I MUST SEE JESUS
By Pastor Jim May
Luke 19:1-4, "And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way."
Jesus was on his final journey to Jerusalem. The time for the fulfillment of his purpose on earth was drawing near. He was on his way to the cross. Jesus knew that there would be no coming back.
Jericho was just a city that lay in the path that Jesus would take to get back to Jerusalem. It would seem, to the casual reader, that stopping in Jericho really wasn’t part of Jesus’ plans. He was just passing through, on his way to a different destination.
But am convinced that with Jesus there were no chance meetings or accidental miracles. Everything that Jesus did was for a purpose.
And that’s the way it was on this journey through Jericho as well. I believe that in the mind of Christ, his purpose for going through Jericho was already planned and set, , and with his all-seeing eyes, he already knew that there was going to be a little short man who was out on a limb and needed deliverance.
There’s a purpose in your being here this morning too. It’s not by accident that you woke up this morning and decided to come to the House of the Lord. Jesus saw you while you yet sleeping and he knew, before you ever rose up this morning, that this would be your day. He chose to pass by here this morning because he saw something in you.
Jesus went through Jericho because he knew that there would a “son of Abraham” in that city who was ready for deliverance.
In that city of Jericho, there was a lot of trade and business that was going on all the time. Just as it is in our cities, there was always a tax to be collected from every business transaction. Tax collectors and accountants were everywhere, exacting tolls on every boat load of goods, collect road use taxes, fuel taxes, tolls to travel on some roads perhaps.
The chief IRS agent in the city was a little, short man by the name of Zacheaus.
It has often been said that you cannot measure a man by the size of the man in the fight, but by the size of the fight in the man. Zaccheaus was a fighter. He had fought and scraped his way to the top of his profession. He might be what we would call the Chief of the IRS in Jericho. He used his position to gain favors, and he abused his position against his own people to get rich.
Have you ever known a politician that didn’t get to the top of his game without compromising his beliefs? It takes money to make money, and it takes a lot of money to make a lot of money. The Bible says that Zacchaeus was rich. I wonder how he got his riches? I doubt seriously that he wanted a 9 to 5 job. No, this short, stubby little man shot for the moon and picked up handsful of stardust if you will. He got rich off of the misfortune of others and gained most of this great wealth by skimming off the top of whatever taxes were collected.
It was fairly easy to do. When you are the middle man, its just an accepted business practice to add a fee to be the handler. If we could eliminate the middle man costs from what we buy, we could probably save between 50 and 70 percent of the cost of nearly everything we buy.
The cost of manufacturing or producing what you need probably represents only about 25% of its final cost. The rest of the cost is tacked on by each middle man who gets his hands on the items as they pass through on their way to market. The trucker has to make a living so his fees are added to pay for shipping costs. The warehouses where everything comes to and then gets re-distributed, adds their fees to the cost as well. On and on this process goes and there can be a lot of middle men involved. Most of our “Discount Stores” have prices that are a little lower only because they have learned to eliminate some of the middle men in their stocking processes and then pass part of that savings on to the customer to create a loyal customer base. That’s the way the Walmart works, and many others.
Zaccheaus was a middle man in the tax collecting business. All the other collectors would bring their tolls, tribute, taxes and fees to Zacchaeus and then he would take his fees off the top before passing it on to the Roman authorities. Who knows how much would be left to send to Caesar in Rome by the time that all the politicians took their fees off the top. Sadly, it is always the “little guy” at the bottom of the pyramid that always pays the highest price and gets the least out of his investment. It’s just the same old scenario that we see today where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer and nothing short of a revolution can change things.
That’s why we had the French Revolution and the American Revolution. We were born a free nation because the colonies got tired of paying taxes and getting nothing in return. But I don’t think that America is going to have another revolution to get rid of taxes because too many people have come to depend on government handouts for their survival.
President Reagan, who I consider to be one of the greatest presidents our nation has ever had, said this:
"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship."
Jesus was going through Jericho because he saw that, in that city, there was a crooked politician and tax collector, whose heart was ripe for change.
Zacchaeus heard that Jesus was coming through town and he was determined to see what Jesus looked like. So much had been said. Some had said that Jesus was a prophet, others that he was a great Rabbi, or teacher; others that he was a great pries; others that he was a faith healer and a worker of miracles; others that he was one of the ancient prophets of Israel, reborn to bring Israel back to God; and there were even some who were saying this Jesus was the Messiah, the Deliverer of Israel.
Perhaps at first, Zacchaeus’ curiosity could have born out of concern for his job. If this Jesus really was the Deliver, the Messiah, and the Roman stranglehold on Israel was broken, what would happen to Zaccheaus’ job. He wouldn’t be working as a tax collector for Rome anymore and he was hated by his own people. What would he do?
But as time passed, and Jesus drew nearer, I believe that there was something in the heart of this man that drove him to see Jesus for a different reason. Maybe Zacchaeus was getting tired of being crooked and wanted to be accepted by his own people again. He was ready for a change in his life, and maybe Jesus would be the one who could make that change happen.
I believe that until something begins to happen within us to make us want to change, that nothing will change. You can’t help an alcoholic or drug addict who likes drinking or taking drugs. You’ll waste your time and energy because they love what they are doing. But when they finally get to the place where they truly want to change, and commit themselves to changing, then you can help them to break those chains that bind them.
Zacchaeus was ready for a change. He had to see Jesus, but as Jesus came near, he couldn’t see him. He was just a little too short to see over the crowd and there was too many people to get closer to him.
We all are limited in what we can see about Jesus. For Zacchaeus it was the fact that he was too short, but for most us it’s not that at all. We can’t see Jesus simply because we are too spiritually blind to see him for who he is and what he can do for us. We are too busy to stop and gaze upon the Lord, to see his real beauty. All most people do is just give Jesus a little glance every once in a while. As long as all we do is just “try” to see him, we’ll never see him.
That’s like when people tell me, “I’ll try to be there on Sunday, or “I’ll try to be there to help with the work.” All they are really saying is, “Forget it. I’m not coming. I would rather be doing anything else, like mowing grass or getting a fishhook cut out of my head than to be at church or helping with what needs to be done. Forget it, I’m not coming. I’m just saying, “I’ll try” to get you to leave so I can do what I want to do and not be bothered.” And then some folks say, “Well why didn’t you call me if you needed help.” Well I had to bother people by asking and I get tired of hearing people say, “I’ll try.” I know how it works because I’ve done it myself. I just wait for someone to volunteer?
It has always been my way to just do what I have to do. If someone wants to help then great, but if not, then just “get ‘er done” and don’t complain about it. Of course, not everyone is like that. The opposite side of that coin is that some people are always willing and ready. They will do anything and everything you ask. But I don’t like to ride a good workhorse into the ground. I like to save them up for when I really need them. Anybody can get overwhelmed if their just too much to do all the time. Most of you are the same way. You would just as soon either do it yourself, or do without, rather than ask for help. That’s just the way we are.
Many people try to “see Jesus” but it takes a more determination that that if you are really going to see him. Zacchaeus could have given up and went home, but he chose to take it a step further. He was determined to the see the Lord.
How much determination to we have to see Jesus and to truly know him? Do we just give him lip service? Do we just pass by the cross once in a while to say we have been there? Or do we have the determination of Zacchaeus to see Jesus at all costs.
Until we are fully committed to serving the Lord, or until we make a determination to live for God and be faithful to Him, then all we are doing is playing church, and that won’t help us get to Heaven. Only sold out, born again, on fire, and faithful Christians are going in the Rapture. All the others, who just wanted a glimpse of Jesus now and then, are going to be left behind, and they may never see him again until they stand before him in judgment.
Zacchaeus was up in that tree and out on a limb. He was hated by Rome because they knew him as a man who sell his own people for a price. He was hated by his own people because he sided with their enemies against them. He was a man alone, with no answers. He needed a Deliverer. He needed a Savior. He needed a miracle.
Finally he saw Jesus coming down the street. His miracle was coming straight for him. I can only imagine what he must have felt as he hung onto that limb and leaned out to get a better view. Was Jesus who he though he would be? Was he as tall, as thin, as intelligent or as well dressed as Zaccheaus had imagined?
The closer Jesus came, the more Zacchaeus could sense that something wonderful was about to happen. I’m sure he felt the presence of the Holy Spirit talking to him and touching his heart as Jesus Drew near.
You can’t get close to Jesus without something great happening in your life! His very appearance will change your outlook on life. The more you see of Jesus, and the more you get to know about him, the greater he becomes. Jesus is bigger than all your problems. He’s bigger than all your fears. He’s bigger than any mountain that stands in your way. He’s bigger than any sickness you could ever have. He’s bigger than anything.
The closer Jesus gets, the smaller your problems look. The closer you get to know him, the less you care to know about anything else. He fulfills all of your hearts’ desires and all of your dreams and ambitions.
Get closer to Jesus! Climb a tree and get out on a limb if you have to. If you will do all you can to get near him, then Jesus will make the next step to reach out to you. That’s what he did for Zacchaeus.
Luke 19:5-6, "And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully."
Jesus had already seen Zacchaeus in that tree, not just while he was walking in the crowd down the street, but from the beginning of time. Jesus knew he would be in that tree before he ever set foot in Jericho. By the grace of God, Zacchaeus’ time had come – his time to know who Jesus really was – his time of deliverance.
Jesus wasn’t concerned about the accolades of the crowd and praise of the people. He was concerned about one soul, one little man in a tree, whose heart was ready. He came to seek and save a crooked politician named Zacchaeus.
Jesus looked up and called him by name. “He knows me.” “The Messiah is calling me by name”. Can you imagine the wonder and excitement that Zacchaeu felt at that moment?
If you have ever met Jesus and given your heart and life to him, and then let Jesus come into your heart, you know what Zacchaeus felt! There’s nothing that can compare.
Zacchaeus come on down. Get out of the tree and off that limb. Bring all your needs to the altar. Bring your burdens to the Lord and leave them there. I’m going to your house for tea! God is calling you by name. You are one of the chosen few out of all this crowd. Come on Down, join us, this is your special invitation from the very lips of the Son of God. My what an invitation!
That’s the same invitation that Jesus is giving to each of us this morning! Come on down. Come on down to the altar. Bring all your needs to the Lord. He is so willing and able to help you. Bring all your needs to the Lord.
But, like Zacchaeus, you need to hurry! Too many have let the invitation slip by and didn’t answer the call. The soul of sinner is in such immediate and great danger of sinking into the pits of hell that it requires immediate attention. To delay, even for a moment, could mean the difference between eternal life and eternal death. We are never more than one heartbeat from eternity and there’s no promise of tomorrow for anyone.
Satan’s greatest tool is called procrastination. Untold numbers of souls are burning in the pits of hell today and forever simply because they put off coming to the Lord one time too many and there’s no coming back.
2 Corinthians 6:2, "… behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." Jesus is calling you by name. This is your time. Will you come down with haste?
This was Zacchaeus’ day. It was his one chance at salvation. Thank God that he didn’t take too long to get down or decide to wait until another time. There would be no more chances for him.
Luke 19:6-7, "And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner."
Man cannot help you. All other Christians can do is stand around and tell you that Jesus loves you but that you are nothing but a sinner, just like we were. We are only sinners saved by grace and nothing else.
But listen to what Zacchaeus says.
Luke 19:8-10, "And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."
Zacchaeus showed true repentance. He wanted deliverance and was willing to pay whatever price was necessary to be free. Whether he was required to pay back all that he said we do not know. What is important is that he had repented of his sin and was willing to do whatever the Lord required of him. That’s all that God is seeking for – a willing heart and a repentant heart.
The last thing that I want to point out is that Jesus called Zacchaeus a “Son of Abraham”. That means that this crooked politician, traitor to the Jews and extortioner, was forgiven of his sins and accepted back into the covenant of God with Abraham. He was adopted back into the family of God.
Zacchaeus was saved that day because he answered the call. Will you answer it today? Jesus is calling you by name. He is saying, hurry, don’t wait another minute. He wants to cleanse your sin and make you a Child of God, born again by the Spirit of God.
Jesus is calling your name. Are you going to come down off that limb and let him into your heart?
