We are in a short series of sermons entitled The Truth about You. And we conclude this series with a very famous story, the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus. This is the last of Jesus’ personal encounters (in Luke’s gospel) before He arrives in Jerusalem to be tried, crucified, and eventually resurrected. We are so close to the cross of Jesus that we can feel the shadow of cross fall on us even now.
Today, I want to talk with you about how you experience life change even if you are a powerful person.
1. Two People
Today’s story is really the story of two people – one powerful but pushed to the margins of society’s respectability. While the other is a miracle-working, peripatetic story-telling teacher whom the crowds flocked to hear and touch.
1.1 Jesus
Again, this is Jesus’ last one-on-one encounter before He arrives in Jerusalem. The Gospels are filled with encounters with all sorts of people: when he’s with a man or when He’s with a woman, when He’s with a Jew, when He’s with a Gentile …and when He’s with the powerful person or when He’s with the powerless person, You learn so much about Jesus when you examine each of these personal encounters.
A week ago, we witnessed a man so blind he had to call out to Jesus for healing while today, we witness a man so short he had to climb up a sycamore tree to see Jesus. It’s here that Luke tells us that: “When Jesus came to the place, he looked up” (Luke 19:5a). I would think of the tremendous mercy of God if you told me that Jesus looked down on you but if you told me that Christ was so humble that He looked up to you, then this is truly mercy! His mercy acts as a magnet for those in misery.
1.2 Zacchaeus
Luke tells us three characteristics about this man, Zacchaeus. 1. He was not only a tax collector but the chief tax collector; 2. He was rich; and 3. He was short. There’s a children’s song about our story today:
Zacchaeus was a wee little man
And a wee little man was he.
He climbed way up in a sycamore tree,
For the Lord he wanted to see…
The children’s song reminds us that Zacchaeus is on a quest. And he goes to considerable lengths in order to find Jesus. He’s short so he must climb a tree to see Jesus past the crowds. But he’s also curious. Perhaps Zacchaeus is curious because all the town is a flutter about Jesus, the miracle-worker coming to town. Perhaps Zacchaeus is curious because he’s heard the story of Matthew, the former tax-collector, leaving his lucrative job and following Christ (Matthew 9:9). No doubt Zacchaeus thought, “Nobody leaves money on the table. What motivated Matthew?”
Jericho – Divine Appointment
At first, we think it is Zacchaeus who’s seeking Jesus: “He was trying to see who Jesus was…” (Luke 19:3) Only to learn that it is really Jesus who is seeking Zacchaeus: “For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). Modern day Christians have even come up with a name for this type of “God-encounter” … a divine appointment.
Jesus is still in Jericho where he healed the blind beggar. We need to remember that the road from Jerusalem to Jericho was a dangerous road. If you remember Jesus’ famous teaching that we call The Good Samaritan, then you remember that it was on the way from Jerusalem to Jericho where the man fell among the thieves. Traveling around Jericho was evidently dangerous. This road was a road to be avoided at all costs. Yet, this was not the only way to Jerusalem. Jesus intentionally traveled this road because He has an appointment with Zacchaeus.
Long before Zacchaeus caught even a glimpse of Jesus that Jesus has eye fixed on Zacchaeus. You know, it still works like this today. Long before you sought Jesus, He had His eye fixed on you.
1. Two People
2. Two Obstacles
There were two obstacles in Zacchaeus’ way: his height and the crowd. Let’s look at both of these obstacles in this order.
2.1 You Must Get Lower than Your Pride
He was so short and the crowd was so large, that Zacchaeus was forced to climb up a tree to see Jesus. The moment Zacchaeus went up a tree he left his dignity below. Think about this for a moment. Can you imagine seeing anyone of importance up in a tree? Can you see the camera panning the crowds of Las Angeles or Houston or Atlanta, and seeing important people up in a tree to watch a parade?
Climbing up a tree isn’t dignified… it’s silly. He is the chief tax collector. He is supposed to be someone important. Yet, no one parts the crowd for him. His short stature is only part of his problem, for even a short king can see the parade. Even short people can see a parade when they are important because the crowd parts for them. For in reality, his wealth should have given him status but it really only caused him to be hated, ignored, and pushed aside.
It is likely that Zacchaeus made his money through exploitation. Tax collection was a pyramid scheme. The Roman Empire stood at the top and at each level everyone takes a cut. As a chief tax collector, Zacchaeus took a cut from those underneath him as he passed the taxes onto his superiors. This was a system that ensured taking advantage of people on the bottom of the pyramid – the common people who hated the empire and tax collectors by extension. Zacchaeus is the kingpin of the Jericho tax cartel. This is why Zacchaeus is hated. This is why no one parts the crowd for this wealthy man. And this is why Zacchaeus climbs a tree to see Jesus.
This short man is not afraid of looking ridiculous in the process as well. If you are truly going to see Jesus, you are going to have to lower your self.
Your problem is really seeing Jesus isn’t simply intellectual. Your problem is really seeing Jesus isn’t simply because no one is friendly to you. At its essence, your problem in not really, truly seeing Jesus is that you have not lowered yourself. We think only drug addicts and convicts need Jesus. Yet, we don’t think the person with a good career and who is asked to sit on boards of local charities and hospitals needs to be born again. You Must Get Lower than Your Pride A life-changing encounter with God happens when you lower yourself. Jesus says to you, “Come down out of that tree. I want to go to your house.”
2.2 You Must Get Higher than the Crowd
The crowd is so large that Zacchaeus cannot get a good look at Jesus. “He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature.” (Luke 19:3)
In order to see Jesus, Zacchaeus not only had to lose his pride but he also had to see over the crowd. It’s kind of sad that I have to say this as a minister, but I must say this. You have to get past the self-righteousness of so many professing Christians. You have to get past the hypocrisy and the inconsistency of so many of us inside the church, then you must look past the religious crowd to see Jesus.
Mark tells us the story of paralytic man who was carried by four friends. The crowd surrounding Jesus was so thick, they could not get their friend to see Jesus. It was as if the Emergency Room was overflowing into the parking lot. Many people would simply turn away, but not these friends. Instead, they cut a hole in the roof in order for their friend to gain access to Christ’s healing powers. These friends climbed up a roof while Zacchaeus climbed up a tree. No matter, you have to put yourself in a position to see past the religious crowds to see Jesus. You have to get over the crowd, even the religious crowd, if you are going to see Jesus. If you are going to see Jesus, you must find a vantage point to see past the self-righteous, religious crowd.
1. Two People
2. Two Obstacles
But there’s only …
3. One Place
Look at what Jesus says to Zacchaeus when He sees Him: “When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.” (Luke 19:5)
In American political campaigns, people will speak of the “optics” of an event. It’s buzzword that describes public perception. For much of the American cultural landscape, we live in a world of optics where public figures are worried about the perception of their decision rather than the actual substance of their decision. But not Jesus: “All who saw it began to grumble and said, “He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.” (Luke 19:7)
Look at this story again. Jesus doesn’t tell Zacchaeus, “I’ll stand in your doorway, but I will not come inside.” Jesus doesn’t tell Zacchaeus, “I’ll look in your window, but I will not come inside.” No, Jesus says instead, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.” (Luke 19:5b)
You do realize what would have gone on inside Zacchaeus’ home, don’t you? Zacchaeus’ home was the proverbial spider’s web for prey. Zacchaeus’ home was the proverbial lion’s den. Many honest, tax-paying Romans had been fleeced by this man. No self-respecting, man of God would have been caught dead in Zacchaeus’ home. Yet, there was Jesus.
When he says, “I’m coming home with you,” that teaches us something. This tells us something grace. Do you see what the order is here? Does Zacchaeus say, “I’m going to stop cheating people” and then Jesus says, “Oh, okay, now I’ll come home with you”? No. Jesus says, “I’m coming home with you” and Zacchaeus hasn’t even repented. Jesus does not say, “Well now, if you clean your life up and stop cheating, I’ll come live with you.” He says, “I’m coming to live with you,” and Zacchaeus says, “Good. Now I’ll stop cheating.”
“Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” (Luke 18:25)
You realize what Zacchaeus represents don’t you? He’s the Camel goes through the Eye of the Needle. You realize if He’s called to Christ, then anyone really can come know God’s love and mercy.
Closing Prayer
Father, I thank you for You find us no matter where we are. I thank you that You show your tremendous graces to hookers and drug addicts but also to the respectable and the powerful. Your grace is like water running down the Rocky Mountains for it runs to the low ground where we are.
We thank You that You have fixed your eye on us even before we sought you. We worship You because You loved us before we loved You. Thank you for setting an appointment with us.
And now Father, take this time and draw people to You. In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen
Three Take-Away’s
Zacchaeus’ life changed that He heard Jesus’ voice Scripture is silent about the rest of Zacchaeus’ life, but church history is not. Clement, the Bishop of Alexandria, mentions in one of his sermons that Zacchaeus continued faithfully growing the Lord, and served Christ to the end of his life with distinction. Toward the end of his life, he was elevated ultimately to the role of bishop of Caesarea. So this little man, who climbed the tree to see Jesus, left the lucrative money-changing tables at the crossroads leading to Jerusalem, and became a spiritual leader in the church.
“When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.” (Luke 19:5)
1. He Calls Your Name
There may have been many boys in the tree alongside but there was one name Jesus called specifically … Zacchaeus. He sees you when no one else does. Long before you caught a glimpse of Him, He had His eye fixed on you.
2. He Calls You Back
“Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.’” (Luke 18:8)
The Bible says you have to give away 10 percent of your income; Zacchaeus says 50 percent. The Bible says when you’ve cheated somebody you have to pay back the amount you cheated plus 20 percent (Numbers 5). But Zacchaeus says, “I’m going to give back 400 percent.” He isn’t just doing what’s required … He is responding to God’s grace. When you see the grace of God, truly see it, you’ll turn from old ways. You’ll repent.
3. He Calls You Now
Jesus said to “Zacchaeus, you need to hurry.” Tomorrow is on Satan’s calendar. You need to come to Christ right now: “…now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2) Jesus said to thief while they were on separate cross and dying: “…today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43b) He calls your name, He calls you back, and He calls you now.
