Works part 3
I love the story of Zacchaeus. Its kind of the perfect example of what I've been Ranting about. Here's this guy who is "little of stature." Whether that necessarily means short, or perhaps he (and everyone else) didn't think very highly of himself doesn't really matter. I think it works either way. Because either way he wanted to see Jesus. And either way he tried to do it through works and labor. By climbing a tree. Specifically, a sycomore tree. Which, according to Strong's Greek Concordance, is a fig tree. Also known as the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The tree of death. Zacchaeus thought he needed to climb that tree in order to get to where he needed to be. And that's the trap that religion sets for us. That's the lie that the serpent hissed into Eve's ear; you have to do in order to be. You're not good enough as is. But if you try hard enough, work hard enough, climb high enough, maybe... just maybe... you'll be able to become something you're not. And I think that's the biggest difference between religion and relationship. Religion wants you to be someone you're not. Relationship loves you just the way you are. And that's literally what Jesus says to this guy who is swinging from branch to branch on the tree of death. Trying to do good... but failing. Trying to be someone he's not, but only ever able to be who he believes he is. Look at Luke 19:5, "And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at they house." So first things first: Zacchaeus was trying to get to Jesus. But Jesus came right to Him. That's how love works. It (HE) doesn't demand that we come up to it (Him). He comes down to us. Meets us right where we're at. And Jesus didn't condemn Zacchaeus either, even though what he was doing wasn't working. He simply told Him to knock it off. To repent, or change his mind, because the Kingdom was at hand. We keep tryinig to "get to heaven" when Jesus brought heaven to earth. And then Jesus gives Him the key to the Kingdom. Get out of that tree... because I must abide at your HOUSE. We don't need to turn over a new leaf. We need to see the fig tree as cursed, and withered, and dead. We need to start eating--and sharing--the fruit from an entirely different tree! The Tree of Life! And that fruit of THAT Tree is the fruit of the Spirit. Which is love. Jesus said, "I must abide at your house." Because that's where Jesus lives. In us. He is the carpenter, and we are the house that He built for Himself to live in. HE did the work, and we get to enjoy the fruit of HIS labor. His work was to do all the heavy lifting. To do what we couldn't do. To fulfill the Law of Moses and put an end to the Old Covenant and a beginning to the New Covenant. And our work is to believe. Because guess what Zacchaeus did: He got out of that tree and took Jesus to his house! And then, without Jesus demanding it (or even suggesting it) Zacchaeus began to bring forth good fruit. He started promising to give away half of his good to the poor, and things of that nature. Because all of a sudden--with Jesus in his house--he had a NEW nature. A generous nature. A love nature. And then, all of a sudden, he began to do good works. Because he wasn't trying to be someone else anymore. Because--with Jesus in his house--he finally knew who he was!