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Money Isn’t The Monument (LUKE 19)

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David Rubenstein is an American billionaire businessman and philanthropist. He is also the principal owner of MLB Baltimore Orioles. Further, Rubenstein has donated millions to our region’s monuments. He calls it “Patriotic Philanthropy,” as his altruism has helped to renovate monuments, museums, and historic sites around Washington D.C.

  • $50 million for Kennedy Center
  • $13.5 million for the National Archives
  • $10.5 for Washington Monument
  • $10 million for Jefferson Memorial
  • $22 million for National Zoo’s panda program, and another $2 million for the Zoo’s Asian elephant research program.
  • $5 million to the Air & Space Museum
  • Additional: Iwo Jima Memorial in Arlington, Robert E. Lee Memorial in Arlington, Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian Castle, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, National Museum of African American History & Culture, National Gallery of Art, White House Historical Association, the Library of Congress, Montpellier, Mount Vernon, Monticello,… not to mention recent renovation at OPACY.[1]
  • His wealth is being passed to his own family and generations of other charitable contributions for education, scholarships, and medical research with hospitals.
  • He says: “If you have money, what are you going to do with it?” You can be buried with it, [but] that’s not so good. You can give it to your children, [but] that’s not going to be so great for them. You can give it away while you’re alive, [and] that’s probably the best thing. To a good cause, if you can find one.”[2]

Monuments are important as they point to lessons of human history to be/do better in our future. Yet, every earthly monument has a financial cost that we know will not survive in eternity. Today’s message explores how money is not the monument we should seek in life. Instead, we should seek eternal treasure.

EXAMINE    Money Isn’t The Monument (LUKE 19)

Context: Luke 18

Children: (18:15-17) “Let the children come to me.” Unassuming > Human strength.

         Z = the immature but needy child

Rich Young Ruler: (18:18-30) 24 “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”  Dependence > Human independence  

Z = the camel squeezing through the needle eye

Blind man of Jericho (18:35-43) 38 “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me” Humility > Human pride

         Z = the spiritually handicapped needing healed & rescued

19:1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.

Jericho is situated in the lower valley, which meant it was “well-watered everywhere… like the Lord’s garden” (cf. Gen 13:10); and known as a “city of palms” (Dt 34:3; Ju 1:16; 3:13; 2Chr 28:15), not to mention all kinds of trees. The OT town lies near one of Palestine’s strongest springs, which travels many channels to the Jordan River six miles away, irrigating about 2,500 acres.[3] The city was known to be one of the most prosperous regions with vast number of trees that produced fruit, honey, and an ideal aesthetic for perennial spring, royal retreat. The city also sat on one of the busiest trade routes in the ancient world. And wherever there were vast amounts of wealth, you would also find 1) greedy politicians funneling taxes[4], and 2) numerous beggars seeking help (cf Mt 20:29-34; Mk 10:46-52; Lk 18:35-43). Jericho = any major city (DC, Baltimore, Annapolis)

 2 And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich.

  • Ζακχαῖος = pure/innocent one,[5] [ironically]… Further, two ancient Christian writers, Clement of Alexandria (d. 215) and Didymus (the Blind) of Alexandria (d. 398), draw a correlation between Zacchaeus and the Matthias who was named apostle after Judas’ death (Ac 1:23-26).[6]
  • ἀρχιτελώνης = head of a group of tax-collectors who were responsible for customs dues in the area on goods.[7] Many tax-collectors were often Jews who turned on their own people with the Romans; they were shrewd and scheming for selfish gain – viewed similarly to immorals of prostitutes, thieves, terrorists, and sinners.[8] So – Z was despised with few friends.
  • Rich = always a blessing to steward, but a danger to discipleship. Wealth is never to establish happiness, comfort sorrow, or solve problems. And God’s ability is never limited to finances, so your giving is less about God’s need than your trust and obedience.

God’s ability is never limited to finances, so your giving is less about God’s need than your trust and obedience.

3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way.

Z was shrewd and selfish but he also has 2 added descriptions.

  1. Short: Z was rich bc he could save money: buying kids clothes / not taking showers – by time water reached him it evaporated, so he just stopped.
    Also, he was the same size as everyone’s pockets to pick…Seriously, he wasn’t just short physically but short a) relationally and b) spiritually.
    a) Usually, short people find their friends OR respectfully ask stranger to stand in front since they can just look over head. But Z was all alone – boxed out / empty inside… even wealth couldn’t buy him friends.
    b) He’s wronged so many and the guilt inside is welling up that he didn’t just want to see Jesus, he needed Jesus and knew it!
  2. Seeking. The imperfect tense suggests wanting to see Jesus for some time.[9] Ancient Middle-Eastern men did not run, bc they wore long robes which needed taking up into hands and exposing bare legs, which was considered humiliating.[10] Yet, Z running and climbing indicates intense curiosity even to point of indecency and uncaring what anyone else thinks.

>> Christians: How long has it been since you’ve intensely pursued Jesus? What hinders your zeal? Why are you/others satisfied with mediocrity and little Jesus.

>> Seeker: Maybe there are people/circumstances in your way of seeing Jesus. They don’t invite to church or talk with you about Jesus. Some have spoken condescendingly and promoted politics over gospel. And sadly, some have manipulated and abused, creating great harm and wide separation. Best I know to say is Sorry! But continuing to seek after Jesus is worth it.

5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.”

Jesus was amid a crowd of people and gave immediate attention to Z. Jesus always has a focused burden for the broken and contrite of spirit (Ps 51:16). Clashing to our Western-ears, Jesus invites himself (and likely the disciples) to Z’s house… we’d have to check our calendars, adjust our schedules, and project a date a few weeks out. Jesus simply knocks on the door and waits for you to let him in (Rev 3:20).

6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

A Jewish Rabbi sharing discourse and dining with a sinful man would have been scandalous to the religious leaders. But a man with few friends suddenly found a friend in Jesus. That’s the kind of Savior Jesus is. He views your sin and struggles and loves the mess out of you. And His Lordship touches everything on the shelves; opens all the cabinets to remove items; and rearranges all the furniture just how he wants.

But notice what Jesus says before Z responds with deeds of restitution. Today salvation has come to this house. The evidence Z understood salvation was he began exercising repentance to those he wronged & extending generosity to others (Luke 3:8).

APPLY/TAKEAWAY

  • Christian justice is not about forced redistribution of wealth so everyone is equal. Instead, justice is accountability of wrongdoing to make amends.

  • Money is not the monument. People either view money as identity or sanctuary. The use it to promote significance or security. But repeatedly God shows wealth has one purpose: facilitating worship.

  • Sycamore Encounters. Z was running streets and climbing trees to find himself. He was lonely and empty. He met Jesus who tells us to surrender so He climbed a tree for us. Jesus gave faith & a family to Z. We need more Christians providing Sycamore Encounters to connect people to Jesus & Church.

[1] Yet, so far, his Oriole’s ownership is left wanting. https://birdswatcher.com/david-rubenstein-reveals-he-s-delusionally-optimistic-about-the-orioles-in-latest-media-interaction

[2] https://wamu.org/story/20/02/12/why-this-billionaire-is-spending-a-fortune-on-washingtons-monuments/

[3] Eric Mitchell with Joines Karen, “Jericho,” in Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, ed. Chad Brand et al. (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003), 885.

[4] Charles R. Swindoll, Luke, vol. 3, Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2017), 483.

[5] James R. Edwards, The Gospel according to Luke, ed. D. A. Carson, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.; Nottingham, England: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Apollos, 2015), 528.

[6] James R. Edwards, The Gospel according to Luke, ed. D. A. Carson, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.; Nottingham, England: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Apollos, 2015), 528.

[7] I. Howard Marshall, The Gospel of Luke: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Exeter: Paternoster Press, 1978), 696.

[8] Lk 5:29-31.

[9] James R. Edwards, The Gospel according to Luke, ed. D. A. Carson, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.; Nottingham, England: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Apollos, 2015), 529.

[10] Kenneth Bailey on Luke 15 the father to the prodigal.

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