This chapter of Luke brings us ever closer to the end of Jesus' public ministry. Jesus enters Jericho, just fifteen miles or so from the holy city of Jerusalem. It is here that Jesus transforms the life of Zacchaeus, the tax collector. This is one of the few stories that is peculiar to Luke and is a wonderful human-interest story. The fact that Zacchaeus is willing to climb a tree to see Jesus is a clear indication that he really wanted to see and meet the carpenter from Nazareth. His eagerness to see Jesus is rewarded in a very special way. Jesus makes himself a dinner guest at Zacchaeus' home. As you may well imagine, this did not sit well with the local folks who viewed tax collectors with more than a little dislike. These guys were really hated for what they did for a living. Moreover,…