Rich Ruler and Short Tax Collector

Two stories in Luke, one in chapter 18 & the other from 19.

In the first story, a rich young ruler asked Jesus how to get into the kingdom. (this is kingdom of God, not Disney's Magic Kingdom :).
He has done all the requirements of the law, what else is missing? Jesus said to sell his possessions, give to the poor, and follow Him. The man went away sad because he was quite wealthy. Jesus then said how difficult it is for a rich person to enter the kingdom, easier for a camel to go through a needle eye.

The other story is also about a rich person, named Zacchaeus.
He went up the tree to see Jesus, whom then told him that He would like to come and have dinner with him.
During the dinner, people grumbled that Jesus was eating with a sinner. But Zaccheaus surprised them by standing up and telling that he would gave away half his possessions to the poor,
and repaid anybody he cheated 4x the amount.
Jesus then said that salvation has come to the house, what was lost has been found.

I've read the stories many times, and only this time catch the comparison between the two.
Why the two different responses? How come Zacchaeus story ends in joyful note while the rich young ruler ends in disappointing sadness?

No matter how much money you have, how great is your career or family, you can't fill that God-shaped hole with something else. To me, both men must have felt that emptiness. Something that their status and their wealth cannot satisfy. But the way they look at themselves are not the same. The rich young ruler thought himself as being righteous/right before God. Though he must felt something is missing, he doesn't consider himself as a sinner in need of a Savior. Zacchaeus, though he's also very rich (imagine if a low-level Indonesian tax collector can corrupt hundred billions/milyar rupiah, what a chief tax-collector can corrupt!), he knows deep down inside that he's a sinner. He cheated many, oppressed his neighbors, in league with the Romans. He could be the richest man in Jericho. So both looked to Jesus for an answer, for a Way. And Jesus found them and told them the truth: through Him is the only way to enter the kingdom of God. That means you have to love Jesus more than anything else. You must be willing to lose your old/past life to gain new one.

For someone who sees himself as a sinner and badly need a change, Zacchaeus was overjoyed at meeting and knowing Jesus. For someone who sees himself as righteous and had no desire for a (major) change, the rich young ruler probably wished he never met Jesus.

The matter of wealth deals deeply with the heart.
When Jesus said that salvation has come to Zacchaeus and his household, I believe because He saw the changes in Zaccheaus' heart and the way he responded. Through the joy of knowing Jesus, he expressed his thanksgiving by giving away half his possession. He didn't have to repay 4x the amount he cheated (he could for example repaid 2x), but he did it anyway out of the overflowing gladness. Reading the passage of Zacchaeus, you can't help but felt the joy that was present in that house. Very much different than the felt in the passage of the rich young ruler; full of what's possible but yet not happening.

Ps.said two weeks ago that he cannot force anybody to be faithful. We cannot force anybody to change.
It must be something within that person wanting to change. Zacchaeus for sure made the right decision, he wants to know Jesus. Knowing Jesus was more precious than anything he ever had before. More precious than his wealth, his high status, even more precious than his reputation. What would the Romans think now about this chief tax collector? Maybe someone else should be the chief tax collector...
Apostle Paul said in Phillipians 3:7-8 "But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord."

There are those some people that I really, really wish their life would change. But I cannot force them. Jesus didn't force any of these two characters. He didn't force the rich young ruler, nor did He force Zacchaeus. He just tell them the truth and showed them the way. And that's one reason why carecell is needed; so we can share the truth and showed the way in a more personal environment. The rest is up to God and whether that person is willing to change or not.

God bless,
Suhardi