Are You Happy Now?

Are You Happy Now?  

Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16 

Luke 16:19-31  

There is a little something maddening about the easy way Jesus dispenses God’s love and forgiveness. While those who are dedicated to being faithful struggle against temptation day and night, using all of our resources to keep a civil tongue, care for the less fortunate, simply be good when it is so tempting to be selfish; we run into case after case where life-long sinners appeal to Jesus, and he gives them instant salvation. This is not always easy for us to handle. 

A part of me relishes the way Jesus tells us love and forgiveness is accessible to everyone. It is such a glorious bit of good news to share. It is wonderful to align myself with this vision of the Creator and the presumed judge of humanity, acting as gatekeeper to eternal life. 

Just last week we talked about the Pharisee and the Tax collector praying in the Temple. The Pharisee was all kinds of good, and it would seem, justifiably proud of being dedicated and intentional about the good that he is doing. But the Tax Collector is a public sinner. He does not change his behavior but only ask for mercy, and Jesus says the tax collector understands prayer - and by extension - understands the love of God, better than the good guy. 

But a part of me wants to know, “If it is all so easy, why do I feel like I have to do so much more? I could be retired, playing my guitar and playing with my grandchildren. Why write a sermon every week? Why do I prepare these Fun Faith Formation Experiences for other people’s kids?” 

In today’s scripture, Jesus is in Jericho. Jericho the last significant town on the River Jordan before it flows into the Dead Sea. This is where Joshua crossed into the Promised Land after the Hebrew people wandered in the dessert after their release from slavery in Egypt. This town is below sea level, and at the foot of the mountain where Jerusalem sits above. Jesus is on his way to meet the Temple authorities and draw his public ministry to a close, and he is anxious for his disciples to understand God. 

It would seem that God is all about saving sinners. The psalm says, “Happy are they whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” Why are the sinners happy and the good people anxious? 

The roots of this problem do not lie with God and God’s generosity. God is good all the time, all the time, God is good. That is not the problem. 

The problem is not that those folks we label as sinners get all of the breaks. When we take the time to count our blessings, we learn the limitations of our ability to do math. Our blessings are so many, and they are compounded, multiplied and expanded in so many ways, expanded in every direction, and within every relationship. We are blessed beyond measure. 

So the problem does not appear that God has neglected us good folks, saving salvation and blessings for those who do not deserve God’s love. God is not stingy. God does not withhold God’s love or blessing. 

Zacchaeus was not able to see over the crowd. He was short of stature. The crowd was not going to let him in front, they judged him as a big sinner and unworthy to see the famous preacher. Mr. Z may be rich, but that does not mean that the good people of the community had to treat him nicely. So he had to climb a tree. 

This is a favorite story to tell kids. Kids are also not tall. Kids are all too willing to climb a tree. Kids would love to be praised and congratulated for climbing a tree to see Jesus. In many children’s stories and songs Zacchaeus is made out to be a hero. 

The good people following Jesus are out of sorts when Jesus treats Mr.Z as a friend. “There goes your famous preacher again, off to hang out with sinners. He has a weakness for being with people who are unworthy.” 

“This” might be the key to understanding that we are looking for. Does God love and bless us? Sure. Jesus Loves Me This I Know. So if God loves sinners, and God loves me, is it possible that God sees me as a sinner? 

I believe that the key to enjoying the peace that comes from having our sins forgiven - is to see ourselves as sinners - before a God who is perfection itself. In the terms of human justice, we prosecute and penalize those whose behavior marks them as a danger to the community. We begin to think of sin on the scale of Not Too Bad to Very, Very Bad. These are the ways of the world. 

Against the scale of perfection, there is none of us who are without sin. When judged by the Almighty, the one who knows the desires of our heart, each of us shows up marked by sin and short of the ability to show compassion and care for all people in all situations. 

This is the way of the Kingdom of God. 

When we let Jesus call us sinners, we can let Jesus call us saved. When accept our true selves as redeemed, we can be full of joy. We can face the anxiety in a world of insults and mud-slinging, and recognize that we too have been less than God created us for, and we have had our sins covered. The blessings in our lives, are intended to keep us close to our happiness, and draw others to share in this simple joy. This is how humility wins the day. 

We do not need to be jealous of sinners finding sudden forgiveness, since we live with it daily. We do not need to be anxious about lost souls that the love of God is seeking, because we are awash in God’s blessings. The wisdom to know ourselves as we really are, as sinners saved by the love of God, is the only thing we are lacking. 

So friends, realize today that the love of God is your key to deep peace and great joy. It is all yours to claim, every day. We can claim it and proclaim it. We are offered the opportunity to preach, some of us in the pulpit each week, some out of the pulpit every day, living lives that give glory to God. The opportunity to present our offering at the altar is a measure of the pleasure we have in living and working in the river of God’s blessing. 

Amen. 

Feels good to realize how happy we are. Are you happy now?