A Little Man Treed
(Lk. 19:1-10)
Intro.
The Bible says Jesus came to seek and to save that which is lost. This was one He had to seek in a strange place. He was up a tree. The wording seek and save are descriptive of the nature of our Lord. He was both man and He was God. Human and divine, the human speaks of seeking, the divine side bespeaks of the saving. The great mystery of our Lord, is that He is not half man and half God, but all man and all God.
Zacchaeus had a divine appointment but was unaware of it. I have said before salvation is truly a personal thing between a man and God. As far as Zacchaeus was concerned Jesus had come from the very throne of God just to meet with him. Jesus had stepped down to earth, was raised in Nazareth, and begun His ministry. He came to this city of Jericho, a city that has always had a name for wickedness. I read that it was a place where many criminals resided.
It was located just 17 miles northeast of Jerusalem, and as Jerusalem was called a holy city, Jericho would have been her opposite. It was here at Jericho that our Lord gave sight to a blind man named Bartimaeus.
Mark 10:45-52
For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.
I. The Sinner:
A man named Zacchaeus, he was the chief of publicans, and he was very wealthy. We would not expect to find a man like Zacchaeus up in a sycamore tree, but here he was.
1. He Was Chief Of Publicans: The implication of this really doesn’t hit us as it did the Jews of that day. I guess a publican was looked upon as a thief and a crook, one who would steal from his own people. He was contracted by the Roman government to collect taxes from the Jews. His pay was whatever extra he could get from them. In other words he extorted money from them by threats.
And Zacchaeus was not just a publican, but chief among the publicans. This made him, head crook of that region. People would know who he was, and they would hate and fear him. Remember how the Pharisee spoke concerning the publican, Luke 18:11, “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.”
The even as, means that of those he mentioned the publican was at the bottom of the list. Lower than an extortioner, lower than an adulterer, why, under the law they stoned adulterers. They looked at the publican not only as a thief but also as a traitor, because he did the work for the Roman Government. I doubt they would have rated anyone lower on the totem pole.
2. He Was Wealthy: I believe that most people, poor people resent people with wealth. But especially someone who had gotten their wealth at the expense of the poor. And he probably flaunted what he had just to get even with those that hated him. When he walked down the street, there would not be neighbors calling out good morning. The voices he heard would be those complaining against him. Everyone likes to be liked. We don’t have to be popular, but it really hurts if we know there are those who don’t like us.
3. He Was Short: There is nothing wrong with being short, but it can be real unhandy, and especially in a crowd. There was no way Zacchaeus was going to get a sight of Jesus, unless he could find a way to see over their heads. So we see him climbing a sycamore tree. Stop a moment and consider here’s the richest man in town shimmying up a sycamore tree. This would be comical to those of the town.
Children would have laughed and made fun of him. And as he climbed he probably kept asking himself why he was going to all this trouble just to see this carpenter which many said was a prophet.
There must have been a lot of excitement as the people had gathered around our Lord some may have been asking Him questions while others may have been telling about a sick relative. Remember this was before television, one found his excitement wherever he could. Here was Zacchaeus with his nice clothing, his robes of honor, up in a sycamore tree.
II. The Savior:
“And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.”
1. God’s Providence:
Is there any who would believe this was merely an accidental meeting? I do not believe in luck nor in accidents. And I surely do not believe my Lord did anything as a result of an accident. Can you see the Hand of God in providence, in all of this? It was like the woman at the well where Jesus said, “He must needs go through Samaria.” There was a divine appointment with Zacchaeus, altho’ Zacchaeus didn’t know about it.
It was the same with you and I, there was a time when we met Jesus and it came as a surprise, at least it did to me. “Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.” 1 Tim 1:16
The Father chose and the Son Redeemed, and somewhere in time God the Holy Spirit began a work in you that will not be completed until we reach those golden shores. Was it accidental?
2. Effectual Calling:
There is no other way to look at this, while I realize that the work of effectual calling is the work of the Holy Spirit. In the days Jesus walked upon earth He did this work. “Come down, Zacchaeus,” and don’t be long in doing it, make haste. I don’t think we can find another account like this one. Jesus invites himself into the man’s home. But not only that, he tells Zacchaeus to hurry up, because He is going to spend the day with him.
Wasn’t it amazing he didn’t even pause to ask why. He just slid down the tree, some say he came down so fast the sycamore tree has been slick ever since. “And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.” It is amazing how we change, the Bible says, “He makes us willing in the day of His power.” People talk about refusing God when He calls, but when He calls effectually none refuse. How could anyone refuse God? If they were aware it was God speaking. Decision only one that can be made.
III. The Self Righteous:
Are we like this? Are there any that we believe to be beyond the reach of God. “While I know He will have mercy on whom He will have mercy.” Don’t we sometimes look at people and say, surely God won’t bother with him or with her. This is that old Adamic pride, we sometimes get our pharisaic pride worked up and think we know who should be and who shouldn’t be.
“And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.” There’s that word again, they murmured, they complained against the actions of our Lord. He went in to be a guest of a sinner. He will eat with no other kind, He comes to sup with sinners. This is why there are no revivals, everyone thinks their alright, it’s the rest of the congregation that needs help.
Rev 3:16-20
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
I don’t believe God ever deals with anyone without showing them that they are sinners.
IV. The Salvation Given:
Often we discuss if man can be saved and remain the same. God’s word tells us very plainly that that just isn’t so. We may backslide later but God changes the life of those He deals with. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Cor 5:17
What did it do to Zacchaeus? “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.” He says first of all I’m going to give half of my wealth to the poor. Someone might be tempted to say, if he is rich he still has a lot left. The richer he was the harder it would be to part with even half.
“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.” Was Zacchaeus saved because he gave away half of his goods and promised fourfold to all he had cheated? Of course not, Jesus is merely telling us that here is a tree that brings forth good fruit because it is a good tree.
Works can never save any man. But, every man that is saved will show their works. Salvation will always have fruits, some 30fold, some 60fold, and some 100 fold.
Eph 2:8-10
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
Salvation is the miraculous work of God whereby He takes a sinner and makes of him a saint. Spiritually we go from rags to riches, a true Cinderella story.
