What Did Jesus Mean by Seeking and Saving the Lost (Luke 19:10)

Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem for the last time. Each year, he had travelled there to keep the annual feasts connected to the Passover. On this final journey, he had now reached Jericho, which was about twenty miles from Jerusalem. In Jericho, there was a man whom nobody liked called Zacchaeus. The reason why he was unpopular was that he was the head tax collector in charge of all the tax collectors in the area who collaborated with the Roman authorities who governed the country.

Wanting to meet Jesus (vv. 1-4)

Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus. It looks as if the reason for his desire was curiosity. Perhaps he had heard that a former colleague called Levi was now a disciple of Jesus. Or maybe he had heard that Jesus was very different from all other religious teachers. The fact is we are not told what his own reasons were for being curious, but we do know who was working behind the scenes to create this curiosity in Zacchaeus. God was doing this, and here is an example of how God can use anything in order to draw us to himself. This means that we cannot imagine a specific path whereby we personally lay out the various steps he will take to draw ourselves or others. It is also a reminder that we should not dismiss curiosity because, after all, it may be a sign that God is at work.

Of course, Zacchaeus had a problem achieving his desire – in fact, he had a double problem. One aspect was his own lack of height and the other aspect was the presence of other people. It seems to me that those two aspects illustrate what can be problems when someone wants to know more about Jesus. Zacchaeus’ lack of height illustrates any personal difficulties we may have. Some find Jesus’ statements hard to grasp, for example, and they might conclude that they are not intelligent enough to understand him. The crowd round Jesus can depict the problems that Christians can cause for those seeking him. They may describe in detail their own experiences, which may be totally different from what the individual wanting to know about Jesus needs at that time to hear.

But Zacchaeus obviously was the type of man who was prepared to take steps in order to see Jesus for himself. The step he took was fairly simple, although no doubt his neighbours may have thought he was losing his dignity. It was not every day that they would observe him climbing a tree. His actions reveal that he had priorities and the opinions of his neighbours was not one of them. If we want to understand who Jesus is, we have to take some steps and do something about it. If Zacchaeus had stayed at home, he would not have met Jesus. if we want to meet with Jesus, then we should do something that ensures we will get close to him. We can read a book about him or go to a service or to a Bible Study and hear about him. The point is, we have to be like Zacchaeus and do something relevant and connected to where Jesus can be found.

Meeting with Jesus (vv. 5-9)

Whatever ideas Zacchaeus had about Jesus it is impossible to say. But Luke does tells us some things about Jesus that Zacchaeus discovered on this occasion. What are some of them?

First, Zacchaeus discovered that Jesus knew all about him. In verse 5, we see that Jesus knew where Zacchaeus was, knew his name, and knew that he had a house in Jericho. The same reality is true about all of us. We can hide nothing from Jesus, and I cannot see why we would want to, in any case. The fact that he knows everything means we can be honest in his presence.

Second, Zacchaeus discovered that Jesus was not embarrassed to walk beside him as they made their way from the tree to his house. The man who did not have any friends as he left his house that morning walked home to it in the company of the best Friend a person can have. Their walk through Jericho pictures how Jesus walks constantly beside every person who trusts in him.

Third, Zacchaeus discovered a great change in his own attitudes. We can see two in particular. The first is that the words of Jesus indicating his desire to go with Zacchaeus filled him with joy. And that is what the gracious teachings of Jesus produce immediately in the hearts of those who digest them. The other is that Zacchaeus, who until then had been only interested in storing up things for himself, now became exceptionally kind and went beyond the minimum that the Old Testament specified should be given (the most it required usually was double restitution, but here Zacchaeus gives twice that amount as well as giving half of his goods to the poor whereas the law only required a fifth to be given in this area). The best evidence that we understand grace is that we show grace.

Fourth, Zacchaeus discovered that doing what Jesus wants can cause people to start grumbling. It is not entirely clear who the grumblers are, but if they are the crowd that was accompanying Jesus then we have an example of how quickly they could change from being supportive to critical. As the crowd entered Jericho, they were praising God. Now they had stopped praising him and had decided to criticize him for his actions towards Zacchaeus.

Fifth, I wonder what Bartimaeus made of all this. On the approach to Jericho, he had been miraculously cured of his blindness and had begun to participate in the songs of praise. Then he had the great privilege of watching Jesus bring another unlikely person into his kingdom. And that is what every converted person wants to see. Was he at the meal in Zacchaeus’ house? We cannot say. But what we can say is that he and Zacchaeus were now brothers, travelling to the same heavenly destination. 

The message of Jesus

Jesus took the opportunity given by Zacchaeus’ words to explain his mission. Again he calls himself the Son of Man. We have seen several times in recent weeks what this title says about Jesus. It comes from the Old Testament where it is used in four different ways. In Psalm 8, it is the title given to the ruler of creation; in Psalm 80, it is the title of the king who would not fail to extend his kingdom, in the Book of Ezekiel it is the title of the spokesman for God, and in the Book of Daniel it is the title of the One who ascends to the throne of God in order to receive an eternal kingdom. What is this exceptionally important person doing in Jericho? He is standing under a tree speaking to an unworthy sinner and then he goes and eats a meal in that sinner’s house. As the writer of Hebrews says, Jesus is not ashamed to call his people his brothers wherever they are.

Jesus says that his mission is twofold. First, he will seek those described as lost. This description very graphically illustrates what has happened to us. A lost person does not know where he is going. In a spiritual sense, that describes everyone. But Jesus does not wait for us to come to him, instead he comes to us in order to show us where he is. This is what he did for Zacchaeus and this is what he does for all who come to trust in him.

The second aspect of his mission he describes as to save. Obviously he was referring to what he would do at Calvary when he suffered there in the place of sinners. But I think he may also be referring to other aspects of salvation that he will provide, including the future resurrection in glory of all who trust in him. Jesus will provide a full salvation.