When Jesus entered into Jericho, curious spectators lined the street in such numbers that Zacchaeus could not press through. He was too small to look over the crowd and a polite excuse me wasn’t getting him closer. However, he just couldn’t stand to be so close to Jesus, yet just out of sight, just out of reach.So he laid down his dignity, girded up his robe, shook off his sandals, grabbed a branch and started pulling himself up into a sycamore tree. I imagine that he climbed to the sound of mocking and laughter. People probably stood there shaking their heads and saying, “Zacchaeus, aren’t you taking this a little too far?”
Today we have an insight that the folks in the crowd that day didn’t have. We know the rest of Zacchaeus’ story. In light of WHO Jesus is, WHAT Jesus was going to do when He stopped under the tree, and WHERE Jesus was going to eat dinner that evening, it is totally reasonable that Zacchaeus would to to any lengths to get to Jesus. Zacchaeus’ extravagant seeking brought Jesus into his house.
You know, the crowd still hasn’t changed much in the last 2000 years. Society doesn’t mind if you claim the name of Jesus as long as you don’t do it too loudly. But they still stand with their mouths open and watch when someone with a burning heart for the Lord pursues Him with passion. They still mock. They still say, “Aren’t you taking this Jesus thing a little too far? Surely, you don’t need to go to church on a Wednesday night. You don’t need to go to prayer meeting when you are tired. You don’t need to give your time and your money so generously. You don’t need to be so loud with your praise.”
Child of God, you were not born again and filled with the mighty Holy Spirit to stand on the sidelines and quietly live out a moderate Christianity. You were made to pursue the Lord with burning passion. You were made to lavish your time, resources, and energy on Him in devotion. You were made to be bold witnesses to the life changing love and grace of Jesus. You have a message written in fire on your hearts that the world around you is DYING to hear.
One day soon, the Lord will split the eastern sky and every eye will see Him, every knee will bow and every tongue confess He is Lord. In that coming day it will be obvious that in light of WHO He is, in light of WHAT He did on Calvary, in light of WHERE He is taking us to be, all your extravagance and devotion was TOTALLY REASONABLE. So go ahead, lay down your dignity, gird up your robes, kick off your shoes and start climbing, Christian. You were made for the climb!
Pray with me?
Father, stir up the fires of passion for Jesus in our hearts again.Baptize us again in love and make us bold witnesses of your salvation. You are worth the climb!
