First Presbyterian Church
Eye-catching Faith
Sermon for November 4, 2007
by Pastor Susan Barnes

The prophet Habakkuk lived when Babylonian power was at its height. As a temple prophet, his job was to compose oracles to address events in the lives of God's people. His short book contains his demand to know how a just God can be silent in the face of evil. Imagine hearing Habakkuk's word with other Hebrews, in a land filled with rioting, violence, immorality and hopelessness, where the court system is irresponsible and unjust.

You may follow along on page 781 of your pew Bibles, although we'll be reading from my translation and many of the words will be different. We begin our reading with Habakkuk's lament toYahweh, complaining that the law is paralyzed and the wicked surround and feast on the righteous. We skip over Habakkuk's lurid description of the wicked growing fat by consuming the innocent and end with Yahweh's answer to Habakkuk. Listen to the word of God as it is found in Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4.

The oracle that the Prophet Habakkuk saw: “How long, Yahweh, shall I yell for help and you will not listen, or I shout to you, ‘violence' and you will not save? Why do you make me see evil and look at trouble? Devastation and violence are in front of me, and disputes occur and lawsuits are raised!”

I will take my stand to watch and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will retort concerning my case.

And Yahweh answered me: “Write the vision distinctly upon tablets, so the one reading it may run. The vision is a witness of an appointment, a testifier to the end—it will not lie. ‘If it tarries, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not dawdle. Indeed his gullet is engorged, not flattened, yet the innocent will [live] by its faithfulness.'”

This ends our reading from the prophet Habakkuk. The vision's faithfulness will let the innocent survive. The vision which the prophet had to write clearly will help the innocent. It's ironic that in chapter 2, verses 3 and 4 are about writing a vision plainly, and yet the Hebrew is hard to translate and scholars disagree over what it says. I think it means that even while the wicked one continues to devour the innocent, the innocent are to keep living faithfully. The wicked's actions don't mean God isn't there.

It isn't clear if the runner in verse 2 is reading the vision on a large tablet by the side of the road, or if the runner is holding a tablet or a manuscript, trying to read it while running, or if the reader's eyes are running quickly over the letters. In any case, the message is to be written very clearly, and the matter is urgent enough that someone will be running. It could also mean they took the prophecy and ran with it; that is, they lived it out. 1 Let's listen to the choir.

Last week, we read the story of the pharisee and the tax collector from chapter 18 of Luke's gospel. Since then, Jesus has blessed the children and told the rich ruler to “Sell all that you own and give the money to the poor.” The rich ruler turned away, sorrowful because he had many possessions, and Jesus said, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the realm of God.” He told a blind man to “receive your sight, your faith has saved you.”

Today's story is the familiar story of Zacchaeus. The Hebrew root for this name means ‘pure one,' but Zacchaeus did not have a pure occupation. He was the chief tax collector; in my translation I call him a supervisor. He was in charge of the local tax collectors. They didn't just collect taxes; they collected tolls, tariffs, and fees. The supervisor would pay the Romans all the taxes for the region upfront, and then collect money from the inhabitants. Anything they collected over what they had already paid the Romans was profit. It was not considered an honorable occupation.

Our reading begins just after Jesus has given a blind man sight, and the people followed him, praising God. We'll be reading from my translation, but you may follow along on page 82. Listen for the word of God as it is found in Luke 19:1-10.

1 He entered Jericho and was passing through.

2 And there [was] a man whose name was called Zacchaeus; he was a supervising tax collector and was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but he could not on account of the rabble, because he was small in stature. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed up a sycamore fig tree to see him, because he was going to pass through.

5 When Jesus came to the spot, he was able to look up and say to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today."

6 So he hurried down and received him with joy.

7 All who saw it were complaining, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.”

8 Zacchaeus took a stand and said to the Lord, “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I pay back four times as much.”

9 Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save those who are destroyed.”

This ends our reading of the gospel.

I know my translation is a little different from your pew Bibles. In verse 8 Zacchaeus tells Jesus he will give half his possessions to the poor. But it isn't future tense; it is present. Zacchaeus is defending himself against the rabble who are griping that Zacchaeus is a rich tax collector and is a sinner. The rabble didn't make room for Zacchaeus to see who was coming; I've been in crowds and parades; most people in front make room for short people and don't mind letting them get in front, especially if they're children, or if they are in a wheelchair, or if they are people they know. It's the tall people, or the ones with big hats who have to stay in the back.

The people in Jericho must have known who Zacchaeus was; he wasn't popular, but he was probably notorious. And so the people grumbled that the one they shut out is the one who has the great honor to welcome Jesus into his home.

Zacchaeus defends himself against the grumbling, explaining that he follows the law faithfully. According to the law (Exodus 22:1) if an animal was stolen, but found alive, the thief must pay double; if the animal is dead, he has to pay four times as much. Zacchaeus pays back not just the minimum double, but the four times as much. He observes the law.

Even though Zacchaeus was rich, he still was faithful. His name means pure in Hebrew, but that was supposed to be ironic; his job was anything but. What does it mean that Zacchaeus already gives to the poor and makes restitution? Just fifteen verses earlier is the story of the rich ruler who wanted to inherit eternal life. Jesus said that he had to sell all that he had, and distribute it to the poor. The gospel of Luke is generally very hard on the rich. The rich are not usually sympathetic heroes.

In chapter 18, the rich ruler went away sorrowful, and Jesus said, “It is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye than for a rich man to enter the realm of God.” The people asked then who can be saved? And Jesus said things that are impossible for humans are possible with God.

I thought it was interesting that Zacchaeus gave away half his possessions to the poor. If he kept doing that, wouldn't he end up with nothing? That word we translate as ‘possessions' can also mean property or money; it means the things you have control over and can dispose of as you want. Perhaps a better way of saying it is he gave away half his net income. Zacchaeus gave away half of his profit after taxes; that is, after he collected them all.

As he earned more, he gave away that half. Half is more than the law required; the covenant laws speak of giving the Lord a tenth, rather than half. Zacchaeus apparently makes it through the eye of the needle. He is very rich, and yet he manages to give away what he has and be honest in his business. What does that mean? It means he is not destroyed or lost; Jesus calls him a son of Abraham, that is, someone who is in the covenant. His occupation does not mean he should be excluded. Salvation has come to his house. Nothing is impossible with God.

Our epistle lesson comes from the opening words of the second letter to the Thessalonians. You may follow along on page 205. Listen for the word of God as it is found in 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12.

1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of everyone of you for one another is increasing.

4 Therefore we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith during all your persecutions and the afflictions that you are enduring. 11 To this end we always pray for you, asking that our God will make you worthy of his call and will fulfill by his power every good resolve and work of faith, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

This ends our reading of God's word.

The Thessalonians faith is growing, and their love is growing, even while they are enduring persecutions. That isn't easy to do. When we are persecuted, made fun of, ignored, or mistreated, it's easy to think that somehow we deserve it, that we are being punished, that because we are treated badly, we are bad. But the letter to the Thessalonians reminds us that living by faith means loving one another. If we are loved, and can show love to one another, that love can sustain us through hard times.

Last weekend I attended Eastern Oregon Presbytery. It was held in Burns. We heard from a mission co-worker from Hungary. Josef Angi spoke about his work with is with, Rev. Kathi Angi. They work with refugees as part of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. When we send money off to General Assembly, it helps pay for programs like PDA.

Josef told us that when the European Union was formed, laws changed, and refugees had to remain in the country that first granted them refugee status. This makes it difficult for the refugees; they would rather go where there is work for them.

Josef showed us a picture of a man from Ethiopia who was found in Italy working illegally; he was arrested and returned to Hungary; his wife and one-year old child were still in Italy. The refugee program helped reunite the family and paid for an apartment for the family for 10 months; the man paid just the utilities. Now he and his family have moved out and are self-supporting.

Josef's wife Kathi finds it challenging in Hungary because she does not speak the language. Refugees who speak six or seven languages agree Hungarian is difficult to learn. Josef told us Hungarian is the third most difficult language to learn after Navajo and Arabic.

Learning Hungarian is especially difficult for teenage refugees; some of them have been traveling for five years; they haven't been in school, and suddenly they are in school, expected to answer their teachers' questions, unable to, and are laughed at. Sometimes the teenagers don't come back to school and to survive, the boys turn to illegal activities and girls to prostitution. That's why teaching languages is part of Josef and Kathi's ministry.

St. Columba church is the only church in Hungary ministering to refugees. Josef told us, “A few years ago, we learned that refugees were taking the train in to the city on Saturday to attend church on Sunday. Sunday afternoon, they would take the train back, and return to the refugee camp after dinner had been served. So we started serving a free lunch to everyone after church. We are the only church in Hungary that serves food. People are used to attending church, then leaving, and having church not make a difference in their week.”

Josef and Kathi are demonstrating that hearing the word makes a difference.

They are making it plain, so that anybody running by can see what they are doing in the world. The faithful with eyes to see can appreciate their work.

And for us, how do we demonstrate our faithfulness?

Loving one another, and demonstrating that love to those around us. Giving some of our money away. Reading the Bible, trying to learn God's word. Letting what we learn on Sunday impact us. When we are bolstered by the scripture, it's easier to be kind even to those who are rude or crabby or mean. Zacchaeus was unpopular, but he did not take it out on the inhabitants by defrauding them. He maintained the covenant. Jesus came to his house. When we make loving one another a habit, it's harder to be despise someone for their occupations. When we make loving one another a habit, it's easy to welcome Jesus into our house.

When we love others, we miss them when they're gone, and we grieve. Today we remember our dear ones who have died this last year. It's All Saints' Day, and we will read their names. Please rise as you are able for hymn #526 “For all the Saints.”

1 Jeremiah 23:21, “I did not send the prophets, yet they ran; I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied” and Zechariah 2:3-4 “Then the angel who talked with me came forward, and another angel came forward to meet him, and said to him, ‘Run, say to that young man: Jerusalem shall be inhabited like villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and animals in it.'”