⏱ 7 min read

• Today we share with you a true story about a man whose life contradicted his identity and how an encounter with Jesus changed everything.
• Most of the points were from a sermon by one of our mothers in the faith (Lady Ps Dr Ama Amuasi) and this 5-minute read will be a great blessing to you. Let’s dig in:

Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.
And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. (Luke 19:2-4)

• Zaccheus’ name means pure or holy (zacchy) and man of God (eus). By name, he was a Holy man of God.
• Unfortunately, he was in reality a chief tax collector and at that time, this was simultaneous to being the chief sinner. (What a stark contrast!)
• He was a very rich and influential man though, but he wasn’t living in his identity. (Dear friend, what are you truly living for?)

Zaccheus wanted to see Jesus (v3)

He had a desire to see Jesus. We are not told why he wanted to see Jesus, but this desire was so strong that it caused him to run ahead… How many of us have seen a very rich man running to see something? Must be a very rare sight.

• Rich people are used to having their desires without sweat or struggle; people rather want to see them and not the other way around.
• But I believe God placed that desire in Zaccheus to draw him to Himself. (If we truly desire to know Jesus, He will reveal Himself to us).
• I want to suggest we take note of our strong desires (obviously not the fleshly ones); it can point to what God wants to do in and with our lives.

Proverbs 21:1 says “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.” So God can direct our hearts by the strong desires He places in us.
“This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.”

Zaccheus overcame his obstacle and put his desire into action (v3-4)

He left the crowd, ran ahead, and climbed up a tree to secure a spot, just to see Jesus (v4). When you are with a crowd, you have so much going on around you that it makes it impossible to see Jesus.

• To see something clearly, you must usually take a higher ground!
• If you want to see a certain breakthrough, leave your contemporaries and go up a notch higher!
• With humility, he climbed up a tree to secure a spot. Everyone has a spot where God wants to meet them for an encounter. Where is yours?

How do you think you can position yourself for a divine encounter? Whenever we have a desire to know God, God will position us for an encounter! Get ready, you are next in line for a divine encounter.

Jesus will respond to your desire to see Him!

Jesus sees your innermost desires, He knows where you are, He knows your name and He will come knocking at your door.

• I believe Jesus felt the desire of Zaccheus to be saved; He perceived his actions backing his faith (running ahead, away from the crowd, to position himself) and Jesus called out to him.
• A chief sinner believed and sought out to meet a saviour, and God met Him there.
• Zaccheus came down with haste and received Him joyfully. I believe this is the way to receive Jesus and the people He sends to our lives.

Remember that Jesus gave Him a ‘must condition.’ “Today I must stay at your house…” This was not a suggestion. At the point of an encounter, Jesus must stay in your house.

When grace locates you, the talkatives don’t matter.

But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.” (Luke 19:7)

• The people began to mutter: “What is Jesus doing?” Dear friend, hypocrites always mutter…
• They don’t tell you; they speak amongst themselves (self-righteous hypocrites). Mercy!
• But you see Jesus wasn’t perturbed! He knew all that was going on… He knows the evil in us; He just came to save us from them.

Grace had located Zaccheus and nothing anyone could say would change the situation. Let the hypocrites talk; don’t pay attention to the talkatives! Your genuine encounter with Jesus is all that matters! May grace locate you!

Conviction from love and genuine repentance

When Jesus came into Zaccheus’ house, he was convicted of his sin. Interestingly, Jesus hadn’t said anything to him, He just wanted to fellowship with him but Zaccheus was broken inside by this love and fellowship. (May our genuine love bring conviction to others).

• I believe true conviction occurs when we open ourselves up to Jesus and His word.
• Zaccheus was convicted and acted immediately! Dear friend, when you are convicted of your sin, act immediately!
• What are you doing after you have been convicted of your sin? Are you going back to the sites? Are you going back to those friends? Are you still entertaining that relationship?

Zaccheus gave up something he held dear – money and the desire for more of it! You and I will need to give up some things to finalise our encounter with Jesus! (Read: What does God expect from me?)

In verse 9 Jesus said: Today, salvation has come to this house… Not just to Zaccheus, but to his entire house. God’s plan for salvation goes beyond you and me. It is for the saving of many!

When we desire Jesus earnestly, when we seek Him unashamedly, when we welcome Him openly, when we are convicted and we repent openly and genuinely, we too are made sons of faith!
Jesus restored his identity as a Holy son of God. He will restore yours too!

• When Jesus said that Zacchaeus was a son of Abraham and yet was lost, he must have shocked the hypocrites in two ways:
• (1) They would not have liked to acknowledge that this sinful tax collector was a fellow son of Abraham, and
• (2) they would not have wished to admit that the sons of Abraham could be lost.

But a person is not saved because of a good heritage or condemned by a bad one; saving faith is not determined by genealogy. Jesus came to save all the lost, regardless of background or previous way of life. Through faith, the lost can be forgiven and made new. Heyy… you’re blessed!