Thomas J Parlette
“The Tax Man in the Tree”
Luke 19: 1-10
11/3/19
Hello, You’ve reached the telephone assistance center of the IRS – Israel Revenue Service. My Name is Zaccheus. How may I assist you today?
Pause
Yes, that’s right – Zaccheus. The name means “pure” and “innocent.”
Pause
I understand your laughter, ma’am. I really do. I know most people don’t think of IRS agents as pure and innocent. So – where are you calling from?
Pause
Jericho. Excellent. Great place. Lots of history. Occupied by our ancestors when they crossed the Jordan River and entered the Promised Land. I live there, too, you know.
Pause
Yes, Ma’am, I am a Jew. Just like you.
Pause
No, I am not a dirty, rotten Roman.
Pause
Yes, you’re right – I work for the Romans, but I am still a Jew. The Romans took Jericho about 90 years ago, without much resistance. Like, what were we supposed to do against the most powerful army in the world? They can pretty much march in and take whatever they want.
Pause
Noooo, wait a minute, you’re not listening. I am NOT defending Rome – I’m just reviewing history. General Mark Antony had an estate here, and he liked it so much that he gave it to Cleopatra. After the two of them committed suicide, Augustus gave the estate to Herod and here we are.
Pause
No Ma’am, I am not a fan of Herod – not in the least. I remember that he was so jealous of his brother-in-law that he had him drowned in a pool right here in Jericho!
Ma’am, may I put you on hold?
Press imaginary button and speak to the congregation
I don’t know why I get so much criticism from my own people. I do my best to keep the 10 commandments, and it’s not like I’ve murdered anyone. Some people think I steal, but tax-collecting is a tricky business. I know for a fact that many of my neighbors have cheated on their taxes!
I think the reason I get so much criticism is that I am the CHIEF tax collector – and I’m rich. I oversee all of the tax collectors for this area, so I have a team of people who collect taxes, tolls and tariffs from Jews – my people. But someone’s got to do it. Would they prefer a Roman collect taxes from them? The system is open to abuse, I know, and people like me are assumed to be dishonest. But most of all, we are hated because we cooperate with Rome. But look – I got to make a living, right!
Press imaginary button and return to call
Thank you for waiting Ma’am. Now, how can I help you?
Pause
Yes, I can help with that. I’m very good with numbers, so I can calculate your tax for you. When do you need this completed?
Pause
“Maybe never” you say? I don’t understand – Why is that?
Pause
I see. You don’t think you’ll have to pay taxes to Rome because Jesus has come. Yes, I have heard people calling him the “Son of David.” They hope he will lead an army like a sort of new King David and drive the Romans out. But ma’am, I have to be honest with you – I think that’s a stretch! I’ve seen the strength and the brutality of the Roman army, up close. Jesus and Jewish army wouldn’t stand a chance!
Pause
No, Ma’am, I’m not on Rome’s side. I’m just more interested in Jesus as a religious leader. He healed the servant of a Roman centurion. He forgave a sinful woman. He healed a boy with a demon. Best of all, I hear that he is a friend of tax collectors and sinners. That’s exactly what I need.
Pause
Yes, ma’am – Jesus is a friend of outcasts. I think that’s GOOD News.
Pause
I hear what you’re saying, but do you have a minute? I’d like to tell you about what just happened to – Just yesterday. I looked out my window and I saw a crowd heading for town. I joined them and asked a man what was going on. He ignored, because you know – tax collector. Instead, he turned to a friend of his and said, “I hear that Jesus has just healed a blind beggar! Can you believe it? You know the guy I’m talking about – that disgusting beggar who always sits in the dirt outside of town. People are saying that he is now following Jesus into Jericho, with a spring in his step.”
I got excited when I heard this. Jesus had healed a man who was reviled as any tax collector. But as we approached the edge of town, my heart sank. The sides of the road were packed with people, five deep. I began to work my way along the edge of the crowd, but I couldn’t see a thing, even when I hopped up and down. Although I may sound tall on the phone, I’m only 4 feet 11 inches.
Pause
You say that I DON’T sound tall on the phone?
Pause
Anyway, I knew I needed a plan, so I looked to where Jesus would probably enter Jericho. I ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree with large, low branches – perfect for climbing. I knew people would laugh at me. It’s very undignified for a grown man to run anywhere. Running is for kids. And a man of importance would never climb a tree. It’s humiliating. But I didn’t care. I wanted to see Jesus.
The crowd continued to swell, and I was glad that I had my vantage point in the tree. I could see over the heads of everyone along the road, even the men and women who were looking up at me and laughing. I heard one of them say, “Hey look up there, it’s the tax man, Zacchaeus, up in a tree! He may be rich, but he looks like an idiot!
Pause
Yes, you’re right, I probably did look like an idiot. Then Jesus and his entourage appeared. I had never seen Jesus before, but I immediately picked him out in the middle of his disciples. They were moving quickly, with a sense of urgency, and the crowd parted like the Red Sea as they passed through town on their way to Jerusalem.
As Jesus reached the sycamore tree, he turned his head up and looked straight into my eyes. I was so shocked that I almost lost my grip and fell out of the tree. Then he said, “Zaccheaus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” I tell you, I did not see that coming. The crowd was silent. People looked at Jesus and they looked at me, back and forth, wondering what in the world he was doing. Why was Jesus talking to someone like me? – not to mention actually going to my house – scandalous!
I scrambled down the tree, almost flipping upside down when my robe got caught on in a branch, but somehow I managed to reach the ground without breaking anything. I pushed my way through the crowd until I found Jesus. He was taller than me, but not by much. I threw my arms around him saying, “Welcome, welcome. A thousand Welcomes.” I was so honored that a man like Jesus wanted to stay with me.
The crowd was still stunned, but they were no longer silent. They knew that Jesus was breaking the code of purity by going to the house of a tax collector. In addition, he was honoring a man who just humiliated himself by running and climbing up a tree. I could hear the people grumbling – “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner. For shame. For shame.”
But Jesus said nothing. He just smiled at me and looked at me like I was the only person in the crowd.
The silence was awkward, so I broke it by saying, “Look, half of my possession, I will give to the poor – and if I have cheated anyone of anything, I will pay them back four times as much.” Because Jesus had honored me with his presence, I felt like I needed to make amends. I volunteered to pay people back if they felt like I took advantage of them.
Jesus smiled and said “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.” I could hardly believe it – Jesus had restored my good status by calling me a “son of Abraham.” He had broken through my isolation by seeking me out and saving me. As long as I live, I’ll never be able to do enough to pay him back. But I am going to try. Each and every day. And that is why I want to help you, ma’am. I want to do your taxes right and fair.
Pause
No ma’am, I’m not trying to be a hero. JESUS is the hero, because he reached out to me and made me his friend. Wherever you are in your loneliness and isolation, he’ll do the same for you. All you….
Pause
Where can you find Jesus?
Pause
Well, Jesus is just about everywhere. He will probably find you. Thing is, when you want to find Jesus, that’s sort of the moment you’ll find him. It’s like what God said through Jeremiah – “When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me.” So all you have to do is take the risk of moving toward Jesus. He will call you his friend. I guarantee that you will be thankful that he breaks through your loneliness. And you’ll want to spend the rest of your life wanting to make him proud that he knows you.
So if this call has been helpful to you, please stay on the line for a short survey.
Hello, this is Zaccheaus at the IRS… How may I help you?
Stand
May God be praised. “Amen’
This script was downloaded from Homileticsonline, retrieved October 21st, 2019
