Luke 19:1-10 (Please look this up in your Bibles and follow along)
As we take a look at the salvation story of Zacchaeus it is always good to turn the attention inward and examine our own heart and our own motives.
Luke19:1 NIV
“Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.”
Jesus going into Jericho
What famous OT person was the leader of Israel at the destruction of Jericho
After Jericho was destroyed Joshua declared an oath against the rebuilding of Jericho
Joshua 6:26
“At that time Joshua pronounced this solemn oath: ‘Cursed before the Lord is the one who undertakes to rebuild this city, Jericho: “At the cost of his firstborn son he will lay its foundations; at the cost of his youngest he will set up its gates.”’”
But, Jericho has been rebuilt and Jesus is passing through
Luke19:2 NIV
“A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.”
Both the destruction of Jericho in the OT and the story of Jesus passing through Jericho in the NT have residents of Jericho who are prominent in the events that take place.
When Joshua destroyed Jericho the resident of Jericho who played a prominent role was a prostitute named Rahab.
I am sure that she did not remain a prostitute after the destruction of Jericho.
Rahab is actually listed as a mother in the lineage of King David and therefore in the family line of Jesus Himself.
Now, here is Jesus going through Jericho, the cursed city. This time he is going the home of a tax collector, someone who is despised just as much as Rahab the prostitute was despised.
Many tax collectors at the time of the Roman occupation of Israel were down and out and could not find any other work so they would become tax collectors just because no one else would do it.
Why would they take such a hated job? Back then if you didn’t work, no matter how crippled you might be, you lived on whatever anyone would throw your way or you would die.
Now, Zacchaeus was not down and out and he was not just a tax collector, he was a chief tax collector. Zacchaeus oversaw all of the tax collectors in Jericho.
Now there was not a lot of oversight of the tax collectors back then. The only time a tax collector would get into trouble would be if he did not bring in enough taxes.
If a person did not pay their taxes they could be thrown into prison or have their property or family members sold into slavery. Because of this the tax collectors were able to extort money from the tax payers.
The more taxes you brought in the more the Romans liked you. The more they liked you the higher you would go in the tax collection business and Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector.
But, not all of the extorted money made it to the Romans and so Zacchaeus was not only a chief tax collector but he was a wealthy chief tax collector.
Still there was an emptiness inside of Zacchaeus that drew him to Jesus. Did he want to see Jesus just because He was a celebrity. Did he want to see Jesus perform a miracle?
This we do know, Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus but he was a short guy and the crowd was huge so Zacchaeus was out of luck, or so it seemed.
Zacchaeus was short!
Some people just love excuses. Zacchaeus had a great excuse, “I’m short!”
The Bible is full of people who had excuses but overcame them with the help of the Lord!
Noah had never built or possibly even seen a small boat let alone the gigantic proportions of the ark!
David’s fight with Goliath should have been over in about 30 seconds with David ending up on the bottom of Goliath’s sandal but the God of Israel was with David!
And, Zacchaeus was way too short to see over a crowd but something inside of him was pushing him to find a way to see this Man of God!
He Ran!
Here, Zacchaeus is running for something important! He wants to see the Son of God!
So, Zacchaeus sets aside his pride and his standing of wealth in the community and runs like a little boy and scampers up a tree to see Jesus go by.
Zacchaeus is now up the tree and here comes Jesus down the street walking with a throng of followers around Him and if it’s anything like Jesus’ normal visits to towns there is all sorts of commotion going on.
You remember … on one occasion a blind man is calling out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.
On another occasion a woman who has been bleeding for 12 years is struggling to touch the hem of His garment so that she could be healed.
On another occasion a rich man comes up to Jesus and asks Him what he must do in order to inherit eternal life.
It was most likely no different now and Zacchaeus probably thought that Jesus would just pass by without ever looking up and taking notice of him but think again, Zacchaeus!
Jesus comes to a spot below Zacchaeus, looks up and says, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”
I don’t know how Zacchaeus came down from the tree but I can imagine him swinging down like a child on a monkey bars. The Bible says, “So he came down at once and welcomed Him gladly.” Wouldn’t you???
Then the grumbling started!
People saying, “We’ve got all these leaders from the synagogue. Why doesn’t Jesus visit one of them? They’re righteous but this Zacchaeus is a sinner of the worst sort!”
Here we have a gap in the story … the next verse says, “But Zacchaeus stood up.” Apparently, they had spent some time together and Zacchaeus stands up to make an announcement.
Luke19:8 NIV
“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.’”
There has been a change in the heart of Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus was not making these statements in order to earn salvation. Zacchaeus was making these statements out of a changed heart.
Here we see two changes in Zacchaeus’ heart. Generosity toward the poor and restitution born out of repentance.
Notice that Zacchaeus does not say, “I will give half my possessions to the poor” but, “Here and now I give half my possessions to the poor.”
There was a transfer of wealth! Generosity
When we become saved we come under the influence of Jesus. And if we are saved, really saved, it make a huge difference in our lives. In the case of Zacchaeus he was probably a man controlled by his money. Here we see that his wealth comes under the control of Jesus.
The same is for us when we are saved. Often we see those who profess to belong to Jesus spending small fortunes on luxury for themselves while tossing a few dollars to the work of the Kingdom if they happen to be in church that Sunday.
When Zacchaeus placed his faith in Jesus it reoriented his mind toward his wealth. What was his now belonged to God and would be treated as such.
Restitution
We also see in this verse restitution. Restitution as a result of repentance is something all newborn Christians should take care of.
Here Zacchaeus was repaying with a penalty any money he might have taken by bribe or extortion.
The same goes for us.
If we have lied we go and tell the truth with remorse and asking forgiveness.
If we have stolen we take the stolen object back with remorse and asking forgiveness.
If we have harmed someone physically we go back with remorse and asking forgiveness.
Certain things such as murder and sexual sins cannot be undone but remorse and repentance is always in order.
Here Zacchaeus is modeling the change in a person’s life and here is how Jesus responds.
Luke19:9-10 NIV
“Jesus said to [Zacchaeus], ‘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 the lost.’”
Zacchaeus by virtue of his genetic heritage been a son of Abraham but his heart had not belonged to God even though the children of Abraham were God’s chosen people.
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ou see, Jesus was looking for those with a pure heart to be real sons of Abraham and that is what had taken place in Zacchaeus’ home during his visit with Jesus. (Coincidentally, Zacchaeus actually means “pure”.)
What we see in this account of Jesus passing through Jericho is an awesome example of God’s grace.
We often see God’s grace as some intangible thing.
We define it as God’s unmerited favor, which it is but how does that work out?
We hear it defined as God’s Riches At Christ Expense but what does that really mean?
Grace is God actively working in this world to bring you to salvation and to enable you to remain in His kingdom.
This is a story of God’s amazing grace.
Grace is God’s provision for us to come to Him for salvation.
This is God’s grace at work in order to bring eternal life to Zacchaeus.
God gave life to Zacchaeus
God enabled Zacchaeus to hear about Jesus and that Jesus was coming
God gave Zacchaeus the desire to see Jesus
God provided a tree for Zacchaeus to climb
God gave Zacchaeus the ability to climb the tree
God brought Zacchaeus to the point of decision when He extended His invitation to Zacchaeus
Zacchaeus could have ignored what he heard about Jesus
Zacchaeus could have chosen to stay away from the crowd because many in the crowd hated him
Zacchaeus could have opted for not climbing the tree because he would look like a fool even though God had provided the tree and the ability to climb it.
You see God provided EVERYTHING for Zacchaeus’ salvation to be put into motion
All Zacchaeus did was respond to what God had put into place for him.
Zacchaeus just responded to the information about Jesus and that He was coming to Jericho
Zacchaeus just responded to the opportunity presented by Jesus’ arrival
Zacchaeus just climbed the tree which God had planted by using the physical abilities which God had given him.
The LORD has put everything in place for you to come to salvation as well.
The fact that you’re here now makes that plain. Are you going to respond?
Jesus is saying, “I am going to your house today.”
What will your response be?
If you already are saved, the LORD has placed you in the life of someone who desperately needs Jesus.
You may be the “tree” that the Lord placed in their path so that they could get a glimpse of Him.
What if it was your boss?
What if it was some dirty, homeless guy?
What if it was a family member?
What if it was your dad?
Will you speak the words of hope of the Gospel into their life?
Concluding remarks, invitation if the Lord leads and closing prayer.
