This summer, we’re taking a look at four Bible figures, their temptations and struggles, and what we can learn from their encounters with God. Each instalment includes Biblical insight from the Graham family.
Week one focuses on a greedy and prideful tax collector named Zacchaeus—and how he answered God’s call.
God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.—James 4:6, ESV
You might be familiar with Sunday school songs about Zacchaeus—how he climbed a tree to get a better view of Jesus—but let’s take a closer look at the events leading up to that moment and how his interaction with Christ altered his life.
Zacchaeus was a corrupt public official who worked for Rome as a tax collector. Not only were people in his field of work disliked by the Jews for collaborating with the enemy, but Zacchaeus also overcharged his own people, keeping some for himself and getting rich at their expense.
“He cheated, he lied, he was a thief, he sinned against his fellow man,” Franklin Graham explained in a recent sermon.
At that time, word about Jesus, His teaching, and miracles had spread, and Zacchaeus was curious.
Read the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1–10.
“Jesus was passing through Jericho and Zacchaeus wanted to see who Jesus was,” Franklin Graham said. “But there was an obstacle. … He was small in stature. He couldn’t see over the crowd.”
Eager to catch a glimpse of Jesus, Zacchaeus ran ahead and scaled a sycamore tree to see what was going on.
“As [Jesus] comes down the road, He approaches Zacchaeus,” Franklin Graham said. “He sees him. He stops. He calls him by name.”
The Bible says Jesus “looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.’ So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully” (Luke 19:5–6, ESV).
While those watching grumbled over Jesus’ decision to visit with a sinner, that moment marked a turning point in Zacchaeus’ life.
He told Jesus that he would give half of his possessions to the poor, and whoever he’d stolen from, he would “restore it fourfold” (Luke 19:8, ESV).
What Does His Story Have to Do With You?
It’s easy to live for ourselves, doing whatever will benefit us just like Zacchaeus did.
We might also be tempted to think that we have no business approaching a perfect, holy God, and settle for simply wondering about Him from a distance.
“Maybe you feel that you’re little in the eyes of God,” Franklin Graham said. “Your life is important to God. … He loves you.”
While pride and love of earthly possessions can create obstacles to surrendering to the Lord, we learn from the short story of Zacchaeus that step one is saying “yes” to His open invitation to meet us where we are.
Jesus didn’t avoid him because of his role as a chief tax collector or his past sins. And Zacchaeus—used to being looked down upon—wasted no time committing to change his dishonest ways and serve those he’d been taking advantage of.
“What’s keeping you from coming to Jesus Christ by faith?” Franklin Graham asked.
When Jesus beckoned Zacchaeus to come down, Graham said, “he had a choice. He could just sit there in the tree. He could just ignore Jesus. But Jesus called him. …
“Zacchaeus obeyed. He received Christ. He called Jesus Lord. And then he repented of his sins. He admitted his sins. …
“Now you have a choice.”
Jesus Christ wants to be part of your life, too. Is there anything coming between you and a close walk with Christ? Visit PeaceWithGod.net where you can chat and pray with someone now.