The Story About the Short Guy
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 124 viewsMay we be like Zacchaeus and not let anything get in our way to get closer and to see Christ.
Notes
Transcript
I went to college in Minneapolis, MN. After my first school year, I decided to stay there for the summer take some more classes and work. Over the 4th of July my friends and I would sneak up to the roof of the fireworks to see the fireworks. We knew we could get in trouble and some would not be happy but we really wanted to see those fireworks.
_________________________________________________
I went to college in Minneapolis, MN. After my first school year, I decided to stay there for the summer take some more classes and work. Over the 4th of July my friends and I would sneak up to the roof of the fireworks to see the fireworks. We knew we could get in trouble and some would not be happy but we really wanted to see those fireworks.
We are in the Easter season. Jesus is coming closer to His crucifixion to save us from our sins.
Many of us in the church have become lazy. Like we’ll see in our reading today we must do whatever it takes to get closer to Jesus and to see Him better. What are you doing to accomplish that?
_________________________________________________
1 He entered Jericho and was passing through.
2 There was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.
3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but he was not able because of the crowd, since he was a short man.
4 So running ahead, he climbed up a sycamore tree to see Jesus, since he was about to pass that way.
5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down because today it is necessary for me to stay at your house.”
6 So he quickly came down and welcomed him joyfully.
7 All who saw it began to complain, “He’s gone to stay with a sinful man.”
8 But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, I’ll give half of my possessions to the poor, Lord. And if I have extorted anything from anyone, I’ll pay back four times as much.”
9 “Today salvation has come to this house,” Jesus told him, “because he too is a son of Abraham.
10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”
1 He entered Jericho and was passing through.
2 There was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.
Jesus was passing through on His way to Jerusalem. Why is He on His way to Jerusalem?
Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector. He would have been a supervisor of sorts over a area or region.
He was a rich man because of his position. He had robbed from those who he collected taxes from. The Roman Empire would not care if the tax collectors were abusing their power as long as Rome got it’s money and they didn’t have to bother with it.
3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but he was not able because of the crowd, since he was a short man.
4 So running ahead, he climbed up a sycamore tree to see Jesus, since he was about to pass that way.
Zacchaeus really wanted to see Jesus coming by but couldn’t because he was short.
I would have loved to hear the conversation between Zacchaeus and Luke in heaven. “Dude, did you really need to tell everybody I was short?”
He ran ahead on the parade route and climbed up a sycamore tree.
The Bible doesn’t ever give us unnecessary information, though I don’t understand much of it. But why does Luke point out that it is a sycamore tree?
I looked at some pictures of a sycamore tree and the little boy in me got very excited. It would have been an excellent climbing tree, possibly with low branches easy for a short man to climb into.
Now a rich man in this culture or in our culture really, would never do something so undignified and climb a tree. I believe God was working in this situation. Look back at ...
17 Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
and tell me what you see.
5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down because today it is necessary for me to stay at your house.”
6 So he quickly came down and welcomed him joyfully.
Jesus tells him to hurry on down.
No problem. I come down out of trees often very quickly in my life.
Some may even say Jesus was being rude or pushy inviting himself over to Zacchaeus’ house. Christ was actually bestowing a great honor to him by having a rabbi over for dinner and Zac was excited about it as we see in vs. 6.
7 All who saw it began to complain, “He’s gone to stay with a sinful man.”
We see hear all about these knuckleheads throughout the Gospels. They just don’t understand Jesus’ love and mission. But we will fully understand His mission in just a moment.
8 But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, I’ll give half of my possessions to the poor, Lord. And if I have extorted anything from anyone, I’ll pay back four times as much.”
Zacchaeus giving away half of his possessions to the poor shows that something is going on.
It would have been law to give back what you have stolen plus 20% but that isn’t good enough for Zacchaeus, he gives back 4x’s the amount. That reminds me of Scrooge when he wakes up after seeing the ghost throughout the night. Scrooge understands what life is about and he just starts giving.
9 “Today salvation has come to this house,” Jesus told him, “because he too is a son of Abraham.
10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”
This isn’t talking about Jesus coming to his house. This is talking about Zacchaeus’ heart becoming right with God.
Please understand that he isn’t right with God because of his works. He is right with God because of his heart and that lead to his giving.
Now for the boom! We see in verse 10 why Christ came to this earth.
_________________________________________________
What tree do you need to climb in your life? Let the little kid in your heart out and do whatever you need to do to get a better look and Jesus and become closer to Him!