By the Rev. Dr. Jin Cho, Canon for Racial Diversity and Justice

A foundational component of creating a culture of racial diversity and justice in our churches is an understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ as a message of mercy and justice. Jesus is always pointing us toward a just vision of life in the kingdom. As preachers, we have the opportunity to share this vision every Sunday.

One of the most common questions I hear is “How do you craft such a message?” If you are a lectionary-guided church as many of us are, my team and I want to help. Starting this fall, we will share a quarterly “Preaching Notes” to help with the crafting of a justice-themed message on an upcoming text.

These Preaching Notes are meant to nudge your sensibilities to perhaps “new” thoughts about Jesus and justice. We’ll also point to some trusted resources. Feel free to contact the author for a conversation!

Our very first Preaching Notes are on Luke 19:1-10, appointed text for November 2, shared by the Rev. Ginny Seibel.

Preaching Notes on Luke 19:1-10

By the Rev. Ginny Seibel, Associate Priest at Immanuel Atlanta

The story of Zacchaeus’ repentance is an amazing opportunity for the preacher to talk about what biblical justice looks like. The following are three ways of doing so, depending on the current theological foundation of justice in your congregation.

A Just God Wants Justice

Foundationally, if we can agree that God is just, then we can agree that God must want justice. To pray “Thy Kingdom Come” must in some sense mean that God’s kingdom is perfectly just, and we ought to pray for and desire more justice in our world. We can agree and disagree about what that might look like in our systems, communities and churches, but for some congregations, coming to this foundational theological agreement is a huge step toward becoming a more just place. Luke 19:1-10 is a great place to begin that conversation.

Tax Collectors and Sinners

By my count, the gospels use the phrase “tax collectors and sinners” at least 10 times. It’s worth asking—what is it about tax collectors that the gospel writers (and Jesus) would lump them in a group with sinners over and over again? In Jesus’ world, tax collectors were a part of a corrupt system that often taxed people unfairly, and even participated in extortion. This is not unique to the New Testament, however, as we can find endless examples of economic injustice in the Old Testament as well (Amos 2:6-7 and Micah 6:10-12, for example). We can deduce then that God must care about economic injustice both on systemic and individual levels.

When Repentance Requires More Than Just Words

One of the most compelling parts of Zacchaeus’ story is that his encounter with Jesus ignited not just repentance in his heart but in his actions as well. Zacchaeus’ confession was a repayment plan, with interest. Dominique Dubois Gilliard says in his book Subversive Witness,

“When we are spiritually mature enough to soberly assess our sins and the collective impact they have had on our neighbors, the Spirit leads us to discern what true reconciliation requires.”

Luke 19:1-10 gives us the opportunity to challenge our congregations to see that reconciliation is not merely an apology, but an opportunity to make things right, sometimes even economically. This may even be an opportunity to introduce your church to the word reparations and to discuss what it might look like at the smallest levels, possibly within your church.

The Good News for Zacchaeus

The good news for “tax collectors and sinners” is that Christ came into the world to save sinners, so we can surmise that Christ came to save tax collectors, too (1 Tim 1:15). Even the rich, the powerful and the privileged have a place in the Kingdom of God if they are willing to do what it takes to follow Jesus. I find this story to be similar to the woman at the well in John 4; both Zacchaeus and the woman have been seen. And when Jesus sees us in our sin, it’s good news, because it means our sin no longer defines us. I believe Zacchaeus joins her in her evangelistic statement: “Come meet a man who told me everything I ever did.”