Changed lives in Luke: a small man changed in a Big way

Luke 19:1-10 ESV

He entered Jericho and was passing through. And there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today." So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."

Rev. Dwight Yoo

Zacchaeus is our changed man. His name meant "pure and just." He lived in Jericho, a place of riches and of great trade importance.

Before Jesus

Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector. We don't see tax men favorably even today. But they were greatly reviled as basically extortionists. They were scum. They collected as much taxes as possible and gave just the required amount to the Romans. They kept the difference. As chief tax collector, he was top scum. Scripture said he was seeking out Jesus. Maybe he found all the riches insufficient. Maybe he was lonely. He was an outcast among his own people. The word doesn't say why, but those are very possible.

He climbed a tree. We fly through that verse. But men, upper class men don't run. They certainly don't climb trees. They try to look dignified all the time. This is a ridiculous scene. He is a short hated man. He must've been mocked for his actions. Going up that tree was lowering himself, letting go of his pride, his sense of dignity.

If we are to seek Jesus, we may also need to lower ourselves. Letting go of our pride, our self-respect. We can find that in order to meet Jesus, we may need to humble ourselves.

Meeting Jesus

Jesus invited himself to Zacchaeus' house. This little man up a tree is not looking for attention. But he climbs down and gladly accepts Jesus.

Jesus does this often. He walked onto a fisherman's boat. Jesus knows exactly what He is doing. He is doing the same for this tax collector. He walks up to that tree and calls him by name.

Jesus is saying I am extending friendship to you. That is what it means to say he must stay at His house. Jesus doesn't accuse or tell him to change first. Jesus calls this scum, friend. This is why the crowd murmured. We believe that we need to clean ourselves before coming to God. Jesus is saying something about this. We cannot clean ourselves. Jesus comes in first, then cleansing. Not the other way around!
When Zacchaeus accepted this offer of friendship with Christ, salvation came. Jesus said so. How? Because climbed a different tree, the tree of Calvary.

Aftermath

Zacchaeus is changed. He starts to live up to his name.

How do we recognize this change?

They call Jesus, LORD.

Jesus is boss over our entire life. Time, money, and every aspect of their life.

They turn from a lifestyle of serving ourselves to serving others.

They turn from just being about ourselves to caring for others. It is not just turning from one sin. It is turning from destructive self-centered living to loving growing humble living.

A willingness to give up what we used to live for especially to serve others.

Zacchaeus gives half of what he owns to the poor. That is considered imprudent by those days. Twenty percent was considered the most. Legal restitution for extortion was twenty percent. Zacchaeus said he would give back three hundred percent. It was crazy for a man who lived for money to do this. It means something. He is giving up what his life used to center on. Surrender, utterly and completely on that idol which our life was built upon. Zacchaeus used to do anything for money. Now, he is willing to do anything for Christ.

This holds true for not only money, but other things. People's approval for instance. Instead of doing things for people's opinions, we should confront people in sin. We should be able to love people by confronting sin, even if they may hate us for that. We are able to leave comfort to serve others. Because Christ left the comforts of heaven for us. Those of us living for worldly status will see a Jesus who became nobody for us, he became a servant. They can give up status and recognition with joy.