Luke 19:1-10
A Short Man with A Tall Desire
In last week’s message, we noted that this was Jesus’ last time
through Jericho. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all indicate that after this
Jericho trip, Jesus entered Jerusalem and began His passion week. On
the way through Jericho, Luke recorded two events that Matthew and
Mark did not. The first one is the story of Short Man with A Tall
Desire.
Let’s note two things about this story.
I. Zacchaeus’ diligence.
A. \\#19:2-3\\ describe Zacchaeus in four words.
1. He was a PUBLICAN.
a. Publican is neither a religious term (Pharisees and
Sadducees) or a political term (Herodians).
b. It’s an occupational term meaning Zacchaeus was a
Roman tax collector.
(1) He was a Jew collecting taxes for the Roman s.
(2) That means he was viewed as a traitor and hated by
the Jews.
(3) The name Zacchaeus either comes from the Greek and
means pure or comes from the Hebrew and means
righteous.
(a) Different sources lay claim to both.
(b) Either way, most Jews would say that Zacchaeus
did not live up to his name.
2. He was the CHIEF publican. This man was so good at what he
did, he was the overseer of others!
3. He was RICH.
a. He had money to accompany and console him!
b. Wealth alone must be a hallow friend.
4. He was SHORT.
a. This is a reference to his height.
b. I believe Zacchaeus realized he was coming up short in
another way.
B. \\#19:3-4\\ describe that Zacchaeus realized his whole
existence was lacking.
1. As rich as Zacchaeus was, he realized he was poor.
a. Somehow he knew that Jesus was the answer.
b. \\#3\\ He desired to personally see Jesus.
c. \\#3\\ He fought the crowd to see Jesus but lost.
d. \\#4\\ He ran ahead and climbed a tree to see Jesus!
e. That was diligence!
2. \\#5\\ But while Zacchaeus was seeking Jesus, Jesus was
finding him.
a. Jesus stopped and looked up into the tree.
(1) That Jesus stopped and spoke to Zacchaeus was not
unusual.
(2) Zacchaeus would not have been so high that he was
out of sight.
(a) With Zacchaeus sitting on a tree limb in
plain site, his desire to see Jesus would
have been obvious.
(b) In such a situation, it would seem almost
rude if Jesus did not stop to acknowledge
Zacchaeus.
b. But then Jesus called Zacchaeus by name.
(1) Perhaps there was some earthly reason that Jesus
knew Zacchaeus’ name, but none is listed in the
Bible.
(2) Like Nathaniel at the fig tree and the woman at
the well, Jesus knew Zacchaeus because He was
God.
(3) Some speculate that the reason Jesus came to
Jericho was to find Zacchaeus.
(4) Since the Bible does not tell us, we cannot know
that for certain.
(a) However, there is no doubt that it was God
who put the dissatisfaction into Zacchaeus’
heart about himself and his life.
i. It is called conviction.
ii. Part of conviction is the realization
that we are nothing and have nothing.
iii. All who come to Jesus come to this
realization and the Source is always
the same.
(b) Neither is there any doubt that it was God
who put the desire into Zacchaeus’ heart to
seek Jesus.
i. As blind as we are concerning our own
condition with the Holy Spirit, we are
just as blind concerning who Jesus
is.
ii. God was drawing Zacchaeus to Jesus
Christ.
(c) However, it was Zacchaeus’ decision what to
do next.
i. He could go seek Jesus or he could go
collect more taxes.
ii. Thankfully, Zacchaeus made the choice
to seek Jesus.
II. Jesus’ Statements
A. First, let’s notice a statement that Jesus did not make.
1. \\#19:7\\ The people said that Zacchaeus was a sinner.
2. Jesus did not deny it.
a. Neither did He justify what Zacchaeus had done.
b. Neither did He try to enhance their opinion of
Zacchaeus.
3. Jesus’ silence cannot always be assumed to be agreement
with a statement or action; but this time, it was.
a. Zacchaeus was a sinner.
(1) That is one statement that is universally true
of all and with which man and God can agree.
(2) Maybe Zacchaeus was not as bad as these men
thought—and maybe he was much worse—but Jesus
did not come to improve public relations for
sinners or even to make sinners feel better
about themselves in sin.
b. Jesus came to help sinners see their sin and turn to
God.
B. Notice what Jesus did say.
1. \\#9\\ This day is salvation come to this house.
a. Salvation is not about denying one’s sin. It is about
removing them, thus rescuing the sinner.
b. The message Jesus shouted to the crowd that day was
that salvation had come.
(1) Yes, Zacchaeus was a sinner, but the cure for sin
had come.
(2) Salvation was walking down the street and His
name was Jesus.
a. We are so used to hearing the name JESUS that
perhaps we forget what it means.
b. JESUS means "Jehovah saves."
c. Everywhere that Jesus walked, salvation
walked.
2. For he (Zacchaeus) is a son of Abraham.
a. Most suppose that this is Jesus stating that Zacchaeus
was saved.
(1) I believe that Zacchaeus did get saved.
(2) I believe that the change in his works testify to
that salvation.
(3) But I am not convinced that is what Jesus’
statement meant.
b. \\#19:7\\ "THEY ALL MURMURED… a man that is a SINNER."
(1) Who is the THEY? The religionists.
(2) These people thought one had to be good to be
religious.
(3) All one needs to be is forgiven.
(4) But their thought was that Zacchaeus is not
worthy of religion.
c. I don’t think Jesus was telling the people that
Zacchaeus WAS saved as much as He was telling them
why Zacchaeus COULD be saved.
(1) \\#9\\ Notice the word "FOR."
(2) It means "because of." Jesus was giving an
explanation.
(3) The Bible were saying Zacchaeus was too bad to be
saved, but Jesus was saying he is not.
(a) Jesus was emphasizing that salvation had
come to the Jews and that no one was too
bad for God’s salvation.
(b) They were saying "He’s lost. He’s a sinner."
(c) Jesus was saying "That is true, but because
he is a descendent of Abraham, he can be
saved."
(d) Jesus’ statement was a statement that any
Jew could be saved. No one is too bad to
be saved—not even Zacchaeus.
(e) Jesus’ statement was a statement about the
power of the gospel to reach every soul no
matter what they have done.
d. Now we have to ask, "Was Jesus limiting salvation to
the Jews only."
(1) At that time, it would seem so. yes.
(2) I do not know that a Gentile could not be saved,
but at the time the gospel was NOT being sent
to them.
Mt 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and
commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of
the Gentiles, and into any city of the
Samaritans enter ye not:
6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house
of Israel.
Mt 15:21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed
into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of
the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have
mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my
daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
23 But he answered her not a word. And his
disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her
away; for she crieth after us.
24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but
unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
(3) It will not be until Acts 10 that Peter will be
lead of God to open the doors of salvation to
the Gentiles.
(a) That bothers some.
(b) Understand God’s covenant was not with the
Gentiles but with the Jews.
(c) God did not HAVE to show mercy to ANYONE.
(d) He did show it to the Jews and through the
Jews He showed it to the Gentiles.
(e) That was and is God’s sovereign decision.
(f) I’m just grateful that He showed us any
mercy at all, and I’m going to tell you
that you can join the boycott against God
if you want to but I’m going to take Him up
on His mercy!
(4) By the way, since God’s mercy has now been opened
to the Gentiles, the same truth of His salvation
now applies to the Gentiles.
(a) Salvation has come to Gentiles.
(b) There is no one too bad to be saved—even
among the Gentiles.
3. \\#10\\ For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save
that which was lost.
a. There is another "for," another explanation.
(1) The first statement tells us that Jesus has come.
(2) The second explains that He came to Zacchaeus
because he was a son of Abraham.
(3) The third explains that He came to the sons of
Abraham because He came to seek lost souls.
b. The implication is there were a lot of lost souls
among the sons of Abraham.
(1) Indeed there were and are—perhaps some of the
worst.
(2) Yet God loved them and they could not save
themselves.
(3) So God put on flesh and walked among them,
letting them view God up close and personal.
(4) Most of the Jews rejected Him, but not this one.
(5) This short Jew will the tall desire not only
allowed Jesus into his house. He invited Jesus
into His heart.
<Outline
Index> <Close Window>
