Normally the traveler from Galilee to Jerusalem would take the more direct road through Samaria, stopping two nights at Ginae and Shechem. However, because of earlier opposition by the Samaritans (Luke 9:53) Jesus was forced to take the longer route, probably requiring an extra day, and thus making this a 4 day journey of nearly one hundred miles. Now when taking a road trip, we men don't look to the right or left. Of course, you understand, this is because we want to be Biblical in everything we do and it says in Deuteronomy 5:32 "...ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left." Ha!

So if the trip is to be 300 miles, we figure it should take no more than 5 hours, plus 7 minutes 30 seconds for a gas and fast food stop on the go. And if out of the corner of your eye something of possible interest catches your attention you simply keep your eyes fixed on the road so you don't have to admit seeing it until it's too late to brake. The theme song for men drivers is, "Put the pedal to the metal." As one boss said to his crew of cement truck drivers, "Get the lead out of your pants and put it in your shoe!"
Obviously however, in Jesus' day travel was significantly different as walking was the dominant mode of travel, and along the way there could be many possibilities for interruption. Today the frequently heard slogan is "Purpose Driven" - know your purpose. And when kept in Biblical perspective as intended it’s a great thing. The problem is that too many people blend it with the world’s ideals and devote all their energy to accomplish what they label their purpose. The fear is that if they don't, they’ll end up being used by other people to fulfill their purposes. Unfortunately, this becomes a self-centered process if we are determined to get only what we want for ourselves, which is clearly not what being “Purpose Driven” is all about..
But of course Jesus also had a purpose, and His was people oriented - it was people centered. Consequently, for Jesus, these stops along the trip weren't interruptions, they were ministry opportunities. They weren't bothersome sidetrails or aimless wanderings - these were a chance to see the Zacchaeuses of the world. 

So as Jesus traveled along - one these "interruptions", reported in Luke's Gospel, is the story of a short wee little man by the name of Zacchaeus. 
Zacchaeus  had positioned himself in a tree so that he could see Jesus as He and his followers passed through Jericho. (Luke 19:1ff)
This was a serious interruption not only because it would occupy a great deal of time, but also it would stir up a lot of criticism because Zacchaeus, as a wealthy tax collector, was considered to be a "sinner."

But you know what - This is comforting to me because it reafirms what I already knew to be true, and that is that Jesus loves sinners. As a matter of fact it says in Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his  own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Thankfully, Jesus did not fall into the pattern of the "separatist" Pharisees, and neither should we. While we have to be careful among sinners because we are to be in the world not of the world - at the same time we can't ostricize ourselves so much that we never have or recognize the opportunities to minister to the lost. But that was the thing about Jesus - he never compromised his character, integrity or standards, but he also never missed an opportunity to see a Zacchaeus along the way.

The outcome of this visit to the home of Zacchaeus was that Jesus proclaimed salvation had come to his house, and Zacchaeus confirmed it by pledging to give half of his personal possessions to the poor and repay any one he had cheated.

I read a story recently about a reporter who was once on the West Bank in Israel – and a bomb went off – and there was all the resultant hysteria and panic, screaming and sense of lostness endemic to that kind of situation. Then suddenly from out of nowhere – or maybe, everywhere – a man runs up to the reporter with a little girl in his arms.  He tells the reporter, actually begs him to get in the press vehicle and get them to the hospital because only the press will be allowed through security lines. And so the reporter does and they get to the hospital and the child goes into emergency surgery, and these two strangers wait together for a long time. Finally the surgeon emerges to announce that the child has died.  The man who had carried her in collapsed in tears and the reporter, trying to comfort him, says something like, “I don’t know what to say — what you must be going through, losing your child.” And the man replied: “That was not my child.  I am an Israeli; she was a Palestinian. But there comes a time when we must realize that every child is a daughter or a son.”
And you see that’s the lesson Jesus has been teaching over and over again on this road to Jerusalem.  From the banquet tables of the well-fed to the alleyways where the destitute hide and must be “compelled” to come in, to the trees where the little Zacchaeus's climbed to see from a distance. 

* So let me share with you a message I've entitled: “Seeing Zacchaeus.”

* Turn in your Bibles to Luke 19 and we'll find the story of Zacchaeus and many of us know the story because of the song:  Zacchaeus was a wee little man a wee little man was he.  He climbed up in a siccamore tree for the Lord he wanted to see.”   And then the song goes on and Jesus called out to him,  “Zacchaeus, you come down from there for I’m going to your house today. I’m going to your house today.” 

* But before moving on let's look at a little paraphrased version:
  
One beautiful, bright and sun shiny day Jesus was strolling along. He was riding his faithful friend mooey the cow as it skipped down the road to town.

But wouldn't you know it,  from out of nowhere there came, a damsel in distress. Her daughter was sick, and many said she was even demon possessed. So Jesus stopped and prayed for her sickness at which she screamed "I'm blessed." The demon was gone and the girl was strong to run and play with the rest. 

Then around the bend, Jesus came along a group of ten lepers who had suffered for so long.  The doctors had given them no hope at all, but they cried out to Jesus and he heard their call.  Their skin was made new and all were stunned, because they were healed they were no longer shunned.   

Now back on the journey and hot on the trail he climbed over mountains and trudged hither and there.  He was a man on a mission to Jerusalem he would go and nothing could stop him accept a blind man in the road. While some pushed him away Jesus said come to me, but I've been blind from birth the man said and all  I want is to see. So arise Jesus said and receive your sight, you are healed because you believe in me

But last and not least - to  Jericho he came where a crowd had gathered to see - this man of miracles - it was Jesus they said, the man of mystery.  With no intention to stop, there soon came a thought, and Jesus said someone is watching me. Hey you in that tree, come down and be free, for I'm going to your house today.

* Now let's read the true biblical text and it's found in:      

Luke 19:1-10…”Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a `sinner.' " 8 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." 9 Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

As we're talking about sharing our faith with the Zacchaeus's of this world there are what I believe to be a few keys to this passage that I want us to see.

* The first Key is that:
#1 – Jesus was Passing Through! (1)
1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through….
1.Sometimes the opportunities that God gives us to witness and share our faith will come when we least expect it.
2.Jesus was passing through – he was moving along – he had another agenda – He was headed for Jerusalem and already taken out of the beaten path but when the opportunity came to minister, he took advantage of it.
3.There are times when we plan to go out and witness and share our faith. 
·There are times when we take mission trips, or we specifically plan outreach events. 
·We’ve planned outreaches like the night we took the teenagers to minister in Deleware and 2 of their six first time guests got saved.
·There is the big Easter event we do each year as an opportunity not only to serve but to share and this year I was able to share the true Easter message with a crowd full of children. 
4. Now who knows; Jesus could have been on his way to a basketball game or a concert?   Maybe he was on his way to scuba diving classes or was headed out for a relaxing day at the beach but we do know he wasn’t specifically out to lead Zacchaeus to the Lord – * Jesus was passing through.
5. Listen – this life is short and I guess you could even say we’re just passing through; but you need to realize that throughout your life their will be times where God give you a divine appointment to minister to somebody. 
·There will be times when you may not expect it (and maybe that's part of the problem that we don't live our daily lives expecting enough) but when the chance comes to witness and share your testimony or pray with someone in need you need be  open to that.
1 PETER 3:15 “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,”
·You never know when the most unsuspecting opportunities might provide just the perfect opportnity for you to speak truth in love and share your faith.

Then secondly……
#2 – Zacchaeus Wanted to See Jesus! (2-4)
2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd…..
1.You know what’s unique about this is that the crowd probably would have thought Zacchaeus was the most unlikely person in the world to care about who Jesus was - but inside his heart there obviously was a hunger for truth.
John 6:44 "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.
2.To the world, Zacchaeus was nothing but a money hungry, self-centered, self-serving creep who took from the poor to make the rich richer, but Jesus saw him as potential for the Kingdom.
3.Jesus was perceptive and discerning enough to realize that the Father had been drawing him, but I wonder; What is our perspective when we look at people in the world?
·Do we see people optimistically?  By faith do we see the lost as Christians waiting to happen? 
4.This world is full of hurting people who are hungering for truth – hungering for a sense of acceptance and even a feeling of belonging, they just don’t know where or how to get it.
·So people turn to Islam – people turn to Mormonism, people turn to Eastern religions and pour themselves into seemingly good causes or even turn to gangs trying to fill the void that eats at their life and you know what:
·The group that sees their potential is the group that will rope them in.
·If it’s not Christianity it will be somebody else but the problem is Jesus is the only answer and they may not realize that until it’s too late.
4. I wonder how many opportunities we've walked by and passed up because we were too caught up in ourselves and our own agendas?
·I wonder how many opportunities we've passed by to call someone out of the tree. 
·Oh' maybe we weren't blatantly rude about it but the truth be known;  we didn't want bothered or inconvenienced.
5. Zacchaeus wanted to see who Jesus was –  he was willing to do anything to get a glimpse of this Jesus.
·Almost like the woman with the bleeding disorder who fought through the crowd just to touch the hem of his garment.     
·He was a seeker and the world is full of seekers but we need to start noticing them.
·Nobody noticed that woman in the crowd but Jesus noticed – when she touched him he felt the power go out of him and in this story, nobody else was giving Zacchaeus the time of day. 
·As a matter of fact they couldn’t stand this pushy little tax collector, but Jesus noticed.
·We need to start seeing the drowning souls around us and begin throwing out the life-line of the gospel - and that leads us to the 3rd significant key in this passage:
 

*The third key in this passage is that.....
#3 – Jesus Stopped for Zacchaeus!  (5-7)
 5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to  be the guest of a `sinner.' "
1.Are you willing to stop?
2.You may have all kinds of plans for your life.
·You may have 101 things on your agenda for this summer.
·But are you willing to stop when God says stop and to reach out to the needs around you?
3.If Jesus would have passed him by nobody would have thought a thing about it. As a matter of fact they all would have been a lot happier but Zachaeus never would have been saved either.
4.Not only did Jesus stop but he immediately began to get personal and to reach out.
·He said – Zacchaeus, come down immediately, I must stay at your house today.
5. You see Jesus is all about the moment.
·Today is the day of salvation – because we  can never count on tomorrow.   
·The Bible says that no man knows the day or the hour in which Jesus will return for this is determined by  the Father.  
MT 24:36 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
·All we know is that Jesus saw an opportunity and he took hold of it.  He stopped when nobody else would.
And in Revelations 3:20 it says “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,   I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”
·If anyone hears his voice….any-one!
6. What a powerful truth to know and understand that Jesus stopped and stayed with Zacchaeus and he is still willing to stop and stay and take residence in the life of anyone who is willing to make time for him. He wants us to slow down and take time with him - he's not the one thats rushed - its usually us!
* That's why he says in:
PS 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God;
7. Isn't it ironic though that the creator of the universe and the King of Kings has all the time in the world for us but we have such a hard time fitting him into our busy life. 
 

Then fourthly – the final key thing of significance was that:
#4 – Zacchaeus was a Changed Man!  (8-10)
8 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." 9 Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."
1.Never forget that Jesus can change the hardest of hearts and "The people who you see as the lost cause Jesus saw as a cause worth dying for."
Rom. 5:6 - 8   “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7  Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:  While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
2.Let me say it again; The people who you see as the lost cause, Jesus saw as a cause worth dying for.         And furthermore, maybe you are the one you see as the lost cause. Today, you need to know that Jesus believed you were worthy dying for and your name was on his thoughts as he took his last dying breath.  If you’re a Zacchaeus then it’s time to come down from the tree because Jesus wants to come to your house today.
3.Or maybe your a believer who has been struggling to share your faith. Remember, God can change anyone who will open up and give him half a chance, and we need to pray that God will use us to reach this world of Zacchaeus’s.
4.We need to pray and say; Lord help me to see the Zacchaeus's - help me to be sensitive to those you are drawing by your spirit - help me to know how to lead the lost to you!

CONCLUSION:
1 - I wonder if maybe you've been watching from the tree and waiting for someone to ask you to come down?  Well Jesus is calling you right now, and if you’d like to know more about salvation then please click here:        * HOW TO BE SAVED?

2 - Or maybe you've already accepted the Lord as your personal savior, are you reaching out to the Zacchaeus’s of this world?  Please click on the following link to learn how to more effectively share your faith.             * HOW TO SHARE YOUR FAITH?

GOD BE WITH YOU!