The King Who Seeks and The King Who Returns
March 22 | Rick Thiemke
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Luke 19:1-27
Jesus and Zacchaeus
1 He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
The Parable of the Ten Minas
11 As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. 12 He said therefore, “A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. 13 Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’ 14 But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ 15 When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. 16 The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’ 17 And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’ 18 And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’ 19 And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ 20 Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief; 21 for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ 22 He said to him, ‘I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’ 24 And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ 25 And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ 26 ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 27 But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.’”
Luke 19 brings us to Jericho, just before Jesus begins the final stretch of His journey toward Jerusalem. The crowds are growing and expectations are rising. Many people believe that when Jesus reaches Jerusalem, the Kingdom of God will appear immediately. They expect a dramatic moment when everything changes. But before that moment arrives, Luke tells two stories that help us understand what Jesus is really like and what it means to follow Him.
First we meet a man named Zacchaeus. Luke tells us that Zacchaeus is the chief tax collector, and he is wealthy (verse 2). In the eyes of the people around him, he represents corruption and betrayal. Tax collectors worked within the Roman system and often enriched themselves at the expense of their own people. Zacchaeus would have been widely disliked and distrusted. Yet Zacchaeus is curious about Jesus. He wants to see who Jesus is, but the crowd blocks his view. Because he is short, he runs ahead and climbs into a sycamore tree to see Jesus as He passes by (verses 3-4). Then something surprising happens. When Jesus reaches the place, He stops. He looks up and calls him by name.
Jesus is The King Who Seeks the Lost
Jesus is not simply willing to speak with Zacchaeus. He invites Himself into Zacchaeus’ home (verse 5). In that culture, sharing a meal meant acceptance and relationship. The crowd immediately begins to grumble (verse 7). But Jesus sees something different. Where the crowd sees a scandal, Jesus sees a person.
In response, Zacchaeus stands and makes a remarkable declaration. He gives half of his possessions to the poor and promises to repay anyone he has defrauded fourfold (verse 8). His life begins to change because he has encountered Jesus. Jesus responds with a powerful statement (verses 9-10).
In these words Jesus reveals something essential about Himself. He is the One who goes looking for people who feel far from God. He moves toward those that others overlook. His presence brings restoration and new life. Zacchaeus climbed a tree just to see Jesus. But in the end, it is Jesus who truly sees Zacchaeus.
Luke places this encounter here to help us understand the heart of Jesus. He is not merely passing through Jericho. He is revealing His mission. The Son of Man has come to seek and save the lost.
Jesus is The King Who Will Return
Luke then tells us that the people were expecting the Kingdom of God to appear immediately (verse 11). Because of this expectation, Jesus tells a parable. In the story, a nobleman leaves to receive a Kingdom and then return. Before leaving, he entrusts money to his servants and instructs them to put it to work while he is away (verse 13). When the nobleman returns, he calls his servants to give an account of what they have done with what was entrusted to them.
Some servants have been faithful with what they were given, and the king commends them. Another servant hides what he received and does nothing with it. Through this parable Jesus is helping His followers understand something about the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom has begun in Him, but it will not be fully revealed right away.
There will be a time in between. The King will go away, and His servants will live in the world representing Him until He returns.
This is the time we live in now. Jesus has already begun His Kingdom through His life, death and resurrection. But the fullness of that Kingdom is still ahead. In the meantime, His followers are entrusted with lives, opportunities and resources that can participate in His mission. We live in the tension of the already and the not yet. The Kingdom is already present because Jesus has come, but it is not yet complete because the King has not yet returned.
Luke places these stories right before Jesus enters Jerusalem. The King is drawing near to the city. But before He arrives, Luke wants us to understand what this King is like. He seeks the lost. And He calls His people to live faithfully in His Kingdom until the day He returns.
Discussion Questions
In the story of Zacchaeus, what stands out most to you about the way Jesus seeks and responds to people who feel far from God?
Zacchaeus’ life began to change after encountering Jesus. What is one area of your life where following Jesus might reshape your priorities or actions?
Jesus’ parable reminds us we live in the time between the King’s departure and His return. How might that perspective change the way you live your everyday life this week?