The Lord of All Saints

Comes Where We Are Seeking Him

November 1, 1992, All Saints' Day

Luke 19:1-10 (The Story of Jesus and Zaccheus in Jericho)

Text: Hebrews 12: 1 3

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, FIXING OUR EYES ON JESUS, the author [leader] and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down on the right hand of the throne of God.

For CONSIDER HIM who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart.

I. THE SEARCH FOR THE REAL JESUS

Luke 19:3 "And he (Zaccheus) was trying to see who Jesus was, and he was unable because of the crowd..."

  1. THE ESSENCE OF OUR FAITH IS KNOWING JESUS, and faith to know is always a gift of God, not an exercise of our own superior intelligence.

    This seems so simple, and it is simple to child like faith. But what we forget as we mature sometimes, as we see the horizons of truth rush away from us in this great Universe, is that the knowledge of Jesus continues to be, and is always a divine revelation, a gift of God.

    1. Zaccheus couldn't easily, naturally see Jesus. His small stature in the big crowd becomes a symbol of us all; "Can a man by searching find out God?"
    2. Even the incarnate Christ had to be spiritually, divinely revealed HAS to be spiritually, divinely revealed. We are exactly where Zaccheus was: "trying to see who Jesus IS!"
  2. LOOKING FOR JESUS CAN BE A LONELY THING.

    There were people between Zaccheus and Jesus:

    1. Bad people who hated him: Some possibly had reasons to hate a tax collector. Others simply put Zaccheus into a category, which is easier than dealing case by case.
    2. "All" "Nice" people who "understood" him: how easy it can be to think we "understand" when we don't have any idea of the pain another is facing. We "explain things" very glibly at times; we make light of other peoples' struggles. It is no help to say, "Your situation is not all that bad!"

    Christian actress Kari Jenson Gold wrote an article on the ideal marriage shortly after she herself was married. It was a great article and was published in a number of places, scholarly and otherwise. Then three years later she was divorced. She wrote recently, "I remember after my own divorce, when friends asked how I was, I sometimes replied that I had lost my honor. Almost no one knew what I meant, and certainly no one agreed with me. Everyone was far too busy "being supportive" . . . We do ourselves and our friends no real service by making nice and making light of something as serious as divorce and marriage. Not if we hope for a better and more faithful future." She goes on to say, "If what we all aspire to is health rather than virtue, gratification rather than strength of character, how can we hope to find a foundation for a lasting commitment?"

    Zaccheus may have had plenty of people to tell him what they thought he ought to do but he wanted to see for himself who Jesus was!

    "People" are supposed to be "witnesses," and God uses the Church to help bring people to the knowledge of Jesus. But can it be that we Christians have tried to be so nice and helpful that we have actually obscured Jesus from people who would see Him?

    Philip Rieff was quoted as saying that "contemporary churchmen have a penchant for abandoning all Christian dogma and practice that does not readily lend itself to therapeutic purposes."

    We all seem to think that we know instinctively what people need, and what God is up to in their lives, and how the will of Jesus comes down on the things that matter to us and our precious causes. If we listen to our friends we will hear, "Ought!" "Should!" "Essential!" "Lo, He is HERE!" "Lo, He is THERE!"

  3. ONE MAN MADE A DETERMINATION TO FIND OUT WHO JESUS WAS/IS

    The crowd, the many people, were confusing to Zaccheus.

    If everyone is busy describing Jesus to us, how can we ever come to find Him for ourselves? If we are always listening to this expert, or reading that latest book, do we take time to simply get alone and wait on God Himself?

    So Zaccheus climbed a tree in the hopes that he might get some kind of glimpse for himself. Remember "And he (Zaccheus) was trying to see who Jesus was, and he was unable because of the crowd..."

II. THE SURPRISE: JESUS FOUND THE SEARCHER

Luke 19:5 "And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, 'Zaccheus...'"

  1. [ON THIS 'ALL SAINTS DAY'] IT IS IMPORTANT TO SEE THAT GOD REVEALS HIMSELF TO US ONE ON ONE!
    1. God is a Rewarder of them that diligently SEEK Him; but in the end we see that God Himself is the Seeker; Hebrews 11:6; and ( 2 Chronicles 16:9) "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him."
    2. The particularity of the Gospel Jesus called Zaccheus by name. He came to where Zaccheus was, and stopped. Anonymity was impossible. The gospel finds us where we are, and digs us out, one by one. "He was speaking just to ME!"

    Conviction is always focused, and always redemptive. We are made miserable for a purpose; God LOVES us, and does not make light of our condition. But He convicts in order to bring true repentance and healing and forgiveness.

    Accusation, on the other hand, is the enemy's business. It has as its purpose despair and frustration.

  2. ON THIS ALL SAINTS' DAY IT IS ALSO ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL TO SEE THAT (although we are saved one at a time,) GOD DOES NOT SAVE US INTO ISOLATION!

    The fellowship of the Gospel

    Zaccheus was not "enlightened" [touched by saving grace] and then put out on his own resources to make his own way. Jesus said, "I'M COMING TO YOUR HOUSE I'M COMING HOME WITH YOU!"

    That morning Zaccheus set out to see who Jesus was and before the day was over Jesus was looking at him over the coffee cups!

    I know it isn't quite that pat or simple but it still is true (Hebrews 11:6) that IF WE WON'T TAKE SECOND HAND REPORTS ABOUT WHO JESUS IS, WE CAN FIND THAT HE WANTS TO BE OUR DAILY COMPANION.

III. THE SECRET OF ENDURING

Hebrews 12:3 "For consider Him ... so that you may not grow weary and lose heart." Just what does the story of Zaccheus the tax collector and All Saints' Day have in common?

Seeing who Jesus is ... knowing Him ... fixing our eyes on HIM ... taking Him HOME with us .. is what this "great cloud of witnesses" is vitally concerned that we do! THE SURVIVAL OF THE CHURCH DEPENDS ON THE PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS CHRIST! {I despise the Uni Uni association with the "Earth Goddess" religions in the name of "broadening" and "tolerance."}

  1. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE SEE JESUS FOR OURSELVES.

    The revelation of Jesus Christ to His Church, and then the Church's witness of that revelation to the whole world, is what the entire New Testament is all about. Jesus is "the AUTHOR and the PERFECTER of our faith." (Hebrews 12:2)

    1. WE NEED A MIRACLE! Like Zaccheus, we will find it difficult to know just who this Jesus is, apart from a miracle. People will be happy to tell us who Jesus is, and that is all well and good to a point.
    2. THE MIRACLE IS FAITH ITSELF! Jesus still comes where we are, by His Spirit! He stops under our tree, and says, "Come down!" This is reality! It has happened to every born again Christian. Some more spectacularly than others, perhaps (like Saul of Tarsus.) But I remember, don't you?!
  2. THE CHURCH SURVIVES BY LIVING, TOGETHER, IN CHRIST'S PRESENCE!

    If we are to ENDURE it is essential that we "CONSIDER HIM!" (Hebrews 11:3)

    1. Our CHILD LIKE love for Christ does not need to fade as we become "too sophisticated for His company and simple leading." JESUS IS NOT HINDERED BY OUR GREAT INTELLIGENCE (COMPUTERS/ETC.)
    2. NOTHING ... EVEN GOOD THINGS ... CAN BE PERMITTED TO "PINCH" THE MASTER RELATIONSHIP! Don't let even good causes or ideas come between us and the worship and loyalty we owe to a Savior who is also Almighty God!

Conclusion:

I heard a black Bishop speak recently about the need of "A JOSHUA GENERATION"! He was speaking, I believe, about the need of the church to quit wandering in circles and press into the PROMISED LAND of God's victory! We come to church occupied with our overwhelming NEEDS, and look to God for His help in OUR agenda. Thank God that He DOES supply help and healing. But is that what the faith is about?

God expects US to take our place in this "Great Cloud of Witnesses!" God expects Zaccheus to not only be a TAKER and a RECEIVER, but by His transforming grace, Zaccheus becomes a WORSHIPER and a GIVER OF GRACE!

Jesus reveals Himself not simply for our salvation and personal satisfaction but so that we may take our place alongside Him in the great BODY OF BELIEVERS!

Prayer Mighty Savior, Come where we are

Hymn EH 47 God of Grace and God of Glory