Zacchaeus Met Jesus
What does it mean to meet Jesus? The meeting is not just such a commonplace we usually have in school and workplace. It is the paramount event by which a person is completely turned from a sinful life and saved by his absolvent authority. In other words, a person cannot veritably meet Jesus without true repentance by which he or she is turned from sins. The Zacchaeus' story gives a good lesson on what a true meeting with Jesus looks like.
Sins
Zacchaeus was a Jewish man, yet he was ostracized and despised by the Jewish community. It was because he was a chief tax-collector at Jericho who was working for the Roman Empire. (Luke 19.2) He was affluent, but might feel guilty and shame since his wealth was made based on exploiting his people. He might also feel resentful and distressed since he never intended to be cruel to his people but it might be the only inevitable way for him to earn his and his family's living. Moreover, he might suffer from an inferiority complex due to physical weakness of small height. His wealth, as a benefit in return for his occupation, was the only thing comforting him. However, it was not able to heal his broken hurts and recover his lost identity as a son of Abraham.His background has something in common with mine. When I was young, I had been afflicted with stuttering. I had to go through deep scars due to mockery, ostracism, and bullying. In addition, I grew up in a strict family where parents were stingy with compliments and seldom heard my inner voice. I hankered after being loved, embraced, affirmed, and sympathized, but my desires always resulted in despair, frustration, anger, depression, anxiety, and resentment. The unfortunate situation has been persistent even after marriage. My hurts were snowballing as Zacchaeus' wealth was snowballing; as a result, my self-esteem has been gradually shrunk while my anger and resentment have gradually grown.
Seek
Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus. He might expect Jesus may heal his hurts which have been so seriously entangled that nobody can unravel this complicated problem. When Jesus arrived in his town Jericho,(Luke 19.1) he was trying to see who Jesus was, but it was no easy matter for him because Jesus was surrounded by a large crowd while he was too short to see him. (Luke 19.3) "So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because Jesus was going to pass that way." (Luke 19.4) It might be ignominious for him to climb up the tree because it meant to disclose his physical handicap in public and bring disgrace on himself. Yet it does not matter for him since he was eager to know Jesus.I have known Jesus for a long time, and I thought I am a genuine follower who believes in Him as my Lord. However, my life does not change at all. My anger, resentment, grudge, sorrow, hatred, and loneliness, remain unchanged. How was it possible? Because I did not truly meet Jesus Christ yet. Because I did not open the door of my house for Jesus to enter. Did I run to see Jesus? Did I climb the tree to see Jesus? Did I completely abandon my pride which I have stuck to?
Call
Jesus looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today." (Luke 19.5) Jesus knew his name and planned to stay his house in advance before seeing him. So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. (Luke 19.6) He obeyed Jesus, and opened his house without hesitation.Jesus already chose me and planned to stay in my mind even before I meet him. I saw him, and heard his voice, "Lucas, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house." To be sad, I did not hurry. I did not come down. I did not open my door for him.
Endure
People around Jesus grumbled and said, "He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner." (Luke 19.7) Everyone was denouncing Zacchaeus for his sins, and they were astonished to see Jesus was heading to the sinner' house. Imagine a person who was hated by all people in a church and finally expelled from the church. But, Jesus chose him, and decided to stay his house. How perplexed were they at this stunning situation?Someone may sneer at my faith in Jesus because of my past sins which could not be accepted socially and morally. They might say, "Lucas' faith is so spurious that Jesus never dwells in his mind." Their thought seems to be reasonable and persuadable. I was extremely afraid of their mockery, denunciation, and ostracism. They did not affirm me at all because of my abhorrent sins, and continued to abominate and condemn me. However, Jesus sometimes goes against their expectation.
Repent
Zacchaeus heard the people's talking in whispers, but he might feel outraged, annoyed and resentful. He might complain of their injustice and appeal to Jesus against them and said, "Lord, please scold them. I did not intentionally choose to commit faults." Unlike this expectation, his response was so surprising. He stood there and said to the Lord, "Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much." (Luke 19.8) Although Jesus did not ask him to do, he was taking a vow that he would give the half of his possessions to people, in other words, enemies, who had cruelly insulted him during his wealth being neatly cumulated. It would be an image of genuine repentance.It is so impressive that my mouth was agape with wonder. Can I make a decision to love a person who seriously hurt me? "She still disdains me. She still despises me. She still hates me. She still insults me. She butchered my life. Jesus, I can't give anything to her! I can't love her! Never!" My soul is desperately screaming with tears. Recently I had a bible study meeting from the small Christian group where both are involved. I was watching for a chance to condemn her for how she did not look like a Christian. As it happened, the main topic of the meeting was about Zacchaeus' story. Reading this episode, I was so shocked at how Zacchaeus met Jesus and repented by deciding to forgive and love his enemies. When my turn of sharing an experience of meeting Jesus had come, I ask to let me pray instead of sharing my story, and began to speak in a dismal tone, "Lord, I am a miserable sinner. I cruelly hurt someone. As Zacchaeus gave half of his possessions to the poor, please let me give half of my heart to her who was hurt by myself, and pay back four times love to her as much as I hurt. Amen." Nobody responded to me, but my prayer seemed to make the meeting solemn for a while. It was my dramatic turn from hatred toward love.
Be Saved
You may be curious about how Jesus responded to Zacchaeus' vow. Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost." (Luke 19.9-10) Jesus openly proclaimed that Zacchaeus was saved and he is a son of Abraham. He abandoned his possessions and hurts, and he obtained salvation, in other words, a ticket to Heaven. Jesus called him the lost. He was the lost lamb who should be saved by Jesus, while he was an abandoned lamb who should be kicked out from the Jewish community. Zacchaeus was completely liberated from the past sinful life.In the eye of Jesus, I would be viewed to be the lost lamb. I listen to his voice, "I love you. You were my lost lamb. You are now saved. As I love you, please love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you." (Luke 6.27-28)
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