Up a Tree Without Jesus — E.A. Johnston

Salvation and the Story of Zacchaeus

We don't have a lot of time this evening, but I'd like to speak on the subject of salvation. There is a story about Charles Spurgeon which pertains to our text this evening, which is found in Luke's Gospel, chapter 19, verses 1 through 10.

You can turn in your Bibles there now. Our passage tonight is the story about Zacchaeus. But first, I'd like to share a story with you about Charles Spurgeon, the great British preacher. At the pastor's college outside of London, Spurgeon would have a special meeting with his students once a week.

It was an impromptu time of preaching. Spurgeon would announce a text and then point to a student who would then have to stand before the class and preach on that passage of scripture extemporere. It was always a nervous time for the students as the gaze of the governor, as Spurgeon was called, was fixed upon them.

Well, one particular afternoon, Spurgeon announced the text from Luke, chapter 19, beginning in verse 1, which is the story of Zacchaeus. He then pointed to a very short student on the front row and asked him to preach from this text.

Then Spurgeon sat down with a look of merriment in his eyes. The young student nervously rose and said, my text is on the passage found in Luke's gospel regarding Zacchaeus. My sermon has only two points and they are these.

Zacchaeus was little of stature and so am I. He was also up a tree and so am I. The student sat down amidst a hilarious uproar. He was begged to continue with his message by other classmates. Spurgeon stood up and said, no, leave him alone.

It was a perfect sermon for he was up a tree indeed. My message this evening is entitled Up a Tree Without Jesus. And that's the condition of man, friends. Without Jesus, man is up a tree. Without Christ, man is hopelessly lost and faces an endless eternity of misery and torments in a Christless hell.

I want to bring out several aspects from our passage this evening pertaining to how Christ saves a person. In this case, diminutive Zacchaeus. First, allow me to read us our text from Luke's gospel, beginning in verse one from chapter 19.

And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus, who he was, and could not for the press because he was little of stature.

Zacchaeus Seeks Jesus in the Sycamore Tree

And he ran before and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and saw him and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste and come down.

For today I must abide at thy house. And he made haste and came down and received him joyfully. And when they saw, they all murmured, saying that he was gone to be guessed with a man that is a sinner.

And Zacchaeus stood and said unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day his salvation come to this house, for so as much as he also is a son of Abraham.

For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Now, friends, there are several aspects which I would like to bring before you from our passage this evening, and each pertains to the subject of salvation.

Salvation as Humanity's Greatest Concern

I want you to take a moment and fix your thoughts on what you think is the most important subject in the world. But what has the greatest importance in the world to man? Is it fame? Is it great wealth?

Is it position of power like a president or a king? There is only one great matter in this world to be considered, and that is the subject of salvation. When we die, our soul goes back to the God who gave it.

That's what the Word of God states in Ecclesiastes. And it is God who determines our future state in eternity, whether that is to enjoy his presence forever in heaven or to be cast away from his presence forever in a place of punishment and misery called hell.

And the determining factor in this is our subject of salvation. If you are truly saved, you will go to heaven. If you are not saved, friend, you will surely go to hell. There is no in between like our Catholic friends think.

There is no purgatory. The Apostle Paul said, for me to die is to be with Christ. Listen, friends, this topic of salvation should be man's greatest inquiry. How is it that men are careful about their money?

They take time to invest their assets properly. They carefully examine their business and careers. I was out having dinner the other evening, and at the table next to me were two men discussing their business profession as if it was the most important subject in the world.

They grew excited as they discussed business opportunities. But how little time does man devote to the subject of his own salvation? Hardly any time at all. Man just assumes everything will work out all right when he dies.

His God wouldn't send anybody to hell. His God is just a God of love. But the trouble is, his God is not the God of the Bible, for the God of the Bible must punish sin. There is much in our little story about Zacchaeus for us to benefit from.

Spiritual Bankruptcy and Seeing the True Christ

First, notice that Zacchaeus was rich in the goods of this world. He had no visible need. He was not lame. He was not like blind Bartimaeus. Man, he was not deaf. But although he was rich in the things of this world, he was completely bankrupt in spiritual things.

He knew that deep down there was something in this Jesus. He had heard about that. He needed to experience. He wanted to see for himself who this Jesus was. It even says that in our text. He sought to see Jesus, who he was.

When a person comes to Christ, they have to see a revealed Christ, the Lord of glory. And when Zacchaeus heard that Jesus was in town, he couldn't wait to catch a glimpse of him. Listen, friend. All you need is one good look at Jesus.

One good gaze will do it. The word of God declares, look unto me and be you saved. All the ends of the earth. For I am God and there is none else. When Charles Spurgeon came to Christ, it was that verse that saved him.

He commented, I looked and looked until I looked my eyes away. Christ became precious to him, friend. When we see the worth of Christ as the pearl of great price, it makes all the difference. But we have to see the true Christ of the Bible.

Many evangelists today take out their knives and carve out for themselves a Jesus that can be easily accepted by the masses. And they tell you about that Jesus. But it isn't the God of the Bible, friend.

You have to have an encounter with the living Christ of the Bible. Now, notice that Zacchaeus climbs up a tree to get a good look at Jesus. This is a vivid picture of a lost man, apart from Christ, trying to reach heaven through good works and a good opinion of himself.

Climbing as high as he can to reach there. But sadly, all that occurs is a man is up a tree. He can go no further. A lost sinner is up a tree without Christ and doomed to a crisis eternity. Many try to reach heaven and access God by climbing other ways.

They climb their way to heaven by their good works. They climb their way to heaven by a long track record of service. They climb their way to heaven on trees of religion. They climb their way to heaven by the way of a good opinion of themselves.

But Jesus declared in John 10 .1 that, Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same as a thief and a robber. Listen, friends.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. There is no other way but Jesus Christ, the Lord. A man is up a tree without Jesus and on his way to hell unless he comes down from that tree of pride and humbles himself and becomes a seeker of God.

There is hope for the seeker. And that's what Zacchaeus did. He became a seeker of the Lord. Now notice an extremely important occurrence in our text. Jesus looks up at him and takes notice of him. Jesus did not point out someone else in the crowd that day and bring another person to confront him.

No, it's little Zacchaeus up in the tree. Christ had to look up to even see him. When Jesus looks at you and grants you the grace to look at him, then there is eternal significance attached to it. An effectual call is given to Zacchaeus by Jesus, and immediately Zacchaeus came down in obedience to Christ and received him.

Christ's Call and the Joyful Reception of Salvation

Listen, friend. You do not accept Jesus. To be saved, rather, it's his acceptance of you. What you do is receive a revealed Christ. Did you get that? Verse 6 states, and he made haste and came down and received him.

But notice something remarkable that's stated here about Zacchaeus receiving Christ. Our text says that he received him joyfully. So here was a man rich in this world's goods and in need of nothing materially.

He also held a position of authority within his community. For our passage tells us that Zacchaeus was chief among the publicans. Seemingly, this man Zacchaeus had need of nothing, but indeed he did. For any person without Christ has a spiritual need which must be met.

Only Christ can meet that need and change the heart. Jesus tells Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must abide at thy house. Wherever Christ comes, he opens the heart and inclines it to receive him.

Zacchaeus joyfully receives Christ. Now notice the change which takes place in this man Zacchaeus. He was a publican, chief of the publicans. A publican was a tax collector, and apparently some abused their privilege for selfish gain.

They oppressed widows and overtaxed the poor. On one occasion, Jesus compares a publican with a heathen. No one likes a tax collector. But now that Zacchaeus has had a real encounter with Jesus, conviction grips his heart.

And he stands to make a speech so everyone can hear. And he declares, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have taken anything from any man by false acquisition, I restore him fourfold.

Deep in his heart, Zacchaeus knows that part of his wealth was ill-gotten by unlawful means. And he is willing to make restitution to any person he has taken advantage of. Zacchaeus is a changed man, friends.

Repentance, Transformation, and the Evidence of Salvation

He now has a new purpose in life. He now traded in his crooked ways for a crown. Now notice what Jesus says to all of this. Jesus said unto him, this day is salvation come to this house. And here is our great subject this evening, friends.

And that is the subject of salvation. Zacchaeus, chief of the publicans, exercises repentance and faith in Christ and is converted and saved from his sins. He was a man literally up a tree before he encountered Jesus.

Jesus calls him. Jesus saves him. Jesus transforms him. Is that not what salvation is, friends? When Jesus passed through towns and villages in his earthly ministry, those who encountered him experienced change.

Change is salvation. It was said of Edward Studd, the father of C .T. Studd, the famous missionary. Edward Studd was a wealthy British businessman who was saved under the preaching of D .L. Moody. His chauffeur said of Edward Studd, on the outside he has the same skin, but inside he is a different man altogether.

That's what salvation is, friends. Zacchaeus experienced change. He was born again. He turned from his sins to Christ his Savior and received him joyfully. He became a joyful giver, a joyful liver, and he became a blessing to his entire house.

He was now a child of Abraham, indeed, who could now teach his household the ways of the Lord like Abraham did. Now notice this last aspect of this passage from our story of Zacchaeus. Jesus declares, For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.

The Lost, False Assurance, and the Call to Come Down

Have you ever been lost? Then how do you know you're saved? A dying man seeks a remedy for the disease which is killing him, and he will go to any length to obtain that remedy for his disease. Let me ask you this, friend.

Have you perhaps taken the remedy for sin before you even knew you were sick in sin and in need of a remedy? I submit to you that there are many in our churches today who are on the membership roll, but they are still up a tree without Jesus.

They have never come down from their tree of self-righteousness, never come down from their tree of pride and humbled themselves, never come down from their tree of good works, never come down from their tree of sins.

They are still up a tree trying to reach heaven some other way other than an encounter with Jesus Christ, the King of kings. Will you come down from your tree, friend? Will you come down and get on your face and seek the Lord?

Will you turn from your wicked ways, turn from your sins, and come in repentance to the only God who can save you? Your good opinion of yourself won't save you, friend. Come down from that tree. Zacchaeus knew he had to get a good look at Jesus.

So do you, friend. Climb down from your tree, turn from your sins, and turn to Jesus Christ. Jesus bids Zacchaeus to come down. Jesus bids you to come down from your tree, for you are up a tree without Jesus.

Gospel Invitations to Repentance and Faith

Listen to these gospel invitations. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is none else. Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.

He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found. Call ye upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.