In this sermon, Pastor Eric continues our Lenten series exploring binaries that our world often divides the world into and pushes us to choose between. This week, we explore "Righteousness" (and, similarly, justice) vs. "mercy."Rather than seeing these as opposites, in this story, Jesus calls us to pursue mercy as the pathway to building a world of justice and righteousness. If our justice/righteousness shames, blames, and alienates people from community, it is not building a better world. It is reproducing the death-dealing forces of what's already out there. At the same time, if our mercy doesn't center the hurt of victims and accountability for one's actions, then the powerful and privileged merely use it to maintain the status quo, like a "get out of jail free" card.The story of Zacchaeus surprises and challenges all of us as it illustrates the powerful ways individual redemption and community restoration are inextricably linked. Righteousness/Justice VS. Mercy is a false choice. It must be both!
