Last night’s Bible study was a look at Zacchaeus from Luke 19:1-10.
Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.”
Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.”
And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
An interesting story full of lessons to be learned.
First, Zacchaeus is considered a traitor to the Jewish faith by being a tax collector for the Roman’s. Most of them were very dishonest and became rich by over taxing the people and keeping a cut for themselves.
Even though he was rich, Zacchaeus must have felt something missing from his life and had a curiosity about Jesus.
This desire to see Him was so great he climbed a tree.
Money does not bring satisfaction. If it did you would never hear the rich mentioned in the news or the tabloids.
As Jesus goes to eat at his home, He is accused of going to the house of a sinner.
Think of the worst sin imaginable.
When that was brought up last night someone said a child molester!
Yes, that is pretty bad.
Now imagine Zacchaeus is a child molester and Jesus went to his house to eat with him.
It throws the story into a different light, doesn’t it?
During the meal, Zacchaeus feels the need to confess and repent.
The man that took from others is now willing to give.
The man that stole from the poor is now willing to return it.
That’s true repentance; 180 degree turn around.
There was no “sinners prayer” mentioned and still Jesus says that salvation came to that house.
Salvation is not in mere words but it’s in the actions of the heart.
Zacchaeus could have kept quiet, let Jesus eat, and be on His way; but in the presence of the Savior he felt the need to turn his life around.
I have had many people come and “pray” a prayer of “repentance”, only to never see them come back to church.
“Lord, Lord” are mere words that carry no weight. (Matt 7:21-23)
What the Lord desires is for us to do the will of the Father.