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.
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
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
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
chapter 7.
Daniel
chapter 7.
I haven't
got a page
number.
If somebody
gets it,
that would
be great.
Daniel
chapter 7
verse 13.
8,
9,
3.
Daniel
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
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
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.