Zacchaeus - Mountain Top

Stories For Children

http://StoriesForChildren.yolasite.com

Who likes figs? Mmmm Jesus made them so
good. They are one of my favorites, especially
the Black Mission Figs.

One time we had a fig tree when I was a girl
and it was getting to be a nice size, when the
ground squirrels or the gophers decided that
they liked fig trees too. They dug their holes
under the roots and destroyed that beautiful
tree.

There is a story in the Bible that tells about
a tree that is called a sycamore tree. For a long
time I did not know that a fig tree is also called a
sycamore tree. In the country where Jesus lived
the people liked to eat lots of figs.

Jesus is our God and our creator and if we
repent He will forgive us all our sins.

     Years ago when Jesus lived on the
earth to show us how to live right, He
did lots of good things to help people
and made a lot of sick people well and
happy. He even brought some dead
people back to life.   Wouldn’t you like
it if Jesus walked into your house when
you were oh, so sick and in so much
pain and took your hand and said you
could get up now and have something
to eat, and you were all better. What
a thrilling day that would be.

Down by the Jordan River, Jesus cousin,
John the Baptist was preaching and telling
the people to repent of their sins and be
baptized so that they could live good lives
and to obey Jesus and this way they were
preparing to live in heaven forever. John
was the prophet sent of God to prepare
the way for the ministry of Jesus.

John told the people that there was someone
coming that would be a greater preacher than
he was and that he would be the Lamb of God
to take away the sins of the world.

One day Jesus came to John the Baptist
and asked him to baptize him like he was
doing for so many other people. Jesus was
our example and we should give our heart to
Jesus and be baptized also.

It was such a nice day, that lots of people were
following Jesus wherever He went. This was
the day He was going to Jericho. There were
many people all around Jesus. Everyone
wanted to crowd close to Jesus to make
sure they heard everything He said. Not
everyone could get near to Jesus. The
children and people that were not very
big could not see Jesus with so many
people between them.

One man that was short wanted so much just to see
Jesus. He had heard John the Baptist talk about Jesus
and how his life could be made better. He heard Jesus
tell wonderful lessons of how to have a happy life and
prepare for heaven.

So he ran ahead of the crowd of people where there
was a Sycamore Tree. You couldn’t guess what he did.
He really did climb the Sycamore Tree. He just wanted
to look at Jesus as He walked passed the tree. His aim
was to see Jesus. He did not expect Jesus to pay
attention to him but there He was looking at him and
talking to him. This little man’s name was ( you know
who don’t you), Zacchaeus.

Now Jesus was saying his name and said He was
going to go to his house. It didn’t take long for
Zacchaeus to get to the ground and show Jesus where
his house was.

Zacchaeus was a little man but he was a big thief.
He was a man that collected the taxes from the
people. Over the years he had become very rich
because he was not honest with the people. John
the Baptist had told the people to repent of their
sins and Jesus would forgive them and make them
happy.

Zacchaeus was truly repenting of his sins and sorry
for taking all that money that was not his from the
people. He said he was going to pay back what he
owed and give money to help the poor people.

He fixed a feast for Jesus and the people and Jesus
told Zacchaeus that salvation had come to him and
his household. It was so wonderful to be forgiven
all those sins. He might have been a little man but
now he was a happy man.

Jesus told lots of stories to teach the people the
lessons of the Bible. He taught them to study and
obey and to prepare to meet Him when He comes
again. Jesus told us about Zacchaeus so we would
be encouraged to repent of all our sins and obey Jesus.

We do not have to be miserable in our sins,
but we too can live a wonderful joyful life in
Jesus love and prepare to live with Jesus in
the glories of heaven forever through all
eternity.

Study to show thyself approved unto God.
2 Timothy 2: 15