Jesus Saw What He Could Be

Jesus Christ “entered Jericho and was passing through. And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he 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. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, ‘He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.’” (Luke 19:1-7 ESV)

We, as humans, don’t see like God sees. For “The LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7 ESV). Humans see what people are, or what they appear to them to be, but God looks at what he can create within us, and who he intends for us to be and to do, in his power and strength and wisdom. For “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly and despised things of the world..” (1 Corinthians 1:27-28 ESV).

And he chose Zacchaeus, who was not well liked because he was a tax collector, and who was small in stature. So, where other humans despised Zacchaeus and had no use for him, Jesus saw what he intended to make of the man. Jesus saw what he could be. And he sees what we can be, too, if our lives are surrendered to him. But he knows what we will be, as well, because he is God. And he sees everything. 

So, even if we are small in stature, and even if we are despised by other humans, whether or not we are deserving of such disdain, God can use us for his glory when our lives are given over to him to be used by him in whatever ways he intends to use us to fulfill his purposes. For he is a miracle working God who intends to turn us from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that we can receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Christ (Acts 26:18).

But Zacchaeus was seeking after Jesus Christ, and even though he could not see Jesus on account of the crowd, who he could not see over, he did not let that discourage him, but he persevered. He ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, and the Scriptures teach that “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13 ESV). And Zacchaeus seemed quite in earnest to see who Jesus was. And he did find him. And he did not let the grumblings of the crowd discourage him, either, but he declared openly his faith and devotion to Jesus Christ.

“And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, ‘Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost’” (Luke 19:8-10 ESV).

This is a true picture of genuine faith and salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord. For when we believe in Jesus with God-gifted and God-persuaded faith in the Lord, we are crucified with Christ in death to sin, and we are raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin, but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. So we are no longer to let sin reign in our mortal bodies to obey its desires, for if sin is what we obey, it leads to death. But if obedience to God is what we obey, that leads to righteousness, to sanctification, and its end is eternal life (Romans 6:1-23).

Now no one had to tell Zacchaeus to do the things that he did, other than Jesus did tell him to come down from the tree, for Jesus said he must stay at Zacchaeus’ house that day. But Jesus already knew what Zacchaeus’ response to him was going to be, too. And he sought Jesus because God the Father was obviously drawing him (persuading him) to faith in Jesus Christ. And he knew right from wrong, so instinctively, or because God was putting this in his heart, he knew that he must make the wrongs right, and he must change from being a thief (if he was one) to being a giver to the poor.

For if our faith in Jesus Christ is genuine God-persuaded faith in the Lord, we are going to turn from (repent of) our sins, and we are now going to commit our lives to following Jesus with our lives. For Jesus said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin and to self) and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our old lives of living in sin and for self, we will lose them for eternity. But if for Jesus’ sake we deny self, die daily to sin, and follow Jesus in obedience, then we have eternal life in him (see Luke 9:23-26). And that is what Zacchaeus did.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15] 

A Believer’s Prayer 

An Original Work / July 31, 2012

With my whole heart, Lord, I pray 

To be Yours, and Yours always.

Lead me in Your truth today.

May I love You, and obey.

Lead me in Your righteousness.

When I sin, may I confess;

Bow before You when I pray;

Live for You and You always.

Love You, Jesus, You’re my friend.

Life with You will never end.

You are with me through each day,

Giving love and peace always.

You will ne’er abandon me.

From my sin You set me free.

You died on that cruel tree,

So I’d live eternally.

Soon You’re coming back for me;

From this world to set me free;

Live with You eternally.

Oh, what joy that brings to me.

I will walk with You in white;

A pure bride, I’ve been made right

By the blood of Jesus Christ;

Pardoned by His sacrifice.

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