Climbing the Tree

We have now come to the story of Zacchaeus. There are 2 main things in the story that stick out to me.

 1.   Zacchaeus was determined to see Jesus. 

                How many times in our lives do things, people, work, and excuses keep us from God? Life is busy, sometimes too busy. There are plenty of distractions in life, distractions that if we are not careful will deter us from spending time with the Lord. The Bible leads us to understand that Zacchaeus was a “wee little man” as the song writer puts it. He could not see Jesus because of the crowd that was in his way. So, he climbed a tree. He was determined to see Jesus. Are you determined spend time with Jesus? Are you willing to push through the distractions of life to spend time with the Lord?

 2.  The second thing that really sticks out to me is in verse 10.

Luke 19:10 (ESV)

“…For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

      See, people were not happy that Jesus was spending time with a tax collector. They couldn’t believe that He was going to spend time with a sinner. I think we sometimes get our priorities out of whack in this life. In a world full of busy schedules, distractions, and stress we forget or ignore the command that we are given in…

Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV)“…Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Maybe you read this and say.....

“Go therefore and make disciples? ME?? I am so busy though, Lord?”

“I do not know how to make someone a disciple”

“That is a Pastor or missionaries job”

        The truth is that Jesus came so that the lost could be saved. But the lost need someone to tell them. This is a command for all believers. It doesn’t matter what job you have or how busy you find yourself. We are all to make disciples. How many people do you encounter on a regular basis that you could share the gospel with? Is there someone right now that you can think of? Someone who has never accepted Jesus as their Savior? Let me challenge you, ask God to open your eyes to the dying and lost world around you. Ask Him to give you eyes to see the opportunities that lie in front of you. 

You never know who is searching, you never know who climbing the tree just to get a glimpse of Jesus.

-Pastor Tony