56th Post Jesus & His Mission Con't - Luke 19: 9 - 10.

Luke 19: 9 -10. The Story of Zacchaeus, Luke 19: 1 - 10.
The background for this story is that Jesus started His journey from the Sea of Galilee and is heading up to Jerusalem. Jesus is on His way to be in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. The crowd has been building the whole time they have been walking. The crowd is not yet to the city gates of Jericho, when a small man named Zacchaeus a tax collector hears the crowd and asks "What is happening?" "Jesus is coming" was the reply. Zacchaeus wanted very much to see Jesus, so he climbed a tree to get above the croud for a better look. Imagine his surprise when Jesus looked up in the tree and called Zacchaeus by name. They have never met, how did this man know my name? Then Jesus asked Zacchaeus if He could go to Zacchaeus' house and have a meal with him. Zacchaeus did not know what to think. After eating and talking with Jesus, Zacchaeus became a believer; and told the crowd that if he had cheated anyone he would pay back everything up to four times what was owed. Zacchaeus was a rich man, so he could afford what he promised. Tax collector's made their money by charging the Jews the taxes demanded by the Romans, the Romans did not pay the tax collector's so they had to charge more in order to eat. They were hated by the Jews because of this. This story shows what happens when a man truley repents.