Running Ahead of the Crowd

Once upon a time there was a short tax collector.
His name was Zacchaeus and he was rich.
Jesus was coming into his town of Jericho.
Zacchaeus really wanted to see who Jesus was
but he couldn't because there were too many people around Jesus
and he was too short.

So, he ran up the road ahead of the crowd and climbed a sycamore tree.
Sycamore's are wide and open trees,
with low sturdy branches, just right for climbing.

And, lo and behold,
when Jesus got under that very tree,
He looked up and saw Zacchaeus.

He called him by name, saying,
"Zacchaeus, hurry up and get down because
I want to come to your house today!"
Well, Zacchaeus climbed down quickly and with great delight took Jesus to his house.

Now, there were some people there who did not like this.
Zacchaeus was a social and religious outcast among his own Jewish people
because he collected taxes for the Roman government that occupied their land.
He was rich, too, which made them wonder how much money he added
on top of their tax requirements.

They complained outloud about Jesus' choice of companionship, saying things like,
"Are you kidding me?! Jesus has gone to have dinner with that sinner?!"

Zacchaeus had a change of heart when Jesus chose him.

He said, "Jesus, I will give half of what I have to the poor, and if I have unjustly taken anything from anyone, I will pay it back, times four."

Jesus said, "This day, salvation has come to the house of Zacchaeus, son of Abraham. For I have come to seek and to save that which was lost."

Stay with me here a minute.

Zacchaeus had several obstacles between his desire to see Jesus
and the fulfillment of that desire.

#1-His own personal limitation. He was short.

#2-The crowd restricted his ability to see.

#3-The crowd was hostile towards him.

Sometimes, our own limitations get in our way when we are trying to see Jesus.
Sometimes, people get in our way when we are trying to see Jesus.
Sometimes, what people think of us gets in our way when we are trying to see Jesus.

What should we do?

We should run ahead of the crowd.

We should increase our height.

We should want His approval more than we care about what others think of us.

And, we should humble ourselves and be changed when He chooses to seek us out.

Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus
and Jesus wanted to see Zacchaeus.

We want to see Jesus
and Jesus wants to see us.

Zacchaeus had ceased to care about what others thought of him.
He wasn't worried about his dignity.
But when Jesus came,
and Jesus cared for him,
he in turn,
began to care for others.

So, I say to you, to me,
Desire to see Jesus.
Run ahead of the crowd.
Climb the heights.
Don't worry about what people think of you in the process.
Welcome Him into your home.
And have a change of heart.