"A Wee Little Man Was He"

"Zacchaeus was a wee little man, a wee little man was he.  He climbed up in a sycamore tree for Jesus for him to see.  Jesus said,'Zacchaeus, come down!  For today you will eat with me.'"

I can remember that childhood Sunday school song.  Each time we would sing it I could see this little guy, climbing a tree thinking he was going unnoticed, just to be called out by Jesus.  Like the song, the Bible's account of Zacchaeus ends as quickly as it begins.  We do not hear of this wee little man ever again and yet over 2000 years later his story is heard every time someone reads Luke 19:1-9.  (Before I share anything else, I want to ask if you would please read the account of Jesus encounter with Zacchaeus in preparation for Sunday.  See if you can figure out what the story has to do with the toxic sin called sloth).

Luke tells us Jesus encounters Z. right before Palm Sunday.  Jesus is headed to Jerusalem to face death and along the way he sees Z. in a tree.  He calls him down and invites himself to his house.  Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem to save the word and yet he had time to see a man that others would not step aside to let him see Jesus.  Jesus ignored the prejudices of the day and referred to him by name not as a chief tax collector, which was a position the Jewsih people despised because tax collectors, including Z., worked for the oppressing government and took money for themselves. Jesus was not saying what people like Z. did was right, but that did not stop Jesus from seeing the man behind the sin.  How are you and I doing with that one? 

Then Jesus, who had plenty of more important things to do--like saving the world--makes time to spend time with him in his house.  Eating with someone in their house was a cultural sign of bonding in friendship.  Z. was not just a tax collector sinner, but now he was being invited to be Jesus' friend.  That is encouraging and convicting.  It is encouraging to know that Jesus befriends sinners and it is convicting to know that Jesus asks us to do the same.  The longer we are Followers of Christ, the more the temptation will be to surround ourselves with other believers to the point that we isolate ourselves from those who do not know Christ.  Jesus shows us that itself is a sin.  If we cannot name one person you have a personal friendship with who is not a Follower of Christ, it is time to pop our Christian bubble and quit pretending we are living for Jesus. We might as well be among those who talked behind Jesus back and said, "Jesus has gone to be the guest of a sinner."

It is easy to say I am a friend of Jesus, but it is anotehr thing to let Jesus friendship lay claims on my life.  Z. has one meal with Jesus and he then says, "Look , Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything I will pay back four times the amount."  Wow!  Praise God!  This is what it means to be a friend of Jesus!  To be his friend means we let him change us.  The extent to which I believe in Jesus is shown through the extent to which I let him change me.  So, how much do you and I believe in Jesus? 

The last several weeks we have witnessed several people be befriended by Jesus and let him begin to change their lives.  Praise God!  Perhaps, even now, Jesus is inviting you to allow you to be changed by him.  I invite you, just as I and many others have done, to consider some of these opportunities through which Jesus is bringing lasting change in people's lives:


Are you dealing with something that is toxic in your life…a relationship…a habit…a sin…a hurt…a fear…anger?  We invite you to consider experiencing the healing and freedom God has for you through one of these options available to you:  Celebrate Recovery (A Christ-centered recovery ministry for any kind of hurt, habit or hang-up), Prayer Ministry for Inner Healing (intercessory prayer led by a trained facilitator through which lies are exchanged for truth), Divorce Care (for any one who is going through or has gone through a divorce), Freedom from Anger for Women ( a one-on-one study for women), Miami Valley Pastoral Counseling Center (Professional counseling for LH Members for only half of the out of pocket expense).  To learn more make a note on your information card or go to www.elivinghope.com.