A sermon, based on Luke 19.1-10, preached with the people of Epiphany Episcopal Church, Laurens, SC, on the 21st Sunday after Pentecost, November 3, 2019.
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A rich man asks Jesus how to gain eternal life?” Jesus answers, “Keep the commandments.” The man declares his lifelong faithfulness. Jesus says, “You lack one thing,” telling the man to sell his possessions, give to the poor, and follow him. The man cannot part with his treasure. “It is easier,” Jesus observes, “for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the rich to enter heaven!” His disciples, believing that wealth is a supreme material sign of God’s spiritual blessing, are dumbfounded, exclaiming, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus says, “What is impossible for mortals is possible with God.”(1)
The conversation between Jesus and the rich man, I believe, provides context for the encounter between Jesus and Zacchaeus, which answers the question, “Who can be saved?” whether asked by the disciples…
Or by us whenever we worry, fear that we won’t or can’t be who God calls us to be or who we want to be. Whenever we fall short of our best into the pit of our worst. Whenever our dreams of personal fulfillment fade into nightmares of our errors in judgment. Whenever we can’t lower the volume of that loud, long-playing psychological tape of blame and shame recorded ages ago by the criticisms of others.
Can we be saved?
For an instant, let us exercise our imaginations, perceiving the rich man and Zacchaeus as symbolic reflections of us. The rich man, in his obedience to God’s Law, our best face or, perhaps, how we’d like to appear to others and to ourselves. Zacchaeus, in selling out to the Roman Empire, collecting taxes from his own people, our not so best face. Yet it is Zacchaeus who answers our question: Can we be saved? For he is proof that appearances can deceive.
The virtuous, law-abiding rich man, sadly, wouldn’t, couldn’t relinquish his wealth, serve the poor, and follow Jesus. The rich Zacchaeus, though judged to be a duplicitous sinner, having profited from the misery of others, desperately wanted to see Jesus.
Appearances can deceive.
Zacchaeus, a tax collector, was assumed to be corrupt. Yet, though in the English translation, Zacchaeus says, “Half of my possessions, I will give to the poor,” the Greek says, “Half of my possessions I am giving to the poor.”
Appearances can deceive.
Zacchaeus says, “If I’ve defrauded…” for it’s not a proven that he has cheated anyone.
All is not always as it appears…
We are not always as we appear to others and to ourselves…
Yet we always are as we appear to God. As we pray each Sunday, “Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid…”(2) Thus, if ever, whenever we wonder, “Can we be saved?” salvation never depends on us, but always on God, in whom all things are possible and who, Jesus says, always answers, “Yes”!
Believing this, then when can we be saved? The answer always is “Today!”
Everything important in the Gospel according to Luke happens today!
The angel of the Lord appeared to shepherds in the fields keeping watch over their flock, proclaiming, “To you is born today in the city of David a Savior, the Messiah, the Lord.”(3)
Jesus launched his ministry reading Isaiah’s prophecy: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me to proclaim good news to the poor, release to the captives, sight to the blind, liberty to the oppressed,” then saying, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”(4)
The penitent thief crucified with Jesus pleaded, “Remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus said, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.”(5)
Jesus said to Zacchaeus, “Today salvation has come to this house.”
If ever, whenever we look at ourselves, asking, “Can we be saved?” Luke, the divine physician, through the Jesus-Zacchaeus story, prescribes this antidote to our wonderment, this remedy for our worry, answering, “Yes! Because of who God is and because of what Jesus already has done! Today!”
Footnotes:
(1) See Luke 18.18-27 (my paraphrase)
(2) From the Collect for Purity (my emphases), The Book of Common Prayer, page 355
(3) Luke 2.11
(4) Luke 4.18, 21
(5) Luke 23.42-43
Illustrations:
Christ and the Rich Young Ruler (1889), Heinrich Hofmann (1824-1911)
Zacchaeus in the Sycamore Awaiting the Passage of Jesus (1886-1894), James Tissot (1836-1902)
occasional observations of mind and heart, soul and spirit 
This is wonderful!! I LOVE the notion of TODAY!! One of the challenges I have had for much of my life is worrying about my future (tomorrow). I’m
much better off when I just focus on today!! As a praying person I should know my needs (not necessarily my wants) will be taken care of. My renovation taught me so much! I got rid of half my life and am sooooo happy which lets me know that most “wants” are unnecessary!! I feel like this sermon is truly for me, because I just decided to focus on today when worrying about the progress on my renovation almost made me sick! I saw the benefit of focusing of today and now yesterday when I went on a walk around my neighborhood. I didn’t listen to music or look at my phone I just looked at my surroundings. I discovered a side street that led to a main road that in 34 years I’d NEVER noticed before!! How could that be?? Because I’ve been too focused of thinking about tomorrow while I walked instead of being present in my today!! I’m thrilled that I’m changing my mindset to today and am already reaping the benefits!!
Much love!!
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“I discovered a side street that led to a main road that in 34 years I’d NEVER noticed before!!” What a realization, which, as you aver, proves the point and power of focusing on today or “the now.”
In reflecting on your reflection on your experience of the renovation and the lessons you’ve learned (marvelous, indeed, they are!), I am put in mind of my reality. That is, if I were to be honest (and, I pray, that I am, at least, usually!), though, by virtue of my human being, I live in “the now” of “today,” I spend much of my time contemplating the past/yesterday. In this, a good portion of my daily meditations are given to asking myself that standard question – sometimes of remorse, sometimes of sheer wonderment – “What if?”
Having said this, it is clear to me that I also do not spend much time anticipating the future/”tomorrow.”
I must give this more thought as to why I dwell more in the past than in the present or in the future.
I thank you for stirring this recognition and, therefore, this need to explore my inner wanderings anew.
Love
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