Jesus Doesn’t Care

Luke 19:1–10 ESV

1 He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 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.” 6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 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.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Introduction

In our world it seems like people are obsessed with what others think of them.

Most of us want to be approved of by others

Social media has proven this point definitively!

For many, what others think of and see of them drives their decisions

Thankfully, Jesus is unlike us in that regard.

Jesus doesn’t care who or what you are

As Luke records this account of Zaccheus, he notes several distinctive qualities:

chief tax collector

wealthy

short

Luke gave us a man’s-eye of view of how society viewed Zaccheus: not very well!

Luke 19:2 “2 And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich.”

Unlike the world, Jesus couldn’t care less. His focus was on something greater.

Jesus doesn’t care what others think

As the scene unfolded, those watching were gobsmacked that Jesus did this. Jesus was a Jew who was going to eat with “a sinner”

Luke 19:7 “7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.””

Again, unlike the world, Jesus couldn’t care less. His focus was on something greater.

Jesus doesn’t care what you’ve done

We’re not sure that facilitated what happens next.

perhaps Zaccheus heard their complains

maybe he was moved by Jesus’ own act of compassion

Either way, the result was that he confessed to Jesus his wrongs and how he was going remedy them

Luke 19:8 “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.””

Unlike the world, Jesus couldn’t care less. His focus was on something greater.

Jesus does care about you

This is where the story comes to its climax

Once Zacc made his confession, Jesus responded with an incredible statement:

Luke 19:9–10 “9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.””

Conclusion

Obviously, the title of the message is a trap.

Jesus DOES care. The difference is that he cares for YOU, not what you may be, what you may have done, or what the world thinks about you.

He cares for you.