21st Sunday after Pentecost
Luke 19:1-10 NLT
Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. 3 He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way.
5 When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.”
6 Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. 7 But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled.
8 Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!”
9 Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”
For Reflection:
Read Luke 19:1-10. Notice and Wonder.
What does the passage say Zaccheus was trying to do by climbing the tree?
Notice the passage describes this in 2 ways. Why do you think Luke does this?
Now does Jesus respond to seeing Zaccheus in the tree? Why do you think Jesus did this?
Do you think Jesus’s question and actions had anything to do with the fact that Zaccheus wanted so badly to really see Him? Why or why not? What does this show us about Jesus’s heart toward us? Toward you.
Read James 4:5-10. How might this passage relate to what we observed between Zaccheus and Jesus?
Reflect. Can you think of a time in your life when you really wanted to see Jesus? What happened? What could happen?
What do you think people in the crowd were thinking when they first noticed Zaccheus in the tree (before Jesus spoke to him)? Afterwards, why do you think they responded the way they did to Jesus going with Zaccheus to his home?
Re-read Zaccheus’ response to being in Jesus’ presence, in a close, personal encounter? What happened here?
Read the parable of the Rich Man in Luke 18:18-27 in the preceding chapter. Both Zaccheus and this man were rich; yet the outcomes were different. What else was different about their encounters with Jesus? Reflect on the transforming power of Jesus. Your posture toward Him.
Pray. Ask. Listen. What stands out to you? Is there a place God is nudging you? A step He is prompting you to take?