Here and now

Christ and the vertically challenged

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

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

All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner’.” 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.” Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”"

(Luke 19:1-10, NIV)

On the day she came it rained – and Weston was not at its best for the Queen’s visit.  You may already know that I don’t enjoy rain at all – so although I had a ticket to attend one of the royal visit functions, I stayed in.  I checked the times again from the paper, and concluded that it was too late – but, on an impulse, I went out a few hundred yards to Ashcombe Road.  I noticed the police outriders almost at once, and then the security officers’ car and then the royal car.  There were very few people in the wet of Ashcombe Road – so when I waved at her Majesty I was surprised that she waved back!

It was not like that with Zacchaeus!  It looks like he had planned ahead – took his shortcomings(!)  into consideration, and picked a suitable fig tree along the route.

He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

I’ve always had a soft spot for Zacchaeus – I know what it is like to stand in a crowd and see only shoulders, and I even have a print of a painting by one of Rembrandt’s students of the great artist’s mother. She is holding a copy of a devotional book, and you can clearly see that it is open at Luke 19 and there is a line drawing of a man up a tree![1]

I think I can safely assume that you all know this familiar story.  I just want to try and follow in the steps of Zacchaeus this morning – and remind myself how Jesus dealt with a man who was “vertically challenged” in every sense of the phrase.

The things that mark out this story which Luke tells with such characteristic human detail, are the difficulties, curiosity, determination and astonishment of a man whose life was changed when Jesus visited his home town.

Put very simply, Zacchaeus was challenged by his circumstances, by Jesus, and by the crowd. In those challenges he gives us a pattern for finding the answer to our needs, and for not only seeing Jesus – but experiencing His amazing grace at first hand – with astonishing results.

Zacchaeus moves from wealth, immorality and shortness of stature – to standing tall, (at least in attitude), demonstrating how Jesus had changed him, and being affirmed by Jesus as one of His people.

Challenged by his circumstances

It is remarkable how briefly yet with careful detail Luke describes him: 

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

There are some things about Zacchaeus that cannot be changed – but these are not the important things.  Zacchaeus remained a short man – but his ingenuity and determination to get a good view of Jesus got him something far more wonderful.

I have often wished I was taller. Now I wish I was slimmer.  I expect you have similar longings appropriate to your situation.  It’s a particular grace that helps us to accept what we cannot change – and an even greater grace to see what really needs changing in our life.

    Being short was not wrong. 

    Being a rich tax collector in those days involved not just sharp practice – but real theft!

    Being unpopular with the crowd was inevitable –

    But being found and welcomed by Jesus is priceless!

There are some things in our lives that we must recognise as things we have to live with – but Zacchaeus’ immoral life was not one of those things!

He is little perturbed by his height and his reputation – and does not jib at climbing a roadside tree in public – that was how he coped with the unchangeable things in his life.

If being short was all that was “wrong” with Zacchaeus he could have dealt with it all by himself.

Many people live their lives like that – doing the best with the difficulties that life brings – sometimes rising over the obstacles – but generally doing nothing about the real problems.

It is very sad that so many folks live lives at that level – without ever meeting Jesus, or finding the One who can completely transform.   Like Zacchaeus without Jesus meeting him – they remain LOST.

The challenge of Jesus

Zacchaeus was delighted when Jesus stopped at his tree[2] and spoke to him.

As the Message puts it:

When Jesus got to the tree, he looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, hurry down. Today is my day to be a guest in your home.” Zacchaeus scrambled out of the tree, hardly believing his good luck, delighted to take Jesus home with him.

    Often we think that finding God is the central theme of a religious life –

The reality is that God is always seeking to find us – indeed, as the narrative concludes:

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” V 10

    Christ’s challenge to Zacchaeus cuts across the accepted ideas of the time (7)

It is always so.  Do not expect God to work in your life in ways that are acceptable to our doubting secular times – He has His own way – the Only Way.

    Christ’s challenge cuts across Zacchaeus’ ideas of what mattered in his life

I must stay at your home!

It is an abiding mystery that God should desire our company or our hospitality – our willingness to put Him at the centre of our lives.

But He does!

    The most striking feature is the IMMEDIACY

“Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

Hence our text (v8)  HERE AND NOW  - it is not to be put off or delayed.

Zacchaeus responded “AT ONCE” and “GLADLY”

And that marked the first stage if you like in the pilgrimage of Zacchaeus. He who was vertically challenged is challenged by the words and Person of Christ

The next stage is the outworking of that in the real world:

The Challenge of the crowd

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

And they were right in that!  For Zacchaeus was indeed a sinner.

And although their criticism was not the REASON for Zacchaeus’ further step of faith – it did precipitate it.

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.”               V8

Look Lord!

Here and now!

A life that truly meets Christ and welcomes Him – has to work out against the views of a Godless and secular, as well as a doubtful and religious world – exactly what that CHALLENGE means.

    Zacchaeus has not grown – but he STANDS TALL

    As his life changes he offers it – not to the crowd – but Jesus first LOOK LORD

    He does not procrastinate – but HERE AND NOW expresses the transformation that Jesus has worked in him – it will be worked out NOW

Zacchaeus is a CHALLENGED man – and a CHANGED MAN

He is no taller – but he is repentant and obedient!

He who went up out of his way to see Jesus who He was – now goes out of his way to demonstrate what Christ has done in his life.

The Queen has moved on – I have missed my chance of being at the invited place, I saw her just in passing. 

Sadder far if He who passed blind Bartimaeus – should have passed Zacchaeus by – but infinitely sadder if He should be passing by (on the way to His cross) and I should not call after Him – or make an effort to put myself where He may find me – and miss the HERE AND NOW of opportunity that His grace and His Gospel commands!

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[1] http://www.rijksmuseum.nl/aria/aria_assets/SK-A-2627?lang=en&context_space=&context_id=

[2] Jesus, with the precision of an eternal purpose, made for the tree…  Gooding