Lesson 61L Luke 19:1-15

He’s Got a Press Pass! Luke 19:1- 10.

English Standard Version Chapter 19

19 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, “

A press pass used to be a coveted card that was used by people who worked for media organizations. Primarily, it was used by radio and TV news people, newspaper reporters, news cameramen(many of them did not just work for one paper or magazine but would hire out for the best pay. Camera people were mostly still photographers until the mid 70’s when video cameras could be carried by an individual. Video cameras were a couple hundred pounds a piece in TV studios.), and magazine writers/ photographers. The press pass would enable you to get up close to dignitaries and news makers. Sometimes a press person could increase someone’s attendance, so the press usually got the chief seats and premiere attention. Zacchaeus, made his own press pass by climbing into the tree. The plan worked and Jesus gave him premiere attention!

Who was Zacchaeus?

We finished out chapter 18 with a rich young ruler and now we begin chapter 19 with a rich tax collector. Both leaders in their community. Zacchaeus was a leader in the tax collector community. Perhaps he was a regional or territory manager for the government. The term chief tax collector is not used elsewhere in the Bible. Let’s just say he was the chiefest of the chiefs. If most tax collectors were crooks and swindlers, then Zacchaeus was the leader of the crowd. He was the chief source of income for the local establishment and beyond. Interesting in how that Zacchaeus reacted completely different from the rich young leader. Both men sought the Lord. One received jesus joyfully and the the other walked away sad. As we said last week, it is not that being rich prevents you from going to heaven, but it can be a stumbling block. It is the truth of God’s wonderful grace that makes it possible for the very rich, the very poor and everyone in between to come to Jesus. I would imagine that a prideful person in poverty could feel that they are not worthy to come to Jesus and so must remain as they are.

The triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem is in this chapter. This stop by the sycamore tree is in Jericho and and at this point the Savior is just passing through. It was a chance encounter for some, I’m sure, but for Zacchaeus this was a diving appointment. Jesus goes from passing through to staying the day at the rich chief tax collector’s home. The crowd was formidable and if Zacchaeus was to see what Jesus was all about, he had to humble himself as a rich man and go climb a tree. His press pass in the tree got him past the press( the King James Version actually uses the word “Press”) and Zach gets the interview with the Son of God.

King James Version Chapter 19

3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. 19:3

We used to sing a children’s chorus in Sunday school about Zacchaeus. It reads like this. The music is not being printed here as I could not find suitable sheet music:) Let me sing it for you:

Zacchaeus was a wee little man, a wee little man was he. He climbed into a sycamore tree, for the Lord he wanted to see. And as the Savior passed his way, He looked up in the tree. And He said, “Zacchaeus, you come down! For I’m going to your house today, I’m going to your house today.”

When Jesus went to Zacchaeus’ house, it caused am uproar because He was going to terrible sinner’s house. It did not phase Him at all. He went anyway. While at the house, Zach repented and said, “Lord half of my goods I give to the poor. If I have defrauded anyone, I will restore fourfold.” This was more than enough, even by standards of the Jewish law. Jesus’s response was immediate:

English Standard Version Chapter 19

“

Evangelism’s place in the plan of Jesus

This was not a fundraising meal, this was a spiritual event of personal evangelism. Another has been won and will be on his way to heaven. He did not just talk about everlasting life, Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus is nit just yesterday and today, He is the now and forever, eternal life to come. This is not the stairway to heaven, but it is climbing the tree of success. The cross is definitely in view but this sycamore tree has been prominent in this man’s way of getting to heaven just as the cross of wood will be instrumental in people getting to heaven from here on out. It’s not about the works of man doing something to be saved or to get saved, it’s about a man’s willingness to humble himself, believe, repent, and then his willingness to restore. Zacchaeus is compared in a way, to the grumblers. You have the rich dishonest man in direct contrast to the grumblers of verse 7-”they all grumbled.” Apparently this trip passing through Jericho was a fishing trip and the Lord got himself another soul. The grumblers never made it.

Coming Out of the House of Zacchaeus

Let’s be clear. The Son of Man is here to “go after” men and save those are lost. The word “lost” is a description of the unsaved. It talks about someone who has been destroyed and ruined. It also means that person is no longer usable or worthy to be claimed. That is why the Bible says in Romans 3 that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Without Jesus, we are ruined sinners. Our lives have been destroyed by the evil one. There is no hope this side of heaven, except the cross. Whereas salvation means in part that someone has been rescued from danger, and has been delivered into divine salvation. There is no other way. The one not worthy to be claimed has been brought safely into the everlasting arms of Jesus. Zacchaeus was a Jewish man(son of Abraham) who has now been made complete as He welcomes Jesus and His kingdom into his life and house.

As believers, we have a mission just as Jesus did. We are here on Earth to seek and to save those that are lost. After the empty tomb following Calvary, Jesus gave explicit instructions to his disciples and those that observed His ascension into heaven: Acts 1:8- “But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, unto the uttermost part of the Earth.” Let’s be in the middle of God’s plan for mankind. Let’s go look for those who need our Savior and bring them into our place.