"Zacchaeus: Little Big Man!"

Cornerstone Church 3.9.14

“Zacchaeus: Little Big Man!”

Luke 19:1-10

How many of you grew up in the church?

How many of you know about Zacchaeus?

Do you remember the song?

Zacchaeus was a wee little man,

A wee little man was he,

He climbed up in a sycamore tree

For the Lord he wanted to see;

And as the Savior passed that way,

He looked up in the tree,

And He said, “Zacchaeus, you come down,

For I’m going to your house today,

For I’m going to your house today.

When it comes to Zacchaeus we are in many ways theologians!

* We know he was short (vertically challenged)

* We know he ran and climbed a Sycamore Tree

* We know Jesus told him to come down and he went to his house

Dr. Kent R. Hughes made this observation:

“If I had been casting for ‘Zacchaeus, the Movie’ in the 1940s, I would have chosen diminutive Edward G. Robinson. Today I would chose Danny DeVito as the ‘Z-Man.” Those shifty eyes, his swagger – the perfect little big man.”

Dr. Kent R. Hughes, Preaching the Word – Luke Volume 2, pg 222

The memorable, Charles Spurgeon would meet with his students under “the question oak” where they could ask him questions. He would also ask his students to give extemporaneous sermons. He once asked a student to speak on Zacchaeus.

The student responded:

“Zacchaeus was of little statue, so am I. Zacchaeus was up a tree, so am I. Zacchaeus came down, so will I.”

Dr. Kent R. Hughes, Preaching the Word – Luke Volume 2, pg 221

Zacchaeus defines the central theme of The Gospel of Luke and identifies Jesus primary mission and reason for His incarnation as Son of God and Son of Man!

“For the Son of Man came

to seek and to save what was lost.”

Luke 19:10 NIV

Jesus loves the Lost!

Jesus seeks the Lost!

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:10 NIV

ZACCHAEUS LOOKING FOR JESUS

Luke 19:1-4

He (Jesus) entered Jericho and was passing through.

Luke 19:1 NIV

Jesus was on His final journey to Jerusalem.

He is heading to the Cross according to the premeditated and predetermined plan of God.

And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” Luke 9:22 NIV

The Context:

As Jesus and the Disciples were nearing Jericho these two events happened:

The Rich Young Ruler

* Jesus and the Rich Young Ruler dialogue about how he might have eternal life.

* During the conversation he tells Jesus about his piety and works.

* Jesus doesn’t dispute his record.

* Jesus tells him sell all and give all to the poor and “Follow Me!”

Luke 18:23-27 NIV When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”

Blind Bartimaeus

* Blind Bart lived his life begging on the roadside.

* I assume along the road to Jerusalem was a good location especially when Worshippers were journeying to the Passover!

* He hears Jesus is nearby and cries out: “Son of David have mercy on me!”

* Though blind He perceives Jesus is the Messiah!

Luke 18:41-43 NIV “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,” he replied. Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.

This humble and helpless man receives sight and salvation!

Jericho

* They now are entering Jericho (“The City of Palms”).

* It was the city God gave the great victory to Joshua and the children of Israel when entering the Promised Land.

* Jericho was the last city before making the 2,900 ft. climb over 17 miles to Jerusalem.

* It was a place to cross the Jordan River.

* It was a rich resort hang out (the Palm Springs / Vegas of the Ancient World)

o Herod the Great built a winter place there

o The trade routes passed through Jericho

o It was know for its Palm Forests and Balsam Groves (Balm it made)