The Gospel for Outcasts - Luke 19:1-10

Introduction

The fifth grade was the very first time that I ever thought about the clothes that I wore. And, I remember exactly how it happened. I had a friend come and tell me that another girl in the class said that I needed “shoe advice.” Never before in my life had a thought about shoes as anything other than something that you needed to go outside and play in the woods. And, my shoes were fine. They were just the way a little, rambunctious boys shoes look after a few months of playing in them. But, I remember just feeling like a total loser.

Well, it was around Christmas time. And, of course, I went home and told my mom. She was as hurt by it as I was. And, I remember that she had already bought me some new shoes for Christmas, and she went and pulled them out. It was a brand new pair of Nikes, and they were legit! I walked into Mrs. Hubbard’s class the next day like I was James Dean.

Nothing feels quite as bad as feeling like and outcast. But, we’ve all been there. No person is immune to feeling the sting of rejection and contempt at the hands of others.

God’s Word

And, our experience as outcasts helps us to appreciate the fully beauty of the Gospel. You see, Jesus came for the outcasts, and to come for the outcasts, Jesus became an outcast. And, this is especially important to Luke. Luke was a Gentile, someone who was not thought to be included among the people of God. But, the Messiah had come for him, Jesus had come for him. So it became his passion. In fact, Christians for generations have called this section of Luke (9:51-19:10) The Gospel for Outcasts (headline):

Jesus “seeks” the “lowest.”

Friendships aren’t planned, are they? They’re usually the result of being in the same place a lot with the same people, and over time, you begin to discover common ground and have common experiences. Most of your friendships, if you look back on it, seem like accidents, don’t they? Andrew and I became friends because he interrupted my blessing at Zaxbys by “amen-ing” me.

And yet, it’s not lost on me that here we are 15 years later leading a church together with a unique complement in personality and gifting. I’m not sure Zaxby’s was as random as it felt. In fact, I think the Bible teaches that...

There are no “incidental” meetings.

Luke 19:1–5 “He entered Jericho and was passing through. And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.””

Luke is really setting us up in chapter 19. He opens the scene as dramatically as possible and presents it to us as happenstance. Jesus is on his path to Jerusalem where He will be crucified, and his path happens to take him through Jericho. Jericho was a crossroads town, which made it an important trade center. It also made it the perfect center for the chief tax collector to set up his shop. So, this happens to be where Zacchaeus lives and operates. And, if you were here last week, you know tax collectors are like the ancient Jewish mafia. They’re bad people. So, Zac is basically the mob boss. Like, he’s the guy Matthew answers to. He’s quite literally the “chief” of sinners. He was also “rich,” which we’ve just learned in chapter 18 makes you less likely to enter the kingdom of heaven than it is for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.

He wants to see Jesus (we’re not told why), and he’s so short that he has to climb a tree to do it. In my mind it’s kind of that video of Kennedy rounding the corner on Dealey Plaza. And, the thought is that either Jesus isn’t going to know him, or Jesus isn’t going to like him. That’s the expectation.

But, what does Jesus do? He calls him by name. “Zacchaeus!” Jesus knows he’s there. This is a divine appointment, not happenstance. And, Jesus knows his name. He’s not just an anonymous face in the crowd. Zac thought he was looking for Jesus, but it was really Jesus looking for him.

It makes me think of Daniel Nance and Dustin Patterson’s friendship. For years, Daniel had been studying apologetics and preparing himself for great evangelistic work on college campuses, plans that never came to fruition. Then, one day at a little league practice, he finds himself leaned up against a fence and talking to Dustin, who was an atheist that liked to talk. It looked like chance. It appeared to be random. But, all those years of reading and preparing for Daniel was for a divine appointment that God had for him, not for the plans he had. Within a couple of months, Dustin had been baptized. Oh, you don’t go looking for Jesus, he comes looking for you. I wonder if you even know why you’re here this morning. Maybe it feels random or forced. Zaccheus teaches us that it’s no accident. You’re here because Jesus is looking for you.

And...

There are no “insignificant” invitations.

Luke 19:5 “And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.””

I imagine a cold chill when down Zac’s spine when he heard Jesus say his name. He has the most infamous name in Galilee. He has to think that this great teacher is about to excoriate and humiliate him in front of the crowd. But, Jesus does something apparently strange, doesn’t he? He invites himself into Zac’s house. Now, this may seem even rude to us, but there’s a lot happening here. This is no insignificant invitation. First of all, Jesus is saying to Zac what no other Jew in town would’ve said. “I want to hang out with you. I’m not worried about you making me unclean. I want to dwell with you.” That is, Jesus is telling Zaccheus that He’s willing to ruin his reputation to hang out with him.

But, there’s another layer to this. If you look back to chapter 10, Jesus sends out 72 disciples two by two to preach the Kingdom of God. And, do you know what Jesus tells his disciples to do? He tells them to go to the houses, and if the house will welcome them and receive them, they should bring peace to that house. But, if they reject them and will not receive them, then they should shake the dust from their feet. That is, what’s happening here. Jesus is offering to Zac to join his kingdom and become one of his disciples if He will just welcome Jesus into his house.

There’s no person Jesus won’t receive if only they will receive him. If the cross teaches us anything, it’s that Jesus is willing to be guilty by association. It doesn’t matter how infamous your name is around town. It doesn’t matter how well known you are for your poor business practices or your low ethics. It doesn’t matter what people whisper when you walk by. Jesus is wants to be with you. Jesus isn’t concerned about what his association with you is going to do to his reputation, because even if you’re the lowest, even if you’re the worst...

Jesus “changes” the “worst.”

In Luke 19 Jesus is answering the question that comes up in Luke 18. In Luke 18, one of the most impressive men that we meet in the Scriptures shows up. He’s an elder in the Synagogue. He’s wealthy, which appears to be because of God’s blessing. He says that He’s even kept the 10 commandments since he was a child. He was literally a poster boy for what a Jew was supposed to be if he wanted to be right with God. But, Jesus says that he’s lacking something. He tells him to go, sell everything that he has, and give it to the poor. Then, he would have eternal life. And, the man left “very said, for he was extremely rich.” And, you’ll remember what Jesus says there: “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

Well, the disciples are dumfounded. And, they ask Jesus: If this guy doesn’t have enter life, “who can be saved?” And, do you remember how Jesus answers? “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” That is, a man can’t be good enough, but God can make him so. So, what I think Zac is meant to show us is who God saves and how He does the impossible. God isn’t looking for the best because he can change the worst.

He changes “what” we “love.”

Luke 19:6–8 “So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.””

You see, Zacchaeus and the Rich Ruler actually had the same problem. It just manifested in different ways. The Rich Ruler kept all the Law for the same reason that Zac ripped people off: They lived entirely for themselves. But, they had completely different responses when they met Jesus. The Rich Ruler went away sad when Jesus told him to give his wealth to the poor. Why? His wealth was his security. It was his peace. It was the source of his joy. But, when Zac meets Jesus, he gives away half of everything that he has to the poor without Jesus even asking. Why? Jesus as his security. Jesus was his peace. Jesus was the source of his joy now. The Rich Ruler left Jesus bitterly, but Zacchaeus “received him joyfully.”

What we’re seeing in Zaccheus is what see every time a person receives Jesus. We’re seeing the dismantling of an idol. Zac used to steal to accumulate money, but now he can joyfully give it away. It’s the total transformation of what He loves and lives for. All of his life Zac had thought more money would save his life. That’s the only reason you steal it, but it turns out that it ruined his life. He doesn’t need money. He just needs Jesus and his kingdom.

What can you not live without? How you answer that question will reveal if there’s any idols in your life. The Rich Ruler couldn’t live without his money. Maybe you can’t either. You don’t want to say that you love it, but your life is built around earning it, nurturing it, and enjoy it. Isn’t that how we talk about our relationship with Jesus? But, it isn’t just money. It can be your position in the company or in the community. It can be your acceptance by your peers. It can even be your family. But, Zac has discovered the pathway to freedom. When all you really need is Jesus and you have Jesus, the most greedy man can become the most generous. Now, you can give away what you once couldn’t live without. Because you have all you need, and you know you’ll never be without him.

Because Jesus changes what you love, and when Jesus changes what you love...

He changes “how” we “live.”

Luke 19:8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.””

You see, Zac doesn’t just give away half of his money to the poor. He is going to make things right with every person he’s hurt. That is, Zac’s repentance wasn’t theoretical. It was practical. He had hurt others, and he was willing to hurt himself to make things right with them. “Our repentance has to be more notorious than our sin.” (H. York) And, we’re seeing that in Zac.

But, that’s not all. “Fourfold” wasn’t just a number that Zac made up to be extravagant or hyperbolic. It’s the number given in Exodus 22 for the price owed if one man steals a sheep for another. So, you see, what we’re seeing is not just a man making amends in the way of a 12 step rehabilitation. We’re seeing a man who is now committed to living according to the Law who had flagrantly violated it before. But, He’s not keeping the Law so that he will have eternal life. That’s what the Rich Ruler. He’s not keeping to get; he’s keeping because he has. He has Jesus, and Jesus has changed what he loves and now how he lives. He’s keeping the Law out of the overflow of his heart, which is exactly what Ezekiel said would happen when someone enters the New Covenant, isn’t it?

Jesus will take any person exactly as they are, but He will never leave them that way. It doesn’t matter whether you’re the put together business man like the Rich Young Ruler or the unethical swindler like Zacchaeus, Jesus will take you. Jesus wants you. But, Jesus will change you. This morning, the question isn’t: do you like the idea of Jesus? It isn’t: do you think the gospel message is beautiful? The question is: have you invited him into your house so that your whole life is rearranged? Has what you loved changed and how you live changed?

Jesus “blesses” the “cursed.”

There’s nothing more uncomfortable than being in a room where you realize you don’t belong. A while back, I was invited to participate in a training for pastors regarding addiction. And, when I walked into the auditorium at Oxford Lake, I almost immediately turned around and walked right back out. The room is filled with other pastors. And, there’s table after table of pastors from the surrounding area, and every, single one of them is wearing a three piece suit and tie. And, do you know what I was wearing? A shirt with sailboats on it. “One of these things is not like the other.” You see, all of the other pastors had been told to dress night because there was going to be a picture taken for publication, but I had not gotten the memo.

But, here’s a main message that Luke is communicating in his Gospel here: There’s not a single person who doesn’t belong in the room with Jesus. There’s no “type” of person that does or doesn’t fit in the church. Whether you’re a chief sinner like Zac or a Gentile like Luke, you fit.

Through Christ...

The “excluded” become the “included.”

Luke 19:9 “And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.”

This would’ve been a big one for Luke, the Gentile doctor. There’s no wonder why he included it in his gospel, and the other Jewish gospel authors didn’t. Luke was a man who wanted to make people well, but his touch would’ve made them unclean. He and Zac have this in common. Both of them are viewed as being outside looking in on the special relationship that God has with his people. So, Jesus’ words to Zac mean the world to Luke. Zac was viewed by the culture as a son of perdition, one who warranted the condemnation of God. But, Jesus declares: “He also is a son of Abraham.” The unclean has been made clean! The sons of perdition has become a sons promise! They were cursed but now they are blessed! Zac and Luke may be excluded from the Temple, but they weren’t excluded from the Promise!

Jesus has opened the gate for all people to enjoy the promises of God. It’s a narrow gate through which you can’t bring all of your idols and favorite sins. And, it’s hard gate that’s shaped like a cross where the old self must be put to death. But, it’s a gate that is open to every, single outcast that has had a door slammed in their face. No matter who you are or where you’ve been or what you’ve done, you are welcome into the church so long as you enter through the cross’ gate. And, that’s the type of church we’re going to be, Iron City. We’re going to be the type of church that welcomes the outcasts of the world to enjoy the inclusion and fellowship of the church. It doesn’t matter who their dad is or isn’t. It doesn’t matter what they’ve done or haven’t. It doesn’t matter what they bring to the table or don’t. The only thing that matters is: Have they come through Christ?

You see, this is what Jesus CAME to do. This is the point of Advent. Jesus came to overcome curses so that the excluded might be the included and……

The “avoided” become the “sought.”

Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.””

Verse 10 isn’t just summary of the story of Zacchaeus. It’s a summary of all of Luke’s gospel of the Outcast. It’s a summation of everything that’s been taught since chapter 9. Seeking and saving the lost is just what Jesus does. It’s who He is. It’s why He came. Jesus left heaven to come to earth to seek out the very people that everyone else in the world writes off.

And, those people come in every shape and size, color and socio-economic level. That’s the point. Over the last ten chapters, Jesus has healed a disabled woman and told of a prodigal son who was celebrated upon his return. He’s said that poor Lazarus enjoyed the glory of heaven and that the wealth tax collector, Zac, will be there, too. Samaritan lepers and blind beggars and little children all find Jesus seeking after them. There’s no outcast that Jesus doesn’t love, no outcast that He doesn’t want.

You see, all of these “lost” people were people that the world thought had been “cursed” by God. The disabled and the poor were, in the eyes of their culture, suffering because of a sin in their lives. The Samaritans were paying the price for what their ancestors did. The tax collector deserved his fate, and the little children brought nothing to the table. But, Jesus wanted them. Every, single one. Jesus came for them. Every, single one. He came so that the cursed might be blessed.

Have you been running from God? Jesus came for the prodigals. Have you been stealing from you company? Jesus came for the tax collectors. Do you feel too insignificant to matter? Jesus came for poor Lazarus. Do you feel like an outcast in every room you walk into? Jesus came for the Samaritan.

Jesus came for you. Will you receive him?