There is a compelling story
in the book of Luke, chapter 19 about a man named Zaccheus. But it’s made more
so by the fact that just one chapter earlier, in the Bible Jesus had made a
very piercing statement about people like Zacchaeus who were prosperous in
those days. Look at what Jesus said just one chapter earlier. “It’s
easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to
enter the kingdom of God."
Then just a short time later He has
this face-to-face, one-on-one encounter with a rich man. Jesus’ teaching about
the camel passing through an eye of a needle is teaching that ought to unsettle
us just a bit and make us think just a little bit. If we’re honest wouldn’t we
admit that all of us at one time or another have had a desire for greater
riches, greater prosperity, more material things.
In those days for a Jew to be a tax
collector made him both a thief and a traitor. He was a thief because tax
collecting was unregulated. He could gouge people for all the money he chose,
pocketing all that he wanted and passing along the rest to Rome. That’s why he was a traitor. He
was a Jew collecting taxes for the oppressive government of Rome. This is why, for all of his
obvious wealth, when we meet Zacchaeus in this part of the Bible, he is very
much alone.
the chief tax collector and he was very rich. This man’s chances of having
his heart changed and getting into the kingdom of God were very slim – the whole camel through the eye of
a needle thing.
I think Jesus was proud, proud of Zacchaeus’ quest. He walks
over to the tree and says, “Zacchaeus hurry down. I need to go to your house
today.” This has been called the Divine Initiative. That’s how it is with the
Lord. This is the Jesus you need to know. When you decide that something in
your life needs to change, that a few things that need to be shifted within
your heart and you discover like Zacchaeus did that God already knows your
name, He knows your need, He’s ready to go home with you and start this
internal reconstruction, this soul re-creation.
In those days, for someone to go to
someone else’s home and to share a meal was an intimate experience. So this was
Jesus’ way of saying, “I want to be close with you. I want a friendship with
you.” This was the voice of God saying to a man who felt way out on a limb,
“Friend, let’s go to lunch.” Zacchaeus was surprised that Jesus would
make him His agenda. He was surprised that Jesus would initiate love. That
might surprise you too. If it does you’re not alone. A lot of people have been
surprised by the amazing love of God.
So off goes the crowd in one
direction grumbling and off go Zacchaeus and Jesus to lunch. One man
having just climbed down from the tree and the other man, Jesus, only one week
away from being nailed to a tree. You can almost see them – arm and arm
walking down that dusty road. That guy’s heart changed that day. Through
Zacchaeus’ whole adult life, he’d made one bad decision after another, one
wrong move after another but that afternoon he did two things right and it made
all the difference.
right was he realized he needed God’s help. We have to realize that we need God’s help.
Zacchaeus had his hands full of stuff but a heart that was empty.
The
second thing he did right. He went seeking Jesus. You want some clear thinking about
how your heart can change? You will find that in Jesus so you seek for Him.
There’s something about Jesus that gave men and women the confidence that He
could change their hearts. So Zacchaeus sought Him out. His size did not stop
him. Pride did not stop him. The crowd did not stop him. He needed help. He
knew Jesus could change his life. So he went to Jesus.
I love the picture of Jesus going
into Zacchaeus’ home and everybody else standing on the outside staring on in
disbelief. Why would Jesus go into the home of such a notorious sinner? This
was their question. Here’s the easy answer: Jesus will enter wherever He’s
welcome. That’s an easy answer. Think about it. He enters wherever He’s
invited. If you simply welcome him there, despite your past, despite your
reputation, despite your failures, despite your successes, He enters wherever
He’s invited.