Thoughts on Christian Living Book #2 by Dr. W. A. Dillard - HTML preview

LEAVING YOUR SYCAMORE TREE

Well known by children and adults, too, is the Bible story of Zacchaeus and the sycamore tree, related in Luke 19. Jesus entered and passed through Jericho, and this was a singular event.

The fame of Jesus had already spread abroad. This caused a crowd to gather along the street as many, including Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus. But Zacchaeus was a man small of stature. Something had to be done if he were to succeed.

Zacchaeus climbed a nearby sycamore tree, enabling him to see over the crowd, thus achieving his objective. But this would be no normal day for the little man. As Jesus passed that way, He paused and commanded that Zacchaeus should come down. Not only did Zacchaeus get to see Jesus, he had the unthinkable blessing of entertaining Him in his home.

There are some important things to note about this historic event that are applicable to men everywhere in this precious age of grace. 1.) A desire to see Jesus was in the heart of Zacchaeus. 2.) He did what he could do in climbing the tree in order to see Him. 3.) He responded to the call of the Master to come down and meet Him personally. 4.) He had a penitent attitude not only toward God, but also toward his fellowmen whom he may have dealt with deceitfully in the past. 5.) He gladly received Jesus into his home, gaining an awesome, unimaginable blessing for time and eternity. In summation, these five things that graced the life of a little Jewish man some 2,000 years ago are the same ones that have graced the lives of millions of precious believers. Moreover, they are those which will still grace the lives of Holy Spirit convicted seekers of the Master and His righteousness.

Truly, it is God Who puts a desire in a person’s heart and mind to want to see Jesus. It is He who calls for men to come down out of their perch and meet the Master, not high in a tree, but on bended knee. It is He Who graces men with a penitent attitude, and changes life so that they can live honestly and separately unto the Lord.

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