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He entered Jericho and was passing through. And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Master [Lord], “Behold, Master [Lord], the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. [1]

Source: Luke 19:1-10

Why this is important: Jesus and God the Father are in a good mood. They want to be a guest in my house. They want to be with me. They want to show me the way to love. They have given me power, by the Holy Spirit, to be delivered from my prison.

Zacchaeus became free that day. Jesus freed him. Zacchaeus became free from the opinion of others who are indignant and grumpy about what Jesus chooses to do. Zacchaeus became free from the shame of his past. Zacchaeus became free to tell the story of what Jesus had done in his life.

Zacchaeus was a well known crook. On the scale of things in Israel, he was the lowest. Zacchaeus was a tax collector. But … he desperately wanted to see Jesus. Jesus could see in his heart and knew of his desperation.

Jesus sees my heart. That is some good news. I am the lowest of the low but I desperately want to see and know Jesus. I am stunned at what Jesus does for me. I stumble but Jesus picks me up. Jesus does not care about any of that. Jesus came to restore me and he has done that.

Stunningly good news. Jesus is happy to be a guest in my house. Jesus really wants to be here. My job is to let Jesus in.

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Lk 19:1–10). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.