WATCH OUT FOR THAT TREE

 

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

 

1.      Jesus was passing through Jericho on His way to Jerusalem.  Jericho is one of the oldest  

 inhabited communities of the world.  We know it from Joshua fame.  Rahab was from here         

 and she was an ancestor of Jesus. 

2.      In Jericho there was a man named Zacchaeus who we learn was three things.  He was the chief tax collector, wealthy and short.

3.      He wanted to see Jesus, but he could not see over the crowd.  He did something that was unusual and even undignified.  He climbs a sycamore fig tree to see Him since Jesus was coming that way.  One of the first things that leaves is your pride.  You must come like a child.  Only kids climb trees.  What was he doing?  He wants to see Jesus. 

 

5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

 

1.      Jesus comes to the spot, looks up and speaks to Zacchaeus.  Jesus in His love, grace, mercy, and omniscience invites himself to Zacchaeus’ house.  Jesus saw a man who needed redemption.  God looks at the heart not the externals. 

2.      Jesus often broke cultural taboos to reach a soul.  How far would you go for a soul and what would you do? 

3.      Notice Zacchaeus’ reaction.  He came down at once and received Jesus gladly.  This was one invitation he was going to accept.  You are here today because you have accepted or will accept an invitation

 

7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.

 

1.      The crowd saw this and muttered, complained, gossip and criticized.  Here are some truths about the crowd. 

2.      They are rarely right, easily swayed and care only about whose voice is the loudest.  The crowd is bias, it always is prejudiced and reflects the opinion of the day. 

3.      The crowd will always reflect the pride, pleasure, and flaws of the world.  It will always be worldly, demonic, and selfish based.  You will never satisfy everyone.  The crowd is mean, cynical, mocking and will never be satisfied.  Jesus never gave into, heard, and often ignored the crowd. 

4.      You will never get anything done or make a difference if you worry or try to appease the crowd.  Remember you are not destined to be accepted but to stand out.  You are a person of destiny.  Those who make a difference go against the flow not with it.  Being a Christian is about doing what God wants and not what the crowd wants.

5.      The reason for their reaction is obvious.  Zacchaeus is rich, works for the Romans and he is short. 

 

8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

 

1.      Zacchaeus throws a dinner for Jesus.  Who does he invite all his friends?  Who are they? Tax collector and sinners.  Jesus already reached out to one tax collector who was now part of his travelling group and that was Matthew.  I love Jesus because He cares about people more than being socially acceptable.  Something beautiful was about to happen.

2.      Zacchaeus acknowledges the deity, Messiahship, and authority of Jesus.  He calls Him Lord.  In this encounter Zacchaeus becomes something else. 

3.      Zacchaeus does four things.  He acknowledges that Jesus is Lord.  He gives half of his possessions to the poor.  He acknowledges he is a cheater, liar, and extorter.  He promises to pay back anyone he has wrong four times. 

4.      True faith always has action.  Zacchaeus was a changed man.  Salvation does this.  There is always a change when true salvation comes.  In Zacchaeus’ case he became generous, benevolent, and repentant.  James says you have faith show it by what you do.  Faith always has an outward sign.  Faith has fruit and that fruit remains.  In this case Zacchaeus has a radical transformation.  I am sure there was a lot of happy people in Jericho that day.

 

9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

 

1.      Jesus then addresses both Zacchaeus and those there.  There are three things that Jesus says.  Three important facts that need to be expressed, shown, and revealed.  This is a moment of regeneration and transformation. 

2.      Today salvation has come to this house.  This is why Jesus’ stop, went to Zacchaeus house, and met with him.  This was divine appointment, the will of Father, and the reason why Jesus came.  He came for people like this man and us.  Sinners who could not save themselves.  Jesus came to bring eternal and abundant life and that is our primary mission, goal, and honor in life.  We have a new goal, mission, and agenda for life.  It is doing the will of the Father and bringing eternal and abundant life to those we meet in our world.  We either do it by what we shall or how we live.  We must reach the Zacchaeus in our world.

3.      Jesus reminded him that despite what he had become he was still a Jew, a Son of Abraham.  The same promise Abraham had he had.  Remember the Lord doesn’t see what we are but what we can become.  The Lord always sees the heart. 

4.      Jesus then reminds all that His mission as the Son of Man.  His purpose for coming and the reason He was at Zacchaeus house that moment and day was to seek and save the lost.  Zacchaeus was lost and now he was found.  In a nutshell this is why Jesus came.   He came to seek and save the lost.

5.      As I close, I want to remind you of two things.  We were sought by the Lord because we were lost.  We did not find Him He sought us.  Next our mission, goal, destiny and aim in life is to seek and find the loss.  When you came to Christ that has become the primary, goal, function and aim of your life.