Sermon text: Luke 19:1-10
Introduction
“Mi casa es su casa.” My house is your house. “Están en su casa.” You are in your home. In other words, my house is your house. “Aquí los esperamos con los brazos abiertos.” We are waiting for you and will receive you with open arms.
These are just some of the phrases my fellow missionaries and I get to hear on a regular basis. As we travel throughout Latin America — teaching, training, and encouraging people to start churches — we’re often on the receiving end of hospitality.
But this hospitality looks different from place to place. We work with students from many different regions, cultures, countries, and socioeconomic backgrounds. I’ve stayed in a luxury boutique hotel in a large cit and I’ve also stayed in the only hotel in a small rural Colombian village, which doubled as someone’s home and cost just $7 a night. I’ve been treated to fine restaurants, and I’ve eaten stew prepared over a fire in a backyard. I’ve ridden in the back of a Land Cruiser driven by one of our student’s chauffeurs and I’ve ridden on the back of many motorcycles.
Whether something might seem extravagant or humble by our standards, each of those experiences was special because it was believers putting into practice the fruit of faith of hospitality.
Throughout history, Christians have shown hospitality. The early church was known for caring for those in need—feeding the hungry, tending the sick, supporting widows and orphans. In times of persecution, believers gave shelter to those fleeing danger. They welcomed refugees, assisted travelers, and, in the case of monasteries and convents, provided food, lodging, and care.
Part of the reason why hospitality been such a key aspect of the life of the church it’s biblical.
We see hospitality already in the Old Testament. When Abraham received three visitors, he had water brought for them to wash their feet. He asked his wife to bake bread. He personally selected a tender calf for a meal. And then he didn’t sit down and dine with them—he stood nearby, ready to serve them, like a waiter.
In the New Testament, Paul encouraged believers to practice hospitality. Churches often depended on it—meeting in the homes of believers. Being hospitable is even listed as a qualification for the public ministry.
Jesus, too, often used hospitality as a setting for his teaching. Just a few weeks ago, we heard about Jesus being a guest in Simon the Pharisee’s home. Last week, we heard about Jesus visiting Mary and Martha. His first miracle was at a wedding in Cana. But Jesus wasn’t always just the guest. Sometimes, he arrived as a guest and became the host.
For our meditation today, we’ll focus on an account where hospitality and the Great Commission meet. In Luke 19:1-10 we see Jesus go from being a guest to being the host to seek and save the lost.
Explaining the Text
This account takes place in Jericho. It a beautiful city with palm trees and rose gardens. Herod the Great and his son liked it so much they built a winter palace there, along with a theater, pools, and a stadium. Because of the warm climate, people escaped there during colder seasons. Some streets were lined with sycamore trees. History buffs may know that Mark Antony once gave the city to Cleopatra as a token of affection.
And in this city lived and worked Zacchaeus.
What do we know about him? He was a tax collector – but not just any tax collector. Luke tells us he was a chief tax collector. That’s a unique title in Scripture. We hear about tax collectors all over the gospels but this is the only spot where we hear the term “chief tax collector.”
We also know Zacchaeus was wealthy. Jericho was a prime location for collecting taxes. The region produced a healing, fragrant balm from balsam trees that generated high tax revenue. It was also a hub on major trade routes—bringing in even more revenue, and more opportunity for someone like Zacchaeus to profit.
What else do we know about Zaccheaus? From Jerico, a tax collector, a chief tax collector, wealthy… We also know Zacchaeus was short. He was a “wee little man!”
But his shortcomings weren’t just physical. He fell short in ways that mattered much more. He fell short in other ways, in ways that had much bigger consequences than not being able to see over a crowd or maybe getting picked on in his youth. He had much bigger problems than having to have his robes and tunics custom made or not being able to reach the stirrups on his donkey. He fell short before God.
When Zacchaeus said, “If I have cheated anybody,” he was using a form that implied he had. He was acknowledging what everyone already knew — he had become rich by cheating, robbing, swindling, and abusing his power. He hadn’t loved God with all his heart. He hadn’t loved his neighbor. Zacchaeus was, in every way, a man who had fallen short.
But Zacchaeus was exactly the kind of person Jesus came to seek and save.
Jesus wanted to stay at his house.
Sycamore-fig trees had branches low to the ground, so even a short man like Zacchaeus could climb one. When Jesus saw him, he didn’t politely ask, “Do you think I could stay at your house?” or “If it’s not too much trouble, could I stop by?” No. Jesus called him by name and said, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” “Hurry down!” “Make Haste!”
What do you think their dinner conversation was like? There are a lot of details in the account – Jerico, Chief Tax Collector, Zaccheaus’ height, sycamore fig tree – but we don’t hear what was said at the table. But we can imagine it involved sin and grace, law and gospel, death and life. Jesus probably explained why he had come—to live perfectly, to die innocently, to rise again—to open heaven to all, including Zacchaeus. He may have even explained that he was headed to Jerusalem to take the punishment Zacchaeus and all sinners deserved.
Jesus invited himself over. He came as a guest—but he became the host, giving Zacchaeus what his clever conniving could never figure out, what his money couldn’t buy, what his status couldn’t influence – salvation.
To highlight that salvation, Jesus gave Zacchaeus a new title. He went from chief tax collector to son of Abraham. This new title was beyond meaningful. It meant he wasn’t a sellout, but a son. Yes, a sinner—but also a saint. No longer an outsider, but a member of God’s family.
This likely infuriated the Pharisees and religious leaders. They believed they were the true sons of Abraham — because of their behavior. But Jesus was making it clear that anyone can be part of God’s family, despite their behavior, by grace.
Law
This is good news for us, too.
Zacchaeus isn’t the only “wee little man” in this story. We are. Whether you’re over six feet tall or shorter like me, we all fall short before God. Like Zacchaeus, we may wrestle with greed, selfishness, or a love of money. Or our sins may take different forms. But all of us, in our thoughts, words, and actions, fall short of the perfection God demands.
Gospel
But Jesus didn’t come just to seek and save Zacchaeus. He came to seek and save us.
What title or compliment would bring you joy? What words would lift your spirit? Someone calling you a great parent? A respected professional? A thoughtful friend?
Jesus gives you a title. It’s not “chief of sinners,” though we deserve it, but he give you a title that carries just as much weight and significant as being called a son of Abraham meant for Zaccheaus. He gives you the title of child of God. Forgiven. Redeemed. Restored. Reconciled. A member of God’s own family.
He’s given you those titles, but he has also brought something to your house. Salvation has come to your house, to your life. Deliverance, rescue, healing. That’s a beautiful thing to reflect on: Jesus is not only present in your life—he brings salvation with him.
Application
The natural question now is, “What can we do?” After hearing law and gospel, we ask how to respond and we can look to our text for some suggestions. Zacchaeus gave away half of his possessions and repaid those he had wronged fourfold – the fruit of faith of generosity and righting wrongs. These are things we can do.
But I want to encourage you to consider a different application.
Can you use hospitality — somehow, in some way — so that salvation might come to someone else’s home? Could you also join us in the Great Commission in a very specific way — through hospitality?
A church historian once said, “One must never underestimate the importance of a cup of tea in the evangelization of the world.” Some of you already practice this. If so, keep going. If not, consider it. Invite someone to your home. Accept an invitation. Meet someone for coffee. You don’t need to provide a five-course meal or preach a full sermon — that’s the beauty of it. Just connect with someone and look for the opportunities that God provides to share your faith.
Conclusion
Whether you show hospitality to share your faith, build connections to eventually share your faith, or simply love your neighbor, and as maybe you wrestle with hospitality… I’ve invited people over but haven’t gotten the chance to share my faith, I’ve invited people out for coffee but no one has accepted, I’ve been invited over to someone’s house but I just haven’t been able to go yet… whatever the struggle is, whatever the success is… know that you have a hospitable Savior.
God welcomes us into his family (John 1:12). Jesus prepares a place for us in his Father’s house (John 14:2). Our Lord invites us to his table for forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation (Matt. 26:26–29). Heaven is described as a banquet — the marriage feast of the Lamb (Rev. 19:9). Jesus says many will come from east and west to recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Matt. 8:11). Isaiah 25 paints heaven with rich meats and fine wines. Isaiah 55 invites all who are thirsty to come, without cost. And in Psalm 23, maybe one of the most well-known parts of scripture, we hear about our God’s hospitality. “You prepare a table before me… my cup overflows… I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
We are wee little people. But Jesus came to seek and save us. He came into our house, down to our earth, into our lives. He won salvation on the cross —and gave it to us.
“Mi casa es su casa.” My house is your house. “Están en su casa.” You are in your home. “Aquí te espero con los brazos abiertos.” I’m waiting for you here with arms wide open. This is what Jesus says to you.
Thank you for your partnership in sharing this good news with others. Amen.