A Proclamation and a Pooh-like Response

[Attribution: Pooh Bear in Playhouse Disney Live at Disney’s Hollywood Studios by Jeff Christiansen]

by Barry Pollard

(Based on Matt 1:18-25; Isa 7:10-16; Ro 1:1-7)

We have journeyed through Advent reflecting on the hope, peace and joy that comes with Jesus. Today our attention turns to God’s love for us, particularly demonstrated by the gift of his Son, as our saviour and reconciler.
And don’t we love the Advent season! It is mystical and absorbing. Excitement builds as we contemplate the signs and wonders heralding the birth of Jesus. Our readings over the season have revealed the promises that God has made to us through his prophets and gospellers, creating a pattern of promise, followed by fulfilment, followed by proclamation.

Our readings today show that pattern of promise, fulfilment and proclamation in a nutshell. Our first reading from the prophet Isaiah is a major revelation in the Jesus story. In it, Isaiah foretells to King Ahaz (of the royal line of David), “the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).” When Scripture says ‘God will,’ a promise is made.

In the second reading, from Romans, this promise is confirmed by Paul’s declaring, “God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets in the holy Scriptures. The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line.”

And Matthew’s Gospel gives us the details of how Jesus was conceived and how the earthly situation of his earthly parents was reconciled. This points us to the impending fulfilment, the arrival of Jesus among us.

And, then, back to the Romans reading for the proclamation! “He was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord.  Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.”

God’s promised Saviour, Jesus, was foretold by the prophets, fulfilled in his birth and proclaimed in the Gospel. Theologically, this pattern is neat and tidy and deals with the nuts and bolts of the readings today. But let’s look deeper into what was going on and what it ultimately tells us about our God, and what this means for how our lives can be transformed today, two thousand odd years after the fact.

If we start again with Isaiah: King Ahaz was king of Judah, at the time when Israel and Judah were enemies and at war. Ahaz had heard the rumours that the kings of Israel and Syria were forming a coalition against Judah with the plan to install the Syrian king’s son on Judah’s throne. God’s prophet Isaiah was given explicit instructions to take a message to Ahaz, to explain that the perceived threat would come to nothing; but Ahaz was not convinced. Isaiah, in an effort to ease Ahaz’s fears, invites him to test the Lord on the accuracy of Isaiah’s prophesy by asking God for a sign. Ahaz refuses to put God to such a test, so Isaiah (and, I perceived, exasperatedly) tells Ahaz that God will provide a sign anyway – the sign will be a baby born to a virgin in the line of David’s royal family, Ahaz’s family. And the child will be called Immanuel (God is with us).

Despite fear and lack of faith, God reveals his faithfulness – he is promising to be with his people through thick and thin!
The prophesy had instant meaning for Ahaz – and Judah – but it also pointed to events yet to come.

Matthew provides details for the birth of Jesus. In a very straight forward manner, he outlines the predicament that Joseph and Mary find themselves in. An honourable man, Joseph finds his fiancé pregnant (by the power of the Holy Spirit) and doesn’t want to publicly shame her. He is working through breaking off the engagement when he is visited in a dream by an angel who explains that he has a part to play in God’s plan to give us a Saviour.

Emphasising the fulfilment of God’s earlier promise, Matthew records Isaiah’s prophesy, and concludes his account with Joseph awakening from the dream convinced to play his part in full.

Jesus is the “Immanuel” Isaiah had foreseen! He is God’s promised presence, made flesh.
His name, Jesus, means “the Lord saves”. He came to save his people from sin. Immanuel, “God is with us”, is no longer a distant God, but is God here among us, now. This is Good News!

So, Paul’s letter to the Romans deals with proclamation. It outlines plainly God’s plan for us, from the beginning. It goes like this:
1. God promised the Good News (Jesus) long ago
2. The Good News is his Son
3. His Son was born into King David’s royal line – fully human
4. He was shown to be God when he was raised from the dead – fully God
5. He is Jesus Christ, our Lord
6. God wants to spread this Good News to everyone
7. Because God loves us he calls us his ‘holy people’, making us his earthly family. (It is like joining the family business.)
8. He gives us grace and peace

What does it all mean for us today?
God has called us his holy people, his earthly family. As such, we are to take the Good News out into the world, by thought, word and deed. We have been equipped to do so by the character and gifts we have been given, and the grace we have received from God.

Notice, God never hinted that this will be easy. But think about the examples we heard from Scripture today. King Ahaz was fearful and God showed he is with us, even when we lack courage. Joseph was confused and uncertain and God showed guidance and purpose. And when we feel unworthy, weak or distant, God calls us to belong to Jesus. God wants us to trust his promises, welcome his presence, and receive his salvation!

God, who promised to come, has come: Jesus is Immanuel. The God who came is with us still, through the Holy Spirit. The God who is with us will come again, to make all things new! This is the Advent story!

Remember, I said at the beginning that many of us love the Advent season; that it is mystical, absorbing, and exciting.
Well, I find it also has a flip side. It can be unsettling, doubt-filled, even arresting. By way of example I’ll make a personal admission here: I love the Christmas carol, “The Little Drummer Boy”. But I have a problem singing it. I’m usually okay until I get to the lines, I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum, I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum, That’s fit to give the King . . . and then I cry!
I have spent time trying to work out whether I am overwhelmed by the majesty of our King, or by the inadequacies I perceive in my gift. Or, am I just feeling sorry about the whole situation that Jesus had to be born and nursed in squalor. I’m still working it out. And because I’m still not sorted on it, I doubt my effectiveness to do my bit spreading the Good News, to play my part.

So what can we practically do to share the Good News?
Attending a Sunday service, looking devout (you’ll remember, I have spoken before on those “Sunday Faces”), dropping a few dollars in the collection, and smiling as you enjoy a cake and coffee afterwards, isn’t quite what God has in mind for us.
To share the Good News, to proclaim Jesus to the world, is to move from a personal inwardly facing life to an outwardly facing one. It has to do with the big wide world. It is to be realistic, live sustainably (body, mind and spirit), and be faithful to the Gospel’s spirit, not just its words.

To help compile a list of actions we can take, I enlisted the services of AI. Asking ChatGPT, ‘What can we practically do to share the Good News’, I was offered ten things. I have selected a few from the list that I think are well within the grasp of all of us here today.

So, although the following words are largely artificially generated, the sentiments they express are very much in line with Scripture and our humanity, so bear with them!

The first is one of the most important and, in a way, the easiest. That is, to pray. Mission begins with prayer. Pray intentionally for yourself and others. Pray regularly for specific people, by name. Ask God for openness, timing, and courage. Pray with people when appropriate, not just for them.
Second, learn to explain why faith matters to you personally. Be ready to speak, simply and honestly. When opportunities arise, clarity matters more than cleverness. Use everyday language, not church jargon. A suggested simple pattern is to talk about what your life was like, how you encountered Jesus, and what has changed since.
Third, live the Good News visibly. Probably the most powerful witness to the Good News is a life shaped by Christ. Show kindness, patience, honesty and forgiveness in ordinary situations. Listen well and treat all people with dignity. Let your hope and peace in difficult times prompt natural questions. As the message of our patron, St Francis, is often paraphrased: “Preach the gospel at all times; when necessary, use words.”

Now, before I offer the fourth suggestion, I would like to digress a little into a child’s realm – that of Winnie the Pooh.

I came across an internet snippet recently explaining A.A. Milne’s description of Winnie the Pooh as a “bear of very little brain”. This phrase is used repeatedly throughout his stories, highlighting Pooh’s simple and natural character, as well as his tendency to fall into “ludicrous errors of judgement and comprehension”. The commentator suggested however that the Pooh stories actually present a wonderful contrast between brain (intellect) and a deeper, more intuitive form of wisdom. 
Pooh is aware of his own limitations, often stating, “For I am a bear of very little brain, and long words bother me”. But despite his lack of formal intellect, Pooh often exhibits profound emotional intelligence and an uncomplicated understanding of life, friendship, and happiness. His simple way of thinking often leads to surprisingly effective solutions in emergencies. (One such effective solution was when he helped rescue Roo from the river.)

Milne often contrasts Pooh’s ‘fluff’ with the supposed ‘brains’ of characters like Rabbit and Owl. In one notable exchange, Pooh observes that Rabbit’s intelligence might actually be a hindrance to understanding. In one such pondering, “‘Rabbit’s clever,’ said Pooh thoughtfully. ‘Yes,’ said Piglet, ‘Rabbit’s clever.’ ‘And he has Brain.’ ‘Yes,’ said Piglet, ‘Rabbit has Brain.’ There was a long silence. ‘I suppose,’ said Pooh, ‘that that’s why he never understands anything.'”

The essence of this is, while Pooh may lack what we would call conventional intelligence, he possesses an innate wisdom and heart that are ultimately more valuable. The stories imply that wisdom doesn’t always come from the most intelligent people, but rather from those who are humble and considerate. Perhaps we should take more than a little heart in this. Perhaps we shouldn’t regret being a little, or a lot, Pooh-like! God can use us all just the same.

And so, the fourth step: trust God. The Gospel story, the Good News, is likely best told by those who are humble and considerate, Pooh-like. The plan really is as simple as, give it a good and sincere go, and then trust God with the results. If we are taking up the challenge then our role is faithfulness, not control. As we are reminded in Corinthians (1 Corinthians 3:6), while we sow, God gives the growth.

Small acts done in love matter!

Joys – Simple and Profound

by Liz Young

(Based on Matt 11:2-11; Isa 35:1-10; James 5:7-10)

Taking our lead from our three readings, Isaiah said, “The wilderness and the desert will be glad, and blossom … The way will be made clear … and everlasting joy will be upon their heads.”
James wrote, “Be patient till the coming of the Lord.”
And in the Gospel reading from Matthew, Jesus answered John’s disciples with the words, “Go and tell John what you have heard and seen: ‘the blind receive their sight, the lepers are cleansed and the poor have good news bought to them.'” What joy those miracles brought.

“Desert Flowers” by ex_magician is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Our candlelight theme for today is Joy, and Isaiah’s words always remind me of the joy brought by the wild flowers that bloom in the Australian desert, when it rains, sometimes after ten years of drought. James asks us to be patient, a reminder appropriate for us all at many times in our lives, patience for God to reveal his purposes; and patience will give us time to reflect before reacting, either in speech or action. And, in the Gospel reading, Jesus tells John’s followers to reassure John, that he, Jesus, John’s cousin, has been able to perform all in God’s Name; to tell him of these miracles he, Jesus, has been able to perform, and in doing so to bring joy to the needy and the poor.  Jesus’s first miracle was turning water into wine, an appropriate miracle to remember at this time of celebration! Wine was the disinfectant of that time. (I wonder how many of the local water supplies were safe to drink, unless they were mountain springs. Now, with guaranteed safe drinking water, and as we receive more and more messages of the harm alcohol can do, most of us will be celebrating this season drinking fruit juice or safe water. I wish you joy drinking toasts to each other.)

When I look back at my life, my earliest joyful memory is sitting on a mossy bank at the age of four, just enjoying looking at the grass. The property was a 16th century out reach from Glastonbury Abbey, planted with – among others – a sequoia, a huge bay tree, and a large walnut tree, and gave me a lifelong love of trees. It was a slight shock to come to New Zealand and find I had to learn the names of a hundred new trees.
When my mother died, we were living on a 1¼ acre property, with fifty seventy-year-old apple trees, with a variety of diseases, and as I took over responsibility for looking after the garden, my love of gardening started. Gardening gives many of us hours of joy.
I created a garden from scratch at my next place, with twenty native trees I bought in Wellington, and they now surround and shelter the property.
Our Pat enjoys doing most of the church garden, and our Alison has enjoyed doing the flowers for this morning.

“Gapers Block Book Club: Water for Elephants” by danxoneil is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Another of my joys that I share with friends in Tairua is reading. Did you know there are three very social book clubs in Tairua? I didn’t start reading till I was seven, but once I could, my nose was rarely out of a book. Sharing ideas and interests by reading and talking about books is one of the joys of life for those whose brains are visually dominant. Others love music and enjoy listening, and yet others enjoy making things with their hands. When we were young, we enjoyed playing, running around. As I couldn’t hop or skip, I preferred playing soccer with the boys in their playground. Later, when I went to all-girls’ schools, I played goalie. When I was a child no-one stopped us climbing trees. I was horrified when I heard the story of the tree in my grandson’s playground, which was first pruned and then cut down for ‘health and safety reasons’. No, don’t let caution deny exploration; let children enjoy, and joyfully play. If you are constantly warning children of potential hazards, you get anxious children.             

These days most of us enjoy daily walks, and at this time of year I enjoy swimming, and there are hardy folks here, who enjoy dawn swimming here all the year round. So, as well as daily exercise, try something new regularly, and share enjoyment with others, all the while praising God – silently or aloud – and always giving thanks. 

Lars and Lucas in the operating theatre, by Lars Plougmann, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

 At Christmas time we celebrate the birth of Christ. I’ve attended about 500 births, as a paediatrician, and each time it was very special. The whole room hums with joyous energy as the baby is born.

And, as we celebrate Christ’s birth, let us spare a moment to think of, and pray for, all those women who are worried about giving birth at this time; those pregnant as a result of rape; those mothers in dire economic circumstances. Pray that someone will step up and help them.

And, having prayed for others, let’s return to thinking about Joy. And the joy of giving … we all enjoy giving pleasure to others. Let’s hope we’ve all chosen well and that our gifts will be enjoyed by their recipients. I hope that our children and grandchildren will have a day of joy and wonder. While remembering we’re celebrating Christ’s birth, we will continue to ask ourselves, what can we do to bring joy into the lives of others.

Amen

Advent Implications

by Pat Lee,
with acknowledgements to Jo Anne Taylor and Michael K Marsh

(Based on Matt 3:1-12; Isa 11:1-10; Rom 15:4-13)

Jo Anne starts by saying that “some folks aren’t even aware there is a season called ‘Advent.’ For them, this season leading up to Christmas is Christmas. We get that message loud and clear everywhere we go, in every store where we shop.”
And sometimes we even get to hear a real Christmas carol.

Advent to many people is putting up decorations and fairy lights, rushing around buying Christmas presents for everyone, filling the tins with goodies, writing Christmas cards or emails, and, of course, the coming of Santa Claus on Christmas Eve to fill up all the stockings of all those who’ve been good. Actually, it is fun to do some or all of those things, but without losing sight of what Christmas is actually all about. It’s not about Santa coming, as the Santa parades and all the shop decorations would have us believe.
I’ve often wondered what the real St Nicholas (where we get Santa Claus from today), a very wealthy man who gave his money to the poor, would think about how the world sees Santa Claus now. I suspect he would feel rather saddened by how it has all turned out.

What is Advent to you? My old Oxford English Dictionary says that Advent is that season before the Nativity; coming of Christ, Incarnation; second coming of Christ; or any important arrival.

Advent is a season of waiting.
What are we waiting for? In eighteen days’ time we will celebrate the birth of Jesus, which was when God sent his Son as a baby into the world to be the “light of the world”, and to bring peace to all the nations.

But that was over 2000 years ago. The Bible tells us that he will come again, but not as a baby, so that is what we are now waiting and preparing for. It doesn’t mean that we can’t celebrate Jesus’s birthday. Of course we can, and do and will. But this time of waiting is the time we need to prepare for the second coming of Christ. That is the message our readings are about today.

It strikes me as odd that today’s readings are not about Jesus’s first coming, but about his second coming. The readings which follow in the next two weeks will be about Jesus’s birth, but today … let’s look at what Isaiah had to say. Isaiah was a prophet who lived over 700 years before Jesus was born.  In chapter 9 he foretells of Jesus’s birth, and then in Ch 11 he adds some more about it, until he gets to verse 6, when he suddenly starts telling us what it will be like when Jesus returns!

What a wonderful picture he paints. Won’t it be amazing to see lions lying with lambs and leopards with kids, instead of eating them for breakfast. And cows grazing with bears and lions eating straw with oxen. It would have been a shock to my father if he had ever found a bear eating grass alongside his precious pedigree Ayrshires. And a child playing over the asp’s hole and none of them being harmed. We don’t have these wild animals here in this country, but we certainly know how they live in their present day environments.

Attribution: Lion and Lamb by Barry Shimmon

Isaiah did not see any of his prophesies fulfilled, but it is an historical fact that Jesus was born more than 2000 years ago. In Ch 65 v25 Isaiah repeats some of these verses but this time it is obvious he is talking about the new creation once Jesus has returned. The picture is of peace and serenity – something we find difficult to imagine with the world as it is today, even although we know that Jesus was born to bring peace.
It’s also a great picture of hope.

Paul, writing in Romans, was aware that Jesus had been born and, in fact, that he had already died, risen and gone back to ‘the Father’. He is using the past to show a way to behave in the present, and also the future, which includes us as Gentiles. In the quote he uses, he repeats the phrase, “The root of Jesse shall come,” linking Jesus back to King David, but adds, “the one who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles shall have hope.” That means us.

In the Gospel reading from Matthew, Isaiah is being quoted again. This time it is about John the Baptist who was sent to exhort everyone to “prepare the way” for Jesus’s ministry. John also knew that Jesus had been born.  They were relatives. He was only about six months older than Jesus.
John is an interesting character. He dressed differently and ate interesting food, which included wild honey and locusts. There is a school of thought that suggests the locusts were the not the insect, but the edible seeds and/or the sweet pulp of the honey locust tree pods, common throughout the Middle East and Israel. I don’t know … although that sounds a lot more palatable to me.

What I do know is that he did not beat about the bush in his language, and yet people flocked to hear him, even including the Pharisees and the Sadducees. I’m sure you’re  glad that I didn’t call you a “brood of vipers” this morning! John told the Pharisees and the Sadducees to “bear fruit worthy of repentance” and not presume to say to themselves that they had Abraham as their ancestor, because God was able to “raise up children to Abraham from the stones”. The axe was “lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that did not bear good fruit would be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
Harsh words, but are they? Or just blunt. Whatever, we need to take heed.

His message was clear: “I baptise you with water for repentance, … He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” The Greek word used here – Matanoia – is often translated as “repent”, but a truer meaning is “to turn”. John is urging his listeners to turn from their wrongdoings. These words also apply to us as we wait and prepare for the second coming.  We need to turn. We need to be ready.

The Gospels are full of Jesus’s parables telling the disciples that they needed to be ready. The parable of the ten bridesmaids is one, where five wise ones went into a banquet with the bridegroom but five foolish bridesmaids were rejected by him. I don’t want to be like those who were rejected, how about you?

So let’s look at the sorts of things we need to turn from: an unkind comment? a little white lie? A nasty thought, wasting time, just simply ignoring someone who is ‘different’ from us? Making judgements about people and what they are doing, or ignoring someone who needs help. These are just a few, but there are heaps more.

I recall an important lesson I learnt as a new mother living in Palmerston North. I was trying to get my pram up about six steps at the Post Office. Many people just walked past ignoring my struggle until out of nowhere this young, scruffy looking man with tattoos and long dreadlocks just came to my aid. I thanked him profusely. I was so grateful and the lesson I learnt: don’t judge a book by its cover. That was nearly sixty years ago.

So let’s turn away from those kinds of things in our lives. You want peace? That’s how you get it.

I’ll finish with a quote from Michael K Marsh. He says, “As difficult as it may be to see and believe Isaiah’s peaceable kingdom, it’s the promise of Advent. Advent always promises that something is coming, something new and unexpected. We don’t know when or where or how it might come. But it comes. And it comes to us as a call, an asking, an insistence that we respond. It asks our participation. That’s our hope for ourselves and for one another.”

Let us pray …
Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.
Imagine, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.
Be at peace with yourself, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.
Be at peace with another, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.
Be at peace with all creation, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.
Be at peace with God, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.
Peace be with you today, tomorrow, and always.
Peace be with you.       Amen.

Why Zacchaeus?

by Bishop Ross Bay

(Based on Luke 19:1-10)

It’s quite a coincidence that we read about the encounter which Jesus had with Zacchaeus the tax collector in the week that Labour [New Zealand political party – Ed] have announced their proposal for a new capital gains tax. That of course takes our minds quickly back to the pre-election announcement in 2023 not to introduce either a capital gains tax or a wealth tax. We saw then the obvious lack of clarity across the Labour Party about their taxation policy; hence the decision to leave it alone at that point. Lots of debate this week about it, and I’m sure many more debates still to come.
But that’s all just interesting and the point of the sermon is not going to be the assessment of NZ tax policies. To paraphrase the Pharisee praying in last week’s gospel reading, “I thank God that I am not a tax collector.”

So, no, I don’t pretend to understand the taxation system – apparently you don’t have to understand tax, you just have to make sure you pay it. But I do understand a little about the taxation system of Roman-occupied Palestine in the first century. Essentially the Roman officer in charge of the district would determine the amount that was required to be collected in taxes from that area. They would then seek local people to be their agents to collect those taxes. That gave the tax collector the opportunity to add their own commission on top so that it made their work worth their while.
The Romans were not too bothered by what the tax collectors were taking from people so long as they received the amount they had established. It was a system left wide open to corruption and rapacious behaviour. When John the Baptist was preaching he was approached by some tax collectors who asked him what they should do in response to his call for repentance and kingdom-preparedness. John told them to collect no more than the amount prescribed for them, which would have left them with no income for their efforts. Such was the radical nature of John’s ethics.

And perhaps that was the point. Palestine was under Roman occupation and rule. Those who engaged with its systems like tax collectors, gathering money from a subjugated people in order to support the occupying power, were regarded as collaborators and traitors. They were rich and powerful, but they were hated and were treated as social outcasts by many. So maybe John was saying, don’t be involved at all, but if you must then only collect what your masters demand.
Among this band then was Zacchaeus of Jericho. It was a big town in its day, and a wealthy one. Herod had a palace there and it was a place of trade, about 25 kms from Jerusalem, say a day and a half to walk given the terrain and the heat. We know of it best from the Parable of the Good Samaritan because it was the Jericho road that those various travellers were on.

Zacchaeus is described as being a chief tax collector. It’s a phrase not found elsewhere in Scripture or other literature of the period. It could mean that he oversaw a group of tax collectors, or it could be a way of expressing the quantum available to him by serving in a wealthy town and therefore how rich he himself had become.
The sense of him being a social outcast is seen in the efforts he has to go to in order to see Jesus. No one is going to let this short tax collector get to the front of the crowd for a peek, so Zacchaeus has to run ahead and climb a tree to get his view.
His behaviour rightly can allow us to speculate about why he is so determined. He would have good cause for avoiding Jesus. We might imagine that Jesus comes with a reputation for what he believes and the things he has to say about ethics. He is making his final journey to Jerusalem at the end of three years of itinerant preaching. Surely Zacchaeus had heard that Jesus was tough on rich people. In fact, in an encounter with a rich ruler in the previous chapter, Luke records Jesus as inviting him to sell all he had and give it to the poor. And when the ruler went away sad, not able to face the thought, Jesus commented about how hard it is for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God, saying it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle.

And yet something compels him. Perhaps a yearning in him for more. Perhaps a tiredness of being shunned by his neighbours. Clearly he is ready for more, because when Jesus calls to him to offer hospitality, he is happy to do so.

Jesus was always looking for the outcast to spend time with. Partly to make a point to those who were a bit too sure of their own holiness and who would never have been seen with sinners, as Jesus often was. But more importantly because Jesus understood that this is where his mission lay – as he said at the end of this encounter, “The Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.”
So, I like to think that as Jesus was making his way through the crowds, people would have started muttering about that dirty tax collector Zacchaeus up in the tree – what does he think he would have to do with such a great rabbi? And Jesus would have thought, “Exactly the kind of person I was looking for to spend some time with.”

Every encounter with Jesus we read about in the Gospels is an expression of God’s grace reaching out to people. How will they respond to this grace? The rich ruler went away sad because he had so much and it carried more power in his life than the grace Jesus extended. But Zacchaeus is ready to respond to God’s grace. His yearning for Jesus is met by the willingness of Jesus to enter his home and eat with him.
Zacchaeus now responds to this expression of grace by demonstrating repentance. He knows the Law, for in Exodus it requires that a thief will give four sheep for a sheep by way of restitution, and Zacchaeus offers to pay back anyone he has defrauded four times what he took from them. In addition he undertakes to give away half of his wealth to the poor. By the end of it all he will no longer be a very rich person.

Jesus declares that salvation has come to this house. Not, I think, because Zacchaeus has fronted up with some big money as if to buy his salvation, but because the grace of God in Jesus for which he has yearned and to which he has responded has brought about true repentance. Zacchaeus offers tangible expression of his response to God’s grace. It is the grace that has saved him. His acts of restitution and alms-giving demonstrate the impact that grace has made in him.

I think that this is one of the great insights we can gain from the encounter with Zacchaeus. Salvation must mean something. The preaching of John the Baptist, who prepared the way for Jesus, had a strong emphasis on human response and lifestyle change. “Bear fruits worthy of repentance,” said John.
Jesus opened his public ministry with the words, “The Kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news.”

The visit Jesus makes to Zacchaeus’s house is no delay in his journey to Jerusalem, it is not a final opportunity to help one person among many desperate to meet him. Rather, it embodies the whole point of Jesus’s mission, and Zacchaeus’s actions provide a text book example of an appropriate human response to that mission.
Grace reaches towards human yearning which responds to that grace in ways that both demonstrate its impact and contribute to the presence and ethics of the emerging kingdom.

For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.