Sovereign Grace Doctrines
Concerning 'THE GOSPEL' - JESUS CHRIST
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The conversion of Zacchaeus is recorded in Luke 19:1-10. "Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, 'Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.' So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. But when they [self-righteous unbelievers, probably Pharisees] saw it, they all murmured, saying, 'He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.' Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, 'Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.' And Jesus said to him, 'Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.'"
This account is concluded with one of the purposes of Jesus Christ in coming to earth (v.10): "THE SON OF MAN HAS COME TO SEEK AND TO SAVE THAT WHICH WAS LOST."
Zacchaeus is so very typical of the lost. The lost are those who are yet in their sins, lost from the fold of safety and salvation.
1) Zacchaeus was lost even though he had a good name. Zacchaeus means "the righteous one." It may have been a noble gesture for his parents to bestow such a honorable name to him, but they could not bestow righteousness itself. He was, like every other member of humanity, from the womb a sinner (Psalm 51:5; 58:3), and therefore "a man who is a sinner" (v.7).
2) Zacchaeus was lost even though he had a high position. He was "a chief tax collector" (v.2). Palestine had three tax districts, with offices at Caesarea, Capernaum, and Jericho. The Jericho office was important because it was at the heart of a very important trade route from Egypt to Damascus, and because its region abounded with balsam balm. The taxes on this balm and the goods which traversed this route generated much income for the Roman government. Zacchaeus was the head of the tax office which collected this revenue. He therefore had a very high rank. But high office does not commend one to God. Zacchaeus was therefore as much "a sinner" as the lowest ranking person.
3) Zacchaeus was lost even though he was "rich" (v.2). Riches do not commend one to God. Zacchaeus was therefore as lost as the poorest person. And riches usually stand in the way of one coming to God. This is illustrated in the rich young ruler who refused to follow Christ because "he was very rich" (Luke 18:23).
4) Zacchaeus was doomed to remain lost because he was not even aware that he was lost. One will never seek the Lord until he realizes his need of the Lord. Zacchaeus "sought to see who Jesus was" (v.3) apart from realizing whom he himself was. He therefore desired to see Jesus only because he was curious about Jesus, not because he realized his need of Jesus.
5) Zacchaeus was doomed to remain lost because "he was of short stature" (v.3). This is true not only physically, but also spiritually. Zacchaeus was "a sinner," and therefore did not measure up to the standard of righteousness God requires.
6) Zacchaeus was doomed to remain lost because others prevented him from coming to Christ. He was prevented from seeing Jesus "because of the crowd" (v.3). He was prevented from coming to Jesus because he was, like every other member of mankind yet in sins, a captive of the devil performing the will of his master and incapable of releasing his own bonds (2 Timothy 2:25).
7) Zacchaeus was therefore up a tree (v.4). This was true not only with regard to the sycamore tree which he climbed, but also with regard to the fact that he was lost and helpless.
Jesus Christ has come to seek the lost. The lost will not seek Him, so He seeks them! It was not luck (a heathenish concept) which brought Jesus to Jericho. Jesus was on a mission! He was seeking the lost, and Zacchaeus was one of the lost. Zacchaeus lived in Jericho, so "Jesus entered and passed through Jericho" (v.1) until He found the lost man He was seeking. Jericho had no tree far enough nor tall enough nor leafy enough to hide this lost man from the Son of Man who had come seeking him. "And when Jesus came to the place [Jesus knew where it was!], He looked up and saw him, and said to him, 'Zacchaeus [Jesus knew whom He was seeking, and even his name!], make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house [Jesus had a reason for seeking him!].'"
Let us make another observation regarding this point. Many modern professors of religion are wont to boast of "when I found the Lord." No one in Scriptures ever boasted so. True converts heartily acknowledge that it was they themselves, not the Lord, who were lost and needed finding. True converts heartily acknowledge that it was the Lord, not they themselves, who did the seeking and finding. The only man in Scriptures who confessed "We have found Him" could do so only because the Lord had already found him (John 1:43-45).
Jesus Christ saves the lost whom He seeks. He sought the lost man Zacchaeus, and therefore said of him, "Today salvation has come to this house" (v.9). Zacchaeus gives ample evidence of having been saved by Christ.
1) Zacchaeus immediately obeyed Christ. Zacchaeus heard Jesus say "make haste and come down" (v.5); "So he made haste and came down" (v.6). He thereby acknowledged the authority of Jesus Christ, and even confessed Him as "Lord" (v.8). Contrary to those who say one may believe in Jesus Christ as Savior without submitting to Him as Lord, Jesus Christ will save no one who does not submit to His Lordship and obey Him. Zacchaeus immediately obeyed Christ because he wholeheartedly trusted in Him.
2) Zacchaeus "received [Jesus Christ] joyfully" (v.6). He received Christ because Christ had already received him. He received Christ into his house because he had already received Him in his heart. He received Christ joyfully because he realized that he been lost from God, but now had been found by God.
3) Zacchaeus was made a true "son of Abraham." Holy Scriptures emphasize two different aspects of sonship to Abraham. The first is physical sonship, for those who are physical descendants of the patriarch, having been born national Jews. The second is spiritual sonship, for those who are spiritual descendants of Abraham, having been born again by the Holy Spirit, and believing the gospel and trusting in Jesus Christ. "And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Galatians 3:29). Zacchaeus was a physical "son of Abraham" by his birth as a Jew. But Zacchaeus became a spiritual "son of Abraham" by being found and saved by Jesus Christ, and through faith in Him.
4) Zacchaeus showed his love for fellowmen. Only the saved will obey the First and the Second Commandments to love God with all the heart and to love fellowmen as self (Matthew 22:37-39). Zacchaeus proved his love for God by obeying Him. Then he proved his love for fellowmen when he said, "Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor" (v.8).
5) Zacchaeus made restitution to those whom he had wronged: "and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold" (v.8). His restitution is another mark of the saved. Indeed, Zacchaeus volunteered to perform even beyond what the law required: to return the amount dishonestly taken plus one-fifth (Leviticus 6:1-5; Numbers 5:7). People who know the grace of God are indeed gracious people.
This account of the conversion of Zacchaeus is indeed proof that Jesus spoke the truth when He said "the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."
Who are the "lost"? They are those who acknowledge themselves as sinners devoid of righteousness. Jesus Christ declares that the lost are the only persons He has come to seek and to save (Luke 5:32): "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
Are you lost? If you are not, Jesus Christ has nothing for you and will not even seek you. But if you are, He will seek you until He finds you. And when He has found you, He will call you to repentance. And when you have repented, He will save you.
Your servant for Jesus' sake.
Address all questions to pastor
Daniel E. Parks (2 Corinthians 4:5) e-mail RedeemerBC@aol.com
Pastor, Redeemer Baptist Church
2801 Cleveland Boulevard, Louisville, KY 40206 / 502.899-9205
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