SETTING THE STAGE
This story takes place four months before Jesus’ crucifixion and death.
Luke 19:1-10 (ERV) Jesus was going through the city of Jericho. In Jericho there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a wealthy, very important tax collector. He wanted to see who Jesus was. There were many others who wanted to see Jesus too. Zacchaeus was too short to see above the people. So he ran to a place where he knew Jesus would come. Then he climbed a sycamore tree so he could see him. When Jesus came to where Zacchaeus was, he looked up and saw him in the tree. Jesus said, “Zacchaeus, hurry! Come down! I must stay at your house today.” Zacchaeus hurried and came down. He was happy to have Jesus in his house. Everyone saw this. They began to complain, “Look at the kind of man Jesus is staying with. Zacchaeus is a sinner!” Zacchaeus said to the Lord, “I want to do good. I will give half of my money to the poor. If I have cheated anyone, I will pay them back four times more.” Jesus said, “Today is the day for this family to be saved from sin. Yes, even this tax collector is one of God’s chosen people. The Son of Man came to find lost people and save them.”
Here we see an example of Jesus empowered to bless Zacchaeus. He had authority to show grace and empower him. What job did Zacchaeus do? He was a “chief” tax collector. Who did Zacchaes work for? He worked for the hated Roman government.
He stole money from people by telling them to pay him more than what they owed the Roman government. Zacchaeus was a traitor and broke Jewish law, yet he comes to Jesus and he receives grace instead of judgment and punishment. What an example for you today to walk in grace and mercy toward others when judgment and punishment is what the world requires.
Zacchaeus had to TRUST in Jesus and Jesus would take him into a whole new world, the kingdom of God world. It’s so superior to what Zacchaeus had ever experienced. It’s a world filled with grace, love and forgiveness! You’ve been given grace to empower and bless others! Your mission is to take others into a new world, the Kingdom of God world!
ABOUT THE MAN
Zacchaeus’ name means: clean, pure, a just one. From this story we see that in the beginning he’s a traitor to his name and to his people, the Jews. He was small, both in stature and in his standing in the community. He was a social outcast with the Jews.
He climbs up higher in a Sycamore fig-mulberry tree to get a better view of Jesus. (This leafy tree would hide him from those who hated him.) He gets the eyes of his heart and spirit opened to who Jesus really was; the Messiah!
Zacchaeus was a “chief” tax collector. Tax collectors paid a fixed amount of tax to Rome; after that, they enriched themselves by forcing the public to pay far more than what Rome required. Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector in Jericho, was a rich man (verse 2). The term “chief among the publicans” means that Zacchaeus presided over other tax gatherers, and received their collections, which were then transmitted to the Roman government. Tax collectors, (publicans), were not liked by the people in any community.
Zacchaeus’ curiosity may seem insignificant, but Jesus used his curiosity to lead this man to salvation! Zach might have heard about this Jesus who could be king and wanted to figure out if he was going to lose his job for Rome. He wanted to know his enemy and figure out his financial future. If Jesus became King, Zach would be out of a job and possibly put to death.
Zacchaeus’ lifestyle may have felt meaningless and hollow. Like many people today! He was curious about Jesus.
1 Corinthians 1:27, God often chooses the “weak things of the world to confound [put to shame] the things which are mighty.”
Jesus had a word of knowledge and called Zacchaeus by name. He then invited himself to Zach’s home. Only time Jesus did this.
THE RELIGIOUS ELITE
Undoubtedly it was the Pharisees complaining about Jesus going to Zach the sinners house. The religious elite had written Zach off. They thought Zacchaeus was beyond redemption.
TRANSFORMED
We see after spending time with Jesus Zacchaeus is transformed. The Greek scholar, Alfred Plummer, notes that the construction of the sentence in the original language says: “If, as I know is the case, I have taken anything from anybody falsely, I will pay back four times the amount.” This was the extreme repayment required in Exodus 22:1. The Exodus 22 passage says, “If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.”
Zacchaeus promised to return whatever he had taken falsely from others, and he would give back 400% of the amount he had wrongly taken. We see in these words a generous spirit, and a genuine desire to make right any past wrongs. Both attitudes reflect a change of heart in the life of Zacchaeus. These actions were a spontaneous response from a heart made clean by the Spirit of God.
IMAGINE ZACCHAEUS GOING HOUSE TO HOUSE TO PAY BACK AND RESTORE FOUR TIMES MORE THAN WHAT HE STOLE FROM PEOPLE.
That would let people know he has been changed. People would have been talking about Zach in all the households! Jesus responds in verse 9, “This day is salvation come to this house.”
Verse 10 is considered the KEY VERSE for the book of Luke, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
JESUS SEEKS ZACCHAEUS
Jesus specifically went to Jericho for His divine appointment with Zacchaeus. Jesus was seeking Zach. 1 John 4:10, 19, [10] In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation (payment) for our sins. …. [19] We love because he loved us first.
"Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God" Matthew 5:8. Jesus was calling Zacchaeus into his destiny as a man with a pure heart. This was Jesus’ last trip to Jericho. If Zacchaeus had said, “Oh there’s gonna be so…many people I’ll just wait for his next visit," Zach would have missed out on an encounter with God! His destiny would have been very different. DON'T PUT OFF ENCOUNTERS WITH GOD! Your destiny depends on those encounters with Christ. He will propel you forward into your incredible destiny too!
No one is beyond the reach of the grace of God!
Zacchaeus was then empowered to walk in purity, love and generosity towards others.
Jesus wants to encounter you today and every day. He loves you and wants to share His grace and mercy with you. Won’t you receive it today? Invite Him to come. You can encounter Him now!
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