Zacchaeus: Evidence that God can do the impossible

In Luke 18:18-30 we meet a rich ruler who seems to be scoring pretty highly on the religious stakes.  He claims to have kept the commandments since he was young (v21), and just wants to double check with Jesus that he has his ticket to eternal life (v18).

But, Jesus does not give him his seal of approval.  Instead he challenges the man to sell everything he owns for the benefit of the poor, and then join Jesus' band of followers (v22). The rich man sadly declines because he can't bear to part with his wealth (v23).

Jesus responds by saying: "How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God."  i.e. impossible!

Only twelve verses after this incident we meet Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10).  Zacchaeus is also rich, but unlike the rich ruler he had most definitely broken the commandments "do not steal" and "do not bear false testimony." Everyone knows that he has been defrauding the people living in Jericho.  Not only is Zacchaeus a hated tax collector, he is the chief tax collector!  This is a rich man who doesn't even care about God's law.

If a 'good' man was unable to enter the kingdom of heaven, what would Jesus do with Zacchaeus?

"What is impossible with men is possible with God." - Luke 18:27

Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost."  Luke 19:8-10

What had prompted Zacchaeus' incredible transformation? 

Zacchaeus had encountered the incredible love and grace of Jesus. Jesus had singled him out by name, and had chosen to stay with him. He took the hostility of the people who expected the Messiah to deal with collaborators like Zacchaeus in order to build a relationship with him.  

Jesus had sought and saved a lost man!

** I have been so struck by these two stories as I have studied them today. In Luke 3:12 the fruit in keeping with repentance for tax collectors (according to John the Baptist) was a ceasing of the sinful defrauding of others. And yet Zacchaeus is so radically transformed that not only does he reject sin, but he becomes a man of immense generosity. An encounter with Jesus can have this effect even on the most hardened of hearts.  So, what am I doing to introduce people to Jesus?  And am I allowing his love and grace to radically  change my heart?