Overwhelming spiritual encounter

My narrative sermon on Sunday followed the moves in the story. From a negative beginning to holy curiosity and then overwhelming spiritual encounter. Verse 5: When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him: Zacchaeus come down immediately. I must stay at your house today. So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. I invited the congregation to imagine this moment. Jesus takes the initiative. Perhaps he knew Zacchaeus' name but he would have certainly heard it from the crowd around who couldn't believe it was odious feared Zacchaeus up a tree. For goodness sake. This wealthy man of status actually peering down through branches.

And what authority Jesus shows!  Has anyone ever spoken to Zacchaeus like this before? Come down immediately. But he had never met anyone like Jesus before! Jesus must stay in his house today. This unpopular man is suddenly the focus of attention and the crowd can't bear it.  Doesn't Jesus know what kind of man this is? Yes, of course Jesus knows.

When he looks up at Zacchaeus he's not seeing a wealthy, successful man, or an extortioner and betrayer of his own people. He sees a man who is LOST.  It's unlikely that Zacchaeus would have ever considered himself lost.  He mapped out his life like his finances. His personal GPS had a route of continuing success  But from God's point of view he has missed his way to true living.  His life so far is empty of God's purpose. Within  Zacchaeus God's loving Spirit is working to help him recognize the truth of this moment. He shins down the tree and greets Jesus gladly.  He's been found.  Jesus will sum up his ministry: The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost (verse 12) and Zacchaeus is bowled over by the spiritual reality of being found in God's love and purpose.

The transformation is extraordinary. For someone for whom money was everything it is now as though it's nothing. Look Lord, here and now, I give half my possession to the poor. If I've cheated anyone out of anything I'll pay him four times the amount. Being found upends all he has been living for. Everything is different.

One of the Histon church members, Richard Pike, read my earlier postings about preaching on Zacchaeus. He mentioned that he had written what he calls an 'imaginative contemplation' on this story, when he was engaged in a project a few years ago. I asked to see it and when I read it I knew that it just had to be included in my sermon. 

So get ready....