Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

Date: 11-15-98

Sermon Number: 127

Text: Luke 19:1-10

Jesus does the Impossible

Earlier in chapter eighteen we looked at Christ's encounter with the rich young ruler. He had come to Christ wanting to know what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus told him that he must give up all his wealth and follow Him. The man went away unsaved for he was enslaved to his possessions. Then Jesus spoke the following words to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!" {25} "For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." {26} And they who heard it said, "Then who can be saved?" {27} But He said, "The things impossible with men are possible with God." (Luke 18:24-27)

Jesus left the young man to his own devices and strengths. Without Christ's intervention the man's salvation was impossible. Therefore, he remained lost. He left Jesus as he had arrived a slave to sin, self, and the devil.

Today we look at another well known passage of scripture where we witness the impossible being accomplished by Christ. The man we meet today is very rich, very selfish, covetous, wicked, and, by the worlds measure, very successful. His name is Zaccheus, he was the chief tax-gatherer in Jericho. As such he was not a popular individual. The reason has to do with how he made his money. Gathering taxes was bad enough. No one likes the tax man. But that was not the main rub. The way the tax-gatherer made his money was by collecting or extorting more than the legal tax from individuals. This is how Zaccheus got rich. He was apparently very good at robbing people of their hard earned money in the name of tax collecting. This man was lost in his sin until Jesus called his name. Lets read our text for today.

(Luke 19:1-10 NASB) "And He entered and was passing through Jericho. {2} And behold, there was a man called by the name of Zaccheus; and he was a chief tax-gatherer, and he was rich. {3} And he was trying to see who Jesus was, and he was unable because of the crowd, for he was small in stature. {4} And he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to see Him, for He was about to pass through that way."

Zaccheus was no doubt a man in the know. He lived and moved in public circles, he heard all the local gossip. Lately he had heard much about a man named Jesus from a little place called Nazareth. He had heard that Jesus could heal one's diseases. He had been told of the dead being raised. Perhaps he had even picked up on bits and pieces of our Lord's teaching. If so it was certainly unlike anything familiar to him. He just had to see what this man looked like so he took his short body up into a tree for a better look.

In a way Zaccheus reminds me of the blind man we looked at last week. He had a handicap to be sure but he did what he could to overcome it. He took himself to the main thoroughfare so more people would see him as he begged for his daily needs. In so doing he put himself in the way of God's blessing. On the day the blind man set up shop he did not know that he was about to be healed and saved from his sin. But at last He met the Savior and was changed forever. Not only did he get his physical sight back he got a new heart and began following Jesus.

Zaccheus was no different. He too had an appointment with Jesus he knew nothing about. He had moved all his life toward this day. He had been guided every step of the way by an unseen and perfect providence. Yes he had made the decisions that shaped and directed his life. He had ordered his way as seemed best to him. He had reasons for what he had done or refrained from doing. He had been his own man. At least this is what he thought. The truth is found in Proverbs 16:9 NASB. "The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps."

On this day the Lord directed his steps to a certain Sycamore tree which he promptly climbed. From the tax collector's perspective it had to do with curiosity and nothing more. From God's perspective this was the day and these were the circumstances that had to be in place for the salvation of this elect sinner. For this man's name was written in the Lamb's book of life before the world began and today he is scheduled to be changed from the inside out with a word from the Son of God.

{5} And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, "Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I MUST stay at your house."

What a surprise this must have been. Had this been me I would have thought myself well hidden. Jesus was surrounded by a great crowd of people and lots of noise. How is it that He noticed a little man in a tree high above to whole scene? Well He didn't just notice him. Jesus had an appointment with one of God's lost sheep. Jesus, the shepherd of the sheep, had been seeking Zaccheus, He had found him, and now He would save him from the wrath of God. Again you might ask how did Jesus know where this man was and, more importantly, who he was. He knew his name because He was God in the flesh. Jesus was this man's maker and daily governor. Jesus is the omniscient, omnipresent, God of eternity! He not only knows what will happen He knows it because He has ordained whatsoever comes to pass. Consider this accurate and blessed statement of the doctrine of omniscience.

"Omniscient is a word that means "knowing everything." Scripture declares that God's eyes run everywhere (Job 24:23; Pss. 33:13-15, 139:13-16; Prov. 15:3; Jer. 16:17; Heb. 4:13). He searches all hearts and observes everyone's ways (1 Sam. 16:7; 1 Kings 8:39; 1 Chron. 28:9; Ps. 139:1-6, 23; Jer. 17:10; Luke 16:15; Rom. 8:27; Rev. 2:23)-in other words, he knows everything about everything and everybody all the time. Also, he knows the future no less than the past and the present, and possible events that never happen no less than the actual events that do (1 Sam. 23:9-13; 2 Kings 13:19; Ps. 81:14-15; Isa. 48:18). Nor does he have to "access" information about things, as a computer might retrieve a file; all his knowledge is always immediately and directly before his mind. Bible writers stand in awe of the capacity of God's mind in this regard (Pss. 139:1-6; 147:5; Isa. 40:13-14, 28; cf. Rom. 11:33-36).

God's knowledge is linked with his sovereignty: he knows each thing, both in itself and in relation to all other things, BECAUSE HE CREATED IT, SUSTAINS IT, AND NOW MAKES IT FUNCTION EVERY MOMENT ACCORDING TO HIS PLAN FOR IT (EPH. 1:11). The idea that God could know, and foreknow, everything without controlling everything seems not only unscriptural but nonsensical.

To the Christian believer, knowledge of God's omniscience brings the assurance that he has not been forgotten, but is being and will be cared for according to God's promise (Isa. 40:27-31). To anyone who is not a Christian, however, the truth of God's universal knowledge must bring dread, for it comes as a reminder that one cannot hide either oneself or one's sins from God's view (Pss. 139:7-12; 94:1-11; John 1:1-12). (End Quote)

Jesus knew Zaccheus because He made him. He had ordained this meeting, in this place, in this way, at this hour. Now lets consider the man's response.

{6} And he hurried and came down, and received Him gladly.

Why did this great sinner and oppressor of the people hurry down the tree to Jesus? Why did he readily accept Christ's self invite to his home? Why was he so happy? He did these things and was happy to do so because he was a new man. With a word, an effective word, a word accompanied with power this man was born again. He had a new attitude and a new desire. This is a clear and glorious example of the effectual call of a sinner unto salvation. Here we are allowed to see the Good Shepherd, who was about to lay down his life for the sheep, actually calling one of them into the fold. Consider our Lord's own words in John ten.

(John 10:1-3 NASB) "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. {2} "But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. {3} "To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and HE CALLS HIS OWN SHEEP BY NAME, AND LEADS THEM OUT. (John 10:7 NASB) Jesus therefore said to them again, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I AM THE DOOR OF THE SHEEP. (John 10:14-16 NASB) "I am the good shepherd; and I KNOW MY OWN, AND MY OWN KNOW ME, {15} even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. {16} "And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and THEY SHALL HEAR MY VOICE; and they shall become one flock with one shepherd. (John 10:26-28 NASB) "But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep. {27} "MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE, AND I KNOW THEM, AND THEY FOLLOW ME; {28} and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand."

No where in this text or any other in the Bible do you find the Savior in a state of frustration? Never do we see Him wrestling with the will of man for the soul of man. It doesn't work that way. Rather, He extends a power-filled call to His sheep which changes them in an instant. By this effective call of Christ the sinner's will is completely transformed and redirected. As a result, the former unbeliever wants to go to Christ for salvation and indeed he does go.

If ever there was a man opposed to righteousness, repentance, and holiness of life it was the man Zaccheus. But all of a sudden we see him changed and rushing to receive Jesus into his home. The effectual call of Christ unto salvation always produces this result. Listen as I read a definition of the doctrine.

"Effectual calling is a sixteenth-century English phrase that became the title of chapter X of the 1647 Westminster Confession. The chapter begins thus:

All those whom God hath predestinated unto life, and those only, he is pleased, in his appointed and accepted time, effectually to call, by his Word and Spirit, out of that state of sin and death, in which they are by nature, to grace and salvation, by Jesus Christ; ENLIGHTENING THEIR MINDS spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God, TAKING AWAY their heart of stone and GIVING UNTO THEM a heart of flesh; RENEWING THEIR WILLS, and, by his almighty power, determining (inclining) them to that which is good, and EFFECTUALLY DRAWING THEM TO JESUS CHRIST: YET SO, AS THEY COME MOST FREELY, BEING MADE WILLING BY HIS GRACE.

What is being spoken of here is the many-sided reality of Christian conversion, involving illumination, regeneration, faith, and repentance.

Original sin renders all human beings naturally dead (unresponsive) to God, (Remember that Jesus said it was impossible for a man to be saved without the intervention of God. This is true of all men since the fall.) but IN EFFECTUAL CALLING GOD QUICKENS (or brings to life) THE DEAD. As the outward call of God to faith in Christ is communicated through the reading, preaching, and explaining of the contents of the Bible, the Holy Spirit enlightens and renews the heart of elect sinners so that they understand the gospel and embrace it as truth from God, and God in Christ becomes to them an object of desire and affection. Being now regenerate and able by the use of their FREED (and renewed) WILL TO CHOOSE GOD AND THE GOOD, THEY TURN AWAY FROM THEIR FORMER PATTERN OF LIVING TO RECEIVE JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND SAVIOR AND TO START A NEW LIFE WITH HIM." (End Quote) This is exactly what happened to Zaccheus. Jesus accomplished the impossible. Lets continue with our text.

Luke 19:7. "And when they saw it, (Jesus receiving a sinner and going to his home) they all began to grumble, saying, "He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." (The following statements made by Zaccheus probably occurred at his home. This conclusion is drawn from the words of Jesus in verse nine.) {8} And Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much." {9} And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham."

Jesus knew Zaccheus was saved because He saved him. But He would have known anyway by observing the change in his life. Here is a complete turn about. By the word and Spirit of Christ he is changed from the inside out. Once a greedy, heartless, tax collector and extortioner, now he is a God loving, repentant, benevolent, born again, rich man. When he climbed the tree he was a slave of money now he is intent on putting his resources to work for the good of his fellow man and particularly those he had wronged. He will make restitution above and beyond what he took in the first place. Only grace can change a man to this degree. Only Jesus by the Holy Spirit can unseat the gods of greed, lust, covetousness. Only God can make a man face, admit, and repent of his sin.

We must remember that all who are truly saved begin immediately to follow Jesus. For He said, "My sheep hear my voice and they follow Me." They follow Him in the way of holiness and truth. The new born Christian always turns from his former wicked deeds. He always makes right what he can. He always hates the sin he once loved. This is the undeniable fruit of salvation. Where there is no such fruit there is no salvation! Hear the word of the Lord.

(Matthew 7:19-21 NASB) "Every tree that does not bear GOOD fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. {20} "So then, you will know them (Christians) by their fruits. {21} "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven." True saving faith is always accompanied by a change of life which is filled more and more with words and deeds of holiness.

Now we come to the last statement Jesus made on this occasion. {9} And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham." {10} "For the Son of Man has come to SEEK AND TO SAVE that which was lost." This statement is no doubt made in response to those who were grumbling at Him for His association with sinners. He basically says, "This is my business. This is why I have come. I have come to seek, find, and to save, the lost sheep of God. Zaccheus is one of those sheep therefore I MUST stay at his house today!" Jesus had an appointment with the man in the Sycamore tree.

But why MUST Jesus seek and save the lost sheep? Why can't He just sit back and wait till they come to Him for salvation? The answer is simple and familiar to those gathered before me this morning. (Romans 3:10-12 NASB) as it is written, "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; {11} THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;" The cold, plain, fact of the matter is this. If Christ, by the Spirit, did not go after and actually save the lost not one person would ever be saved. For, "There are none who seek for God." If the grace of God were not powerful enough to save us in spite of our unwillingness to go to God we would never be saved.

When Jesus looked up at Zaccheus what did He see? Did He see an impressive, successful business man? No, He saw a helpless, hopeless, sinner wallowing and squirming in his own filth. A graphic picture is drawn of his condition in Ezekiel 16:1-6 NASB. Then the word of the LORD came to me saying, {2} "Son of man, make known to Jerusalem her abominations, {3} and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD to Jerusalem, "Your origin and your birth are from the land of the Canaanite, your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. (In other words they were sinful.) {4} "As for your birth, on the day you were born your navel cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water for cleansing; you were not rubbed with salt or even wrapped in cloths. {5} "No eye looked with pity on you to do any of these things for you, to have compassion on you. Rather you were thrown out into the open field, for you were abhorred on the day you were born. {6} "When I passed by you and saw you squirming in your blood, I said to you while you were in your blood, 'Live!' I said to you while you were in your blood, 'Live!'

This is what Jesus saw when He looked at Zaccheus. He saw a helpless and perishing sinner covered with the crimson stains of sin. He saw a man who could not and would not seek Him for salvation. Then He said, "Live," and Zaccheus was made to live. He was born again. Folks, Jesus must seek out and save that which was lost because that which was lost will not and cannot come to Him.

No matter where the lost sheep of God are Jesus by His spirit will find and save them in due time. He will seek them out like He did me and He will make them new creatures who delight in His presence and truth. Shall we close with a wonderful and tender passage that we looked at not too long ago. (Luke 15:1-7 NASB) Now all the tax-gatherers and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. {2} And both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them." {3} And He told them this parable, saying, {4} "What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? {5} "And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. {6} "And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' {7} "I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance."

If you are a person who needs no repentance then I have no good news for you. However, if you are aware of your need of forgiveness and salvation I have wonderful news for you. {10} ". . . the Son of Man has come to SEEK AND TO SAVE that which was lost." Today if you hear His voice harden not your hearts. Rather, cast your sin upon Him. Trust your never dying soul to Jesus and you will be saved.

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