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, “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 saw it they all complained saying, He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner. Then Zacchaeus stood and 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 is also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. Luke 19-1-10
Just before Jesus entered into Jericho he had just healed a blind man. Now he enters into Jericho with a large crowd following him. A man by the name of Zacchaeus was among the crowd and sought to see who Jesus was. Could he have heard about the many miracles Jesus had done and he was just curious to see him? If so his curiosity led him into relationship with the Savior. Because of his short stature he could not see above the crowds and climbed a sycamore tree. The word goes on and tells us that when Jesus came to that place he looked up and said, “Zacchaeus make haste and come down for today I must stay at your house.”
What a shock this must have been to the disciples and especially to the people of Jericho. The people knew Zacchaeus as a tax collector. He did not have a good reputation among the people. Now Jesus was inviting himself to be the guest at the house of Zacchaeus-a sinner. The people saw a sinner but Jesus saw potential. Yes, Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus, but Jesus wanted to see Zacchaeus. Jesus purposely looked up into the tree. “ For this reason the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.”
What do we see when we look at people who are living contrary to the Word? Do we just see them as sinners living a life without Go? Or do we see them as what they can become. Do we look beyond the sin and see them as a soul that needs salvation? Someone with purpose and destiny.
Our faith is in the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the power of God unto salvation.
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men” Titus 2:22