The Conversion of Zacchaeus

The Conversion of Zacchaeus

    The account of Luke 19:1-10 has been a favorite children's Bible story for many years to hear about a short man who was despised because of the job he held.  As a father myself I have had this outlook about this man as well.  I asked a few of my children what story in the Bible that intrigued them and this was one of the responses I was given.  I started looking into each of the stories that intrigued them and I found a very interesting insight about this little man.

   Luke 19

 "And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.  And, behold there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.  And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.  And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him: for he  was to pass that way.  And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.  And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.  And when they saw it, they all murmured saying, that he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.  And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.  And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, for so much as he also is a son of Abraham.  For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."

    We read that Jesus was making His way to Jerusalem but passed through Jericho.  We are not told that he stayed in the city over night so we can safely know that he didn't stay more than part of the day.  There was a jew who worked for the Roman government collecting taxes, Zacchaeus.   This occupation put Zacchaeus is in very bad place with the community of which he lived.  We are told that he was chief among the publicans as well as a rich man.  If being publican wasn't bad enough he was known as being chief among the publicans and not only that he was a rich publican; meaning he would tax over the amount that was prescribed by the Roman government and gave what he was to collect to the Romans and pocketed the rest.  He heard that Jesus was coming though the area and something in him caused interest to see Jesus.  It could be that he has heard of Jesus as a great teacher or that he has healed people of disease or even casting out demons, we are not told; whatever the reason he heard Jesus was to pass by that way and he wanted to see him.  Another fact that we know of Zacchaeus is that he was short, so short that he needed to get in a position that would put him higher than everyone else, so he climbed a sycamore tree.

    Here in the telling of Zacchaeus we are told that when Jesus passed under where he was, Jesus stopped and told Zacchaeus to come down for he was to abide at his house.  The original word for abide, in the Greek is μεῖναι, men'-ai, to remain, abide in reference to a place to sojourn, tarry, not to depart to continue, to be present to be held, kept, continually.  Jesus was going to abide with him.  Jesus abides with us in this way when we are saved, however, this is Zacchaeus' account, so we are going to learn of Zacchaeus' conversion.  When "they", those that had followed Jesus along this way, saw that Jesus was going to this Chief tax collector's home they murmured, for as they said, that Zacchaeus is a sinner.

     Now what happens next we are not told when, which has no real merritt since that is not important; we only now what Zacchaeus said.  "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold." It's what Jesus says after that which is really important to understand.  Jesus says "This day is salvation come to this house, farsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham." Abraham is know as the father of faith.  We are told in John 8:39 "They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham." Paul says to the Romans in chapter 4:4-5 "Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.  But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."Contrast that what James says in James 2:14-18 "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?  If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?  Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.  Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.". This is exactly what Zacchaeus did with his statement.  It is a great example of faith that works.

When we were saved by grace through faith; this faith is what Paul was explaining.  We are to continue on that faith unto good works, which God had ordained that we walk in them after salvation.(Eph 2:10)

Others will know we have faith by our works, for as James said, "faith without works is dead.". This is the faith that Zacchaeus was saying and Jesus testified of in Luke 19.

    

Stewarding your problems

  On October 8th after the evening church service at Calvary Baptist Church, I had a problem to deal with…a flat tire.  We have had three tires with valve stems changed over the past year because the valve stems had dry rotted at the point of the rim and the stem.  Each tire had this happen at various times, once at home, once on the Pensacola Christian College campus and once at church.  Each has been a problem to deal with.  

I started reading BRR Daily Devotional for October 9, 2023 and it caused me to think about stewardship, and this paragraph made me think.

"Are you being a good steward of the problems that God has allowed in your life today. You may not have the money, health, intellect, or influence you wish you had, but are you being a good steward of the problems you have?"

I am reminded of Job and all of the things that God allowed in his life.  I wouldn't want any of his problems but as the book unfolds the events and conversations that Job endured God strengthened Job through the trials.  Paul asked God three times  to remove a thorn in the flesh, of which God said, “My grace is sufficient for you.” 

I ask this question, what trials are you going through today?  How will you deal with them…remember there is nothing that God is not aware of in your life.  It is not as if God is passing through your life and passes by to only notice what you are going through, I mean He is not driving down the road and happens to see you on the side of the road with a flat tire and is too busy to stop.  No, He is one who is looking directly at your problem, RIGHT THERE, only waiting on you to look to Him for help.  He brought these trials into your life, as He brought hunger and thirst to Israel in the wilderness to prove them.  It is the same proving that Peter addresses the scattered believers he writes to and as James addresses his readers in regards to the temptations, πειρασμοῖς-peirasmos, or proving, trials.  Christ’s trials were for the purpose to redeem us to Himself and to give a place in heaven with Him for all eternity.  There is an end result to all of the problems we face.  How will you steward them for the glory of God?

Encouragement by historical multiplication

It is amazing how God uses a man willing to reach out to another and there come a domino effect of God's plan.

It all started with a Sunday school teacher:
" Most people have never heard of Edward Kimball, but the results of his faithfulness to God are known across the globe. How? Read on and see what God did after this Sunday school teacher dared to share his faith with others.
A Sunday school teacher named Edward Kimball won a shoe store clerk to Jesus—his name was D.L. Moody.
D.L. Moody traveled to England and awakened the heart of a young pastor —F.B. Meyer.
F.B. Meyer became one of the great Bible expositors, came to the U.S.A. and preached on college campuses, and was used to convert a student to Christ—Wilbur Chapman.
Wilbur Chapman attended one of Moody's meetings in Chicago and became D.L. Moody's co-worker.
Wilbur Chapman employed an ex-baseball player as his assistant—Billy Sunday.
Billy Sunday became a great evangelist and preached in Charlotte, North Carolina, at a meeting
organized by the Billy Sunday Layman's Evangelistic Club (renamed Christian Business Men's
Committee or CBMC).
CBMC invited an evangelist to Charlotte; his name was Mordecai Ham.
Mordecai Ham preached in the tent meeting where Billy Graham was saved.
Billy Graham has proclaimed the Gospel to millions across the globe, and many lives have been
changed forever. Perhaps you are one of them.
What will God do through you if you faithfully share your faith in Jesus Christ?

The love of Marriage (Husband to Wife and Wife to Husband)

                                                   

It has been since December 29th of 2001 since my wife and I said "I do"                                        to each other to share a life of love in sickness and in health: remembering the times of poor health which were sometimes scary but pressed us together as a couple and as a family.  For richer or for poorer: with all of the decisions we have had to make regarding our finances, seeing the Lord has provided for us all these years and because He is faithful will continue to provide.  Till death do us part: I am so glad that I waited for God's best "Help" that she is definitely meet (intended) for me.  In Genesis 2 the Lord defines for us the only design of marriage that will operate in our world that being one man with the same woman for life.  The relationship used throughout the Bible as a picture of the Love God has for His people as Paul spells out for us in his letter to the Ephesian church "Husbands, love your wives as Christ, loved the church and gave Himself for it."  That idea of Christ giving Himself is sacrificially even to the death on the cross.  We husbands allow far too much ego in our lives that it takes the gentle behavior of a godly wife to tone it down. 

Ephesians 5:25 says, "Husbands, love [agapae] (unconditionally) your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it."  This verse addresses the husbands unmistakably,  and even the four letter word "love" that follows gives an unmistakable description of what kind of relationship a man is to have with HIS wife.  My wife and I have had many years of wonderful marriage as I have already said; I am not saying that I have been a perfect husband all those years of this God given marriage.  The word love in this context is telling we husbands that we are to act upon a caring loving supporting protecting providing; did I say loving service and yes I mean service for after all we are to be like Christ; that is the goal in life to be conformed to the image of His [God's] own son, (Rom. 8:29), and that is the context of these verses in this letter to the Ephesians.  Man was not made to dominate the wife, to abuse, to mistreat, his wife; that is ungodly, selfish, and replaying the incoming of the curse in the garden of Eden, when God asked Adam what did he do; Adam's only response was to put the blame on his wife.  We are to be like Christ and Christ never put the blame on the church for not listening to His leadership, but He said, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do". Christ is sanctifying us to be confirmed to His image.
I can say with out a shadow of a doubt that if we husbands lived this way there would be less divorce in this world because of example of the effects of love of Christ in the husbands life.  The picture of marriage has been attacked because it goes against the ideology of a secular world system.  We live in a day where good is looked on as evil and evil is looked on as good or acceptable or normal.
The struggles in the marriage unit began when sin entered, as well as all human struggles; when Adam and Eve ate of the fruit, disobedience on man's part opened their minds to a broad path of life where the narrow way of obedience was once the path taken.  When sin entered then the curse; the Bible says that for the woman she would give birth in pain and that her desire would be to her husband and he shall rule over her.  The love between the husband and the wife should be as though the wife is to be helped to build a life at home; after all the wife is leaving her life that she has known and the mom and dad she has had for her all of her life...she is now starting from scratch, venturing out with someone who she has not known in an intimate way.  She is leaving everything she knows to go with a new person in their new life.
When I was dating my wife and we both became more interested in each other  the relationship began growing faster and stronger than I realized .  During a Christmas break while on the phone, Colleen informed me that her parents were concerned about the relationship their daughter was in with this skinny guy from Illinois.  If that wasn't a big enough clue; still the reality didn't hit me until shortly after I got off the phone.  It only took a short moment when it came to me...I needed to ask her Dad for his daughters hand in marriage.  When Colleen was brought back to school I had to take the opportunity to ask her dad that probing question.  I finally built up the courage I got my answer..."Yes" in so many words.  To Colleen there was that protection in her years growing up, after all giving up the only daughter who has added so much help to the family and ministry over the years, would take away from life as it had been.  

     Well after  22 years  and 7 children later, the love of marriage as illustrated in life as it is intended to be as Christ's love for the church, life continues to be very adventurous.  Adventurous for sure with the many trials of health being apart, our family continues to grow as God brings trials to test our love for one another.  See, we are to be like Christ, Romans 8:29 says, "For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren."  Christ endured many trials and struggles as we will have to endure.  The vows "for better or for worse" give a fresh new meaning when life slams the worse it can bring and strongly remind the couple of their vow "for sickness and in health".  When sickness plagues life it tries the faithfulness of the two who repeated those vows.  At one moment you find yourselves at home comfortably enjoying the homestead, then a pain reaches its ugly hand into the mix and soon your off to the ER because of a deep cut above the eye or a cut on the eye or a tooth that has become infected.  If anyone has been in the ER before I am sure they make it as uncomfortable as possible on purpose, which has been my family's experience; a strong pain that we wish could be comforted quickly only to find there are several people before you waiting then an immediate emergency comes via ambulance and supersedes all others, to only have to wait even longer.  Another synerio of which results in a visit for a tooth pain with infection only to be told after the CT scan that there was a spot found that could be cancer but not to be sure.  The reality of life alliterating events invade the mind and imagination begins to torture the nights sleep as well as the idle thoughts during the day.  "Let God be true and every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged." Romans 3:4. 

    The example that Christ has set before us to be committed to no other and to remain faithful and true though all the hard times is the path a couple MUST go.  This would be a picture to the world of what Christ has done for us, and for them.

There is Light in a dark world

Romans 1:16-2:2

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
For the Wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Professing themselves to be wise they became fools,
And changing the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things.
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves:
Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more then the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:And likewise also the men, leaving that natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whisperers.
Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implaceable, unmerciful:
Who knowing the judgement of God , that they which commit  such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself: for thou that judgest doest the same things.
But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.

2 Peter 2:1-9
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
And man y shall follow their pernicious ways; bu reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you; whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
For, if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; 
And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)

But there is a promise through all of the times of judgments of God

The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.

The darker it seems to get in this world there is a Light that shines brighter to dispel the darkness.  

When entering into a dark room there is a certain fear that enters our thoughts.  The fear of the unknown, the unknown out come of the present circumstances of pain; will the pain be long, will it bring long term medical conditions...our imagination can go on and on; even the thought the of possible death.  Darkness has always been the illustration of fear and/or evil.
John 1:4-9 says 
"In Him (Jesus Christ) was life; and the life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended  it not.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through Him might believe.
He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh in to the world."

The Light is Jesus Christ, who made this universe, (including you and me), and He knows the way that we should go, the way we should live, the way we should talk, and the way we should think.  The contrary ideology of Satan and God are like "Night and Day" Darkness and Light.  No matter the decisions of countries that are contrary to God's way of life He intended for us, He has all things under His control.  We can put our trust in Him to know what He is doing is right and just.  As for man kind we have others to contend with but contend with we must as God has told us in His word.
Micah 6:8
"He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"

A Family Lesson

As an engineer or an architect has blue prints to follow when building so must a family have a blueprint, God’s blue print, in order to have a properly functioning family.
This Psalm has been called a family psalm by Matthew Henry, a commentator of the Bible, maybe because of the references to the family; Except the LORD build the “house” vs. 1; “Lo children are an heritage.” vs. 3; The fruit of the womb” vs. 3; Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of “them” - them is in reference to children vs. 5.

I. Building by God’s blue print.

A. A house built by man’s intellect is done in vain.
     Ps. 127:1; 33:16-18; Pro. 16:9; 21:30,31

B. Each member is included in the blue print

1. God - Christ - Man - Woman I Cor. 11:3

2. Man as the husband - Eph. 5:25-33; Col 3:19; I Peter 3:7

3. Man as the father - Eph 6:4; Col. 3:21

4. The woman as the wife - Eph. 5:22-24; Col. 3:18; Titus 2:4,5

5. The woman as the mother - Titus 2:4,5

6. The children - Eph. 6:1; Pro. 1:8-10; 2:1-5

C. Marriage defined

1. Gen. 1:28; 2:24 - Marriage is to be between one man and one woman for one life.

2. Marriage was designed for reproduction, Gen. 1:28, 9:1 - Noah was given the same commandment as Adam and Eve and He has not deviated from His blue print.

3. Marriage was designed to protect against Moral Failure in intamacy between the husband and the wife.
    I Cor. 7:1-5

II. There is a Time to work and a time to rest

A. Without the LORD all our work is vain.
     Our families would be for naught without God, as well as our          children’s lives without Him.
     Ps 39:5,6; Ecc. 1:14

B. God gives rest to His beloved.

1. “Early to bed early to rise makes a man healthy wealthy and wise.”
     - Benjamin Franklin

2. Ps. 3:5; 4:8

C. God designed the work week.

1. 1:1-2:3

2. Ex. 20:9-11
    Illustration: The Song Work for the Night is Coming” illustrates work while it is time to work  during the day light hours for rest will come sure and soon.

Note: Rest for one day out of the week is physically, emotionally, and spiritually healthy.

III. A purpose described for the family

A. A personal directon

1. Phil. 3:14

2. Eph. 2:10

3. Ro. 8:29

B. A corporate direction (Ecc. 4:9-12)

1. A family that prays together, stays together

2. I Peter 3:7b “giving honor unto the wife as the weaker [delicate, prized] vessel and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered.

IV. A Happy family and equipped

A. Children are a blessing, a miracle, given by God.
     Ja. 1:17

B. Parents are responsible to dedicate their children to the LORD.
     I Sam. 1:27, 28
     - Colleen and I have made it priority to have each one of our children dedicated to the LORD. A baby dedication is really a parent dedication.

I had the awesome opportunity to see each one of our precious children come into the world. I remember after each one was born and hearing their first helpless defendant cry for mommy, that tears would come to my eyes because of this new life and miracle the God saw fit to bless my wife and I with. It is not the parents will that brings children into the world…it is God and God alone.

C. Children are to equipped for service

1. Education - Home School, Christian School, Public School (the first is our personal preference, the second is acceptable; however the third option is not an option for us.)

2. Socially - birthday parties, family reunions, school, church, fairs, clubs, community helping, work etc.
    Note: All Spiritual, Social, Physical growth should be monitored by the parents.

3. Spiritually - Deut. 6:7-9; Pro. 22:6
    Judges 2:10 illustrates what happened to Israel when they did not heed to God’s command of teaching their children about their history. What will happen if we do not teach our children about  history as it was not as the text books say.

Conclusion: As there are blue prints for the engineer and the blue print for the architect so we must follow the blue print of God for the family…for our spouse…for our children…for all our lives.

There is Power in the Blood of the Cross

The powerful message of the Cross.
Christ was the only acceptable sacrifice for our sins because He had not known sin; this would be impossible for an infinite all knowing, All powerful, Holy, and Righteous God. Man is in a terrible state of hopelessness without any way of redemption: a redemption that had to satisfiy a Holy, Just, Righteous, and totally perfect God, our Creator. The plan for man's redemption did not take God a long time to "figure out" what needed to be done; He knew from eternity past what needed done for man to rise up on of a fallen hell-borne state. The answer was so clear to the Son that He willing came; no He was not proded or insisted or even the chose out of a crown for there was no other worthy to be a perfect sacrifice for man kind. It was such a great event that even the angels sang when He came to be born. And such a manner of birth too...a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Emmanuel, GOD WITH US. II Cor. 5:21 "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
Christ, who had been at the Father's righthand for eternity past saw the perfect time to fulfill the Father's plan for man and stood up and came to earth to live like a man, be treated as a man, to be ridiculed by the men He came for, to be accepted by the men who had their eyes opened to the truth. He felt all the emotions, and pain that can and would be felt in His journey to fulfill the Father's will. He gave Himself willingly to be the sacrifice for man. He came as our vicarious substitute, and as Isaac willingly allowed Himself to be put on the altar to be sacrificed; so Christ willingly allowed Himself to be put on the cross to suffer for us so that we might be redeemed. When Christ died on the cross the victory was won... It is finished...the victory cry was given and death and hell and Satan were defeated. The enemy was defeated and the spoils of war were gathered and given unto men. The vitory was so great that we ought to be more bold to brag about what our Savior did for us and the whole world; if they would but accept this gift of Salvation we all would fall in worship of the Only Wise and Benevolent God. When Christ died for us He suffered the full penalty for us and His sacrifice was accepted of God the Father; and because it was accepted so we are accepted of God through Christ Jesus. Be sure to give this message to a friend in need today and let them know that Jesus gives the victory because He was victorious over Satan and over the eternal punishment that all men deserve. May God Bless my dear friends...