Introduction

I wonder how many of us walked in today feeling small. Small under the weight of worries, small beside someone else’s success, small in the shadow of our own failures. We learn early how to tuck ourselves away—behind busyness, behind bravado, behind careful smiles. We wear “I’m fine” like it’s tailor-made. But the Father who fashioned you has eyes that find you. He knows where you’ve climbed to get a better view without getting too close. He knows the branch you’ve chosen and the reasons your heart races when He draws near.

Zacchaeus knew something about hiding in plain sight. He had status, but little stature. He had wealth, but little warmth from his neighbors. He had a high perch, but a hungry heart. And then Jesus came passing through, and everything changed. This is the kind of story that makes you breathe a little deeper, because it whispers: You can come down now. The Savior sees you. He says your name with kindness, and He brings His welcome right into the middle of your everyday life.

Tim Keller put it this way: “The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe; yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.” —Tim Keller

That’s the heartbeat of Luke 19. A seeking Savior. A called name. A changed life. Watch the pattern unfold: God seeks and finds those who hide. Jesus calls us down and names us as His own. And faith shows itself through repair, welcome, and changed direction. When grace walks in, it doesn’t just sit on the couch; it rearranges the furniture. It clears space for joy, for generosity, for making wrongs right.

Before we open our hearts, let’s open the Scriptures.

Scripture Reading: Luke 19:1-10 (ESV) 1 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 of 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.”

Can you picture it? The crowd thick as honey on a hot day. The shortest man choosing the highest branch he can find. The Lord stopping under that tree as if it were on His calendar. A name spoken like a lifeline: “Zacchaeus.” A hurry in the heart and a joy in the feet. A house filling with hope and the sounds of plates and repentance. And then those beautiful words, like rain on a dry field: “Today salvation has come to this house.”

Maybe today your branch has a different name—success, secrecy, shame, skepticism. Maybe you climbed for a better angle, a safer distance, a clearer look. Jesus knows precisely where you are. He pauses under your limb. He looks up and lifts your name into the open air. Not to scold, but to stay. Not to push you away, but to come closer than you imagined. He brings heaven’s hospitality to your address.

And when He comes, something happens inside us. Faith gets feet. Love gets loud. Hands open. Tables lengthen. Wrong turns find a new road. Zacchaeus didn’t purchase grace; grace produced his generosity. He didn’t perform to get a seat at the table; the Presence in his home made repair the most natural next step. This is the melody of redemption: sought, seen, summoned, saved.

So let’s step toward the Savior who steps toward us. Let’s listen for our name. Let’s welcome the One who already welcomes us. And as we do, expect the sweet work of the Spirit—hearts lifted, burdens lightened, and new directions marked by mercy.

Opening Prayer Lord Jesus, You who came to seek and to save the lost, we confess that we often hide behind leaves of fear and branches of pride. Look up at us today and call our names again. Give us courage to hurry and come down. Come to our house—our thoughts, our habits, our hopes—and make Yourself at home. Let Your kindness lead us to honest confession, to generous repair, to warm welcome, and to a new way of walking. By Your Word, open our eyes; by Your Spirit, soften our hearts; by Your grace, shape our steps. We are listening. We are ready. In Your strong and tender name, amen.

God seeks and finds those who hide

We meet a scene where Jesus is on the move, yet He is not rushed past real people. He does not treat Jericho as a blur. He pauses for a person who thinks it is safer to watch from a distance. This is the pattern of Scripture. In Eden, God called, “Where are you?” to people who were hiding in fear. In the wilderness, He met Hagar and she said, “You are the God who sees me.” The Psalms say He knows our thoughts from far away. In the Gospels He goes after the person no one else wants. In this street moment, the same heart is on display. Jesus takes the first step. He sees. He speaks. He moves toward the one who stays back. He does not wait for the perfect moment or the perfect words. He creates the moment by stopping. He brings the search right to the place where the man has tucked himself away. Grace does not pace at the edge and wave. It walks right up and starts the conversation.

Notice how quiet desire meets active mercy. Zacchaeus wants to see. That want is real, but it is still hidden behind tactics and angles. He uses position to keep eyes on Jesus while keeping himself out of reach. We do this with many tools. We keep busy so no one asks hard questions. We make jokes so no one notices the ache. We switch topics. We keep our hands full. We scroll. We find a high seat or a safe corner or a full calendar. Distance feels like control. The Lord knows every version of that. He knows the thought behind the choice and the reason for the distance. He comes to the exact spot, at the exact time, and stands right there. He does not shout from far away. He stands under the place of hiding and turns it into a place of meeting. He closes the gap we cannot close. He names the desire we barely admit. He answers the question we don’t know how to ask.

There is also a power in being known by name. Jesus does not speak to a role. He does not say “tax man” or “hey you.” He uses his name. That matters. Names in Scripture meet people where they live. Abraham. Moses. Samuel. Mary. The name says, “I see you in full.” It cuts through shame and performance. It brings the person out from behind the label. And Jesus does it in public. He is not ashamed to be linked with someone others avoid. He calls him down with warm authority and makes plans to be with him that day. This is not a quick hello on the curb. He says, in effect, “I am coming with you, into your space, into your world.” The crowd groans. Jesus does not back away. He stands with the man He called. This is how hiding loses power. When the Lord names you and draws near, secrecy falls apart and fear loses its grip. You do not have to keep your guard up. You can step toward Him as He steps toward you.

Look at what happens next. The man stands up and speaks in clear words about money and people he has wronged. He opens his hands to the poor. He pledges a fourfold return to any he has cheated, which echoes the law for theft and damage. This is not a stunt. This is a change of heart moving into real life. When you are found, things you clutch start to loosen. When you are welcomed, you start to make things right. Jesus also affirms his place in the family promised to Abraham. That is identity repair. He is no longer just the guy with a ledger and a target on his back. He belongs. His house is marked by mercy. This is the mission of Jesus in plain sight: He comes after people who hide in plain view, brings them in, and the proof shows up at the table, in the budget, in the street, in the story.

Jesus calls us down and names us as his own

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