"Layers" -- Sermon from October 7, 2023

Don’t judge a book by its cover! In our focus text today the crowds are judging Zaccheus by what they can see, he is a Chief Tax Collector which means he is a liar, a cheat, and a collaborator with occupying Roman Empire. But like the paint on an old house, people have layer upon layer of complexity. Jesus sees beyond the Chief Tax Collector layer of Zaccheus and recognizes him as a beloved child of God. Being seen on a deeper layer also changes Zaccheus as he gives half his riches to the poor and repays those he has cheated. It is a lesson for us to both know that we are known by God beyond the layer we show the world and that everyone we encounter is also beloved by God even when all we can see is the top layer.