Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector in Jericho. He was incredibly wealthy, but he was completely despised by his community because he got his wealth by cheating and stealing from his own people. When Jesus passed through town, the crowds blocked the short Zacchaeus from seeing Him. But Jesus didn't ignore the outcast; He stopped, looked up in a sycamore tree, and called Zacchaeus by name. This lesson teaches children that Jesus came to seek and save the lost, and that a true encounter with Jesus' grace will radically change how we behave.
What You'll Teach
- ✓ Zacchaeus was a wealthy tax collector who was hated for stealing.
- ✓ Zacchaeus climbed a sycamore tree just to get a glimpse of Jesus.
- ✓ Jesus stopped and called Zacchaeus by name, inviting Himself to dinner.
- ✓ The religious crowd grumbled that Jesus would eat with a 'sinner.'
- ✓ Zacchaeus's heart was changed, proving his repentance by paying back four times what he stole.