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213. Zacchaeus

Ezekiel 33:14-16, Luke 19:1-10
Key Verse: Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, is a son of Abraham. For the son of man came to seek and to save what was lost."
Luke 19:9-10

Do you remember the old Sunday school song based on this event?
Zacchaeus 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, "Zacchaeus, you come down, for I'm going to your house today."

Zacchaeus song

The story is a fun one. We have a short little IRS agent, climbing a tree in his business suit to get a glimpse of the parade passing by. The song, however, stops too soon and doesn't tell the best part of the story, the story of a changed heart because of Jesus.

What a contrast to the rich young ruler who went away sorrowful because he had many possessions.  Zacchaeus got it and responded correctly. In turn, many would be blessed out of his gratitude for what Christ had done for him.

"Look, Lord, here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor." Hadn't Jesus told the rich young ruler to "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven?" (Mark 10:21) Now, here was Zacchaeus, he didn't need to be told, he was responding naturally to the tremendous gift he had been given. Then he continued, "And if I have cheated anybody out of anything," (and as a tax collector, we can probably assume that he had), "I will pay back four times the amount." (Luke 19:8) He wanted to make restitution for the sins he had committed.

Zacchaeus stands before us as an example of a truly repentant heart and life. He didn't just pray a sinners’ prayer, and call it good. The Holy Spirit in Zacchaeus changed him from a selfish thief to a generous giver, in one instant! Only God can do that.

That's why Jesus was able to declare that salvation had come to that house that day. It had. Jesus had become Lord of Zacchaeus' life and things were going to be different from then on.

Can people see the contrast in you? Are you living a life of gratitude? Or are you still holding on to things that keep you a part of this world? When you truly surrender to Jesus, there will be a change. There has to be, because the center of your life has changed. You no longer live to please yourself. You have put Jesus where you used to be and now you are more concerned with pleasing Him than yourself. Consequently, the world should notice as well. The question for you is, does it notice the difference?

Hymn: "Since Jesus Came into My Heart"  

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