Title: This Man's Thanksgiving / Luke 19:1-10
Content: This man's thanks / Luke 19:1-10
I think the man named Zacchaeus who appeared in today's text gave special thanks. Zacchaeus is a tax collector. He used this politically well when Rome was in control of Judea. In a word, he is a man who cooks the world well. So he is a successful person. And rich. And he was so powerful that even the Roman governors and soldiers could not treat the publican rudely. Even such successful people had their problems.
It was always painful to live in the sin of turning away from God in faith because of religious worries. Another thing is that people point out that they are worse than those who sell their country. He is working for Rome, and with the power of Rome, he is sucking the blood of people of his own people and filling his stomach. It couldn't put his mind at ease. So Zacchaeus was waiting for the Messiah like an Israelite. Zacchaeus did not seek to heal the sick like anyone else in order to meet Jesus and live a better life, to enjoy more wealth and glory.
He just wanted to meet people in his situation, that is, Jesus, who said that he would be a friend of all people just like making disciples of a tax collector named Matthew. He went to the manna with the news that Jesus was coming, but he did not look too short. So, I climbed up the mulberry tree, prepared to get one more insult from others. Since Zacchaeus could not give up because he had this graceful opportunity, he also climbed the mulberry tree because he could not see Jesus again at this time. Already Zacchaeus was waiting on a sycamore tree, watching Jesus coming from afar.
But what is important here is how Jesus treated Zacchaeus. It is said in the Bible, ‘Look up and look up’. Rather, it is rather strange. Zacchaeus did not look up to Jesus, but Jesus saw Zacchaeus. Here, ‘saw’ means that you stopped looking at each other individually and individually, without telling your gaze as if you were looking at a lot of people.
Another important thing is that he not only looked at Zacchaeus's appearance, he read Zacchaeus' heart. Jesus and Zacchaeus did not communicate. Because Jesus focused on Zacchaeus' heart, why did that man climb the mulberry tree, why is he trying to see me, and why he is waiting for the Messiah with such an earnest heart, Jesus read even his anxieties and deep interest.
What long words do Jesus need, who knows it all? But what is even more surprising is that he knew that Jesus fully understood his heart without even telling Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus was very moved by this.
Seeing this, Jesus said that he looked up to Zacchaeus. And Jesus said to Zacchaeus, “Today I must stay at your house.” As I said in the morning, a tax collector is a person of Onew who doesn't even greet each other. It is said that even the beggar did not receive the tax collector's money. It is said that even the blind man took money and immediately threw it away when he knew it was the tax collector's money. He is such a tax collector, but when he saw him, Jesus said that he would sleep at your house tonight. This is surprising. The Lord is coming to a house where the righteous are sinners, and to a house of sinners so great that no one has any dealings.
This is an anecdote from the Joseon Dynasty. A riot broke out, and the king had to flee. Disguised as a normal person, he ran away with his servants and hid in a certain countryside. I decided to stay at a villager's house for a day. The villager treated people who did not know who they were, and treated them with sincerity without asking where they were, what they were doing, or how they got here. Eventually, the situation changed and the king disguised as an ordinary person returned to the palace. As soon as the king returned to the palace, he called the villager because he was so grateful for his heart and sincerity.
Chonbu was summoned to the royal palace and found out the day before, wasn't he the king, who he had only known as 'Iseobang' the day before? The king said to the villager, “I am so grateful that you helped me. If you have a wish, please tell me one thing. listen to me The land is good, the position is good…anything.” Chonbu replied, “I have nothing to wish for. But in a few days it will be my 60th birthday. You will have a party with your children. Please come over there.” At these words, the king was willing to ‘do it’. When rumors spread that the king of the country was coming to an unnamed villager's house in an unnamed country, riots erupted all over the place. I've only heard of it, but I've never seen it before, people with authority, people with power, people from all over the country, and people from all over the world gather to see the king.
It is said that the gifts they brought with them piled up like a mountain, and in one day this villager became a rich, stinky rich man that no one could ignore. Look. The king comes to our house once. I take the king to my house once. What does this mean? It is a time when my identity changes, my righteousness changes, and people change. Moreover, it is amazing that Jesus, the King of kings, came to me at this time. When we realize this and believe in it, we can be thankful for everything.