Who Is This Jesus?

“…the Son of Man has come to seek and save the lost.” Luke 19:10

My daughter use to ask me “Where do you get these people?” She was referring to the people that I seemed to gravitate to and who sought me out. People who were on the outskirts of society, so to speak. They were people who needed a friendly word and a hand of acceptance, and a smile. But, evidently she, and many others, saw them as outcasts.

This was the way it was with Zacchaeus. He was a tax collector, who people hated and mistrusted, because they were known to collect more than they needed, so that, they could build up their own treasury. Zacchaeus, was not only a little mean in spirit, but he was also little in stature, meaning he was short..

Zacchaeus had heard that Jesus was in town. He also heard of all the so-called miracles, called such because what He did seemed impossible by common folk standards. He wanted to see this man who asked the rich, young ruler. “Do you want to follow me?” The young ruler said “yes.” Jesus said, “Well if you want to follow me you must follow the commandments given by God,” and the rich, young ruler said, “I have done all that all my life!” But, there was one thing missing. The young man was becoming rich while the poor were becoming even poorer. Jesus told him to distribute his wealth to the poor and then he would have treasure in heaven. And guess what! He couldn’t do it! And, he walked away from Jesus (Luke 18:18-23) In essence he sold his soul to the devil.

But Zacchaeus didn’t run away, he climbed a tree so he could see Jesus, thinking he wouldn’t be noticed, but he was wrong. Jesus knew he was there, called him down from the tree and went with him to his house and ate with him, much to the chagrin of the people. Jesus told him he had to repent if he wanted to follow him and unlike the rich, young ruler, Zacchaeus committed to pay back all he had stolen from the people in fact he would pay back four times as much!

Who is this Jesus? He is greater than he who is in the world! When you believe—truly believe—have faith and trust in Jesus, He’ll send His Holy Spirit to live in you and you will become a child of God.

1 John 4:4—“You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”

GOD IS GREATER WHO IS IN ME, THAN HE WHO IS IN THE WORLD. PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME. AMEN

Rev. Betty A Beach–2023