An old story...new message

When I was little, there was a song we always sang in Sunday School about a "wee little man." It was one of my favorites... probably because you cant say "wee little man" without saying it in a British accent or is that just me? :)  If you are familiar with the song, you know I am talking about the "wee little man" (insert British Accent), Zaccheaus. If you aren't familiar with it, here you go....

Zaccheaus was a wee little man and wee little man was he
He climbed up in a Sycamore tree for the Lord he wanted to see
And as that Savior passed that way He looked up in the tree
And he said, "Zaccheaus, you come down."
For I am coming to your house today, For I'm coming to your house today

I love the old stories from my childhood....Oh, But how I love when he uses them to teach me life lessons as an adult.

The story of Jesus and Zacchaues takes place in Luke 19: 1-10

"Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. There was a man named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region. and he had become very rich. He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way. When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. "Zacchaeus!" he said. "Quick, come down ! I must be a guest in your home today." Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. But the people were displeased. "He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner," they grumbled.
Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, "I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!"
Jesus responded, "Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. For the son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost."

Lesson #1
SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO PUT OURSELVES IN A BETTER POSITION TO SEE JESUS IN ORDER TO EXPERIENCE HIM.
One of the things I have learned in sports is you put yourself in a position to make the play. Sometimes we have to change the way we are lined up or change our approach to get the result we want...or need. Zaccheaus wanted to see Jesus, but couldn't because he was too short. He could have given up, he could have given in but he wanted to see this man he had been hearing so much about so he changed his position. He climbed up a tree just to get a glimpse of him with his eyes and ended up experiencing him with his heart. I talk to people all the time who want to feel Jesus, experience Jesus, or see Jesus working in their lives, but are so frustrated because they don't. But, they haven't changed anything about their lives in order to experience him. We all do it! We do the same things over and over expecting different results. We say with our words and/or our actions "I need to see God to believe God." But God wants us to "Believe God and then we will see Him."  Believe God when He says "draw close to me and I will draw close to you." So change your position and make some one-on-one time with God. Believe God when he says the greatest commandment is to "Love the Lord your God...Love your neighbor as yourself." So change your position on how everybody is here for your benefit. Get out of the "selfies" mode and into the serving mode and see God work in your relationships. Believe God when he says "He will work all things to the good for those who love him and are called according to His purpose." So change your position on viewing your glass as half empty and focus on the one who fills it. See how Jesus changes your perspective because you changed your position.

Lesson #2
JESUS CALLS US BY OUR NAME WHEN THE WORLD CALLS US BY OUR REPUTATION
There are people we know as coach, teacher, doctor, mom. Then there are some people we know as "the one who cheated on his wife", "the one who has an alcohol problem", "the one who's son is gay." Good or bad. Right or wrong....we call people by what they do, but God calls us by name because that is who we are. The people called Zacchaeus "a notorious sinner" but Jesus called him Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus had made mistakes, he had sinned, but Jesus didn't see him for what he was, but for who he could become. We have all sinned. We have all got caught up in trying to find ourselves in what we do for a living or want to lose ourselves for what we have done in the past. Neither is who we are. Jesus is calling you by name and asking you to be a guest in your home and your heart today. "(Insert name), come down from that tree of shame because I am coming to your house today." "(Insert name), come down from that tree of fear, because I am coming to your house today." "(Insert name), come down from that tree of loneliness, because I am coming to your house today." You are NOT what you do or what you have done...but as a follower of Jesus you are the child of the one true King. Your name is among the name above all name!

Lesson #3
JESUS VALUES THE RELATIONSHIP OF HIS PEOPLE OVER THE RULES OF THE WORLD
We live in a world that you should be respectful but only if you believe the same things, act the same way, and look the same. The rules of that day was that if you were "religious" you didn't associate with those that were not. You didn't hang out with them. You didn't go to their houses. And you sure as heck didn't love them. Sound familiar? It should, we still hold these same "rules" in our churches, in our schools and in our homes. The story of Jesus and Zacchaeus shows us that when value the relationship...love changes people, judgement does not. God is love so when we love the way God intended us to, He changes people through the love His people show. As followers of Jesus, we are to love people differently than the world does. It is my hope and prayer that people will know us as followers of Jesus by our love and people will be changed because of God's love.

Who knew you could learn so much from a "wee little man"....