You’d probably laugh at and taunt this enemy. They were not a free nation. Jesus affirms Zacchaeus’ acceptance in the eyes of God regardless of what the community thinks. When we listen to stories about Jesus and learn about what He said and did, we are like Zacchaeus watching from a distance. They are part of the kingdom of God! They are meals that focus on reconciliation and freedom with and through Jesus. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. That’s right. Luke 19:1-10. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Jesus knows your name. Yes! Oh, the worth communicated in calling someone by name! Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by International Bible Society / Used by permission of IBS-STL. It is much more than a moment of decision. They said, “Jesus has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner.’ “. Zacchaeus wouldn’t even have been allowed to be part of the synagogue or to worship with others. So how does Jesus know? The religious leaders of Judea at this time required actions before forgiveness could be bestowed. They began to whisper among themselves. The main message of today is about God’s mercy and our repentance. Jesus says salvation has come before Zacchaeus has a chance to act on his words. Psalm 139:13 says, “You created the deepest parts of my being. Jesus wanted to spend time with Zacchaeus, and Zacchaeus was more than happy to become Jesus’ friend. A plastic butterfly (or picture). Never think that Jesus does not know where his lost sheep are. All the people saw this. Ask: Did Jesus know that Zacchaeus was a sinner? How did Jesus know his name? I must stay at your house today. (Luke 19:1-10) Zacchaeus was a Jew, as may be inferred from his name and from the fact that the Saviour speaks of him expressly as "a son of Abraham. Say: One time a rich young ruler came to Jesus and asked Him what one thing he must do to receive eternal life. Happily Zacchaeus listened to the Good Shepherd’s voice, and that made all the difference in his life. Monday, March 27, 2017–Jesus and Zacchaeus “See we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished” (Luke 18:31) A tax is money collected by a government from its citizens. Anyone who believes in Christ is a new creation. Here’s what Jesus said next to His disciples: “How hard it is for rich people to enter God’s kingdom! He knows you when you are under the fig tree, and he knows you when you are in the fig tree. Could he really have fulfilled this pledge. God knew everything about you before you were even born, because He is the one who made you! He was a tax collector, which meant that most people hated him. It was a sycamore fig tree. BibleLessons4Kidz.com All rights reserved worldwide. People in Israel didn’t like this at all. Our Meaning Is Found in Christ Jesus knows that Zacchaeus’ whole life will change, and he accepts him right then as he is. When the tax collector became part of the kingdom of God, he was changed from the inside out. Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. You’d probably laugh at and taunt this enemy. He may have used His divine omniscient mind. There was only one problem. Whose house did Jesus saying he would be going to? A man named Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus pass by, but Zacchaeus was not very tall. Jesus: Zacchaeus, come down immediately. Today is my day to be a guest in your home." He had much opportunity to abuse the system that funded the occupying Roman army. Head Full of Rocks, a Heart Made of Stone. When a person receives the gospel, it reveals their true friends. How is that? We are told Zacchaeus gladly came down at once and welcomed the Son of God, and we are given a glimpse into how the crowd around him felt as they watched him climb down the tree: “they began to whisper among … He looked up and said, “Zacchae- us, come down at once. I will pay back four times the amount I took.”, Jesus said to Zacchaeus, “Today salvation has come to your house. If only the people in the crowd had opened their eyes to that truth, they would have been rejoicing that Zacchaeus was about to become a whole new person instead of complaining about Jesus’ friendship with a “sinner.”. True repentance means that you “change your mind” and “turn away from sin.” Zacchaeus demonstrated his repentance by saying he would give half his money to the poor and that he would make things right with anyone he had cheated in his job as tax collector. Teacher Note: Any children who have sung the Sunday School song, “Zacchaeus,” will be able to tell you Zacchaeus’ distinguishing characteristic—his short stature. Teacher Note: Jesus was passing through Jericho on His way to Jerusalem, where the events of Holy Week would soon unfold. Zacchaeus was very surprised and delighted. He tried pushing his way to the front of the crowd, but that didn’t work. Zacchaeus could probably see the top of Jesus’ head. Not only did Jesus call Zacchaeus by name, but He invited Himself to his house, telling Zacchaeus “I must stay at your house today” (Luke 19:5). But here Jesus was, inviting Himself to a tax collector’s house, acting like He was His friend. Already knew it. Did Jesus already know Zacchaeus' name or did he have to ask him? Did the people like or dislike Zacchaeus… Then he saw Jesus walking right by the tree. The government then collects the tax money that you pay on the book. But when we truly understand that Jesus is the Son of God who died so that our sins can be forgiven and we can have eternal life, then we are seeing with our spiritual eyes! This Zacchaeus was behaving very differently than the rich young ruler we talked about at the beginning of the lesson! We aren’t told exactly what he thought. They put it in their own pockets and kept it! Zacchaeus. But Zacchaeus stood up. He was also very, very small in size, which meant that he probably got lost in a crowd. Luke 19:10 “Good morning” Question: Have you ever been lost?How did it feel? Jesus looked up and called him by name: “Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.” Zacchaeus was not a popular man. Say: When Zacchaeus heard Jesus tell him to come down from the tree, what did he do? Zacchaeus could have easily given up, but he refused to. Jesus simply shows love. He’s part of the fig tree too, and Jesus’s role is to restore people like that. We’re not told why he was so curious about Jesus, but Zacchaeus the tax collector was very eager to see what Jesus was doing. Look with me at Luke 19:1-10. So Zacchaeus climbed a tree to catch a peek of Jesus. You get the idea. He said, “Look, Lord! He like some of the things that Jesus said, but he wasn’t ready to give up everything to be part of the kingdom. I must stay at your house today.” So Zacchaeus came down at once and welcomed Him gladly. Main Point: Anyone who believes in Christ is a new creation. When a butterfly flits by on a sunny summer day, it brings joy to all who see it because it is so beautiful! He was a tax collector. And because Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector—the boss of all the other tax collectors—he was probably especially disliked. Zacchaeus had a great idea. You are a member of Abraham’s family line. 2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. Showing hospitality is an honor the community gives to the community-member who they feel can best provide it. Zacchaeus was a wee little man/And a wee little man was he/He climbed up in that sycamore tree/For the Lord he wanted to see. This action is interesting. Because of his encounter with the Son of God that day, the wee little tax collector became a new creation. collector. But how is that possible? Much to his astonishment, the Lord called Zacchaeus by name, telling him to come down from the tree. Zacchaeus was much smaller than everyone else in the crowd that surrounded Jesus. And how does he know his name? And John 10:3, which tells us that Jesus is the Good Shepherd and we are His dearly loved sheep, says: ...The sheep listen to His voice. Is it hard for a camel to go through the eye of a needle? And Jesus wants everyone to believe in Him so they can be new creations, too! If you were from Jericho and you discovered the town tax collector who has been robbing you blind via over-collection for your whole life up in a tree, what would you do? ‘Zacchaeus!’ he said” (Luke 19:5 TLB). So Jesus told the man to sell everything and give the money to the poor. Because Jesus is God, He knew all there was to know about the man in the tree—his name, his job, even the number of hairs on his head! Camilla: How did Jesus know that Zacchaeus was up that tree? He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. Special thanks to John R. Cross, The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus, GoodSeed International. But Jesus saw a side of Zacchaeus that the rest of the people refused to see. Wow. His determination did not go unrewarded. Why does he say this then? Each maze includes Bible verses to look up and learn about the different Bible characters with solutions to … May be reproduced for personal, nonprofit, and non-commercial uses only. Jesus reached the spot where Zacchaeus was. Tax collectors were despised as traitors (working for the Roman Empire, not for their … But the context gives an edge to Jesus’s words, because the money issues, the fidelity to the Law, remind us of another episode that happened not long before this. Many of the tax collectors were also very dishonest, and collected more money than they were supposed to. The rich young ruler became very sad and walked away from Jesus. It is a totally new creation. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. There was a man there named Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus as the Lord passed through town, but, because Zacchaeus was a short man, he could not see over the thronging crowd. Or did Jesus know Zacchaeus and his name by divine insight, just as he had “known” Natharuel sitting under the fig tree (1:47-48)? It is even harder for the rich to enter God’s kingdom!” (Luke 18:24-25), This worried the disciples. Then Jesus said, "Zacchaeus hurry down. Jesus and Zacchaeus . Zacchaeus wanted to see who Jesus was. This is amazing. I must stay at your house today.” So Zacchaeus came down at once and welcomed Him gladly. Say: Zacchaeus was a man who worked for the Roman government collecting taxes. Application: Meeting Jesus changed Zacchaeus into a completely new person. Jesus and Zacchaeus. Maybe you remember the story. He finally overcame his past and lived up to his name. His salvation did not come because he returned a large part of his wealth, but because he received the grace and mercy of Jesus. He came down immediately. When Jesus walked by, he spied Zacchaeus in the tree and called to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today” (Luke 19:5). He was showing love to the whole community. And was Zacchaeus ever shocked when Jesus stopped, looked up at him, called his name and told him that He must be a guest at his house that day. But the kids are probably less likely to know other facts about Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was very rich. Jesus was not focusing his love on just one man. Jesus saw Zacchaeus in the fig tree. Now HE was the center of attention! How did Jesus know Zacchaeus’ name? At dinner Zacchaeus pledges to give 50% of his assets to the poor and to pay back 4 times what he has stolen from anyone.