Repentance of a Con Man

Can a con man change? Is it possible for a rich man with ill gotten gains to enter heaven? Let’s look at Luke 19:1-10 and one such man’s repentance.

Wealth

Luke 19:1-4 Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. 3 He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way.

Zacchaeus had become “very rich” as a chief tax collector for Roman occupiers. It was dirty money in the eyes of the people. Jesus taught how hard a wealthy person would find entering the kingdom (Luke 18:24-25). Zacchaeus was short and despite the obvious embarrassment, he climbed a tree.

Today

Luke 19:5-6 When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.” 6 Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy.

Zacchaeus’ persistence was rewarded. Jesus wanted to be his guest today. Zacchaeus was immediately responsive and filled with joy. Jesus had kingdom plans that included this “notorious sinner.” Zacchaeus is genuinely receptive and ready to embrace the values of the kingdom of God. The bigger the sinner the more thankful.

Salvation

Luke 19:7-10 But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled. 8 Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!” 9 Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

Zacchaeus was happy, the crowd grumbled, because he collaborated with Roman occupation. They could not see what Jesus saw. Zacchaeus responded to Jesus with the fruits of repentance within his heart, righting wrongs and giving to the poor. Jesus said Zacchaeus’ behavior was that of a true child of Abraham.

Zacchaeus means the righteous one. His name was a prophecy of his life as Jesus would make it. All our righteousness comes from God. Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus, but Jesus had already seen him, and a rich man entered the kingdom of God. Jesus can make the impossible possible.

Zacchaeus repented of his greed and began giving. Do we grumble about Jesus’ grace to those who have wronged us? Is Zacchaeus welcome in our churches? Jesus came to call the lost. Do we shut the lost out of the church? A rescue came to Zacchaeus, from greed to giving.

It is hard for a rich con man to be saved but it is possible. Salvation has come to you and me. Jesus wants to be a guest in our homes today. Is He welcome?

Readings

Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4

Habakkuk 1:1 This is the message that the prophet Habakkuk received in a vision. 2 How long, O Lord, must I call for help? But you do not listen! “Violence is everywhere!” I cry, but you do not come to save. 3 Must I forever see these evil deeds? Why must I watch all this misery? Wherever I look, I see destruction and violence. I am surrounded by people who love to argue and fight. 4 The law has become paralyzed, and there is no justice in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous, so that justice has become perverted.

2:1 I will climb up to my watchtower and stand at my guardpost. There I will wait to see what the Lord says and how he will answer my complaint. 2 Then the Lord said to me, “Write my answer plainly on tablets, so that a runner can carry the correct message to others. 3 This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. 4 “Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God.

Here ends the reading.

Habakkuk prophesied before the Exile, when the Babylonians were beginning to attack. Angry at God, he can’t understand why God would permit suffering. Is the Lord’s judgment perverted? Why is God silent? The Lord replies. The Chaldeans are carrying out God’s plan and Judah will one day be great again.

Wait patiently for God to work His plan, even if suffering gets worse. While we wait, we pray and do good. Like Habakkuk we write God’s answer down in our hearts. This vision may seem slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It won’t be delayed.

Psalm 119:137-144

Tsadhe [the 18th letter of the Hebrew alphabet] 137 O Lord, you are righteous, and your regulations are fair. 138 Your laws are perfect and completely trustworthy. 139 I am overwhelmed with indignation, for my enemies have disregarded your words. 140 Your promises have been thoroughly tested; that is why I love them so much. 141 I am insignificant and despised, but I don’t forget your commandments. 142 Your justice is eternal, and your instructions are perfectly true. 143 As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands. 144 Your laws are always right; help me to understand them so I may live.

The Word of God for the people of God.

The Psalm is a contrast to the outrage in Habakkuk. Though we may sometimes be angry at God or doubt what He is doing, the Psalmist reminds us, in the face of the stark reality around us, violence and injustice that does not seem to stop, to trust in God.

2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12

2 Thessalonians 1:1 This letter is from Paul, Silas, and Timothy. We are writing to the church in Thessalonica, to you who belong to God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. 3 Dear brothers and sisters, we can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing. 4 We proudly tell God’s other churches about your endurance and faithfulness in all the persecutions and hardships you are suffering.

11 So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. 12 Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ.

The Word of the Lord.

Paul greets the Thessalonians, thankful for their growing faith and their love for one another even in the face of persecution. He assures them of his prayer that they be worthy of God's call and continue to grow in faith so that Christ may be glorified in and through them.

Paul caringly reminds them of their identity “in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul hammers home their new identity, not as Roman citizens, not as Thessalonians, but as people entirely defined by their relationship with God and Jesus. Are we defined by nationality or by God’s kingdom?

Let’s focus on that rather than any other identity? In God and Christ, we begin to act like God and Christ. We endure this world, but our identity is in God and Christ. By enduring in faith, empowered by God and Christ to His glory, can we transform the world.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Luke 19:1-10 in Rhyme

When Jesus entered Jericho
There was a man named Zacchaeus
A rich man came to see the show
Tried to get a look at Jesus

Too short to see over the crush
He climbed a tree beside the street
Jesus was coming, better rush
He looked up, Zacchaeus to greet

Jesus called Zacchaeus by name
Quick, come down! I must be your guest
Quickly a welcome was proclaimed
He took Jesus home with joy expressed

But displeased, the people grumbled
He’ll be the guest of a sinner
But, Zacchaeus stood and crumbled
The poor, I will now consider

If I’ve cheated on taxation
I’ll give them back four times as much
To this home has come salvation
A son of Abraham does such

For the Son of Man paid the cost
To seek and save those who are lost

Self-Righteous Delusion

Do we constantly criticize others? What about politicians, past or current generations or fellow motorists? Do we constantly compare ourselves to others to justify ourselves? Let’s learn that we are all in the same boat and that God alone justifies. Let’s discuss self-righteousness and self-justification in Luke 18:9-14.

Self-Righteousness

Luke 18:9 Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else

Do we continually scorn politicians or fellow motorists or others? Are we caught up in generational self righteousness, constantly criticizing past or present generations? What about Old Testament generations or the letters that Paul wrote? Are we self-righteous about not being self-righteous like a Pharisee, which still makes us self-righteous?

A Patriot & a Collaborator

Luke 18:10 “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector.”

Pharisees were patriots who preserved the faith under foreign domination. Tax collectors were traitors profiting from foreign occupation. Yet, Jesus challenged us to rethink our judgments. We don’t know another person’s heart. A seemingly wonderful person may be arrogant, and an outwardly bad person may have a heart of repentance.

Delusion

Luke 18:11 “The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector!’”

If we pray “thank God I’m not like so and so” we are self-deceived. Like a delusional person, believing he is Napoleon, or a different gender, we can all imagine that we are something we are not. Self-righteousness is a fool’s delusion, defining our worth by the faults of others.

Righteous Deeds

Luke 18:12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’

Can we be close to the Church yet far from God? The Pharisee had dedicated his life to holiness and became confident in his own righteousness. He believed he was superior. Yet he forgot one thing. All our good deeds do not clean up a filthy act (Isaiah 64:6).

Righteous Repentance

Luke 18:13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ 14 I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Church reformation is good but sin taints both heretics and orthodox. Both may be seeking to justify themselves. Yet, no amount of self-justification will work, because we have all sinned. The faults of others ought to make us humble not arrogant, because in them we should see our own sins.

None of us measures up to God’s righteousness. Let’s avoid self-righteously judging others and humbly confess our own sins. The righteous will not live by criticism and judgmentalism, but the righteous will live by faith (Romans 1:17).

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Luke 18:9-14 in Rhyme

9 He spoke now to some who trust in themselves
They’re “righteous” but despise everyone else
10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray
A Pharisee and a man gone astray

11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed
‘I thank you God, I’m not like those who’ve strayed
Robbers, evildoers, adulterers
I’m not even like this tax collector.’

12 ‘I fast twice a week and give a tenth part.’
13 “But the tax collector stood quite apart
He wouldn’t even look up to heaven
Saying, ‘God, may I please be forgiven?’”

14 “I tell you that this man, and not the other
Went back home justified and in order
Those who exalt themselves will be humbled
Those humbling themselves will be exalted.”

Lectionary Commentary

Joel 2:23-32

Joel prophesied about the day of the Lord as an army of locusts like the plague in Egypt. Israel should call a solemn assembly, and pray for mercy. The prophet predicts a future when they will be back in the land of promise and their lives will be fully restored.

Joel gives hope in the midst of crisis: rain, grain, wine, oil, homes, businesses, smiles, laughter, justice, freedom, and feasting! We are not perpetually in death and destruction. We are Easter people with a hope for restoration in dire situations! The Lord IS our God and there is no other.

Psalm 65

David reminds us to be thankful. The Jews had three seasons of thanksgiving: Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles. The Sunday of Passover a wave sheaf was offered in thanks for the barley harvest. On Pentecost first-fruits of wheat loaves were offered. The Feast of Tabernacles included thanks for the fall harvest. 

2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18

These are the final words of a seasoned minister, about dying well, forgiveness and hope. Paul’s life for Christ is complete, poured out in worship. Everlasting life, death and the grave are freedom from sin. Paul calls the Christian life a marathon with the prize given to all who finish.

The great desire of Paul’s heart was the hope of eternal life. Forgiveness because of God’s faithfulness. He encourages young pastors and all Christians to finish well. Here is grace and encouragement to fight, finish and keep the faith. The victor’s crown is reserved for all who love his appearing.

Relentless Prayer

Do we persist with God? Do we give up praying too soon? Let’s learn that God encourages persistent, demanding prayers. Let’s discuss prayers for ourselves, aggressive prayer and God’s justice in Luke 18:1-8.

Persistent & Demanding Prayer

Luke 18:1-5 One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. 2 “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. 3 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ 4 The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, 5 but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”

Little children learn quickly to be relentless and not give up until their demands are met. Is it wrong to be so persistent with God? Many unjust judges ignore the persistent pleas of the needy. God will hear and answer our cries for daily help even when others will not.

Old and New Testaments demand that widows and other needy be cared for, but people disobey and widows are often left destitute. This widow demands justice from a reluctant judge. God encourages us to make requests, unabashed. The widow was persistent and demanding in prayer. Are our prayers like that?

Should our faith be docile? Should Christians passively accept injustice? Are aggressive cries for equity and fairness only for those without faith? Should we just wait patiently on God and keep silent? Jesus commended a persistent widow for aggressively demanding justice from an uncaring judge. Let’s persistently and aggressively pray?

We are the Unjust Judge

Luke 18:6-8 Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. 7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”

We all want mercy, and must learn to give it. Even the false preacher Jezebel who encouraged sexual immorality was given time to repent (Revelation 2:20-22). Rushed justice hurts too many people. True justice takes time because of mercy and space for repentance. A key is not to quit.

We are the unjust judges. An unjust world and its poison resides deep within our own souls. Every criticism of injustice that we level against others in the world points a finger right at our own hearts. Pray always and we will be delivered even from our own unjust hearts.

God is a just judge. Sometimes, He seems slow to answer our prayers as we count time, because we don’t know all surrounding circumstances. Let’s learn faith and persistence. Let’s learn that He will save us at a time of His choosing, and quickly.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Luke 18:1-8 in Rhyme

1 One day Jesus told his disciples a story
To always pray, not to pray transitory
2 He said, “There was a judge in a certain city,
Who neither feared God nor showed people much pity.”

3 “A widow came to him repeatedly, saying,
‘For justice in this strife with my foe, I’m waiting!’
4 The judge scorned her, but finally said to himself,
‘I don’t fear God and care for no one but myself’

5 ‘But this woman is constantly pestering me
6 I’ll give her justice, for she asks annoyingly!
Otherwise, she’ll keep coming and then wear me out.’
Then the Lord said, “What’s the unjust judge all about?”

7 “Even he rendered a just decision, at last.
Will God lag saving his elect who all day ask?
8 I tell you, He will grant justice to them quickly!
When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith really?”

Thankfulness in Good and Bad

How do we feel when we have helped people and they don’t bother to show thanks? Have we met people who are thankful under the most difficult circumstances? What’s their secret? Let’s learn the importance of giving thanks in all circumstances. Let’s look at Jeremiah 29:1-7 and Luke 17:11-19.

Jeremiah 29:1-7

Jeremiah 29:11 is not a direct promise to us. “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” It’s not about changing circumstances, but God’s blessing in bad circumstances.

Jeremiah 29:4-10 “Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce. 6 Marry and have children. Then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away! 7 And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.” ... 10 This is what the Lord says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again.”

Moderns often doubt biblical history, but archaeology repeatedly proves it. Nebuchadnezzar's siege of Jerusalem is corroborated in the Babylonian Chronicles. Hundreds of Babylonian cuneiform tablets detail trade, taxes, debits and credits for exiled Jews. Tablets even include details about one exiled Jewish family over four generations, with their Hebrew names.

Jeremiah wrote a letter to Jews who had been deported to Babylon, advising them that their time of captivity will be more than a generation. They must cope, make homes, marry, have children and raise them. They would need to multiply greatly or the Jews could possibly cease to exist.

How do lifers in prison survive? How do the terminally ill live? How do people living in constant disaster, war, poverty, or stateless refugees live without losing hope? Hope for these Jews was found in in the lives of their children and grandchildren, in a future they would never see.

Can we be thankful in difficult circumstances. Even though we may not see God’s hand for many years, we are never alone. God has not abandoned us. Even though terrible things may happen, we can find comfort in knowing we are the beloved children of a God who loves us.

Luke 17:11-19

Luke 17:11-14 11 As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. 12 As he entered a village there, ten men with leprosy stood at a distance, 13 crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy.

Quarantine was not rediscovered until the fourteenth century in Italy. Our word quarantine comes from old Venetian meaning forty days. Leprosy was quarantined in Old Testament law long before that. The quarantine experts were the priests, and they had to examine a person for the disease to be declared healed.

Luke 17:15-16 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” 16 He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan.

Exclusivism was never God’s intent for the Jews. It is a perversion of what God promised through Abraham. God promised that He would bless the whole world through the descendants of Abraham (Genesis 22:18), but over time the Jews saw it as God only blessing them and not others.
We were helping survivors of a local natural disaster. One elderly lady sought out the aid-givers to thank every single person. We worked hard, provided accommodation, gave thousands of dollars in financial aid and most turned their backs on us without a word of thanks. One amazing lady stood out.

Luke 17:17-19 Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you.”

In Greek, Jesus said the one leper was saved. Was there something more going on? Is salvation both physical and spiritual, for today and eternity? Can Jesus save us every day from our earthly troubles as well as for eternity? Could it be that salvation includes body, mind and spirit?
Let’s learn to be thankful in all circumstances, in good times and bad. Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57).

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Luke 17:11-19 in Rhyme

As Jesus entered a small town

Ten lepers just hanging around

Said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

“Go show yourselves to the priests” thus

They were cleansed while they were going

But one returned overflowing

“Praise God!” he shouted to Jesus

And thanked Him for the catharsis

That man was a Samaritan

Christ asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men?”

And then, “Where are the other nine?”

None but a foreigner in line?

And Jesus said, “Stand up and go.”

And He said, “Your faith has saved you.”

Putting Faith to Work

How can anyone have enough faith to follow Jesus all the way? Let’s learn that we already have enough faith to fulfill big dreams. Let’s see what Jesus says in Luke 17:5-10.

Tiny Faith Big Action

Luke 17:5-6 The apostles said to the Lord, “Show us how to increase our faith.” 6 The Lord answered, “If you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘May you be uprooted and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you!

Jesus contrasted a small seed with a large tree. The smallest faith is powerful and can accomplish much. Faith can be used for really big things including living lives of radical self-sacrifice for others. How much bigger is a tree compared to a mustard seed? That’s the power of faith.

Jesus said to talk to the tree and tell it to move. Faith must be put to work because faith without good works is dead (James 2:14-26). Do circumstances keep us from doing good? What circumstances do we need to move out of our way? Faith removes large obstacles.

Faith to Go Beyond

Luke 17:7-10 “When a servant comes in from plowing or taking care of sheep, does his master say, ‘Come in and eat with me’? 8 No, he says, ‘Prepare my meal, put on your apron, and serve me while I eat. Then you can eat later.’ 9 And does the master thank the servant for doing what he was told to do? Of course not. 10 In the same way, when you obey me you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.’”

Noah spent decades building a large barge. How could an ancient man have known about the optimal shape without an engineering degree? Abraham was 75 years old and moved his entire family to another country. Sarah was way past childbearing age and believed what God had promised and was faithful.

How much faith does it take to obey Jesus? How much faith is needed to go above and beyond? How much faith does it take to build a church that is a bright light and not another museum to past generations? Is it faith the size of a mustard seed?

The disciples were like us. They had a little faith, and just needed to put it to work. The smallest amount of faith, like what we have, can be used by God to accomplish great things. What are we afraid of? Let’s do it.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Lamentations 1:1-6

Every community faces times of sorrow. Lamentations was written by a survivor of a crumbled nation, as a book of mourning. Let’s be honest about grief. Weeping is good. What do we mourn in our community? Do we deplore the sin all around us? How can lament in our worship?

Lamentations mourns Jerusalem’s plight. It begins as a funeral song, sung by a city who lost her children and her husband. Jerusalem sinned. The people ask for God’s mercy. The book ends without an answer. By weeping with those who are suffering, perhaps we can come to love them more.

Psalm 137

This brutally honest Psalm gives us permission to pray even wrongful thoughts. Jesus corrects such sentiments, teaching us to love our enemies. How can we sing joyful songs in a broken world? Does Christ meet us in our darkest places? Hasn’t He already met us in the darkest place, death?

2 Timothy 1:1-14

This is a farewell letter (2 Timothy 4:6-8) about Paul’s legacy. It encourages Timothy to confront false teachings and preserve the Christian heritage. It sees Christian faith and ministry in community. It is a conservative letter. The faith is to be guarded (see 2 Timothy 1:14) from corruption.

The defeat of death and the promise of blissful immortality are consequences of God’s wonderful grace. Suffering endured as a result of being persecuted for one’s faith has eternal rewards. Paul is about to die a martyr’s death. He teaches us how to live confidently. Paul wants to die well.

Luke 17:5-10 in Rhyme

5     The apostles said to the Lord
      “Add to us faith.”
6     Then said the Lord
      “If mustard seed size is your faith
      You could tell this sycamore tree
      ‘Be pulled up and set in the sea’
      It would listen to you and heed”

7     “When a farmhand comes from the lea
      From plowing or tending sheep
      Does the boss say, ‘Come eat with me’?
8     When his job is a meal complete
      No, he says, ‘Cook me up some meat
      Then, serve me while I drink and eat.
      Later on, you can take a seat.’

9     “And does the boss praise the hired hand
      Who does just the least by command?
10     Of course not! In the same way
      When you obey me you should say,
      ‘We’re unprofitable servants
      [Undeserving and worthless]
      Who’ve just done minimal service.’”