Whenever a person encounters Jesus, it changes him or her. All through Scripture we see encounters with people who are willing to give up everything, including their sin, after encountering Messiah. One such person was Zacchaeus. If you are over about 20 years of age, and grew up in church, you probably remember singing the Sunday School song about him (always a fan favorite). This was before the days of children’s areas that look like mini versions of Disneyland; it was a simpler time of butter cookies and apple juice, and felt boards that were the highlight of the lesson.
The song went like this:
Zacchaeus was a wee little man
And a wee little man was he
He climbed up in a sycamore tree
For the Lord he wanted to see
And as the Savior passed that way
He looked up in the tree
And said, Zacchaeus, you come down!
For I’m going to your house today
For I’m going to your house today
As a child, I guess the idea I came away with was that it was really cool to have Jesus come to your house for dinner, and that it was ok to climb a tree, or do whatever you had to do, to be able to see him and get His attention.
As an adult, this still resonates – do whatever you have to do to see Jesus clearly. Make time for Him, make sure you are in the appropriate place and position to be able to see Him.
Luke 19 tells us about Zacchaeus, that he was a “chief tax collector” and was “wealthy.” When Jesus tells him to come down out of the tree, Zacchaeus immediately does what Jesus asks, and welcomes Jesus to come and dine with him. People in the crowd were angry that Jesus was associating with one so reviled. “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner,” they muttered.
But what happens next is remarkable. Zacchaeus says, “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” (Luke 19:8). When he saw and accepted Jesus for who He was, Zacchaeus saw himself with greater clarity. He immediately responded with obedience that required a turning away from his old ways, from the practice of gouging the people for more than they owed. He also responded with a promise to be generous with his wealth, to give away half of everything he owned. Jesus tells Zacchaeus, “Today, salvation has come to your house.”
When we truly see Jesus and encounter Him, we are never the same; we can’t be. The old has passed away, and the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17). No matter who you are or where you come from, no matter if you are the most respected person in the community, or feel like an outcast, Jesus wants to come and dine with you.
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).
I long to see Him ever more clearly, to make my table ready for Him.
Come and dine – you are welcome here.
Life By The Way 