Daily Bread 2011 - Luke 19
Daily Bread 2011 – Wednesday, March 30th, 2011 Luke 19
Zacchaeus the Tax Collector
1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” 8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
What Does This Mean?
This reminds of us the kid’s song, “Zacchaeus was a wee little man, and a wee little man was he. He climbed up in a sycamore tree, the Lord he wanted to see!” And it ends, “And (Jesus) he said, Zacchaeus you come down for I’m going to your house today!” We see Jesus’ heart for lost people when he spots Zacchaeus and goes to his house immediately.
Jesus honors Zacchaeus’ seeking with meeting with him in a very personal way. It causes a stir among the people who are aghast that Jesus would go into the home of a sinner! Zacchaeus, for his part, not only agrees to meet with Jesus, but shows he is willing to make amends for his past life of cheating people out of more than what they owe. Instead of just paying them pack what he over charged, he is willing to give them back four times the over charged amount!
What Does This Mean For Us?
Zacchaeus, shows us that when someone is forgiven much, they love much and often give above and beyond what they would owe according to the Law. When we seek Jesus out and He finds us out and comes to our house to get to know us, it changes everything in our lives. For Zacchaeus, this was evidenced by his giving half of his possessions to the poor, and making good many times over those who he had cheated.
Jesus seems to do his best work with sinners, whereas those who thought they had their stuff together were not able to access the kingdom that Jesus brought and extended to those who were willing to open up their hearts. Zacchaeus was a wee little man, but he became a big man in terms of his willingness to give up everything for the sake of the kingdom. Have you spent any time looking for Jesus lately? When is the last time He has been over to your house?
Jesus, thank you for spotting us in the crowd and seeing our potential, though we, like Zacchaeus, often get enamored with the wrong things. Help us to pay those we have cheated and give to the poor in both mind, body and spirit, Amen.
Zacchaeus the Tax Collector
1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” 8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
What Does This Mean?
This reminds of us the kid’s song, “Zacchaeus was a wee little man, and a wee little man was he. He climbed up in a sycamore tree, the Lord he wanted to see!” And it ends, “And (Jesus) he said, Zacchaeus you come down for I’m going to your house today!” We see Jesus’ heart for lost people when he spots Zacchaeus and goes to his house immediately.
Jesus honors Zacchaeus’ seeking with meeting with him in a very personal way. It causes a stir among the people who are aghast that Jesus would go into the home of a sinner! Zacchaeus, for his part, not only agrees to meet with Jesus, but shows he is willing to make amends for his past life of cheating people out of more than what they owe. Instead of just paying them pack what he over charged, he is willing to give them back four times the over charged amount!
What Does This Mean For Us?
Zacchaeus, shows us that when someone is forgiven much, they love much and often give above and beyond what they would owe according to the Law. When we seek Jesus out and He finds us out and comes to our house to get to know us, it changes everything in our lives. For Zacchaeus, this was evidenced by his giving half of his possessions to the poor, and making good many times over those who he had cheated.
Jesus seems to do his best work with sinners, whereas those who thought they had their stuff together were not able to access the kingdom that Jesus brought and extended to those who were willing to open up their hearts. Zacchaeus was a wee little man, but he became a big man in terms of his willingness to give up everything for the sake of the kingdom. Have you spent any time looking for Jesus lately? When is the last time He has been over to your house?
Jesus, thank you for spotting us in the crowd and seeing our potential, though we, like Zacchaeus, often get enamored with the wrong things. Help us to pay those we have cheated and give to the poor in both mind, body and spirit, Amen.
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