MONDAY

Revelation 14:6 (and recalling Zacchaeus’ story in Luke 19:1-10)

“Wow! I didn’t expect to see you here!” If you have ever said that to someone, or someone has said it to you, you know something about that kind of surprise! Hopefully, it is a joyful exclamation, and not one tinged with consternation! In the story of Zacchaeus’ encounter with Jesus, while it was definitely joy for them, other sentiments may have been present for some of the other onlookers. I mean, a tax collector working for an occupying force in your country, who admitted to having some things that needed to be made right...how do people like this get invited to the Kingdom? But this was not unusual for Jesus, nor was it always appreciated by everyone. What his critics missed, or perhaps did not quite understand, was that while everyone was welcome, not everything was. Today’s Scripture reading reminds us that the first of the three angels flying in Revelation 14 had two parts to its message. First, that it was addressed to every nation, tribe, language, and people, making it clear that no one was left out. Second, it was the eternal gospel, which indicated that those who responded would be embracing that message and leaving behind other messages. No one was left out, but some things were, as Jesus invited people to follow Him, leaving behind an old way of living as they aligned their lives with the principles of the Kingdom—a Kingdom that was all about the command to love others as God has loved us. Because of how lines had been drawn, which did not fully reflect the good news that Jesus came to share, people like Zacchaeus would have found themselves on the outside. Jesus, however, drew the lines differently in ways that encouraged people to respond, rather than simply be excluded from consideration, almost by default. As we continue to reflect on Zacchaeus’ story in the light of today’s passage, here are some questions for reflection:

• Are there ways that I have drawn lines in my life that tend to exclude certain groups of people, rather than focusing on how to best love the people themselves?

• What are some of the ways my own assumptions or prejudices might cause me to miss or misunderstand others? (NOTE: Blind spots are, by nature...well... blind, so this might be a good question to ask someone who knows you well to answer for you, if you think they will tell you the truth.)

• There is no indication in the story that Zacchaeus changed his profession, but some rather clear indications that he changed how he went about it. What might this suggest about how we think about others?

• How does the story of Zacchaeus provide a helpful backdrop for understanding what it means to say the message of the everlasting gospel to “every nation, tribe, language and people”?

• What speaks to you the most powerfully in this passage today?

Take a few moments to share with God in prayer what is on your heart.