“A Big Change In A Small Man”
Luke 19:1-10
INTRODUCTION: Tell the story of Zach …
SONG – “Zaccheus was a wee little man …”
Luke 19:1-2 – “Jericho” – Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem … to the cross. Jericho is about 15 miles from Jerusalem. It was a big, rich city. There were 3 tax collection centers in Palestine … Jericho, Jerusalem, and Capernaum. Jericho was the tax capital of Palestine … and Zaccheus was the head tax collector.
“Publican” = ‘tax collector’. They spoke of Publicans in the same breath as sinners, thieves, robbers & murderers. Palestine was under Roman rule. They hired Jews to collect the taxes. They could keep what they collected ABOVE the Roman tax. They were crooked, & dishonest … and cheated the people. They were considered traitors and outcasts. They couldn’t participate in synagogue worship … and their testimony wasn’t even accepted in a court of law.
Zaccheus was no different. He was a “chief” Publican, who had tax collectors under him. He probably got a portion of their profits, too … “rich”.
STORY of IRS Agent …
Let’s take a look at our Tax Collector this morning.
19:3 – How did he know about Jesus?
By this time Jesus was famous. He wasn’t just famous and LIKED … He was also famous and HATED by the religious leaders. Jesus was criticized for associating with sinners & tax collectors. That may have drawn Zaccheus to Jesus. He wanted to see “who He was” … not just what people said about Him.
It’s possible that Matthew, a former tax collector, had told Zaccheus about Jesus … how Jesus had changed his life.
Zaccheus had a HANDICAP … he was too short and couldn’t see over the crowd to see Jesus. Imagine Zaccheus trying to plow his way up front, and being pushed back … maybe even being elbowed in the head when they saw who it was trying to butt up to the front.
Zaccheus was drawn to Jesus. If you’re drawn to Jesus, it’s only because the Holy Spirit is working in your heart.
19:4 – Zaccheus runs ahead of the parade, to get a good look at Jesus when He passes by. He sees the crowd heading his way, and he knows he’ll just get pushed aside in the mob. He spots a sycamore tree and climbs up the tree. Imagine the scene! A rich man, in expensive robes, running down the street … THEN … climbing up a tree!
19:5 – When Jesus stopped, the parade stopped. Jesus looks up into the tree … and calls him BY NAME! I don’t think Jesus shook His finger at Jesus, like we used to do when we sung that song as a child.
STORY – “My name is Fred”
Zaccheus must have thought, “How does Jesus know my name?” Zaccheus hadn’t met Jesus before … nobody else had ever sought out Zaccheus to be friendly to him like this! AND NOW … Jesus invites Himself to Zaccheus’ house! Nobody before had ever wanted to be a guest of Zaccheus!
19:6 – Zaccheus is delighted! He takes Jesus up on His offer. BUT … not everyone is as excited about this as Zaccheus.
19:7 – In Bible times, to be a guest at someone’s house, meant that you accepted them. Jesus was criticized for this before. Luke 15:2 – “And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.” You just didn’t associate with such despised people!
19:8 – We aren’t told what went on in Zaccheus’ house at the dinner table. BUT … we do know, that Zaccheus came out of that meeting a changed man. Zaccheus had cheated people … and he was going to make it right.
19:9 – Jesus states the REASON for the change in Zaccheus … “salvation”.
19:10 – Zaccheus was LOST. Jesus knew it … Zaccheus knew it. Jesus came seeking Zaccheus, because Zaccheus needed Jesus.
NOW … What can we learn from all this?
1.- EVERYONE HAS A HANDICAP
Zaccheus had a PHYSICAL handicap … he was too short to see over the crowd. BUT … Zaccheus also had a SPIRITUAL handicap. He was “short” SPIRITUALLY, too. Romans 3:23 – “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
You and I are born with this same handicap. Isaiah 59:2 – “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” It wasn’t Zaccheus’ fault that he was born short … or born a sinner. We are ALL born sinners, and have “come SHORT of the glory of God.”
What’s YOUR handicap in seeing Jesus?
o FOR SOME – It’s being raised in a non-Christian home … never went to church … no Christian influence.
o FOR OTHERS – It’s having a bad experience with a Church that keeps some from coming to Christ. Don’t blame the Church … it’s not the Church’s fault. Not every member of the church is saved. That’s the problem … the hypocrites!
o FOR OTHERS – It’s pride … afraid of what people will say or think if you give your life to Christ. The mother of the great preacher, Harry Ironside, once told him as a young boy, “Harry, your friends may laugh you into Hell, but they will never be able to laugh you out of Hell.” Zaccheus “ran” and “climbed”. He forgot his pride. He was willing to pay the price to see Jesus. There’s going to be a lot of “proud” people in Hell!
Zaccheus overcame his handicap … and scampered up a tree. Nothing was going to stop him from seeing Jesus!
2.- YOU CAN’T HIDE FROM JESUS
Society rejected Zaccheus … Jesus didn’t. Jesus knew him … called him by name. Jesus zeroed in on Zaccheus, the most hated and despised man in Jericho. BUT … for Jesus, this was His purpose in coming to Jericho. To Jesus, Zaccheus was a poor, lost sinner who needed what only Jesus could give him.
Matthew 9:12-13 – “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick … for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Jesus went looking for sinners. The self-righteous don’t know that they are sick and need Jesus. They don’t know that they’re spiritually dead in trespasses and sins.
Zaccheus couldn’t hide from Jesus … he was a sinner … and he knew it. Some people can see the sin in everybody else … but not in themselves. Not Zaccheus!
You can’t hide from Jesus … He knows your name … He’s got your number. You can hide it from the preacher/husband/wife/children/parents … even yourself … but you can’t hide it from Jesus. AND … the good news is, Jesus is seeking YOU, just like He sought Zaccheus. 19:10. You just have to see your need of Him.
3.- YOU HAVE NEEDS THAT ONLY JESUS CAN MEET
What NEEDS did Zaccheus have? He needed a SAVIOR – 19:10 – “lost”. Before a person can be SAVED, they have to see that they’re LOST. THEN … REPENT of their sins … see them the same way God does … as the cancer that’s sending them to eternal damnation. Zaccheus went to the Great Physician, and found a cure for his sin.
What’s YOUR need here today? MAYBE, like Zaccheus, you find your life empty and un-satisfying. Like Zaccheus, your life might be full of “things”, but “things” don’t satisfy you. You still lack peace, joy, and hope. You realize that there’s more to life than just making a living. There’s not only THIS life, but there’s the NEXT life to consider … where you’ll spend eternity. You have needs that only Jesus can meet.
I don’t think Jesus preached to Zaccheus over the dinner table. I don’t think Jesus told Zaccheus what a dirty, rotten sinner he was. He probably said something like, “Zaccheus, tell me about yourself … what do you do for a living?” Zaccheus knew that he was a sinner … nobody had to tell him. NOW … he just needs to admit that he needs a Savior … and put his faith and trust in Jesus.
4.- SALVATION MEANS A CHANGE
James 2:18 – “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” Jesus not only went into his house … He cleaned up his heart … and washed it whiter than snow!
Zaccheus was a CHANGED man. 2 Cor. 5:17 – “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
NOTICE what Zaccheus calls Jesus … 19:8 … “Lord”. Zaccheus MEANT it … his changed life PROVED it. Just CALLING Jesus “Lord” doesn’t save anybody. LISTEN to what Jesus said about some others – Mt. 7:21-23 – ribbon.
There’s going to be a lot of tithers, church members, Sunday School Teachers, Deacons, Preachers … who have made a “profession of faith”, repeated the “sinner’s prayer”, and been baptized … who will hear Jesus say, “Depart from Me, I never knew you!” If Jesus hasn’t made a difference in your life, you can call Him “Lord, Lord” all you want. BUT … if there hasn’t been a CHANGE in your life … if Jesus isn’t your LORD … you aren’t saved.
Everybody wants Jesus to be their SAVIOR. BUT … you can’t trust Him to be your Savior, without trusting Him as your LORD. AND … if He is your LORD, there WILL BE a change in your life. Jesus will MAKE A DIFFERENCE in your life.
CONCLUSION: 19:5 – Are you “up a tree” this morning? OR … are you in the house with Jesus? – 19:9
If you’re still up in the tree, notice what Jesus said – 19:5 – “make haste” … “today” … “come down”. Zaccheus was sold-out to Jesus when he was saved. Does that mean he left his tax collecting business and went into the ministry? I doubt it … we never hear of Zaccheus again. BUT, you know, there’s a need for good, honest, saved, Christian tax collectors, too!
I don’t know what Zaccheus did after this. BUT … one thing I do know. His conversion was REAL … and this SMALL MAN was a NEW MAN … a CHANGED MAN.
Do you want a NEW LIFE? A CHANGED LIFE? There’s only 1 WAY … trust Jesus as the LORD of your life … your LORD and MASTER. Will you always do what’s right … never make a mistake … never sin? Heavens NO! You’ll be a sinner until the day you die.
BUT … with Jesus as the LORD of your life, He’ll CHANGE you … little by little … as you walk with Him … into what He want you to be. Like Zaccheus, Jesus can CHANGE you. He’s come here this morning, looking for YOU.
STAND – PRAYER
Hymn – “Just As I AM”
OUTLINE FOR HANDOUT:
“A Big Change In A Small Man”
Luke 19:1-10
19:1-2 – Jericho was the tax capital for that region.
- Publicans were despised, crooked, and outcasts.
19:3 – Zaccheus was drawn to Jesus, but he couldn’t see over the crowd.
19:4 – In his rich robes, he runs & climbs up a tree.
19:5 – Jesus calls him by name … and invites Himself to Zaccheus’ house.
19:6 – Zaccheus is delighted … but not everybody is!
19:7 – Jesus was criticized for this before – Luke 15:2
19:8 – Zaccheus came from there a changed man.
19:9 – “salvation” is the reason for the change.
19:10 – Jesus sought Zaccheus because Zaccheus needed Him.
LESSONS WE CAN LEARN FROM THIS:
1.- Everyone Has A Handicap
- Zaccheus was “short” spiritually, too – Romans 3:23.
- We are born with the same handicap – Isaiah 59:2
- What is YOUR handicap that keeps you from seeing Jesus?
2.- You Can’t Hide From Jesus
- Zaccheus needed what only Jesus could give – Mt. 9:12-13
- The self-righteous don’t see their need of Jesus.
- Jesus is seeking YOU, just like He sought for Zaccheus.
- You have to see your need of Him – 19:10
3.- You Have Needs That Only Jesus Can Meet
- Zaccheus needed a Savior – 19:10 – “lost”.
- What is YOUR need here today?
- Zaccheus had “things”, but he lacked peace, joy & hope.
- Jesus can meet your ETERNAL needs.
4.- Salvation Means A Change
- James 2:18 – His faith was seen through his works.
- Zaccheus was a NEW man … a CHANGED man – 2 Cor. 5:17
- Jesus was his “Lord” – Matthew 7:21-23
- If there hasn’t been a CHANGE in your life … if Jesus hasn’t made a DIFFERENCE in your life … you aren’t saved.
CONCLUSION: 19:5 – Are you still “up a tree”, or “in the house” with Jesus? 19:9
- Do you want a CHANGED life … a NEW life?
- Jesus is looking for YOU!
