I encourage all to come to Jesus to see who we are without him and who we are with him. Consider the miracle that took place in Jericho on this day. Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem for the last time. This man took his last chance to come to Jesus; he was glad he did. The same Jesus is ready to help you too.
Luke 19: 1And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. 2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. 3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. 4 And he ran 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 saw him, 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, That he was gone to be guest 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 taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. 9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
There is an interesting item to note. I don’t know if there is another place in the Bible where Jesus invited himself to someone’s home. It wasn’t the home of one of the disciples; it was the home of a sinner. How do you feel when someone invites himself to your home? It generally comes from the people you wish it wouldn’t. Jesus told Zacchaeus to day I must abide at thy house. He’s inviting himself into your heart and home today. He won’t push himself upon you. The RSVP must come from you.
This day was like any other for Zacchaeus. It tells us he was a small person. The children’s song calls him a “wee little man.” He was small in size, but he was big in society. He was important to the Roman Empire. He felt his importance. Zacchaeus was a Jew enlisted by the Romans to be a tax collector. Turning his back on his own people he took the job and became a liaison between the Jews and the government. He coerced money out of the people by whatever means needed. No matter how important you think you are, without Jesus you are lost. What could be more important—what the Lord thinks of you or what people think? Your prominence among others or your standing with God? Zacchaeus became a traitor to his own people. If we follow sin and bind ourselves with it, we betray the Lord and others, but more importantly we betray our own soul. What profit is there if we gain the whole world but lose our soul?
Jesus came to Jericho for people just like Zacchaeus who were bound to their table of sin. He was not known as one ready to meet God. He was in darkness. He was alone. I’m sure his family bore the shame of his choosing to be a tax collector. No doubt it gave him all he thought he needed. Sin will make it good for you—for a season. There is a price to pay, a misery to be borne. If we dance to the piper, we will pay. Sin demands a high price; we can’t pay it. We’re just little like Zacchaeus when it comes down to it.
The world doesn’t want to see honesty and humility and faithfulness. The devil wants to instill pride and arrogance and self-assuredness. That was Zacchaeus, cold hearted and tough. These character traits will take us to hell. Heap up things and live high on life, but what good is it if we don’t have Jesus? Zacchaeus quickly realized that although successful he was poor and small. Without a Savior, regardless of how we build ourselves up, in God’s eyes we are a wee little person who can’t help himself. Everything we have can be gone in an instant. Some things we have we can do without, but we cannot do without Jesus. Zacchaeus thought he had it all, but he was bound to his table of sin.
All of a sudden people began to leave the tax collection table. What was going on? Sometimes Jesus has to come to town and turn lives upside down to get people to see how much they need him. It’s time to say good bye to the tables of sin and go see Jesus. It’s time to stand for your own soul over your liberties. Jesus was in town. The tax table told Zacchaeus to “stay put.” Our so-called reasons for staying away from Jesus will speak to us, but there is no reason that we can’t go to him. There is a Zacchaeus in all of us, and we have to bring him to Jesus. That’s why Jesus went to Jericho. Blind Bartimaeus had his encounter with Jesus. Now it was Zacchaeus’ turn. The two most unlikely men in the town met Jesus that day.
Zacchaeus realized that if he left the table, it would be all right. There was no seatbelt holding him there. There is no harness on the pew. It will require little physical exertion to come to Jesus. Zacchaeus had to run ahead of the crowd and climb a tree. You won’t have to do that. If you’ve never prayed, that’s all right. Do it today. You won’t fall. All it takes is to humble yourself before the Lord. Zacchaeus got in the tree and waited for Jesus to pass by. Jesus is passing by. You know it. You feel it. Are you just going to sit and let him go by? Nothing is important enough to keep you from Jesus. Whatever is keeping you has no restraints. If you want Jesus, you can have him. Come to him, and you will find him.
In order to see Jesus for who he is, we must see ourselves for who we are. Let’s be honest with ourselves. Leave the tables of sin and “climb the tree.” He will see you just as he saw Zacchaeus. He will go home with you if you let him.
Jesus looked up. He called him by name. He knows us by name to the innermost dark corner of our life. When Jesus told Zacchaeus to come down, what did he do? Stay in the tree? Did he go back to the tax collector’s table? No. His yesterday was gone. His today was before him. Today matters. Jesus said today I must abide at thy house. Today is the day for your salvation as it was for Zacchaeus. He found his satisfaction in Jesus and restored what he had wrongfully taken from the people. He stood with Jesus and received him.
Verse 10 sums it up. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Jesus is here to save you. The invitation is extended. Don’t let Jesus pass you by.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 