Following Jesus · Part 19 of 40 · 2 min
Zacchaeus Comes Down from the Tree
Zacchaeus lived in Jericho and collected taxes. He was rich, but he wanted to see Jesus as Jesus passed through town.
The crowd was too tall for him to see over. Zacchaeus ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree.
Leaves rustled above the road.
When Jesus reached the tree, he looked up. He called Zacchaeus by name and told him to come down quickly. He would stay at his house that day.
“Zacchaeus, come down quickly. I must stay at your house today.”
Zacchaeus climbed down and welcomed Jesus with joy.
Some people complained that Jesus had gone to the home of a sinner. But Jesus saw someone who could begin again.
Zacchaeus said he would give half his possessions to the poor. If he had cheated anyone, he would repay four times as much.
His welcome to Jesus was becoming a change in his actions.
Jesus said that salvation had come to that house. He had come to seek and save the lost.
Saying we are sorry matters, and so does trying to repair what we have done.
We can return something we took, speak honestly, or help someone we hurt. Jesus' welcome gives us hope to change.
Retelling of Luke 19:1–10.
Supporting reading: The Desire of Ages, chapter 61. Open the book
Talk about it together
- Honesty
- Responsibility
- What did Zacchaeus promise to repay if he had cheated someone?
- How do you think he felt when Jesus called him by name?
- What can we do after saying we are sorry for a mistake?
Activity · 2–5 minutes
Three Steps to Repair
Imagine someone taking a pencil without asking. Name three things they can do: tell the truth, return it, and ask how to repair the problem. Practice the words calmly and remember that a grown-up can help.
Try it today: An apology can go together with returning what we took and repairing what we did.
More stories with these values
Complete the scene
Open the interactive activity or prepare a printable sheet for home, classroom, or family.
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