ZACCHAEUS (:1-10) – Sunday, August 30, 2020 Series: of Luke, Message #83 – Summit Church, Alta IA - Pastor Doug Corlew

After 20 weeks in the book of Joshua, today we return to our series in the . We began this series in November of 2017, and we’ve taken some breaks along the way. We’re back at it now, and we plan to arrive at the resurrection account on Easter Sunday, and complete the series this spring. But today we pick it up where we left off in March, at the beginning of chapter 19, with the familiar story of Zacchaeus. I invite you to join me there, in your or your Bible App. Let’s listen closely, for this is the Word of God.

Luke 19:1-10 – () entered 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 in 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 . 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."

I think this is a great place to resume our series in the Gospel of Luke. Because v 10 is usually identified as the key verse in the whole book. This is Luke’s theme, here expressed by Jesus Himself as the purpose of His own life and ministry: “For the Son of Man to seek and to save the lost.” Since 1995, the purpose of Summit Church has been expressed like this: We are committed to lead people to salvation in Jesus , and encourage spiritual growth in all believers through sound Biblical teaching. “Do you support that purpose statement?” This was the first question put to me by the pastoral search committee 25 years ago.I assured them that I did. I still do, and I hope you do as well.

To help us better understand our purpose, which is the purpose of Jesus, let’s take a closer look at the story of Zacchaeus, where we’ll note 3 key lessons for us – As a church that seeks “to lead people to salvation in Jesus Christ,” and as persons who are either saved… or still lost. 3 lessons –

1st, THERE ARE NO UNREACHABLE SINNERS (v 1-3). In v 1 we have a nice transition from the book of Joshua back to the Gospel of Luke. Because the scene is set in the city of Jericho! As you know, this was the first city God gave to His people in the conquest of the Promised Land. It was here that the armies marched, the trumpets blew, the walls collapsed. Then Joshua said, “Cursed before the LORD be the man who rises up and rebuilds this city, Jericho. It will cost him both his firstborn and youngest son” (Joshua 6:26). Well, in 1 Kings 16:34, that’s exactly what happens. Hiel of Bethel rebuilds the city, and it costs him the lives of two sons.

Now hundreds of years later, here’s Jesus passing through this city. He’s on His way to Jerusalem, knowing He will suffer and die there. But first, He must fulfill a mission in Jericho – not of judgment, but of salvation! Jericho is about 15 miles northeast of Jerusalem, along an important trade route from that capitol city. In other words, it would be a profitable location for a tax collector. Zacchaeus was not only a tax collector there, he was a chief tax collector. That means others worked under him, and his profits were greater than most. He was rich, as Luke puts it bluntly. But what we need to understand is that he became wealthy by skimming off the proceeds of the tax revenue on its way to Rome. 1

You see, by this time in history, the Jews were still living in the promised land, but they had been conquered and colonized by Rome. And the way Rome plundered Israel was by keeping their economy intact, but taking most of the income. Their basic message was, “Give us 80% of your income or we’ll kill you.” And the Roman government hired Jews to collect these taxes from their own countrymen! So it’s not hard to see why tax collectors were so despised by Jewish people. They were not only dishonest and ruthless, they were considered worthless traitors.

That explains why nobody was helping Zacchaeus out in v 3. Being short can be a real disadvantage when you’re watching a parade. But then again, if you’re short enough, people don’t mind if you stand in front of them, because they can see right over you. So why is everyone using their elbows to keep Zacchaeus from seeing anything? Because they didn’t like him! He has no friends, no social life. The chief tax collector was Public Enemy Number One. That’s why they’re so offended when Jesus goes to his house. In v 7, they’re all grumbling: “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.”

What people failed to understand is that salvation is for sinners! It’s for outcasts and outsiders. It’s for liars and swindlers and cheats – lowlifes, as others might call them. Zacchaeus was exactly the kind of person Jesus came to seek and to save. He was lost! And if Jesus came to save Zacchaeus, then He’s willing and able to save any lost sinner. He’s willing to save you, even after everything you’ve done to turn away from God. You’re not a hopeless case, any more than Zacchaeus was. No one is a hopeless case! Jesus Christ came to save even the most notorious sinners.

But truth is, we’re all sinners, and that’s why we all we need a Savior. This idea might sound obvious, but most people don’t really grasp that. Most people think they’re good enough to somehow save themselves, be their own Savior. Every other religion tells you that: there’s something you must do in order to be saved. Follow this path, take these steps, do these things. So if that’s your approach, you can never be sure if you’re saved. It’s always a process. Unfortunately, most churches have adopted that non-Christian message. So even though people attend church all their life, they never hear the gospel. If you ask them how to be saved, they’ll say something like, “Try your best to live your whole life according to the example of Jesus.”

One of the greatest preachers of the 20th century was Martin Lloyd-Jones of London. He said the best diagnostic question to discover someone’s true spiritual condition is to ask them, “Are you willing to say you are a Christian?” Or I like to say, “Do you know for sure that you’re going to heaven?” Lloyd-Jones observed that people will often say, “I hope so, but I don’t feel good enough.” And he said, “At that point I know they have no idea what a Christian is. Because they’re still thinking of themselves.” It may sound modest to say, “I may not be good enough,” but actually it’s a denial of the faith. Because we’ll never be good enough; nobody ever has been good enough. But Jesus Christ is good enough, and I’m in Him. That’s the essence of the gospel: He bore my sins and clothed me in His righteousness. As Martin Luther put it 500 years ago, the righteousness I need to enter heaven is not a righteousness that I give to God, but that God gives to me – as a gift, because of Jesus Christ. Luther said when he finally grasped that, he felt himself to be born again.

Zacchaeus may have been the shortest guy on the street – shortest in height and godliness! But we’ve all sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). So there’s no sense comparing ourselves to one another. For what does it matter if you miss heaven but came closer than someone else? All have sinned and fall short of God’s glory.

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Thankfully, as the apostle Paul writes in 1 Timothy 1:15, The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. That should settle it. If the Lord saved Paul – a blasphemer and persecutor of the church, a killer of Christians – There are no unreachable sinners. Zacchaeus, Paul, me, and you. We all need a Savior, and Scripture says, Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:13).

A 2nd lesson to learn from Zacchaeus: THERE ARE NO UNSOUGHT SEEKERS (v 4-7). Do you consider yourself to be a spiritual seeker? Zacchaeus was a seeker. v 3 says that Zacchaeus was seeking to see who Jesus was. And he proves himself to be rather resourceful guy. When the crowd stood in his way, v 4 says, he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see (Jesus), for he was about to pass that way.

A sycamore tree is much like an oak tree, but with a short trunk, and wide, lateral branches that make for easy climbing. I used to love to climb trees when I was a kid, but I haven’t done that in a while! Adults don’t usually behave like this, and especially not in first century Palestine. Zacchaeus must have been desperate, because he wasn’t troubled by any loss of dignity. In that culture, respectable men didn’t run, and they certainly didn’t climb trees! They wore robes, you know! Zacchaeus was probably mocked and ridiculed for this, but he was determined.

And this is an important lesson for every seeker: If you are truly seeking Jesus, you can expect the crowd to make it hard for you, to make fun of you. Even friends and family may ask, “What’s wrong with you? Why are you so into Jesus right now?” When faced with that kind of opposition, many people won’t climb the tree. They’ll just go home. It’s a lot easier. But if you’re curious about Jesus, and you’re intellectually open to knowing Him, be persistent. And don’t let others stifle your interest. Some people seek Christ only in a time of crisis, and that’s good too, but sometimes it turns out they were only using Him to get through the crisis, and they don’t actually come to know Him in a lasting, genuine way. It may actually better to seek Him when you’re not in a crisis, but you’re curious. Now’s the time to find answers to your questions.

Maybe you have some things in common with Zacchaeus. Like him, you’ve heard others talk about Christ, and you’d like to know more. Perhaps, like him, you’ve found that money doesn’t really satisfy. Maybe you have a bit of a guilty conscience for how you’ve been living. Or maybe, like Zacchaeus, you feel lonely and rejected by others. Whatever has prompted you to search for Jesus, or come to worship today, don’t be easily deterred. The crowd will try to wall you out; don’t let them! Do everything in your power to see Jesus more clearly. You don’t have to climb up a tree to do this. Aren’t you glad? You simply need to spend time with Jesus – by speaking to Him in prayer, and listening to Him speak in the Bible, as it’s preached, and as you read it for yourself.

And you should be very encouraged to recognize something in this story: Zacchaeus desperately wanted to see Jesus. But as it turned out, Jesus also wanted to see him. Luke tells us in v 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."

When you read through the , take note of how Jesus sees. No matter where He is, or what’s happening around Him, He notices people. His eyes are active and engaged. So often we’re too busy to really see the people God places before us. We’re too distracted to stop and move toward them, finding ways to care for them. But Jesus’ eyes are always open, and His heart is always drawn to

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people. And – He calls His sheep by name: “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down.” Imagine how shocked Zacchaeus must have been that Jesus used his name! It was as if Jesus had known him – which of course, He had, from all eternity.

Jesus was on a divine mission here. He had come to seek and to save the lost. So when making dinner plans, Jesus not only invites Himself over, He pretty much makes it impossible for Zacchaeus to say no! “Hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” Not, “I would like to, if you’re up for it!” but “I must” come over. This isn’t so much an invitation as an imperative. He’s speaking with divine authority, commanding Zacchaeus to hurry; their appointment is today. “I must stay at your house.” Here we see God’s sovereignty in salvation. Christ is in control of this situation. And it’s not just advisable or possible, it’s necessary for Him to visit Zacchaeus. For He came to seek and to save people just like him.

6 - So (Zacchaeus) hurried and came down and received him joyfully. Zacchaeus practically falls out of the tree, he’s so thrilled with this opportunity. He had wanted to catch a glimpse of Jesus; now he will host him in his home! We have to understand that hospitality was a big deal in that culture. It was an offer of friendship and acceptance. So in v 7, everyone found this to be totally unacceptable. They grumble and criticize: “How could a religious teacher be a guest in the house of a known sinner? If He eats with this kind of man, He’s guilty too, by association!” Quite a cheerful group, aren’t they? But their unhappiness contrasts with the joy of Zacchaeus. Because he knows that Jesus is extending fellowship to him, and forgiveness. He knows he’s accepted by Jesus! So he welcomes Him in, grateful that the Lord has found Him. And this is what you must do as well. Receive Jesus today. Others may not. But to all who (do) receive Him, who believe in His name, He gives the right to become children of God, (those) born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God (John 1:11-12).

Scripture teaches that apart from the prior activity of God in our hearts, no one seeks for God. We all turn away from Him to go our own way (Rom 3:11-12). So as the hymnwriter put it: I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew He moved my heart to seek Him, seeking me; It was not I that found, O Savior true; No, I was found of Thee.

No unreachable sinners, no unsought seekers – And 3rd, THERE ARE NO UNCHANGED BELIEVERS (v 8-10). If Jesus accepted Zacchaeus as he was, it was not so that he could stay that way. This turns out to be a life- changing encounter for the wee little man!

But Jesus didn’t come to him and say, “Clean up your life, first, you dirty politician, then I’ll come and love you.” But rather, it was, “I’m coming, I love you.” And as a result, Zacchaeus cleans up his life. That’s the gospel. Jesus doesn’t love you because you’re lovely; He loves you to make you lovely. So knowing that he’s accepted by Jesus, Zacchaeus has a new sense of identity. And there’s no way he can go on living the way he had always lived.

In v 8, you sense his excitement, as Zacchaeus stands and says, "Behold, Lord, -- And by the way, that’s more than a title of respect, that’s his first confession of faith! It’s a sign that he is coming under the lordship of Jesus Christ. But the real proof of his faith comes in what he says next: “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold."

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When Zacchaeus heard everyone muttering that he was a sinner, apparently, he wouldn’t have argued that point. He realized they were right. So now he stands in front of Jesus and everyone else to confess his sins: both what he had done, and what he had left undone. There were sins of commission, for he had cheated people out of their hard-earned income. But there were also sins of omission, for he had not shared his riches with the poor. And he was not only sorry for all these sins, he was committed to make restitution. You see, true repentance brings about real change. Repenting is turning to God, but you can’t do that without turning from sin. If there’s no lasting change in someone’s life after they profess to believe in Jesus, it’ s doubtful that true repentance has ever taken place.

You remember, at the start of this gospel, told the crowds to bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And when they said, “What kind of fruit?” – John talked about being generous with your possessions and honest in your business dealings (3:8-14). And Zacchaeus, by the grace of God, bears that fruit – showing he truly is saved from his sins. He’s a new man, starting right now. Money was his god, but not anymore. In v 8, it’s almost like he’s emptying his pockets right then and there! “Lord, I give… I restore!”

And Zacchaeus intends to go well beyond what the law required. For starters, he would give half his possessions to the poor. Half! In the Old Testament, God’s people were required to give 10%; he’s offering 50%! And to those he has defrauded, Zacchaeus says he’ll make a fourfold restoration. The Old Testament required 20% restitution, in other words, you pay back 120%. Zacchaeus is offering 400%! That shows how a changed heart looks at money: Not asking, how much do I have to give, but how much can I give?

In the , we are urged to give from hearts that love the Lord. So we might we regard the tithe, or 10%, as a floor, but not the ceiling of our giving. It’s a good starting point, for the New Testament never lowers Old Testament standards. After all, we’ve received greater revelation, greater blessings in Christ. So having learned to tithe, we’ll want to go on from there, if possible. I realize, for many of us, 10% will truly represent sacrificial giving. If you’re at 1 or 2 or 3%, like most people, you’re probably not really giving anything up; you can still do all the things you did before, everything you want to do. At 10% though, it may affect your choices for travel or clothing or entertainment. For wealthier people, you have to go way past 10% before that will happen.

But if you understand what Jesus Christ did for you, you’re not thinking, “Oh no!” You worship the eternal Son of God, who had all power and glory and wealth, and gave it all up it all, to become a human being, in order to be tortured and killed so you could have eternal life. Now Zacchaeus didn’t know that Jesus was on His way to the cross when He passed through Jericho. But still, he was moved by Jesus’ generosity toward him. I mean, it cost Jesus something to love Zacchaeus. It cost Him His reputation. He bore the scorn of the crowd in order to reach out to this man. And if Zacchaeus was changed by that level of generosity, how much more should the costliness of the grace we have received lead to a life change?

When it comes to our giving, there are no hard and fast percentages that apply to everyone. You might recall in the previous chapter of Luke, Jesus met another rich man, and told him to sell everything and give it to the poor (18:22). But when Zacchaeus offers to give 50%, Jesus doesn’t say, “Sorry, it has to be 100%!” No, in v 9, Jesus is pleased, saying to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.” Jesus identifies Zacchaeus’ new attitude toward money as evidence of his salvation. Instead of taking advantage of people, Zacchaeus wants to serve them.

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And what makes this so remarkable is what Jesus said in the previous chapter, after His conversation with that other rich man? Do you remember? That man did not repent, but went away sad, unwilling to part with his wealth. And in 18:24-27, Jesus said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” But he said, "What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

And Zacchaeus is proof of that last point! He could have never found salvation on his own. Only God could bring about repentance in the life of this rich little thief. He needed Jesus to come seeking him, in order for him to be saved. But the same is true of you and me. It’s only by God’s power that we can be saved. Saved from the penalty of sin and it’s power. And the fruit of our repentance will not only touch our pocketbook. It will affect our lives in any number of practical ways. God may be calling you to pay more attention to your family, instead of neglecting them. It could mean finding help to overcome lust or anger. Using words to build people up, rather than tearing them down or gossiping. So what would true repentance look like for you? What are the prevailing sins in your life, and what changes does God want to bring?

The grace that Zacchaeus is now available to us, through the cross. “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Still today, Jesus seeks lost people, drawing them to faith, granting them repentance, and saving them on the basis of His own death and resurrection. Has He saved you? Have you been converted? Are you born again?

All of us need a Savior, but there are no unreachable sinners. All of us have turned away from Christ, but there are no unsought seekers. And all of us will struggle with sin, but there are no unchanged believers. So like Zacchaeus, let’s welcome Jesus Christ into our lives, and do it today – acknowledging our sins, confessing and forsaking them – That by His power, we might walk in the new life He has given to us. Amen.

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