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The Rewards and Dangers of Compromise and Resistance
Luke 19:1-28
When Eve saw the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, she took it because she wanted to rule like God. She compromised with the devil. And that’s the temptation through all ages. Humble Saul became king, but he later compromised, keeping the plunder for himself. At first Solomon was wise and godly, but made alliances by marrying women of other nations; then he worshiped their gods. Same with Lot. To gain wealth and power, he moved into Sodom. Compromise. To be clear - they were rich but fell.
Beloved, as Christ journeyed into Jerusalem for his final week, he found great opposition to his kingdom. People couldn’t accept it. They wanted a powerful king who’d make them rich and free. The rich young ruler sorrowed because he couldn’t give up covetousness to follow Christ. Even his disciples wanted to be first and second minister, to rule with him. Why? Such influence comes with benefits. So Christ warned against serving God and mammon. Why? We’ll always serve mammon more than God. We’ll struggle with compromise. But we must resist the world - even as Christ did. Why? There’s only one path to God’s kingdom. The strait and narrow path. And today, we see a wonderful account - of a compromiser of the world who resisted the broad path to follow Christ. But we see a tough teaching too - dangers await those who resist the world. And we’ll see this in 2 points. Firstly, the great compromiser saved; secondly, the warning to resist compromise.
Firstly, the great compromiser saved. Before Jesus entered Jerusalem, he went through Jericho. Like the great Joshua who crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho, the greater Joshua now did the same. And he conquered in Jericho. He healed the blind man, when so many others refused to see who he was. And he released the greater Achan from the bonds of greed. Zacchaeus was a tax-collector, who stole from his own people to give to the Romans. And here, we see the rewards he received from his sin of compromise. In verses 1-2, Jesus entered and went through Jericho. We’re introduced to Zacchaeus - the chief tax-collector there. He was very rich. Why? Because of Jericho.
Now, this is a bit confusing. Hadn’t Jesus just come out from Jericho where he healed Bartimaeus? Yes, that’s the old Jericho rebuilt 900 years earlier during Ahab’s time. But this was the new Jericho, built by Herod during the Roman era, one kilometer south of the old. Herod established this new city as a luxurious winter residence with beautiful Roman architecture. It had a horse racing track, a theater, a stadium, with beautiful manicured gardens. But where did he get so much money to build this city? Through taxes. The city was built on corruption and trade. And it took lots of money to upkeep it. This came from taxes. And Zacchaeus was head of all the tax-collectors. He was a very important man. He collected the municipal taxes and probably earned his keep from the commission. That’s what tax-collectors did then. They taxed the people plus more from themselves. And by sanctified guessing, if he was the head tax man, he had minions in this MLM scheme. He got rich from the people and his subordinates. Consider his position - he was a ruler among sinners, with his authority coming from an oppressive state. Consider his wealth - this was not innocent prosperity - each coin was testament to his extortion. And consider his sin - he compromised for gain. He bent God’s law on usury to serve Caesar, and he used Caesar’s system to serve himself. This was the reward he gained from his great sin of compromise. And the rewards were great.
And yet, in verse 3 - he wanted to see Jesus badly. He knew there was something about this man. But he couldn’t because of the crowd. The people he cheated now cheated his view of the Savior. But we see how badly he wanted to see Jesus. So badly, he rejected his wealth and position. And we see how rejection of his former compromise was greatly rewarded. When Jesus came, Zacchaeus ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree. The rich chief tax-collector ran ahead and climbed a tree like a child, laying aside his dignity to see Jesus. How did he know Jesus? Our text doesn’t specify, but he must’ve heard. Just like Bartimaeus heard. Just like the woman with the blood flow heard. They were desperate. Just as she barged through and strained to touch Jesus, and Bartimaeus strained his voice to call for Jesus, Zacchaeus strained his body to see the Lord. This was an acknowledgement of guilt and a display of humility. His great wealth and compromise must’ve caused a heavy guilt of sin in him. And he, himself, knew he needed healing. He knew his sin. But how do we know? How do we not?
In Luke 18:11, the Lord described how a Pharisee prayed - “God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.” And the tax-collector in the parable knew he was wrong. He didn’t dare enter the temple but stood afar off with his head down beating his chest. Every tax-collector knew the people hated them. They were compromisers. They knew they sinned. But while Zacchaeus knew that, he also knew there was forgiveness in Christ. So we now know why he wasn’t in the crowd. It’s not just his stature but his status. It was dangerous for him to be there. But he came and perched above the street like a beggar - no longer the posture of a compromiser, but the posture of a penitent man.
And toward such humility, Christ received him graciously and willingly. Verse 5 says, “And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.” This was done with haste. He looked, saw, and said - no hesitation on the Lord’s part toward this man. And notice his words. He didn’t congratulate him for reforming the tax collection process to be more righteous and holy. Zacchaeus had done nothing worthy. There was only admission of guilt. Christ’s grace preceded any change on his part. To this humble posture, the Lord said - I must stay with you. I must. Beloved, God responds to humility with fellowship. Isaiah 57:15 - “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” How did Zacchaeus react to this grace? With gratitude; with grateful repentance and with rejection of the world.
He saw his guilt. He received Christ’s grace. And he reacted with joy. He came down quickly and received Christ joyfully. The man he came to see talked to him, when others wouldn’t. When others rejected him, he received him. Grace comes on sinners. The Son of man comes for sinners, not the righteous. But we see a life change. Verse 8 - “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor…if I’ve taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.” What caused such a change? I’m sure en route to Zacchaeus’ home, the Lord would’ve spoken to him. We can only rely on sanctified imagination. But he wouldn’t have said anything different. He’d have taught against covetousness, about God and mammon, about true faith, about loving God, and about salvation and repentance. And Zacchaeus repented!
Firstly, he’d give half his goods to the poor. Why? God gives us money not for our use alone, but for others. So his net worth would reduce by half. Then secondly, he’d repay 4 times what he stole. He admitted he was a thief and Moses’ Law required restitution. And if paid from his remaining possessions, he’d be a pauper. Why? All his wealth he had gained from usury and extortion. If he paid it back, he’d have nothing. But he was willing. From a compromiser and transgressor, he now resisted compromise to obey God. Such gratitude proved his salvation. Verses 9-10 - “This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Zacchaeus was lost in the sin of compromise - but Christ restored him.
Yes, when he compromised with evil, he prospered. Only a ruthless man could hold this job, squeezing tax out of people who couldn’t afford it. And beloved, this is the world we live in. When we compromise, we’ll prosper. But we’re called to live for another kingdom, with far greater prosperity. This is what Zacchaeus finally understood. And his troubles would be far greater than just making restitution. Sooner or later, he’d have to face his Roman boss. “What happened to all the taxes? Why aren’t you bringing them in?” So if he resisted compromise, he’d be persecuted.
Here, Christ warned them of the dangers of resisting compromise. That’s the second point. From verse 11, when they were still in Zacchaeus’ house, Jesus told a parable. His disciples were there. He was near Jerusalem and they expected him to usher in God’s kingdom immediately. They thought all things will change. But had they forgotten? Christ was going to die. They’d be persecuted. So here, he warned of persecution under great oppressors. Would they compromise or would they resist? This parable was told to address that. To be clear, this parable doesn’t begin with the usual - “the kingdom of God is like unto this.” So some commentators struggle to say this refers to God’s kingdom, like the parable of the talents told after Jesus had entered into and exited Jerusalem - which he told on the Mount of Olives. Instead, this one told in Jericho served as a warning of what they’d face.
Verse 12 reveals a nobleman. He went to a far kingdom to have himself appointed as king and then return. He had 10 servants, and distributed 10 pounds or minas of money to them. But we learn they hated him, and sent a message before him, presumably to that far kingdom, to tell them not to make this man their king. Now, the details were based on a true story 30 years prior. When Herod the Great died, he divided his territory among his three sons. All of them went to Rome to dispute this division because each one wanted to be king. But they weren’t alone. A contingent of 50 Pharisees also traveled there to ask Caesar to appoint none of them, but a Jewish king instead. Unfortunately, Caesar accepted the division set by Herod the Great and he sent all three back with a third each. Herod Antipas controlled Galilee and Perea. Herod Philip controlled the north - the area of Caesarea Philippi. And Herod Archelaus controlled Judea, Samaria, and Idumea which included Jericho. And he was very angry when he returned, especially with the delegation of Pharisees who opposed him. So angry was he that he crucified a large number of them. Verse 27 alludes to it - he killed his enemies who didn’t want him to reign over them. But he didn’t only want them dead - he wanted to watch them being killed. So in this parable, the Lord affirmed there are wicked oppressors. And the fact that this evil oppressor went elsewhere to be appointed king, shows he himself was a wicked collaborator - a compromiser. It was a whole system of wicked collaborators, of which Zacchaeus was at one time himself.
And what do the great oppressors do? They will carry out their great oppression. But not everyone will be oppressed. Those who compromise will be rewarded. Before he left, the man called 10 servants and distributed to them 10 pounds. This weight of money was about 3 months’ wages. And when he returned, he called them to see what they had done with it. The first’s pound yielded 10 more. That’s 1000%. And so he was put in charge of 10 cities. The second only yielded 5 more - 500%. Now what does this mean? To be sure, this kind of multiplication can’t happen through harvest. This can only happen through usury - through high interest tax. Those who couldn’t pay had their properties confiscated. The first servant understood the character of this nobleman very well - and got him what he wanted. His reward - he was put in charge of 10 cities. Meaning, he was given rights to tax 10 cities. Like Zacchaeus had rights over Jericho. But the less ruthless servant got 5 cities. You get rich by compromise.
But what happened to those who wouldn’t compromise? Who resisted? What would happen to Zacchaeus and to all of the followers of Christ who refused such tyranny? There would be penalty. The third servant was different. He had guarded the pound carefully. He kept it in a piece of cloth, verse 20. But the king was angry and complained that the servant should’ve earned interest on it so he could’ve benefited. But if the system is corrupt, do you think he’d have gotten the coin back? Even the money changers in the temple gave bad rates. But why didn’t the third servant participate? Why did he resist? He was refusing to join the corrupt system. He trusted in a different king, a different system. And he was called wicked for that. But was he not brave? He knew that the king was a hard man. In verse 22, even the king acknowledged that he was austere - he reaped what he didn’t sow, took what he didn’t put in. He admitted he was a thief and his wealth was undeserved. But this servant refused to participate in this world system. And for that he was killed. And was that not the Lord Jesus Christ, who refused to compromise? In the wilderness, he was tempted with food, power, and reputation. But he refused to compromise. And in every situation, he was called wicked. He was a glutton, a drunkard, a sabbath breaker to the religious elite. And they rejected and killed him.
But we see his very different kingship. In the next section starting with verse 28, the Lord Jesus went into Jerusalem - “And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem.” And how did he enter? On a donkey. He was lowly. As Matthew 21:5 says, it was done to fulfill scripture - “thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.” His kingdom would be very different from the world’s kingdoms. He’s the gentle king of the believers.
But make no mistake. And this is where we can also take the parable in the more common way. The Lord Jesus is a king that requires us never to compromise with the world. To be like Zacchaeus in his repentance and hating of the world - not to serve mammon, but to serve God. And all that he has given unto us - in our stewardship - he has a different requirement. How shall we spend it? On the world and its lusts? To compromise and increase in what we have? To be like the kings of the world? Or to multiply what we have for the kingdom’s sake? For Christ will come one day and require an answer from us. Never forget that our gentle king, who receives his kingship from his Father, will come to hold us accountable.
Beloved, Zacchaeus gave all to make restitution. Because he knew that this is what his king required of him. He didn’t withhold - he repaid fourfold, and gave half his goods away. By so doing, people would’ve seen the gospel. Mary of Bethany gave of her all - in pouring that spikenard on Jesus’ feet. But that rich young ruler wouldn’t give up all to follow. And neither did Judas - who sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver - and compromised with the world. What are we doing with our substance? In what way have we compromised with the world and have enriched ourselves, Are we investing it in the kingdom for the sake of the gospel? To give to it generously? Because this is what our Lord did. He gave of himself. And when he did, he reaped a thousand fold. God’s friends do the same. But those who don’t want him to be king, compromise with the world.
1. The Great Compromiser Saved (1-10)
A. His reward of his great sin of compromise (1-3)
B. His rejection of compromise greatly rewarded (3-10)
2. The Dangers of Resisting Compromise (11-28)
A. The world’s great oppressors (11-14)
B. The world’s great oppression (15-28)
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(c) Copyright 2026, Rev. Mark Chen
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