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Luke 19:1-10  A famous story that makes an important point.  

Give it a read for yourself: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2019%3A1-10&version=NLT

I doubt it’s coincidental that Jesus invites himself to Zacchaeus’ house so quickly after his encounter with the wealthy, morally upstanding young ruler of chapter 18.  Like Jesus pointed out, it’s impossible for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of heaven.  It’s impossible for anyone to enter the kingdom of heaven, but it happens every day.  God is not paralyzed by the things we find impossible. He isn’t even phased. Kingdom membership isn’t about perfect behaviour, it’s about a heart that recognizes its own helplessness and trusts Jesus.  It’s about a heart that values the kingdom above every other thing. 

As a chief tax collector, Zacchaeus was undoubtedly a scum-bag.  He would have been a Jew, but he was working for Rome.  Worse, he was funding their Roman oppressors by collecting taxes from his countrymen.  He was well paid for his treacherous occupation, but it’s clear that he also cheated people by taking more than was owed.  Further, he had been promoted to a position which oversaw other tax collectors.  So he was good at being a cheating scum-bag.  Are we seeing the glaring contrast between him and the young man from the earlier story?  Jesus, seeing the fairly ridiculous spectacle of a wealthy little crook climbing a tree to get a look at him, invites himself for dinner. Zacchaeus was thrilled.  The crowd, not so much. 

But here’s the thing.  The rich young ruler, the good guy, didn’t understand the value of the kingdom of heaven, because he thought he had already earned it.  Zacchaeus seems to be fully aware he can never afford it.  So when Jesus opens his arms, and the door of the kingdom, to Zacchaeus, that man will give anything to be there.  He wants nothing as much as he wants the presence of Jesus.  Zacchaeus, perhaps unexpectedly, is our example of the kind of life that finds welcome in God’s kingdom.  Jesus is overjoyed to announce that Zacchaeus is a member of his family.  You can see him pointing with delight at Zacchaeus.  “This is the kind of person I came to save.  I came for the lost.  Those who think they’re found aren’t looking for me anyways.”  

Before we carry on I just want to chew on one more thought.  Remember how the rich young ruler kept all the commands since he was a boy, but didn’t even love God as much as his stuff?  Now look at Zacchaeus.  Towards the end of the story he starts following God’s commands.  In God’s law, a thief was to repay his victim four times what he took.  Zacchaeus is following the law.  But is he doing it to justify himself?  Is he carefully calculating what he owes and getting receipts to prove it?  The dude is giving half of his possessions to the poor!  He isn’t doing his lawful duty.  He is exploding with love for Jesus and what is coming out of him is good, God-honouring behaviour.  When we are living in a strong, healthy relationship with God we aren’t keeping financial ledgers and chore charts trying to make sure we follow the letter of each law.  A healthy relationship with God comes out of a knowledge of who he is and how kind he has been to us.  We will act in ways that reflect his law and his will, but that behaviour will be a reflection of a heart so overwhelmed with gratitude that we desperately want to make him smile. Living a good, moral life isn’t the prescription, it’s the evidence that we know we have been cured!