AN UNCOMMON DAY

     There was a day in the city of Jericho that began as just another normal day in the life of a tax collector by the name of Zacchaeus.
     In that day, the Romans recruited Jews to collect tax from Jews for Caesar in Rome.  The tax collectors were not paid by the Romans, so in order for the tax collector to earn a wage for his services rendered unto Caesar, he simply added a tax on Ceasar's tax which he kept for himself; and the extra tax could be as much as the tax collector imposed, which was one of those get-rich-quick schemes that people invent, and therefore tax collectors were not popular people.
    As the day began for Zacchaeus, he learned that Jesus was in Jericho and that He would be passing his way.  Crowds of people also gathered because the fame of Jesus had spread and they all wanted to see what Jesus was all about.
    We are told that Zacchaeus was a man of small stature, perhaps five feet tall, or he could have been shorter; and because of his small size, he could not see over the shoulders of others, even by jumping up and down.  There was a sycamore tree nearby and Zacchaeus quickly climbed the tree and perched himself on a limb.  Perhaps, too, Zacchaeus planned to climb down the tree and resume his normal day of knocking on doors after Jesus was gone.  But not today.  Today would be different.
     The crowds of people were watching Jesus and no one paid attention to Zacchaeus, a rich tax collector, of all people.
     Suddenly Jesus stopped and said to Zacchaeus up in the tree:  Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.
     My name?  Jesus knows my name?  Of all the people in Jericho, Jesus is coming to my house?
    Zacchaeus quickly made haste and climbed down from the tree.  And without offering Jesus a cup of water or a pan in which to wash His feet, Zacchaeus began confessing even though Jesus never pointed a finger at him and even before Jesus had time to say another word:  
    Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. 
    That was all Jesus needed to hear, for the Lord said, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomcuh as he also is a son of Abraham.  For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
    Why was it important for Jesus to go to the house of Zacchaeus?  Because the Lord wanted to minister unto Zacchaeus, one on one and face to face, and apart from the crowds.
    For me, April 27, 1995 began as another common day in my life; but when Jesus passed my way that morning and I made my confession unto Him, my common day was the beginning of  an uncommon way.
    Like Zacchaeus, the Lord met me, one on one and face to face.  And also like Zacchaeus, I felt ten feet tall.
    Zacchaeus was on his way to work that day in Jericho when his life suddenly changed; for me in 1995, I was on my way to work when my life suddenly changed.