THE GREATEST DISCOVERY (Lk 19:1-10)

Some of the greatest discoveries in the world or at least the ideas for them stumbled upon people perhaps were not searching for it at that time. For example as the legend goes, “while sitting under an apple tree an apple fell on the head of Sir Isaac Newton that sparked the idea for what we now call “The Law of Gravity”

The Penicillin a life saving drug was discovered by chance in 1928, after Alexander Fleming accidentally left a dish of bacteria uncovered for a few days. He returned to find the dish dotted with bacterial growth, apart from one area where a patch of mold (Penicillin notatum) was growing. The mold produced a substance, named penicillin by Fleming, which inhibited bacterial growth and was later found to be effective against a wide range of harmful bacteria.” Other discoveries like inventing the light bulb, Telephone, Automobile, Airplane took a lot of intentionality, grit, determination and years of perseverance. We reap the benefits of these amazing discoveries.

The greatest discovery of all times is made each time when God redeems a lost sinner and the lost sinner discovers the loving God. I would like to share with you the story of a man who climbed a tree and made his greatest discovery in life. The man in the story was rich but ostracized by the society. He was considered as a traitor because of his profession. He had to overcome public humiliation, and had to fight against his own personal limitations but none of them deterred his quest. He was determined to reach his goal and finally when he made that discovery he was overjoyed. Let me introduce this man to you, he is found in Luke 19:1-10


I A STRONG DESIRE TO SEE JESUS:
The context of this story. Jesus was on the last phase of his journey to Jerusalem where he was going to accomplish his mission. On his way to Jerusalem Jesus met with several seekers. Firstly a rich young ruler who wanted to know how to get saved, but when Jesus told what he must do he was unwilling to part with his earthly riches so that he might inherit eternal riches. Secondly a desperate blind beggar who badly wanted his sight back. When he heard that Jesus was passing by him he shouted “Jesus Son of David have mercy on me” the crowds tried to calm him down but the blind man kept crying, “Son of David have mercy on me” Jesus stopped by and restored the sight to the blind man. Thirdly, a rich chief of tax collectors by name Zacchaeus, we will pick up the story from here.

The story of Zacchaeus is familiar to many of us, we have heard it from our childhood, and because of it’s familiarity we fail to see some life changing principles. At the offset a lot seems to be going for Zacchaeus. He is a Jew, a Chief tax collector, and he is wealthy. What more one would wish? But if we take a deeper look at Zacchaeus inspite of all his wealth and influence he seems to be miserable and missing something. Isn’t that somewhat true with us? Somehow the modern man believed a lie that, the more “wealthy and successful he becomes the happier he will be.” But the truth of the matter is it is not always the case.
Here is an example of an unhappy Austrian millionaire, Karl Rabeder, who made a fortune selling home furnishings and accessories, is giving away all of his more than $ 4 million wealth. The 47-year-old businessman said his fortune has made him unhappy; hence he is giving it to charity.”

We envy the celebrities on the TV because of their good looks and fashionable clothes and all they seem to enjoy because of their wealth and fame but what we don’t realize is that many of their lives are in shambles dealing with multiple divorces, court cases over property related matters, drug abuse and so on. But they know how to fake in front of a camera. As the popular saying goes “all that glitters is not gold” Wealth can buy you a lot of things but it can’t truly make you happy.

What makes a person truly happy? It is living in right relationship with God and with one another. That is what missing in Zacchaeus. He was not living in right relationship with God and with others. Partly because of the way he has earned his money and also how he was perceived by his fellow Jews. During the ancient times if any Jew worked for the Roman government he was ostracized by the rest of the Jews. Here Zacahaeus was collecting taxes from his fellow Jews and giving it to the Roman government, not only that he was the Chief of tax collectors. Can you imagine the ire and anger he might be facing by his fellow citizens?

Zacchaeus must have heard about how Jesus healed the ten lepers, healed the blind beggar and how he put the rich young ruler in place. Zacchaeus did not settle down hearing all those stories of Jesus but he had a strong desire to see who this Jesus was. What was he going to do about it? Similarly, you may have been attending Church all your life, you heard about Jesus, you read about him or even sang praise songs to him but do you really know him? Hearing about Jesus and knowing him are two different things. I too went to Church all my life and read the Bible but not until the age of seventeen I came to know Jesus. Zacchaeus had a strong desire to see, in NASB it says, “he was trying to see who Jesus was” but there were several hurdles he must overcome before he could see Jesus. What were those hindrances? And how did he overcome them?

II. OVERCOMING HINDRANCES TO SEE JESUS.
Zacchaeus had a few hindrances on the way to see Jesus; firstly he was a high ranking officer, a chief tax collector that didn’t give him a credible standing in the Jewish society. Secondly, the crowds, wherever Jesus went he was surrounded by huge crowds wanting to touch him for healing. It is like trying to get through to the celebrities of today, they are surrounded by mobs, the body guards and the police. It will be pretty tough to get near to them. Thirdly. Zacchaeus was small in stature may be five foot tall.

What is your hindrance that coming in the way of you and Jesus? There could be several of them. It could be your pursuit of wanting to be rich, or it could be your social life, or it could be sin. The scripture tells us that our sin separates us from God. Isaiah 59:1-2 “Behold the Lord’s hand is not so short that it cannot save; neither is His ear so dull that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear.”
The more we sin the more we move away from God. When we are feeling guilty of sin staying away from Church and God and stay at home will not help us that is the time more than ever you need God and the fellowship of other believers. How can a lost person get back to God? It is by taking one step towards His direction that is the step in the right direction.

Zaccaheus did not let his limitations stop him from his pursuit. He was intentional and determined to see who Jesus was. He goes to extraordinary lengths to fulfill his quest even enduring the probable shame of climbing a tree despite his adult male status and position in the community as a wealthy ruler. In the same way when we have a desire and are determined to know Jesus we would be willing to go to any lengths. My Iranian Muslim friend in India when she heard about Jesus she didn’t care about any thing she accepted Jesus as her personal savior.

III. THE UNEXPECTED VISITATION (Vs4-5)
Zacchaeus knew which way Jesus was coming so he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree. Why did Zacchaeus choose to climb this particular tree and not any other tree? Firstly because it was fairly common tree in the foothills of Palestine. Ficus sycomorus grows to 20 m tall and 6 m wide with a dense round crown of spreading branches. Secondly it has wide-spreading branches and affords a delightful shade. Zacchaeus perhaps wanted to be anonymous and just take a peek at Jesus while he was passing by without any one noticing him. Thirdly, sycamore figs are inferior character. In Amos 7:14 where the prophet Amos referred himself not as a prophet but just the grower of sycamore figs, he must have been reflecting on his own inferiority More than one way Zacchaeus must have been carrying a very poor perception of himself. After being rejected by the crowds he must have been going through tremendous rejection. Whatever may be the reason for Zacchaeus to choose to climb the sycamore tree, now here he was hiding in the tree.

The commotion of the crowds was drawing nearer and nearer and suddenly it stopped just under his tree. This is the chance of a life time. The one he heard a lot about and the one who he always wanted to see was just right under the tree. Can you imagine the emotional high of Zacchaeus? Let’s say you have heard a lot about the Pope John Paul II and you always wanted to see him. You got the news that the Pope is visiting Boston and his entourage will be passing through the streets of Dorchester. You ran ahead and positioned yourself in the crowd. Don’t forget that you are not that tall. Here comes the entourage of the pope and you were in the crowd jumping just get a glimpse of the Pope. Suddenly the pope motions his limousine to be stopped and steps out of it and walks straight up to you and says to you I want to have breakfast with you. How would you feel? Wouldn’t you be excited?

Jesus the miracle worker, the great and powerful teacher of the Kingdom, the one who raised people from the dead was now standing under an insignificant tree. He looked up and said, “Zacchaeus come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” Upon hearing that Zacchaeus must have fallen down of the tree!! The writer here mildly put it saying, “so he came down at once” and welcomed him gladly.” Who wouldn’t want welcome Jesus into their home rejoicing? I would!! But wait!! Don’t get all excited, if Jesus walked into your home today you and your household will never be the same again. He will do a complete overhaul of your life and your family and every thing will be changed for ever for good.
The crowds grumbled at this unusual extension of invitation to a sinner who did not deserve the visitation of the Lord. That’s what the crowds thought, but to Jesus sinners were far more of importance than so called self-righteous people like the Pharisees, Sadducees and the teachers of the Law.

IV. THE GREATEST DISCOVERY :( Vs 8)
This was the climatic moment in the story where the author Luke captured so vividly. Just imagine Jesus, his disciples were reclining at the table and enjoying the rich hospitality of this wealthy man. The grumbling and complaining crowds must have been standing all around the house and outside. Without Christ saying anything the truth dawned upon Zaccaheus. He discovered what was hindering him from receiving true Joy, which was his wealth. He was willing to let go of the grip of money on his life. So he stood up in front of everybody and made a bold confession. “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. Up until now Zacchaeus was a slave to money but with that confession he declared Jesus as Lord not only over his life but over his money and possessions. Christ proclaimed salvation to Zacchaeus saying “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.