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By Wayne Clapp
In Rock-Solid
Marriage, Robert and Rosemary Barnes write:
"Last summer we went with a close friend to
his ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. At our friend Gary's
insistence, we spent one whole day climbing the side
of a mountain to get to see something he wanted us
to see. We were both just exhausted and it got to the
point that we really didn't care what was in that special
valley. It couldn't be worth all that pain we were
going through. He just kept insisting. “Trust
me,” he kept saying, “you'll be glad you
did this when we get there.
Three hours later, when our feet were blistered and
we were dying of thirst, we finally reached our destination.
Lying down on a side of a mountain, we were looking
at the most beautiful valley and lake I had ever seen.
The climb was long and it was agony, but it was more
than worth it. Gary was right.”
The things of God
are frequently like that. God gives them to us by His
wonderful grace. Then our appreciation of them is frequently
heightened as we do our utmost to understand and seek
to live out the reality of His grace in our lives.
Anything we do to realize and appreciate what He has
done is well worth the effort.
We are challenged in life to climb ever higher and higher in our hearts
and minds with the greatness of God’s Word. Our love for God encourages
us to continue to climb to the higher ground of God’s Word that we sang
about this morning. Our relationship with God can continue to grow more intimate
as we see more and more of God’s Word and His promises manifested in our
daily lives.
Today we are going to look at a record of a man who so wanted to see Jesus
that he literally climbed high to get a glimpse of him. This account of Jesus
and Zacchaeus always stirs the hearts of those hungering to know God and His
son, our wonderful Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Luke 19:1,2:
And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.
2And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus,
which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.
Publicans were tax collectors, and Zacchaeus
was the chief one in that area of Judea. Tax collecting
in the Roman Empire during Jesus’ lifetime was
known to be abusive. Dishonesty and extortion was not
uncommon. John the Baptist warned the publicans who came
to him for baptism to avoid the common practices of the
times.
Luke 3:12 and 13:
Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him [John], Master,
what shall we do?
13 And he said unto them, Exact no more
than that which is appointed you.
Publicans were known
to demand more taxes than they were required to collect,
and keep the extra they collected for themselves. This
did not endear them to the common people. Also adding
to the contempt most felt toward the tax collectors
was their association with the uncircumcised Romans.
The distain the Judeans harbored for their foreign
conquerors was transferred to their agents, the publicans.
Jesus Christ also confronted the sensitive issue of taxation. When asked, “Is
it lawful to give tribute [pay a head tax] unto Caesar, or not?” Jesus
responded:
Matthew 22:19-21:
Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.
20And he saith unto them, Whose is this image
and superscription?
21They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith
he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s;
and unto God the things that are God’s.
Every nation has some kind of taxation.
It is the believers’ responsibility to give to
Caesar, the government, the things that are Caesar’s
and to God the things that are God’s. It is important
that we do both and recognize the difference.
Although Zacchaeus was chief among the publicans and rich, it doesn’t
say he cheated to get rich. Yes, Zacchaeus was a tax collector, and yes he was
rich, but neither his occupation nor his wealth indicates that he was dishonest.
Although people often make assumptions based on occupation and wealth, Jesus
did not. Although Zacchaeus may have been guilty by association to the rest of
the Judean people, Jesus harbored no prejudice or bias towards him. Although
he may have been considered corrupt by many because of what he did, Jesus was
able to look past it.
We will learn one great thing about Zacchaeus as we proceed. He was motivated
by a wonderful desire. He wanted to see Jesus.
Luke 19:3
And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because
he was little of stature.
Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus—who
he was. That’s the kind of desire that leads to
salvation. There are still people today with that same
longing to see Jesus. However, they will not get to see
him today, by climbing a literal sycamore tree. There’s
two ways to see him today. Anyone can see him in the
pages of the God’s Word. After all, he is the subject
of the scriptures from Genesis 3:15 to Revelation 22:21.
We should get a beautiful picture of Jesus and who he
is as we read today.
The second way people can see Jesus is to look at the life of someone
with Christ in them, the hope of glory. We must be willing to show people Jesus,
who he is. If you know him, you can introduce others to him.
Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus, but he couldn’t. The crowd was too
great and he was too small.. He couldn’t get close enough to see him. However,
when one’s desire is great, it presses for fulfillment. You may have heard
the modern proverb, “Where there is a will, there is a way.” That
sounds pretty humanistic, doesn’t it? I don’t know how true or universal
that statement is, but I know that Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus, and he found
a way.
Zacchaeus was little in stature, but big in desire. When we know what
we want, and we’re willing to pursue it, many times doors open. Zachaeus
had a plan.
Luke 19:4
And he [Zacchaeus] ran before, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see
him: for he [Jesus] was to pass that way .
Zacchaeus climbed
up into a sycamore tree in order to get a view of Jesus.
Zacchaeus took the necessary action to satisfy his
desire. If people want to see Jesus Christ today, they
too, will need to act. Zacchaeus took the initiative
and climbed up into a sycamore tree. What are you willing
to do?
Bishop Pillai taught us that the biblical sycamore tree is not the same
as the common sycamore tree found here in America. The sycamore tree spoken of
in Luke 19:4 was a certain type of fig tree, called a sycamore fig. Sycamore
fig trees were avoided because of their association with pigs, which were considered
unclean animals to the Judeans. The fruit they bore was not consumed by people.
It was fed to cows and pigs. [Light Through An Eastern Window, K.C. Pillai P.
105]
Zacchaeus' climbing the despised sycamore fig tree was an act of great humility.
He was willing to endure humiliation and distain to satisfy his longing to
see Jesus. That’s the best he knew to do. But, how much would his desire
be fulfilled viewing Jesus from afar. What would he learn of Jesus and who
he is looking down from a tree?
Luke 19:5:
And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up ....
Jesus took note of Zacchaeus’ action
and looked up. He cared enough about this one man to
stop and speak directly to him. Jesus didn’t care
that he was a publican or that he had humiliated himself
by climbing the sycamore tree. Jesus wanted to satisfy
his longing soul.
Whenever men and women desire to know the Lord Jesus Christ, they will
have that desire met according to God's Word. Those people who hunger and thirst
after righteousness shall (absolutely) be filled. [Matthew 5:6] That's right.
Do you remember the record from Psalm 37?
Psalm 37:4,5:
Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine
heart.
5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also
in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
Zacchaeus got the
desire of his heart. He committed his way unto the
LORD; trusting also in him; and God brought his desire
to pass. But, as we will see, it came to pass exceeding
abundantly above all that Zacchaeus imagined.
Luke 19:5:
And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto
him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy
house.
Jesus called Zacchaeus by name. Zacchaeus
had never before seen Jesus Christ, but he sure wanted
to. His idea was to climb high to see Jesus, but Jesus
offered much more… conversation, communion, fellowship.
How electrifying!
How Zacchaeus' heart must have thrilled. The desire of his heart was met
exceeding abundantly above all he could ask or think. When the offer was extended,
Zacchaeus jumped at it. Maybe he didn’t leap down from his perch, but he
obediently made haste and received the lord, because verse six says:.
Luke 19:6:
And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.
I bet Zacchaeus was
joyful. I bet he was bubbling over with excitement
and gratitude. Put yourself in his place. I know I
would have been thrilled.
Luke 19:7:
And when they [the crowd around Jesus, perhaps including apostles, disciples,
and others] saw it [that Jesus wanted to be with Zacchaeus], they all murmured,
saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.
The people murmured under their breath.
They couldn't understand why Jesus would want to share
himself with such a man. Obviously they did not understand
Jesus’ choice.
Luke 19:8:
And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my
goods I give to the poor and if I have taken any thing from any man by
false accusation [if I've taken anything from anybody illegally], I restore
him fourfold.
What a great man. He certainly wasn’t
the man everyone else thought he was. He wasn’t
the typical tax collector. Now we understand better why
he was rich. He was extremely charitable, sharing fifty
percent of his goods with the poor. Obviously he didn’t
think he had ever extorted anything from anybody. However,
if he had, he was willing to make it good by paying it
back four times over.
As a publican, Zacchaeus would have been despised by the public as a whole.
Yet Jesus didn’t despise him. Jesus saw beyond the five senses. He wasn’t
moved by what others thought. He walked by the spirit. He ended up at Zacchaeus’ house
because God wanted him there. It may not have been on his “things to do
today list” at the start of the day, but he knew it was the right thing
to do as his day unfolded.
Zacchaeus was hungering and thirsting after righteousness and God had
Jesus Christ offer him the bread of life and living waters of which Zacchaeus
gladly partook as verse nine indicates.
Luke 19:9a:
And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house ....
Jesus came to his house and brought salvation
with him. Jesus is able to save to the uttermost all
who come to God by him. He was a friend of publicans
and sinners. He loved all God’s people. Acts 4:12
says, “Neither is there salvation in any other:
for there is none other name under heaven given among
men, whereby we must be saved.” Jesus Christ is
the way, the truth, and the life. He is the true and
living way.
Luke 19:9b:
...forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.
Zacchaeus was not merely a blood descendant
of Abraham. He was a believer. That’s what a son
of Abraham is [Galatians 3:7]: a believer, someone who,
when God's Word is opened to him, hears the Word and
believes it. Jesus went home with him, shared his life
with him, and taught him God's Word. Jesus presented
the bread of life and offered him the living waters,
and Zacchaeus’ hunger and thirst were satisfied.
Salvation came that day to Zacchaeus' house because a
son of Abraham, a believer, came to know Jesus, who he
was.
Then Jesus reproved the murmurings spoken of in verse 7, explaining himself
saying:
Luke 19:10:
For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Jesus is still about his Father’s
business. Jesus Christ seeks those who are lost. He has
no problem extending himself to anyone. He meets people
where they are and takes them to where they need to be.
No one is outside of his reach. Hebrews 7:25 says that
Jesus Christ is "able also to save them to the uttermost
that come unto God by him."
Jesus met Zacchaeus, who had climbed up in a tree to see him. Wherever
there are men and women who really want to know him, who he is, Jesus Christ
is always there. There is no one so low, that the arms of the Almighty are not
underneath him, and there is no one so high that the arms of the Almighty are
not over him.
Jesus is figuratively knocking at the door to your heart, wanting to come
in and to answer your questions, to satisfy the longings of your soul. No one
can do it like he does. Jesus has never failed. He has never fallen short. He
has never given up. He always does His Father’s will. Wherever he goes,
there is salvation, deliverance, and freedom.
Revelation 3:20:
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open
the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
In the East you only
ate with those you were most intimate with. Because
food was preserved with salt. Eating salted food together
meant entering into a salt covenant. Jesus is willing
to do that with you. He is willing to commit and to
serve us the bread of life.
Whatever you have to do to know the Lord Jesus Christ, do it. Wherever
you have to go to learn about him, go there. The one great driving force of our
souls should be to know Jesus Christ. Who is he? The only way you’ll ever
know who Jesus Christ is to come to God’s Word. The Word makes known Jesus
Christ. The Word tells you who he is. It is that Word which brings you to a knowledge
of salvation.
But you say, Wayne I already know the Lord Jesus Christ. I am born-again
of God’s spirit. That’s wonderful. Praise God! Hallelujah! Do you
think you have any more to learn? Are you enjoying your fellowship with the Father?
Like the song says. “It can be sweeter everyday.”
If you want it to be sweeter everyday, it you want to experience the truth
of God’s Word, climb high to see Jesus. God always has and always will
seek out and teach those who are looking to Jesus Christ as their savior and
lord.
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