Part 2–The Christmas Spirit: Redemption for All

Reverend Leo H. McCrary II

Christmas is a story of redemption, but who is it that can and will be redeemed by the Lord? The story of Zacchaeus will help answer these questions.

Introduction

As we take a look at the story of Zacchaeus, it will remind us of the reason we sing rejoicing this time of year.  As we saw in the first part of this series, the spirit behind our good tidings was God, seeing there was no justice nor intercessor among mankind, and choosing to bring forth His salvation. This week, we will see that the reason we sing rejoicing is because of redemption–the soul of man needed redeeming, and God gave His redeemer for all–we have a Redeemer. 

The Reason for the Season

I always feel it is necessary to remind people what we ought to be celebrating this time of year and why we ought to be celebrating the giving of Christ.

God gave His only begotten Son because Jesus Christ is the salvation that the Lord promised to bring forth.  Jesus is God’s salvation and deliverer sent for mankind.  Christ confirmed this when He told Nicodemus that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but will have everlasting life (John 3:16).

God gave His only begotten Son because of the promise he made to mankind, after Adam and Eve’s disobedience in the garden.  In Genesis 3:15, God promised to put enmity between the serpent and the Woman, between its seed and the woman’s Seed.  The Lord promised that her Seed would bruise the head of the serpent, therefore, confounding and defeating it.  This promise pointed to Christ defeating the devil and sin.

Ultimately, God gave His only begotten Son so that His will would be fulfilled.  The will of the Father, Jesus explained, was that of all the Father had given to Him, He should lose nothing, but should raise it at the last day.  The will of the Father is for all who received the Son to dwell with Him for everlasting life (John 6:39-40).

Christmas–A Redemption Story

What I desire for you to understand is that the story of Christmas is a redemption story; it is a story of redemption for mankind!

Let us understand what redemption means.  To redeem means to get or to win back.  God had to get and win back mankind because we were lost to sin in the garden.  To win or to get back mankind, He gave His only begotten Son.

To redeem also means to free from captivity by payment of ransom.  We, mankind, were in the chains of sin, shackled and held in bondage.  While salvation is free, salvation (deliverance) came at a hefty price that no man could begin to pay.  Again, God gave His only begotten Son ransom for us, mankind (Matt. 20:28; Mark 10:45). 

Who can be redeemed

Again, Christmas is a redemption story for us, mankind.  Many will begin to wonder who exactly can be redeemed.  

When the scribes and Pharisees had antagonized Him and the disciples, Jesus shared a word with them about who He had come to redeem and save.  Redemption, Jesus told the religious leaders, is for those who are spiritually sick.  In Luke 5:31-32, we will see that Jesus told them that He didn’t come for the ‘righteous’, but rather, He came for those who weren’t well.  

Redemption, Jesus also made clear, is for all those who are heavy-laden.  In Matthew 11:28, Jesus invited all of those who labor and are heavy laden to come to Him so that He may give them rest–peace of mind.

Redemption, we should all understand, is for all of those who choose it–it is for everyone.  The question one must answer is whether or not they believe the Redeemer has come, and more specifically, has come to redeem them.  Do you believe that you need saving, redemption?  Do you believe that you are worthy of saving, redemption?

Christ came for those who recognize they aren’t well in their soul, and confess need for help.  Sadly, the righteous are those who don’t believe they need saving or redeeming–they’re perfect already.  In their self-righteousness, they won’t ever go to see the Great Physician for the help they need.

Then, there are those who don’t believe they are worthy to be redeemed and saved.  Yet, what I want you to see today is that God says otherwise.  Where you may think that you aren’t worthy of redemption or saving, God says that you are worthy.

Redemption Is for All

The story of Jesus coming to the house of Zacchaeus helps to show who can be redeemed.  So, let us pay close attention to this scripture from Luke 19:1-10.

Who was Zacchaeus?

Luke 19 opens by telling us that Jesus had entered Jericho and was passing through the city (Luke 19:1).  In the city dwelt a man named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and was rich (Luke 19:2).  Now, at first glance, Zacchaeus being a rich tax collector may not seem like much, but this is vital information, especially for those who may want to know whether they are worthy of being redeemed and saved.

Tax collectors collected taxes, not for Jerusalem, but for Rome.  The Jews lived under the authority of Rome, and scripture shows that the Jews did not enjoy living under Rome.  The religious leaders, wanting to test Jesus and likely desiring not to pay taxes to Rome, once asked Him whether or not they should pay taxes to Caesar (Luke 20:20-26).

So, because tax collectors collected taxes on behalf of the empire, they were seen as being wicked and evil sinners who worked against their people.  Adding to this reputation was the fact that many of them also moved in a greedy manner to enrich themselves by stealing from their people.

By his own lips and tongue, Zacchaeus told Jesus that if he had taken anything from anyone, the poor, by false accusation, he would give it back fourfold (Luke 19:8).  Personally, I believe that Zacchaeus had done that, which is why he would restore what he had taken.  I imagine that he likely lied about how much someone owed so that he could get a cut of the money and enrich himself.  

After the rich young ruler had turned away from Jesus because he could not sell what he possessed to follow Christ, Jesus made a remark about the rich to His disciples.  Jesus told His disciples that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 19:23; Mark 10:23; Luke 18:24).  The difficulty for the rich was that they often became more dependent on their riches than on the Lord.

I believe that Zacchaeus’ love of money had caused him to stray from the Lord and walk in darkness.  I believe that he was as one who stumbled in the noonday as if it were twilight (Is. 59:10).  

Zacchaeus seeks help

Some suggest that Zacchaeus was the tax collector in Jesus’ Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14).  In that parable, Jesus spoke of how the Pharisee and tax collector went to the temple to pray.  The Pharisee thanked God that he wasn’t like the wicked tax collector, while the tax collector beat his chest and prayed to God, acknowledging he was a sinner.

I believe that the wickedness had begun to weigh on Zacchaeus, so much so that he could recognize that something was wrong with him in his soul.  So, when he had heard that Jesus had come to town, we’re told that Zacchaeus sought to see who He was (Luke 19:3).  I believe he had probably heard about how Jesus had healed the sick, made the lame walk, and caused the blind to see.  So, I believe he went seeking Jesus because he knew he needed help.

In a bit of irony, we’re told that Zacchaeus, because he was short, couldn’t see over the crowd as Jesus was passing through.  As his height was preventing him from seeing Christ, sin does in the life of a sinner.  As shown in Isaiah 59:2, iniquity (sin) separates man from the Lord, so much so that God is hidden from them.

However, Zacchaeus would not let his height prevent him from seeing Christ.  We’re told that he ran ahead and climbed up a sycamore tree so that he could have a better vantage point (Luke 19:4).  One must not let sin block their desire to see Jesus, especially when one recognizes the damage that sin has done to their soul.

Jesus calls for Zacchaeus

Luke 19:5 tells us that as Jesus came to the place where Zacchaeus was, He looked up, saw him, and said, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”

Every time I teach this scripture, I always love to highlight this verse.  The reason I love to highlight this verse is because I love to point out that Zacchaeus was the reason why Jesus came to Jericho.  Sure, there was a crowd that had paraded around Jesus, but He was there for a man who had recognized he wasn’t well and desired help.  I would have you understand that Jesus was answering a sinner’s prayer.

We are repeatedly shown in scripture that when one needs healing, Jesus would always show up and be there for that person.  Jesus traveled through a windstorm on sea to come to the country of the Gadarenes to help the man who was possessed by Legion.  When Jesus was traveling to Cana of Galilee to help a man’s son, He traveled to Samaria to speak with a Samaritan woman who was filled with questions.  Both of which, I want to point out to you, were Gentiles.

Whether it was a Jew, a Samaritan whom the Jews despised, or a Gentile whom Jews would’ve had no dealings with, Jesus was there to save.  Whether it was one who was a disciple of His or a man of wickedness, like Zacchaeus, Jesus was there to save.  

What I love even more about this moment is that Jesus called Zacchaeus by name!  Zacchaeus had never met Jesus and didn’t know Him, but Jesus clearly knew him!  Jesus told the disciples that a good shepherd knows his flock by name (John 10:1-4).

You may be someone who has never called on the Lord.  You may even think that the Lord doesn’t know you from the next person.  Yet, when you recognize the condition of your soul and desire for God’s help, God will come to you and call you by name.  God, you should know and understand, knows you better than you know yourself.

Jesus redeems Zacchaeus

If Jesus came to someone as sinful as Zacchaeus may have been, He can and will come to see and redeem you, if you desire it!  Zacchaeus checked two boxes where it would have been thought impossible for someone like him to be redeemed and saved–rich and a tax collector.  Some may think it is, or was, impossible for you to be redeemed and saved, but there is nothing that is impossible for God.

Jesus told Zacchaeus that salvation (deliverance) from sin had come to his house because he was also a son of Abraham.  Zacchaeus could be considered a son of Abraham by blood, since he was of Israel (Israel/Jacob was the grandson of Abraham).  

However, Jesus, I believe, recognized Zacchaeus as a son of Abraham through his belief and faith.  Abraham was a man of great faith who moved in obedience to the voice of God.  Jesus had called for Zacchaeus to make haste and come out of the tree, and Zacchaeus, in obedience, moved with haste.

Jesus then said to this man who had strayed from the Lord, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and save that which was lost.”  Redemption, I will remind you, is to get back or to win back.  When one who is lost spiritually cries out for help in their heart, Jesus will come directly to you to save.

Christ redeems and brings salvation to those who desire it and seek it!  Again, I repeat to you, redemption is for all who choose redemption!  God has seen that all of us are worthy of redemption, and He gave His son to be born a virgin’s birth to redeem us.  We must choose redemption for ourselves!

Moving in a Spirit of Redemption

Because Christ was born for our redemption, that means the spirit of Christ is about redemption–restoring and saving that which was lost.  So, when you say that you’re trying to get into the Christmas spirit, let’s understand that we ought to be getting into and moving in a spirit that redeems.

An ancient example of poor modern-day Christianity

An example of how many Christians of today are moving is shown to us immediately following Jesus’ calling for Zacchaeus.

In Luke 19:7, after Zacchaeus had made haste and received Jesus joyfully, we’re told that the crowd saw it and complained.  The people said, “He (Jesus) has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.”

I want to point out to you that this was a crowd that was happy to see Jesus enter Jericho and pass through.  They had paraded around Jesus, and I imagine that while many called out His name, there were many reaching for Him.  Yet, when He called for Zacchaeus, they groaned and complained about His choice.

I truly believe that many so-called Christians today would have been standing in that crowd also complaining.  This crowd should have rejoiced at a tax collector being called on and having an opportunity to meet with the heart doctor.  

It is a good thing when one is introduced to Christ, but many of today’s Christians do everything but rejoice at one being introduced to the Redeemer.  Like the religious leaders, many do more to shut the doors of the kingdom, rather than open them.  Many are shutting the doors to those they don’t deem worthy of entry into heaven.  They shut up heaven over skin color, language, or where one is from.

Not everyone will be happy with your desire to be redeemed.  Not everyone will want you to be redeemed.  Moreover, not everyone will help you with your redemption story.  Thankfully, the Lord is not like us.

How to redeem and restore others

As a child of God, we must seek to move in the spirit of redemption, a spirit that remembers as the Lord has done for us, we ought to do unto others.

This begins with the child of God remembering to be merciful and forgiving.  In Luke 17:3-4, Jesus taught the disciples to forgive those who come to them and confess how they have wronged them.  Don’t permit others to wallow and suffer in their guilt when they have sought your mercy–redeem and restore them!

We often forget that God has given us the power and authority to help redeem the day!  We can redeem the day by speaking truthfully, rebuking(correcting) in truth so that we may keep each other honest.  Expounding on this thought, Paul encouraged believers to restore others in a spirit of gentleness, bearing each other’s burdens (Gal. 6:1).  

We can also redeem and restore each other by learn to accept and receive one another.  This is not to suggest that we become tolerant of sin, but rather, it is to say that we must learn not to be overbearing and burdensome.  Those who are strong of faith must learn to bear with the weaknesses of others so that we may lift them up.  We must learn to receive one another just as Christ received us!  This means we must learn to be more empathetic and supportive, rather than cold and demanding.  

You see, the true spirit of Christmas uplifts the spirits of others, rather than weighing them down as sin does.  As a people, we spend so much time hurting and harming each other, causing souls to live in misery.  With that in mind, don’t let miserable people hinder your desire for redemption.  Also, don’t let miserable and bitter people keep you from moving in the spirit of redemption.

God desires intercessors!  He desires those who will move in the great love of standing up and with others.  God desires for us to move in the kind of spirit that supports others to grow and to prosper.  Let that Christmas spirit dwell in you not just for a few days, but for the remainder of all your days in this world.