| We're
going to address three classes of people this week from Jesus' teaching in Luke Chapter
19. They are the (1) sinners, (2) saints, and (3)
the religiously lost. This chapter
opens with a man, a sinner in despair. Verse 1 tells us he was the chief among the
publicans and he was rich. Now the publicans were the IRS of Jesus' day. They
were hated intensely by the people. This publican's name was Zachaeus.
The passage says he climbed up into a sycamore tree in
order that he might see Jesus as he was passing through that town. Now when Jesus
came nigh to the tree, he paused and looked up. He called him by name, and bade him
to hasten and come down, because Jesus intended to be a guest at Zachaeus' house.
With undisguised joy, Zachaeus hastened down and welcomed the master [Jesus].
But, the people murmured saying that he [Jesus] was going
to be a guest with a man that was a sinner. Zachaeus seemed to have been deeply
moved by the consideration shown him by Jesus, and before all the people made the vow
which attested his penitence, "Behold, half my goods, Lord, I hereby give to the
poor; and whatever fraudulent gain I ever made from any one, I now restore fourfold."
According to Numbers 5:7 this was the great restitution
than the law required. Then Jesus made the declaration, "This day is salvation
come to this house, for as much as he also is (in the true spiritual sense) a son of
Abraham.". You see, Zachaeus was not accustom to being treated in this manner.
But the word says he [Jesus] came to seek and to save that which was lost.
(Luke 19:10).
Yes, Zachaeus was now a saint, but the people could not
understand such a change in character, and making the statements he made concerning being
fraudulent. They could not believe that Jesus, of all people, would even think of
having fellowship with such a man.
What a great demonstration of Grace. One minute
Zachaeus, out of curiosity, desires to see Jesus. The next minute, he is overwhelmed
by the feeling of God's love being expressed, and receiving salvation for himself.
This is just one of the marvelous wonders of our God. He is all loving, and not
willing that any should perish but that all would come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).
Yes, we serve an awesome God.
Immediately following, Jesus makes his entry into
Jerusalem. The disciples [saints] began to rejoice because of all the miracles they
had seen Jesus perform (Luke 18:35-43).
But the Pharisees, when they saw the disciples rejoicing
said, "Master, rebuke thy disciples," and Jesus said, "If these should hold
their peace, the stones could cry out immediately." In verse
42, he looks over Jerusalem and weeps, saying if thou hadst known, even thou, at least in
this day, the things which belong unto thy peace! But now they are hid from
thine eyes.
Jesus goes on to tell them of the destruction that would
befall them. And he said that this would all come to pass "because they knew
not their day of visitation. [Verse 44]. You see beloved, they were
religiously lost, doing what they religiously did all their lives.
Because they didn't want change, and because they could
not accept a humble vessel as their king, their eyes were closed to the truth.
There are many religious people today that fit right in
with these people. For religious, they are; but blind to the truth; they have no
understanding. Now, we as saints, saved by Grace, can rejoice because we have our
names written in the Lamb's book of Life (Revelations 21:27).
We can rejoice because we are winning souls for God's
kingdom. We can rejoice because of peace of God rules our lives and its no longer us
but Christ in us causing us to do so.
Concerning sinners, there are multiplied thousands
hopelessly lost without Christ. Like Zachaeus, they may be with the IRS, or without
the necessities of life. They could and there are many without homes or food
to eat. These are the ones that the church must seek and preach to. It is
commanded we do so. |
