Jesus Brings Salvation to Zaccheus’s Home
April 6, 2022
Commentary
Jesus comes in contact with Zachaeus as he passes through Jericho (vv. 1-2).Some interesting things about Zachaeus are as follows:
He was rich (v. 2). He was not only a tax collector but a chief of tax collectors.He thought he was seeking Jesus (v. 3), but Jesus was seeking him (v.10) – A lost sinner does not naturally seek the Savior (Romans 3:11), but Jesus through the ministry of the Holy Spirit is searching for lost sinners.He was a little man (v. 3) – Zaccheus was physically “little in stature.” Many lost sinners think they are big when in a spiritual sense they are small. No one measures up to God’s standards, for we are “too little” to enter heaven (Rom. 3:23).He ran to Jesus (v. 4) – It certainly would have been an unusual sight to have seen a wealthy government official like this running down the street and then climbing a tree.He was up a tree and he made haste and came down (vv. 4-6).He caused a stir in the town because of having Jesus come to his house (v. 7).He gives evidence of his salvation (v.8) – Having trusted the Savior, he gave evidence of his faith by offering to make restitution to all of those he had wronged. True saving faith is more than some pious words but results in a changed life (II Cor. 5:17).Jesus said he was a son on Abraham yet he was a sinner (v. 9). Not saved by heritage.
Application
It isn’t enough to follow Christ in my head. I must show my faith in Christ by my changed behavior.
Luke 19:1– 10 (NET)
1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through it. 2 Now a man named Zacchaeus was there; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 He was trying to get a look at Jesus, but being a short man he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, because Jesus was going to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to that place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, because I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down quickly and welcomed Jesus joyfully. 7 And when the people saw it, they all complained, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8 But Zacchaeus stopped and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, half of my possessions I now give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone of anything, I am paying back four times as much!” 9 Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this household, because he too is a son of Abraham! 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Illustration: The Bridge is Out
In the fall of the year during an ice storm, a bridge collapsed. Cars continued to travel toward the bridge and plunged into the icy river below. One man went over, climbed out of the car, and then stood on the highway trying to stop others from plunging over. But car after car drove on by him, unaware of the danger ahead. He would shout and wave “The bridge is out, the bridge is out.” But none stopped. Finally he took off his jacket, stood in the middle of the highway and refused to move, waving his jacket. The angry driver shouted, “What do you think you are doing on a night like this!” He replied, “The bridge is out.” The driver turned his car sideways in the road, and they were able to stop others from sudden destruction as well. (“The Bridge Is Out” from Reader’s Digest).