Christmas at Zacchaeus House!
Luke 19:1-10
Intro: 1-5
He was chief of the publicans
He was rich.
He was no doubt despised and hated by all the people in Jericho and the surrounding area.
He was an employee of the Roman government.
The publicans/politicians were tax collectors and were notorious for overcharging the people. If Rome, for example, levied a 5% tax, the tax collectors could charge 10% or 15% or whatever they wished. As a result the publicans/ politicians were guilty of gross extortion of the people. They were viewed as the worst of sinners!
We live in a similar day don’t we? It is easy to lose the real meaning of Christmas in all the evil, commercialization, bad politics, and a weak church.
But we can have the right kind of Christmas in the worst of situations.
So what if you can’t afford the presents you used to! Let us determine that the devil is not going to win at our house!
Actually, Jesus was born in relation to tax time—Luke 2
This may be a different way to look at Christmas, but today I want to preach on “Christmas at Zacchaeus House!”
I. Christmas Spirit—vs 6
Gal 5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,”
Do you have Joy at His Birth?
Luke 1:14 “And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.” Doesn’t say “all”
Luke 2:10 “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”
Do you have Joy when He finds you up a tree?
Acts 20:24 “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”
Do you have Joy when you find Him?
Matthew 2:10 “When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.”
II. Christmas Scorn—vs 7
When people get happy and excited about God there will always be a wet blanket around.
Matthew 2:1-3 More scorners than believers!
Pharisees and other religious people scorned!
Jews still scorn about Jesus coming!
People scorn the Ministry but we must keep Praying
People scorn our Message but we must keep Preaching
People scorn Merry Christmas but we must keep Pursuing it.
III. Christmas Sacrifice vs 8
Zacchaeus Giving
He was rich, but so are we!
Did not worry about the amount!
He was not looking for the least amount he could give!
Did not worry about the end result!
We have a great opportunity of sacrifice before us!
Christmas offerings
2 Cor. 9:7 “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. “ This chapter ends with “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift”
Luke 6:38 “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”
IV. Christmas Salvation vs 9
A. It was a Unique Call- He called Zacchaeus by his name!
B. It was a Uncomplicated Call- “Make haste and come down” - The Lord told Zacchaeus exactly what he was supposed to do! There would be no debating, there would be no need for second guessing. Jesus was clear and He was plain.
C. It was an Unending Call
Jesus said “I must abide at your house”.
This is why Jesus came as a baby in Bethlehem and was born in a manger. He was born to die so you could be saved!
V. Christmas Satisfaction
We do not have the rest of the story, but I believe it was happy! I believe this little man went away satisfied with what had happened to him—
In his Heart
In his Home
In his Humility
Philippians 2:8 “and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
In Closing, Christmas is a satisfying story, but there is a whole lot more to Jesus than that!
Zacchaeus was a wee little man,
and a wee little man was he,
He climbed up in a sycamore tree,
for the Lord he wanted to see.
And as the Savior passed that way,
He looked up in that tree,
And He said “Zacchaeus, you come down!
For I’m going to your house today!”
