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Pentecost 22

October 31, 2004

Habbakuk1: 1-4, 2: 1-4

Psalm 119: 137-144

2 Thessalonians 1: 1-4, 11-12

Luke 19: 1-10

Habbakuk 1: 1-4, 2: 1-4: The prophet is not afraid to ask the tough questions – ‘Why do bad things happen to good people?’ is the title of anexcellent little book by Harold Kuchner which explores the same issues. Habbakuk writes in the late 7th century BCE in the face of harsh rule and severe suffering under - probably - the Babylonians. ‘How can you allow this? why is this happening?’ asks the prophet throughout this book as he debates with God. The situation is very like that in the book of Job who debates similar issues with his well-meaning but misguided friends. The question: ‘How can a God of love allow such suffering?’ is a question we all ask in time of trauma. We are not meant to accept these things passively in a ‘doormat’ mindset; we are expected to express all our feelings, our doubts and our confusion to God - as did the writers of the many Psalms of Lament in our bible. God¹s response is seen in 2.5: ‘Look at the proud! Their spirit is not right in them, but the righteous live by their faith.’

Psalm 119: 137-144: This passage ties in well with the reading from Habbakuk. The psalmist is aware of enemies [v139], of being despised [v141] and of trouble and anguish [v144], yet he continually praises God¹s righteousness, God¹s judgements, faithfulness and justice. We are in constant danger of being overwhelmed by the flood of news media reports of rampant violence; praising God allows us to see that the God who is love is hard at work in the same world! Our passage concludes with the words: ‘Your decrees are righteous forever; give me understanding that I may live’ - real living consists of stepping out in faith into the maelstrom that is around us - we, like the poet, are called to be agents of God¹s love in a suffering world. This psalm is best read in small doses and today¹s passage could be well be used in worship as a responsive prayer of thanksgiving or as a responsive call to worship.

2 Thessalonians 1: 1-4, 11-12: Some key ideas or attributes are linked - ‘thanks’ and ‘perseverance’ [verses 3 and 4], ‘faith’ and ‘love’ [v3], ‘steadfastness and faith’ and ‘persecutions and afflictions’ [v4]. Paul is clear that being committed to God¹s ways in the world does not guarantee an easy life, quite the contrary as following God leads almost inevitably to conflict with the wealthy and powerful. That was true in biblical times and it is just as true today. But even the rich and powerful can change, can be converted to the ways of unconditional love. Thus Paul himself who, as Saul, was one of the most ardent persecutors of the early church, was met on the road to Damascus by the risen Chris t and became one of the church¹s greatest missionaries. Paul writes to the church in Thessalonica assuring them that their steadfastness, love and faith in the midst of persecution and affliction is evidence of empowering by God. Faith is not intellectual understanding [Hebrews 11.1], it is loving commitment to the love of God and the purposes of God in and through the church.

Luke 19: 1-10: One of the most vivid incidents in the bible, told in simple and clear terms. It is necessary to spend time ensuring that the congregation understands the social situation at the time of Jesus. Tax collectors worked for the occupying Romans and were therefore outcasts in Jewish society. They regularly extorted and cheated, and so became wealthy. As a chief tax collector, Zacchaeus would also have made money from his subordinates. And so, as his clothes became finer, his house larger and more opulently decorated, and his slaves more numerous, Zacchaeus would have become a hated figure in the city of Jericho .

Jesus, as usual, is not concerned with being politically correct as he looks up and sees Zacchaeus in the sycamore tree - we can imagine Jesus sensing the yearning for a human response other than loathing as he looks into his eyes. And so - ignoring the crowd - he invites himself to Zacchaeus¹s house. The tax collector immediately responds in repentance and extravagantly promises publicly to return fourfold the money he has got illegally and to give half his property to the poor. Jesus reminds the crowd that Zacchaeus is a Jew and invites them to accept the new Zacchaeus back into society. Life would not be easy as he would have to earn trust and respect by living honestly and compassionately. Jesus concludes: ‘The Son of Man has come to seek out and to save the lost.’

Directions for Preaching:

1. ‘The righteous live by their faith.’ [Hab. 2.5], ‘give me understanding that I may live.’ [Ps. 119.144], ‘The Son of Man has come to seek out and to save the lost.’ [Lk. 19.10], and Paul praises the Thessalonians for their growth of faith and love in the midst of persecution. All four readings would feed into a sermon on ‘the nature of righteous living.’
2. An allied theme would be the contrast between the way of God and the way of human success and power, the way of political correctness.
3. A challenging theme would be to explore one of the most basic questions of the human condition: ‘Why do bad things happen to good people?’ – again all four readings are relevant. Deep waters would be entered as focus would inevitably become the nature of God – ‘how can a God of love be all powerful and so prevent suffering?’
4. The incident of saving lost Zacchaeus could be unpacked, with people in the congregation being invited to come down from their ‘trees of refuge’, to respond to Jesus, to ask and give forgiveness, to receive and give love, and to become new beings.