Jesus Friends

Jesus  would be friends with a guy like Zaccchaeus. Who is Zacchaeus?  Zacchaeus is not a good guy.  Jew cheating Jews out of their money. He’s the worst of the worst. He’s not allowed in the Synagogue. Rejected by his own people. He’s not asking Jesus to save him, he’s just curious.  Read Luke 19:1-9

1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.

What Jesus said to Zacchaeus will ring true for you too.  “Come down.” “Just come down, and hurry.”  Come down from trusting yourself and your devotion, your acts, your good deeds. It’s ok to come down and admit that there is a half eaten sandwich in your silverware drawer and there is laundry under your kitchen sink.

Come just as you are. Jesus is your friend.