Zacchaeus’ Big Climb Up.

Zacchaeus’ Big Climb Up.

Luke 19:1-10TPT

Jesus has a divine need to connect and covenant to all mankind. His need for all individuals out weighs His personal wants and, or, desires. Every move Jesus made, He made with purpose. God’s intention through His Son according to Luke 19:10, is to seek and to save the lost.

About tax collectors: Tax collectors contract with Romans to collect taxes in a particular town or region, and pay a substantial fee for their franchise.

Zacchaeus most likely subcontracts the actual collection of taxes. His profit is the amount of taxes collected less the franchise fee and salaries of lesser tax collectors.

The system was prone to abuse, rewarding tax collectors for excessive collections. If citizens rebel, Roman soldiers stood ready to back the tax collector through any means necessary.

On his way to Jerusalem, Jesus had to pass through Jericho. 2 There lived a very wealthy man named Zacchaeus, who supervised all the tax collectors. 3 He was very eager to see Jesus and kept trying to get a look at him through the massive crowd. Since Zacchaeus was a short man and couldn’t see over the heads of the people, 4 he ran on ahead of everyone and climbed up a blossoming fig tree to get a glimpse of Jesus as he passed by.

5 When Jesus got to that place, he looked up into the tree and said, “Zacchaeus, hurry on down, for I must stay at your house today!”

6 So he scurried down the tree and found himself face-to-face with Jesus.

I wonder what that encounter was like? Jesus—filled with compassion and piercing eyes, with His gentle disposition, He invites Himself over to Zacchaeus’ house. P.H

Luke 19:7-8TPT As Jesus left to go with Zacchaeus, many in the crowd complained, “Look at this! Of all the people to have dinner with, he’s going to eat in the house of a crook.”

8 Zacchaeus was amazed over his gracious visit to his home and joyously welcomed Jesus. Zacchaeus stood in front of the Lord and said, “Half of all that I own I will give to the poor. And Lord, if I have cheated anyone, I promise to pay them back four times as much as I stole.”

One of many opportunities came while on staff at Liberty Square COG, in Cartersville, Jenny and I were over the singles ministry.

A young man was dramatically saved by the name of Frank Grooms, He did some crime before coming to Jesus. Frank felt a strong need to confess to these unsolved crimes. I knew that was true salvation. He did and the courts just gave him some probation.

Luke 19:9TPT Jesus said to him, “Your repentance shows that today life has come to you and your household, and that you are a true son of Abraham.

The name—“Zacchaeus,” sounds Greek, but its Hebrew root would have meant “clean, pure”—possibly ironic, given what we think we know about tax collectors.

Several truths I want to point out about—Luke 19:1-9.

Luke 19:1TPT On his way to Jerusalem, Jesus had to pass through Jericho.

Every translation I’ve read stresses that Jesus was just passing through Jericho.

As Jesus made His way through, Jesus sensed a passion-pull, a hunger, a demand placed on His Father's Word.

Luke 10:2AMP And there was a man called Zaccheus; he was a chief tax collector [a superintendent to whom others reported], and he was rich.

All regional tax collector’s brought their tax purses to Zaccheus, In return, he would collect and inspect all lute. Finally, He would take a large cut off the top of all collections.

Notice, verse 2, stresses that Zacchaeus was rich.

Proverbs 10:2AMP Treasures of wickedness and ill-gotten gains do not profit, But righteousness and moral integrity in daily life rescues from death.

This OT chapter, would hold true for Zacchaeus: Micah 2:1-2AMP Woe (judgment is coming) to those who devise wickedness And plot evil on their beds! When morning comes, they practice evil Because it is in the power of their hands. 2  They covet fields and seize them, And houses, and take them away. They oppress and rob a man and his house, A man and his inheritance.

Zacchaeus practiced evil. He plotted, and devised. According to history, Tax Collectors not only the book money, they coveted, and seized land and houses; They oppress and rob.

Luke 19:3-4TM He wanted desperately to see Jesus, but the crowd was in his way—he was a short man and couldn’t see over the crowd. So he ran on ahead and climbed up in a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus when he came by.

Remember this, you must get higher than the crowd to see Jesus.

God knows how to trigger desperation within mankind; Zacchaeus was desperate for change!

Zacchaeus went to view Jesus, maybe to see what all the fuss was about. However, what Zacchaeus didn’t realize was that Jesus wanted to see Zacchaeus even worse.