Little did this chief tax collector know, but he was in for a life-changing experience that day. His dynamic "appointment" with Jesus was about to turn his world upside down.
Step-by-purposeful-step, Jesus treads along the path, crowds in His wake, clamoring for attention or to see some marvelous wonder. Seemingly, Jesus was 'just' walking through Jericho that day, en route for Jerusalem. It was no ordinary day, however. It never is, when Jesus is there.
Jesus comes to a halt under that sycamore-fig tree, looks up and meets Zacchaeus' eye.
"Zacchaeus, come down, at once! I'm coming to your house, today. Hurry up, and get down!" (Luke 19:1-10).
Can you imagine the surprise and wonder on Zacchaeus' face? Likely his jaw dropped to his knees, as he scrambled and shimmied down that tree. In awe and joy he brought Jesus to his home.
"Honey, I'm home. We've got a VIP guest. Guess who? Oh, you'll never guess. It's Jesus!"
As Jesus and Zacchaeus amble along the way to his home, let's cogitate on why Zacchaeus was even up that tree, besides his wanting to have a peek at Jesus. He was a grown man and it must have been somewhat uncouth of him to even be up their spying on folks. Come to find out, the man was a shortie, thus, he could not see above the heads of the throngs. Determined to have that 'coup oeil' at Jesus, he wasn't going to allow his shortness to be an obstacle to his achieving his aim. He persists and comes up with the bright idea of climbing a tree.
It is noted that sycamore-fig trees have short, thick trunks, and branches which spread out, capable of bearing a grown man's weight. Up he shins, to await his 'chance' sighting of Jesus, with which he planned to be content.
He hadn't reckoned on what Jesus had in store for him. Jesus knew exactly where Zacchaeus was and purposed and timed His walk along that way to keep this crucial rendezvous for the life of Zacchaeus.
You know, Jesus knows where to find each of us too. If you want to see Him, He'll come and seek you out. He'll be there for you.
Jesus always had a specific impetus for where He went, what He said and what He did. Today, was the day to meet Zacchaeus under a tree and bring salvation to his life. Seems Jesus wanted to see Zacchaeus even more than Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus.
Jesus is ever eager to meet with us too.
So Jesus steps under the tree and instructs Zacchaeus to hurry down immediately. Oh, and by-the-way, Zacchaeus, I'm coming to your house. Isn't that humorous? Zacchaeus had only wanted to see Jesus. Now he's going to have a close encounter, getting to offer Jesus hospitality in his home. He'd get a good long look. Was he up for it?
Zacchaeus could have responded in two ways: No, I just wanted to have a look at You from up here on my branch. No need for you to come to my place. OR, yes, come! As we know, Zacchaeus chose the latter and slithered, post-haste, out of that tree and gladly welcomed Jesus to his home for an impromptu dinner.
I hope his wife was prepared for the extra company.
What came out of that visit? Something monumental. Zacchaeus' repentance. He didn't just repent in words either. He showed it in actions. Look at what he did. He declared that he'd repay all he had wrongly taken. That was really saying something too. The Law required to repay the original amount and add a fifth, at the most, to it,
“If someone steals a cow or a sheep and kills it or sells it, he must pay five cows for one cow and four sheep for one sheep. 2-4 He must pay for what he stole. If he owns nothing, he shall be sold as a slave to pay for what he has stolen. If the stolen animal, whether a cow, a donkey, or a sheep, is found alive in his possession, he shall pay two for one. (Good News Paraphrase - Exodus 22:1 esp.)
What did Zacchaeus promise? To repay four times the amount. On top of that he'd give half of his possessions to the poor.
This is a totally amazing turn around for a man thought of as greedy, corrupt and unclean, and therefore, looked down upon and disliked by Jewish society.
Contrast the actions of the "respectable" young Jewish leader who was very wealthy. The one who'd come to Jesus to ask what else he needed to do to earn eternal life (Luke 18). Jesus had told him to obey all the commandments, which he said he had kept. Then the cruncher, Jesus said he lacked on thing. He was to go and sell all he had, give to the poor and then follow Jesus.
He had counted the cost and found it too costly. The result, he went away very sad because he was very rich. His obstacle was his wealth. He clung to it as it had become his 'god'.
Zacchaeus' actions, however, showed, very clearly, true repentance, faith and the response of God's grace reaching him through Jesus. For us too, with true repentance from our sins, there will be clear, decisive changes in our lives.
Changes, for instance, in our attitudes and character; instead of keeping what is not ours, we become generous in giving to others. Or, instead of a habitual habit of constant lying, we begin to speak the truth. This type of transformation would be aided with the Holy Spirit's help to keep us strong and true and Christ-like.
The reactions of the crowd trailing along behind Jesus and Zacchaeus to see the action, was something else. Jesus gone to be a guest of a sinner!?? How could He? He's a good man dining with a bad man!
Very obviously then, there was no change in their attitude of looking down upon Zacchaeus. It's like they couldn't see the forest for the trees, so skeptical, and blinded to the genuine life-change in Zacchaeus. In their eyes, he was still a corrupt tax collector and a chief one on top of that...and that's, that!
Perhaps something like this may have happened to us too. Changes and transformation occur within us and show forth in positive, sincere actions, yet others still doubt and condemn and disbelieve.
We don't read that Zacchaeus was deterred from his new modus operandi. We too, can take heart. Fix our eyes on Jesus and focus on what He has called each of us to do. Live to please and honor Him, not society.
Refresh in your minds on Jesus' purpose in seeking out Zacchaeus. He came to bring salvation and entrance into the Kingdom of God, to him. Jesus, the Son of Man, with a heart full of love for mankind,
"...came to seek and to save the lost..." (Luke 19:9 NIV).
This was, and still is, Jesus' modus operandi.
Further to the seeking, finding and saving, is the "by-product": a positive change. This was all of prime importance then and still is today.
Jesus raises the dignity bar on Zacchaeus' by reminding the crowds that Zacchaeus was a "son of Abraham". This is an expression that could mean two things. One, is that any Jew would be a descendant of Abraham, and therefore "a son". 'Faith,' is the other key factor. It is said in Romans 4:16 that Abraham is the father of all who have faith.
Zacchaeus fits both descriptions. He was Jewish and he had faith. He wanted to see Jesus and in turn received so much more. Through his repentance he received Christ's forgiveness and blessing. This would not only be for himself but for his entire household, and benefited the many to whom he owed repayment and fulfilled his promise to do so.
The wonderful thing is, when we also have such faith, Jesus will come looking for us when we are looking for Him, in faith. We are not forced to change, just like Jesus didn't force Zacchaeus out of the tree. Change comes from a genuine desire of "wanting to see Jesus".
Jesus came, and still comes, to seek and to save the lost. Of such, was the life-changing encounter between Jesus and Zacchaeus. We need to come down out of whatever tree we might be in and sup with Jesus. May we each have just such an effectual tryst with Him.
This is how the Kingdom of God works.
~ERC July 2020~
Based on Luke 19:1-10 NIV
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