Man Up a Tree

Men try climbing up to heaven by many ways, but Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. When Jesus says, I am the way, He is declaring, He is the only way, friends.

But still, men try climbing up to heaven by way of religion, and the strictness of adhering to it. I was listening to a young Muslim man the other day, and he was saying he was 31 years old and still a virgin, and he didn't drink alcohol of any kind. He was engaged to his girlfriend, and they were saving themselves for marriage.

He was a strict Muslim, clean in his living, devout to his religion. Why, he's more pure than some Baptists I know, but that was his way. I observed a Buddhist monk, strict in his discipline of privation, and devoted to Buddha.

This is his way of entering paradise. I see the Orthodox rabbi and the Catholic priest, both religious, believers in God, and they point to their works to get them to heaven. Their way is one of many ways.

Men are climbing up a tree to heaven. Some climb the branch of good works. Some climb the branch of good character.

Some climb the branch of religion. Some climb the branch of decision. Some climb the branch of church membership.

But in John chapter 10, Jesus declares, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. Jesus makes a startling statement right off the bat, friends, in John chapter 10 in verse 1. That's not politically correct, and it's a statement that's intolerant to world religions. Remember, Jesus declared he was the door, and here Jesus says, 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.

Yes, friends, man is up a tree, climbing and climbing the best he knows how to get to heaven. I've heard more than my share of good baptized church members who believe in God and claim they read their Bible and say their prayers, and they will tell you in no uncertain terms that they are on their way to heaven. And if you ask them to tell you a little more about their salvation experience and their assurance of heaven, they will mention God over and over again.

Well, they'll say, I gave my heart to God when I was little, and I've served God all my life, and that's why God will let me into his heaven. But they never once mention Jesus as the reason they are saved. It's just God this and God that, and they are believing God to let them into heaven.

Jesus is a foreign subject to them. They bypass Jesus while they were climbing up to heaven, but Jesus says, No man cometh unto the Father but by me. You cannot bypass Jesus, friend, and get into God's holy heaven.

It's like the rich church lady who died, and she's standing at the gates of Pearl, and she announces herself by stating to the one standing there, Hi, Peter. Open the gates. Shirley has finally arrived.

And the one standing there says, I am not Peter. I am Jesus. Who are you? Take her away and bind her.

There'll be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Some church people couldn't pick Jesus out of a crowd if they tried because they bypassed him on their way to heaven. Well, that's the introduction to my message today, friends, and I know you'll enjoy my message because it's about Jesus.

Jesus, chief among ten thousand. Jesus, the lily of the valley. Jesus, the bright and morning star.

Jesus, the pearl of great price. We're selling all for so we may be gained. Jesus, the friend of sinners.

Jesus, the king of kings and lord of lords. Jesus is the blessed hope who'll soon return to judge the world in righteousness. Jesus, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Let me pray now, friend, for the Lord's assistance. Great God, O ancient of days, you who dwell in the high and holy place, whose very name is holy. I come to you now, Father, by the blood of thy son, Jesus, who sits beside you at your right hand and by whom one day will judge the living and the dead.

Oh, Jesus, help me now, I pray. I need your strength. I need your presence.

I need your power by your spirit. Walk among us here tonight, Lord, and touch some poor sinner's heart and save them. I pray, Lord, that you'll awaken someone tonight to their lost condition and bring them into a saving knowledge of you.

I pray these things in the strong name of Jesus. Amen. The title of my message today, friends, is Man Up a Tree, and it's about the conversion of Zacchaeus.

You can turn in your Bibles there now, friends, to the Gospel of Luke. We'll be in this familiar story, which starts in chapter 19 and goes through verses 1 through 10. Let us stand for the reading of God's word.

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 of little stature.

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 the house. And he made haste and came down and received him joyfully.

And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, that he was gone to be guest 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 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. May the Spirit of the Lord apply these words to our hearts this evening.

You can be seated, friends. Zacchaeus was a man up a tree. I enjoy two stories about Zacchaeus, one by D.O. Moody and the other by Charles Spurgeon.

Moody commented that Zacchaeus was a Christian before his feet hit the ground. I like that. I believe that.

The other story is told of the pastor's college in London where Charles Spurgeon had his students give a weekly sermon to the class while the governor himself sat in the back of the room and Spurgeon closely observed the students one by one as they gave out their sermon. One man came unprepared. This student had the text of ours today out of Luke's gospel in chapter 19 and this is what he said.

I overslept and my sermon only has two points. The first is this, Zacchaeus was small in stature and so am I. Secondly, Zacchaeus was up a tree and so am I. Then the class burst out to laughter and into uproar and they demanded for the student to finish the sermon but Spurgeon waved his hand over his head in the back of the room holding his belly with the other hand while he was laughing out loud and he yelled no no it's perfectly perfect as it is. Well we're going to look at this man Zacchaeus today tonight friends and see how he found Jesus.

The most important thing you can do in your life friend is to find Jesus and to savingly close with him. Let's take a look at this man Zacchaeus. Our text says about him that he was a big deal in his local community because he had a big job for he was not only a publican but my bible says he was chief among the publicans.

He was a big man in town so to speak. He had a big bank account as well because my bible says about him and he was rich. He had a big swagger when he rolled into town and the people feared him but he was a paradox because even though he was big in all these ways he was a little man, a short little man so short he could not see Jesus in a crowd.

All he saw were other people's shoulders all his life. He was the shortest kid in his neighborhood, the shortest kid in school but he determined to be a big man someday by hook or crook and he did just that mainly by crook for there were a few men more crooked than a Jewish publican and everybody knew it. He even admits how he got his money to Jesus.

He comes clean with Jesus and makes restitution to man. 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. He knew he was crooked as the day was long and so did everyone else but although he was a big deal in town he was just a little guy with a big ego and he was short in stature and one day he realized he was short salvation.

He had heard of this man Jesus who came doing good. Jesus made the deaf to hear. Jesus gave sight to the blind and this interested Zacchaeus.

He wanted to see Jesus the miracle worker. He knew he had a miracle just for him. Zacchaeus knew this for a fact for he bumped into his old friend blind Bartimaeus.

The blind Bartimaeus was no longer blind. He could see as good as he could because he'd met this man Jesus and Zacchaeus wanted some of that. He wanted to meet Jesus.

Oh why there was talk even raised the dead to life and as Zacchaeus pondered on all these things he felt a hold a vacuum in his heart. He was short salvation and he knew it and he knew Jesus was the only one who could help him and change him so he determined to see Jesus. Do you know friend that when a man gets desperate, that when a man feels his need, that when a man gets serious with God, God will get serious with that man.

Do you believe that? I sure do. It's been true in my own life and do you know friend that a person gets saved when they receive a revealed Christ? You chew on that one for a while. Jesus is hid in the bosom of the Father.

My Bible says and God must draw you to Jesus to reveal Christ to you. Jesus said no man can come unto me except my Father first draw him. Did he not say that? Then if Jesus said it, it must be true for he cannot lie and there's no lie in him.

The devil is the one who's a liar and the father of lies. Is that not what Jesus said? I'm telling you what Jesus said. I'm a preacher and I do those things.

I tell folks about Jesus just like the apostle Paul had to do. I preach Christ and him crucified. Well let's look closely friends at the conversion of Zacchaeus for perhaps there may be someone here like our man Zacchaeus tonight.

You're a man up a tree and you know it. You're a woman up a tree and you know it. You know Jesus is the only one who can save you but you have yet to get to him and close with Christ Jesus but you feel your need.

Notice several aspects of how Zacchaeus goes about to find Jesus. First he had a desire. Our text says he sought to see Jesus.

You start seeking God for saving faith in Christ and you're on the right track friend. You're on the right trail. If you're saved friend it's because God gave you saving faith.

So Zacchaeus had a desire for something more than just his money and just his reputation. Deep down he knew he was short salvation. He knew he was lost and only Jesus had the solution.

Only Jesus could help him. Only Jesus could save him. Even Jesus ends the story by saying for the son of man is come to seek and to save who? That which was lost.

You have to be lost before you can be saved friend. Have you ever been lost? Are you a lost sinner? Jesus can only help those who feel their need of him. He came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.

Are you a lost sinner in need of a savior? I've got good news for you friend. Jesus hung on a bloody cross suffered and died and was buried. He rose again and he appeared unto many.

Then he ascended back into God's holy heaven. The one that he came from and he now sits at the right hand of the father and he earned that right by way of a bloody cross. Jesus is the only remedy for sin.

Jesus is the only refuge for sinners. Are you a lost sinner? Then come to him friend and believe on him and own him as your savior and lord. Notice Zacchaeus not only had a desire and he longed to see Jesus but he was determined to not give up until he found him.

Notice the action words in our text. He sought, he ran, he climbed. He knew Jesus was coming down the road.

He could feel the press of the crowd, the excitement in the air but he had to elbow his way through and squeeze and press through that crowd like you have to do to get through a straight gate in a narrow way. He was determined to see Jesus. He was singular in mind and heart.

He had to get to Jesus. He had to see this Jesus and nothing and nobody was going to get in his way. He had opportunity and purpose.

He ran, he climbed, he saw, he finally laid his eyes on this man Jesus whom he'd heard so much about and his gaze was fixed on Jesus. In our text says and when Jesus came to the place and looked up and saw him and said unto him Zacchaeus make haste and come down for today I must abide at the house and I can imagine friends Jesus looking up at that little man Zacchaeus clinging on to that tree branch while he was so overjoyed at seeing Jesus kicking his sandals as his legs swung over that tree and I bet Jesus was grinning from ear to ear at the zeal and zest of this little man who just wouldn't be denied about seeing Jesus. He bet he was surprised when Jesus called him by name just as Philip was surprised when Jesus told him he saw him sitting beneath that tree.

Don't you know friend that Jesus loves us with an everlasting love? He knows his sheep and he calls them by name and boy did Zacchaeus jump down from that tree lickety split with joy in his heart. Our text says and received him joyfully and I believe Moody was right when he said Zacchaeus was a Christian before his feet hit the ground because I believe his heart was already changed for the first words out of his mouth are that of a changed man when Jesus was here in his earthly ministry as he passed through towns and villages those who encountered him experienced changed and that's what happened to this little man Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus says behold Lord Jesus is now his Lord and he wants to make good by him and make restitution as proof of his regenerated heart.

He's given half his wealth to the poor before this change. Money was his God but not anymore friends for he has a new Lord and his name is Jesus and not only does he give half his money away he wants to make restitution to all those folks he swindled and he'll restore them fourfold by the time he was done. This old boy didn't have much money left but he didn't care because now he was rich toward God for Jesus declares to everyone there and Jesus said unto him this day is salvation come to this house for as much as he also is the son of Abraham for the son of man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Oh friends Jesus is a saver from sin he can change your life friend change your heart change your entire eternal destiny take you to heaven when you die spend eternity with him but you must be born from above and washed in the blood of the lamb the Lord Jesus Christ who came down here so we can go up there. Listen friend Jesus came into this world doing good having compassion on man feeding the feeding everybody who was hungry healing the sick giving sight to the blind making the lame to leap and the deaf to hear even raising the dead to life yet what happened cruel men cried away with him and nailed him to a cross. Look at that blessed man on the cross friend look at that man on the cross see him there with his arms outstretched beckoning you to come to him and believe on him look at that man on the cross friend look at that blood-stained savior for sin see the crown of thorns upon his head see him twist and turn beneath the weight of sin my sin your sin I see him brought as a lamb to the slaughter oh the terrible scandal of that cross he hangs there between two criminals but he's innocent innocent of sin yet he cries my god my god why have you forsaken me oh god the father is so holy he can't look on sin so when the son of god becomes a substitute for sin the father looks away the sky goes dark the wind begins to howl the earth begins to shake as jesus the son of god takes my sins away he loved me and gave himself for me look at that blood-stained man on the cross friend see him there jesus the friend of sinners the cross is the place where men sought to get rid of him but by his death it becomes the place where his saving power flows out to all who come in repentance confessing they are sinners and on them as their savior and lord here in his love not that we love god but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins i know i am a sinner and i need a substitute for sin and so do you friend so do you his name is jesus jesus knew all about zacchaeus but zacchaeus had to know jesus and he wouldn't give up until he found him and after that encounter with jesus he was a changed man jesus is the most wonderful thing that ever happened to me friends he sought me as a lonely awkward teenager and i gave my heart to him and he changed my life and he saved me from my sins by his grace since that time over 50 years ago jesus has been with me through thick and thin he's been there through joys and sorrows and although at times i've let him down he's never once ever let me down jesus of nazareth he's been my faithful friend and he will be with me to the end if i had a thousand lives i've give them all to jesus dear friend if you've not trusted this blessed savior receive them now before it's too late turn your eyes onto jesus turn your eyes onto jesus turn your life over to jesus friend you'll never regret it jesus is the pearl of great price we're selling all for so we may be gained i'm here tonight friends to tell you about jesus jesus is the only remedy for sin but jesus is the only refuge for any poor sinner some of you may be living your last year on this earth life is short and death comes at times in sudden and unexpected ways listen to me friend i had a close friend recently younger than me who spent his last night in his bed and in the morning kissed his wife goodbye he was in perfect health but he got on a plane that morning and it crashed and killed him instantly turn to jesus friend you don't know how much time you got in this world he's your only hope the world's uncertain but jesus is certain you can count on the word of god and you can count on the god of the word jesus is the blessed hope don't delay friend if god's spirit has been speaking to your heart tonight come to jesus now lay your sin burden down and cast yourself on him i believe with moody that Zacchaeus was a christian before his feet hit the ground because he'd gotten on a clear look at jesus and there's life and a luck friend the thief on the cross found that out for sure the thief on the cross looked over at jesus and believed on him and jesus said to him today you will be with me in paradise i believe that friends that if you're sincere in coming to jesus for forgiveness of sin he can save you just as quick as he did Zacchaeus maybe you're a bigger sinner than Zacchaeus was but it doesn't matter if you come to christ for jesus says if you come to him i will in no wise cast out but jesus can save the biggest sinner in this town tonight if you only come to him but jesus can take your filthy rotten black-hearted sins and wash them as white as snow you can leave here a lady saved by grace you can leave here a man saved by grace you can leave here a boy saved by grace you can leave here a girl saved by grace if you only come to jesus and get serious with him but jesus doesn't care about your past he cares about your future Zacchaeus ran with all his might to get to that tree so he could climb up and get a clear sight of jesus but jesus hung on that bloody cross so you won't go to hell friend don't go to hell it's horrible in that smoky hot region of the damned it's all out of darkness and misery there flee to christ friend while you can don't listen to the devil telling you to wait for a better time a more convenient opportunity to come you better come now friend and don't you wait a skinny minute longer you be like Zacchaeus and bust away through a crowd up here as fast as you can but listen to the gospel call look unto me and be saved all the ends of the earth for i am god and there is none else the gospel is for the hungry the weary and the thirsty let me ask you friend are you hungry for god are you sick and tired of your filthy sins are you thirsty for christ then come to him come to jesus surrender yourself to him listen dear friend to this gospel plea and the spirit and the bride say come and let him that hearsay come and let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely oh friend come to jesus do not let him pass you by surrender all you are to all he is and he is lord lord now indeed i find thy power and thine alone can change the leper's spots and melt the heart of stone jesus paid it all all to him i owe sin hath left a crimson stain he washed it white as snow for nothing good have i whereby thy grace to claim i'll wash my garments white in the blood of calvary's lamb jesus paid it all all to him i owe sin hath left a crimson stain he washed it white as snow