From Exile Houses: An Exodus Home

Scripture    Luke 19:1-10

I believe, in my deepest heart of hearts, that the Holy Spirit whose flame we celebrate during this six-month Season of Pentecost glows brightest and warmest and wildest when we find our story in the biblical story. And the biblical story we are finding our story in these July-to-November months is Luke’s Jesus journey narrative. A narrative that covers 11 chapters in his gospel, serving as the basis of our “On the Road with Jesus” travels.

In this 11-chapter sojourn, we find our story in this biblical story: Jesus’ sojourn from the mountaintop of his Transfiguration to his cross at Calvary. A journey from his ascent into mountaintop popularity to his descent into Calvary solidarity. A descending-road journey into spiritually-rich valleys that begins in Luke 9 with a single Greek word: exodov. Exodus. Jesus turns his face toward Jerusalem, Luke tells us, and in the process claims and reclaims the Hebrew Exodus.

From his popularity offered to the world to his solidarity offered with the world: Over the last two generations, that’s been the painful and hopeful Exodus journey of this church – and so many other mainline Protestant churches. A journey from the Promised Land popularity of teeming sanctuaries – the Promised Land: we’ve arrived, Jesus scarcely leaves the temple! – to the leaner, longing, desert wonderment of the Exodus experience: a wide-roaming journey with Jesus to a new land of promise we can barely begin to see.

A Promised Land Jesus would have said something like this: “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for you must come to my Sunday house today!” Instead, we hear the reverse: The words of an Exodus church – inviting others to participate in the journey. “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.”

Zacchaeus’ house: It’s his exile. Built on what the world would call riches. Jesus goes to dwell there, to bring Zacchaeus home. Moving away from a Promised Land model of ministry – to invite people in Exile – to participate in this Exodus journey.

Promised Land … Exile … Exodus. Arriving home … Left from home … Bringing home. These three stories form the trinity of all biblical stories – of all human stories.

There’s Promised Land – our church’s journey pre-1975. It’s a church many of us have seen in our 1941 church film, "Bethesda Presbyterian Grows Up." The Promised Land church: We’ve arrived at home – and we know it! We know it!

There's Exodus – our church’s journey today: We’re heading to a new home, now. We’ve been lost in the desert a time or two, but there’s that biblical something known as hope. We’re heading to a place called home. We may not know what that milk and that honey may taste like yet, but God is calling us to a place of faith – of trust. A place of trust, to take that journey together.

There's Exile. Unlike Promised Land home, or Exodus heading-home, it’s not a church-making story. Exile is captivity, as in Babylon. Exile is Zacchaeus: rich – or better put, made rich by his tax collector ways (they were known to be extortionists then). Someone possessed by what they possess. Someone with all the housing, but no home they can call their own.

And yet we cry, as Jesus’ Exodus journey companions: “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for we – this Body of Christ – must stay at your house today!” We must camp out at your house – your place of Exile – that you might join us on this Exodus adventure.

We have heard of places of Exile in several of our Changing Lives stories of late: The “What BPC Means to Me” stories. And some of these stories of Exile have come from seasoned veterans on our Exodus journey!

We have heard from members – new and old – how they were looking for a place where they could find a home. We have heard how this church entered their houses of exile once they climbed their sycamore tree of courage. For some, that climb began when they entered the sanctuary door. For others, that climb took a little more time. Time to share the stories housed within them over the years. Stories constructed in a single-dwelling house that had yet to find a healing home. Stories which for some found a Twelve Step shelter. Stories which then led to joining us on Jesus’ Exodus journey.

Because of our hospitality – and our hospitality alone –
Because of the embrace of our church’s love unconditional –
Because – like Jesus to Zacchaeus – we have “stayed at their house” through our repeated welcome home …

The Exile of members new and the Exile of members old are now folded into the Exodus of our church. Our Exodus to a Promised Land – known yet to God.

We – each of us – returns to that place of Exile. The lure is too great.

Like Zacchaeus, we become rich in the world, yet in the process find ourselves too short-sighted to see Jesus anymore. Like Zacchaeus, we grow isolated: more housing for our possessions and our ambitions – little home for community and common good. We forget to generously give to the poor and poor in spirit, and in the process receive so little of Jesus.

When that happens – and it happens to us all: What’s our calling as we gather ‘round this healing Pool of Bethesda – our Bethesda Presbyterian Church?

Our calling is simple: To practice hospitality. It’s the gift of receiving all our Exiles into Exodus. To stay at each other’s house – and find in each, our common home.

This home that is our Exodus journey. This home that is our Exodus hope. This home that is the offspring of healing. We call it wholeness – the Bible, salvation. “Today,” Jesus cries, “Today … salvation – wholeness – has come to (Zacchaeus’) house!”

May salvation – wholeness – come to your houses of exile. May you then find a home of generosity here: to give … and to receive.

  Over and over and over again.