The Scenery From Above.
Luke 19:1-9NKJV
When you’re going through an ordeal, maybe mental anguish, or un-forgiveness, or possibly just some harsh words spoken over you or about you.
Don’t react. If you can get a heavenly preceptive, about the attack, or the deep internal anguish, then and only then will you be ready to ask and, answer questions.
Heavens preceptive equals love, joy and peace in the Holy Ghost. That’s the Kingdom of God, from your perceptive, that’s your Kingdom! P.H
So many times, after the death of one or more loved ones, sometimes we worry or think excessively about death.
Sometimes we can’t see past our situation: There were twins inside the mothers uterus, One said to the other, “Do you think there’s life after birth?”
This morning I want to give you heavens perceptive, from the view of a tree. I want to take Luke 19:1-9, and give you some new thoughts about Zacchaeus, as well as maybe yourself.
Luke 19:1-2NKJV Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. 2 Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.
Zacchaeus, who is called a chief tax collector in Jericho (Luke 19:1). Such individuals would rely on low-level tax gatherers (often slaves) to do the actual work of collecting the monies.
Tax collectors were responsible for paying to the government the revenue they had promised in obtaining their contract, but they were generally free to collect extra taxes from the people in order to make a profit. Opportunities for theft, fraud, and corruption abounded, and tax collectors are portrayed negatively in almost all Greco-Roman literature. bibleodyssey.org/HarperCollinsBible Dictionary/ tax-collectors.
As Jesus traveled through the thorough-fare-of- Jericho, Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector, desired to see who Jesus was.
Q&A: Does Jesus represent the law of sin and death, or the law of the spirit?
Romans 8:2NIV because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
Just as the law of sin and death creates desire, the law of the Spirit of God—the spirit of Christ Jesus, creates life and spiritual well-being.
Remember this, “Upon the believers last breath on this earth, the law of sin and death has no power over Jesus and His called out ones.” P.H
Luke 19:3NKJV And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature.
At this point—A lot of people would have given up.
We say things like: “Well, ‘its not convenient, maybe next time.” “Well, It just wasn’t God’s will.” Or, “I’m just too short, it’s always been my handicap.”
Notice what Zacchaeus did—He ran ahead!
Luke 19:4NKJV So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way.
You have to be willing to run ahead. Keep revelation vision, Proverbs 29:18.
This tax collector— Zacchaeus, became a kid again. His Moto—You do what you have to do.
Zacchaeus prepared himself to see who Jesus was. Zacchaeus became spiritually inquisitive. He wanted to know more.
What Zacchaeus gained thus far in life didn’t satisfy, He still lived with a deep dark spiritual hole. P.H
Remember this word, when you do more than what’s expected, you’ll always gain more spiritual fruit.
Luke 19:5NKJV And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”
Notice Jesus stated that He must…stay at your house.
Jesus has a legitimate need. He needed Zacchaeus’ heart, Jesus wanted Zacchaeus’ livelihood, Jesus desired Zacchaeus’ service, (John 15:16). P.H
In John 1, Just as Jesus saw Nathanael under the fig tree, a man in whom there was no guile. Jesus also knew Zacchaeus was in the sycamore tree, and that he needed a Savior.
Again verse 5, Jesus told Zacchaeus to make haste—hurry up.
Luke 19:5TM When Jesus got to the tree, he looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, hurry down. Today is my day to be a guest in your home.”
C.S. Lewis once wrote to a friend…“Continue seeking Him with seriousness. Unless He— wanted you, you would not be wanting Him.”
Jesus states—“I must stay at your house.”
Luke 19:6NKJV So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully.
Luke 19:6TLB Zacchaeus hurriedly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy.
In his book The Wonder of the Word Of God, evangelist Robert L. Sumner tells of a man in Kansas City who was severely injured in an explosion. His face was badly disfigured, and he lost his eyesight as well as both hands. He had just become a Christian when the accident happened, and one of his greatest disappointments was that he could no longer read the Bible. Then he heard about a lady in England who read braille with her lips. Hoping to do the same, he sent for some books of the Bible in braille. But he discovered that the nerve endings in his lips had been too badly damaged to distinguish the characters. One day, as he brought one of the braille pages to his lips, his tongue happened to touch a few of the raised characters and he could feel them. Like a flash he thought, 'I can read the Bible using my tongue.' At the time Robert Sumner wrote his book, the man had read through the entire Bible four times.
My prayer is, “O Lord help us to desire and make haste to treasure Your word!”
Question—Have we hurriedly climbed down, but forgotten who the guest of honor is? Let’s go back to Him with great joy!
Luke 19:7NKJV But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.”
Throughout the NT, Tax collectors and sinners are cited together as examples of undesirable.
Isn’t it amazing, that’s who Jesus wants!
Romans 5:8NKJV But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Luke 19:7AMP When the people saw it, they all began muttering [in discontent], “He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a [notorious] sinner.”
Some folk will always look at the clay vessel, and never see the inner-man. Thank God, Jesus sees the inner-man. P.H
Luke 19:8NKJV Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.”
The Bible doesn’t state that Jesus ever explained to this tax collector—Zacchaeus, that he was a sinner in need of salvation.
However, Zacchaeus’ lack of words speak for themself. Luke 19:8TLB Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “Sir, from now on I will give half my wealth to the poor, and if I find I have overcharged anyone on his taxes, I will penalize myself by giving him back four times as much!”
Jesus stated in, Matthew 6:21KJV For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Hear this—Zacchaeus found his good treasure!
Zacchaeus states, “50% of what I make, I’ll give to the poor.” He states, “I’ll repay anyone I’ve cheated 4 times the amount I cheated.”
What does repentance mean? Change.
Luke 19:9NKJV And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham;
Jesus is saying, Salvation, or the blessing of the gospel has come to you!
As Ryle commentary expressed it, "Salvation comes to a house when the head and master of it is saved.”
C.S. Lewis wrote: "Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for these desires exists. A baby feels hunger; well, there is such a thing as food. A duckling wants to swim; well there is such a thing as water. Men feel sexual desire; well, there is such a thing as sex. If I find in myself a desire for which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world…"
Come with haste like Zacchaeus, and receive salvation—deliverance!
The Scenery From Above always looks better when Jesus is Lord and Savior. Even if you’re looking down, He’s looking up. P.H
Benediction.
