He was stunned when the woman looked at him and asked him to do such a thing.
He asked, "My standing before you is not evidence that I have been born?" She said, "No, you will have to bring your birth certificate or something comparable to a birth certificate to show proof of your birth, and that you are who you say you are."
He left thoroughly confused, but the more he thought about it, he could understand why they would ask for proof to verify that he was who he said he was.
Illus: You see, a person could go to the bank and tell them his name was JOHN DOE, and that he wanted to cash a check for ten thousand dollars. If they did not ask for any proof of who he was, he could create some serious problems for JOHN DOE.
This is something that creates confusion among Christians. We have many who claim to be Christians, but they have no evidence to prove they are who they claim to be.
However, as we look at the conversion of Zacchaeus, we could wish that all conversions resulted in such evidence as his.
In order to have such conversions, let us look at FOUR things about Zacchaeus and his conversion.
I. THE PERSONALITY
In verses 1-4 we read, "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."
We cannot really appreciate what the Lord did in Zacchaeus' CONVERSION, until we recognize what the Lord saved him out of. Zacchaeus was a tax collector. Let us examine...
A. THE PERSON OF ZACCHAEUS
There are several jobs that most people do not want, such as:
(1) Funeral director
(2) Cemetery salesman
(3) Tax collector
Why is it that MOST people do not want to choose these jobs?
Because the general public does not like people who work in these jobs. Most of the time, when you have to deal with any of them it is because you are in trouble.
Notice, Zacchaeus was not only a tax collector; the Bible says he was, "...the chief among the publicans..." So if a regular tax collector was despised, he was really despised.
WHY DO PEOPLE DESPISE TAX COLLECTORS?
The reason the tax collectors were so despised during the time of Jesus, was because most of them were dishonest. They were assigned to certain territories to collect taxes. But they had a habit of collecting more than they were supposed to collect, and keeping it for themselves. Most of them were rich because they stole from the citizens.
The Bible tells us that Zacchaeus was rich because he had been involved in such sinful activities. We can see why he was so hated and despised, especially since he was the chief tax collector.
Illus: That could be the reason that he was denied passage when the Lord came to Jericho. They all knew who he was, and that he had "ripped them off" on their tax bills, and there was nothing they could do about that. But, perhaps they decided they could do something now, they could stop him from making his way through the crowd, and they did.
Whatever the reason, we are not sure, but this we know; he could not get close to Jesus because the crowd was between him and the Lord. As we look at THE PERSON OF ZACCHAEUS, let us also look at...
B. THE PERSISTENCE OF ZACCHAEUS
Zacchaeus was evidently a typical rich man - still not satisfied although he had all he needed and more.
Illus: He was like the man who said he had been married 15 years ago by the Justice of the Peace, and for the last 15 years he has not had JUSTICE or PEACE.
However, Zacchaeus was persistent in trying to find happiness.
How do we know that? Because, had he been SATISFIED with all his wealth and material goods, he would not have been seeking for what he had heard that Jesus had to offer - PEACE AND SATISFACTION.
Perhaps he heard some Christians one day, talking about the PEACE they had since they believed on Christ. It was a peace he never had.
Most Christians today do not witness to the lost world about what the Lord has done in their hearts, as much as they should.
Maybe this is how Zacchaeus had heard about Christ. He realized that the riches he had did not satisfy, and he had heard that Christ was coming, and he wanted to see Him for himself. So, that is what he set out to do.
This is THE PERSON called Zacchaeus. Now let’s look at-
II. THE PLACE
In verses 5-6 we read, "And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down, for today I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully."
Notice, the Bible says, “He made haste, and came down, AND RECEIVED HIM JOYFULLY.”
It is good to see people who receive the Lord JOYFULLY.
Illus: We have too many people in our churches that look like they are having a gall bladder attack. There is no joy.
He received the Lord JOYFULLY, but look at WHERE HE RECEIVED HIM.
Many people feel that the only place a person can be saved is in church. They think that if conversion does not occur in a church, it is not a true conversion. THAT SIMPLY IS NOT TRUE!
It is amazing, the things that we put people through before they can become a child of God. And some of these things can not be found in the scriptures.
For example, many of us were raised up in a church where the preacher, during the invitation, stands before the congregation, and the lost people are told that if they would like to be saved, they should come down and kneel at an old fashioned altar, and they could be saved.
There is nothing wrong with that, but this practice cannot be found in the scriptures. The fact is, people have been saved in some unusual places.
For example, the Bible give us some conversions to consider, such as:
(1) PAUL’S CONVERSION
The apostle Paul was saved on the Damascus Road.
Look at Acts 26:12-15, as Paul gives his testimony to King Agrippa. He said, “Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, At midday, O king, I saw in the way a LIGHT FROM HEAVEN, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. And when we were ALL FALLEN TO THE EARTH, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.”
When Paul hit the ground, he knew exactly why he was there. He was there because God put him there. It was at that place that the Apostle Paul came to know Christ as his Lord and Savior.
Paul was saved on the Damascus road. But look at-
(2) PETER’S CONVERSION
The Apostle Peter was saved by the seaside.
Look at Matthew 4:18-19, we read, "And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."
That is exactly what the Lord did. He saved them, and made them into some of the greatest fishers for men that have ever lived.
Peter got saved by the seaside. But if you think that is unusual look at-
(3) THE CONVERSION OF THE THIEF ON THE CROSS
The Bible makes it clear that he became a child of God on the cross.
Sometimes when folks leave this life, we wonder where they are. But we do not have to wonder where he went. The Bible says he went to be with the Lord.
Look at Luke 23:43, we read, "...Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise."
He had an unusual conversion, but also look at-
(4) ZACCHAEUS’ CONVERSION
Some would have a hard time believing a person could be saved in a tree, but nothing is impossible with Jesus.
• You see it is not where you are that counts, it is where your heart is that counts.
• There is no particular place to be saved, but there has to be a PLACE that we call upon Him to save us!
The sycamore tree was THE PLACE where Zacchaeus came to know Christ.
We have looked at THE PERSON and THE PLACE, but also let us look at -
III. THE PROBLEMS
In verse 7 we read, "And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner."
They murmured for two reasons:
A. THEY HATED LIFE
Murmuring is a way of life for many people. There is not much they can do, but they can murmur.
You have to realize that there are some people who just seem to hate life, and the only time they are happy is when they are miserable!
B. THEY HATED ZACCHAEUS
They came and saw what the Lord had done in his life, and they despised him. When someone hates you, all they have to do is look at you, and their blood boils.
They thought a good Jew would not go the house of a sinner. That may be true, but a GOOD SAVIOR WILL!
We have looked at:
• THE PERSON
• THE PLACE
• THE PROBLEM
But, look at...
IV. THE PENITENCE
In verses 8-10 we read, "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."
Notice two things about Zacchaeus after his conversion. After he made everything right with the Lord, he wanted to make things right with THOSE HE HAD WRONGED! He had come to realize that we cannot be right with God, and not be right with our fellow man. So, we see...
A. HIS RESTITUTION
Look at verse 8, we read, "...Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor..."
Listen, show me a man who is willing to give away half of his wealth after meeting Jesus, and I will show you a man that the Lord Jesus has done a wonderful work in his heart.
He was truly sorry for what he had done, and he vowed to repay four times as much as he had taken by illegal methods. He was willing to make RESTITUTION.
And we see next...
B. HIS REDEMPTION
Verse 9 says, "And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham." Not only was Zacchaeus a physical son of Abraham, he then became a spiritual son of Abraham.
Zacchaeus was not like many today who profess to be saved. They do not have any evidence of their spiritual birth, but Zacchaeus did.
Conclusion:
Jesus wanted this hated man to know why He had come. Look at verse 10, we read, "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."
I. THE PERSONALITY
II. THE PLACE
III. THE PROBLEMS
IV. THE PENITENCE
