God cares enough about you to go off the beaten path in order to meet
you and set up a meeting with you. cf the Samaritan Woman ...and He
must needs go through Samaria.
Luke 19:2-9,
"And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among
the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was;
and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he
ran before, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him: for he was
to pass that way. 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. And he made haste, and came down, and
received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying,
That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. 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, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This
day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of
Abraham."
Zacchaeus was determined to see
Jesus because he must have heard something about Him. Whatever he heard
stirred his inner longing. There must have been something he heard about
Jesus that related to his needs.
1. THE CHARACTER CALLED ZACCHAEUS
a. Chief among the publicans (tax collectors).
b. Rich.
c. Short in stature, not in brains.
d. Disliked by the people (evidenced by the murmurs when Jesus went with him).
This extract gives a singular glimpse into the character of someone like Zacchaeus:
“He was a leader of the publicans -"the chief among publicans."
For
a more successful levying of taxes by the Romans, the institution of
the publicans was introduced, which had existed in Rome since ancient
times. But while in Rome and throughout Italy publicans were recruited
from an esteemed warrior class, in Judea the Romans were forced to
engage publicans from the moral outcasts, from among Jews that agreed to
go over to work for them and force their brothers to pay tribute.
The
acceptance of such a position was bound up with a most profound moral
fall. It was bound not only with national, but, above all, religious
betrayal: to become a tool for the subjugation of the divinely chosen
people by coarse pagans, one had to deny the hopes of Israel, everything
holy to it, its dreams, and -- what is more -- since the Romans did not
take into account the spiritual tribulation of their agents, upon
accepting his position a publican had to swear a pagan oath of fidelity
to the emperor, and bring pagan sacrifices to his spirit (the genius of
the emperor). Of course the publicans served not only Rome's interests,
levying taxes upon their own country men, but pursuing their own greedy
goals and becoming wealthy at the expense of their subjugated brothers,
they made the yoke of Roman oppression felt even more, and still more
difficult to bear. This is who the publicans were. This is why they were
surrounded by justifiable hatred and scorn; as betrayers of their
people, having betrayed not only their people but a divinely-chosen one,
God's tool in the world, the only people through which rebirth and
salvation could come to mankind.
Everything
said above pertains to Zacchaeus in the highest degree, because he was
not a run-of-the-mill publican, but a chief among publicans - an
architelonis. Without a doubt he had done everything: brought pagan
sacrifices and sworn a pagan oath, mercilessly forced taxes from his
brothers, increasing them to his own advantage. And he became, as the
Gospel witnesses, a rich man.” (Saint John of Shanghai)
e. Determined and resourceful (looked for solutions to his problems).
f. Ready to accept the Lord.
g. Humble in his obedience.
2. THE CRISIS ZACCHAEUS FACED
a. Zacchaeus had a need.
b. He had a handicap (his stature).
c. He had an obstacle (the crowd).
d. He needed to react appropriately.
“Of
course Zacchaeus understood clearly that the hopes of Israel were lost
to him. Everything foretold by the prophets, beloved from childhood,
that at which every believing Old Testament soul trembled joyfully, was
not for him. He was a traitor, a betrayer, a cast-off. He had no part in
Israel. And now rumors reached him that the Holy One of Israel, the
Messiah announced by the prophets, has already appeared in the world,
and together with a small group of disciples is walking the fields of
Galilee and Judea, preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom and working great
miracles. Joyous hopes are ignited with trembling in believing hearts.
How will Zacchaeus react to this? For him personally, the coming of the
Messiah is a catastrophe. The rule of Rome must come to an end, and the
triumphant Israel will, of course, take revenge for the losses suffered
because of him, for the offences and oppressions that were his fault.
But even if this is not so, for the Messiah, as the prophet witnessed,
comes as a righteous one, bringing salvation as a meek one (cf. Zech.
9:9), the triumph of the Messiah must bring to him, to Zacchaeus, only
the greatest shame and the loss of all the wealth and of the position he
acquired at the frightening price of his treachery before God, his own
people, and all the hopes of Israel.” (Saint John of Shanghai)
3. THE CHRIST WHO CARES
a. He knew exactly where Zacchaeus was.
Like the psalmist declared in Psalms
139:7-12 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee
from thy presence? 8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I
make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9 If I take the wings of
the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10 Even there
shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say,
Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about
me. 12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as
the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
1 John 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
Jesus
came to the tree stopped and looked up. In the press of the crowd that
caused Zacchaeus to climb the tree, Jesus still knew that he was there.
Maybe in your life with the busy world passing you by, you wonder...does
anybody even know I am here? Your status and strata in society is not
the issue. You can be rich yet lonely. You can be surrounded by family
and be lonely. Loneliness drives young people...and old to do crazy
things to get attention so that people will know they are there. Know
today that you are not invisible to God. He knows where you are and he
is passing your way. He will stop at you tree and invite Himself into
your life. It is up to you to get down your particular tree in order to
properly receive Him. He stopped for Zacchaeus! He will stop for you!
b. He knew who he was. He knew his name.
Psalms
139:1-6 O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2 Thou knowest my
downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with
all my ways. 4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD,
thou knowest it altogether. 5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and
laid thine hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it
is high, I cannot attain unto it.
John
10:14-15 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of
mine. 15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay
down my life for the sheep.
Hebrews
4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight:
but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we
have to do.
John 2:24-25 But Jesus did
not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, 25 And needed not
that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.
Jesus
knew Zacchaeus' name. He stopped, looked up, and addressed him by name!
Never think that God does not know you. He knows all about you. He
knows your secret and innermost thought. Nothing is hidden. You may be
striving on this earth to make a name for yourself so that they will
remember you when you are gone. But the real joy is that He know your
name and He knows you now as an individual. He calls you by name.
c. He knew his need. He knew why he was there.
Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. Matthew 6:8
Therefore
take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink?
or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do
the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need
of all these things. Matthew 6:31-32
John
2:24-25 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all
men, 25 And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what
was in man.
Zacchaeus was a lonely man. He had a
deep longing to see Jesus for he had probably heard that Jesus was a
friend to the outcast. He wanted to know more about this man. If he
could only reach Him maybe He'll understand my need. He would care.
Surprise! Jesus invites Himself to Zacchaeus' house. He invites Himself
to your dwelling, your house, your life. He addresses your innermost
need and longing. He is able to do what no other can do.
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.
Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me,
all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in
heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy,
and my burden is light.
d. He supplied the missing dimension in his life.
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19
2
Corinthians 9:8-9 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you;
that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to
every good work: 9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath
given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.
Matthew
6:31-33 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What
shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all
these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth
that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom
of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto
you.
Zacchaeus needed something that only Jesus
can supply...a sense of belonging...no longer an outcast, ostracized and
lonely. Zacchaeus need a restoration of faith. He needed someone who
would accept him just as he was warts and all! He needed someone to look
at him without scorn and insults, without a judgmental eye and Jesus
became His focus, His meaning to life, His reason for living, the One
whose approval he now desired to win and he did not spare himself in his
new commitment. He would make restitution. He would show the fruits of
repentance.
What passed between them at that first glance?
What was Zacchaeus’ gut reaction when he looked into the eyes of Jesus?
Whatever it was it did something to Zacchaeus for his life took a
complete turnaround! He was never the same after that. Salvation had
come to the home of Zacchaeus to his life on which he now had a new
lease.
4. THE CONCLUSION WE SHOULD PURSUE
a. Our determination to reach with God is essential to the supply of our need.
b. Our response to God’s invitation determines His status and effectiveness in our lives.
c. Our humble submission to the will of God is essential to salvation and peace of mind.
d. Our relationship with God will result in decisions and action that wins His approval.
God
knows where you are, He knows who you are and He knows what your need
is. He is able to supply that need if you will respond to Him when He
comes calling.
No comments:
Post a Comment