Flee to Christ JESUS Today!

 The Day Zacchaeus Got Saved. Part II

by D G Miles McKee

Ref: Luke 19:1-10 [KJV]
 

Last week we looked at the man Zacchaeus. Let’s consider next,
2) His Meeting with Jesus!
V3  ‘And he (Zacchaeus) sought to see Jesus who He was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.”
 
When it says there was a problem with the press it’s not talking about the newspapers. It simply means that the multitudes had pressed in and around our Master and prevented Zacchæus from getting close to Jesus and seeing Him for himself.
 
Did the crowd stop him? Of course not! He wanted to see Jesus, and no one could stop him.   Zacchaeus was unlike many that I’ve talked to about the Lord.  They often have excuses as to why they won’t follow Jesus.  But Zacchaeus wouldn’t let any excuse get in his way. He didn’t, for example, try to find fault with Christ’s followers.
He did not point to Peter and say, “He is a loudmouth, he’ll deny Jesus.”
Neither did he point to Thomas and say, “That man’s a doubter. 
 Nor did he point to Judas and say, “Now there is a hypocrite if I ever saw one!  He’ll sell Jesus out for a few pieces of silver.”
 
No, he said in effect, “I’m going to see Jesus, and no one is going to stop me!”
 
Verse 4: “And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him: for He was to pass that way.” 
Can you imagine how silly this looked? One of the wealthiest men in town climbing up a tree and perching himself there.
 
But Zacchæus didn’t care! He wanted to see Jesus and was determined that nothing would stop him.
By the way, what is called here a Sycamore tree was properly known as a Sycamore Fig or Egyptian Fig tree. The Egyptians used to make mummy cases from it. Imagine that! A spiritually dead man sitting on wood used for containing the physically dead!
The next thing we want to consider is,
 
3. The Message from Jesus!
Here’s what Jesus said to him.
 V5 “Zacchæus, make haste and come down; for today I must abide at thy house.”
 
Let us pause for a moment and ask, ‘How did Jesus know that it was Zacchæus who was up the tree?’ The Sycamore had many large leaves from behind which one could possibly peek out without being noticed.  But let’s assume that Zacchaeus was not concealed, how did Jesus know who Zacchaeus was?  He wasn’t wearing a baseball cap or t- shirt with his name printed on it.  How come Jesus didn’t just look up and shout, “Hey, whoever you are up there shaking those leaves. Why don’t you come down and invite me to dinner at your place today”?
 
The answer is simply this … Jesus was God clothed with humanity and being God He knew exactly who was sitting on that branch and why he was there. He knew all about him. He knew his name; where he lived; what job he held. He knew all his many sins; why he was up in the tree.
 
And what did Jesus say? He said,
“Zacchæus, make haste!”
 
Sometimes folks say, “I’m going to be like the dying thief.” He got saved on his deathbed, at the last moment. But they forget, there was another dying thief and he perished on his deathbed.

“Zacchæus, make haste!” Jesus was on His way to the cross and Zacchæus would have never seen Him again … “Zacchæus, make haste!”
And Jesus not only instructed him to make haste, but to come down.” That was another way of saying, “Come to Me!”
“… for today I must abide at thy house!” Jesus was saying, “I’m coming home with you!
Think of it! Jesus, the Mighty God, God manifest in the flesh, wanted to go home with him. The Creator of the Universe! The Upholder and Sustainer of all things (Hebrews 1:2- 3) wanted to go with him to his house.
 
Jesus gives the unsaved a similar command.  He says,  

“Come now, let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:18). 
 
Jesus also says, 

“Come unto Me, all you that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30). 
 
More next time.
 
And that’s the Gospel Truth!