His faith and works proved A new creation resulted from the small tax collectors meeting with the Son of God on that particular day. we do not own the rights to the music used. Q. Zacchaeus was not only a religious outcast but also a social outcast since he represented the oppression of the Roman government. Not discouraged by that, he ran ahead to climb a sycamore tree to see Jesus. Zacchaeus must have been a productive worker who was well-organized and forceful in his approach. Zacchaeus must have been shocked. He was a tax collector. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He was in charge of collecting taxes for the Romans, supervising the customs duties on trade routes that passed through Jericho and levying taxes on individual residents living in the region under his jurisdiction. He was a hated man. (Luke 19:4) He climbed a tree What did Jesus want from Zacchus? God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live (Ezekiel 33:11). Jesus was pure as he bore the sins of man. So people began to whisper and complain, even though every single person in Jericho that day was a sinner just like Zacchaeus. True repentance means that you change your mind and turn away from sin. Zacchaeus demonstrated his repentance by saying he would give half his money to the poor and that he would make things right with anyone he had cheated in his job as tax collector. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? The Son of Man came to look for the lost and save them.. We should publicly proclaim the Gospel to the worst and most vile of sinners, and we should declare to them, There is hope. The compassion of Christ for sinners, as well as His ability to change human hearts, are depicted in this passage, 2) No one is out of reach of Gods mercy and forgiveness. As a result, whenever I heard the Bible narrative of Zacchaeus, as told in Luke 19, I always thought of that tree and felt a connection to the tale since we had a sycamore tree growing in our backyard. As soon Jesus entered his house Salvation had already come. Due of his attachment to money over his devotion to Jesus, the rich young ruler chose not to follow Jesus. No. Tax collectors were seen as the most heinous of offenders by the majority of the general public. 1 This is something typical of Jesus expressed in the gospels. How do you think Zacchaeus felt when Jesus said He wanted to stay at the little tax collectors house? I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. Look at Luke 10 - where the seventy are sent out. Before Jesus left the earth, He told His disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He did this by climbing a sycamore tree. And that includes you and me. Why did Zacchaeus come to see Jesus? This gives precedence for this type of practice and what I will attempt to do below. Zacchaeus was the chief of tax collectors and a very rich man but in all his busyness and riches he was interested in seeing Jesus! Jesus, then, for the third time, foretells his own deaththe specific reason for this journey to Jerusalem. Jesus welcomes those who wholeheartedly want to see Him. The story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31 shows that the rich also need Jesus. Less clear (to me anyway) is the why. the spiritual father of all believers. those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. Zacchaeus had heard so much about the Messiah that he was impatient to have a glimpse of the man himself. Many of Jesus actions are described in those chapters, which take place within a short time before His crucifixion and death. Do not keep moving from house to house.. He not only saw Jesus, Jesus saw him. No one measures up to Gods glory. This would have made it quite easy for Zacchaeus to follow through on his desire to see Jesus. But he can't see above the crowds or get through them. It was the heavy cost of discipleship that Dietrich Bonhoeffer spoke about in his book, The Cost of Discipleship, that Zacchaeus had to bear. Peter, James and John were the fishermen who left their nets right on the beach to follow Jesus! Im going to have to remain at your place today. As a result, Zacchaeus rushed down to meet Him and embraced Him warmly. Finally, Zacchaeus had an idea. Why should he be bothered about Jesus? Zacchaeus came up with a brilliant idea at long last. In Luke 19:1-10 we read the story of Zacchaeus which ends like so: And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. 3-4 Jesus was heading his way, and Zacc (Luke 19:7) does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, The old has passed away! He came into this lost world to seek and to save it. 1-4 Since Zacchaeus is small he is overwhelmed by the crowd in his attempts to see Jesus. The high and the low, the rich and the poor need Jesus. But who would let the chief tax collector do that? cedarministryintl@yahoo.com In addition, Zacchaeus became not only a member of the genuine band of disciples who followed Jesus, but he also became a spiritual son of Abraham via his relationship with Jesus. Meet Matthew the Apostle, Ex-Tax Collector, Quotes of the Founding Fathers on Religion, Know Your Bible: The Book of Matthew Explained. This is a hazardous attitude to hold because we never know when we could be given our final opportunity to hear the Gospel and accept Christ as our personal Savior. Jesus wanted to find Zacchaeus. The text explains to us that he was the chief tax collector meaning he was the head of the department. Zechariah is identified immediately away by Luke, who first informs us that he was the top tax collector in his region. Happily Zacchaeus listened to the Good Shepherds voice, and that made all the difference in his life. For Zacchaeus, Jericho served as a gateway into Roman-controlled territory as well as a key tax collecting center, which explains why he became wealthy. He was most likely a lonely man, and his only companions would have been wicked or corrupt individuals like himself. The vast majority of adults pay taxes on their earnings at work, on the items they buy, on their houses, and on their automobiles. Zavada, Jack. Maybe he even asked if he could climb up on someones shoulders! He thought he wanted to see Jesus by strategically positioning himself on the tree where Jesus was going to pass. Zacchaeus, on the other hand, was profoundly transformed as a result of his experience with Jesus. Corinthians 5:17 (New International Version) The main point is that everybody who believes in Jesus Christ is a new creature in Christ. 2. 8The Scripture, foreseeing that God would All the people saw this. Anyone who believes in Christ is a new creation. But God was also working in Zacchaeus heart to enable him to see with SPIRITUAL eyes. The Jews knew that Jesus was making reference to this fact and it offended them. This, then, is what ultimately caused Jesus to declare that salvation had come to Zacchaeus house. Welcome to Stack Exchange, we are glad you are here. Respond as Zacchaeus did. They were not a free nation. He has devised a strategy to remain with the man who is despised by everyone. It would not be a stretch to say that Zacchaeus was seeking after the truth. (received) is an aorist verb which denotes an indefinite amount of time. Jesus had just arrived in Jericho and was travelling through town when the story begins. Zacchaeus was the chief of tax collectors and a very rich man but in ." Dephne Aviyah on Instagram: "I MUST STAY AT YOUR HOUSE! Then he would be able to follow Jesus and be part of the kingdom of God. To his surprise and delight, Jesus stopped, looked up, and said, "Zacchaeus! Biblically in Jesus' mind a son of Abraham is a man of faith that produces works that prove he has faith, just like Abraham (Heb 11:17). The reason Jesus came was to assume responsibility for the moral and spiritual flaws of the world and, via His crucifixion, to be punished as a result of those shortcomings. Jesus foretold His impending death and resurrection (Luke 18:31-34), 2. This perspective would need to view (I restore/repay) as a tendential present which implies that Zacchaeus was just on the verge of doing the action. As a result of his short stature, Zacchaeus was able to go ahead of the throng and climb up into a sycamore tree in order to have a better view of Jesus. At Jesus' call to him, Zacchaeus promised to give half his money to the poor and repay fourfold anyone he had cheated. After all, Jesus had come to save them from the likes of Zacchaeus and his cohorts. It is even harder for the rich to enter Gods kingdom! (Luke 18:24-25), This worried the disciples. Is it hard for a camel to go through the eye of a needle? According to 2 Corinthians 5:17, Anyone who trusts in Christ is a new creature. The old has passed away! 8-9 An initial reading may leave one with the option to take the present tense verb (I give away) as an iterative present which would indicate that this was a customary action. CHAPTER 19. The Gospel of Luke informs us that when Jesus went beneath the tree, He raised His eyes and addressed Zacchaeus by his given name. StoryClubs. Jesus died for the world. The Book of Revelation, a Prophecy of Warning and Hope, Jesus Cleanses the Temple (Mark 11:15-19), Get to Know Jesus Christ, the Central Figure in Christianity, M.A., English Composition, Illinois State University, B.S., English Literature, Illinois State University. The trunk was close enough for me to embrace and work my way up, and when I eventually reached a limb, I was able to pull myself up and sit on it. He didnt know that Jesus was more willing to see him. The individuals who were there when all of this was taking on were alarmed at the prospect of Jesus staying in the home of a sinner like Zacchaeus. Here and now I give half of what I own to those who are poor. The rich young ruler did not follow Jesus because he loved money more than he loved Jesus. Zacchaeus wouldnt even have been allowed to be part of the synagogue or to worship with others. Teacher Note: Jesus was passing through Jericho on His way to Jerusalem, where the events of Holy Week would soon unfold. The collection of taxes has never been popular in any society, but it was especially unpopular in Jewish culture throughout the first century AD. Zacchaeus teaches us that when you make a solid effort to experience Jesus, you are rewarded. In Luke 18, verse 32, Jesus declares that He will be handed over to the Gentiles, where He would be humiliated, insulted, and spat upon. Also, all Jews prided themselves on being the sons of Abraham. What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his soul? Maybe you remember the story. Yet this rich chief tax collector is so desperate to see that he will not be deterred and humiliates himself by climbing a tree like a child in order to glimpse over the crowd and see Jesus. If youre running away from Jesus or youre hesitating to come to Him, come to Him today. Anyone with Faith = The true children of Abraham in the eye of Jesus! Jesus saw him, called to him and invited Himself to His house. Refer back to the text above and Luke 3: 7-9 - John the baptist says bear fruits in keeping with repentance. He like some of the things that Jesus said, but he wasnt ready to give up everything to be part of the kingdom. You get the idea. But there was something else that made people hate the tax collectors. Salvation came to Zacchaeus because he was generous in giving away his money and paying back those he had wronged. For further information, please see the following: Christ still has a special interest in sinners who would repent, guaranteeing them the blessings of everlasting life in their entirety. The young man was good at keeping the rules, but Jesus told him that the kingdom of God wasnt just about keeping rules. The tenth verse of Lukes Gospel is often regarded as the most important verse in the book.
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