Title: Zacchaeus and Us / Luke 19:1-10
Contents Zacchaeus and Us / Luke 19:1-10
Do you know a person named Zacchaeus?
What do you think of Zacchaeus?
Do you love Zacchaeus?
(It's strange. Do you love Zacchaeus?)
Let me tell you who Zacchaeus is.
During the Japanese colonial era, Japan ruled by force in order to completely dominate Korea. However, there are some things that cannot be broken no matter how strong a gun or a knife is, what is it? ‘Earl!’ What is an ear? The spirit of the nation could not be broken.
There were great independence activists who wanted to defend the spirit of our people to the end and achieve independence, but these people secretly conspired for independence in the underground to avoid Japanese occupation because their identity should not be exposed. Who in the modern era screwed it up? Who? Japanese guy? no.
The dog shit daddy next door.
They are flattering and flattering Japan, taking a few bucks, and telling the independence activists every move. Is your dog daddy good? bad?
Zacchaeus was the same person as that bastard daddy.
Last week, when did you say Israel's strongest heyday? The era of the unified kingdom of David and Solomon.
What and what did you say the unified kingdom was divided into? Northern Israel and Southern Judah. And the two North and South countries also perished. Northern Israel? Assyria. Southern Judah is Babylon.
And after that, Assyria and Babylon also fell from the stronger empires. Where are you? King Darius. “I am generous” Persian Empire. (Iran)
And after that, Persia is also destroyed. where? by the Roman Empire.
The era in which Zacchaeus is present is the era of the ultra-superpower empire of the Roman Empire. At this time, Zacchaeus was a tax collector. A tax collector was a person who forcibly took the taxes of his fellow citizens and gave them to the Romans.
Is Zacchaeus good? are you settled down? I'm getting settled
Do you think this dog shit loves Zacchaeus, who has settled down like his father?
No one liked Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus was the object of contempt, not only of his own kind, but of all people.
Besides, Zacchaeus was short in stature. I even made it a pointless person.
What you're doing is unlucky, you look like that... So all Zacchaeus! He was always ignored by his fellow countrymen.
So he was a person who worked hard not to be despised on a difficult life journey by accumulating a lot of money.
But Jesus loved Zacchaeus.
"no! Jesus! How could you love someone like Zacchaeus? Are you crazy, Jesus?” “Yeah, I’m crazy. I love Zacchaeus!”
Jesus is teaching Zacchaeus the 'human fragrance', 'joy of the heart', and 'the true meaning of salvation', and let's check them together through today's sermon.
Zacchaeus climbed a sycamore tree to meet Jesus. Why did you go up? The Bible tells us that Zacchaeus was trying to see who Jesus was, but because he was too short to be seen by the crowds, he could not see him. However, he thought that people would hate him and would not give him a chance to see Jesus because he was not only short in stature, but also a tax collector who robbed his people of taxes.
However, I heard rumors about the person who is Jesus, saying, 'He is a famous man, but he is different from other teachers of the law, so he gets along with tax collectors and prostitutes without hesitation and performs many amazing miracles.' Although he had an evil job of sucking the blood of his people and was a lonely man with no neighbors, Zacchaeus always wanted to meet Jesus, who was coming to Jericho.
So Zacchaeus ran over the road Jesus was passing, climbed a high mulberry branch, covered himself with thick leaves, and waited for Jesus and his companions.
Jesus is coming from over there. With a trembling heart, Zacchaeus hid himself more and more. Jesus is coming closer to Zacchaeus, and Zacchaeus is in an excited state that his heart is about to explode. Finally, Jesus stopped in front of Zacchaeus. And you say “Zacchaeus, come down!” "Don't climb up the tree to hide yourself like that, but come down proudly. Don't be shy, come and stand before me."
Our Lord does not want believers to live their faith anonymously. He wants to expose himself openly and proudly in front of many people and lead a life of faith like the sons and daughters of God.
“Because you were born as a dwarf, you were born as a human, and if you climb a tall tree, will you grow taller? So, if you're short, stay small! Come down as you are and stand in front of me.”
Jesus speaks to Zacchaeus again.
"Today I must stay at your house!"
This must have puzzled Zacchaeus. Because it's completely unexpected. Zacchaeus had never had the honor of visiting a rabbinical teacher like Jesus after he was born. Quitting the rabbis and the Jews living in the neighbourhood! As a truly warm neighbor, he has never even visited his home.
People who come to their house are thugs who come to get money!, gangs of Roman soldiers! Publicans like yourself who would almost be despised as ‘dog-like bastards’ if they turned around! People who play with large sums of money, renegade people who wear sheepskin and play here, thieves trying to steal money! It was all these kinds of people. Are you happy people?
So his house was always lonely and desolate.
Human warmth! Warm Jungna! Human humor! It was such a house that I had never heard anything like pure laughter bursting out.
But what is this unexpected noise?
He said, “Today I must stay at your house. It's not that you're going to stop by for a while!
In fact, Zacchaeus had a problem.
Zacchaeus was poor. Not poor in body, but poor in spirit. I was suffering from severe depression. I was feeling the skepticism of life. “How did I get into this shape? Why am I becoming a tax collector who sucks the blood of my people and getting the resentment of my people!” As he watched the money pile up in his safe, Zacchaeus was seriously thinking about his identity.
But now I can't go back. There was no one around him who would listen to his concerns, and even if he did, there would be no one who recognized his identity. I've come too far. As time goes on, the pain intensifies. Unfortunately, there is no sign of recovery. Frustrated. I am desperate. I feel suicidal. So I decide to die.
At this time, I heard the news that Jesus was coming. Zacchaeus has the last will to live! One last ray of hope! Have a desperate heart! I met Jesus.
Jesus speaks to Zacchaeus.
“Zacchaeus, come down. Come to me!”
Jesus already knew. Zacchaeus! The pain of Zacchaeus! Zacchaeus' loneliness!
Jesus knows. Even to Zacchaeus, the new life that the adulterous woman gained! He knows all too well that the Samaritan woman desperately needed the water of eternal life.
Jesus says: “Zacchaeus, your heart is so hardened! You've been torn a lot while you've lived in this world, and it's full of scars. There are so many burdens that you cannot bear on your own! let's go to your house I will comfort you infinitely.”
Make him come down from the tree to see Zacchaeus' presence in the crowd! identity! You acknowledged it very firmly. And although he could have ended his meeting with Zacchaeus with a few words of encouragement, Jesus gave him more than that. Jesus wanted to do that. You went to Zacchaeus' house. And breathed with him.
Zacchaeus is so happy that he is excited like a boy. With joy, he brought Jesus and his disciples into his home.
Not only that. Zacchaeus abruptly got up and said something he had never told the Lord. "Lord, look, I will give half of what I have to the poor. And if I have robbed anyone, I will pay back four times as much."
At this point Zacchaeus understood.
Human scent! heart joy! The true meaning of salvation!
How did Jesus feel when he heard these words? Didn't you cry? A soul was saved. I got a new life. “A dead soul has experienced the Holy Spirit. So, instead of choosing death, you have a new life. Ah. By the grace of the living God”
Then Jesus proclaims the blessing. "Today salvation has come to this house! You are also a descendant of Abraham."
When Jesus came to Zacchaeus' house, he never said a word to blame Zacchaeus for his wealth or to give up some of his wealth to help the poor. Nevertheless, Zacchaeus gave up everything he loved and everything he owned and confessed, “From now on, I will only love the Lord.” I have moved from my past life that was not proud of me to a new life with Jesus. Only now have I gained the strength to live! I realized why I had to live! I realized that I too have a purpose in life. This was the work of salvation that Zacchaeus needed.
Who is Zacchaeus? Us! We are all Zacchaeus.
“Preacher! I am dissatisfied. How do you compare me to that unscrupulous Zacchaeus! I am not going to do it.”
no! You are right, Zacchaeus. Don't try to be hypocritical before God, and show yourself before God as you are.
The Lord is calling us. “Oh, come down. come down quickly 00! I will stay at your house. Let's go to your house." Hear that voice.
Are you poor? Are you poor at heart? Aren't you lonely? Is there anything that upsets you? Are you having trouble with something? Did something happen that my logic couldn't comprehend with my thoughts?
Don't suffer alone. Longing for the voice of Jesus... that small voice, try to resemble Zacchaeus' desperate heart. Look like Zacchaeus, who climbed to the top of a mulberry tree to meet Jesus. And get the salvation you need. Get a new life. Cheer up. Be brave.
what we loved! What we owned! Put it all down! The only power that can calm the stormy storms of our lives. May you possess the love of the Lord. Today salvation has come to your house. You too are a descendant of Abraham. I hope to hear that voice. Praise together. Everything I own.
I will pray.
God Zacchaeus is our image. It is the appearance of everything sinful, faulty, and hypocritical. But God loved us to the end. God, please help us to realize your boundless love. May I have the courage to throw away all the thoughts of the world in me, and I pray that God's wonderful peace, comfort, and miracles that transcend the thoughts of the world will be laid before us. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen