When You Really Want to See Jesus

Jesus was passing through Jericho, and a large crowd gathered around Him. Among the people trying to see Jesus was a man named Zacchaeus.

Zacchaeus wasn’t just another face in the crowd. He was a chief tax collector, and he was very rich. Tax collectors weren’t popular people. They worked for Rome and often became wealthy by taking more from people than they owed.

Yet something about Jesus caught Zacchaeus’s attention. He wanted to see Him. There was only one problem. Zacchaeus was too short to see over the crowd.

“He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way.” Luke 19:3–4

Think about that for a moment. Here was a wealthy and powerful man running down the street and climbing a tree just to get a glimpse of Jesus.

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He could have allowed the crowd to stop him. He could have decided it wasn’t worth the trouble and decided to go home.

Instead, Zacchaeus found a way around the obstacle. He climbed the tree.

Zacchaeus Wanted to See Jesus

Zacchaeus may have climbed that tree out of curiosity. As far as we know, he wasn’t expecting anything more than a good view as Jesus passed by. But Jesus stopped.

“When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. ‘Zacchaeus!’ he said. ‘Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.’” Luke 19:5

I love that part of the story. Zacchaeus climbed the tree to see Jesus, but Jesus looked up and saw Zacchaeus. Jesus didn’t just notice him. He called him by name.

Then Jesus did something Zacchaeus probably never expected. He invited Himself to his home. Zacchaeus only wanted a glimpse to see Jesus. Jesus wanted a relationship with Zacchaeus.

That’s the way the Lord works.

Parents brought their children to Jesus so He could touch them. The Lord did more than that—He took them in His arms and blessed them.
The Samaritan woman came to the well looking for water. Jesus offered her living water.
Zacchaeus climbed a tree hoping to see Jesus. Before the day ended, Jesus was sitting in his house, and salvation had come to his home.

We may come to Jesus looking for one thing, but He knows what we really need.

The Crowd Wasn’t Happy

Not everyone appreciated what Jesus did.

“But the people were displeased. ‘He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,’ they grumbled.” Luke 19:7

The crowd saw a sinner. Jesus saw a man whose life could be changed. They knew Zacchaeus’s reputation. Jesus knew his possibilities. And it didn’t take long for those possibilities to become evident.

“Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!’” Luke 19:8

Something had happened inside Zacchaeus.

The man who had accumulated wealth at the expense of others suddenly wanted to give half of it away. If he had cheated anyone, he promised to repay them four times what he had taken.

I think we can call that one of the earliest recorded tax refunds ever! But this was much more than Zacchaeus deciding to become generous. His actions demonstrated that his heart had changed.

And interestingly, some of the very people who complained about Jesus spending time with Zacchaeus could potentially benefit from the change Jesus brought into his life.

They were focused on where Jesus was eating. Jesus was focused on changing a life.

The Lord Was Seeking Zacchaeus

Jesus responded to Zacchaeus’s declaration by saying:

“Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” Luke 19:9–10

That last sentence that Jesus said, changes how we see the entire story.

At the beginning, it looked like Zacchaeus was seeking Jesus. He ran ahead, climbed the tree and positioned himself where he could see the Lord. But Jesus said that He came to seek and save the lost.

Zacchaeus was looking for Jesus, but Jesus was already looking for Zacchaeus. And He is still seeking people today.

How Bad Do You Want to See Jesus?

Zacchaeus refused to let an obstacle keep him from seeing Jesus.

The crowd was in his way, so he ran ahead. His height was a disadvantage, so he climbed a tree. His position and wealth didn’t keep him from humbling himself.

What stands between you and a closer relationship with the Lord?

Maybe it’s busyness. It might be pride. Maybe it’s disappointment, distraction, or something you simply don’t want to surrender. Don’t let the crowd keep you from Jesus.

Zacchaeus discovered that when he made room for Jesus, Jesus did much more than give him a passing glimpse. He changed his life.

The Lord doesn’t want to merely pass by the street of your life. He wants you to welcome Him into every part of it.

Zacchaeus climbed a tree because he wanted to see Jesus. He came down from that tree because Jesus wanted him.

Life Application

Don’t allow obstacles to keep you from Jesus. Zacchaeus found a way past the crowd, and we must refuse to let distractions keep us from the Lord.
Humble yourself before God. Zacchaeus was willing to climb a tree despite his wealth and position.
Welcome Jesus into every part of your life. Zacchaeus didn’t settle for seeing Jesus from a distance when the Lord invited him closer.
Allow an encounter with Christ to change your actions. Zacchaeus demonstrated his changed heart by changing how he treated others.
See people as Jesus sees them. The crowd saw a notorious sinner; Jesus saw someone worth seeking and saving.

Lord, thank You for seeking us when we were lost. Help us never allow pride, distractions, or other people to keep us from drawing closer to You. Give us hearts that welcome You and lives that demonstrate the change You have made in us.

It shouldn’t take much of a choice to see Jesus. Checkout out these related posts on things Jesus has done for us.

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