Upside-Down Christmas: Luke 19

Luke 19

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In Luke 19, there’s this story about a man named Zacchaeus, and if you’ve been around children’s ministry stuff at any church for long enough, you know that they wrote songs about Zacchaeus. I didn’t grow up in church, but I like those songs—not only because they are fun, but because they show the upside-down nature of the kingdom of God.

Welcome back to our Upside-Down Christmas podcast. It’s an Advent series where we’re working our way through the book of Luke one chapter at a time and seeing how the life and ministry of Jesus turned things on their heads. And as I mentioned, today, we’re looking at chapter 19 and the story of Zacchaeus.

Now, what you have to know about Zacchaeus is that he was a tax collector, and that tax collectors were hated by the resident Jews in Jericho and everywhere else besides. And that’s because they we’re often corrupt. Luke tells us that Zacchaeus was rich, and we can be sure that he got that money by defrauding people—charging them more for their tax billed than they actually owed and pocketing the difference.

But more than that, Zacchaeus, as a tax collector, would have also been viewed as a traitor to his own people. Because he wasn’t collecting taxes for the Jewish temple or the jewish administration; he was collecting it for the Roman government, an occupying force who was an oppressor to the people. And that means that Zacchaeus was doubly-hated.

And that’s why when Jesus calls to him to come down, that he must dine at his house, people are shocked. “And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for i must stay at your house today.” So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they grumbled. (Luke 19:5-6)

You see, to eat at someone’s house was a sign of respect. It was a way of honoring that person. And refusing to eat at someone’s home if invited was a not-so-subtle way of saying, I don’t want to be associated with you in public. So while it sounds rude to our modern ears for Jesus to invite himself over to Zacchaeus’ place for dinner, to Zacchaeus, it would have been the honor of his life.

It’s kind of one of the classic “upside-down” stories, where the outcast is brought in, where the rejected one is accepted, where the sinner is embraced.

And more than that, this is an amazing story of just what that kind of embrace can do. Because when the people grumble and Zacchaeus overhears it, he turns his own life upside down by repenting zealously. “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone anything, I restore it fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.” (Luke 19:8-10)

Jesus, by embracing the outcast and bringing him in, sparks the fire that leads to a whole life repentance on the part of Zacchaeus!

And that’s of course the reason why we’re supposed to do the same kinds of things. We’re supposed to bring the outsider in. We’re supposed to love the unlovable. We’re supposed to eat with the ones who don’t deserve our company. And we’re to do so in the hope that we will, after the Spirit of Jesus, spark fires of repentance in them through our love.

So who in your life do you need to embrace? Who do you need to know and love even though they don’t deserve it? Who is God leading you to prayerfully approach in his name?

Let’s pray: Lord, we ask that you would have mercy and that you would lead us to embrace those whom the world has cast away, those who have disqualified themselves from polite company, as it were. We pray that your Spirit would nudge us about those whom we’re meant to reach for Jesus. And we pray that we would spark in them the fires of repentance by our love, our care, our embrace. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Family Devotional:

Read Luke 19:1-10

Why did Zacchaeus have to climb the tree? How did Jesus know Zacchaeus' name even though they had never met?

Let’s consider the amazing details that are taking place here…there’s Zacchaeus, short guy climbing up a tree to see the Jewish teacher he’s heard about. He probably thought he was hidden away anonymously. But Jesus knew better. He looked straight up at the guy and called him out by name. Not only that, but he invited himself over for dinner!

What do you think was going through Zacchaeus’ head?

Jesus loved all kinds of people, and often hung out with those that others did not like so much. He changed lives by this love, and transformed how people felt and behaved. Jesus offered mercy and forgiveness to Zacchaeus who basically robbed people of their money. And it changed Zacchaeus in incredible ways! Shouldn’t we try to offer the same love and forgiveness to other as well?

Take some time to reenact the story together. It’s a fun one! Give everyone a chance to be Zacchaeus. Or Sing the song, if you can remember it.