WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.080 We hope that you enjoy this teaching from Christ Church. 00:00:05.719 --> 00:00:09.500 This material is copyrighted and no unauthorized duplication, 00:00:09.880 --> 00:00:15.280 redistribution, or any other use of any part is permitted without prior consent from Christ Church. 00:00:15.280 --> 00:00:22.640 Please consider donating to this work in the San Francisco Bay Area online at ChristChurchEastBay.org. 00:00:22.640 --> 00:00:36.380 Before our scripture reading, I had the privilege of just introducing our speaker, our preacher today. 00:00:36.579 --> 00:00:44.359 My friends Cindy and Paul Shuler are here today, and they moved here to Berkeley about a year and a half ago 00:00:44.359 --> 00:00:51.880 to start Reformed University Fellowship International, ministering to visiting scholars from all over the world. 00:00:51.880 --> 00:00:59.719 And have come to be fellow missionaries in Berkeley, and it's such a joy to have these friends among us 00:00:59.719 --> 00:01:05.540 and just to have a pastor pal to go walk with Paul on a regular basis. 00:01:06.299 --> 00:01:14.079 They've ministered in various churches and church planting settings in Seattle and San Luis Obispo and Hawaii, 00:01:14.740 --> 00:01:17.320 and now their home is here with us in Berkeley. 00:01:17.319 --> 00:01:22.159 So let's continue to stand for this scripture reading from the Gospel of Luke. 00:01:24.039 --> 00:01:33.399 Today our scripture reading is from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 19, verses 1 through 10, as printed in the liturgy. 00:01:33.400 --> 00:01:38.180 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 00:01:38.960 --> 00:01:40.940 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus. 00:01:41.359 --> 00:01:43.680 He was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 00:01:44.420 --> 00:01:49.700 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short, he could not see over the crowd. 00:01:50.240 --> 00:01:55.660 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 00:01:55.659 --> 00:01:59.579 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, 00:02:00.179 --> 00:02:01.879 Zacchaeus, come down immediately. 00:02:02.239 --> 00:02:03.560 I must stay at your house today. 00:02:04.299 --> 00:02:07.519 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 00:02:08.300 --> 00:02:10.699 All the people saw this and began to mutter, 00:02:11.159 --> 00:02:13.219 He has gone to be the guest of a sinner. 00:02:13.219 --> 00:02:16.439 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, 00:02:17.039 --> 00:02:21.120 Look, Lord, here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, 00:02:21.560 --> 00:02:26.740 and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount. 00:02:28.099 --> 00:02:29.099 Jesus said to him, 00:02:29.800 --> 00:02:31.939 Today's salvation has come to this house, 00:02:32.199 --> 00:02:35.180 because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 00:02:36.020 --> 00:02:41.300 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. 00:02:41.300 --> 00:02:44.380 This is the gospel of the Lord. 00:02:44.939 --> 00:02:46.680 Praise to you, Lord Christ. 00:02:46.840 --> 00:02:47.260 Good morning. 00:02:47.760 --> 00:02:49.480 It's great to be here with you. 00:02:51.380 --> 00:02:57.560 And we're really grateful for your partnership and Jonathan's friendship over the years. 00:02:58.560 --> 00:03:03.340 And so it's wonderful to be here opening the word this morning. 00:03:03.560 --> 00:03:08.900 The title of the message today is Hospitality and Hope. 00:03:08.900 --> 00:03:12.340 And both of those words are H words. 00:03:13.240 --> 00:03:16.760 And they're both beautiful on their own. 00:03:17.159 --> 00:03:19.140 Hospitality is a beautiful word and hope. 00:03:19.800 --> 00:03:22.860 But when you combine them, when you marry them, 00:03:23.480 --> 00:03:26.240 they become a phenomenal couple. 00:03:27.099 --> 00:03:31.080 And really very, very powerful. 00:03:31.080 --> 00:03:34.860 Over the past year and a half, as Jonathan was mentioning, 00:03:35.000 --> 00:03:38.040 Sin and I have been experiencing that. 00:03:38.660 --> 00:03:39.920 Hospitality and hope. 00:03:40.380 --> 00:03:46.420 Here in Berkeley, we've been able to partner, 00:03:46.920 --> 00:03:48.700 privileged to partner with churches, 00:03:49.700 --> 00:03:52.020 Christ Church and many other churches and individuals, 00:03:52.020 --> 00:03:56.760 kind of on the frontier of hospitality, 00:03:57.580 --> 00:04:01.540 welcoming people who come here from all over the world 00:04:01.540 --> 00:04:04.939 and opening up our home and our lives 00:04:04.939 --> 00:04:08.420 and partnering with churches about that. 00:04:08.419 --> 00:04:13.699 And I just want to report to you, you know, from the front lines, 00:04:14.019 --> 00:04:19.500 when you do this, when you take the risk and say yes 00:04:19.500 --> 00:04:22.199 and open up your home and your life, 00:04:22.879 --> 00:04:26.659 it's really a place of profound miracles. 00:04:28.659 --> 00:04:30.899 Amazing things happen. 00:04:31.759 --> 00:04:32.719 Stunning surprises. 00:04:32.720 --> 00:04:38.100 One of my mentors in international student ministry 00:04:38.100 --> 00:04:39.400 is a guy named Al LeCour. 00:04:39.560 --> 00:04:44.360 He founded RUF International about 25 years ago. 00:04:44.840 --> 00:04:45.900 And he has this quote. 00:04:46.900 --> 00:04:47.600 He says, 00:04:47.700 --> 00:04:53.220 Hospitality opens doors that let the future in. 00:04:55.000 --> 00:04:56.820 And so when you say yes to hospitality 00:04:56.820 --> 00:04:59.680 and you open your door and a guest comes in, 00:04:59.680 --> 00:05:03.019 it's not just a guest that is coming in. 00:05:03.100 --> 00:05:06.180 God's future comes rushing in. 00:05:07.280 --> 00:05:11.120 God's new creation comes in and it's, 00:05:11.300 --> 00:05:13.400 you know, hospitality is so, like, tangible 00:05:13.400 --> 00:05:17.100 and visible and edible. 00:05:19.680 --> 00:05:20.639 It's stunning. 00:05:20.899 --> 00:05:26.040 And it's simple but very profound. 00:05:26.560 --> 00:05:28.579 There will be times over the last year and a half 00:05:28.579 --> 00:05:32.879 where Cindy and I maybe have one or two or five or ten folks 00:05:32.879 --> 00:05:34.740 over to our house for dinner. 00:05:35.800 --> 00:05:40.500 And we'll, you know, end the time and send them off, 00:05:40.620 --> 00:05:41.360 close the door. 00:05:42.019 --> 00:05:45.500 And as we're doing dishes and just processing, 00:05:46.599 --> 00:05:47.740 we'll just say, you know, 00:05:48.399 --> 00:05:51.560 that's heaven right here. 00:05:51.599 --> 00:05:53.180 We just got a taste of heaven. 00:05:53.180 --> 00:05:54.560 And we'll just go to the kingdom of God. 00:05:54.560 --> 00:05:55.519 And we'll just go to the kingdom of God. 00:05:55.519 --> 00:05:57.160 And we'll just go to the kingdom of God around our table, 00:05:57.780 --> 00:06:02.740 in our living room or in our car. 00:06:04.019 --> 00:06:09.300 And this makes sense because God's future in the Bible 00:06:09.300 --> 00:06:14.280 is most often pictured as a feast of the nations 00:06:14.280 --> 00:06:16.519 with Jesus at the center. 00:06:16.519 --> 00:06:19.599 And so hospitality, when you do that, 00:06:19.919 --> 00:06:21.259 the future comes rushing in. 00:06:21.759 --> 00:06:24.039 And hospitality is a foretaste. 00:06:25.060 --> 00:06:30.819 It's a little feast pointing to the big feast that's coming. 00:06:31.620 --> 00:06:33.759 And because of that, it is so tasty. 00:06:35.019 --> 00:06:37.579 It's just very, very rich. 00:06:38.539 --> 00:06:40.479 Esther Meek is a Christian philosopher. 00:06:40.480 --> 00:06:45.080 And she has a great online talk about feasting. 00:06:46.080 --> 00:06:50.020 And one of the sidelines, just side comments she made, 00:06:51.400 --> 00:06:53.040 she says, have you ever noticed 00:06:53.040 --> 00:06:57.620 that hospitality does an end run 00:06:57.620 --> 00:07:00.600 around the need for apologetics, 00:07:01.460 --> 00:07:03.720 a need to defend the faith, right? 00:07:04.319 --> 00:07:06.939 Often that's true because in hospitality, 00:07:06.939 --> 00:07:10.120 hospitality, you start to melt. 00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:11.699 Barriers come down. 00:07:12.719 --> 00:07:17.300 And around a table, hidden longings are awakened. 00:07:18.420 --> 00:07:21.680 The passage that we're looking at here from Luke 00:07:21.680 --> 00:07:23.459 is pretty familiar. 00:07:24.339 --> 00:07:25.899 I grew up in Sunday school. 00:07:27.079 --> 00:07:30.439 And in that day, they had flannel graphs. 00:07:30.899 --> 00:07:31.720 I don't know if you remember that, 00:07:31.759 --> 00:07:34.939 these flannel things and the cutout of Zacchaeus 00:07:34.939 --> 00:07:37.160 Zacchaeus and the tree and Jesus. 00:07:37.980 --> 00:07:39.420 And Zacchaeus would, you know, 00:07:39.699 --> 00:07:41.439 had a teacher named Mrs. Bissell. 00:07:41.719 --> 00:07:44.279 Mrs. Bissell would pull that down 00:07:44.279 --> 00:07:46.060 and Zacchaeus coming down. 00:07:46.360 --> 00:07:47.740 And it's a great kid's story. 00:07:48.519 --> 00:07:51.579 Because kids are short and they can't see 00:07:51.579 --> 00:07:55.379 and they like to run and climb trees, right? 00:07:56.060 --> 00:07:59.100 But there's a lot more going on in this 00:07:59.100 --> 00:08:00.540 than just a kid's story. 00:08:00.540 --> 00:08:03.080 So this morning, I just want to walk through 00:08:03.080 --> 00:08:05.460 a verse at a time. 00:08:05.879 --> 00:08:07.220 It's only 10 verses. 00:08:07.379 --> 00:08:08.220 It's not too long. 00:08:08.800 --> 00:08:09.960 And unpack this. 00:08:10.620 --> 00:08:13.939 And Jesus is modeling hospitality for us here. 00:08:14.379 --> 00:08:18.200 And we have a lot that we can learn from him. 00:08:18.700 --> 00:08:21.900 And what happened then happens now. 00:08:22.000 --> 00:08:23.960 And this is a passage that we can do. 00:08:24.200 --> 00:08:24.980 We can practice. 00:08:24.980 --> 00:08:27.520 So verse 1. 00:08:27.640 --> 00:08:29.319 We'll just start there. 00:08:29.700 --> 00:08:33.779 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 00:08:34.840 --> 00:08:36.639 Now, Jericho is pretty famous. 00:08:37.500 --> 00:08:38.840 Ancient city. 00:08:39.580 --> 00:08:40.620 It's a beautiful city. 00:08:40.820 --> 00:08:41.379 Surrounded. 00:08:41.899 --> 00:08:43.600 There's all these springs. 00:08:44.460 --> 00:08:47.340 So full of palm trees, rose gardens. 00:08:48.420 --> 00:08:51.920 King Herod had his summer palace there. 00:08:51.919 --> 00:08:54.620 So it's kind of like a resort. 00:08:54.740 --> 00:08:56.219 Sort of like Santa Barbara or something. 00:08:57.360 --> 00:08:58.279 Very prosperous. 00:08:59.500 --> 00:09:01.559 Great place to be a tax collector. 00:09:03.539 --> 00:09:05.339 And of course, in the Bible, 00:09:06.360 --> 00:09:08.360 Jericho has a lot of significance too. 00:09:09.099 --> 00:09:09.979 It's the place. 00:09:10.179 --> 00:09:12.740 It's the city where the Israelites came 00:09:12.740 --> 00:09:14.139 as they're entering the promised land. 00:09:14.799 --> 00:09:16.319 And Joshua led them. 00:09:16.899 --> 00:09:18.439 And if you remember the story, 00:09:18.439 --> 00:09:21.240 they marched around seven times. 00:09:21.240 --> 00:09:24.220 And then the walls came tumbling down. 00:09:24.460 --> 00:09:24.680 Right? 00:09:25.180 --> 00:09:25.940 After that. 00:09:26.019 --> 00:09:27.720 And it's the place where Rahab, 00:09:28.100 --> 00:09:30.860 who was a prostitute living in the city there, 00:09:31.539 --> 00:09:32.980 hid the spies. 00:09:33.879 --> 00:09:36.120 And she was rescued. 00:09:36.759 --> 00:09:39.500 And was brought into the covenant with Israel. 00:09:40.279 --> 00:09:41.659 And if you look in Matthew, 00:09:42.200 --> 00:09:43.779 the genealogy of Jesus, 00:09:44.460 --> 00:09:46.620 she's one of the great, great, great, great, great, 00:09:46.620 --> 00:09:51.360 great grandmothers of our Lord Jesus Christ 00:09:51.360 --> 00:09:54.340 and is included in. 00:09:54.460 --> 00:10:00.100 And the name Jesus is Joshua in Hebrew. 00:10:00.519 --> 00:10:00.899 Yeshua. 00:10:01.740 --> 00:10:02.799 So here in this passage, 00:10:02.919 --> 00:10:06.259 you have the new Joshua coming into Jericho. 00:10:06.259 --> 00:10:09.240 And it just raises the, 00:10:09.319 --> 00:10:11.379 the text raises the question, 00:10:11.519 --> 00:10:12.600 invites us to reflect on, 00:10:13.039 --> 00:10:13.379 okay, 00:10:14.159 --> 00:10:15.840 when this new Joshua comes in, 00:10:16.059 --> 00:10:18.759 what walls are going to be coming down? 00:10:19.080 --> 00:10:19.279 Right? 00:10:20.240 --> 00:10:23.460 And who are the new rescues? 00:10:23.840 --> 00:10:25.220 Who's the new Rahab? 00:10:26.220 --> 00:10:27.919 And that leads to verse two. 00:10:28.879 --> 00:10:30.059 Verse two is this. 00:10:30.059 --> 00:10:32.759 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus. 00:10:32.759 --> 00:10:36.439 He was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 00:10:37.740 --> 00:10:41.220 And names in the Bible are very important. 00:10:41.360 --> 00:10:43.220 So it's always good to just look up what they mean. 00:10:43.899 --> 00:10:48.679 The name Zacchaeus means pure or innocent. 00:10:49.899 --> 00:10:50.819 And you just go, hmm. 00:10:52.580 --> 00:10:55.860 A guy named pure and innocent is the chief tax collector. 00:10:56.679 --> 00:10:59.200 There's a major disconnect going on here. 00:11:00.120 --> 00:11:02.740 Tax collectors, we're not nice people. 00:11:02.759 --> 00:11:03.639 He was Jewish. 00:11:04.019 --> 00:11:07.419 He's working for the Roman occupiers. 00:11:08.659 --> 00:11:11.100 He's skimming off a lot for himself. 00:11:11.879 --> 00:11:14.039 He was a corrupt traitor. 00:11:15.799 --> 00:11:18.460 A greedy, selfish guy. 00:11:19.460 --> 00:11:22.100 And he's the chief tax collector. 00:11:22.659 --> 00:11:24.399 So he's good at what he does. 00:11:25.580 --> 00:11:26.879 He's had a lot of practice. 00:11:27.259 --> 00:11:29.740 He's maybe like the mob boss. 00:11:29.740 --> 00:11:34.779 And his neighbors would speak with disdain. 00:11:36.220 --> 00:11:37.519 Maybe under their breath. 00:11:37.659 --> 00:11:42.419 But I cannot wait until Zacchaeus gets what's coming to him. 00:11:42.419 --> 00:11:45.699 So here's Zacchaeus and Jesus. 00:11:46.899 --> 00:11:50.299 And yet something is going on with Zacchaeus. 00:11:51.339 --> 00:11:55.279 And God is at work in his life. 00:11:55.620 --> 00:11:56.679 His story's not over. 00:11:57.679 --> 00:12:00.179 There's surprising stuff happening in this guy. 00:12:00.279 --> 00:12:02.000 And that's where we read verse 3. 00:12:03.099 --> 00:12:05.179 He wanted to see who Jesus was. 00:12:05.979 --> 00:12:08.879 But because he was short, he could not see over the crowd. 00:12:09.559 --> 00:12:15.959 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore fig tree to see him since Jesus was coming that way. 00:12:15.960 --> 00:12:17.900 This is great storytelling. 00:12:18.160 --> 00:12:20.740 It's just full of kind of surprising wonders. 00:12:20.879 --> 00:12:22.420 Something's going on with Zacchaeus. 00:12:22.680 --> 00:12:26.420 I kind of think of pictures of Zacchaeus as like a Danny DeVito. 00:12:27.759 --> 00:12:30.700 You know, short, stocky guy. 00:12:30.800 --> 00:12:31.660 Maybe a little overweight. 00:12:32.639 --> 00:12:33.460 He's wealthy. 00:12:33.980 --> 00:12:41.680 So, but he's, you know, so to have him go and run and climb a tree. 00:12:41.840 --> 00:12:43.400 What's going on with him? 00:12:43.399 --> 00:12:50.819 And I love working with RUF International, the group that we're part of. 00:12:51.579 --> 00:12:57.980 In every training that we do, a couple trainings a year, we go and we're with campus ministers from around the country. 00:12:58.699 --> 00:13:04.840 And the thing that they emphasize over and over and over is kind of every meeting, every, their motto. 00:13:05.720 --> 00:13:08.360 Remember, God is at work. 00:13:09.079 --> 00:13:09.220 Right? 00:13:09.220 --> 00:13:16.240 You're going to go all this, there's 500 of you going out to these different campuses around the country. 00:13:17.300 --> 00:13:19.899 Just remember, it's not up to you. 00:13:20.500 --> 00:13:21.399 God's already there. 00:13:22.259 --> 00:13:23.200 God's doing stuff. 00:13:23.279 --> 00:13:24.019 He's at work. 00:13:24.519 --> 00:13:30.340 When we moved to Berkeley a year and a half ago, we, okay, here we are. 00:13:30.399 --> 00:13:31.000 What do we do? 00:13:31.000 --> 00:13:32.759 Who's going to come? 00:13:32.820 --> 00:13:33.940 What happens when they do? 00:13:35.659 --> 00:13:41.899 And it's just been so thrilling to see God already at work. 00:13:42.000 --> 00:13:51.440 We met a couple at a mid-autumn festival cultural event from China. 00:13:51.440 --> 00:13:57.340 And he is a postdoc scholar in computer science. 00:13:58.100 --> 00:14:02.720 And she is a postdoc scholar in physics. 00:14:03.400 --> 00:14:06.180 So I had him over for dinner. 00:14:06.440 --> 00:14:13.740 And as we started talking around the table, eventually, you know, just our conversation, it led to, you know, 00:14:13.740 --> 00:14:22.740 we don't really know any Christians except, you know, my mother is kind of a closet Christian. 00:14:24.080 --> 00:14:28.539 And she couldn't practice because her husband, you know, didn't let her. 00:14:28.600 --> 00:14:30.080 She couldn't teach us. 00:14:30.340 --> 00:14:37.740 But when we came to the U.S. and she was sending us off, she pulled us aside and she prayed for us. 00:14:37.740 --> 00:14:46.360 And she said, and I remember when I was young, she taught me one verse, you know, and it was John 3.16. 00:14:46.700 --> 00:14:47.600 So here she is. 00:14:49.460 --> 00:14:53.000 And all of a sudden, this person is around our table. 00:14:54.139 --> 00:14:55.519 God obviously at work. 00:14:55.639 --> 00:15:04.180 And it's easy to get intimidated by hospitality because it's uncertain and unknown and you're not sure what do I say. 00:15:04.799 --> 00:15:06.340 And I just want to encourage you. 00:15:06.840 --> 00:15:07.480 God is at work. 00:15:07.480 --> 00:15:08.519 He's way ahead of you. 00:15:09.580 --> 00:15:10.720 He loves this stuff. 00:15:12.519 --> 00:15:13.240 Don't worry. 00:15:13.379 --> 00:15:14.139 Don't be afraid. 00:15:16.539 --> 00:15:18.039 Don't let that stop you. 00:15:18.759 --> 00:15:20.440 And God is full of surprises. 00:15:20.659 --> 00:15:21.800 And you see that in Zacchaeus. 00:15:21.899 --> 00:15:25.320 It's surprising urgency that he has to see Jesus. 00:15:26.240 --> 00:15:29.360 It's surprising humility that he would climb a tree. 00:15:30.560 --> 00:15:32.259 It's surprising new openness. 00:15:32.259 --> 00:15:44.240 Another important thing to notice right here in verse 4 is that Zacchaeus, Luke tells us, climbs a sycamore fig tree. 00:15:44.240 --> 00:15:47.299 Not just, well, why would he, what's that about? 00:15:47.299 --> 00:15:49.580 Not just any old tree. 00:15:49.580 --> 00:15:58.120 If you go back a few chapters in Luke 13, a sycamore fig tree specifically is this kind of tree that Jesus cursed. 00:15:58.120 --> 00:16:03.299 It was a symbol of unfaithful Israel. 00:16:03.299 --> 00:16:05.159 It was a symbol of unfaithful, unfruitful. 00:16:05.320 --> 00:16:06.659 And Jesus curses it. 00:16:06.659 --> 00:16:11.480 But here, he comes to the same sycamore fig tree. 00:16:12.299 --> 00:16:16.139 And Jesus is picking this one ripe fruit. 00:16:17.879 --> 00:16:19.559 Sycamore figs are fascinating. 00:16:19.740 --> 00:16:20.719 They're kind of a unique fruit. 00:16:20.720 --> 00:16:24.680 They only ripen. 00:16:25.360 --> 00:16:28.399 If you just leave them there, they rot and they fall to the ground. 00:16:28.500 --> 00:16:29.340 You cannot eat them. 00:16:29.379 --> 00:16:29.899 They're no good. 00:16:30.440 --> 00:16:34.540 The only way you become sweet is if you hit them. 00:16:35.800 --> 00:16:36.800 Or you poke them. 00:16:37.600 --> 00:16:38.820 Or you whack them, you know. 00:16:39.160 --> 00:16:42.120 And so they had people who were like fig whackers. 00:16:42.720 --> 00:16:44.399 That was their job. 00:16:44.399 --> 00:16:52.039 And so here's this guy up with a bunch of figs. 00:16:52.620 --> 00:16:54.259 And God has a work in his life. 00:16:54.459 --> 00:17:00.480 And the question again is, you know, and that's, how is Jesus going to whack this guy? 00:17:01.639 --> 00:17:03.319 So that he's going to become fruitful. 00:17:03.439 --> 00:17:05.119 And that's the question for us too. 00:17:06.119 --> 00:17:06.920 Verse 5. 00:17:06.920 --> 00:17:10.400 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, 00:17:11.319 --> 00:17:13.180 Zacchaeus, come down immediately. 00:17:13.180 --> 00:17:16.680 Finally, I must stay at your house today. 00:17:17.580 --> 00:17:18.940 He's so playful. 00:17:19.620 --> 00:17:20.320 So hopeful. 00:17:21.420 --> 00:17:22.299 Jesus stops. 00:17:22.420 --> 00:17:24.120 He does that a lot with crowds. 00:17:24.259 --> 00:17:25.180 He stops and notices. 00:17:25.920 --> 00:17:29.960 But here it's just like Zacchaeus, I see you, you know. 00:17:30.900 --> 00:17:35.460 And there's a pretty basic lesson here for, if you want to welcome someone, 00:17:35.580 --> 00:17:37.560 you have to be able to see them first. 00:17:37.559 --> 00:17:47.440 And most of the time, a lot of us, we just, we miss the party because we're not, we're just focused into ourselves. 00:17:47.980 --> 00:17:48.139 Right? 00:17:48.200 --> 00:17:49.599 Maybe we're just too much on our phone. 00:17:49.679 --> 00:17:50.839 We don't even see anybody. 00:17:51.980 --> 00:17:54.000 So Zacchaeus is looking down at Jesus. 00:17:54.220 --> 00:17:56.179 And Jesus stops and he's looking at him. 00:17:56.180 --> 00:17:59.320 And they make a connection, their recognition. 00:18:00.880 --> 00:18:03.140 And it's probably shocking for Zacchaeus. 00:18:03.200 --> 00:18:07.820 I'm sure he wasn't, he was climbing up there, he wanted to be incognito, hide behind the branches, 00:18:08.180 --> 00:18:10.400 and just kind of observe for a distance. 00:18:10.400 --> 00:18:14.460 But Jesus doesn't just see him. 00:18:15.640 --> 00:18:17.960 And this is very, very crucial. 00:18:18.460 --> 00:18:20.720 Jesus sees him with eyes of hope. 00:18:21.680 --> 00:18:21.759 Right? 00:18:22.420 --> 00:18:23.540 It's not just, oh, I notice you. 00:18:24.480 --> 00:18:28.280 And he calls him by name. 00:18:29.259 --> 00:18:38.780 He doesn't just say, you know, you filthy scumbag traitor collaborator, get down here. 00:18:38.779 --> 00:18:42.859 He says, Zacchaeus, pure innocent one. 00:18:44.039 --> 00:18:46.899 He sees him with hope and he names him with hope. 00:18:47.319 --> 00:18:55.000 One night around our table, we were having a discussion with students about names and what names mean, their names mean. 00:18:55.000 --> 00:19:02.819 And one of the students, who's really anxious and fearful, he said, my name means brave. 00:19:02.819 --> 00:19:10.359 And there was a woman who had struggled a lot and gone through a lot of sorrow. 00:19:11.359 --> 00:19:14.960 And, you know, she said, my name means blossoming branch. 00:19:14.960 --> 00:19:25.940 And another young woman who had been through a lot of abuse, she said, my name means radiant princess. 00:19:27.900 --> 00:19:31.140 And Cindy and I just kind of struck us like, wow. 00:19:32.620 --> 00:19:39.000 You know, to be able to pray hopefully and know names is so, so powerful. 00:19:39.000 --> 00:19:41.839 To be known, to be seen with hope. 00:19:44.140 --> 00:19:50.160 And I just want to kind of throw something out, an invitation for Christ Church. 00:19:51.079 --> 00:19:58.059 What if this fall, maybe you even started thinking about now, you just said, you know, there's a bunch of international students. 00:19:58.059 --> 00:20:01.519 There's 10,000 every year that come to Berkeley. 00:20:03.019 --> 00:20:09.779 What if I just started praying about opening my home to one person in the fall. 00:20:10.759 --> 00:20:13.839 And maybe trying to find out I can help you do that, others. 00:20:13.839 --> 00:20:21.359 And maybe get a map of the world and put it on a piece of styrofoam or something. 00:20:22.879 --> 00:20:28.240 Have somebody over for lunch or dinner and say, where in the world are you from? 00:20:28.279 --> 00:20:29.799 And put a little pin on the map. 00:20:30.579 --> 00:20:32.679 And what does your name mean? 00:20:33.759 --> 00:20:38.699 And I guarantee you, if you do that, right, it would be transformational. 00:20:39.799 --> 00:20:42.959 For you and for them. 00:20:43.839 --> 00:20:53.919 You know, 85% of international students that come to the United States never get into an American home of any kind. 00:20:55.179 --> 00:21:00.500 So that's, you know, a million around, over a million every year come. 00:21:01.359 --> 00:21:08.319 That means like 850,000 of those go back without ever being in an American home. 00:21:08.319 --> 00:21:14.299 And a cow, you know, so 10,000, that means 8,500 or so. 00:21:14.879 --> 00:21:17.679 Come, stay maybe three, four years. 00:21:18.299 --> 00:21:21.919 Leave never having had that hospitality experience. 00:21:22.919 --> 00:21:25.740 To me, that's both a travesty. 00:21:26.599 --> 00:21:27.299 Very sad. 00:21:27.439 --> 00:21:30.700 And a super opportunity for the church. 00:21:31.220 --> 00:21:32.079 Back to Zacchaeus. 00:21:32.079 --> 00:21:36.839 A lot of people in this crowd are probably thinking, finally, he's going to be called out. 00:21:37.000 --> 00:21:38.480 Jesus sees him. 00:21:38.539 --> 00:21:39.379 He's going to call him down. 00:21:39.480 --> 00:21:40.859 He's going to get what he deserves. 00:21:41.039 --> 00:21:41.740 He's going to get nailed. 00:21:44.799 --> 00:21:47.419 He says, Zacchaeus, come down immediately. 00:21:48.720 --> 00:21:52.879 You know, when someone says that, you're in big trouble if your parents say, come here immediately. 00:21:52.880 --> 00:21:55.600 But here's the twist. 00:21:55.840 --> 00:21:56.640 And I love this. 00:21:57.000 --> 00:22:03.460 Jesus says, Zacchaeus, I must stay at your house today. 00:22:04.580 --> 00:22:08.120 I would be honored, Zacchaeus, to sit at your table. 00:22:09.680 --> 00:22:16.100 And the shockwaves of Jesus doing that still rippled throughout the world, right? 00:22:16.900 --> 00:22:21.380 Who Jesus says he's going to eat with, right, is huge. 00:22:21.380 --> 00:22:26.220 There's a podcast, I don't know if you've heard it, called Ear Hustle. 00:22:26.940 --> 00:22:29.040 It's from San Quentin. 00:22:29.720 --> 00:22:32.700 These guys in San Quentin talk about prison life. 00:22:33.220 --> 00:22:37.700 And one of the episodes, they talk about who you eat with in prison is huge. 00:22:38.400 --> 00:22:42.340 And you only eat with your particular racial group. 00:22:42.440 --> 00:22:43.180 It's very important. 00:22:44.020 --> 00:22:46.980 And if you're mixed race, you have to decide. 00:22:47.320 --> 00:22:48.400 You have to make a decision. 00:22:48.540 --> 00:22:49.740 Who's going to be your table? 00:22:49.740 --> 00:22:53.920 Because who you eat with is who your people are. 00:22:54.259 --> 00:22:55.200 This is my people. 00:22:55.880 --> 00:22:56.960 These are not my people. 00:22:57.960 --> 00:23:08.240 And Jesus, by saying this one-liner, I must stay at your house, he's disrupting and rearranging the social structures. 00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:12.019 And you can just hear the future rushing in. 00:23:12.700 --> 00:23:22.859 As the story of the New Testament unfolds, that whole thing of who's eating with whom becomes the way the kingdom of God dramatically is spread. 00:23:22.859 --> 00:23:30.119 So Jesus whacks Zacchaeus with hospitality, with kindness. 00:23:30.119 --> 00:23:32.500 He's whacked by grace. 00:23:32.500 --> 00:23:32.539 He's whacked by grace. 00:23:33.679 --> 00:23:35.279 Similar to the prodigal son. 00:23:36.239 --> 00:23:38.539 You know, he changes everything. 00:23:39.339 --> 00:23:41.419 And gives him a taste of the future. 00:23:43.419 --> 00:23:44.239 Verse 6. 00:23:44.379 --> 00:23:46.899 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 00:23:47.279 --> 00:23:48.959 So there's joy in Zacchaeus' house. 00:23:49.000 --> 00:23:49.699 A new kind of joy. 00:23:49.700 --> 00:23:51.720 The walls are falling down. 00:23:52.240 --> 00:23:53.620 The future is rushing in. 00:23:53.779 --> 00:23:55.480 Zacchaeus is being rescued. 00:23:56.920 --> 00:23:58.799 And Zacchaeus is not the only one shocked. 00:23:59.200 --> 00:23:59.680 Verse 7. 00:23:59.759 --> 00:24:01.779 All the people saw this and began to mutter. 00:24:02.380 --> 00:24:04.519 He has gone to be the guest of a sinner. 00:24:06.000 --> 00:24:07.460 And of course you would mutter. 00:24:07.819 --> 00:24:08.039 Right? 00:24:08.220 --> 00:24:09.319 It's very understandable. 00:24:10.299 --> 00:24:11.579 The whole world is shifting. 00:24:12.339 --> 00:24:18.000 Your whole social strata is shifting right in front of your eyes. 00:24:18.680 --> 00:24:21.480 And they have kind of eschatological jet lag here. 00:24:22.359 --> 00:24:23.519 They haven't figured it out. 00:24:23.619 --> 00:24:28.019 There's a proper way for Zacchaeus to be reconciled and welcomed. 00:24:28.019 --> 00:24:28.940 You go to the temple. 00:24:29.960 --> 00:24:31.259 You talk to the priest. 00:24:31.399 --> 00:24:31.980 You confess. 00:24:32.200 --> 00:24:32.920 You sacrifice. 00:24:33.220 --> 00:24:34.079 You make resitution. 00:24:34.680 --> 00:24:36.359 There's procedures and protocol. 00:24:36.359 --> 00:24:39.139 So what's going on here then? 00:24:39.659 --> 00:24:41.119 Jesus is coming in. 00:24:41.199 --> 00:24:42.699 He's saying, I am the new temple. 00:24:43.179 --> 00:24:43.459 Right? 00:24:44.359 --> 00:24:46.919 I am the new sacrifice. 00:24:48.099 --> 00:24:53.519 I am the new priest who can pronounce forgiveness and salvation. 00:24:54.279 --> 00:24:59.079 All this reconciliation happens immediately through Jesus. 00:24:59.399 --> 00:25:01.319 And we see it happen in verse 8. 00:25:02.199 --> 00:25:03.519 But Zacchaeus stood up. 00:25:04.179 --> 00:25:05.439 He's sitting around the table. 00:25:05.440 --> 00:25:06.980 And he said, I have something to say. 00:25:07.660 --> 00:25:09.820 And said to the Lord, look, Lord. 00:25:09.940 --> 00:25:12.539 Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor. 00:25:13.320 --> 00:25:18.900 And if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount. 00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:23.420 So Jesus picks this fruit off the sycamore tree. 00:25:23.920 --> 00:25:25.340 And it turns out it's ripe. 00:25:26.140 --> 00:25:28.120 It's ripe and it's very sweet. 00:25:28.559 --> 00:25:29.180 And juicy. 00:25:29.180 --> 00:25:36.539 And the first words that come out of Zacchaeus mouth are, you know, the gospel. 00:25:36.799 --> 00:25:39.019 He's proclaiming good news to the poor. 00:25:40.360 --> 00:25:42.100 Freedom for the captives. 00:25:42.980 --> 00:25:45.200 Jubilee comes rushing in. 00:25:45.200 --> 00:25:49.580 Jesus is on the loose through Zacchaeus. 00:25:49.580 --> 00:26:00.600 And the good work that God started to do as Zacchaeus was running to the tree to see Jesus, he continues to do now that he's in his house. 00:26:01.299 --> 00:26:04.460 And his curiosity turns into joyful generosity. 00:26:04.960 --> 00:26:05.720 He's changed. 00:26:06.080 --> 00:26:06.319 Right? 00:26:06.319 --> 00:26:09.799 Through an encounter with Jesus around a table. 00:26:10.819 --> 00:26:12.759 And the scene has this sense of wonder. 00:26:12.879 --> 00:26:13.919 Like dead Lazarus. 00:26:14.399 --> 00:26:17.119 Jesus says, Lazarus, come forth out of the grave. 00:26:17.240 --> 00:26:20.480 And here he says, Zacchaeus, come down from the tree. 00:26:21.000 --> 00:26:22.119 And he's alive. 00:26:22.899 --> 00:26:24.859 He's clothed and in his right mind. 00:26:25.519 --> 00:26:27.439 And hospitality leads to hope. 00:26:27.440 --> 00:26:33.360 And the world that we all long for, you start to see glimpses of around this table. 00:26:34.279 --> 00:26:35.059 God's future. 00:26:35.740 --> 00:26:36.880 Brokenness does not win. 00:26:36.980 --> 00:26:38.080 People can change. 00:26:39.160 --> 00:26:46.900 And Jesus said to him, today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a son of Abraham. 00:26:48.420 --> 00:26:50.420 This is a royal pronouncement here and now. 00:26:51.019 --> 00:26:53.100 We do this prayer when we say grace. 00:26:53.299 --> 00:26:57.140 These friends of ours introduced us to this prayer. 00:26:57.140 --> 00:26:59.560 And, you know, you have plates around the table. 00:27:00.080 --> 00:27:01.960 And we have everybody hold up their plate. 00:27:03.200 --> 00:27:12.940 And we just say, and this could be a table of all kinds of people, different, you know, religious backgrounds, different levels of belief. 00:27:13.300 --> 00:27:22.660 And we just say, from the king, to the king, for the king, with the king. 00:27:24.500 --> 00:27:26.500 And we do that every time. 00:27:26.500 --> 00:27:29.819 And often I just stop and look around the table. 00:27:30.599 --> 00:27:34.140 And there's this invoking Jesus. 00:27:34.779 --> 00:27:35.839 There's this sense of wonder. 00:27:35.960 --> 00:27:39.019 It's like, what did we just say? 00:27:40.299 --> 00:27:40.660 Right? 00:27:40.960 --> 00:27:42.319 What did I just say? 00:27:43.779 --> 00:27:44.940 Who's at this dinner? 00:27:45.480 --> 00:27:47.059 Anyway, what's going on here? 00:27:47.059 --> 00:27:51.319 What kind of table is this? 00:27:51.319 --> 00:27:52.440 I want to show you. 00:27:52.759 --> 00:27:53.460 You could show it. 00:27:53.500 --> 00:27:55.759 There's a picture, a slide. 00:27:57.759 --> 00:27:58.559 Right here. 00:27:58.740 --> 00:27:58.899 Yeah. 00:27:59.859 --> 00:28:03.619 This is one of my favorite pictures from this last year. 00:28:03.740 --> 00:28:07.099 This is a baptism from this last March. 00:28:07.099 --> 00:28:11.279 And you might recognize Amy is there translating. 00:28:11.279 --> 00:28:15.559 You know, and Hana Joy, her ear. 00:28:16.279 --> 00:28:20.599 And David and his mother-in-law were baptized from China. 00:28:20.599 --> 00:28:28.579 And last year, when we first, January 2023, we first moved to the area. 00:28:28.939 --> 00:28:32.899 We had hardly just gotten, just starting to unpack and everything. 00:28:33.039 --> 00:28:37.919 We got this email from a friend that said, you know, you're just starting and feel free to say no. 00:28:37.920 --> 00:28:41.039 But there's a couple that's coming from Beijing. 00:28:41.820 --> 00:28:43.240 And would you welcome them? 00:28:43.680 --> 00:28:44.779 They need a place to stay. 00:28:44.900 --> 00:28:47.259 We have a little guest apartment that we were fixing up. 00:28:47.460 --> 00:28:52.740 And so we, you know, so we really need to do this. 00:28:52.800 --> 00:28:54.220 We were just struck by that. 00:28:55.360 --> 00:29:00.460 And, you know, we picked them up at the airport. 00:29:00.779 --> 00:29:02.440 And they have two cats. 00:29:03.539 --> 00:29:04.060 Right? 00:29:04.220 --> 00:29:05.220 So these cats. 00:29:05.220 --> 00:29:19.000 And, but around our table for several days, we just, you know, from the king to the king, for the king, with the king, which led to lots of conversations. 00:29:19.299 --> 00:29:22.759 And God, it turned out, was really at work in their lives. 00:29:23.660 --> 00:29:26.920 She, Summer, the wife, had become a Christian in China. 00:29:27.620 --> 00:29:29.519 And her husband was not yet. 00:29:29.519 --> 00:29:38.240 And when they got married, he saw his job as to try to convince her not to be a Christian, to prove it all false. 00:29:38.960 --> 00:29:46.259 And it turns out they were really coming to the U.S. in many ways to get a new start and to save their marriage. 00:29:46.259 --> 00:29:58.859 And so around the table, you know, and in different conversations with different people. 00:29:59.160 --> 00:30:05.259 But anyway, last Easter, Jesus found David. 00:30:05.960 --> 00:30:08.059 And David came to faith. 00:30:08.059 --> 00:30:13.339 And it was Easter Sunday. 00:30:14.099 --> 00:30:17.559 And then this last year, he graduated and was baptized. 00:30:17.960 --> 00:30:20.220 We just had a Zoom call with them. 00:30:20.279 --> 00:30:21.579 They're living in New York now. 00:30:22.460 --> 00:30:27.319 And they're attending Redeemer Church in downtown New York. 00:30:27.319 --> 00:30:31.200 And last Sunday, they said, we went to church. 00:30:31.579 --> 00:30:41.259 And then afterwards, they made an announcement, if anyone would like healing prayer, you know, just come upstairs. 00:30:41.819 --> 00:30:43.419 And they both looked at each other. 00:30:43.939 --> 00:30:45.980 And they said, you know, we need some healing. 00:30:47.019 --> 00:30:50.879 And they went up and were welcomed by this church, you know. 00:30:51.419 --> 00:30:55.899 And God continues the work that he began. 00:30:55.900 --> 00:31:03.800 And so when you say yes to small hospitality, you don't know what God is going to do. 00:31:04.080 --> 00:31:07.340 And to be part of that story is amazing. 00:31:07.519 --> 00:31:10.100 Verse 10, we'll wrap it up with this. 00:31:10.160 --> 00:31:13.120 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. 00:31:14.540 --> 00:31:19.140 One of our fellow campus ministers, he said, I love this job. 00:31:19.560 --> 00:31:20.019 And I do. 00:31:20.140 --> 00:31:23.480 Because really what we do is we go onto campus. 00:31:23.480 --> 00:31:25.980 Listen, God has brought all these people from around the world. 00:31:26.819 --> 00:31:34.920 And our calling is to find our lost brothers and sisters and welcome them home. 00:31:35.779 --> 00:31:36.579 Isn't that beautiful? 00:31:37.279 --> 00:31:38.140 God's at work. 00:31:38.960 --> 00:31:46.980 And in the great future, you know, imagine someone coming up to you at the great feast, the forever feast. 00:31:46.980 --> 00:31:56.740 And saying, you know, I am here at this feast in part because you invited me to a little feast. 00:31:57.539 --> 00:32:00.779 You know, I'm here at the great banquet of the Lamb because I had pizza. 00:32:01.779 --> 00:32:05.480 You know, or curry or something, noodles at your house. 00:32:06.579 --> 00:32:07.220 Quick summary. 00:32:08.640 --> 00:32:11.860 First, things to think about that Jesus teaches. 00:32:12.079 --> 00:32:12.920 God is at work. 00:32:13.620 --> 00:32:13.779 Right? 00:32:13.779 --> 00:32:15.200 He's deeply at work. 00:32:15.339 --> 00:32:17.099 It's not up to us. 00:32:17.700 --> 00:32:19.660 Secondly, keep your eyes open. 00:32:20.480 --> 00:32:22.700 Keep your eyes open for people. 00:32:23.859 --> 00:32:25.759 Keep your eyes open with hope. 00:32:27.359 --> 00:32:31.559 And thirdly, it's not that hospitality is magical or powerful. 00:32:32.859 --> 00:32:36.319 Jesus' presence is powerful. 00:32:36.319 --> 00:32:45.839 But Jesus loves to surprise people around tables and whack them with grace. 00:32:46.299 --> 00:32:46.419 Right? 00:32:46.980 --> 00:32:54.299 It's his preferred way, I think, to break down walls and to rescue people as a guest. 00:32:54.299 --> 00:33:03.200 From the little I know about Christchurch and what we've experienced, you all have thought deeply about this. 00:33:03.319 --> 00:33:06.960 And you practice hospitality very, very graciously and well. 00:33:07.819 --> 00:33:10.659 And just want to encourage you to abound in it. 00:33:10.660 --> 00:33:19.279 And we're delighted to partner with you in this place as God welcomes people from around the world. 00:33:20.400 --> 00:33:27.420 And all of this is clearly revealed at the table before us here. 00:33:27.420 --> 00:33:37.400 When the crowds mutter and they say, he has gone to be a guest of sinners, a Christian says, oh, thank goodness. 00:33:38.560 --> 00:33:38.840 Right? 00:33:39.800 --> 00:33:40.759 Thank goodness. 00:33:41.680 --> 00:33:43.560 That means there's hope for me. 00:33:43.560 --> 00:33:48.200 A few days after this, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 00:33:48.420 --> 00:33:52.019 This is kind of the end of his pilgrimage. 00:33:52.019 --> 00:33:57.819 Right after this, he goes up for his death and crucifixion and trial and all that. 00:33:57.980 --> 00:34:00.599 And he climbs a different kind of tree. 00:34:00.839 --> 00:34:02.819 Jesus is up there. 00:34:03.559 --> 00:34:07.779 And they, the crowds, cried, you know, come down. 00:34:08.300 --> 00:34:08.480 Right? 00:34:08.679 --> 00:34:09.539 Come down. 00:34:10.639 --> 00:34:11.960 And they mocked him. 00:34:12.099 --> 00:34:12.780 You fraud. 00:34:13.579 --> 00:34:15.599 You can't even save yourself. 00:34:16.380 --> 00:34:20.920 And Jesus, out of love for you and for me, he stayed. 00:34:20.920 --> 00:34:21.320 Right? 00:34:21.320 --> 00:34:22.420 He stayed. 00:34:24.820 --> 00:34:26.559 He stayed till the end. 00:34:27.380 --> 00:34:28.800 And he fell to the ground. 00:34:29.680 --> 00:34:31.660 And he was buried in a garden. 00:34:32.680 --> 00:34:37.059 And the third day, God's Spirit raised him from the dead. 00:34:38.019 --> 00:34:42.380 And Jesus is now the true Israel tree. 00:34:42.760 --> 00:34:42.940 Right? 00:34:43.820 --> 00:34:46.980 Absolutely fruitful and filling the whole earth. 00:34:46.980 --> 00:34:56.579 And inviting you to come and me to come and rest in his branches and be fruitful and multiply. 00:34:57.980 --> 00:35:02.440 And Jesus comes to you and he says, I must, you are mine. 00:35:02.579 --> 00:35:04.840 I must stay at your house today. 00:35:04.920 --> 00:35:05.599 I'm honored. 00:35:05.599 --> 00:35:05.679 I'm honored. 00:35:05.679 --> 00:35:06.679 Lord. 00:35:06.679 --> 00:35:07.679 I must stay at your house today. 00:35:07.679 --> 00:35:10.539 And this is deeply, deeply hopeful. 00:35:11.460 --> 00:35:14.259 Really, really, really, really good news. 00:35:14.419 --> 00:35:15.859 Would you please pray with me? 00:35:15.860 --> 00:35:25.640 Lord, we're so grateful that you stop and don't just walk by us. 00:35:25.780 --> 00:35:29.880 That you see us in all our mess with eyes of hope. 00:35:29.880 --> 00:35:35.500 And in the middle of that, you call us by our true name. 00:35:36.240 --> 00:35:38.780 And you name us as part of your family. 00:35:39.440 --> 00:35:41.160 And you welcome us home. 00:35:41.159 --> 00:35:47.319 Lord, I'm grateful for Christ's church. 00:35:48.000 --> 00:35:54.119 And I pray that hospitality might continue to abound here. 00:35:54.599 --> 00:36:03.259 And you would pour out your blessings on this congregation this week and in the days to come. 00:36:03.739 --> 00:36:06.460 We're grateful in Christ's name. 00:36:06.799 --> 00:36:07.079 Amen. 00:36:07.079 --> 00:36:07.239 Amen.