Tree People

 

May 02, 2021     NOTES NOT EDITED
Tree People
Luke 19:1-10

SIS—Responding humbly to the invitation of the Lord Jesus Christ will dramatically and wonderfully change one’s life.

Could you imagine the excitement of living in a 14-story penthouse apartment overlooking a city park?  That’s sort how it feels to visit the Korowai people of Papua, New Guinea.  [SHOW PIC] These people build their houses 80 feet above the forest floor in one of the most remote, unexplored regions of the world.  Papua, New Guinea is the second largest island in the world just east of Indonesia.  Can you imagine the sacrifice a Korwaiian husband has to make when his pregnant wife has a “craving” for a midnight snack?  Down the ladder he goes!  And, we American husbands complain when the wife wants bubblegum-flavored icecream from Vons.

I did love climbing trees as a youngster, but I’d have to think twice if the Tree People of Papua, New Guinea invited me for dinner.  Especially, since some sociologists believe they might still practice cannibalism.

Today, we are going to look at the life of a man in a tree by the name of Zacchaeus.  Let’s read that text together:  LUKE 19:1-10. 

Four characteristics describe Zacchaeus, both before and after he was saved, and Jesus offers us the invitation of grace, just like Zacchaeus. 

1.  Zaccheus was a SHORT man (v 3)

►He was a short man (v3^NIV).

The most identifiable feature of Zacchaeus was his “short stature.”  As the song says, “Zacchaeus was a wee little man, a wee little man was he.”

We can view his size both literally and metaphorically.  For sure, Zacchaeus was short physically.  He was also short socially and short spiritually. We need to connect some dots in this story to understand how Zacchaeus was short socially and spiritually.  In verse 2 we read 

►² There was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.^CSB 

Being a “tax collector,” and especially the “chief tax collector” made Zacchaeus rich.  Verse 1 tells us that this incident takes place in Jericho, and that is very significant.  Jericho and the surrounding area was a very prosperous place.  As the Chief Tax Collector, this made Zacchaeus a very, very rich man.  However, being a tax collector made Zacchaeus a very hated man; it made him a social outcast or pariah.  A “pariah” is someone who is despised and rejected.   Zacchaeus was a Jew, but he worked for the Romans.  The Jews hated the Romans and anything or anybody associated with the Romans.  The Chief Tax Collector paid for the privilege of collecting taxes for Rome.  The Romans established this collection system so they would not have to deal directly with the people they ruled.  They required a certain amount from a district and the chief tax collector paid it, and then anything he could collect over and above that amount was his profit.  It was a terrible, corrupt way of doing business—much like our IRS.

The Greek construction of verse 2 draws attention to the meaning of Zacchaeus’ name.  A literal reading would be, “a man being called by name, righteous.”  Zacchaeus literally means, clean, righteous, or pure.  Zacchaeus fell far short of his name—he was anything but righteous.  Connect this with verse 7,

►“All who saw it [Jesus go to Zacchaeus’ house] began to complain. He’s gone to lodge with a sinful man.”^CSB

Not only was he a traitor, making him a social outcast, he was a sinner meaning that he came up short spiritually as well.  In fact, we all are short spiritually.  By any meaure, Zacchaeus was a “short man.”  He was short physically, socially, and most of all spiritually.

The Bible describes all unrepentant people as “short people.”  Rom. 3:23 says, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God”

2.  Zaccheus was a SPOTTED man (v5, 10). 

I don’t mean “spotted” like a Dalmatian, but spotted in the sense that someone was looking for him and found him.   Verse 5 says, 

►⁵ When Jesus came to the place, He looked up. 

Jesus did not simply happen upon Zaccheus, he was looking for him. In fact, if the grammar of the original is followed closely, it would translate as, “Jesus was looking up.”  It emphasizes an intensity of purpose and focus as continuous action (Greek participle).

We see this same intense purpose in Jesus’ life in  verse 10^CSB. 

►¹⁰ For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.” 

Jesus, that is God, is ever the seeker.  We do not “find” God, but God finds us.  He is the initiator AND sustainer of our faith.  Paul refers this to Jesus being both “the author and finisher of our faith” (Heb. 12:2, ^KJV). 

The Bible tells us Zacchaeus climbed a “sycamore tree.”  This tree is distinct from the North American Sycamore Tree.  This tree is related to the fig tree. Some scholars call it a “fig-mulberry.”  An important aspect of this tree is that it has leaves year around—many leaves.  At least some scholars believe Zacchaeus intended to remain hidden and was only curious about this traveling preacher who had become so popular among the common people.  He was not “seeking” salvation, but only seeking a show.

I believe this is the proper way to view these verses.  Zacchaeus was not the “searcher.”  Jesus was.  That is always the case.  The Bible says,  there is no one who seeks God (Rom. 3:11). 

If God does not pursue a man, that man will never be saved.  God is the initiator, the Seeker, in salvation.  The Lord spotted Zacchaeus because the Lord was searching for Zaccheaus.  The Lord called Zacchaeus by name.  The Lord was on a mission, and the mission’s name was, Zacchaeus. 

Throw away any foolish idea that you can contribute anything at all to your salvation—even if you are not as big a scoundrel as Zacchaeus.  The Bible teaches very clearly (Eph. 2:8),

► ⁸For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift.

 

There are literally thousands, maybe millions, of people who will gather in Christian churches “looking for a religious show,” but without one clue that God is actually looking for them and inviting them to have an eternal relationship with Him.  Millions will climb the tree of religion and after all is said and done, they will continue to hide behind the fig leaves of their own self-righteousness without ever experiencing the soul-saving, life-changing salvation of God. 

Man has been hiding behind fig leaves from the first sin in the Garden when Adam and Eve tried to hide their nakedness from God by sewing together fig leaves. Zacchaeus took hiding behind fig leaves to a whole new level—the whole fig tree.  Zacchaeus wasn’t seeking salvation; he was just looking for a show.  But, Jesus spotted him hidden behind the branches, leaves, and fruit of the sycamore fig tree. 

There’s no place we can go that God’s grace will not spot us.  Psalm 139:7–8^NASB

►⁷ Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? ⁸ If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, [that is, the grave] behold, You are there.

Glory to God, when God is looking for you, God will find you—just like the Lord spotted Zacchaeus.  So, Zaccheaus was not only a short man, but he was a spotted man.

3.  Zacheus became a SAVED man (v 9-10)

 The matter before us could not be stated any more concisely, 

►⁹ “Today salvation has come to this house,” Jesus told him, “because he too is a son of Abraham.  ¹⁰ For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”^CSB

Here we discover the essence of Christianity wrapped up in a neat little package and tied with a pretty bow.  “Salvation.”  Churches do err greatly when any other program or purpose supersedes, sets aside, or any way diminishes the stated purpose of the Lord, “I’ve come to seek and to save the lost.” (v10)

We live in a world in which church has become little more than a religious version of a neighborhood bridge club, or a cheap imitation of a Las Vegas entertainment act.  Or, churches degenerate into a “social service” program or “political action committee.”  Our calling is, and always has been, “to seek and to save the lost!”

The central truth in this passage is this:  Zaccheaus was a SAVED man.  His eternal destiny was changed in one instantaneous moment that he surrendered climbed down out of his tree of pride and in humble submission surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Money didn’t matter to him.  Power didn’t matter to him.  All that mattered to Zacchaeus was, “today, salvation has come to this house.”(v9). Have you had a “come down” moment in your life?

Salvation did not come because of Zacchaeus’ good deeds—he had NONE BEFORE he was saved.  Even if we could stack our good deeds  as high as a mountain, salvation would not come to us.  Salvation comes only as a gift of grace in response to putting one’s faith and trust in Jesus Christ.  Look at the second part of verse 9:

►“because he too [that is Zacchaeus] is a son of Abraham.”^CSB 

This means, Zacchaeus, like Abraham centuries before him, placed his full trust and confidence in the grace and goodness of Jesus Christ the Lord.  Galatians 3:6 tells us:

►⁶ Just as Abraham believed God,  and it was credited to him for righteousness,  ⁷ then understand that those who have faith are Abraham’s sons.

Remember when I talked earlier about Jesus being the seeker and how we cannot save ourselves.  Let me repeat the verse I shared: 

►Ephesians 2:8-9 ⁸ For you are saved by grace  through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— ⁹ not from works, so that no one can boast. 

Everything changed in that one moment when the spotlight of God’s grace fell upon the wretched dark soul of a sinful man.  It was not a change in moral behavior that brought salvation to Zacchaeus that day, but the call of the Merciful Savior, Jesus Christ (vv 5, 9):

►⁵“Zacchaeus! Quick, come down! . . . ⁹Salvation has come to this home today!^NLT

The “good deeds” of Zacchaeus came AFTER he was saved—and they came in abundance.  Salvation changes everything—a man’s tomorrows, but also a man’s todays.  One preacher wrote of Zacchaeus:  “What a deliverance was that day! The wife of Zacchaeus had a new husband. Their children had a new father.  The community had a new citizen.”  Everything changes the moment a person is gloriously saved. 

The change might not be as sudden as it was with Zacchaeus but when a person responds humbly to the merciful invitation of Jesus Christ, his or her life will be radically and eternally changed! 

Zacchaeus climbed high up the tree of worldly success.  He was a very rich man as the world counted riches, but before meeting Christ on that day that salvation entered his heart, he was eternally destitute.  He was still a small, little, wimp of a man spiritually.

Salvation changes everything both for the here and now and forever!

4.  Zacchaeus was a SATISFIED man (vv 6,  8).

 We know that Zacchaeus was truly saved because he was, in fact, demonstrably changed as I just said.  Look again at verse 8:

►⁸ But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, I’ll give  half of my possessions to the poor,  Lord! And if I have extorted  anything from anyone, I’ll pay  back four times as much!”

Before meeting Jesus, Zacchaeus was like every other unsaved man or woman, he simply could not get enough. He was never SATISFIED. Even when he had more than he could possibly spend, he wanted even more.  He threw away his integrity and scuttled any meaningful relationships just to get more coin.  

The lusts of the lost are never satisfied.

“Today, salvation has come to this house,” Jesus declared, and Zacchaeus goes from a self-serving, striving sinner to a joyously satisfied saint.  Verse 6 tells us:

►⁶ So he quickly came down and welcomed Him joyfully.^CSB

No hesitation—no reservations!

Then, verse 8,  as we read above, demonstrates that Zacchaeus could not give away his stuff fast enough—and he had a lot of stuff to give away! He wanted to bless everybody.  He no longer sought to live like a parasite off the community, but wanted to give back to the community.  He didn’t need money and stuff to be satisfied, he was fully satisfied with Jesus.  The old hymn says,

                                       I am satisfied with Jesus, He has done so much for me:
                                     He has suffered to redeem me, He has died to set me free.

 A popular story recounts a meeting that may have taken place at the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago in 1923. There is debate whether the meeting in fact occurred, but what is not in question is the actual rise and fall of the men featured in the story, who were nine of the richest men in the world at that time: (1) Charles Schwab, President of the world's largest independent steel company; (2) Samuel Insull, President of the world's largest utility company; (3) Howard Hopson, President of the largest gas firm; (4) Arthur Cutten, the greatest wheat speculator; (5) Richard Whitney, President of the New York Stock Exchange; (6) Albert Fall, member of the President's Cabinet; (7) Leon Frazier, President of the Bank of International Settlements; (8) Jessie Livermore, the greatest speculator in the Stock Market; and (9) Ivar Kreuger, head of the company with the most widely distributed securities and investments in the world.

What happened to these powerful and rich men 25 years later? (1) Charles Schwab had died in bankruptcy, having lived on borrowed money for five years before his death. (2) Samuel Insull had died virtually penniless after spending some time as a fugitive from justice. (3) Howard Hopson became insane. (4) Arthur Cutten died overseas, broke. (5) Richard Whitney had spent time in a mental asylum. (6) Albert Fall was released from prison so he could die at home. (7) Leon Fraizer, (8) Jessie Livermore, and (9) Ivar Kreuger each died by suicide. Measured by wealth and power these men achieved success, at least temporarily. But it did not surely guarantee them a truly successful life (copied).

Zacchaeus avoided dying miserable and unsatisfied when he “made haste and came down out of that tree to become a disciple of Jesus.”

He was still a short man physically, but he was a satisfied man eternally. Zacchaeus had a radical life transformation.  Zacchaeus gave up all he had to gain more than he could ever want.

Responding humbly to the invitation of the Lord Jesus Christ will dramatically and wonderfully change one’s life.

Some people are really hard cases—hard nuts to crack as the saying goes. Everything about their lives is hard, and harsh. They don’t respond to anyone’s guidance or suggestions.  They are just “hard.”  Like Clifford.

Clifford and Daisy May were married for many years. Clifford was mean, stubborn, and a know-it-all.  He wasn’t very well liked around town. Neighbors actually feared him.  Clifford and Daisy May fought a good bit.  Whenever there was a confrontation in the home, yelling could be heard deep into the night. Often Clifford would shout, "When I die, I'll dig my way up and out of the grave and come back and haunt you for the rest of your life ol' woman!!" Old Clifford liked the fact that he was feared.  He died at the ripe old age of 98. After the burial, Daisy May's neighbors, concerned for her safety, asked, "Aren't you afraid that he may indeed be able to dig his way out of the grave and haunt you for the rest of your life?"  She replied, "LET HIM DIG. I HAD HIM BURIED UPSIDE DOWN...AND I KNOW HE’S TOO STUBBORN TO ASK FOR DIRECTIONS." 

Don’t be stubborn and prideful like Clifford.  Be like Zacchaeus.  Respond humbly to the invitation of grace and let Jesus radically and wonderfully change your life—not just for eternity, but right here, right now.

In another place and another time, a beloved pastor gave this invitation after telling the story of Zacchaeus.

Come down!  Come down out of that tree of self-centeredness—living as though Jesus had never lived, or as though Jesus had never died.  Come down out of the tree of unforgiveness and unkind attitude toward others.  Come down out of laziness and apathy toward the things of Christ.  Come down out of your tree of pride.  Come down out of your tree of skepticism.  Come down out of your tree of secret sin.  Come down out of your tree of doubt.  Come down out of your tree of indifference or procrastination.  (R.G. Lee).  Come down out of whatever tree is keeping you from joyfully and sacrificially following the Lord Jesus Christ.

If you don’t know Jesus, I’d like to invite you to climb down out of the tree of self-centeredness and embrace the truth of our Savior Jesus Christ.  It will dramatically and wonderfully change your life—now, and forever.