To Live Like Jesus: Showing Grace

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.”

Zaccheus had many flaws.

Character. Position. Faithless Jew. Only ONE right move…he received Him joyfully. (Contrast with rich young ruler Luke 18:24-27 “And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” And those who heard it said, “Who then can be saved?” But He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” It IS possible with God.)

Zaccheus is why Jesus came.

It’s why He came to Earth. It’s why He came through Jericho. Verse 10. SEEK and save. Genesis 3. We like to say, “I found Jesus.” But in truth, He found us!

We could learn from Jesus’ grace.

We could start by remembering that we, too, are flawed. “They all complained...”