He Knows Your Name
Cornwall
September 11, 2005
There was a time when Jesus, while travelling, came to Jericho, a city beside the Jordan River and 825 feet below sea level. This city was literally ‘down’ from Jerusalem, situated on a prominent hill. Jericho is in the current West Bank, a disputed area in the current Middle East. It tends, because of its low elevation, to have a warm climate and to have some lush vegetation, especially near the water, and where irrigation is possible.
Please turn to Luke 19. We’ll read the story and let it happen here, in Cornwall, today.
v.1- Jesus in Jericho
v.2- Zacchaeus lived there. He was tax collector and was very rich. Now, you might wonder why? We might know people who work in the taxation department of the Federal or Provincial governments today, and they’re not particularly rich. Let me fill you in on how this worked in that day.
The Romans, under whom this area was held at the time, farmed out the task of collecting the taxes in any particular area to the highest bidder. The man did not receive any salary for his work but collected as much money as he could so that he would have a handsome rake-off after paying the government the appointed sum. Zacchaeus was such a tax farmer.
It was common for the tax collectors to abuse their office in order to get rich, and they had all the force of the Roman Empire behind them, so it was not easy to argue for, and receive, a lesser taxation amount. If the tax collector needed military backup, it was his, because the Roman Empire wanted the appointed taxes.
As you can imagine, Zacchaeus was not the most popular person in town. He was wealthy, but he was very limited in whom he could spend time with because many would not want to spend any time with him. Talk about ‘issues’, as we do these days. People in Jericho had ‘issues’ with Zacchaeus. He was considered the lowest of the low, a turn-coat working for the enemy and profiting by taking advantage of his own people- not a pleasant situation, but one that suited him well, as far as the money side of things was concerned.
v.3- Zacchaeus was short, he wanted to see Jesus, and he couldn’t because of the crowd. You can be sure that the crowd wouldn’t be all that accommodating, either, to allowing him to get to the front of the crowd, like we might permit a shorter person when we watch a parade, because we can see over him or her. In this case, people would be delighted at a chance to make life a little difficult for Zacchaeus and would likely close in more tightly so he couldn’t squeeze his way through to the front. People can be nasty, as you and I know.
v.4- Zacchaeus did not get where he was in life by rolling over and playing dead. He had a keen mind and was able to use that in many ways. He could think. He was not one to be put off by people’s animosity. He had experienced it before; often, though, he had the upper hand. In this case, he didn’t. However, he had to think of another option, and he did. He could tell where Jesus would go, understanding the route of the street he was on, so he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree that was on the street. Possibly this was one he had used before to set up his tax collection station- a tree that gave him shade and made his extortion a bit more pleasant. Or, maybe this was a tree he and his brothers and sisters had climbed when they were growing up in Jericho, so was one he remembered how to climb. You can be sure he hadn’t climbed many sycamore trees lately- that wouldn’t be appropriate to someone in his station of life and society. He wanted to see Jesus, knowing He would pass that way.
v. 5- Jesus did come there and he saw a man in the tree. Now, the record doesn’t say that Zacchaeus wanted to talk with Jesus- just that he wanted to see Him- this greatly respected and followed rabbi. Perhaps he was simply curious about this man the masses he despised- the simple folk he extorted- were following. Maybe he was aware of a threat to the social order, and potentially, to his income, that lay with this Jesus. Perhaps he had heard people talk of him as the Messiah or the one who would overthrow the Romans, and was curious. Certainly, someone perceived to be so powerful could powerfully disrupt his lifestyle.
Perhaps Zacchaeus hid himself in the tree- perhaps he wasn’t fully visible, as wanting to see and be seen. No matter what the case, Jesus came to the tree, looked up, saw this little man- and spoke to him. Zacchaeus, you see, didn’t particularly impress Jesus. Of course, Jesus didn’t have to pay taxes to him, because he wasn’t from Jericho. But Jesus could see right through Zacchaeus. What did he see? Did he see a powerful and rich man? Or did he see a little child wanting to be loved and respected? Did he see Zacchaeus, as a child, and as he used to be, having climbed into a favorite tree? We don’t know a lot of that- we can only speculate and imagine.
At any rate, Jesus stopped, saw Zacchaeus, and, with the pressing crowd following Him, drew attention to Zacchaeus. What did he do? He called him by name and told him to come down because he wanted to spend time with Zacchaeus.
We have Zacchaeus ‘found out’- discovered- exposed, we might say. This could have been embarrassing, but, considering what followed, I don’t believe this was on Zacchaeus’ mind at the time. As far as he was concerned, it was just him and Jesus. There was no crowd. There was no one else. Jesus pierced to his inner being and ‘something gave’.
What do we have here? What is this that flowed from Jesus to Zacchaeus? It was unconditional acceptance that was offered.
Let’s look at things from Jesus’ perspective for a moment. He came into Jericho and knew God wanted him to do some work there. But where? Certainly there was the crowd pressing on him, but there was no need to feed this crowd, as he did others. There did not seem to be a need for healings- this was just a crowd that moved along with him. He looked to see what he was supposed to do in Jericho. Then, what did he see? He saw an important man up in a tree. Jesus knew who Zacchaeus was- God gave him insight beyond the normal. He knew who he was, what he did for a living, how he had done that, and all the sins that surrounded that doing. He recognized that here was someone who needed something special. Jesus recognized that here was his work in Jericho. How? Well, he knew that Zacchaeus wanted to see him, for whatever reasons. Maybe it was just to visually see him, at least from Zacchaeus’ perspective. However, Jesus also knew that no one seeks anything to do with God unless God is involved:
Jn.6.44- he knew the reality of this. He recognized that no one thinks of God, seeks anything of God, asks any question about a matter that touches on God, or responds to God, like this, of themselves. He knew that God was involved in Zacchaeus’ desire to see Jesus. Zacchaeus likely couldn’t articulate why he had run on ahead, thought about climbing a tree, and even wanted, so much, to see Jesus. But God knew He was doing a work in this messed up life- in the life of this man looking for love and respect, and who was going about it all wrong.
v.6- Zacchaeus responded powerfully. Jesus way with him was so wonderful that there was no other response possible. His joy knew no bounds, as this rabbi expressed his desire to go to his house.
v.7- the crowd didn’t like this. I want to point out something interesting about many Jesus stories. In many of them, you’ll notice that the hero is a rascal (scoundrel) and IS undeserving. Think about the prodigal son, for instance- he was an ungrateful, disrespectful, and undisciplined young man. Think about Zacchaeus- he was a no good, people abuser, self-involved little man. On the other hand, in many of the stories about Jesus, the other party IS deserving- has been faithful and righteous and has sought to do things right. Think about the older brother in the story of the prodigal son; he was devoted, faithful, hard-working- he WAS the good guy. Think about the crowd here- devoted to Jesus, taken advantage of by the mean Romans, including through Zacchaeus. They WERE oppressed and abused and were ‘deserving’ of Jesus’ attention. But, often the message of grace extended is best shown when a rascal is involved, and Zacchaeus was one of those. He was a rascal with a heart for Jesus- not for duty or commandments or earned deservedness.
The crowd wasn’t joyous. They had ideas about where Jesus should focus his attention, and it wasn’t on Zacchaeus- this no good tax collector. This crowd judged people, likely led by their religious leaders. All the rules of purity and cleanness were more important than anything in the heart. THEY wanted time with the rabbi, too!
v.8- but how did Zacchaeus respond? From the record, it seems that Jesus didn’t say anything more, yet. Zacchaeus knew his life was not in line with God’s and he responded. He resolved to give and to restore- he responded to being given to and being received by Jesus. He received the grace- the unmerited favor- the godly attention- and he responded to that fully and freely. There’s a clear and wonderful lesson here, too- when someone who is a rascal receives what others feel they deserve. However, is it because of deservedness that God turns his attention toward someone?
v. 9- now we see what’s really important. Today ‘salvation’ has come to this house. This is what’s important. And how did it come? It came because it’s rooted in a response to God’s acceptance. God offered acceptance and Zacchaeus responded. Was this what he was looking for? I don’t think so. He wanted to ‘see Jesus’- that’s all that was in his mind. But God knew he needed more; Jesus knew he needed more, and here it is- he needed salvation. The fact that he is a son of Abraham is not saying more than he ought to have what anyone related to Abraham can have, and, too, Jesus is declaring that this comes through faith- that’s what being a son of Abraham is all about, really- faith, not paternity/birth.
v.10- Jesus came to save the lost- this is a new thing. Salvation is no longer tied to physical birth/heritage/lineage- but is tied to responding to God’s acceptance. What we have here is a clear example of something Jesus spoke of a short while before- the shepherd seeks the lost sheep (15.3-7). The most important value is salvation and Jesus used this opportunity to teach this. Jesus didn’t say a lot, but what he said is dynamite. Jesus isn’t concerned with the deserving. He isn’t concerned with those who think they ought to have something. He is concerned with those who are lost and who are in need.
What does this speak to you? Where do you fit in this story? Are you Jesus, moving through the crowds looking for a place to do God’s work, and looking for opportunities to seek and save the lost? Are you in the crowd, simply wanting to gather around the teacher, to get what you can from the teacher, to be upset if someone else gets something from the teacher? Are you Zacchaeus, wanting to see Jesus, moving toward Jesus, maybe not understanding what you really need but, at some level, at least, wanting to be with Jesus?
How do you think Jesus feels about you, in the crowd or as Jesus? If you’re in the crowd, whatever that might mean, and you are moving toward Jesus and wanting to be in his presence, what does that say? Maybe you ARE already walking with Jesus- in a way, the crowd was- and you’re hearing Him. That’s not a bad thing, is it? Jesus didn’t abandon the crowd- likely it followed him to Zacchaeus’ house, and they encountered Jesus, too. They learned something about what was important. What impels you toward Jesus? If you’re Zacchaeus- maybe you’re a rascal, with a life that isn’t all together- and you know that. You know your faults. Others know your faults. Yet, you are drawn to Jesus. How do you think he’ll respond to you? Precisely as he did with Zacchaeus. He told him to ‘hurry up, come here, I want to spend time with you.’ Wow, what a wonderful call! Jesus WANTS to spend time with you. Do you know that? He does.
This story touches all of us at many levels. Sometimes, we’re like in the crowd thinking we have our lives together. Sometimes, like Zacchaeus, we put on airs and hide who we really are in an effort to impress people. Sometimes we get upset when someone else gets something good, like in the crowd. Sometimes, we’re willing to forget ourselves, act like a child, and do what’s needed to ‘see Jesus’. Mostly, I think, we’re like Zacchaeus- we all have our insecurities. We all have what we do to try to feel big, but inside we don’t, really. We all want to see Jesus, for many different reasons, some of which we can’t really define ourselves. Go ahead- run ahead and climb the tree. Do you know what will happen? Jesus will stop by it, and he will call up to you- by name- and tell you that he wants to spend some time with you. He will accept you- He does accept you- and the joy for you to know is boundless, too!
Take a few moments to place yourself in the story- it’s for you. Let Jesus minister to you, wherever you are in the story. Respond to Jesus, wherever He reaches you in the story. Come to Him, and respond to Him, as Zacchaeus responded and let the healing touch of Jesus’ life on yours make the kind of difference it made to ancient Zacchae
