A Culture of Honor, Part 3

The gospel should draw on the heartstrings of lost people, not beat them up with condemnation, guilt and shame. The gospel is good news, not bad news. Had Jesus not honored the much-hated tax collector, Zacchaeus, like He did; but continued to address him on the same course that the townspeople were accustomed to, Zacchaeus potentially would never have come to faith. His story is found in Luke 19

Note with me in verse 7 that the people were used to coming at Zacchaeus in a very dishonoring and self-righteous manner: “He (Jesus) has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” His reputation preceded him, and his chances for reconciliation and a better life were minimized. The Spirit of God, by all indicators, was dealing with the heart and attitude of that little man, or he would not have been there in the first place.

Something inside the tax collector caused him to show up that day when he heard that Jesus was coming; and desperation for life change drove that little guy up a tree! What was going inside this wretched tax collector went way beyond natural curiosity. Jesus would testify later concerning Zacchaeus that “Today salvation has come to his house…” (verse 9). Something supernatural was pulling at his heartstrings. Jesus Christ honored the much-despised man. He honored him by informing the unsuspecting loner of his dinner plans. What’s so significant about the Master inviting Himself to dinner? The Son of God loved him for WHO he was, not WHAT he was! Jesus showed him honor!

Believe me, this little man probably lived in a gated community, or at least a gated parcel of property with high fences around his home. He probably lived on the outskirts of town, where human interaction would be minimized. Where the taunts and threats of angry people could not be heard.

We can well imagine that nights were spent alone, and every night represented a new eternity for the little man who had no friends and the friends he did have were fair-weather – hearts as crooked as his and ready to sell one another down the river if it meant more corrupt wealth. Rome certainly did not care about Zacchaeus. If he were murdered, there were always others to take his place. Zacchaeus was disposable and a human target.

His dimly lit home would only intensify the darkness of his already broken life. Zacchaeus would later testify that money fell short of a meaningful life: “Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount” (verse 8).

The crowd that day directed a calculated slur against the Master when they said, “He has gone home to be the guest of a sinner” (verse 7). Comically, Jesus invites himself to Zacchaeus’ home for dinner! While this may be frowned upon in modern day life – viewed as socially inappropriate – the Master touched a heart-string that caused the little man to come alive on the inside. “You mean, you want to come to MY house tonight? MY house? You’re coming to MY house?” Jesus Christ, in a display of honor overlooked WHAT Zacchaeus did for a living to honor WHO he was! Jesus honored the man’s personhood. When someone honors us, we open our hearts to him.

In today’s church, if we will honor those God sends us, I’m convinced we will see more conversions to Christ than ever before. That’s why we at Hope Community continually stress servant leadership that places the needs of others over ours. People are frantically searching for significance. “Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8).

Do you know him today? Jesus Christ knows how to get your attention. He knows what pulls on your heartstring. He will address you at the point of what captures your heart’s attention and draw you toward saving faith. Jesus turns significance into salvation!

A Culture of Honor, Part 2

Last week I discussed the need for honoring people. A little man in Scripture (Luke 19) remains the "poster child."

Zacchaeus’ wounded heart and broken spirit were made glad by the Man from Galilee, who saw beyond his sordid reputation to his significance as a human being made in the image of God.  Sin tarnishes our self-image; the grace of Jesus targets our innate significance.  The Scriptures tell us that “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10).  We understand this; however, I’m not talking about our righteous.  I’m referring to our significance – our meaning or purpose.  Significance refers to the potential of our personhood.  

All of us were created by God “to matter.”  We are important in our own right, and we are placed upon this earth to help usher in God’s kingdom.  Insignificance, dishonor and disrespect all kill our divine potential and rob us of an abundant life.  Rob a man of his significance and you potentially keep him in a self-made prison of anger, unbelief and low-living.  Many people sit in churches week after week feeling they are undeserving of God’s grace.  When people realize their true significance in God’s eyes, conversions accelerate. When we honor the unique personhood of all who enter our doors, we see God open their hearts to receive the goodness of God and His salvation.  Honoring people helps take their eyes off their sin and place them on the Savior.  The Spirit more easily convicts of sin when individuals feel that God loves them despite their behavior. Significance always trumps shame and inner turmoil. 

Now let’s read the story of this infamous little man to see how Jesus showed him honor – a man whom many would say, deserved no honor.

“Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.  A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.  He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd.  So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.  When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down immediately, I must stay at your house today.’ So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.  All the people saw this and began to mutter, ‘He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.’  But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord!  Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will give back four times the amount.’  Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham.  For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost.’”

Zacchaeus had several things working against him. He was a tax collector for Rome. He superintended the other tax collectors – as the chief tax collector. He was wealthy.  He over-taxed people and kept the overage.  He lived very well with his ill-gotten gain.  He was a fraud. He was hated, despised, always looking over his shoulder.  Always in danger of assassination.  In short, a cheat and a liar! 

AND YET, before the day’s end, this man of small stature would find himself transformed – converted by the grace of Jesus. 

Jesus Christ honored, not the man’s lifestyle, not his character, not his sin, but He called forth the man’s excruciating need to experience forgiveness, love and affirmation.  Wherever the gospel is preached, it draws out the needs of mankind that only Christ himself can address.  That’s one reason why negative preaching cannot bring forth positive results.  When we use our pulpits to tell people how bad they are, how much God is displeased with them and to brow-beat already defeated people, we do the gospel message a gross disservice and injustice. 

More on this topic next week!

    

A Culture of Honor, Part 1

In Luke 19 we read about a little man by the name of Zacchaeus.  You’ve heard this story most of your Christian life and perhaps even sang about him:

“Zacchaeus was a wee little man,

and a wee little man was he.

He climbed up in a sycamore tree,

for the Lord he wanted to see.

And when the Savior passed that way,

He looked up in the tree and said,

‘Zacchaeus, you come down.

For I’m going to your house today!

For I’m going to your house today!’”

When we planted Hope Community Church, Lori and I committed to making this church an “honoring community.”  By this I mean we wanted to talk more about what we’re “for” as Christians more than what we’re “against.” It seems that in today’s church we talk more about what’s wrong than what’s right.  I’m not talking about sin; I’m talking about a lack of honor and respect in our culture that has I’m afraid, spilled over into churches.  We understand that man’s problems trace back to the issue of sin, which originated in the Garden of Eden.  Sin has taken a devastating toll on humanity.  Everywhere we look we see the terrible effects that sin plays on the stage of human history. The church must continue to pray and act upon the fact that men are far from God and need to find new life in Christ.  Our message must remain intact.  We are all sinners who need to get hooked up with the Savior – Jesus Christ.  This is non-negotiable.

However, the church often takes a negative approach when communicating earth’s most positive message!  We need to re-think our approach to this message.  We expect sinners to act like saints when their spiritual DNA dictates otherwise.  Evangelicals have been known to assume an attack mode on sin, and inadvertently struggle with “sinners versus their sin.”  We often make those outside our churches feel condemned and sadly even disdained because they either differ with our theology or they don’t act like we do.  Hidden away behind church doors are Christians who mix their message with self-righteous animosity.  Believe me, no one attends church services to be told how bad he is and to be raked over the coals of legalistic injustice. 

Yes, people need the Lord.  Yes, they need to be saved.  Yes, hell is a real place.  Yes, continued lifestyles of sin eventually face God’s righteous judgment.  But no one needs to be disrespected or dishonored in the process. No one needs to feel insignificant or devalued.  Jesus Christ still loves us regardless of our performance in the “sin department.”  That’s the good news we call “the gospel!”

I see an acceleration of dishonor and disrespect from the White House to our house! The church of Jesus must stem this tide if we ever hope to impact our culture, communities and children for Jesus.  If a child grows up continually hearing how bad he is, how he will amount to nothing and being slapped around, he will probably grow up and make good on these self-fulfilling prophecies.  

We desperately need to create a culture of honor, for when we create a culture of honor, and practice honor toward those around us, we will see the glory of God released in our churches.  This story about Zacchaeus demonstrates that a little man, who was despised by his community, came to faith in Christ after Jesus showed him honor.

Next week, I'll tell his story!