The Life of Zacchaeus

The Life of Zacchaeus Luke 19:1-10

I’m glad there are no impossible cases with God. Brother Dan Stettler tells how his grandfather, a vile man threw his arms in the air and cursed God with all his strength, yet one day fell in an altar of prayer and was saved by the same God he had one day cursed. Finney tells the story of the man who came to him asking about that verse of scripture in John where it says; Jesus blood cleanses from all sin, did that mean his murders, his gambling, his vile lifestyle. As you read the rest of the story we find that it did. I watched Jerry and Trudy come by moms day after day to pick up their children. Strung out on drugs, he had hair strung down to his shoulders, liked the wild parties, so messed up by drugs he would lose his check between work and home. I don’t mean just misplace it I mean forget. Yet one Sunday morning Jesus came by and said, Jerry come down, I’m going to your house today. Last year at Whiteside camp I watched as Jesus came by and said, “Trudy come down I’m going to your house today. I may not have been strung out on drugs, I didn’t have an alcohol problem, but I did have a sin problem. I had a critical heart. I had things buried in my heart that only the light of the Holy Ghost could expose, but how I’m thankful for the day Jesus came by where I was and said, “Curtis, come down I’m going to your house today.

I. Short on Friends

1. Zacchaeus was not just a publican but the chief among them, an outcast in Jewish society a dreaded tax collector. 2. Was shoved aside, and talked about, and rudely ignored when possible A. I can just about hear the talk show host of that day, "Did you hear about the short tax collector? The bills he handed out were longer than himself!" 3. Zacchaeus was rich. Not told how was earned but with his confession could have been crocked.

II. Short of Stature 1. Naturally Zacchaeus was a short man. Probably heard all the jokes, “Hey Zacchaeus, I heard short people don’t live long” and other rude remarks were made about him. 2. Shortness didn’t hinder climbing trees. 3. Shortness wasn’t an obstacle to God.

III. Short of the Mark 1. Short of the mark of society – God help us to reach out to even them. 2. Short of the mark of God – confessed this when he was serving Jesus. A. Honesty and integrity in question B. Had a hunger to see God was not satisfied in his heart.

IV. Shortness was cut short. 1. Became a giant giver. A. Gave half to the poor B. Gave up stinginess

2. Became a giant of a Christian. A. Jesus told him Verse 9 “This day is salvation come to this house.” B. Clement an early church father tells us that Zacchaeus was mentored by Peter and later appointed a Bishop to Caesarea.

It always makes a difference when Jesus passes by. The Devi l trembles the enemy flees. I’m thankful for the day, that shortness spiritually speaking was cut short. That Jesus passed by my way looked to where I was and came into my heart to stay.