Outrageous Joy, Ridiculous Gratitude (Notes)
In the city of Jericho there lived a very wealthy man named Zacchaeus, who was the supervisor over all the tax collectors. As Jesus made his way through the city, Zacchaeus was eager to see Jesus. He kept trying to get a look at him, but the crowd around Jesus was massive. Zacchaeus was a very short man and couldn’t see over the heads of the people. 4 So he ran on ahead of everyone and climbed up a blossoming fig tree so he could get a glimpse of Jesus as he passed by.5 When Jesus got to that place, he looked up into the tree and said, “Zacchaeus, hurry on down, for I am appointed to stay at your house today!”6 So he scurried down the tree and came face-to-face with Jesus.7 As Jesus left to go with Zacchaeus, many in the crowd complained, “Look at this! Of all the people to have dinner with, he’s going to eat in the house of a crook.”8 Zacchaeus joyously welcomed Jesus and was amazed over his gracious visit to his home. Zacchaeus stood in front of the Lord and said, “Half of all that I own I will give to the poor. And Lord, if I have cheated anyone, I promise to pay back four times as much as I stole.”9–10 Jesus said to him, “This shows that today life has come to you and your household, for you are a true son of Abraham. The Son of Man has come to seek out and to give life to those who are lost.”
Luke 19 1–3 (TPT)
“I wish there were more of us who did not mind being laughed at if only what we did helped us to see Jesus.”
Maclaren
Jesus knows your name.
Sometimes we have to lower ourselves from our “high place” in order to meet Jesus face to face.
Jesus wanted a real relationship with Zacchaeus,
Brothers and sisters, consider who you were when God called you to salvation. Not many of you were wise scholars by human standards, nor were many of you in positions of power. Not many of you were considered the elite when you answered God’s call. 27 But God chose those whom the world considers foolish to shame those who think they are wise, and God chose the puny and powerless to shame the high and mighty. 28 He chose the lowly, the laughable in the world’s eyes—nobodies—so that he would shame the somebodies. For he chose what is regarded as insignificant in order to supersede what is regarded as prominent, 29 so that there would be no place for prideful boasting in God’s presence. 30 For it is not from man that we draw our life but from God as we are being joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. And now he is our God-given wisdom, our virtue, our holiness, and our redemption. 31 And this fulfills what is written: If anyone boasts, let him only boast in all that the Lord has done!
I Corinthians 1:26 (TPT)
“Christ will not force himself into any man’s house, and sit there against the man’s will. That would not be the action of a guest, but of an unwelcome intruder.”
Spurgeon
Zacchaeus was happy to receive Jesus – not a creed or a doctrine, not a theory or a ceremony – but Jesus Himself.
How to receive Jesus:
- By seeking after Him with real effort.
- By humbling yourself.
- No matter how sinful or hated you are.
- As He invites you by name.· Without delay.
- By coming down to Him.· Jesus Himself.
- Into your life, your home.· Joyfully.
- Despite what others say.
- With repentance and restitution.
Love for Jesus can motivate us for greater things than legalism, guilt, or manipulation can ever do.
What Zacchaeus’ story tells us:
- Who Jesus wants to receive Him: those lost.
- What Jesus wants with those who receive Him: relationship.
- Where Jesus requires us to go: down to Him.
- When Jesus wants you to receive Him: immediately, quickly.
- Why Jesus wants you to receive Him: to be with Him, to connect with Him in life.
- How Jesus wants you to receive Him: joyfully.
