The Sycamore Tree

Has anyone had a moment that has changed your life?

This is a picture of a guy who just won publishing clearance, I imagine his life was pretty changed

This was this persons first time driving- There parents lives might be changed

This guy just learned he was going to be a father I would say that changed His life a little...

But you know in our lives we have these moments that just change us and today we are looking at a momment that comepletly changed a guy named Zacheus.

This is a little bit of a spoiler but Zacheus does not become a father or learn how to drive, but He has a life changing encounter with God.

and If you grew up in a church you might be familiar that there is a kid song about a guy named Zacheus right?

And it went Zacheus was a wee little man and a wee little man was he, he climbed upon a sycamore tree for the Lord He wanted to see.

Does anyone remember that song: If not no worries, because we are going to be talking about the story, but so often we remember the song, we make zacheus this sweet guy that just wanted to see Jesus but skip over how life changing this song would

Because we are in Luke 19:1-10 and if you were here last week we started a new series called “Abundant Life” And this is actually only a 3 week series, but in this series a large part that we are looking at is the heart change that we have when we enter into a relationship with Jesus.

And last week we had a passage tell us, and this week we are actually going to see what it looks like.

Because today as I mentioned we look at this story of this guy named Zacheus we are going to see this actually play out in his life.

And my prayer is that we will come to a place where we say I want to have an encounter like that.

So once again we are in Luke 19:1-10 and we are going to be starting in just the first for verses. It says this:

Luke 19:1–4 NIV

1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

So the passage starts with Jesus passing through a town called Jericho

And as he passes through He has a huge crowd around Him.

But the passage focuses on Zacheus, and from what we can gather He is Jewish, and the chief tax collector

So because of his job he would have been extreamly wealthy, but also extreamly hated.

And we have talked about this before, but tax collectors were not just disliked because they collected taxes

but they were actually traders, because they collected taxes for the Roman government that currently ruled over this area.

And this was a goverment that would unjustly arrest, torture and even kill the Jewish people.

So imagine with me that now there is a guy collecting money to fund people you know, (maybe even family or friends) to be arrested and killed.

And they might even charge you extra so they make more money.

And Zacheus is one of the people overseeing this.

And so even though Zacheus would have had money, He would have been hated.

But something is interesting, because we can guess Zacheus might realize something in his life is off.

Becaause in verse 4 we read that Zacheus hears Jesus is coming and he begins to climb a sycomore tree because he is short (I relate with Zacheus) and he wants to see Jesus over the crowds.

And the reason this is a big deal, it in Biblical times maybe kids would climb trees, but never a full grown man, that had power and money.

I mean even though this would not be a huge issue for our culture, it would have been really embarrassing for Zacheus to do,

And I don’t think Zacheus just didn’t care, but I think he heard about Jesus and thought wow, If I could just see Jesus maybe things would be different.

And I just want to pause here because this is a really good posture for us to have in our walk with God,

Where we are saying God I will do whatever I need to do to get to you.

And look at this next part because in Zacheus in in the tree and in verses 5-7 Jesus comes, and this happens:

Luke 19:5–7 (NIV)

5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

Jesus reaches the spot and looks right at Zacheus and tells Him to come down, because He is going to Zaacheus’s house.

I think sometimes its easy to skip over just how big this was,

I mean imagine with me that you are at a concert for your favorite mucian, Taylor Swift, Luke Bryan, the Gathers, (its a wide range)

And you are in a nose bleed section and the artist all the sudden stops playing and goes Toni, get down from there, you are coming to my house.

Thats a big deal right?

And the beautiful, thing is in this story Jesus does not just look out and go wow look at my followers, but he sees this short goofy guy in the tree that most people hate and have written off and Jesus comes and meets Him where He is.

You know you don’t have to have it all figured out to come to Jesus, because truthfully Jesus comes to us.

You know that kids song I mentioned in the beginning (there is a part of that song where it is Jesus talking and He says “cause Im going to your house today”

But whats kind of funny is in England that line is actually sung: “Cause I am going to your house for tea”

And its funny because thats not really what Jesus does right?

But I love that song, because it actually very clearly tells what Jesus does in this story.

He meets Zacheus where He is, and He meets us where we are.

And even more beautiful then that, He doesn’t come to Zacheus and go, wow you are so messed up.

But He says I am coming to stay at your house

And this would have actually been a big deal, because they would have shared meals together, they would have talked for hours, in Biblical times this would have been very intimate,

In fact this was Jesus saying I am choosing to be associated with Zacheus and break bread with Him.

And He does the same for us.

Because you are seen, you are met where you are, and not just that but you are brought into a relationship with God.

One where He wants to sit at the table with you, talk for hours.

But here is the issue, because while Jesus is hanging with Zacheus, it says that everyone else is grumbling, going why is Jesus staying with this sinner.

and the reason is because they were thinking “we have our lives together, but Zacheus, that guy is a mess.”

I mean if Jesus came back I think a lot of us would go, well year of course He is hanging around that leader or this person, but whats amazing is in this story Jesus stays in the house of a person who is a mess.

I don’t know if any of you feel this way, but isn’t that some good news?

That your life may be messy but God wants to enter into it.

And look at this last part because in verses 8 and 9, because Zacheus is with Jesus and He does this:

Luke 19:8–10 NIV

8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

He stands up and says I did wrong, in fact I am going to give half of my possessions to the pour and then pay back anyone that I have wronged 4 fold.

So if he wrongfully took 100 dollars from you, he is going to give you 400 dollars.

I love the picture another pastor I read wrote about this because you can picture Zacheus walking up to doors and he knocks on the door

And the people go turn off the lights its Zacheus,

And He knocks on the door over and over again until eventually you open up and its Zacheus and He has money for you.

And He is walking away and gives some money to a begger.

I mean its almost like in the Christmas Charol, where when scrooge has this heart change.

And He is giving money away and people are just looking at Him like “are you okay?”

But heres what I want you to get, because what we see here is Zacheus having a major heart change,

Because Jewish law required Him to give back 1/5 more then what he took, but here Zacheus is going I need to do better.

And I want you to notice this because he does not give away things to get close to Jesus, but he gets close to Jesus and all of the sudden His heart is changed and this is just something He cannot help but do.

Because the closer you are to Jesus, the more your heart matches the heart of God.

Where the things that break God’s heart break yours.

And that might look different for each person.

But Zacheus is here going this was wrong, how does God want me to use the resources I have.

And as we get ready to close I think its important that some of us are in different places, and maybe God is working differently on each of our hearts, but the beauty is whether we are in a place where we are just trying to See Jesus, or where we are taking these huge steps of faith.

He is so delighted.

Because a lot of you know that Arika and I have a 2 month old.

And she’s at that stage where she can do anything and we are like “Thats amazing”

Did you see that she smiled

Did you see that she rolled on her back,

She lifted her arm, get the camera.

We never go who cares!

And to be honest I think theres a little truth about that being the place of God’s heart.

Because you might be in a place where you are climbing a sycomore tree to see Jesus, or you might be in a place where you are in the process of taking a huge step of faith.

But the beautiful thing is that Jesus will meet you there this morning.

But we have to have the faith to turn to Him.

Will you pray with me?