Jump Start # 3319

Luke 19:4 “So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to see Him, for He was about to pass through that way.”

Little Zaccheus, the wee little man, who climbed up in a sycamore tree. What a pleasant story that is. Much too often, that simple story is left for children’s classes. There are profound and powerful lessons for all of us to see here. In Zaccheus we find some qualities that would do well to be in each of us. The church would be a bit better if it had some Zaccheus in it today.

Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem. He has an appointment with the cross. The time had come. The hour was near. All Heaven must have been watching. Satan, likely held his breath. The moment he had been waiting for was now upon them. As Jesus travels through Jericho, just a short distance from Jerusalem, the crowds gathered. We remember, as the Lord enters Jerusalem, it is referred to as the “triumphal entry.” Crowds line the streets. Palm branches cover the path. But, here in Jericho, another crowd has assembled.

Our wee little man, Zaccheus, hears that Jesus is passing through. He wants to see Jesus. Maybe he has heard about Matthew, one of the chosen, a tax collector. Could it be that Zaccheus, being a chief tax collector, had Matthew working for him? Jesus had been in the home of a tax-collector. Jewish rabbis didn’t do that. Tax collectors were the worst in the eyes of Jews. But, this rabbi, Jesus, was so different. Zaccheus just wanted to see.

Four powerful impressions come from this:

First, Zaccheus was curious. Curiosity is a good thing. It makes us run down facts and chase ideas and do deep thinking and deep studying. The Psalmist often talked about the awe of God. I wonder if we’ve gotten so set in our routines that we are no longer curious about the Lord.

The text, our verse, tells us that the little tax collector ran on ahead. That’s a sight! Most didn’t run back in those days unless the house was on fire or a lion was chasing them. It’s not uncommon to see folks running in the neighborhood these days. But back then, what a sight to see. And, of all people, that tax collector. Where was he going, people must have thought? What’s his big hurry? He wanted to see Jesus. Love that spirit. Would love to see people hurrying to worship rather than dragging in late as if they are headed for a root canal. He wanted to see Jesus.

Second, Zaccheus was more than determined. He had a problem. He couldn’t see. He was short. And, you can just about expect, as the crowds lined the streets, that no one was going to make room for a tax collector. Jesus was passing by and he would have missed Him. So close, but nothing. So, our wee little man not only ran on ahead, but he climbed up in a tree to see. Now no one would be blocking the view. Now he could see.

He was determined. Nothing was going to stop him. Satan will throw obstacles your way to keep you from seeing Jesus. Kids have the ball games. Have to work late. Company coming in. Determined. I’m going to be with Jesus. Do you think it would have been embarrassing to climb a tree? Would we have stood in the crowd but gone home thinking, “I tried to see Jesus, but just couldn’t.” Not our little Zaccheus. His mind was made up and he was going to see Jesus. Love that spirit. Love that determination.

Third, Zaccheus was more than enthusiastic. Jesus stopped at the very tree where Zaccheus was. Were there others in nearby trees? We don’t know. But this one tree, Jesus stopped. He did more than just look up and see Zaccheus. He called him by name. Zaccheus must have thought, “How did He know my name? We have never met?” Jesus did more than just call out his name. The Lord told him to come down.

The text tells us that Zaccheus “hurried and came down.” It’s a lot easier coming down from a tree than it is going up. He didn’t hesitate. He hurried. Jesus wanted to talk to him. The spirit of enthusiasm. He was excited. He wanted to talk to Jesus. Now, he was getting more than he ever expected. He was hoping just to see Jesus walk by. But now, he was going to be in a conversation with Jesus. Oh, the spirit of enthusiasm. We might call it passion. Passionate prayers. Passionate singing. Passionate preaching. A people who are passionate about Jesus. Tired and worn out and rather be some where else is much too often the norm for some places of worship. What’s missing is passion. Zeal. Excited.

Fourth, Zaccheus was more than receptive of the Lord. He came down that tree and received Jesus “gladly” the context tells us. He wasn’t embarrassed. He wasn’t ashamed. He didn’t make excuses. The Lord had invited Himself to Zaccheus’ home. This is one of the few times Jesus invited Himself. The tax collector didn’t say, “My house is small,” or, “the place is a mess.” What he said was spoken from a penitent heart. I will repay, I will make right, I will do good. He was a changed man.

Did Zaccheus know about the sermon on the mount? Did he know about the feeding of the five thousand? Did he know about the prophecies concerning the death of Jesus? Good chance he didn’t. He knew Jesus wanted to come to his home. Jesus, on a time table with the cross, made one more stop, to open the heart of a tax collector. Jesus cared to the very end.

Curiosity…determination…enthusiasm…reception—when that fills the air of the church house, great things take place. Don’t wait for someone else to bring those, you bring them. Don’t wait for someone else to start things, you start them.

A wee little man up in a tree, came down a big, big believer in Jesus. It wasn’t miracles. It wasn’t prophecies. It was compassion, kindness and taking some time for someone who didn’t deserve it. Those are the very things that you and I can do. Slow down and help others. Notice who is up in trees looking.

Great reminders for us from long ago.

Roger

Jump Start # 899

Luke 19:4 “So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to see Him, for He was about to pass through that way.”

Our congregation is engaged in a daily Bible reading program. Our passage today is taken from this chapter in Luke today. It involves the “wee little man,” Zaccheus. There are several interesting thoughts here. Many of us remember this lesson from Bible classes when we were children. We sang the song about the “wee little man.”

Jesus is passing through Jericho, where this story takes place. He is on His way to Jerusalem. He has an appointment with the cross. Even on the way to His trial and death, Jesus is thinking of others and doing things for others.

Word about Jesus has spread. A large crowd has assembled to see Him. Outside of Jerusalem, Jesus is still popular. Word reached Zaccheus. He just has to see for himself. Zaccheus has many things against him. He is short—which makes him the subject of jokes. He is a tax collector—worse than that, a chief tax collector and he is rich—which came from collecting taxes from his countrymen to give to the Romans. Tax collectors were not like by Jews, and chief tax collectors were at the top of those they hated.

It must have been a sight to see this wee little man running ahead to climb up a tree to look for Jesus. What was the attraction? Why did he want to see? I think Zaccheus had heard things about Jesus, as others had. Jesus was different. He was not in step with the Pharisees. He was healing on the Sabbath. He defended the outcast. He was doing incredible miracles. Among His chosen, was Matthew, a tax collector. Jesus had even gone to Matthew’s home. Unbelievable! Zaccheus had to get a glimpse of Jesus, a friend of tax collectors. No one was a friend of tax collectors.

I like Zaccheus for that reason. He heard enough to make him curious. He had to go see for himself. I doubt that he knew why Jesus was going to Jerusalem. Few knew. I doubt he expected to actually talk with Jesus, but he did. I doubt he ever dreamed that he would have Jesus in his home, a private conversation. But he did. Of all the people in that crowd, Jesus stops where Zaccheus was. He called him by name. He invited Himself to the tax collector’s home. This was one of the few times, if not the only time, Jesus invited Himself. Zaccheus changed. He promised to give half of his possessions to the poor, and if he defrauded anyone, he was going to pay back four times as much. More than the law required. He was changed.

It is interesting that Jesus didn’t ask him to do that. Jesus didn’t say, “Zaccheus, when we get to your house, I’d like to take a look at your tax books.” Jesus didn’t say, “Zaccheus, how’s business been lately?” Zaccheus changed without Jesus having to say any of those things. When the honest and pure Jesus stood next to Zaccheus, he wanted to be like Jesus.

God has a way of working on all of us like that. It’s hard to be thinking bad when you are praying. Worship services tends to bring the best out of us. Being around other Christians tends to motivate one to step up and do more. Standing next to Jesus, ought to change us.

Have you ever wondered what you would have said to Jesus had you been up that tree instead of Zaccheus? I wonder what you would have thought if Jesus said, “Come down quickly, I’m going to your house today?” Would you be excited or embarrassed? Would you feel uncomfortable, a loss for words, wondering what you and Jesus will talk about? Would we immediately think about how clean our house was or what food we have at home to give to Jesus?

Come down, I want to come to your house. I like that thought. Jesus could have said, “Zaccheus, stay where you are at. I’m coming up that tree so you and I can talk.” He didn’t do that. Jesus went to Zaccheus’ home. The Messiah at the home of a chief tax collector. His home, where he was comfortable. His home, where they would escape the listening ears of the crowd. His home, is where Jesus wanted to be.

There is a place that Jesus wants to be with you. It’s not your home. It’s even more private than that. It’s a place where you are really you. It’s a place that very few, if any really see. It’s your heart. Jesus wants to dwell in your heart. Your heart, where memories are formed, secrets are stored, when impressions are made, where we are really who we are. There are no pretenses in our heart. We do not allow others to roam free in our hearts. We keep thoughts guarded and locked in our hearts. Even our mates, the one who is most dear to us, does not get free reign in our hearts. Our words say one thing, our hearts something else. We can be good at hiding what is in our hearts, all the while telling people what they want to hear. We are good at wearing masks and hiding things. We keep things to ourselves and we keep those things in our hearts.

This is where Jesus wants to be. This is where He wants us to open the door and invite Him in. Our hearts. Jesus doesn’t want to just take a walk through to see that everything is tip top. No, instead, He wants to stay in our hearts. He intends to dwell in our hearts. The core of who we are, the center of what makes us unique, that’s where Jesus wants to be. He’s not so interested in the outside. He’s looking at the inside.

When you allow Jesus to dwell in your heart, like Zaccheus, you’ll change. You’ll realize that Jesus brings out the best. He wants you to be your best. Some just can’t do that. They keep the door to their hearts closed to Jesus. They will be near Jesus. They will follow Jesus. But Jesus never gets into their heart and for that reason, they never become what they could.

Of all the people on that Jericho road, it was Zaccheus that Jesus went home with. Jesus is wanting to move into your heart. Will you let Him? Paul told the Galatians, that he no longer lived. Rather, Christ “liveth in me.” Jesus was dwelling in Paul’s heart. The doors were open and Jesus was welcomed in. You see what it did to Paul. He changed.

Other than going to worship on Sunday morning, some people are not much different than the guy who never worships. Their words, attitudes, actions are all pretty much the same. You’d think there ought to be some huge differences. The reason, the one who goes to church hasn’t invited Jesus into his heart. For that reason, he’s pretty much the same guy he has always been.

I doubt if Zaccheus would have had the nerve to invite Jesus on his own. That didn’t happen. Jesus invited Himself. He does the same to you. We lack the nerve to ask the Lord. He stands, as Revelation says, at the door and knocks. The door is your heart.

Jesus wants to come to your house, your heart, today. Will you let Him?

Roger