Seeing Jesus: Zacchaeus’ Story of Repentance and Restoration

Devotional

Day 1: Jesus Seeks and Saves the Lost

No matter how far someone has wandered or how broken their life may seem, Jesus actively seeks out the lost, calling them by name and offering them salvation and new life. His mission is not just for the righteous, but especially for those who are overlooked, despised, or burdened by their own failures. The story of Zacchaeus reminds us that Christ’s embrace is for all, and that His grace is the starting point for true transformation. [45:32]

Luke 19:1-10 (ESV)
He entered Jericho and was passing through. And there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 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 all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of 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 to save the lost.”

Reflection: Who in your life do you see as “too far gone” or outside of God’s reach? How might Jesus be calling you to see them—and yourself—through His eyes of seeking love today?

Day 2: True Repentance Brings Real Change

When Jesus enters a life, His grace does not leave us unchanged; true repentance means turning away from old patterns, idols, and wrongs, and actively seeking to make amends and live differently. Zacchaeus’s response to Jesus—giving to the poor and restoring what he had stolen—shows that genuine faith is always accompanied by a transformed heart and actions that reflect God’s justice and mercy. [46:46]

Acts 3:19 (ESV)
Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,

Reflection: Is there a specific area of your life where God is calling you to make a concrete change or restitution? What step can you take today to show your repentance in action?

Day 3: Going Out on a Limb for Jesus

Sometimes following Jesus means stepping out of our comfort zones, risking our dignity, or doing something unexpected in order to draw closer to Him. Zacchaeus was willing to climb a tree in front of everyone, setting aside his pride and reputation, because his desire to see Jesus was greater than his fear of what others thought. God often calls us to “go out on a limb” so that we might encounter Him more deeply and allow Him to work in our lives. [40:17]

Matthew 16:24 (ESV)
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

Reflection: What is one area where fear of embarrassment or discomfort is holding you back from following Jesus more fully? What would it look like to “go out on a limb” for Him this week?

Day 4: The Embrace of Grace Leads to Justice and Restoration

The grace of Jesus not only forgives but also empowers us to bring healing, justice, and restoration to those we have wronged or to the broken places in our communities. As Zacchaeus experienced Christ’s embrace, he was moved to restore what he had taken and to care for the poor, showing that God’s love overflows into practical acts of justice and mercy. When we let Jesus truly be Lord, He begins to set things right through us. [42:10]

Micah 6:8 (ESV)
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Reflection: Who in your life or community needs restoration or justice? How can you be part of God’s work of healing and making things right, starting today?

Day 5: Never Settle for Familiarity—Yearn to Know Jesus Deeper

It is easy to become familiar with the stories and rituals of faith without truly seeking to know Jesus personally and deeply. Zacchaeus’s longing to see “who Jesus was” challenges us to move beyond surface-level religion and to cultivate a hunger for real relationship with Christ, letting Him continually reveal new things and call us to deeper obedience. [33:43]

Philippians 3:10 (ESV)
That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

Reflection: In what ways have you settled for familiarity with Jesus rather than truly knowing Him? What is one practice you can begin this week to seek Him more intentionally and deeply?

Sermon Summary

Today’s reflection centers on the story of Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector in Jericho, whose encounter with Jesus reveals the radical nature of God’s grace and the transformative power of Christ’s call. Zacchaeus, though wealthy and influential, was despised by his community for his collaboration with the Roman authorities and his exploitation of his neighbors. Yet, despite his status and the barriers—both physical and social—that stood in his way, Zacchaeus was compelled by a deep yearning to see who Jesus truly was. This longing, itself a work of God’s grace, drove him to set aside his dignity and climb a sycamore tree, embodying a childlike desperation to encounter the living God.

Jesus, knowing Zacchaeus by name and fully aware of his past, calls him down and insists on staying at his house. This divine initiative is met with joy by Zacchaeus, a joy that is the fruit of the Spirit and the mark of true encounter with Christ. The crowd’s grumbling exposes a common human tendency to resent God’s mercy toward those we deem unworthy, yet Jesus’ mission is clear: he came to seek and save the lost, not the self-satisfied or the outwardly righteous.

Zacchaeus’ response to Jesus is not mere sentiment; it is repentance in action. He pledges to give half his possessions to the poor and to restore fourfold what he has extorted. This is not a condition for Jesus’ acceptance, but the inevitable outflow of a heart transformed by grace. True salvation, as Jesus declares, has come to Zacchaeus’ house—not just in word, but in the restoration of relationships and the healing of injustice.

This story challenges us to examine our own barriers to Christ, our willingness to go “out on a limb” for him, and our openness to the changes his lordship brings. It reminds us that God’s embrace is not just for our comfort, but for our transformation and the blessing of others. The call of Jesus is always personal, always disruptive, and always leads to new life—a life marked by repentance, generosity, and reconciliation.

Key Takeaways

1. Yearning for Jesus is itself a gift of grace. Zacchaeus’ desire to see who Jesus was did not originate from his own goodness, but from a divine stirring in his heart. This longing is essential for true spiritual growth; familiarity with Jesus is not the same as truly knowing him. We must continually ask God to renew our hunger to encounter Christ more deeply, not just to observe him from a distance. [32:40]
2. True encounter with Christ requires humility and a willingness to risk our dignity. Zacchaeus, a powerful man, set aside his pride and climbed a tree like a child, disregarding what others thought. Often, our fear of embarrassment or loss of control keeps us from fully responding to Jesus’ call. Real transformation happens when we are willing to go “out on a limb” for the sake of knowing him. [36:14]
3. Jesus’ embrace is unconditional, but it always leads to change. The grace that welcomes sinners does not leave them unchanged; it compels repentance and restitution. Zacchaeus’ radical generosity and his efforts to make amends are the natural fruit of Christ’s lordship in his life. If grace does not lead us to let go of old idols and repair what we have broken, we have not truly received it. [46:46]
4. God’s restoration begins now, not just in the age to come. While ultimate justice and healing await Christ’s return, Jesus begins to set things right in our lives and communities as we respond to him. Zacchaeus’ transformation brought tangible blessing to those he had harmed, showing that the kingdom of God breaks in wherever repentance and reconciliation take root. [42:10]
5. The call of Jesus is ongoing and always personal. Even after years of following Christ, he continues to reveal new areas in our lives that need his touch. The journey of faith is one of continual openness to his voice, readiness to surrender, and trust that whatever he asks us to release, he will replace with something more beautiful. [51:47]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[09:11] - Opening Prayers and Collect
[10:45] - Prayers for the Church and the World
[13:14] - Intercessions for Individuals
[14:52] - Remembering the Saints
[15:17] - Blessing the Children
[25:35] - Gospel Reading: Zacchaeus
[27:35] - Reflections on Zacchaeus’ Story
[29:01] - The Scandal of Zacchaeus’ Wealth
[32:10] - Zacchaeus’ Yearning for Jesus
[36:14] - Going Out on a Limb for Christ
[40:43] - The Transforming Power of Jesus’ Call
[42:10] - Restoration and Repentance
[45:32] - Grace That Changes Us
[47:40] - Salvation Comes to Zacchaeus’ House
[51:47] - The Ongoing Call of Jesus
[54:48] - Affirming Our Faith: Nicene Creed
[59:18] - Assurance of Forgiveness
[65:01] - Eucharistic Thanksgiving
[69:46] - Invitation to Communion
[79:03] - Closing and Sending Forth

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Luke 19:1-10 (ESV) —
> He entered Jericho and was passing through. And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 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 all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of 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 to save the lost.”

Observation Questions

What barriers did Zacchaeus face in trying to see Jesus, and how did he respond to those obstacles? ([35:42])
How did the crowd react when Jesus chose to stay at Zacchaeus’ house, and what does this reveal about their attitudes? ([42:53])
What specific actions did Zacchaeus take after his encounter with Jesus, and what did Jesus declare as a result? ([43:31])
According to the passage, what was Jesus’ stated mission in coming to Jericho? ([45:32])

Interpretation Questions

Zacchaeus was a wealthy and powerful man, yet he was willing to risk embarrassment by climbing a tree. What does this suggest about the kind of desire or humility needed to truly encounter Jesus? ([36:14])
The crowd grumbled when Jesus went to Zacchaeus’ house. What does this reveal about human tendencies to judge who is “worthy” of God’s grace? How might this attitude show up in churches today? ([42:53])
Zacchaeus’ response to Jesus was not just emotional but practical—he gave away wealth and made restitution. Why is it important that repentance leads to real, tangible change? ([46:46])
Jesus says, “Today salvation has come to this house.” What does this teach about the relationship between grace, repentance, and restoration? ([47:40])

Application Questions

The sermon said that Zacchaeus’ longing to see Jesus was itself a gift of grace. Do you find yourself longing to know Jesus more deeply, or has your faith become more about familiarity than true desire? What might help renew your hunger for Christ? ([32:40])
Zacchaeus set aside his dignity and risked looking foolish to get close to Jesus. Is there an area in your life where fear of embarrassment or what others think is holding you back from following Jesus more fully? What would it look like for you to “go out on a limb” for Christ this week? ([36:14])
The crowd was upset that Jesus showed mercy to someone they saw as unworthy. Are there people or groups you struggle to believe God could truly embrace or change? How can you pray for a heart that rejoices in God’s mercy for all? ([42:53])
Zacchaeus’ encounter with Jesus led him to radical generosity and making amends. Is there a relationship in your life that needs healing or restitution? What is one step you could take toward reconciliation or generosity this month? ([43:31])
The sermon emphasized that God’s grace always leads to change, not just comfort. Are there “old idols” or habits in your life that you sense Jesus is asking you to let go of? What is one practical way you can begin to surrender that area to him? ([46:46])
Jesus’ call is ongoing and personal, even for those who have followed him for years. Has God been highlighting a new area in your life that needs his touch or lordship? How will you respond to his invitation this week? ([51:47])
Zacchaeus’ transformation brought blessing to others, not just himself. How can your own journey with Jesus become a source of blessing and restoration for your family, church, or community? ([42:10])

Sermon Clips

In seminary, my Old Testament professor used to say, we should never confuse familiarity with understanding. He talked about his wife. He also talked about the Bible. He said, you know, a lot of times we think we understand someone or something just because we're familiar with it and that ain't always so. Never confuse familiarity with understanding. [00:33:13] (20 seconds) #YearningForJesus

He wants to see who Jesus is. He needs to see who Jesus is. He needs to see who Jesus is, even if that means climbing a tree, childlike. Jesus, though, he already knows who Zacchaeus is. He already knows what's going on in Zacchaeus' heart, what's going on in his relationship with his community. He knows the way that Zacchaeus has extorted people and sinned against his neighbors and dishonored his God. He knows it all. And he calls Zacchaeus, just as he knows us and just as he calls us. He calls him by name. [00:36:40] (37 seconds) #InviteJesusIn

If Jesus shows up, if Jesus calls you by name, if Jesus invites himself over and he says, I'm going to actually come stay in your life right now. If Jesus calls you by name, you know, and if he invites himself into the places that maybe you'd rather ignore, the broken places, the hurt places in your own spirit, and Jesus says, actually, I want to come over here. I want to mess with this stuff. Don't wait. If Jesus reaches out to you, don't say, ah, let me think, maybe next time. Hurry. [00:37:38] (32 seconds) #CloseNotDistant

What do we do when Jesus lays a finger on something in our life that we'd rather not be touched? Do we receive him joyfully? Or do we prefer to keep Jesus around, but kind of at a safe distance, you know? Let him go on by. We want him close, but not too close. [00:38:32] (22 seconds) #OutOnALimb

He's not afraid to do something unexpected, to go out on a limb, literally, so that he can be closer to Jesus. The early church father, St. Augustine, says maybe we often miss out on seeing the heart of Jesus, on seeing who Jesus is and being close to him precisely because we're ashamed to go out on a limb. We're ashamed to climb that sycamore tree. We're ashamed to deal with that barrier because we'd rather keep things kind of in the box, you know, dignified, according to our plan, going right like they're supposed to. [00:39:39] (38 seconds) #LifeChangeThroughJesus

The people grumbled that Jesus went to stay with this, this town thug, this terrible sinner, this horrible extortionist, but Jesus, the Lord, he says exactly, this is exactly why I've come the son of man came to seek and save the lost and that is good news for everybody in Jericho, everybody who's been wronged by Zacchaeus. It's good news for them because now the restoration is beginning, but it's also good news for them because they are also wrongdoers. And they also have hurt someone else and they also have sinned. We've all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, says Romans 3, 23, and it's good news for sinners. The son of man came for us. He came for people who are messed up and broken, who've done wrong, who've gotten our priorities out of whack. He's come for us, for people who walk in darkness. We've all sinned and God's embrace is there to embrace us. But that embrace, that grace of God, it also changes us. [00:44:52] (64 seconds) #LettingGoToGrow

This is so important. I think people often miss this in at least in American Christianity. We can preach a nice gospel that doesn't require any change. But if you're embraced by the real king, if you really let Jesus, the Lord, into your life, that embrace is going to change you. It always does. [00:45:55] (18 seconds) #SalvationAtHome

If Zacchaeus had just said, wow, God loves me just the way I am and I'm included. How amazing. And then went right back to extorting his neighbors and killing his own soul with greed. This would not be good news. It certainly wouldn't be good news for his neighbors, but it wouldn't be good news for Zacchaeus either. But Jesus offers far more than mere inclusion. He offers new life embraced in the arms of the Savior. And that new life necessarily means repentance. It means letting go of the old life. It means turning away from the things. It means that you'd like to cling on to, but they just don't fit. They're not part of the new life. They're not God's will for you. They're wrong. [00:46:14] (44 seconds) #FaithInAction

The new life necessarily means turning away from all the old idols that we are tempted to worship. Ourself, our comforts, money, sex, status, politics, good feelings, whatever it is. Repentance always means letting go of the old gods so that we can be embraced. By Jesus. And Zacchaeus shows that he's there by giving to the poor, by seeking to make amends with the ones he's robbed. He's showing his repentance in how he lives. And that's the way it works. [00:46:58] (44 seconds) #JesusIsCalling

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