특별한 만남

The Special Encounter

누가복음서 19:1-10

Luke 19:1-9

The Speical Encouter

1. Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.

2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.

3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd.

4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

8 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.”

9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.

The Bible records this about a man named Zacchaeus.

He lived in Jericho. Jericho was the most favored city for tax collectors as it had a major trade route between Jerusalem and the East. According to the biblical scholar Barclay, Jericho paid the highest taxes in the land of Palestine (Barclay, 320).

Occupation: Tax collector and rich

Classified as pro-Roman: public officials

short person

The meaning of the name Zacchaeus is purity.

A sinner who was reviled by his people

Among the people who met Jesus, there are often “people with a past”. Most Koreans understand this meaning. If someone says 'that person has a past', it's not a very positive evaluation. The Bible is full of stories of people from many past encounters with God and being transformed. At the age of 40, Moses was a man who had fled as a man who struck down and killed an Egyptian who was harassing his people. A man named Saul was a man who persecuted, arrested, and imprisoned those who believed in Jesus, leading the death penalty. The woman at the well who first took the lead in the evangelization of Samaria was a man with a splendid past when she had six husbands.

One of these people is Zacchaeus today. We have already looked at his past. Then I would like to share more about his special encounter with Jesus.

• Encounter

As a publican, Zacchaeus had already risen to the highest position that Caesar allowed. He was a man who fully tasted the sweetness of money and power. However, he had a burning desire to know who the man Jesus had been rumored to be. His desire eventually led him to climb the sycamore tree to see Jesus.

In fact, we often ignore the spiritual longings and spiritual desires of ‘people with a past’. Some people have doubts about what kind of pure heart toward God does such a filthy and vicious sinner have. I have been living among Mongolians for 20 years. I know many Marys, and I know many Moses, Saul, and Samaritan women. Through their lips I heard the amazing confessions and praises of God. What they have in common is that they met Jesus.

The thing that shocked me the most in today's sermon was the Lord's words, "Zacchaeus, come down quickly" after going down the tree. How did the Lord know Zacchaeus' name? Telling this to his wife, Jesus knows it all, right? He felt bad because he seemed to be speaking without much emotion. What I learned after meeting Jesus is that Jesus already knew me before. Meeting Jesus is a blessing to me to know that he already loved me. He quickly rejoiced and accepted Jesus' proposal.

2. Repentance and Transformation

Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, I will give half of what I have to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone, I will pay back four times the amount."

What is the meaning of this promise if it is by some coercion? However, this determination of Zacchaeus shows how his standard of life changed after he met Jesus. One, the joy he enjoyed while collecting and accumulating in the material realm is now revealed, revealing his determination to achieve through a life of sharing and giving. The other is to show the will to enjoy satisfaction through an honest and sincere life from the satisfaction of life that was gained through lies and violence. I can see in my life the determination to restore the Christian's determination and holiness to reject all the benefits and fruits of some injustice and falsehood. According to Wesley, the conversion of the saints is a change that proves that they must go through a process of social sanctification.

3. Salvation

Jesus said to them, Today salvation has come to this house, for this man also is a descendant of Abraham.

All Christians know that salvation is an area that cannot be achieved even through many alms and sharing. We acknowledge that this is the realm of fulfillment only through faith. But Jesus is expanding and acknowledging that salvation has come not only to Zacchaeus but also to this house. He went on to declare that this man was also a descendant of Abraham.

Salvation necessarily presupposes spiritual regeneration. Therefore, we need to think more deeply about this declaration of salvation by Jesus.

Lord see (8) mou kwirie (my lord)

His declaration that he would alms for his own things and even restore the original state and compensate for the false riches began with the faith he confessed to Jesus as the Lord. Zacchaeus, a high-ranking Roman official who confessed Caesar as Lord, received the grace of salvation by confessing Jesus as my Lord. He wanted to give his life in recognition of the kingship of Christ. And as he entered the reign of the Lord, he rectified his relationship with the things he had pursued and followed. Those who accept Jesus as Lord will restore their right relationship with the material world. Those who have been saved restore their relationship with their possessions as stewards according to the will of God. Even if he had a son at the age of 100, Abraham was going to offer it as a sacrifice according to the word of God the king. After meeting Jesus, Zacchaeus did not hesitate to offer up to the Lord the treasure he treasured like Isaac.

So who can say no to Zacchaeus being a descendant of Abraham!