When Jesus came to that place, He looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, hurry down, for I must stay at your house today.” ~ Luke 19:5
Instead of being taught that we are and have always been holy, righteous, and pure, we were taught that they are sinners separated from God. We were taught that they only become ONE when we say a sinner's prayer, inviting God to live in our hearts! And so, we jump through hoops. Eating from the DO to BE tree, hoping we can somehow please God enough and get Him to "visit" our churches, homes, families, etc.
Hoping we can crucify the flesh enough to become more like Jesus. NEVER being taught that we have ALWAYS been ONE with God! Zacchaeus ran into the same problem! He was a chief tax collector. He was spit at on the street, cursed at by children and people of all ages. The religious leaders read his name (along with all the other local tax collectors) during the Sabbath in the synagogue, declaring that he could NEVER be forgiven. BUT, Jesus comes along and sees him in a tree and calls him by name.
Zacchaeus means clean and pure. So, in essence, Jesus called out to him, “Clean and pure one, image and likeness of God come down because today I dine in your house."
Jesus was calling him (and us today!) to come down from the tree of THE LIE (Genesis 3:5). To stop believing the lie that said we have ever lacked any part of God, the lie that we were not COMPLETE image and likeness of God, divine ones, and ONE with God. Jesus said, "Hurry up, clean one, pure one, come down because today (now) it is necessary for me to abide IN your house.
Today, right now, He abides IN us…. NOT when we get our lives together. NOT when we think we’re good enough for Him to abide in us. Not when we do whatever religious traditions require that we do so that He can abide in us. NO! Right NOW, TODAY come down from the lying tree of sin and separation and RECOGNIZE that He abides IN you. Rest in and recognize that there is nothing man could have ever done that would change his nature. Our nature is and always has been the image and likeness of God – eternal sons! Zacchaeus responded to Jesus' words with rejoicing! And at His words, shame and disgrace fell away, and he felt as clean .
Luke 19:5-6 (Mirror Bible): As soon as Jesus was under the tree, he looked up and said, Zacheus, come down quickly and take me to your house, I would really like to spend time with you. (6) He was down in a flash and welcomed Jesus into his home with great joy.
