The Bible is full of encounters that people had with Jesus.
- There is an encounter with Nathaniel (John 1:46-51).
- There is an encounter with Nicodemus (John 3:1-21).
- There is an encounter with the man born blind (John 9).
- There is an encounter with the rich young ruler (Mark 10:17-22).
- There is a hostile encounter with the Pharisees (Matthew 23:1-36).
- There are encounters with Pilate and Herod before He was crucified (Luke 23:1-12).
In Luke 19:1-10, we read about another intriguing encounter. When passing through Jericho, Zaccheus was also blessed to meet Jesus.
Key Observations about Zaccheus:
- Zaccheus’ name means “pure.” It means to be “clean” or “innocent.”
- He was a chief tax-collector (Luke 19:2). The Jews despised tax-collectors because they were corrupt. Jews who were tax-collectors were viewed as traitors because they worked for the Roman government.
- He was rich (Luke 19:2). Most of his wealth probably came as a result of dishonest business practices.
- He wanted to see Jesus (Luke 19:a). Zaccheus wanted to see this man who possessed supernatural power.
- He was small in stature (Luke 19:3b). This was why he had a hard time seeing Jesus in the crowd.
- He climbed into a sycamore tree to see Jesus (Luke 19:4).
- Jesus invited Himself to stay in His house (Luke 19:5). This caused many of the Jews to grumble. They did not like the fact that Jesus wanted to spend time in the home of someone they viewed as a corrupt thief (Luke 19:7).
- Zaccheus gladly received the Lord in his house (Luke 19:6). He was honored by the opportunity to spend time with Jesus.
The Lessons:
- Jesus knows you. He knew Zaccheus. He even called him by name (Luke 19:5).
- Jesus wants you. This encounter wasn’t the only time when the religious elite complained because Jesus spent time with “sinners” (Luke 7:39; 15:1-2). Jesus spent time with the outcasts because He loved them, and He wanted to save their souls (Luke 19:10).
- Jesus can change you. He changed Zaccheus (Luke 19:8). He changed Saul of Tarsus and Simon the sorcerer (1 Timothy 1:13-15; Acts 8:9-13). He changed the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
Conclusion:
Zaccheus humbled Himself and followed Jesus. Have you?