Read at beginning of service:
Luke 18:18-30 (NIV)
18 A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good–except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’” 21 “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said. 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. 24 Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! 25 Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?” 27 Jesus replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” 28 Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!” 29 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 30 will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.”
INTRODUCTION
The last couple of weeks, I have been sharing with you about how to think clearly about a couple of issues in your life. This morning I want to follow in the same vein about clear thinking. I want us to think clearly about issues that happen at an internal level that tend to make our thinking very fuzzy.
For instance, when internal alarms start going off, when sirens of the soul start sounding. When everything you thought might bring you happiness leaves you unfulfilled and thirsting for something else, when at the end of the day you look in the mirror and you don?t like who you see, you don?t like where you?ve been, you don’t like where you?re going. You get very confused about, “How can my life possibly change?”
So today I want us to address that. I think people have a wide variety of ideas and for the most part it?s pretty cluttered thinking. We?re going to look at a part of the Bible that?s found in the New Testament. The first four books of the New Testament are the gospels. The gospels talk about the good news of what God has done in His Son Jesus Christ. One writer of the gospels was a doctor whose name was Luke.
Luke 19:1-10 (NIV)
1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner.’” 8 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.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”
This is quite a compelling story. But it?s made more so by the fact that just one chapter earlier, in the Bible Jesus had made a very piercing statement about people like Zacchaeus who were prosperous in those days. Look at what Jesus said just one chapter earlier. “It?s easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Then just a short time later He has this face-to-face, one-on-one encounter with a rich man. Jesus? teaching about the camel passing through an eye of a needle is teaching that ought to unsettle us just a bit and make us think just a little bit. If we?re honest wouldn?t we admit that all of us at one time or another have had a desire for greater riches, greater prosperity, more material things.
Kind of like the young woman whose name was Susie. She was dating Bob. Bob was so in love with Susie. And one night while sitting under brilliant stars, Bob said to Susie, “Susie, dear, I may not be able to afford nice gifts for you like the guy I know, Johnny Green, across town could afford, but I really love you. And I may not have the rugged good looks like that Johnny Green guy does, but I?ll care for you. And I might not drive a fancy sports car like Johnny Green does but my used Vega is just fine.” Susie said, “Bob, I like you too.” And after a pause she said, “But could we talk more about Johnny Green.”
I think a lot of us have a little bit of Susie lurking around within us.
Jesus indicated that it could be very hard for prosperous, self-reliant types to enter the kingdom of God. Why do you suppose that might be true? A couple of reasons I suspect.
First would be the issue of pride. Pride will keep all people from God. Because we won?t say we need God. The Bible says that if we?re to enter the presence of God, we must have the simplicity and the humility of a child. There must come from within us the unabashed, unashamed cry of a little child out to the heavenly Father, “I don?t want to live alone anymore! I don?t want to do it on my own any more! I need the help of God.” Proud, outwardly successful types have a hard time admitting that they need anyone or anything.
A second reason would be false security. Here?s the temptation if I’m way prosperous and all is going well. I start thinking, “My money can buy me out of trouble. My ability can work me out of trouble. My mind can think me out of trouble. My insurance can pay my way out of trouble. I’m covered. Why should I need God? I’m secure.”
A third issue that?s very dangerous is a false conclusion about righteousness. Here?s the thinking: “If I’m so bad why is life so good. What do you mean I need something fixed in my heart? Look at my life. Let?s just eat, drink, and be merry.”
You get the picture. For all of these reasons Jesus said it?s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. With that pronouncement fresh on the minds of the followers of Jesus, they must have been standing on tip-toes, waiting with their breath caught in their throats waiting to see what was going to happen when Jesus had this one-on-one with the rich guy Zacchaeus.
When I’m reading the Bible, I like to let my imagination kind of run through how I think this story unfolded. In my imagination, I like to picture Zacchaeus like Danny DeVito in a robe. This is the image I have. His eyes are furtively glancing side to side looking for enemies that might want to stick him in the ribs with a knife. In those days people did not like tax collectors. (We?ve come a long way haven?t we!) Hiding behind trees, darting from one to another, hoping to see Jesus. But he realizes that the crowd is too tall, that he?s too short. So he hikes up his robe for good tree climbing, scampers up a tree like a jubilant kid and sitting out on the end of this limb is the business professional, Zacchaeus. It?s an incredible picture.
The day must have begun like most days for him. Zacchaeus rolled out of his satin sheets, slipped a robe over his silk pajamas, walked across the marble floor of his bathroom, stepped up two or three rungs on a stepladder to see himself in a highly polished mirror. And he didn?t like what he saw. Because of years of stealing, years of being an outcast in society, years of spiritual hunger, all these had left him a little ragged around the edges. He must have gone, “Huh!” thinking about his own name, Zacchaeus. It?s a noble name, a thoroughly Jewish name which means “righteous one.” But a tax collector in those days being named “Righteous” would be like the town hooker being named Chastity. The name and the character didn?t match.
In those days for a Jew to be a tax collector made him both a thief and a traitor. He was a thief because tax collecting was unregulated. He could gouge people for all the money he chose, pocketing all that he wanted and passing along the rest to Rome. That?s why he was a traitor. He was a Jew collecting taxes for the oppressive government of Rome. This is why, for all of his obvious wealth, when we meet Zacchaeus in this part of the Bible, he is very much alone.
The Bible says not only was he a tax collector but he was the chief tax collector and he was very rich. This man?s chances of having his heart changed and getting into the kingdom of God were very slim ? the whole camel through the eye of a needle thing.
This is maybe where we need to push the pause button. Ponder and reflect for a few more minutes trying to break this encounter down point by point to get some clear thinking how a heart like the heart of Zacchaeus could change and how a heart like yours or mine could change.
1. I must be open to the initiative of God.
I need to be open to the idea that God might be pursuing me. On this particular day, somehow Zacchaeus realized that Jesus was coming to town. Zacchaeus experiences the surprise of God?s mercy. Zacchaeus goes out of his way to find Jesus and he discovers that Jesus the whole time has been searching for him. This is the miracle of grace. Before you ever thought to go on a search for God, God was searching for you. We watched Zacchaeus, childlike, climbing up that tree. I wonder how long it had been since that man had climbed a tree? A little risky I would think. But I?ve noticed that a spirit of risk accompanies the spirit of those who want to find out more about Jesus. *****(FOR WHEN THERE ARE GUESTS) For some of you, just being here this weekend, is a risk. It?s a huge risk. It took a lot of courage on your part just to show up and to check this church out and try to discover more what Christianity and Jesus Christ could mean for you. I want you to know that I applaud your courage. I’m glad you?re here. ****
Beyond that I think Jesus was proud, proud of Zacchaeus? quest. He walks over to the tree and says, “Zacchaeus hurry down. I need to go to your house today.” This has been called the Divine Initiative. That?s how it is with the Lord. This is the Jesus you need to know. When you decide that something in your life needs to change, that a few things that need to be shifted within your heart and you discover like Zacchaeus did that God already knows your name, He knows your need, He?s ready to go home with you and start this internal reconstruction, this soul re-creation. For some of you there?s been a time in your life where you?ve given up on God thinking that He might not have anything to do with you. You need to hear loud and clear He has not given up on you. Others may have given up on you. Family or friends may have given up on you. But God?s been all around your tree, searching, waiting, looking into the branches, shaking the branch a time or two trying to get your attention. I think right there at the tree is where heart change began for this guy Zacchaeus. Right at the tree, when Jesus called him by name, when He reached out a hand and invited Himself for dinner. This is when heart change will begin for you, when God knocks at the door of your heart. He waits there for you to invite Him to enter.
Let me ask you a question: Here?s this short man in a tall tree, hated by everybody in town and all of a sudden he finds himself the center of God?s attention and he discovers that though nobody else loves him, the Lord loves him and wants a relationship with him. What do you think that moment was like?
One guy said, “It?s not reported exactly how Zacchaeus got out of the sycamore but the chances are good that he fell in pure astonishment.” I think that might be true.
In those days, for someone to go to someone else?s home and to share a meal was an intimate experience. So this was Jesus? way of saying, “I want to be close with you. I want a friendship with you.” This was the voice of God saying to a man who felt way out on a limb, “Friend, let?s go to lunch.”
This is how heart change will be for you too. God moves near to us in Jesus Christ with welcoming arms. No matter who you are, no matter what you?ve done, God comes to you and He keeps coming to you and He keeps extending His love to you until you come out of the tree and you bring Him home. Have you sensed that God might be doing that within you? Drawing you to ask Christ into your life? Into your home? Into your business? Into your classroom? Into your relationships? Have you felt the gentle tugging going on at the heart level? Have people around you perhaps even been trying to point the way? Do you think the reason that you?re here this weekend is because God brought you here?
Zacchaeus was surprised that Jesus would make him His agenda. He was surprised that Jesus would initiate love. That might surprise you too. If it does you?re not alone. A lot of people have been surprised by the amazing love of God. That brings us right to point number two.
2. I must believe that God loves sinful people.
For those of us who have tasted the grace and mercy and forgiveness of God, we?re saying, “Duh! Yeah! We know that!” But do you understand that most people don?t know that? Either they?ve never heard about the love of God or they?ve heard about it and they just can?t believe it. If you?d dig into this passage of the Bible you?d discover there?s a real dark part of the story that?s going on. While one person is being forgiven and his past is being washed away and he?s being reconciled with God, others are growing angry that Jesus would be so free with the love of God.
Look at this crowd! v. 7 says, “The crowds were displeased and they grumbled.” It?s a very ugly picture. When Jesus walked towards Zacchaeus, the rich crook, I think right before Jesus spoke His first words the crowd leaned forward licking their lips in anticipation waiting for Jesus to give this sinister man a little hellfire and damnation preaching. A whole lot of “woe unto you” and finger pointing. A whole lot of the “turn or burn” preaching that some of us were raised with. When the crowd heard Jesus say, “Friend, I’m staying at your house. Let?s have lunch,” the crowd was livid. Livid! They could not believe that Jesus would be so free with the love of God.
Some people believe that God just sent Jesus into the world only to make good people better. That?s not true at all. Jesus Himself said in this part of the Bible, “I came to seek and save the lost.” Jesus came to seek and save the lost. He came for those like you and those like me who have been far from God, those like Zacchaeus who know that they?re sinful. But they long to see God anyway.
So off goes the crowd in one direction grumbling and off go Zacchaeus and Jesus to lunch. One man having just climbed down from the tree and the other man, Jesus, only one week away from being nailed to a tree. You can almost see them ? arm and arm walking down that dusty road. That guy?s heart changed that day. Through Zacchaeus? whole adult life, he?d made one bad decision after another, one wrong move after another but that afternoon he did two things right and it made all the difference.
The first thing he did right was he realized he needed God?s help. We have to realize that we need God?s help. Zacchaeus had his hands full of stuff but a heart that was empty. All of his life he?d paid attention to power and position and portfolios. He?d neglected his own soul and on this particular day he realized it. You say, “I don?t see where it says Zacchaeus realized his own spiritual need. Does the Bible say that?” That?s a good question. Think about it. If you were a short man, would you be eager to attend a roadside parade? This would have been the perfect setting for an unpopular man to stay at home. Who could know that in a crowd that would be large with people who you had robbed, people who would be eager to stick you in between the ribs with a dagger? You?re not going to want to be with those people. So what do you suppose it was that propelled Zacchaeus from the safe confines of his home out into the mean streets? What do you suppose tugged at his heart to go see the one who spoke with such authority about God? This public seeking of Jesus was tantamount of a confession of need. It was evidence of internal famine. It was an admission that Zacchaeus needed Jesus Christ. Is that a tough admission for you to make? I need Jesus Christ. Is it hard for you to acknowledge all is not ok in my life?
I don’t want you to misunderstand what I’m teaching today. Zacchaeus? problem at a fundamental level was not a money problem. It was not a prosperity problem. It could have been anything. For him it just happened to be money. Zacchaeus? problem was that he tried to use money and use prosperity to fill the place in his life that only God can fill. His problem at a baseline level was he was a self-centered, self-serving man. That was the problem.
Does that sound like Canadian culture to you? Is materialism an issue in these parts?
Zaccheus had a materialism problem. He had everything that money could buy. But he?d sold himself short. He was willing to trade his eternal soul for prosperity, for short-lived happiness. But on this particular afternoon in the scriptures, he was smart enough to realize “I need God?s help.”
The second thing he did right. He went seeking Jesus. You want some clear thinking about how your heart can change? You will find that in Jesus so you seek for Him. There?s something about Jesus that gave men and women the confidence that He could change their hearts. So Zacchaeus sought Him out. His size did not stop him. Pride did not stop him. The crowd did not stop him. He needed help. He knew Jesus could change his life. So he went to Jesus.
There?s a great verse in the Old Testament, Jeremiah 29:13 God is speaking and says
Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV)13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
We can?t rewrite the Bible. But let?s change some pronouns in that verse so that it?s very personal. Listen how it could read: “And I will seek God and find God when I search for God with all my heart.”
I love the picture of Jesus going into Zacchaeus? home and everybody else standing on the outside staring on in disbelief. Why would Jesus go into the home of such a notorious sinner? This was their question. Here?s the easy answer: Jesus will enter wherever He?s welcome. That?s an easy answer. Think about it. Remember Joseph and Mary, the Christmas story, heading toward this small town. It?s a real crowded city and Mary?s about to give birth. They knock on the door of the inn. There?s no room in the inn. There?s room in the stable. So into the stable they go and in the stable the Son of God is born. He enters wherever He?s invited. If you simply welcome him there, despite your past, despite your reputation, despite your failures, despite your successes, He enters wherever He?s invited.
Of all the people in the crowd that day, you almost have to scratch your head and think, “Why did Zacchaeus pop up on Jesus? radar screen?” Why did Jesus make Zacchaeus His full agenda in that moment? Because he was the worst man in the crowd? I don?t think that?s the reason. I think Jesus knew that Zacchaeus was the hungriest man in the crowd, the most open, the most ready to have his heart and life changed by Christ. That?s what happened. You look at this story. He became a brand new person. We don?t know what they discussed over lunch but whatever happened, this lost sheep found his shepherd and this shepherd found His lost sheep. Zacchaeus emerged a brand new man. Old things were gone and he was new. Something shifted within the heart of that selfish tax collector. It was a transformational moment.
The first thing he does is say, “Lord?” Do you know what the word “Lord” means? Leader, boss, king. He says, “Jesus, You?re my new leader and I’m going to give half of what I have to the poor and if I?ve robbed anybody in my tax gathering business I’m going to pay them back with unbelievable interest.” I think the servants of Zacchaeus fainted right there on the spot. Standing before them was a brand new creation.
Walter Rauschenbush “Right here the camel passed through the needle?s eye and Jesus stood and cheered.”
It?s a great moment.
One more quick point.
3. I must never give up hope.
If you and I would have taken a survey of the people in Jericho that day and asked, “Who is the most unlikely man in your city to have his life made new? Who is the most unlikely person in town to be rightly connected with God? Who would you say it is?” I think it would have been a unanimous vote, “That rascal tax collector Zacchaeus! No hope for him.” Who would have thought when that afternoon began in Jericho that Zacchaeus would emerge from his spiritual cocoon a brand new man?
A cartoon I saw. Two caterpillars were crawling along. They looked up in the sky and saw a butterfly flying way up high. One said to the other, “You?ll never catch me up in one of those things!” You never know, do you?
This church is filled with people who, just ten years ago, five years ago, three years ago, two years ago would have said, “You?ll never catch me in church. You?ll never catch me giving my heart to Jesus Christ. You?ll never catch?” then ? the butterfly? the metamorphosis? the change that only God can work within a human heart, took place in you and here you are. **** (possible) Who of you even five days ago, three days ago, two days ago would have said, “That?s not what I’m going to be doing this week end.” Yet here you are.
Who are you about to give up on? A spouse? A wayward child? Another relative? A co-worker? A friend? Let?s personalize this even more deeply. Are you about to give up on you?
A poet said that, “Jesus is a tremendous love who pursues us with love.” Can you imagine that He might have you on His radar screen today, that in the presence of His unconditional love, you are His complete agenda? He?s pursuing you with love. He wants to enter your life and re-create your heart and make it fresh and new and I hope it?s clear for you.