The Art of Following: When Jesus Calls Us My Name- Luke 19:1-10

When Jesus Calls Our Name- Luke 19:1-10

Luke 19 (ASV 1901)

1 And he entered and was passing through Jericho. 2 And behold, a man called by name Zacchaeus; and he was a chief publican, and he was rich. 3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the crowd, because he was little of stature. 4 And he ran on before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to-day I must abide at thy house. 6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.

7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, He is gone in to lodge with a man that is a sinner. 8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have wrongfully exacted aught of any man, I restore fourfold. 9 And Jesus said unto him, To-day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost.

In our passage we find the experience of 1 man, who is curious of “who is this Jesus.” Due to his lack of height, he runs ahead, climbs a trees, gets a look. He may be in the safest places for the day. Yet, Jesus, finds him, approaches the hide-a-way, and calls him by name.

The Approach

when Jesus approaches our Life

Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (C. The Last Leg of the Journey (17:11–19:27))

was probably the head of a group of tax collectors. We each have a private life. A life that others do not know. This life may be expressed in tangible life, or it is within our very being. The apostle Paul says “within the spirit of a man”.

these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.

When Jesus calls us by Name

Jesus lays his “reputation on the line.” when he is known as with us. His identity is aligned with ours. We often think of it merely the other way around. As the author of Gentle and Lowly says, “those who others would run from, Jesus would go towards”. He isn’t afraid, repelled by your life. However, we cannot just stop the story at this point of his approach. With the approach of Jesus, we find his impact. When Jesus approaches, we have a light that shines into our darkness. This light reveals what his hidden in that darkness. We come to a crossings of covering up/repelling his approach or to welcome him in and begin a new context.

When Jesus needs our Home

why did Jesus need this man’s home? Here is a video of how The Bible Project film expressed this setting.

The Home of Zacchaeus

Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (C. The Last Leg of the Journey (17:11–19:27)) We also see Luke’s concern for the poor in this story; however, we should not fail to observe that here we have a rich man who is saved (cf. 18:18–30). The salvation of the rich is possible with God, for “the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost” (v. 10), both the rich and the poor, the clean and the unclean, the despised and the respectable.

When Jesus declares our Faith, “a son of Abraham.”

American Standard Version (Chapter 19)

9 To-day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost.

From an ethical/law abiding child of Abraham, to a Faith-Son of Abraham. Zach is a law.OT law abiding man. Yet in this brief conversation he is transformed. He is a child of Abraham by faith, not family line. Think back to the conversations of Jesus with the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees. (john 8 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”)