What Do You See?
A fitness center was offering $1,000 to anyone who could demonstrate that they were stronger than the owner of the place. Here’s how it worked. This muscle man would squeeze a lemon until all the juice ran into a glass, and then hand the lemon to the next challenger. Anyone who could squeeze just one more drop of juice out would win the money. Many people tried over time, other weightlifters, construction workers, even professional wrestlers, but nobody could do it. One day a short and skinny guy came in and signed up for the contest. After the laughter died down, the owner grabbed a lemon and squeezed away. Then he handed the wrinkled remains to the little man. The crowd’s laughter turned to silence as the man clenched his fist around the lemon and six drops fell into the glass. As the crowd cheered, the manager paid out the winning prize and asked the short guy what he did for a living. “Are you a lumberjack, a weightlifter, or what?” The man replied, “I work for the IRS.”
Zacchaeus was such a man. He was probably one of those men who could get blood out of a turnip! He was a wealthy crook, a pawn of the Roman government, an outcast and turncoat to his own people. In Luke 19, Jesus is entering Jericho and the people know He is coming. Jericho was a wealthy city. It was the ancient equivalent of Palm Springs. The Roman government knew it was ripe with revenue, and Rome sent its tax collectors there like a swarm of locusts. Rome made sure it received its share of tax money.
Tax collectors in those ancient days were nothing more than government-sanctioned crooks. They strong-armed the merchants and people gathering much more tax than necessary. They were experts at falsifying tax statements and kept the extra money for themselves. Zacchaeus was a Jew turned tax collector. Zacchaeus was in charge of one of the three tax offices in the entire country, and may have had the best job of them all. Not surprisingly, the last part of verse 2 tells us that he was wealthy. But he was a renegade in the eyes of the religious people. He would have been thought of as fondly as a high-level drug dealer is today. In fact, in the minds of people, tax collectors were often linked with murderers, adulterers, robbers, and other “sinners.” He was held in utter contempt by his countrymen. Although he could buy anything he wanted, he could not buy true friendship or self-respect. Zacchaeus was empty, as empty as a well in a 10 year drought. He sought to hide himself in his wealth and put on a façade of happiness, but he knew it was in vain. Zacchaeus was searching for Jesus and Jesus was looking for the real Zacchaeus. Jesus had Zacchaeus in His sight. Zacchaeus was His focus. Are you looking for anyone in particular? How is your vision? 3% of children under age 6 today have amblyopia. Sounds like a terminal disease, but it is a medical term for lazy eye. It’s a condition in which one eye is doing all the work, but the problem is not with the eye but with the brain. The brain is not fully acknowledging what the eyes are seeing. Doctors tell us that if one eye sees clearly and the other sees a blur, the brain can block or ignore the eye with the blur. And in order to avoid losing the full function of the eye you have to use it. In other words, the loss of vision is taking place in the brain and not the eye. One course of treatment is to place a patch over the good eye in the hope that the other eye would be used and everything would then come into focus. It occurred to me that many of us w/I the church seem to have a problem w/spiritual amblyopia. It is as though we have the capability to see (to have vision) and live like Jesus but our brains say, “no you don’t!”
Christians, we must re-train our eyes to see life, people, our future through the eyes of Jesus. We need the Holy Spirit to help us see clearly. I want us to be able to see like Jesus. I want us to be able to focus on the things that Jesus focused His eyes, time and attention.
Luke 19:1-10 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.'" But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount." Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."
Jesus gave the church [us] its [our] mission: “Go, and make disciples of the nations.”
1. The Savior Sees & Seeks the lost.
A. Tragedy of being lost. People of Jesus’ day understood what He was saying. We know what it means to lose something.
1. Lost spiritually. Lost people usually don’t look lost. Dress like us, talk like us, maybe even act like us. Being lost means that something is missing, whether it feels like that or not. It means going in wrong direction whether you realize it or not. Being lost means that we need help; need to be found. Being lost is not a feeling, it’s a condition. Many people are lost & don’t have a clue that they are lost. What does it mean to be lost spiritually? Simply put it: “to be separated from God, alienated & condemned to an eternity w/o God’s love. OT speaks of lost as sheep that have wandered away & can’t get back. Spiritually speaking “lostness” means that the person who may be the life of the party is in reality missing the party in the kingdom of God. Lostness is living today rather than for eternity. Do you live just for today? Maybe you’re lost. Man was created to live forever. Yet, lost people are all around us. God wants to save us & make us whole. He wants to know us personally.
2. Lost in the church. Even “church people” can be lost right inside the house. Many think that they’re okay w/God if they learn right language, right behaviors, right songs. Want to believe, mouthing mere religious words & going through the motions of church. We have lost touch w/God & have lost our way & are lost, totally lost.
3. Lost in the busyness of life.
B. Jesus is focusing on & seeking the lost souls of humanity. What Zacchaeus didn’t know was that Jesus was searching for him! Jesus not only saw Zacchaeus among the branches of the Sycamore tree, He saw the emptiness and heartache of his soul. This is how it always happens. Jesus makes the first move by coming to the dead sinner and offering life through Himself. We would never be able to come to Jesus unless He came to us first. Just as Jesus had always done, He stopped the procession to seek the lost sinner. Vv.5-6 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
For the first time in a long, long time, Zacchaeus was offered dignity and friendship. Jesus called him by name, his proper name, Zacchaeus, not the explicative he was used to. Zacchaeus receives the highest honor when Jesus stays at his home. Jesus desired to get to know Zacchaeus on his own turf, to talk with him about his eternal soul. This is indicative of why Jesus came in the first place: to save sinners.
1. What did Jesus talk to Zacchaeus about? “They go home; they sit and eat, probably a sumptuous luncheon banquet. If you were a novelist, how would you write the dialogue? Who would do most of the talking? Did Jesus tell Zacchaeus all about God, conversion, prayer, and Christian ethics? Was Jesus the great, inexhaustible fountain of wisdom and Zacchaeus the audience? Or, is it possible that when you are in the presence of God, He asks about you? In Zacchaeus’ case, things like, “Tell me about your life. How did you get so rich? Do you have any friends? Do you and your wife get along? Tell me about your children.” We don’t have any record of what actually happened, but I have the feeling that when you sit in the presence of Ultimate Love, you are the agenda.” 2. The words of Jesus penetrated Zacchaeus’ heart. Whatever the words Jesus had spoken to Zacchaeus, they penetrated his heart and released a floodgate of confession and repentant feelings. Zacchaeus was finally FOUND by JESUS! God in the Person of Jesus Christ walks around noticing those stuck up a tree. He says, “I know I can’t help those of you who are so religious you think you’ve got everything together. You go your way; maybe we’ll see you in heaven.” But to those who are hurting, to those who have lost their children, or their innocence, or their job, or their way, or their faith, Jesus walks up & stands at the bottom of the tree & says, “Hey Zach, here I am. Come on down.” God doesn’t see a crowd. He sees each of us individually. He comes & calls us by name, “Come on down. I want to spend some time just w/you. I want to go home w/you.” Bottom line: Lost people matter to God. God will go anywhere & do just about anything to find lost people. Lost people matter to God. Do lost people matter to you & me? Do lost people break our hearts the way they break God’s heart? Are you looking for anyone in particular?
2. Become One of God’s Heroes. A hero is an ordinary person who makes extraordinary choices. Heroes are those see & seek the lost & are used of God to bring them home to Him. Every time we leave this sanctuary we are going into the middle of a life & death struggle that calls for heroes. Every day we are faced w/a choice: will we seek to save the lost? Will you be a hero of God who chooses to do what God wants you to do? Every day we can be surrounded by people and still not notice those who need Jesus. We see them every day at work, at home, everywhere & still not realize they need Jesus.
A. Keep your eyes open. Ask Jesus to help you see the lost. You never know who may need Jesus. Think about our text. Jesus was just going through Jericho. He didn’t have an appointment set to meet Zacchaeus. But Jesus had his eyes open and He was always looking for people who needed Him. He allowed Himself to be inconvenienced. He stopped for Zacchaeus. Do we stop?
Ask Jesus to train our eyes to look for people who need Jesus through our life’s journey. They are all around us.
B. Someone always needs Jesus. People knew Zacchaeus was lost & needed God, but they did nothing about it. Attitudes were: “Write him off. He’s hopeless.” “We don’t want his kind around here.” “If he needs help, let him help himself.” Do you see the lost today? At the mall--there is someone that needs Jesus. At work--there is someone who needs Jesus. At church--there is someone here who needs Jesus. Do you have spiritual amblyopia that see people as not needing Jesus? The crowd of Jericho were excited about seeing Jesus, but not nearly as excited about being like Jesus.
1. Zacchaeus was anxious just to see Jesus. Vv.3-4 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
There are people all around us who are anxious to meet Jesus. Zacchaeus was willing to climb a tree & get out on limb to meet Jesus. Are you willing to look for people who are up a tree and out on a limb? Zacchaeus put his money and his life on the line when he came to know Jesus. He went out on a limb. Some are doing it today, but far too few. Most opt for a life of personal peace and comfort - good job, good pay, nice house, nice car, and content to let someone else do it.
C. Make it easy as possible for people to see Jesus. Zacchaeus was unable to push through the crowd & had to climb a tree. No one made room for him along the route; no one invited him to spend time with Jesus. No one said – hey Zacchaeus – let’s go meet Jesus and then grab a bite to eat afterwards.
1. What are you doing to help people see Jesus? What obstacles are there? Do you realize that we rarely go where we are not invited? 83% of the people who aren’t in church today would come if somebody they knew would just ask them. So who have you invited?
D. Focus on one person or family. Jesus focused on one man, Zacchaeus.
Who are you intentionally trying to bring to Jesus? Don’t need to focus on all of MR, Austintown, but who is that one person/family that you know needs Jesus?
1. Be willing to simply do life with them. v.5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." This is the mission of Jesus. He was seeking to lead to God those whom others had given up on. Others may give up on you, but Jesus never will. Do we spend time w/people when they don’t serve some purpose in our life?
2. Religious folks didn’t understand b/c vision was blurred. V.7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.'"
Modern language “Hey, wait a minute. You’re eating w/sinners. Zacchaeus
has been ripping off everyone in town.” Jesus was not worried about what people thought of Him. Zacchaeus needed to come to know the grace of God.
We are not told how the conversation between Jesus & Zacchaeus went that day, but his life was changed. Zacchaeus was interested in getting a glimpse of Jesus but then He met Him face to face and everything changed!
When Christ enters your heart and life there IS change. Zacchaeus gave ½ of his possessions go to the poor. Those he has cheated received restitution 4 times the amount he has taken which is above what the law demanded.
You can’t get close to Jesus without something great happening in your life!
Jesus is bigger than anything you face in life. And He’s looking for you.
Who are you looking for? Who are the lost people in your life? Is it you? Have you lost your way, your faith? Are you spiritually lost? Is someone in your family, at work, school, in your circle of friends lost?
Christian, if you know of one who is lost will you pray for them this week? Just pray for them that God would send someone who will say to them, “Come home.”
Will you be one of God’s heroes? Will you let Him correct your spiritual vision?
