PURE ONE!

  In Luke 19, Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem by way of Jericho.  The commentor reminds that there were several ways to get to Jerusalem, but obviously, Jesus foreknows that Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector is in desperate need of a transformation, SALVATION.  As a tax collector, and an Israelite, he works for the Roman government.  He is considered by the people, the religious leaders of Jericho as a betrayer, a rogue, tough, and unscrupulous. Somehow, Zacchaeus hears that Jesus is coming through Jericho.  An age of no tweets, no instagrams, no texts, or emails, he knows Jesus is coming through his town.  A crowd gathers, and he, being slight in size, hikes up his cloak, and climbs a sycamore fig tree so that he can be an observer of Jesus.  

When Jesus reaches the site of the tree, He looks up and speaks, "ZACCHAEUS, come down immediately, I must stay at your house today."  Can't you hear the gasp of the spectators?  Jesus is going to be the guest of a sinner!  When Zacch was born, his name meant pure one....but the crowd calls him "sinner".  Imagine with me that the indignity of being a tax collector, an outcast, and being short in height may have a been a real trip for Zacchaeus as he has to live up to his reputation of "sinner".  The crowd considered him sinner because of his profession, but Jesus knows he is a sinner because he has not experienced salvation. I think that Zacchaeus has a motive more than being able to see Jesus as to why he climbs the tree and perches there and it is obvious in his response to Jesus.   

Note that Zacchaeus climbs down the tree confessing:  "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."   He must have been a very detailed accountant to be able to know who he has cheated and the great number, who all he has tricked and mistreated!  Hear Jesus, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.  For the Son of Man came to see and to save what was lost." The Record does not make it clear that Jesus goes to Zacchaeus' home, but He does have an encounter with him.  The goal for today is the same...it is the desire of our Lord that ALL might be saved and experience Him as Savior and Lord.  The choice is always to be made personally for NO ONE can make it for you.  The invitation is ALWAYS open to ALL TODAY.  Forever learning. In process.  #IHAVETHREESONS.