LUKE 19:1-10

Luke 19:1-10

Three short weeks ago, we looked at the story of the rich young ruler. It was a sad story, because in the end, the young man walked away from Jesus, because he was extremely rich. Wealth was his true love, his god – and he was unwilling to give it up. I suggested that story was particularly applicable to us and our culture – even to the American church. Because by any measure, we too are rich, in some cases, extremely rich. And we found that Jesus will endure no competitors – He will be Lord of all, or not Lord at all. You see, you cannot serve God and money. The throne of your heart will be occupied by only one. That was the rich young ruler’s problem – he wasn’t willing to give everything up for Jesus.

You remember as he walked away, Jesus said these challenging words, “How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle (literal camel, literal needle) than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” In other words, it’s impossible for a rich man to enter the kingdom. The disciples were shocked by the interaction and Jesus’ words, exclaiming, who then can be saved? You see, the rich were seen as enjoying God’s special favor – that’s why they’re rich. But Jesus turned that on its head and said, actually, the riches of the wealthy are an insurmountable hinderance to the gospel and the kingdom.

Now, I suppose most of you were listening carefully, and perhaps left with some legitimate concern. Perhaps you too were shocked. If the rich cannot enter heaven, and we’re rich, where does that leave us? But remember, Jesus did not stop there. He said, the things that are impossible with man are possible with God. God is able to make the impossible, possible. He is able to change the hearts of rich people so they have only one master – the Lord Jesus Christ – who sits on the throne of believers’ hearts. You see, now, three weeks later, we’re about to see a camel go through the eye of a needle. It’s amazing. Read the text with me Luke 19:1-10.

You say, I know that story – I’ve been singing it since I was a little tyke in Sunday School:

Zaccheus was a wee little man,
And a wee little man was he.
He climbed up in the sycamore tree,
For the Lord he wanted to see.

And as the Savior passed that way,
He looked up in the tree.
And He said, “Zaccheus, you come down!
For I’m going to your house today.
For I’m going to your house today.

And don’t forget to wag your finger when you sing, Zaccheus, you come down. While the author is unknown, in some research I found there is an English version of the song:

Zacchaeus was a very little man, (I guess the British more PC than us)
And a very little man was he.
He climbed up into a sycamore tree,
For the Saviour he wanted to see.

And when the Saviour passed that way
He looked up in the tree.
And said, “Zacchaeus you come down,
For I’m coming to your house for tea!”

That’s great. I’m happy to tell you that song, both versions, contain a fair degree of accuracy. And while it leaves out the fact that Zaccheus was a wealthy little man – a tax collector – the truth of the story can be most encouraging to us. You see, it is possible, by God’s grace alone, for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of God. Praise the Lord Luke didn’t end with rich people outside the kingdom. But you prove you’re part by how you handle wealth. Let me you the simple little outline for this incredible story:

I. The Sinner Zaccheus (1-4)
II. The Savior Jesus (5-7)
III. The Salvation Received (8-10)

That’s typically what happens when people meet Jesus – they are overwhelmed with grace. Now, last week I suggested we have these two stories, side by side, in Luke because it highlights, yet again, one of Luke’s favorite themes – that Jesus has a special place in His heart for the marginalized, the overlooked, indeed even the despised. This story ends with that truth – the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost. Who are the lost? Those wandering without a shepherd. From the poor beggar last week to the rich tax collector this week. His grace runs the gamut. Both were barred from the community’s religious/spiritual life – even communal life. Both were at least overlooked, shunned, if not hated. Both were therefore sidelined and not seen as worthy of receiving God’s attention – His saving grace. And yet, they did. Philip Ryken writes of these two men – on the opposite ends of the spectrum in some sense, but on the same end in others:

“One man was blind, while the other had sight, but they both wanted to see Jesus. One man was beggarly poor, while the other man was filthy rich, but they both needed something that money can’t buy. One man showed his faith, while the other man demonstrated his repentance, but [at the end of the story] they both had a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.” Hallelujah. I don’t know which one you are this morning – a blind beggar or a rich sinner – but you can see Jesus.

Well, let’s meet this sinner named Zaccheus. Last week we saw that Jesus had likely crossed the Jordan River along the well-traveled route from Galilee up north, across the Jordan into the Decapolis and Perea, back across the Jordan near Jericho. Now we know Jesus crisscrossed Samaria as well, because Jesus loves the outsiders – to include the hated Samaritans. Jericho was in a well-watered plain in the midst of the southeastern wilderness and so served as a weigh station on the journey up to Jerusalem. As He approached the city with a large crowd of disciples or other pilgrims making their way to Jerusalem for the Passover, He stopped to heal a man named Bartimeus of his blindness. We saw that last week.

Now, the journey continues as He enters into Jericho – passing through. Again, accompanied by a large crowd, this was no small commotion. This was the Healer, the Rabbi from Galilee that everyone was talking about. In fact, He had just healed yet another man of blindness. The crowd who had commanded Bartimeus sternly to be quiet was now praising God. Everyone’s delirious with joy. It was quite the commotion, quite the parade into the city.

Everyone undoubtedly wanted to see Jesus – to get a glimpse of this amazing miracle worker of now celebrity status. To include a man named Zaccheus. What do we learn about him from this text? You should know his name comes from a Hebrew word meaning pure, clean, innocent or even righteous. His parents got that name wrong.

You see, second, we see that he was a tax collector – and not just any tax collector, but a chief tax collector. That word is not found anywhere else in the Scripture, nor in any Greek literature for that matter. But it’s not difficult to understand it, given the system of Roman taxation at this time. We talked about this recently – the rich in Rome, typically senators, bought the right to tax a certain region. They would hire people to do the dirty work in their areas – typically, citizens of the country. In Israel, there were three major tax cities – Jerusalem, Capernaum, and Jericho. These cities required more than one tax collector for the various kinds of taxes – so it was obvious they needed someone to oversee and manage the tax collectors. He was the chief tax collector.

No remember, as you went from the senator through the descending ranks, everyone had a certain amount to collect and had their fingers in the pot. Anything over the amount required was yours to keep. No doubt the chief tax collector required a certain percentage from the tax collectors of the taxes collected – to pay those over him, and to line his own pockets. This meant two things for Zaccheus. First, he was very rich, as verse 2 tells us. And second, he was deeply hated and resented by all. For several reasons: first, he worked for the enemy – the Roman overlords. Second, he lined his own pockets on the backs of his own countrymen. He was seen as a traitor, and in a sense, he was. He would be seen as a notorious sinner – again, barred from religious and community life. He had no friends, except perhaps other tax collectors and sinners.

Which helps explain the next thing we learn from the story. You see, he was indeed a wee little man. While we might say he was vertically challenged, the text simply says he was small in stature. But not only was he physically small, he was relationally small. So that, while he wanted to catch a glimpse of Jesus – everyone did – he was kept from seeing because of the crowd. Clearly, he wouldn’t be able to see over the crowd as he was so short. But why not just move to the front? They undoubtedly kept this weasel away – elbowing and pushing him back. No one liked the guy, understandably.

But he was resourceful. Undoubtedly, making His way through the city, Jesus would take the main thoroughfare. So Zaccheus ran ahead on his short little legs, knowing Jesus was about to pass that way. And he climbed a sycamore tree. It’s the only place this tree is mentioned, and wasn’t likely the mulberry bush as some suggest, but more like an oak tree. The sycamore tree could reach heights of over 60 feet with low, easy to climb branches. Zaccheus could look down and see Jesus, and yet remain somewhat hidden behind the foliage. After all, all eyes were on Jesus, so he would be undetected. It was a great plan – if you weren’t trying to see God, who knows everything.

Now, why would this diminutive chief tax collector want to see Jesus? Curiosity? Perhaps, like everyone else. But is there more? Had he heard that Jesus received tax collectors? That He was a friend of tax collectors and sinners? This is now the sixth and final reference to tax collectors in Luke’s gospel, and while hated, Jesus seemed to accept them. After all, one of His twelve, the innermost disciples, was a tax collector named Matthew. In fact, Jesus had gone to Matthew’s home – to a party with other sinners, much to the disdain of the Pharisees.

Remember later, it was when they began grumbling that Jesus received tax collectors and sinners that Jesus told the stories of lost things – the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. The shepherd, the woman, the father looked for them. It was clearly well-known that Jesus was different – that He loved those the society hated.

Which brings us to our second point, the Savior Jesus. You see, while Zaccheus wanted to physically see Jesus, Jesus had another idea in mind. He wanted Zaccheus to see Him spiritually. Verse 5, When Jesus came to the place – that is, the place where Zaccheus was perched inconspicuously in the tree, Jesus stopped. The text doesn’t say that specifically, but He had to if He was to carry on a conversation. Because you see, that’s what Jesus does. He stops to seek sinners. Jesus looked up while everyone else was looking at Him, and said to the hidden chief tax collector, Zaccheus. Wait, how did He know his name? Had someone told Him – hey, that weasel Zaccheus is hiding up in the tree. Perhaps, but Jesus is God in the flesh. We read in other places He knew what men were thinking. Zaccheus thought he was safe – he was far from it. How are you hiding today? God sees you.

See it. While Zaccheus was up in the tree, his heart pounding as Jesus drew closer and closer – I can see Him. Jesus stopped and looked at me. Their eyes met, Zaccheus’ stony heart stopped. He just called me by name. Yes, He’d known his name since the foundation of the world, since Revelation tells us the names recorded in the book of life have been there since before creation.

Jesus said, Zaccheus, hurry and come down. These were imperatives/commands. This wasn’t an invitation – “Hey Zac, why don’t you come down and we’ll grab lunch?” No, this was a command from the sovereign Lord. For today I must stay at your house. Several things about that. I must is a divine necessity – this has been foreordained, and I must go to your house and stay there today. Today is your day, Zaccheus. Are you hearing me? Today might just be your day – today might be the day of salvation for you – if you will listen to the sovereign Lord. By the way, the idea is more than let’s go have lunch. The wording is such that He will go and stay the day and night in Zaccheus’ home. He will be his guest.

Think about that, are you kidding me? There wasn’t a person in the crowd who would have visited this chief tax collector’s home. Well, except maybe Matthew. You would hope Bartimeus and others healed would, perhaps other sinners would. But the crowd from Jericho – the ones who knew Zaccheus? No way. He’d likely had no fellow Jew in his home for years – certainly not a religious one – for as long as he could remember.

So, he undoubtedly couldn’t believe the words he just heard. But, we read he hurried and came down, and received Jesus gladly. You see, Zaccheus thought, the stories he’d heard were true. Are you listening? The stories are true. Jesus loves sinners. This Man is a friend of tax collectors and sinners. He couldn’t get home fast enough – as fast as his little legs would carry him. He no doubt would have prepared a most sumptuous feast. Jesus of Nazareth was coming to my house. Who would have thought.

Well, the crowd wouldn’t. When they, that is the crowd, saw it – that Jesus actually called Zaccheus down – that He said that He we going to his house – they couldn’t believe it either. You see, to have table fellowship with someone – to enter such a sinner’s house – was to approve of him – in a sense, to participate in his evil deeds. They couldn’t believe it, and grumbled saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” What righteous person would do that?

Now, think about that – Jesus did so often – tax collectors and Pharisees alike. And yet, we remember when Paul wrote the church at Corinth, he said not to even sit down and eat with a sinner. What gives, here? Well, in I Corinthians 5, Paul actually said, don’t even eat with a so-called brother – someone who names the name of Christ – who is in open, wanton sin. No, with that one, don’t even eat. In fact, if after confrontation this wanton sinner still continues in his sexual sin, calling himself a brother, a Christian, then expel that one from the church body. Because you see, a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough.

No, the problem is not having a meal, even staying in the home of a sinner. This sinner will become a saint. We find we are actually supposed to do that. Jesus did – He really was a friend of tax collectors and sinners. [new believer – about a year] But what did He do – just hang out with sinners? No, He was building relationships, bridges of love if you will – by which He would share the gospel of the kingdom. You see, hanging out with sinners to hang out with sinners and accept their sinful lifestyles without a call to repentance – without sharing the hope of the gospel is a problem. But, we hang out with them to earn the right to be heard – and share with them the greatest news – the greatest gift we could possibly share. That’s actually the best way to love sinners – is to share the good news with them – how could we love them any better?

This is one of the challenges of what has been called lifestyle evangelism. Joe Alrich wrote a book by that name, and it was actually a very good book. We live a lifestyle, which includes hanging out with sinners – to share hope with them. The unintended by-product of that really good book is that believers have been hanging out with sinners – that’s good – but never seem to get to the evangelism part – that’s bad. No one will ever become a Christian because you are good to them, befriend them – hang out with them. They must hear the good news. You must eventually get to sharing the gospel.

Did Jesus do that? Apparently. That brings us to our third point – the salvation received in verses 8-10. Now, there are a couple challenges here. First, we read that Zaccheus stopped and said what he said to Jesus. We don’t know where he was at the time. Did he do it after he heard the crowd grumbling, or at his house. It’s not clear. But notice Jesus said, salvation has come to this house, which seems to indicate they were in Zaccheus’ home.

But the second challenge is, it’s not recorded Jesus shared the gospel of the kingdom with Zaccheus – that Jesus called him to repentance. But what did they talk about? The weather? College football. You see, that’s the truth of this book – except you repent, you will perish. It seems repentance is exactly what Zaccheus did. Did he repent upon hearing the good news? He must have, because he then began immediately bringing forth fruit in keeping with repentance. Look at it – “Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord” – like Bartimaeus last week, I think this title of Lord was more than just saying, Behold, sir. I think by this address, he is confessing Jesus as the Lord of his life – and he proves it by what he says.

What does he go on to say? “half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much.” Please notice, Zaccheus was doing what Jesus told the rich young ruler to do. He was letting go of his wealth. His heart had been transformed, and all that he had held onto so tightly, gained by nefarious means, he now gave away. We don’t read Jesus told him to – he just did it as evidence of a changed heart. The rich young ruler walked away – Zaccheus gave it away.

Understand, he wasn’t buying his way into the kingdom – he wasn’t buying his salvation. He was proving by his works that he had been saved, changed. He had swapped masters – no longer did wealth sit on the throne of his heart – Jesus did. And he proved it by being sacrificially generous – by giving much away. The camel had gone through the eye of the needle. The things impossible with man had been made possible with God.

Look at what he said – I give half of my possessions to the poor. Not half of his money – much more than that – half of his possessions – everything he owned to include money. He cut his balance sheet – his assets in half. And gave it away. To whom? Likely to many of those who had been grumbling that Jesus was going to his house. I guess we could say he was building bridges that he had formerly destroyed. It’s interesting to note that later tradition tells us the Zaccheus was appointed the bishop of Caesarea.

Further, if he had defrauded anyone. Stop right there – he was a tax collector – of course he had defrauded people – that’s what he did. It’s how he’d gotten rich. It wasn’t if I have – I can’t remember. No, it’s a condition of the first class – since I have defrauded – to those whom I have defrauded, I’ll give back four times the amount I stole. The Mosaic law required returning what you stole with a 20 percent addition. Zaccheus made it a 400 percent addition. His heart had been changed.

Causing Jesus to say to him and of him, “Today – not as a result of his actions, but as proof of his change of heart – salvation has come to this house.” Many want to suggest that because Zaccheus, the head of his house, became a follower, everyone else did. Possible. But it clearly means salvation had found its way into Zaccheus home through a changed heart.

But Jesus goes on – because he, too, is a son of Abraham. Well, clearly Zaccheus was a Jew, of the physical bloodline of Abraham. Undoubtedly, by his actions, all had forgotten or denied that. Jesus says, he is a son of Abraham. But it likely also means that he was now a true son, a spiritual son of Abraham by faith. He is no longer just a son by race, but a son by faith. You see, Abraham was the father of faith, having believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness. And Paul says in Romans 2, “For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.”

Zaccheus was now a true child of Abraham, as is every believer who becomes a follower of Jesus Christ. And notice lastly, it’s why Jesus came. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. Zaccheus was truly lost. Did you notice, while Zaccheus was hiding, Jesus stopped and sought him out. Zaccheus, you come down, for I must come to your house today.

Because, Jesus came to seek the lost. Will you be found today? Are you hiding today in this big room in this big crowd? Today can be the day of salvation for you, if you don’t harden your heart. If you simply remove whatever is on the throne of your heart, and confess your sins and confess Jesus as Lord of your life. You can be saved, but it requires you to come down from wherever you are hiding and believe.