A BIG HEART FOR A WEE LITTLE MAN
LUKE 19:6-10 NKJV
6 So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. 7 But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, "He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner."
8 Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold."
9 And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; 10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."
Forgive me for referencing a song from my Sunday School past. Zacchaeus was a wee little man, and a wee little man was he.
But this wee little man had a big heart.
Even though Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector. Even though Zacchaeus was rich. He still had a heart hunger that power and money could not satisfy.
He had a heart to see Jesus. And he was thrilled when Jesus asked to stay at his house.
This is when the story veers off for the religious people of Jesus' day. Of all the people in Jericho, why in the world would Jesus go and stay with this sinner?
Because fortunately for us, God does not look at things the way people do. God looks at the heart. And Zacchaeus had heart.
Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord. He did not whisper under his breath. Zacc was public about giving to the poor and restoring to those he had stolen from.
Jesus declared that salvation had come to Zacchaeus that day. Zacc had made a heart change after being with Jesus. And that heart change blessed his household.
Then Jesus shared a statement that may seem obvious to all looking back. But it was not obvious to the religious minds of the day. Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost.
APPLICATION:
It's not the size of a person that matters to God. It's the size of their heart.
It's sad to say that many beautiful, smart, talented people have no desire for God. But the good news is that we do not have to be beautiful, smart, talented, or powerful to have a heart for Him.
Anyone can turn their heart to God.
And Jesus’ purpose is still active and viable today. He is still seeking to save that which was lost. Now Jesus does this through us, the body of Christ. We become his instruments to reach those who have a spiritual hunger but don't know what to do about it.
We are here to seek and save that which was lost.