Title: The Joy and Salvation of Zacchaeus
Text: Luke 19:1~10
I.
However, for some reason, Zacchaeus was not bright or happy these days. I couldn't even call it depression, but I felt empty and empty inside. In the days when I was poor and disrespected, I always had a kind of longing and thirst in my heart because I felt like I was lacking in anything else in my life that I thought would be solved by earning money. Zacchaeus really missed the sound of people talking to him. I missed the real conversation that treats people really well, rather than the sounds of flattery and slandering others. After all, under the Roman colonial rule, the publican was not an honorable profession for his people, but he was also shouting from the depths of his heart that he was not guilty of a great sin. Because the proud Pharisees, Sadducees, priests, and various merchants, farmers, and shepherds knew clearly that they were conforming to the Roman colonial rule, and that they were eating and living under that system. Of course, Zacchaeus knew well that the way he was living was not a life to be proud of. I wanted to do something cool, but I didn't have the opportunity and I didn't have the courage to do it.
However, one day, I heard that the Galilean Rabbi Jesus, who had been rumored to be windy, had come to Jericho. Although I had never met him, I had a strong urge to meet the rabbi in person at least once. Throwing away all the face and the usual social networks, Zacchaeus ran to the square where Rabbi Jesus was. It was because he thought that just seeing the true man would fill the emptiness of his heart and fill him with creative vitality. However, the rabbi named Jesus was already surrounded by a group of twelve disciples who were escorting the teacher, numerous first-class monks, and the Jericho crowd, making it impossible to approach. It would have been even more difficult for the short Zacchaeus. However, his investigative determination did not back down or give up easily. Foreseeing the course of Rabbi Jesus and his companions, he climbed up to a large tree branch by the road he was passing, hid himself with leaves and waited.
Would you have waited a long time? Jesus, who was approaching one step at a time while surrounded by his disciples and monks, suddenly stopped and looked at him and said, “Zacchaeus, come down. Isn't that why me and my party are going to have to trouble your house today"? Zacchaeus was astonished. It was like a dream how the rabbi knew his name and said he would stay in his house while calling his name. The joy of meeting Jesus was so great and so great that he hurried down like a child and led Jesus and his companions to their house to take them home.
Meanwhile, the atmosphere at the table is in full swing. Zacchaeus suddenly got up from his seat and saw Rabbi Jesus and said, It was a surprising decisive declaration, a promise, and a confession that no one expected, so everyone was surprised and shocked. “Teacher, I will divide half of my wealth and give it to the poor. And we will review the tax collection records in detail, and if it is found that any amount of tax has been stolen in violation of the law, we will pay you back four times as stipulated in the law.” People couldn't keep their mouths shut at Zacchaeus's decisive and outrageous remarks so sudden and bewildered. Saying so, Zacchaeus seemed lighthearted and a little emotionally agitated, but he didn't seem to be making vague promises he could not keep. Jesus spoke quietly. “Today salvation has come to this house. Wasn't that man's housekeeper Zacchaeus also descended from Abraham?"
II.
Today's Gospel of Luke's Bible story comes to an end as you all know well. For anyone in any age, out of the 66 books of the Bible, there is a case where one word strikes the heart. In the 13th century, a verse from the Bible read during mass at a chapel in a mountain village called Assisi, North Italy, made the heart of young Francis, the son of a rich rancher, tremble. Those words were Matthew 10:8 and below. “As they go, they preach and say, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand’, heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons.