Sermon notes from Sunday 29 December 2019 pm
Luke 19 verses 1 - 10
The Final Approach
I am sure for each of us these words are very familar to us. We know much of this man Zacchaeus and the visitation of Jesus to Jericho one day. This would be the final time Jesus would ever pass through Jericho. The last time for men and women to find salvation in God in Jericho that day. There is something very solemn as we reflect on a year gone by. Here`s a man Zacchaeus who realises that Jesus is passing through Jericho for the last time. Maybe it is the thought that he would never pass this way again. Maybe that is why he made the effort to see Christ. This visit would change a man`s life for time and for eternity. A wonderful day for Zacchaeus, the greatest day in his life. Was there such a day for you, when you accepted Christ as Saviour?
The last visit to Jericho brought a tremendous privilege to this man Zacchaeus. God gave him a wonderful opportunity. We have to think of the many privileges God has given to us. Many opportunities in past days in the past year when God has spoken to our hearts but we have done nothing about it. We don`t know how many opportunities he had in the past to hear Jesus. He was getting an opportunity on this day. Have you ever had such an opportunity with Christ himself? As we look at this man we might think he was rich and so he was because verse 2 says that. We cannot point the finger just because he was rich. He was a tax collector. A good job. Maybe he lived in a good part of Jericho. Maybe he had a lovely house. The great privileges he had. The privilege Christ was giving to him, would see this man`s life changed for all eternity. God has extended to you his offer of mercy. He wants to save your soul. You have heard it so often before bt this may be your final change to hear it. What a privilege to know Christ. He loved me with an everlasting love. He was willing to turn his back on everything he had done, left it all behind. He came down to walk in the villages and cities, came down to be spat upon, accused, rejected, to be put on the cross for your sins. Only he could do it. As Jesus came up out of Jordan after he was baptised the voice came from heaven said "this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased." He fulfilled his father`s will to die on the cross for the sins of the world. Only he could atone for your sin. What a privilege. Opportunities come and opportunities go. We cannot catch the opportunity once it goes by. The opportunity comes tonight to close in with God`s mercy and his offer of salvation. This opportunity will fly past you once again.
The final visit was met with passion - verse 3. He sought to see Jesus and who he was. A deep hunger in his heart. He wanted to see the Lord, to find out more about him. Matthew was a tax collector, sat at the seat of custom. One day the Lord came by and said to him "follow me". He got up from the custom desk and he followed after the Lord. Zacchaeus was also a tax collector. Maybe he knew Matthew. Maybe Matthew told Zacchaeus about the day Christ came across his pathway. One day maybe that witness interested Zacchaeus. Matthew told him how Jesus restored sight to the blind, restored strength to a man. Maybe he became interested. Perhaps conviction of his sin was setting in. Maybe told he was a sinner and need to be saved. A passion coming up in this man`s heart. Isn`t it wonderful when God creates a passion in the heart after the Lord. No-one could be saved until the Lord does that for us. Peter preached in Acts 2 and "the people were pricked in their hearts." God convicted them of their sin. Lydia was similar - "her heart was opened by the Holy Spirit." We have to close in with his call of mercy. Only when he is calling us. That is what happened to Zacchaeus. He wanted to see who Jesus was. He wanted to discover Jesus himself. Maybe he had heard about him. "O taste and see that the Lord is good." No-one can taste the Lord for ourselves. You cannot do it through anyone else. You have to come in yourself, you have to bow at the foot of the old rugged cross. It is all right for another person but doesn`t do it for you personally. The Pharisees could have been asked by Zacchaeus what they thought of Jesus. He is the devil himself, Beelzebub the chief of the devils. Maybe could have said to Nicodemus what he thought of Jesus. Nicodemus would have said he is a teacher come from God. Look at the miracles and teachings he has done. No-one can do these except God is with him. Maybe could ask some of the people in Jerusalem, some of them would say some are saying he is Jeremiah one of the prophets, a mighty prophet. Zacchaeus would go away confused even more. He knew to find out for himself. We need to find Christ for ourselves. We cannot somehow go with the crowd tonight, say we are on the way to heaven and somehow go through life drifting along. We need to taste and see that the Lord is really God. He asked the question to his disciples "who do men say that I am?" Peter replied "thou art Christ, the son of the living God." Jesus told him "flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in heaven." This is a revealed Saviour. Unless it is revealed to you in the meeting your great need of salvation, who you are dealing with and who has bought that salvation, we will never be saved. The Holy Spirit reveals the truth of what Christ has done for me in drawing me to the foot of the cross for myself.
The final visit brought a great problem to this man. When Zacchaeus put his nose out the door he realised everyone had also realised it was Christ`s final day in Jericho too. The Bible says "he was little of stature". He could not see over the crowd of people. It brought a great problem to him. Maybe God has put a passion in your heart to show you your need of salvation, given great privilege but the problem is the crowd you are friendly with. What holds you back from coming to Christ? There is no call for this salvation you say. The crowd can keep you back. In Acts 13 there was an official in Paphos. Paul preached the gospel and this man was anxious to hear the word of God. He sent for Paul and pleaded to hear of Christ. A man in his office tried to prevent him and turn him away from the faith. Many are listening to friends and family, listening to crowd around them. What an influence. Pilate was listening to his own conscience. Sometimes that conscience can put us off. Pilate`s wife came to him and told him not to have anything to do with him. The crowd came in and said "if you let this man go you are not Caesar`s friend." Maybe as you speak about Christ`s salvation they will tell you you are alright.
The final visit brought a great plan in place. Luke 19 "he ran" down the street. This was this man`s plan and nothing would hold him back. This man wanted to know everything about Jesus. His final visit takes place where Zacchaeus was to be found. He was sitting in that tree wrapped in foliage. Jesus came to where he was. He stopped there and told him to come down. No-one has to point Christ to you. He knows exactly where you are tonight and all the problems in your life. He comes right to the place where Zacchaeus would not be disappointed. Jesus stopped at the place where he was, then he asked him to come down straight away. That is what Jesus does to us. He doesn`t ask us to clean up our lives first. He comes to exactly where we are and to what we really need. That would be a special place for Zacchaeus in the future. It became so significant for him. Have you a special place tonight? Remember the woman in John 4. Every time she walked down the street she saw the well and remembered what happened there. The man at the side of the pool for 38 years would always remember that place, remembered what happened there.
The peace that he received. Verse 9 Jesus said "this day is salvation come to this house." The peace of God flooded into his soul. A debt was paid and peace reigned for ever more.
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