BiblicalMastery Buddy's bible blog

Lesson 53

All Little People In a Tree

Luke 19:1-10

As a young person I like playing sports. I probably realized that other than in my mind I did not have the talents and abilities to be a great athlete. Having said that one thing about sports I always dreaded was the inevitable choosing of sides. For all of non stars I did not ever want to be chosen last. Even worse than that would be one of the last two and someone would say you go to that team and the other person would just be put on the opposite side. If this begins to occur in other venues of life where you are the fill-in to make a team of whatever complete one begins to wonder about his or her worth.

Probably many of us have experienced those types of situations. I am not alone in feeling slighted by the unfeeling captains of the team. Thankfully there is one person in this world who thought me of some worth. That person is my wife who chose to marry me, love me and give me encouragement. There is someone who loves me even more than she does. It does not make any difference whether I have be selected for any earthly position He still died for me and has accepted me as part of His eternal family. I would exchange that security for anything else the world has to offer.

There are probably people who you know or who may even be sitting in the church on any given Sunday who have experienced the same kind of rejection and discouragement in their pursuit of just wanting to be recognize as of value. All of us have hurts and needs that can only be healed by Christ’s followers who gently do all in their power to make sure that a person does not turn from Christ because we chose not consider them important enough for Jesus to love and forgive. Any time we do acknowledge the presence of a person we are saying we do not want you to be a part of our fellowship. There are more men like Zaccheus in the world than we realize who may appear to be little in our eyes but God uses a different yardstick to measure them.

Luke 19:1-3

Luke recounts the story of Zaccheus. Not a lot is known about other than his occupation as a tax-collector, his wealth and his stature. There is another facet that made what was going to happen even more exciting. For whatever reason as Jesus passed through the city the man decided he wanted to see Him. It could have been just out of curiosity or the Holy Spirit was working his life as He had been in Bartemaeus. The problem he had was two fold. He was very short even in comparison with height of the people of Jesus day which would made it impossible to see over the heads of others. His other dilemma came as a result of his profession.

The tax-collectors of that day were despised because of their relationship with Romans and the fact that many of them were unscrupulous individuals who had no problem taking advantage of their position to become wealthy. One other aspect of Zaccheus’s life made what Jesus did for him even more impressive. He very possibly not only small in stature but also a little man inside. His choice of profession could have conceivably been a cover up for his ithe insecurity he felt. It gave him a chance to lord it over of his detractors. To them he would have appeared as cold and arrogant. Therefore as Zaccheus tried to position himself to see Jesus the crowd would have refused to let him through and may have even taken the opportunity to take a few jabs at him.

1. What do we know about Zaccheus?

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2. Why was he so hated by the people?

3. Why did he want to see Jesus? (Two possibilities might be curiosity and the Holy Spirit led him to that place that day.)

4. When has been a time in your life about wanted to see Jesus in God’s word?

5. What happened to that passion?

Luke 19:4

Zaccheus was not to be deterred. Because the crowd would not allow him to get to the front he changed his tactic. He raced ahead and climbed up a sycamore tree which would give the vantage point he needed to see Jesus as he passed by. It was no way that Zaccheus could have anticipated what happened next.

1. What do you think of the actions of Zaccheus?

2. Why would the crowd allow him to get close enough to see Jesus?

3. Has there ever been a time when you have been a hindrance to someone coming to Jesus? Explain

4. In what ways do you show the kind of passion to be in the presence of Jesus that Zaccheus did?

Luke 19:5-6

When Jesus arrived where Zaccheus was in the tree, He did as He had done for Bartemaeus. He stopped and acknowledged the presence of the little man and commanded him to come down quickly. Then came the words that Zaccheus probably had trouble believing. The man Jesus wanted to go and spend time in his home.

Zaccheus did not hesitate to obey the command of Jesus. Immediately he came down and took Jesus into home.

1. Why did Jesus stop? (It could have been that anyone who had gone to such effort to see Him deserved and audience.)

2. How could Jesus had known his name? (Some in the crowd may have pointed him out. Better yet the Holy Spirit pointed him out.)

3. What was your feelings when you first that call of the Holy Spirit to follow Jesus?

4. How were some the things that happened to you when you came to Christ?

5. In what way is what Zaccheus did for Jesus a picture of the relationship we are to have with Him.

Luke 19:7

As usual there were the detractors of Jesus present. They began to grumble once again Jesus was spending time with a sinner. In their minds Zaccheus would have been the worse kind of sinner because of his affiliation with the hated Romans.

1. Who may have been among the critics of the actions of Jesus?

2. Why would Jesus risk the grumblings that came to his ears?

3. What would keep you from associated with someone like Zaccheus?

4. Why would Zaccheus be the worse possible person that Jesus have chosen to visit?

5. How would have responded?

6. What does that say about you?

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Luke 19:8

How different was Zaccheus’ response when Jesus called and came to spend time with him. He made two specific promises. He was going to:

• Give half of possessions to the poor.

• Repay anyone who he had defrauded four fold.

Looking back at the rich young ruler, what a contrast is seen in the actions of Zaccheus as compared to the other man. The young ruler refused to give up anything to follow Jesus. Here Zaccheus was willing to give until he had nothing for the opportunity to follow Jesus.

1. How were the actions of Zaccheus and the ruler different?

2. What did Zaccheus mean by his words? (He was willing to give all for the sake of Jesus.)

3. What are you willing to give up for Jesus?

4. What are the things that you have trouble releasing?

Luke 19:9-10

Jesus did not respond to the promises of Zaccheus. He spoke of the transformation of his heart that had caused him to be willing to give up everything. Without a change of heart he would only be doing what the rich ruler was trying to do, earn his way into heaven. Jesus saw that there was a difference in the life of Zaccheus. A change that had not been there before. Even though the people would have written him off Jesus saw him as a child of Abraham in need of salvation. That should have been a clear message to those who grumbling that if God could save the worse of sinners then they too needed to come to Christ for His grace. If that message was not clear Jesus emphasized why He had come. He came to save to find those who were lost and provide a new life for every man.

1. Why did Jesus not respond directly to the words of Zaccheus? (The money was not the issue but the heart.)

2. What did Jesus see in Zaccheus that made Him speak of salvation and not good deeds?

3. What made Zaccheus different than the rich ruler? (The obvious change of heart.)

4. What does this say about every person? (Everyone stands in the need of Jesus?

5. What was He saying about those standing around grumbling?

6. What is the important message in the last words of Jesus to all standing there?

7. In what ways are you thankful for Jesus coming to seek and to save?

• It is important to remember that you are never to lose your passion for being with Jesus.

• Remember that Jesus does not look at the exterior but at the heart of man.

• You are never to be an obstacle to those seeking to come to Jesus or block their way.

• You must understand that only when your heart is transformed that you will find salvation.

• All of the things of this world will pass away only that which is eternal will last.

• Be willing to stop what you are doing to meet the needs of others.

The church is no place for grumblers. We must remember what Christ has done for each of us to let it show to others who are in search for the truth. Zaccheus should be our example because he was not willing to give up on his quest until he had seen Jesus. The church is for those who are willing to hear what Christ can do in their lives. One last point needs to be made. It is not we who seek Christ but He is the one who is pursuit and chooses to be part of His kingdom.

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