JUST JESUS: CHAPTER BY CHAPTER THRU LUKE
A Short Story About Growing Up
LUKE 19:1-10
#justJesus
INTRODUCTION… https://www.snopes.com/top/
There is so much fake news and garbage out there that sometimes it is hard to know what is true or false or twisted or spun. I perused snopes this week to see what the latest fact-checking articles were all about.
* No, Cracker Barrel and Olive Garden are not going out of business
* Yes, some of the footage about the Israel-Hamas war is footage from 2021
* No, Disney is not releasing a sequel to the movie “Up” called “Down”
* Yes, some of the footage about some attacks in Gaza were from a Palestinian made movie
* No, Taylor Swift has not proclaimed her undying love for Travis Kelce
* Yes, it is true every so often a Taco Bell manager refuses $2 because they think they are fake
I am looking at some of these reports of true things that are happening and the thought occurred to me that some people need to just grow up. Some people just spread things that aren’t true just to cause issues. Sometimes it is funny, but other times it can be hurtful. Sometimes we make mistakes and say something wrong or have a wrong belief, but once we are faced with the error of our ways, we should learn and then change how we live or what we say or how we say it.
TRANSITION
Today we will take a look at a short story in Luke 19 of a man who came face-to-face with Jesus and had a choice to make. This section of Luke we are shown several folks who had choices to make… like the young man in the middle of Luke 18 who came face-to-face with Jesus, was faced with a choice, and opted to keep his old way of life. That rich young ruler had much going for him, but in the end, he chose a path away from Jesus Christ. Today, we are going to meet a man named Zacchaeus who was “a wee little man” who had a “wee little” choice to make. Zaccheus makes his choice, at times we find it unexpected, but he makes his choice and decides to grow up. Grow up in his faith. Grow up in how he treated others. Grow up in how he approached life. He did a lot of growing up.
READ LUKE 19:1-10 (ESV)
“He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was about to pass that way. 5 And 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.” 6 So he hurried and came down and received Him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
ZACCHEUS UNDER STRESS
As we read in the first six verses of the ten verse passage this morning, notice most specifically the actions of Zacchaeus. We find a man under stress and a man with issues in his life.
Jesus Christ was becoming more and more well known. People from all over had heard about this phenomenal teacher who speaks in parables (Luke 14-16), who heals lepers (Luke 17), and even gives sight to the blind (Luke 18) and challenges rich people who think they can have their own agenda and still get into God’s Kingdom (Luke 18). That same Man who talked to rulers and healed the sick was now passing through the town of Jericho. As evidence for Jesus’ increasing popularity and the fame for His miracles and teaching, verse 3 describes for us that a crowd had gathered around Jesus and He was difficult to see.
Among the people who are trying to get a glimpse of Jesus was Zacchaeus who is given the title of “chief tax collector.” That is a title only found here in Luke 19 and it applies only to Zacchaeus. Apparently, Jericho was a tax collecting hub for the Romans and it was Zacchaeus who was in charge. That means that Zacchaeus had a privileged job among the Romans and was probably despised by the Jews even more than regular tax collectors. His life was a wealthy and privileged one, but also one where his neighbors and fellow citizens of Jericho couldn’t stand him. They hated him. They considered him a traitor and among the worst kind of sinner.
We also find that the first six verses of this passage describe for us a stressful situation for
Zacchaeus. He wanted to see Jesus and no one would let the tax collector in. No one would move so he could see. Jesus was moving through the city and Zacchaeus could not get a look. His money could not buy him a better spot in the crowd to see Jesus. His money could not buy him an audience with Jesus. His privileged position among the Romans did not get him the front row seat he wanted. We can guess about a lot of things when it comes to Zacchaeus, but we know three things for sure (and remember them for later):
#1 Zacchaeus was a wealthy tax collector
#2 Zacchaeus was shorter than most
#3 Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus
Zacchaeus came up with a wonderful plan to skirt the crowds and get himself in a position to see Jesus. He was willing to risk overcoming obstacles to see Jesus. He, like any good planner, climbed a tree ahead of the crowds so as Jesus passed, he would be in a perfect spot to see all that was going on.
* I imagine him running. Was he fast enough? Could he get ahead of the crowd?
* I imagine him climbing. Could he get high enough to see? Would the tree hold? Would anyone see him?
* I imagine him straining to hear what was being said. What was being asked? What was the Teacher saying?
I also imagine the shock and awe when Jesus came by, looked up in the tree, called him by name, and told him that He would be going to his house. Zacchaeus was in shock that the Teacher had noticed him. The crowds were amazed and perhaps a little indignant that Jesus had even given this chief tax collector the time of day.
One of the questions I have always had… how did Jesus know his name? The Scripture very clearly states Jesus called him by name out of the tree. There are two possible ways and probably more of how Jesus knew Zacchaeus. First, Jesus was and is God. Never forget that. Jesus knew who Zacchaeus was because it was He who formed him in his mother’s womb. God knows every person by name in the same way He knows every star by name (Psalm 147:4). He is God! Second, don’t forget about Matthew, he who had been a tax collector, who perhaps had mentioned Zacchaeus to Jesus as living in Jericho. Either way… it would have been a sight to see… Jesus calling this wee little man by name out of the tree!
Verse 6 tells us Zacchaeus welcomed Jesus gladly. The KJV and ESV tell us that he “received him joyfully.” The MSG paraphrases it for us by saying, “Zacchaeus scrambled out of the tree, hardly believing his good luck, delighted to take Jesus home with him.” He was full of joy and delighted at the prospect of having Jesus in his home. Note the thrill of Zacchaeus who had wanted to see Jesus so desperately. To be honest, that happens often, joy and gladness and rejoicing when anyone finally finds Jesus (Matthew 13:20, Luke 2).
APPLICATION
Zacchaeus was a man under stress looking to see Jesus. I wonder if in our own lives, if we see people under stress looking for Jesus. Perhaps we see people whose marriages are falling apart and they are looking to Jesus to see what He will say. Maybe there are people addicted to some substance or in the throws of a habit they just can’t break and they are running ahead to see if Jesus can help. Possibly we encounter people who are out of work and under bills and are looking to Jesus for some hope. I think we see people like Zacchaeus all around us in all different stressful situations. Some are purposefully looking for Jesus and some are searching, but they do not know it is Jesus they are looking for.
* May we lead them to Jesus by texting a Bible verse to help.
* May we lead them to Jesus by making time to talk and listen and pray with them.
* May we lead them to Jesus by sharing how meaningful Christ is for us.
TRANSITION
By the way, I have noticed over the years that many kids (including church kids) do not know the classic “Zacchaeus is a Wee Little Man” song:
“Zacchaeus was a wee little man and a wee little man was he
He climbed up in a sycamore tree for the Lord he wanted to see
And as the Savior passed that way He looked up in the tree
And He said, ‘Zacchaeus you come down, for I’m going to your house today.’
‘I’m going to your house today.’”
Google it. Youtube it. Teach it to your kids. It is required knowledge when standing in line to get into Heaven. We also have a situation in these verses where we have a division between “the Haves and the Have-nots.”
HAVEs AND THE HAVE-NOTs
These verses are not complicated, but I want us to think on them again, but as we think about Zacchaeus and Jesus, focus less on the actions that take place, but rather notice more about the characteristics of the people presented.
Notice if you will that there are clear divisions in the passage between the “haves” and the “have-nots.” The most obvious division we see is the wealth division. Zacchaeus may have been a “wee little man,” but his bank accounts were not “wee” by any stretch of the imagination. Zacchaeus had wealth and the crowds following Jesus by-in-large did not. In fact, it was the crowds that followed Jesus that were the ones squeezed by Zacchaeus for taxes for the Roman occupation.
Also, we also find a division among those who had access to Jesus and those that did not. Jesus was journeying through Jericho in public and the crowds of people were following Him. We know that the crowds could be overwhelming for people as they tried to get to Jesus. In fact in Luke 5, there was a man paralyzed who could not reach Jesus. His friends lowered him through the roof just to see Jesus (Luke 5:17-20). Children often wanted to see Jesus and even in Luke 18 (the previous chapter), Jesus had to command the disciples to let the children come (Luke 18:16). There were people who wanted to see Jesus and could not because of the crowds. Zacchaeus was one of those who wanted to see Jesus, but could not. Others had access to Jesus, Zacchaeus did not.
As I think about myself, you, and our church in terms of the haves and the have-nots I think there is one division that marks us in this place different from other people in the non-Christian world. It is best described by Peter in John 6:
READ JOHN 6:66-69 (ESV)
“After this many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him. So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.””
? Peter believed that it was Jesus Who had the way for eternal life. Peter knew the Truth. We, as the people of God, have the Truth. We have access to the message that explains all about eternal life. Not everyone knows that message or knows the Truth. The message is available to all, but not everyone knows. That is why Jesus commissions Christians in Matthew 28:
READ MATTHEW 28:19 (ESV)
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”
This is why He told His disciples in Acts 1:
READ ACTS 1:8 (ESV)
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.””
? Jesus sent out His disciples as His representatives because they had the message and others did not. Jesus’ command to us is to share that same Gospel message because we know the Truth and others do not.
APPLICATION
It is easy to apply this portion of the passage and this line of thinking. When was the last time you shared the message about Jesus with someone? Has it been awhile? Pray for the opportunity to share about Jesus or pray for the opportunity to share about your life with Christ or pray for open eyes to see the opportunity when it comes your way! May we be people who share the truth with those who do not know it!
TRANSITION
This short story about “wee little man” Zacchaeus in Luke 19 does not end with Zacchaeus in a tree and Jesus offering to visit his house. There are a few more verses. The story continues as Zacchaeus climbs down the tree with utter gladness and takes Jesus into his home. Verse 7 hits us between the eyes as we read.
PERCEPTION OF OTHERS
READ LUKE 19:7 (ESV)
“And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.””
In the middle of this short story about Zacchaeus the chief tax collector and Jesus the Messiah in Jericho, we have judgmental attitudes of the crowds. We already know based on his job that the people of Jericho did not like Zacchaeus and they did not like that Jesus was going to His house. This actually happened to Jesus all the time.
READ MATTHEW 9:9-11 (ESV)
“As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and He said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed Him. And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and His disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?””
READ LUKE 15:1-2 (ESV)
“Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear Him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.””
?? Verse 7 is a verse all about perception, expectations, pre-conceived notions, and judging worthiness to receive Jesus. As Jesus toured through Jericho, the people expected that He would teach the people about the Scriptures and give them nuggets of knowledge through a parable. They thought perhaps they would see a healing that they could tell their neighbors and children about for weeks to come. Jesus healed a blind man and lepers… who was next? Maybe someone who could not speak or could not hear? The crowd thought Jesus would end up in the synagogue or maybe spend the day in the home of a prominent Pharisee.
And yet, all of those expectations and pre-conceived notions came crashing down the moment Jesus looked up in the tree and invited Himself to the home of Zacchaeus… the dreaded infamous money-grubbing traitorous tax collector! Not Zacchaeus! He’s a traitor. He’s a sinner. He makes his living by cheating people. He has money. He has nice clothes and gets all of it by corrupt means.
You might be asking yourself what any of this has to with us. I think sometimes we do the same thing that the crowd did in verse 7… don’t we? We often have ideas about what the Christian life is like and who is accepted in and who should be shut out. We have expectations about what someone should look like or act like when they walk through the doors of the church. Our pre-conceived notions about who Jesus would accept and who He would reject cloud our minds when we meet people. Verse 7 is a verse all about judging worthiness and there is always the temptation to judge the worth of a person by our standards.
Basically, we think people like Zacchaeus should be left out.
* Jesus changes the perception of who can come to Him because it is ANYONE who is lost and trapped by their sin no matter what kind or shade of sin it happens to be.
* Jesus shatters the expectations we have about who should be in church and what a person looks like as they seek after God and ask questions.
* Jesus deflates our pre-conceived notions about who will be in Heaven and who will not.
* Jesus condemns us for our judging attitudes about worthiness.
The crowd muttered to one another that Jesus had singled out Zacchaeus and was going to that awful man’s house. How could He? Why would He? I think the answer to all of the questions that people had rests in the fact that they did not have a correct view of who Jesus was and why He had come. The rest of this short story informs us about what the crowds should have thought and what their perspective should have been. Let’s read the conclusion of this short story about Jesus and Zacchaeus.
CRISIS: JESUS AND ZACCHAEUS
Do you remember the three things that we knew for sure about Zacchaeus? I mentioned them at the beginning of our time together this morning.
#1 Zacchaeus was a wealthy tax collector
#2 Zacchaeus was shorter than most
#3 Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus
#3 is all that mattered to Jesus. Jesus went to Zacchaeus’ house because Jesus found in Zacchaeus a man willing to overcome obstacles. He was willing to risk the hatred of the crowd to get a look at the Messiah. Zacchaeus was more than willing to give Jesus full access to His home. But to be honest, it was not the overcoming of obstacles or the risks with the crowd or his willingness to have Jesus in his home that really drew the attention of the Savior. What drew Jesus’ attention was Zacchaeus’ willingness to change his heart and his willingness to make not a one-time decision, but a decision to change his entire lifestyle. Zacchaeus was willing to make restitution for his past mistakes and change his behavior. That’s called repentance!
Jesus even taught about this type of attitude in Matthew 5:
READ MATTHEW 5:22-23 (ESV):
“So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”
??Zacchaeus was willing to do that! Zacchaeus had a heart that was willing to follow the message of the Messiah and he put steps in place to change his life so that it reflected his newfound faith. Jesus even says in verse 9 that “salvation” came to the house! He even called Zacchaeus “son of Abraham” making him equal to everyone else outside who was stirring in their judgmental attitudes.
APPLICATION
This morning we have seen a situation where a stressed sinner put forth quite an effort to see Jesus and was successful in finding Him. There was definitely division among the crowds which led to their assumption that Zacchaeus was not good enough to have Jesus at his home. And yet, in the midst of all of this, Jesus proclaims that because of the change of heart with Zacchaeus, that salvation had come to him that day.
This short story is all about by growing up.
There are two areas where we can grow up this morning that I think Luke 19:1-10 points out to us:
The first area is for those of us who read the story of Zacchaeus and identify with him. Perhaps you came to church today to get a look at what church or God or Jesus was all about. Perhaps you have been reluctantly coming to church because someone made you or you want them to stop bugging you. Maybe you, like Zacchaeus, don’t feel worthy because of the life you have lived. You know what, you are right. You aren’t good enough for Jesus. None of us are. All of us have sinned and therefore we are not worthy to have Jesus point up at us and come to our house and proclaim that salvation has come to us. The other side of that is that is does not matter what you have done or what excuses you have given in the past… Jesus will forgive. Jesus died for you.
* It’s time to grow up and think about your eternal soul. Grow up and stop giving excuses. Grow up and stop living your life destructively and give yourself over to God. Grow up and make a lifestyle change to become a Christian.
The second area is for those of us who read the story of Zacchaeus and identify not with Zacchaeus, but rather with the crowds of people who are indignant that Jesus would love someone like Zacchaeus. It’s time for us to grow up as well.
* Grow up and realize it doesn’t matter what a person looks like, how they are dressed, how many tattoos they have, or where they have pierced their bodies when they come to church.
* Grow up and realize that you don’t know with whom the Holy Spirit has been working a great work in their heart and whether or not they are ready to accept Jesus as Savior and Lord.
* Grow up and realize that everyone makes mistakes and that does not preclude them from the Grace of God offered freely through Jesus Christ.
* Grow up and know that nobody is perfect and the church was made for the imperfect.
PRAYER
INVITATION
“Zacchaeus was a wee little man and a wee little man was he. He climbed up in a sycamore tree for the Lord he wanted to see. And as the Savior passed that way He looked up in the tree. And He said, ‘Zacchaeus you come down, for I’m going to your house today.’ ‘I’m going to your house today.’”
If you have climbed a tree, understand that this is the moment Jesus is pointing at you and you have a decision to make. Will you choose Him?
