April, 2007
Is Jesus Standing Under Your Tree?
Luke 19:1-10
INTRODUCTION: When Jesus went to Jericho to teach, there was already quite a crowd of people who had gathered there. In fact, one man went early so he could get a seat--in a tree of all places Zacchaeus, a short person, couldn’t see for the crowd. He climbed up into a tree so he could see and hear what Jesus had to say.
No one would have thought that this man would be interested in spiritual things let alone make any special effort to be there. He was a tax collector who worked for the Roman authorities, a cheat and a thief. That had made him a wealthy man, and the Jews didn’t want anything to do with him. They resented him and hated him.
Zaccheus had a longing in his heart for something better than he had. He was searching, but the crowd had written him off. Would Jesus even know he was there or speak to him? In that crowd Zacchaeus would probably have been voted the least likely person to come to Jesus. You probably know some people that are just like this. Have you ever prayed, “Lord, send some SEARCHING nonbelievers across my pathway this week?” That sounds like a good way to pray, but the Lord may lead us to speak to people who are NOT searching yet. They may be as hard as nails right now.
One writer said, “We must interact with people concerning the gospel BEFORE we know they are ready.” We must let God decide who are SEEKERS and who are NONSEEKERS. Do you agree with this statement? We would have probably missed Zacchaeus. We don’t always know who the true seekers are, and therefore, we must be ready to do the work of evangelism with the ones God brings our way.
Sometimes we pre-judge people and say, “Oh, they wouldn’t be interested.” There used to be a student who came into my office to talk every day at lunch time. She would bring me a Reese cup and one for herself. We talked about all kinds of things and about the Lord. She didn’t go to church and didn’t want to go to church. After eating Reese cups all year, she came in at the end of the school year and just out of the blue said, “You’ll be happy to know that I went to church Sunday.” (I know I was happy not to have to eat any more Reese cups for awhile).
John Wesley believed that “God is busy working in people’s lives from the beginning.” One person described a person’s coming to Christ like a chain with many links. There is the first link and the last link and many in between. The Lord may use you to speak to a person at any of these links including the very first link when they are OPENLY HOSTILE toward the gospel or He may have you to close the deal.
In Zacchaeus’ case, people would have written him off, but Jesus knew what was in his heart. Zacchaeus was hoping that Jesus would know how he was feeing about his life and help him change for the better. On the inside something was missing. There was a “big hole” in the middle of his heart. He knew he had done wrong by stealing from the people. He may have thought, “I wish Jesus knew what was in my heart--how tired I am of fooling people and pretending to be something I am not. I wish Jesus knew how guilty I feel and how sorry I am for the way I have acted.”
Although Zacchaeus was a person who was not living for Jesus, he was beginning to want a change in his life. Do you think that Jesus know about the conflicts that Zacchaeus was experiencing? Yes, Jesus DID know. You don’t have to talk with your lips in order for God to hear you. He will hear the cry of your heart and your inner wishes. Scripture says that God knows our thoughts (Jeremiah 29:11).
Once in the tree, Zacchaeus settled back to listen to Jesus but that didn’t last for long. In spite of the crowd surrounding Jesus that day, Jesus stopped directly under the very sycamore tree in which Zacchaeus was sitting. Do you think it was just a coincidence or all a part of the plan and purpose of God? How do you suppose Zacchaeus felt when Jesus saw him there, looked up, and spoke to him? He stopped, looked up and said, Zacchaeus, hurry and come down for I must stay in your house today.” What do you think of Jesus’ approach with him? If you had been Zacchaeus when Jesus singled him out, how would you have felt? Would it have embarrassed you? He may have been both excited and afraid. He may have felt put on the spot. After all he was not with a group of supportive friends. He may have felt uncomfortable. He probably didn’t dream that Jesus was going to say anything to him in the first place. Sometimes people don’t like to go to church because they feel put on the spot not knowing what to do or say. Zacchaeus might have felt that people were staring at him. He may have wondered what was coming next. His hands may have felt clammy and his throat dry. What would you have done in a situation like this?
Why do you think that Jesus singled him out like this? Was Jesus going to reprimand him for all of his wrong doings and point a finger at him telling him that he better straighten up and fly right or that he was going to hell?
Walter has a saying, “Tell me I’m bad and I’ll be worse; tell me I’m good, and I’ll be better.” (I always tell him he’s good!!!)
Jesus knew all about this man, but he could see beyond his faults. He could see not only his great needs but his potential. He knew what this man could become in the future. He knew that he was a valuable and worthwhile person. Zacchaeus mattered to Him just as each of us do.
We don’t know for sure what was going on in Zacchaeus’ mind that day, but we do know that he responded quickly when Jesus asked him to come down. He didn’t hesitate like we sometimes do when Jesus prompts us to do something. Some times we say, “I’ll get ‘a round tuit’ some day,” but we don’t want to put off something so important as our salvation.
Jesus did not give him a long list of rules to follow or a list of “do’s and don’ts.” He simply said, “I need to go to your house today.” Zacchaeus may have thought, “I need to do a lot of changing first before I can come to Jesus.” Or maybe he thought, “Today’s not a good day for me to have guests at my house.” How many times do we try to “fix ourselves up” before we come to Jesus. This was not necessary, for Jesus is the one who changes us from the inside out. We can’t do His work. Once salvation occurs on the inside, then changes will begin to take place on the outside.
How did the people in the crowd feel about Jesus talking to Zacchaeus? Where they glad that this old sinner came to Jesus? No way. They criticized and said, “What business does Jesus have hanging around with sinners.” They thought they were better than Zacchaeus. How did Jesus handle this? He told them that He came to “seek and to save the lost.” That was his job. Jesus told them, “this man is also a descendent of Abraham.” He is also included. The religious people thought, “Hey, in no way is he included in salvation. He’s not a part of our family, and for that matter we don’t want him to be a part of it. But Jesus said, “Yes, I include him too.” Jesus said, “It’s not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick” (Matthew 9:12).
Jesus said, “Salvation has come to this house today.”
TRANSITION and APPLICATION: There are three things that I see in this Scripture that brought Zacchaeus and Jesus together and these apply to us as well.
1. He SOUGHT to see Jesus--Scripture tells us that Jesus came to “seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10), but it is important for us to take an active approach to seeking Him as well. Zacchaeus did not have a passive attitude of “whatever will be will be.” He didn’t say, “If Jesus wants to save me, He will come to me, and I will wait until it happens. If it is the Lord’s will, it will happen.”
No, the day he met Jesus, he was actively seeking Him. He got up and went to town that day. When he found out he couldn’t see, he figured out a way to get a better seat. It took some effort on his part.
What does this say to us? We need to actively move out in faith to seek the Lord. It may be just a little step of faith to break out of what is holding us back. It may be easier and more convenient to do nothing. Zacchaeus didn’t feel that way about it. He sought to see Jesus. This was not just a casual wish--”I would like to see Jesus one of these days”--it was a specific, focused seeking that day because Zacchaeus felt that somehow Jesus had the answer he needed. He didn’t know exactly what it was, but by actively seeking, he found it. Scripture tells us to “seek and ye shall find” (Luke 11:9). Sometimes we feel as if we would like to be closer to the Lord and “maybe some day we will.” right now, we are too busy, too sick, too tired. Scripture encourages us to “seek the Lord while He may be found” (Isaiah 55:6) not some day maybe. Zacchaeus was focused and we need to be also. Is Jesus standing under your tree today? If so, what is he saying to you?
2. He Humbled Himself--to do whatever was necessary in order to see Jesus. He climbed a tree. He didn’t feel too proud to do that. He could have thought, “What will my friends say if they see me up in a tree?” But apparently this didn’t worry him at all. He was willing to do whatever it took. He had made up his mind to make it up to the people he had cheated. Because he humbled himself and was willing, his heart was softened and prepared to receive salvation that day.
Are we willing to humble ourselves to do whatever is necessary to see Jesus? Or are we more concerned about what our friends thing?
3. He Was Willing to take a Risk--Zacchaeus knew that once he came to Jesus he would be changing. This may have been scary for him to face the unknown. He knew what his life was like now, but he really didn’t know what was going to happen to him in the future. He was willing to take that risk and move forward toward a different lifestyle.
He told Jesus, “I’ll give half of my goods to the poor, and I’ll give back four times over if I have cheated anyone.”
Jesus had never asked him to do any of this, but Zacchaeus already knew what he needed to do to make things right with people. He was willing to take the risk.
This speaks to us today. It is not enough to just follow Jesus in our heart with a “casual” belief. It should make a difference on the outside as well as on the inside. Are we willing to change as Zacchaeus was? Zacchaeus was willing to take the risk of major changes in his life. Today a person will show his/her faith by changed behavior. Some of the Pharisees wanted to be known as “religious authorities” but they didn’t want to change their hearts and minds. As a result their lives were unproductive. Repentance must be tied to action. Following Jesus is more than just saying the right words. It means acting on what He says. Are you willing to take the risk of following Jesus like Zacchaeus did wherever it leads you? What is He saying to you today?
CONCLUSION: Think back on your own experience of salvation. Where did Jesus find you? What did He request you to do at that time? He simply asked Zacchaeus to come down out of the tree. Zacchaeus could have refused. But Scripture says he immediately came down. When Zacchaeus came down out of the tree he was a different person from when he went up the tree. There was a cleaning of his conscience--he didn’t have a guilty conscious anymore. There was a forgiving of his wrongs and a straightening up of his life. Jesus did for him what no one else could. And then Jesus gave him stability in his life. He had the strength to live a new life because of Jesus.
Jesus and Zacchaeus went down the road together. Jesus was willing to listen to Zacchaeus and talk with him. Jesus was willing to supply the power that was lacking in his life. Jesus came to restore a person all he had lost to sin. Zacchaeus didn’t have to continue sinning anymore. Today, “salvation has come to this house because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.” Praise the Lord! Zacchaeus was a changed man because of the transforming power of the Lord.
Is Jesus standing under your tree today? If so, what is He saying to you? Will you say, “Yes,” to Him right now.
The altar is open for anyone who would like to receive Christ this morning as well as Christians who want to pray about anything the Lord is speaking to you about. Will you come forward as we pray:
“Lord, you have come to seek and to save the lost.
That includes me. I am sorry for my sin, and I want
You to forgive me. Come into my life. Give me
the power to turn from my sinful ways. Let salvation com to me today. I believe that You died for my sins and I accept your gift. Thank You for Your salvation. In Jesus Name I pray.” Amen
