Steps to Christ ZACCHAEUS COMES TO JESUS
Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. Luke 19:5.
Jericho is a familiar name to many Christians, who have memories of stories connected with that place way back to childhood. There was the battle of Jericho, and the curse upon the city at the time of Joshua, in the Old Testament, which resulted in the old city of Jericho never being rebuilt. Then there is the newer city, which is still there today. It was the city toward which the good Samaritan was headed, as was the man he helped. It was the city outside of which blind Bartimaeus sat begging. And it was the city of Zacchaeus, who was a wee little man. "A wee little man was he!"
The story of Zacchaeus is an intriguing one. It has all the drama of real life. It has a comical side and it has deeply spiritual implications as an account of a true seeker after God.
Zacchaeus was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. If you analyze the regard that we have for the income-tax people today, perhaps you can understand somewhat how the people of Jericho felt about Zacchaeus. He was not only a publican, he was the chief of publicans. The publicans had become experts in fraud. The riches they amassed were gotten at the expense of other people. Zacchaeus was a thief. You can see him lying awake at night, lonely, staring at his tapestries that should have been in someone else's house, and wondering whether his emptiness would ever end. Then Zacchaeus somehow heard of Jesus, who accepted everyone who came to Him, who befriended publicans and sinners. A hope began to grow in his heart that perhaps he too could find peace. Then Jesus came to his town.
It sort of strikes your funny bone to see Zacchaeus, the director of the internal revenue service, running to climb up into a tree with the street urchins. But he did. This demonstrates one big thing. When there's a life-and-death matter at stake, you forget your inhibitions, your false dignity, and everything else. It proves that Zacchaeus was really at the end of his own resources, recognizing his need of the help that only Jesus could give. When we realize our need of Christ, nothing else will seem important enough to prevent us from coming to Him.
Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. Luke 19:5.
Jericho is a familiar name to many Christians, who have memories of stories connected with that place way back to childhood. There was the battle of Jericho, and the curse upon the city at the time of Joshua, in the Old Testament, which resulted in the old city of Jericho never being rebuilt. Then there is the newer city, which is still there today. It was the city toward which the good Samaritan was headed, as was the man he helped. It was the city outside of which blind Bartimaeus sat begging. And it was the city of Zacchaeus, who was a wee little man. "A wee little man was he!"
The story of Zacchaeus is an intriguing one. It has all the drama of real life. It has a comical side and it has deeply spiritual implications as an account of a true seeker after God.
Zacchaeus was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. If you analyze the regard that we have for the income-tax people today, perhaps you can understand somewhat how the people of Jericho felt about Zacchaeus. He was not only a publican, he was the chief of publicans. The publicans had become experts in fraud. The riches they amassed were gotten at the expense of other people. Zacchaeus was a thief. You can see him lying awake at night, lonely, staring at his tapestries that should have been in someone else's house, and wondering whether his emptiness would ever end. Then Zacchaeus somehow heard of Jesus, who accepted everyone who came to Him, who befriended publicans and sinners. A hope began to grow in his heart that perhaps he too could find peace. Then Jesus came to his town.
It sort of strikes your funny bone to see Zacchaeus, the director of the internal revenue service, running to climb up into a tree with the street urchins. But he did. This demonstrates one big thing. When there's a life-and-death matter at stake, you forget your inhibitions, your false dignity, and everything else. It proves that Zacchaeus was really at the end of his own resources, recognizing his need of the help that only Jesus could give. When we realize our need of Christ, nothing else will seem important enough to prevent us from coming to Him.
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