Jesus and Zacchaeus

Week 2 Day 13

Luke 19:1-10

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd.So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Mission: An important goal or purpose that is accompanied by strong conviction; a calling or vocation.

“Outstanding people have one thing in common: An absolute sense of mission.”  Zig Ziglar

“The mystery of human existence lies not in just staying alive, but in finding something to live for.” Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov

Jesus tells us what his purpose in life was: “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which is lost.” Jesus looked for people like Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector. Tax collectors were a group of men who would take more money from poor people than the government required, and they would keep it for themselves. They were very selfish. The people did not like them because of the bad things they did.

Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus. He had heard about Jesus, and how he loved even people who did bad things. Zacchaeus sensed that there must be more to life than just getting as much money as you can.

We were made for God. Our hearts were designed with a door that only Jesus can open and come in. If he doesn’t, we try to fill it with money and other things that can’t give us what we are looking for.

After Jesus spent time with Zacchaeus and got to know him, Zacchaeus said he would give half of his money to the poor, and those he wrongfully took money from, he would give them four times more back! Jesus knew that salvation had come to Zacchaeus because his heart had been changed by being with him.

Jesus was doing what he came for. He was fulfilling his mission, his purpose in life, “to seek and save those who are lost.”

Reflection
What is your purpose in life? Does your purpose in life value lost people?

Prayer
Lord Jesus, help me know and fulfill the purpose that you have designed me for.