Forgiveness In a Fig Tree

In Luke 19:1-10, Jesus enters Jericho and is passing through. A man named Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector and wealthy, is there and wants to see who Jesus is. He cannot see because of the crowd, so he climbs a sycamore-fig tree. When Jesus reaches the spot, he looks up and says to Zacchaeus, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” Zacchaeus comes down at once and welcomes Jesus gladly. All the people see this and begin to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stands up and says 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.” Jesus says to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

This account is a great example of how Jesus loves and accepts everyone, even sinners. Zacchaeus was a tax collector, which was a despised profession in Jesus’ time. He was also wealthy, which made him even more hated by the people. But Jesus saw Zacchaeus as a person who was lost and in need of salvation. He did not see him as a sinner, but as a son of Abraham.

Jesus’ act of accepting Zacchaeus into His home was a sign of his acceptance and love. It was also a sign of His willingness to save even the most unlikely people. Zacchaeus was so moved by Jesus’ love that he immediately changed his life. He gave half of his possessions to the poor and promised to pay back anyone he had cheated. This was a sign that he had truly repented of his sins and turned to Jesus for salvation.

This is a reminder that Jesus loves and accepts everyone, even sinners. He is willing to save even the most unlikely people. If we turn to Him in repentance, He will forgive us and give us new life.

Here are some key takeaways:

• Jesus loves and accepts everyone, even sinners.
• Jesus is willing to save even the most unlikely people.
• If we turn to Jesus in repentance, He will forgive us and give us new life.