salvation came to Zacchaeus’ house that day.

     In the Sacrament of Holy Baptism we proclaim that Jesus comes to meet us, too.  It is a wonderful gift, so much so that we’ll even offer it to babies, people so small and young that they can’t request it on their own.  This unconditional gift is the ultimate expression of Christ’s seeking us out.  It reminds us that he brings salvation to our houses, too.

     When Tim read the Gospel story this morning, did you find yourself relating to Zacchaeus?  Did you imagine yourself looking at the back of a crowd you couldn’t see past?  Did you imagine yourself climbing a tree to try to see Jesus?  Like Zacchaeus,  have you ever felt small inside because of things you’ve said or done or because of things others have said or done to you?  If so, this is your story. 

     It has a very happy ending, you know. 

     The Bible tells us we all fall short of the glory of God.  It also tells us Jesus has come for our salvation, that he died for the sins of the world.  He did this because we don’t measure up, because we can’t handle it on our own.  He did this because God so loves the world.

     As Janet and Qusaun received the gift of the Holy Spirit through baptism this morning, I hope you felt it, too, because it is here for you just as it is here for them.  By the Spirit, Jesus comes to you and invites himself into your house.  Yes, do all you can to see him clearly, but know that he is already on his way to meet you where you are…right now.