Summary: <br> The Gospels: Full of Grace and Truth<br> Today Salvation Has Come to This House<br> Luke 19:1-10<br> <br> <br> And [Jesus] entered and passed through Jericho. And, behold, [there was] a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the tax collectors, and he was rich. (Luke 19:1-2)<br> <br> <br> ZACCHAEUS<br> probably designating one in charge of a district, with other tax collectors under him<br> Jericho served as a major customs site for goods entering Israel from the East.<br> <br> <br> <br> And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. (Luke 19:3)<br> <br> <br> Physical APPEARANCE means very little<br> Christ was probably traveling with a large entourage of pilgrims to the Passover in Jerusalem. But “the crowd” apparently refers to people in Jericho who lined the street to see Jesus specifically<br> People often gave greater attention to those who were taller (King Saul)<br> <br> <br> <br> And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him: for he was to pass that [way]. (Luke 19:4)<br> <br> <br> Zacchaeus UNDIGNIFIES himself<br> Perhaps news of Jesus being a “friend of sinners” had reached Zacchaeus<br> This kind of tree could grow to 30-40 feet high and had low hanging branches<br> Zaccheus put himself in an undignified position to see Jesus<br> <br> <br> <br> And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, “Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for today I must stay with your household.” (Luke 19:5)<br> <br> <br> Jesus matches Zacchaeus’ UNDIGNIFIED state<br> Respectable people did not normally request to stay with somebody else’s household<br> “Must” stay at your house implies divine necessity<br> This is the only time in all 4 gospels that Jesus invites himself to stay<br> Table fellowship was a sign of a certain amount of mutual acceptance <br> <br> <br> <br> And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. (Luke 19:6)<br> <br> <br> <br> Receiving Jesus JOYFULLY<br> <br> <br> <br> And when they saw [it], they all murmured, saying, “That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.” (Luke 19:7)<br> <br> <br> Do what is RIGHT, not what is POPULAR<br> Zacchaeus was hated not just by the religious elite, but by the common people as well<br> <br> <br> <br> And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor;” (Luke 19:8)<br> <br> <br> ASSUMPTIONS are almost never true<br> In later Judaism, it was considered generous to give away up to 20 percent of one’s belongings<br> <br> <br> <br> “and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore [him] fourfold.” (Luke 19:8)<br> <br> <br> True REPENTANCE<br> People sometimes paid tax collectors bribes to prevent higher fees being extorted. Zacchaeus’s position would have also allowed him to make false accusations<br> The law required restoring the amount you stole plus a fifth (Leviticus 6:5; Numbers 5:7)<br> Zacchaeus used the restitution requirements for stealing a sheep (Exodus 22:1; 2 Samuel 12:6)<br> <br> <br> <br> And Jesus said unto him, “This day is salvation come to this household, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.” (Luke 19:9)<br> <br> <br> Salvation has come to this HOUSEHOLD<br> Zaccheus’ name implies he is Jewish<br> A true Jew—not only of the lineage of Abraham but one who also walks “in the footsteps” of Abraham’s faith (Ro 4:12)<br> Household - Acts 10:2; 11:14; 16:15, 31; 18:8<br> “This day” salvation has come to “this household.” <br> Previously, he may have been a physical son of Abraham, but by his repentance he has become a spiritual son, and the entire household shares in the blessing.<br> Jesus had just taught (Luke 18) that it is difficult for a rich man to be sav
