I was reading the story of Zacchaeus this morning in Luke 19. I still remember as a kid singing the song that goes along with this story and the "wee little man was he". If you grew up in the church, you know the song I am talking about. Be careful, if you sing it, it may be in your head all day! But again, that may be a good thing to remind us of this changed life by Jesus coming and showing himself to the weakest and most hated people.
Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector. Not just a tax collector like Matthew, yet a CHIEF tax collector and it says he was rich. How did he get his money? My stealing and extorting it from the people he lived around. That was how tax collectors made their money. People hated, REALLY hated tax collectors, even more then people hate paying their taxes in our day.
Yet on this trip, Jesus went to go find a hated man by people, yet loved by Jesus. Jesus did not care what the people said of Him. They said "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner". Why yes He did. We are all sinners, we all need a visit from Jesus to know and be known by God and be raised from the dead. Zacchaeus was looking for Jesus because God had been working in His heart. Zacchaeus met his creator and God that day and He was raised from the dead. How do we see that? We see that he turned from what he once worshipped and followed, Money. His old god was dead to him and Jesus, the true God, knew Him and saved Him. Zacchaeus responded in a way to see his life was changed. He gave away half his goods to the poor (whom he didn't care for before this) and he would restore fourfold to those he had defrauded (which would have been basically everyone). He would have been broke after this, well in the worlds sense. He was among the richest men and women of the world to know and be known by the God of this universe. His home was in heaven and he was a exile in this world (Hebrews 13:14 & 1 Peter 1:1)
Jesus "came to seek and save the lost" (Luke 19:10), which Zaccheaus was and which we are. This is an example of the life changing work of God. I am thankful that God came and found me, saved me, raised me from the dead! Let us remember, Jesus came to seek and save the lost. We can't look down on anyone and think they are not able to be saved. No one thought Zacchaeus could be saved. Yet what is impossible with men, is only possible with God!
Lets praise our God for He is worthy! Let us Behold our God and sing to him!
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