Jesus and Zacchaeus
by Jill Newman
With a thud, Zacchaeus landed hard on the ground. He’d been darting through the crowd trying to get a glimpse of the Teacher when he tripped over something. Glancing down in frustration, he saw that it was a gnarled old tree root. Suddenly, an idea occurred to him! Running swiftly ahead of the crowd, Zacchaeus spotted what he was looking for…the big sycamore tree! His sweaty palms made the climb harder, but finally he made it to a high branch, hoping to see the Teacher as He walked past. He had no idea why this was so important to him, but he had a feeling his life was about to change.
Read Luke 19:1-10
Zacchaeus was a wealthy tax collector, likely in charge of other tax collectors in the region. He’d grown rich off his practice of overcharging the hard-working people of his village. He was despised by his own people because of his greed and his alliance with the Romans. And yet, when we meet Zacchaeus, he is desperate to meet Jesus with what seems to be an almost child-like faith. And when Jesus singles Zacchaeus out to dine with Him, he receives the Lord joyfully into his home. We’re not told what transpired between the two of them at the meal, but Zacchaeus emerges a changed man. It’s important to note that Zacchaeus wasn’t saved because he promised to do good works, but because he responded by faith to Christ’s invitation. In Revelation 3:20, Jesus says that if anyone hears His voice and opens the door, He will come in to dine with them which means more than just sharing a meal! He will become Lord and Savior of their life.
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Q: The crowd was unhappy that Jesus was spending time with such a despised sinner. It’s tempting to stereotype people based upon what we see on the outside. 1 Samuel 16:7 reminds us, however, that God sees the heart. Do you ever find yourself judging those whose appearance/job/background/etc. may be different than yours? Who would you say are the “despised ones” of our generation?
Q: Read Luke 18:9-14. It’s possible that Zacchaeus was the tax collector in Jesus’ story about the Pharisee and the tax collector. Who do you identify with more, the Pharisee or the tax collector? Why?
Q: Zacchaeus’ faith resulted in action. People will recognize authentic faith through the actions of believers, in addition to them sharing their testimony. How can you personally show your faith through action to a lost world?