Seeking and Saving Luke 19v1-10

through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.

He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short, he could not see over the crowd.

So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and he said to him, Zacchaeus, come down immediately.

I must stay at your house today. So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

All the people saw this and began to mutter, he has gone to be the guest of a sinner.

But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, look, Lord, here and now I give half of my possessions

to the poor. And if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.

Jesus said to him, today's salvation has come to this house because this man too is a son of Abraham.

For the son of man came to seek and to save the lost.

Thank you, Louise.

Well, let's pray as we look at his word.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Father, we reminded ourselves at the very outset this morning that you are the creator God.

The one who sits enthroned, who is Lord over all things.

And so we come afresh and, as it were, bow before you in our hearts.

Father, we submit to you because we want to listen to your voice.

We do not want to have a hardened heart, but a humble heart.

Father, speak your truth into our lives.

And change us as we seek to follow you.

In your name we pray.

Amen.

The other day I received a really nice phone call.

Johnny, I'd like to welcome you to come and watch Munster.

We're going to meet beforehand for a pre-match dinner, meet some of the players, and then watch the game afterwards.

And I arrived and I met my host.

Johnny, it's great to see you.

You are so welcome.

I'm glad you could make it.

And to top it all off, it was free.

I didn't have to pay a penny for the whole night.

It was all paid for by my host.

It's great to receive those kind of welcomes.

And we love it when somebody says to us, you are so, so welcome.

Well, as we journey through Luke, we have received a great welcome.

Look at chapter 19 and verse 1.

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.

He's passing through Jericho because Jesus is on the way to somewhere else.

Well, where's he going?

Well, just have a look back a few verses.

Chapter 18, verse 31.

Jesus took the 12 aside and told them,

We are going up to Jerusalem.

That's where Jesus is going.

And everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man,

that Jesus will be fulfilled.

He will be handed over to the Gentiles.

They will mock him, insult him, and spit on him.

They will flog him and kill him.

On the third day, he will rise again.

You see, Jesus is on the way to the cross.

He's on the way to Jerusalem.

At Jerusalem, Jesus is going to die.

He's going to die for his people.

And as he makes his way to Jerusalem,

he's inviting people.

He's welcoming people.

Saying, come to me.

Chapter 19, verse 10.

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

Jesus has come to find people like us.

To save us through his death.

He's come to welcome people.

People from all kinds of different backgrounds and nations and languages.

People from all over the world.

He says, come, I want to welcome you.

Well, let's see how this welcome is true.

First, Jesus welcomes the lost.

Let's have a look at the lost.

Verse 2, chapter 19.

A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus.

Now, Zacchaeus means righteous one.

But he lived nothing like it.

Despicable one would have been a better title for this guy.

He was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.

Now, when you hear tax collector, just think scumbag.

They worked for the enemy.

The occupying Roman authorities.

The job of a tax collector was to collect tax from anyone

coming into the city to do trade.

So you could imagine, here's Alex coming in with all his freshly cut logs.

Ten bags worth as he makes his way into the city.

Meet Zacchaeus.

He says, ah, I'll take some of them.

Take one bag for the authorities and I'll have two for myself.

And as a chief tax collector, Zacchaeus saw over the whole region.

And what was worse was how he made money.

Oh, he said it was for the authorities.

But always pocketed a bit more.

They charged people an extra amount.

And if anybody disagreed with you, well, you just got in touch with the Romans.

You wouldn't mess with them.

You gave what Zacchaeus asked for.

Now, Zacchaeus might have been hated by the people,

but it made him an extremely wealthy man.

But for all of his wealth that he had gathered,

the position and power that he held,

he was not content.

He was lost.

Money he has,

but he's not satisfied.

Power he has,

but he's not fulfilled.

Well, how do we know that?

Well, look at verse 3.

He wanted to see who Jesus was.

Well, people who have everything,

have everything.

They don't need to see somebody.

But this guy wants to see Jesus.

Not what he looks like,

but what Jesus could do for him.

For Zacchaeus, his life is empty.

He has needs that money can't buy.

He wanted to see Jesus, verse 3,

but because he was short,

he could not see over the crowd.

Zacchaeus was used to looking down on people

because of his position and power.

But once he's in the crowd,

once we see him amongst the people,

we see him as he really is.

He's not just small in stature.

He's small in himself.

He is nothing.

He has nothing.

He's a lost soul

amongst all the people.

Second,

the welcome.

Verse 4.

So we ran ahead,

climbed the sycamore tree,

which could grow to about 60 feet tall.

They were evergreen trees.

Climbed the tree to see Jesus

since Jesus was coming that way.

Now, when we read that,

and we've probably,

some of us heard that

and seen pictures

in our little story books from home,

you kind of have this picture

of this little guy

in a small tree

kind of making himself visible to Jesus.

So as Jesus comes along,

Jesus kind of sees him

before he even reaches there.

But remember,

he's a chief tax collector.

He's hated by the people.

Jesus would want nothing to do

with people like him.

So he thought.

The point is,

he's up in the tree

hiding himself.

He can see Jesus,

but he thinks Jesus can't see him.

Verse 5.

When Jesus reached the spot,

he looked up

and said to him,

Zacchaeus, come down immediately.

I must stay at your house today.

We've got to get the picture here.

Jesus is walking along.

He stops,

looks up,

and says to him,

come down.

What a welcome

for Zacchaeus

to have received.

Come down.

I must stay at your house.

Now normally,

it's the other way around,

isn't it?

You welcome people

to your house.

It's a bit rude to say,

if I were to turn around

and say to you,

I'm coming to your house

for dinner.

But here,

Jesus stops

and welcomes him.

He says,

Zacchaeus,

I'm coming to your house.

You see,

it's not that Zacchaeus

is seeking out Jesus.

In some sense,

he is.

But it's Jesus

who is seeking out Zacchaeus

because,

verse 10,

the Son of Man

came to seek

and save the lost.

Jesus knows he's there.

He's not hiding from Jesus.

Jesus can see him.

Jesus has come

to welcome him.

So the lost are welcome

because,

third,

of God's grace.

Look at verse 7.

All the people saw this

and began to mutter,

he has gone to be

the guest

of a sinner.

Jesus,

you can't

welcome people

like that.

This shouldn't happen.

He's a cheating thief.

He's a scumbag.

Rather than be welcomed,

he needs to be condemned.

Rather than grace,

this guy needs

to be punished.

Now,

this is not the first time

people have objected

to Jesus welcoming people.

Keep your finger there

in chapter 19

and just jump back

a couple of chapters.

Chapter 15

and verse 2.

It introduces

a very well-known section

about the lost

coin

and the lost son,

the lost sheep.

chapter 15

verse 1.

Now,

the tax collectors,

those notorious

stealing thieves,

and the sinners,

all those people

who were thought of

as morally dubious,

well,

they were all gathering

around to hear Jesus.

But the Pharisees

and teachers of the law,

the religious folks,

the good people,

muttered to themselves,

this man welcomes sinners

and eats with them.

And in response,

Jesus would tell

three stories

to explain

that Jesus comes

to seek

and save the lost.

Jesus has come

for sinners,

people like Zacchaeus,

people like you

and me.

Because the point is,

we are just like Zacchaeus.

we are all lost people.

We all find our identity

in things

and other people.

We all search

for joy and happiness

in people,

in places.

We're lost

until Jesus

finds us.

Just last week,

a young man

by the name

of Cain McCormack

was found

murdered in a field

in County Meath.

You might have seen

it on the news.

He's linked

to the notorious

Hutch gang

involved in the drugs trade,

awaiting trial

for being in possession

of a gun

and ammunition.

Now,

how would you feel

about Jesus

coming along

and welcoming

somebody like

Cain McCormack?

Oh,

I mean,

welcoming

for some people,

but

people like that?

that shouldn't happen.

He's a cheating thief.

He's a scumbag.

Rather than welcomed,

he needs to be condemned.

Rather than be shown grace,

he needs to be punished.

Well,

Jesus came for people

just like Cain.

And he came for lost people

like you and me.

You see,

unless we see

ourselves as lost,

as long as you

see yourself

better than

everybody else

and kind of

look down

on those

who don't quite

have it together,

we will never

ever experience

that warm

welcome of Jesus

who says,

I'm coming

to stay with you.

So first,

Jesus comes

to welcome

the lost.

Second,

the lost

welcome

Jesus.

First,

look

at how

Zacchaeus

responds.

Jesus said

to him

in verse 5,

Zacchaeus,

come down

immediately,

I must

stay at your

house

today.

So he

came down

at once

and welcomed

him gladly.

Now,

when Jesus

says,

I must

stay

at your

house,

Zacchaeus,

he's literally

saying,

Zacchaeus,

I need

somewhere

to lodge.

I don't

have somewhere

to stay,

I need

somewhere

to sleep.

He's not

just popping

in for a

five-minute

cup of tea

and then off

again.

Jesus

needs

somewhere

to stay.

He hasn't

got a

home.

It's the

same idea

when we

read at the

very beginning

of Luke's

gospel,

when Mary

and Joseph

were looking

for somewhere

to lodge,

there was

nowhere to

stay,

nobody who

would welcome

them.

You see,

Jesus has

come seeking

those who

will welcome

him,

who will

receive him.

So not

only does

Zacchaeus

turn around

to say

to Jesus,

you're

welcome

to my

house,

Zacchaeus

in a

sense is

saying,

Jesus,

you are

welcome

to my

life.

He is

obeying

the call

to follow

Jesus.

When Jesus

says,

come down,

what does

it say,

verse 6?

He came

down at

once,

immediately.

There's

no delay.

It's an

act of

obedience to

the call

of Jesus.

He's

now going

to follow

the priorities

of Jesus.

No longer

is he

saying,

what do

I want?

What can

I do

with my

life?

But it's

now,

what does

Jesus

desire

for me?

Zacchaeus

will learn

as he

begins to

follow the

road of

discipleship,

I now

die to

self and

live for

Christ.

So

Zacchaeus

gives the

welcome.

He

receives

Jesus.

But not

only that,

look at

the joy,

verse 6.

He came

down at

once and

welcomed him

gladly or

joyfully.

You see,

welcoming Jesus

is not a

drudgery,

it's a

joy.

No longer

does he have

to hide

from Jesus,

he can now

welcome him

gladly.

The fear,

the guilt,

the shame

of hiding

away,

it's now

all gone,

do you see?

And in

its place

is acceptance

and belonging

and salvation.

salvation.

When we

come to

Jesus,

when we

receive him

as

saviour,

we are

truly fulfilled

and satisfied

for we

experience

forgiveness

of all

our sins

and peace

floods our

life.

Zacchaeus

may lose

his position

and power,

but you

know what?

He's gained

new life

and eternal

treasures.

it's not

judgment

in meeting

Jesus,

it's joy.

It's not

condemnation

when we

welcome Jesus,

it's

celebration.

So Zacchaeus

welcomes

and it is

a joyful

occasion.

transformation.

But third,

look at the

transformation.

Look at what

happens when

we welcome

Jesus.

Look at

verse 8.

Zacchaeus

stood up

and said

to the

Lord,

look Lord,

here and

now I

give half

of my

possessions

to the

poor,

and if

I've

cheated

anybody

out of

anything,

I will

pay back

four times

the amount.

the law

actually said

if you look

in Numbers

Numbers 5 · chapter mention

chapter 5,

I think it is

verse 7,

it said that

you are required

to pay back

a fifth.

But here it's

like four times

the amount.

This is well

over and above

all that he

should be paying.

What a

transformation

to this

man's

life.

He has

been

completely

and

utterly

changed.

Again,

look at

verse 8,

he says,

right now,

here and

now,

I give

half of

my

possessions

to the

poor.

All that

I've

accumulated,

I'm going

to go and

give all

of that

to those

who don't

have.

And more

than that,

I'm going

to pay

back four

times the

amount to

anybody I

meet now

and in

the future

that I

come across

a meat

on the

road that

I've

cheated or

diddled

with,

I am

going to

give them

everything

back four

times the

amount.

So Alex,

you're going

to get

extra logs,

don't worry.

It'll all

be paid

back.

So no

longer is

Zacchaeus a

lying,

greedy,

cheating

scumbag.

He is a

joyful,

generous,

giving

child of

God.

You see,

it's impossible

for us to

welcome

Jesus and

receive Jesus

and not

be changed.

He transforms

us into

people who

are generous

givers rather

than greedy

hoarders.

He releases

our pockets.

He opens

our wallets.

He enables

us to give

in ways that

we never

thought possible.

He changes

us from

the inside

out.

Now what

Jesus did

for Zacchaeus,

he does

for us.

We can't

literally

welcome

Jesus into

our home,

but we do

welcome him

into our

lives.

As he seeks

for us and

looks for us

and welcomes

us, the way

we respond

is to say,

yes, I

receive, I

welcome you.

In John's

account of

the gospel,

Jesus makes

a promise

to all who

receive him.

It comes

from John

John 14:23

14, verse

23, it's

on the

screen.

Jesus said,

anyone who

loves me

will obey

my teaching.

my father

will love

them and

we will

come to

them and

make our

home with

them.

The father

and the

son, by

the holy

spirit, will

take up

residence in

our lives.

When we

turn our

life over to

the lord

Jesus, it's

saying he

will come

to us.

God

literally

lives within

us.

He moves

into our

lives.

He comes

into the

home of

our lives,

not just

to leave

us the

way that

we are,

but by

his holy

spirit, he

begins to

change us

and transform

us to

obey Jesus

and to

live for

his glory.

God

now, do

you see

how all

this

happens?

Jesus

didn't just

come along

to Zacchaeus

and spy him

up the

tree and

say, you

know, Zacchaeus

come down,

I want to

come to

your house,

I want to

stay with

you, but

first of

all, I

want you to

go and

tidy your

life up a

bit because

it's a

desperate

mess.

I

possibly

couldn't

be seen

with somebody

like you.

Start

giving to

the poor,

start dealing

with people

in the

right way,

let me

see that

you're living

the right

way and

then I'll

come and

stay with

you.

No, Jesus

says, I'm

coming to

your house

today, right

now, the

way you are,

the mess

that you

are, the

way people

think of

you, I

am coming

to you

right now.

And then

the change

in his

life begins.

You see,

God never

ever says

to us,

look, you

need to

change your

life first.

You need

to sort

out that

mess and

that sin

in your

life, get

it all

organized, get

it all

right, and

then I

will come

to you.

No, he

first comes

and takes

up residence

in our

lives, and

then he

begins to

change us

bit by

bit, changing

us, transforming

us to be

more like

him.

You see, if

we have

welcomed

Jesus, the

sorts of

things we

will see in

our life is

ongoing

radical change.

And that's

a good

question for

us to ask

right now.

Do you

see radical

change in

your life?

Because Jesus

is at work

within you.

To those

closest to

you, does

your spouse,

do your

children say,

you're changing,

you're different?

that's what

happens when

God moves

in.

He goes

into every

room of

our lives.

No door

is left

closed.

And he

changes us.

That is

something to

be joyful

about.

So,

Jesus

welcomes

the lost.

The lost

welcomed

Jesus.

And this

is surprising

salvation.

This

account of

Zacchaeus,

perhaps well

known to

many of us,

is really

surprising.

We can

understand

Zacchaeus

wanting to

see Jesus.

But just

think about

it.

Jesus

wanting to

stay with

Zacchaeus?

He's a

notorious

thief and

a traitor.

You could

never trust

him.

Everybody

hates

him.

He

deserves

condemnation,

not salvation.

But,

look at

verse 9,

Jesus said

to him,

today salvation

has come to

this house

because this

man too

is a son

of Abraham.

Jesus is

saying,

I accept

him.

I welcome

him.

God

to

God.

How could

Jesus

possibly

say that?

Well,

look at

verse 10.

Because,

or for,

the son

of man,

that's

Jesus,

came to

seek and

to save

the lost.

That

verse 10

is so

crucial to

the whole

of Luke's

account.

It

summarises

what the

whole gospel

is about.

this is

the mission

of Jesus.

This is

why he

came.

This is

why he

died.

He came

to welcome

those,

the kind

of people

we think

should be

excluded

and written

off.

Let's

look at

verse 10

just a little

bit more

closely.

Do you

see what

it says

there,

the son

of man?

We've

come across

that a

number of

times.

It's the

way Jesus

refers to

himself.

He

calls

himself

the son

of man.

It's a

title given

to somebody

who comes

before God.

And we're

told where

that first

happens.

If you go

back in

your Bible,

keep your

finger in

chapter 19

of Luke

and go

back to

Daniel

Daniel 7 · chapter mention

chapter 7.

Daniel

Daniel 7 · chapter mention

chapter 7.

I haven't

got a page

number.

If somebody

gets it,

that would

be great.

Daniel

Daniel 7:13

chapter 7

verse 13.

8,

9,

3.

Daniel

Daniel 7 · chapter mention

chapter 7

and verse

13.

So Daniel

was one

of God's

prophets

and he

has this

vision.

It's like a

dream and

in his

dream he

sees

someone.

So Daniel

Daniel 7:13

chapter 7

verse 13.

In my

vision at

night I

looked and

there before

me was

one like

a son

of man

coming with

the clouds

of heaven.

He approached

the ancient

of days,

that's God,

and was led

into his

presence.

and so

this son

of man,

this character

is now

coming before

God.

And what

happens?

Verse 14,

he was

given

authority,

glory,

and sovereign

power.

All the

nations and

peoples of

every language

worshipped him.

His dominion is

an everlasting

dominion that

will not pass

away,

and his

kingdom is

one that

will never

be destroyed.

Now go

back to

Luke chapter

Luke 19 · chapter mention

19.

So you

see this

person,

this son

of man,

is one

with absolute

power and

authority.

All the

nations

worship him.

Now Jesus

enters the

scene in

Luke's

gospel,

and he

says,

verse 10,

I am

the son

of man.

I am

this one

with all

power and

all authority.

authority.

And the

expectation is

that as

Jesus comes,

he is going

to use this

power and

use this

authority to

clean up all

the mess and

get rid of all

the vile people

that are wandering

around the

world.

Judge the

sinners and

condemn the

sinners.

All those

criminals,

let's round

them all up,

put them in

prison,

get rid of

them,

why not

execute them

as well?

And all

those people

who don't

contribute to

the state and

just kind of

take everything

for themselves

and don't

work and

are really

lazy,

let's get rid

of them as

well.

Let's just

keep all the

good people.

And all

those people

who are

sexually immoral,

let's get rid

of them and

only the nice

people will

keep all the

nice people.

But what do

we see Jesus

doing as he

comes into

the world?

We find him

in Luke's

gospel anyway,

sitting down

a lot,

eating and

drinking with

tax collectors

and sinners.

These are the

people who he

hangs out with.

We see him

meeting people

like a notorious

sinner,

like Zacchaeus,

saying,

I'm going to

come and stay

in your house.

It's not what

we expect.

He has come

to welcome the

people we would

push and turn

away.

But more

than that,

the Son of

Man,

not only does

he welcome

people,

he has come

to give his

life for

people.

Remember,

chapter 19,

verse 1,

Jesus entered

Jericho and

was passing

through.

The Son of

Man is on

the way to

Jerusalem to

die on the

cross,

to die for

people like

you and me,

for my sin,

for your sin.

As one writer

poetically put

it, the only

reason Zacchaeus

could come down

from his tree

and be friends

with Jesus

was because

Jesus climbed

his own tree.

I'm quoting

1 Peter 2,

he himself,

that's Jesus,

bore our sins

in his body

on the tree.

The only reason

Zacchaeus could be

welcomed by

Jesus was

because Jesus

took the penalty

of Zacchaeus'

sin.

That's what

he's done

for the world.

That's what

he's done

for you

and for me.

He's come

to seek

and save

the lost

by going

to the

cross

to die.

I mean,

the application

is straightforward

for us,

isn't it?

If Jesus

has welcomed

you,

and if

you have

welcomed

Jesus,

then we

are going

to be the

kind of

people

who welcome

others.

Rather than

judge,

we show

mercy.

Instead of

condemning,

we offer

grace.

Like Jesus,

we too

go to

seek and

save the

lost,

for there's

nobody outside

of God's

limits.

There's no

sin that is

so great

that cannot

be forgiven.

There is

no person

that God

writes off

and says,

too late.

We are

to go

into our

community,

amongst our

friends.

We are to

sit down

with sinners

just like

Jesus did,

to sit down

with people

just like

me,

and just

like you,

people who

get things

wrong and

mess up and

fail.

We are to

sit and

eat and

drink with

them and

offer them

the welcome

of Jesus.

Christmas time

is a time of

welcome,

isn't it?

Welcoming

people to

our homes,

welcoming

people as

we're out

and about.

Who are

the people

that we're

going to be

welcoming this

season?

The people

that are

nice,

those just

within our

nice little

community who

we get on

with.

Or we

welcome those

who've never

ever heard,

never really

understood.

Jesus has

welcomed the

lost,

and lost

people like

us can go

and welcome

others too.

Let's pray

together.

Let's pray

together.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.