Out From The Box Ministries

   

June 2010                                                                                       Rev. Joel Moore

BREAK RANK!    Text:   Luke 19:1-6   1Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. 4So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 5When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." 6So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.   Context:   This story has a lot to say, so I will just break down the stand out notices in the text.  Zach is not just a regular tax collector, He is the chief.  He is in charge of all of them, and of course this would make him wealthy.  He is like the Ceo of the IRS of Jericho.   Yet, he wanted to see who Jesus was.  Perplexing within itself.   Now this dignified man, used to eating probably the best, and dressing in fine tapestry, has to climb up a tree, just to see Jesus.  Not just any tree, but a sycamore tree, which is a wide and leafy tree with figs.  It was probably difficult to scale considering his size.  But the most important thing we can’t skip over, which probably would have made any of us pass out and fall out of the tree, is the fact that Jesus knew his name.  Can you hear him probably saying “Who Me?”   Word Moment:   I spent 4 years in Jrotc and became quite versed in how military life is led to a degree.  One thing I remember was when we fell into what where called ranks.  This is when we assembled into organized columns for a specific purpose.   We were in uniform and were supposed to stand at attention or parade rest and maintain this formation.  Well, a person could not just leave this formation without permission, for to do so would mean that you have broken rank.  You have stepped out of line, You have moved from a position of order to being out of order.  Generally, this would cause you to get into trouble.  There was only one reason that you could get off for breaking rank, and that was in the event of an Emergency.   Zacchaeus has broken rank, he is supposed to be a big time tax man, yet at the mention of Jesus in route he has to see for himself.   He sheds the persona, he sheds his status, he sheds his piety of being rich, and he climbs a tree to get a look.  Sounds like an emergency, sounds like he needed to break rank.   I would solicit to you that he is not alone there are some people today that still need to break rank.  It is an emergency!  Schools must break rank and see Jesus; The Government must break rank and see Jesus; The music industry must break rank and see Jesus; Fortune 500 companies must break rank and see Jesus.  You see, to break rank might not be easy,  you may be looked down upon and people may look at you like you are short or beneath them, but this was no thing for Zach.  He decided that some things are just more important.  So, he climbed that tree to see Jesus.  And what happened after Jesus saw him.   1. He knew his name and 2.  He called him down and 3.  (my favorite).  He went back to his house.   Is there anybody willing to forget what you have on your wall, what you drive, or what you have and see Jesus.   Your soul is an urgent matter; This is an Emergency, Break Rank!!  Get Higher so that you can see Jesus, and he will see you and go home with you.  Glory to God!