Walking by Faith: Zacchaeus – A Changed Life in Plain Sight

Everyone in town knew who he was—and no one liked him. 

Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector in Jericho. He had grown rich working for the Roman Empire, enforcing a corrupt system that exploited his fellow Jews. He wasn’t just unpopular.

He was seen as a traitor. 

But when Jesus passed through his city, Zacchaeus ran ahead of the crowd and climbed a tree—just to get a glimpse. 

He had no idea what would happen next. 

Jesus stopped. Called his name. Invited Himself to Zacchaeus’s house. And in that brief encounter, everything changed. 

Zacchaeus shows us that walking by faith isn’t just about internal belief.

It’s about visible transformation. When real faith takes root, it changes your priorities, your behavior, and your willingness to make things right. 

A Man with a Reputation 

Luke 19:1–10 introduces us to Zacchaeus. He was wealthy and powerful, but he was also an outcast. The people of Jericho resented him. Tax collectors were known for cheating their own people—taking more than necessary to line their own pockets. 

Zacchaeus had status. But he didn’t have peace. 

When he heard Jesus was coming, he made a surprising move. He ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see over the crowd. 

It’s an almost childlike gesture. Undignified. Humble. Desperate. 

This wasn’t a man looking to network with a religious figure. He just wanted to see Jesus. That desire, simple as it was, opened the door to everything that followed. 

A Personal Invitation 

As Jesus passed by the tree, He looked up. 

“Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today” (Luke 19:5). 

Jesus didn’t ask for an introduction. He knew Zacchaeus by name. And He didn’t wait to be invited—He invited Himself. 

That one sentence shocked everyone. Why would Jesus want to stay with him? 

The crowd grumbled: “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner” (v. 7). But Jesus wasn’t concerned with reputation. He was concerned with redemption. 

Zacchaeus, overjoyed, welcomed Him in. 

True Repentance, Real Change 

We don’t know everything that happened during their visit. Luke doesn’t record Jesus preaching a sermon or issuing a command. But something about being with Jesus changed Zacchaeus from the inside out. 

He stood up and said: 

“Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone… I restore it fourfold” (v. 8). 

This was more than a financial gesture. It was repentance in action. 

Zacchaeus didn’t just say he believed—he demonstrated it. He acknowledged his past. He made restitution. And he gave generously. 

Faith moved him to do something tangible and costly. Not to earn Jesus’ approval, but in response to it. 

Salvation Comes Home 

Jesus affirmed what had just taken place: 

“Today salvation has come to this house… For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (vv. 9–10). 

Notice what Jesus didn’t say. He didn’t say salvation came because Zacchaeus gave money.

He said salvation came because Zacchaeus had received Jesus and responded with evidence of a changed heart. 

That’s what faith does. It welcomes Christ, surrenders pride, and starts to rebuild what sin has broken. 

What Zacchaeus’s Journey Means for Ours 

You may feel like Zacchaeus—someone others have written off. Someone with a complicated past. Someone who’s made mistakes that can’t be hidden. 

If so, take heart. 

Jesus knows your name. He sees your desire to draw near. And He still chooses to come close—not to condemn you, but to change you. 

Faith begins with seeing Jesus. But it matures as you walk with Him—repenting, restoring, and reflecting His grace to others. 

Final Encouragement 

Zacchaeus wasn’t saved by climbing a tree. He was saved by a Savior who stopped, called his name, and stepped into his life. 

And when that happened, everything changed. 

So don’t let your past keep you stuck. Don’t settle for admiring Jesus from a distance. Let Him into your heart—and your house. 

Because walking by faith means opening every part of your life to Him—and letting His presence transform it.