ZACCHAEUS (Luke 19:1-10)

IT WASN’T THAT HE LACKED FOR FRIENDS

HE HAD THE SUMMER LEAF KIND

THAT DISAPPEARED IN WINTER

WHEN THE MONEY WAS GONE

BUT TRUE FRIENDS

NO

HE’D DONE IT TO HIMSELF

BY WORKING FOR THE OCCUPATION FORCES

THOUGHT OF A TRAITOR BY JEWS

AS A LACKEY BY ROMANS

HE’D GROWN RICH

AS A TAX COLLECTOR

PRIMARILY FROM THE ROAD TOLLS

JERICHO WAS A HUB OF TRADE

HE LIVED WELL

BUT EMPTY

HE HAD MUCH

BUT NOTHING

HE WAS A DRY SPONGE

WAITING FOR WATER

AND JESUS WAS COMING

TO THE CROWD SURROUNDING HIM

ZACCHAEUS

WAS A NONENTITY

AND BEING SHORT

NO MATTER HOW HIGH HE JUMPED

HE COULDN’T SEE

BUT JESUS WAS COMING

SO HE CLIMBED A SYCAMORE TREE

TO SEE

NOW A SYCAMORE TREE

IN THE ORIENT

IS A FIG MULBERRY

AND JESUS CHECKING THE TREE FOR FRUIT

SAW ZACCHAEUS

COME DOWN I WILL DINE WITH YOU

AT THE MEAL HE SAID

IF I HAVE DEFRAUDED ANYONE

I WILL MAKE RESTITUTION

FOUR TIMES THE AMOUNT

WHICH WAS MORE THAN JEWISH LAW REQUIRED

THE MOB SAID

HE EATS WITH SINNERS

BUT HE SAID

REJOICE

THAT A SON OF ABRAHAM

WHO WAS LOST

HAS BEEN SAVED

SOME SAY ZACCHAEUS

WAS SURNAMED MATTHIAS

BY THE APOSTLES

AND REPLACED

JUDAS ISCARIOT

IT MAY BE TRUE

BUT THIS IS TRUE

NO MATTER HOW SMALL

IGNOBLE

 INSIGNIFICANT

YOU THINK YOU ARE

GOD WILL FIND YOU

AND WHEN HE FINDS YOU

HE WOULD LOVE

TO COME TO YOUR TABLE

FRANK A VOLLMER