02/19/23 - Transfiguration Sunday

The following video has been published by the Collective Baptist Fellowship (CBF) as a resource for congregations. It is the first video in the eight-part series titled Seeing Through the Eyes of Jesus, which looks at different aspects of Jesus and who he is and how he sees the world. A reflection by Elaine Defreitas is posted below the video.

10/30/22 - Luke 19:1-9

Luke 19

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.5 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. 7 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[a] came to seek and save those who are lost.”

  • Zaccheaus was the CHIEF tax collector. He had become very rich. 

  • The tax collector as the archetype of our near enemy. And him being very rich indicates the level of oppression that he had over people. 

  • Being the chief tax collector is being the chief traitor 

  • Somehow, not really sure why. This very powerful man is interested in Jesus. 

  • In an honor shame society, powerful people don’t climb trees. There is something here in this story about the juxtaposition of a short powerful man, and a powerless tall tree. Him needing to climb a tree is a shameful act. It is just not a proper thing to do for a man of his importance in town. It would be similar to seeing gov. Mills climbing on top of a car to see a parade. Normally you would expect her to be in the parade or at the very least be on the sidelines of the parade. But there’s something about the Jesus movement that is so attractive to the powerless, and that normally the powerful will reject. 

  • In this case, this powerful man had to do something very silly and swallow his pride in order for him to get a glimpse of Jesus. We are already seeing the evidence of change and spirituality in Zaccheaous when he’s willing to be more child like. 

  • This immediately reminds me of the way that Jesus encourages his disciples to be more like children. The kingdom of God is a joyous, playful place. 

  • In last week’s story, Jesus told us that if you exalt yourself you will be humbled, but if you humble yourself you will be exalted. 

  • This is exactly what we’re seeing at play here. A powerful man humbling himself and thereby being exalted. 

  • I can imagine there were other rich tax collectors in this area. I can also imagine that some of them bought out their place near to Jesus. But the fact that this man was willing to be humble is what is actually making a difference. 

  • I love the general demeanor of the interaction between these two. Jesus literally invites himself into Zaccheaous’ house. Which the first thing I’m thinking of, poor Zaccheaus’ wife. Can you imagine how mad she must have been. Zack, I told you not to do this. Do not invite people over without talking to me first. 

  • But Zack climbs down from the tree, and with excitement and joy, takes Jesus into his house. Remember, Jesus is not someone who is liked and beloved by the powerful people of his time, so the fact that Zack is willing to host him, and to do it with such joy and excitement is very revealing to me. I think it’s also a testament to Zack’s willingness to be associated with this man who is saying that he’s preaching the good news of the country of God. If you think about it for a second, Jesus’ own mission was 100% antithetical to what Zack stands for. If the kingdom of God comes back right now, Zack’s out of a job. Zack does’t care. He doesn’t care about his honor, he doesn’t care about the shame that he is bringing against his household his wife, and his family by allowing Jesus to come into their home. He doesn’t care that hanging out with Jesus will inevitably mean that Zach’s about to be poorer. All of that is worth it to Zack just to have the opportunity to hang out with the teacher. Just to be in his presence, and share a meal with him. 

  • In contrast to all these amazing things we find the “people” who are displeased. They are very concerned with Jesus’ sin and Jesus’ actions. JEsus is now the guest of a notorious sinner, they say. 

    • This type of spirituality has a few things that are normally present. 

    • They are being compared against the Joy that Zack felt. Instead of feeling Zack, they are feeling displeased with the actions of others. 

    • This type of spirituality reduces people to just one area of their lives. Zack looses nuance to them and he becomes just a notorious sinner. No mercy. No chance, no gray. 

  • In contrast Zack’s spirituality looks more like:

    • Joyful

    • Playful 

    • Not about exalting ourselves, but humbling yourself. 

    • And more importantly, it is a spirituality based on the practice of spending time with Jesus. That is what changes you. I don't want us to pass over the transformation power of spending time with, of communing with, or practicing being in the presence of Jesus and letting that transform you. 

  • “The Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost” Jesus came to save us, to be in relationship with us and to have a saving relationship with us. And this is a daily act. Sometimes we have this understanding of salvation as just being transactional. You’re in, or your out. You’re saved or you’re not. But the way that a Jesus spirituality works is an iterative process. It is the act of being saved, and the act of continuing to need Jesus and see the gospel over and over again. This is similar to the way we don’t just take communion once. We continue to come back to communion. We practice is weekly, and in some traditions even daily.