Title: Let's Be Positive / Luke 19:1-10
First, Zacchaeus faced an unexpected obstacle.
When Zacchaeus heard the rumor that Jesus had come to Jericho, he wanted to see the famous person who came to the mouth of so many people, even at least once. That was his little wish and plan.
But his plans began to go awry as soon as he came out on the street. Something completely unexpected happened to him. There were too many people who wanted to see Jesus. It would have been fine if he had been tall, but the Bible describes him as short. This expression is exceptional, and it seems that he was a fairly small person. No wonder some call him a dwarf. Naturally, he was too small to be able to squeeze through people and move forward.
One day, on a Monday morning, I got into the car and drove into the Gyeongin Expressway to visit my mother in Seoul. However, no matter how severe the road congestion was that day, it was pushed back even before the Bupyeong toll gate, and the condition continued. There was a time when I gave up going and came back from Bucheon because I did not know how much more trouble I would have on the road.
Ordinary people give up in this way when faced with an unexpected obstacle. But Zacchaeus was not. He tried to fulfill his plan in a different way. To borrow a phrase these days, it is a change of thinking. He ran forward without noticing anyone else. Maybe he was trying to wait at the end of the line. When that didn't work, he climbed up a tree in spite of his face. In the East, it is unthinkable for an adult to run and climb a tree in front of a lot of people. Even in this single act, you can see his positive attitude that does not give in to obstacles. There Zacchaeus was able to see Jesus passing by.
Second, Zacchaeus received an unexpected call.
When Jesus came to the place where Zacchaeus was, he looked up and called him.
"Zacchaeus, come down quickly."
Did you notice anything odd here? Jesus knew the name of Zacchaeus, whom he had never met. He knew Nathanael before he met him. He knew Saul's name. This was possible because He was God manifested in a human body. He knows everyone and calls them tenderly.
The people of Jericho never personally called Zacchaeus by name. He was a publican, despised by the Jews, and a publican. At that time, tax collectors seized the right to collect taxes from the Roman Empire and levied high rates of tax on their own. If you do not comply, you will be taken away by Roman soldiers and punished, so you have no choice but to pay. It was very natural that people could not take good care of those who were the minions of Rome and who colluded with Rome to slap their people on the back. They turned away from publicans and cursed them. But Jesus called on his name as tenderly as he would a friend.
And he told me that he wanted to stay at his house.
“I must stay at your house today.”
Because Jesus talked to him in front of so many people, Zacchaeus became the focus of the people. He was stunned, but he did not hesitate. It came down "hurriedly" from the tree. As such, he was active. And they rejoiced and welcomed him into the house.
Being active doesn't mean being frivolous. You can be a cautious yet active person. Being active isn't about being an extrovert. You can be both introverted and active.
Zacchaeus could have turned down Jesus' offer. His offer was completely unexpected. Jesus was not alone, but with a company. How troublesome would it be to receive and entertain him and his disciples? And wouldn't the entertainment cost be too high? I didn't even tell my wife to invite guests in advance. But he was active enough to set aside all the conflicts to welcome him who treated him as a "human".
Are you socially isolated? Are you financially isolated? Are you personally isolated? Jesus knows you and calls you by name. He wants to stay at your house now, just as he wanted to stay with Zacchaeus in the old days. And he wants to dwell in your heart.
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).
Like Zacchaeus, I hope you will welcome him into your home and your heart.
Third, Zacchaeus made an unexpected decision.
Zacchaeus was obsessed with money. It was for this reason that he took on the customs job, a job that Jews hate. It's okay to be called a traitor by the people if you can make money. I thought it was okay to be a loner as long as I could make money. If you were so active, how could you not make money? As a result, he became very rich.
During the time of Gwanghae-gun, there was a man named Gobi, who is considered one of the wealthiest people in the eight provinces. One day, a friend came to me and asked, "How did you make so much money, can you teach me the secret of wealth?" With a promise to do whatever this friend tells me to do, I took him under a beautiful old tree. They were stripped naked and then made to climb a tree. I made this naked friend go to the end of the branch and told him to hold on to the end of the branch and hang. Ask them to let go of one of the two holding hands. I let go of one hand while shaking. Meanwhile, a lot of people gathered under it, pointing fingers, and enjoying this nude show. When I asked him to let go of even one hand holding the branch, he said, “This man, are you going to drop it and kill it? He made a promise that he would not let go even if he died and told him to come down. I said to this friend, who was trembling with fear in the laughter of many. "Now you have learned the secret to making money. Just as if you let go of one hand, you fall and die if you don't let go, you don't die. Even if you have a penny of wealth, not letting go is the only secret to saving money."
That's understandable, but I asked him why he had to go naked and make it an advantage to others. "If you hold on to wealth like your life, other people will have no choice but to point your finger at you, and you'll be stripped of your clothes in order to endure it." The friend nodded and went back. This is a lesson that can be taught in today's world.
A change occurred in Zacchaeus while he was with Jesus. It was a change that could not be achieved even with criticism from people. It was a change that could not be achieved even with the bullying of people. It was just a change made through meeting Jesus.
At some point, he informed Jesus of his decision.
"Look, Lord, I will give half of my possessions to the poor; and if I have extorted anyone, I will repay them fourfold."
This is not a small change, it is a huge change. How are you going to give half of your wealth to the poor? He had never done this before. I didn't live like this. But he was willing to correct his wrong past. His values have changed.
According to the law, a person who stole another person's property had to return one-fifth of the stolen property to the owner (Leviticus 6:1-7). If he stole a livestock but could not return it because he had caught it or sold it, he had to pay it back for five cattle and four for each sheep (Exodus 22:1). If you had it, you had to pay double (Exodus 22:4).
When Zacchaeus said he would pay him fourfold, he would do more than the law required, and he showed a firm resolve to never do that beforehand. Also, I did not make this decision reluctantly, but I did it willingly. What an amazing change! He was active in other ways, but he was also active in his new life.
Have you had any of these changes after you accepted Jesus? Are these changes in your life right now?
Listen to what Jesus said.
"...Today salvation has come to this house, for this man is also a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."
According to these verses, Zacchaeus did not come to see Jesus, but to find Zacchaeus. He had little interest in seeing the face of Jesus, which eventually changed his life forever. How about you? Do you not have a desire to know about Jesus? Even little attention is enough to get you started. Continue to attend worship and listen to him. Then you will welcome him with joy and you will be saved. You may receive Jesus today.