8 Then Zacchaeus
stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.”
Zacchaeus was short, small, nothing much... that is to say physically, socially and spiritually. Physically, he needed to climb a tree to get a glimpse of Jesus. Yet, he climbed a tree, keeping himself at a distance from the rest of the crowd, just as the society would have it. He sought a bird's eye view of theLord and Savior
because even one such as he was rich in earthly treasure but very poor in spiritual matters. Brother Z was a brother in need...whether he knew it or not, it didn't matter because there was going to be one to come by that day who was going to get real up close and personal with him.
• Reception: "So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully" (v. 6)...We ought to receive Jesus with urgency. It's not everyday that He who is worthy makes a personal visit to the unworthy. Brother Z made it his business to get busy...whatever needed to be done to receive Jesus into his home he put a rush on it. He knew it was not a casual affair...Many of ought to look again at what happens here. We might know Jesus but are we still in the know enough to know that He still wants to be received by us daily as Lord & Savior? Lord for the office of prominence that He holds and Saviour for the offer of salvation that comes only through Him.
• Restoration: Somewhere in the midst of glasses clinking for toasts and people talking in fellowship Brother Z said he would restore what he had wrongly taken w/o any provocation from Jesus (v. 8)...Jesus recognizes His change and restores Him based upon his change of heart (v. 9)
We need to the right the wrongs
of our past. Write them down and make things right with those you have wronged. Be sure to go down the list and face the shame and admit the guilt, and then simply offer to make things right. Share that you have honestly been changed and live differently now. Right your wrongs by making things right with the ones you have wronged.
stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; 10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
-Luke 19:8-10
Zacchaeus was short, small, nothing much... that is to say physically, socially and spiritually. Physically, he needed to climb a tree to get a glimpse of Jesus. Yet, he climbed a tree, keeping himself at a distance from the rest of the crowd, just as the society would have it. He sought a bird's eye view of theLord and Savior
because even one such as he was rich in earthly treasure but very poor in spiritual matters. Brother Z was a brother in need...whether he knew it or not, it didn't matter because there was going to be one to come by that day who was going to get real up close and personal with him.• Recognition: Jesus sees Zacchaeus, calls him by name, & pronounces that He will dine with him at his house(v. 5)...despite how insignificant we may be in the eyes of others we are important enough for Jesus to call us out by name. He knows each and every one of us from the lowest to highest, from the best to the worst, He knows us all
• Reception: "So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully" (v. 6)...We ought to receive Jesus with urgency. It's not everyday that He who is worthy makes a personal visit to the unworthy. Brother Z made it his business to get busy...whatever needed to be done to receive Jesus into his home he put a rush on it. He knew it was not a casual affair...Many of ought to look again at what happens here. We might know Jesus but are we still in the know enough to know that He still wants to be received by us daily as Lord & Savior? Lord for the office of prominence that He holds and Saviour for the offer of salvation that comes only through Him.
• Restoration: Somewhere in the midst of glasses clinking for toasts and people talking in fellowship Brother Z said he would restore what he had wrongly taken w/o any provocation from Jesus (v. 8)...Jesus recognizes His change and restores Him based upon his change of heart (v. 9)
We need to the right the wrongs
of our past. Write them down and make things right with those you have wronged. Be sure to go down the list and face the shame and admit the guilt, and then simply offer to make things right. Share that you have honestly been changed and live differently now. Right your wrongs by making things right with the ones you have wronged. 
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