A New Start
Luke 19:1-10
Introduction
New Years is a time for people to think of new beginnings. People think about losing weight, working out, quitting smoking, picking up a hobby and so on. That is a good thing. It is very good that we want to make positive changes in our life. Unfortunately, we know too well how difficult it is to stick with a resolution. I have no advice on how to lose weight, but the Bible gives us some guidance on how to make some lasting change in our life, on how to have a new beginning. We will do this by looking at the story of Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus was someone who needed a new beginning. As a tax collector, he was hated by many people. Tax collectors had contracts with the Romans to gather the taxes and they were paid by what they over charged people. This put them on bad terms with many people. Not only did they make their money by taking advantage of their own people, they were doing it to help the Roman occupiers. But how would one get out of such a lifestyle? The money was too good to give up easily and you were not left with too many friends to help you in the transition. The story of Zacchaeus gives us some clues as to what real change looks like.
Desire for Jesus
Before anything else happens, we are told that Zachaeus wanted to see who Jesus was. What was Zacchaeus looking for? Was it as simple as having heard about Jesus, he wanted to check out the rumors and see what all the hype was about? Perhaps. We don’t really know the exact motivation. What we know is that he wanted to know more about Jesus and that is a good thing. If you want to see lasting change in your life, begin with a conscious desire to know more of Jesus before trying to make a change in your own power. When people ask me how to make a change in their life or how to deal with a persistent sin, I always encourage people to get close to Jesus. I am convinced that the most effective way to change is to get close to Jesus and that his presence will set off a chain reaction that will transform our life. Zacchaeus, may have begun with insincere motives, but by choosing to seek Jesus, he chose the right path. The moment he decided to see who Jesus really way, he was doomed, at least in terms of his old life.
Obstacles Will Come
In a perfect world, all we would have to do is want Jesus and the changes would automatically take place. But this is far from a perfect world. Zacchaeus wants to see Jesus. Fine. But he is short and cannot see over the crowds. Being a tax collector, it probably is not a good idea to try and push his way through the crowd to get to the front. He might find more than an elbow in his ribs. Circumstances do not make this process easy for Zacchaeus. This is an important realization to come to. We too easily fall into the conclusion “I guess, it just wasn’t meant to be.” As Christians, we may express it in more spiritual terms. When things come easy, we see it as God opening the doors and when things are difficult, we see it as God closing the door. We attempt to discern God’s will by how easy or difficult the circumstances are. Where in the world did we get that from? The Bible has very few examples of people who had things easy. We grow when we encounter the resistance of obstacles, not when we effortlessly pass through times of comfort. When I go to workout, it would be a lot easier if I didn’t put weights on the barbell or didn’t turn on the treadmill. But what would the point of that be? God’s plan for us is not that we would be comfortable but that we would grow. So we should expect that obstacles would come our way. An obstacle does not mean that God is trying to stop us going down this road, only that he wants us to get the most out of the experience by overcoming the obstacle. A lack of height and a great crowd was not an excuse to quit but an excuse to climb a tree.
Make the Change
Assuming the power to change comes from Jesus, we are still expected to make a choice to change and to follow through with that decision. There is Zacchaeus. He wanted to see Jesus and he did see Jesus by climbing the tree. But the story did not end there. Jesus responded by noticing him in his perch and inviting himself to Zacchaeus’ house for supper. What happens next is very important. Without needing Jesus to tell him what to say, Zacchaeus volunteers to make good the abuses of the past, to dismiss the love of money that ruled his heart and to take tangible steps to demonstrate the change that has taken place on the inside. The first step is always to be close to Jesus but it is never the last step. At some point we have to choose to change and then actually make that change. Change is possible, no matter how hard it feels at the time. There was a time when I could not imagine stopping the abuse of alcohol. But that change has taken place, both by the power of Christ and my willingness to make that change. I have seen this in many areas of my life. The key is not to rely solely on our own power or just on a love of Jesus. We need to be in the presence of Christ, as Zacchaeus was, and then let that power enable us to choose to change.
Becoming Who You Are
What is the purpose of change? It is not to become to someone you are not. I am not going to try and change and become a professional football player. That goes against everything I know about who I am. Zacchaeus gives us clues to this as well. As Zacchaeus made his changes, Jesus announces that salvation had come and then he says something significant but often overlooked. “Because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.” (Luke 19:9 NIV) What is Jesus saying? Jesus is saying that Zacchaeus has not become something totally unexpected, he has in fact become what he was always meant to be, a son of Abraham. The changes have simply brought Zacchaeus to a lifestyle more in line with what God has always wanted for him. Zacchaeus has not become someone different, he has become a better, a more godly Zacchaeus. Who are you? For one thing you were created in the image of God. That is already inside you. Godly change will help bring the outside more like the inside. If you are a Christian, you are already in Christ, connected to him spiritually. Godly change will help make it obvious to others and even yourself that you are a follower of Christ. As each change takes place, you are simply becoming a better you, you are becoming the person you were always meant to be.
Conclusion
As we start a new year, we may be contemplating some change in our life. Some of this change be shallow, some of it may be deep. There is a place for change, and not just change for change’s sake. Rather this is about important life change. To learn about this, we look to a tax collector, hated by most people, named Zacchaeus. We see four important aspects of change. Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus, needed to overcome obstacles, made decisions on what the change would look like, and finally became the person he was always meant to be. The same principle applies to us. Our priority must be get closer to Jesus. We should not be surprised or discouraged when challenges come our way. As we spend time in the presence of Jesus, we gain the power and motivation to change. But we still have to choose to change and to follow through with that choice. The change that takes place is not to make us someone different than what we really are, but becoming the person we were always meant to be. That is what godly change looks like and it is what we should be seeking.
