This is a history-making week
in the United States. Millions of people
will wait in line for long hours, with hope of seeing Pope Francis pass by.
Zacchaeus wanted to see
Jesus. He had heard of the miracle working
teacher who was passing through Jericho on the way to Jerusalem. He arrived before the crowd who were later to meet with Jesus. Zacchaeus described as a short man, climbed
into a sycamore tree for a better view. Because he was a tax collector and servant of Rome, perhaps
he hoped to hide from those who despised him. From his tree-top seat he was about to see the
Savior of world pass by!
As are none of us,
Zacchaeus was not hidden from Jesus. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and
said “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at
your house today.” Luke 19:5.
There would be no reticence,
as we might imagine there was only surprise and joy. Zacchaeus did not hesitate, sliding down
from his perch and saying “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.” Luke19:8.
In response to the
grumbling, gossiping crowd that He was about to dine with a sinner, Jesus
stated His purpose for coming to earth. “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that
which was lost.” Luke 19:10. He announces, "Today
salvation has come to this house, because this man too, is a son of
Abraham." Luke 19:9. By virtue
of Zacchaeus’s spiritual heritage, his access to God's blessing had been gained
through faith.
As
believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, our atonement and our access to God has
been sealed. We feel the joy of Zacchaeus’s heart as he hears the words of
Jesus, “salvation has come to your house.”
Joy is the
flag flown high from the castle of my heart, announcing “The King is in
residence here.”
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