Suggested Friends: Zacchaeus
Part 9 of the “Suggested Friends” message series
He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And there was a man called by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and he was rich. 3 Zacchaeus was trying to see who Jesus was, and was unable because of the crowd, for he was small in stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to see Him, for He was about to pass through that way. 5 When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” 6 And he hurried and came down and received Him gladly. 7 When they saw it, they all began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8 Zacchaeus stopped and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” – Luke 19:1-10 (NASB)
The BIG Idea:
Jesus knows something about being abandoned by His own people, and His offer of radical kindness, friendship, and transformation to a man conditioned to expect rejection by religious leaders left a deep impression on the heart of Zacchaeus. Jesus calls all His followers to display radical kindness and respect to those who may feel like the “outsiders” in society. Identify someone outside your regular social circle and seek ways to be a friend to them.
Being a follower of Jesus requires us to intentionally reach out to those society may deem as “outcasts” and “outsiders.”
Jesus doesn’t simply tell us what to do in how we treat others. Jesus models it for us throughout the Gospels.
- Women (John 4:27, Luke 8:1-3, 48, 13:16, 24:1-11)
- The Poor (Luke 4:18, 6:20, 14:13-14)
- The “Unclean” (Mark 1:40-45, Luke 8:48)
- The Oppressors (Romans and Religious Elite throughout the Gospels; Matthew 8)
- Racial Enemies (Luke 10:25-37; John 4:4-42)
In the ancient Hebrew language, the name “Zacchaeus” means “pure one.”
Zacchaeus was the “Chief Tax Collector,” or “Publican,” for the region of Jericho.
Jesus would know what it is like to be rejected by his own people.
Jesus chose to dine with Zacchaeus as a sign of friendship.
Zacchaeus went from being alone and isolated to being welcomed into a community of grace and compassion.
Jesus wasn’t concerned by the opinions of the insiders trying to deter Him from His act of kindness.
Our Zacchaeus will be “up a tree.”
Our Zacchaeus will most likely be unique.
Our Zacchaeus will cause challenges for us.
ILLUSTRATION: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (The Herdman Children)
“If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance.” – George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)
We shouldn’t expect that all those we show kindness to will repent or choose to be transformed by Jesus like Zacchaeus.
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:8 (NASB)
Who is your Zacchaeus?
Questions for Reflection
Reflect on a time when you were not invited to a social gathering that all your friends attended. How did it feel to be the only one left out?
How do you cope with rejection?
Jesus sought a friendship with Zacchaeus even though the religious leaders rejected him. Who has been isolated and rejected from social circles at your school, work, or small group? How could you offer friendship to them?
Jesus turned heads and received criticism from religious leaders for dining with Zacchaeus. Why was this a big deal to the religious leaders of Jesus’ day? How would you respond to criticism if you were to eat lunch with someone from outside your social group?
How will you choose to see the possibilities in others, especially those being rejected?
What are some ways you may show kindness to an “outsider” this week?