And get pats on your back as you pass, But your final reward will be heartaches and tears. If you've cheated the man in the glass. - By Dale Wimbrow
ZACCHAEUS' EMANCIPATION
When we become a product of our surroundings and culture, we sooner or later have to make choices. Zacchaeus faced these choices, if we follow his life in Luke, chapter 19. He was born into a fine Jewish family, and his parents gave him a name that means "pure". He received a fine education, and became a community leader. Although raised with regular synagogue attendance, he came to a major point of decision. Should he keep his strong religious ties, or accept a very lucrative political position?
The position was that of tax collector, which would make him a hated publican and servant of Rome. If he accepted this position, he would be cut off from the mercy seat, the equivalent of losing his connection to God. It was a tough decision, but being a tax collector would get him on the road to wealth. He wasn't making big bucks because of his attendance in the synagogue.
A tax collector was actually an agent for the Roman government. He would collect taxes from his countrymen for Rome, AND collect taxes for himself. It was a very profitable situation. Zacchaeus was not a big man physically, but the position of tax collector gave him a very powerful standing in the community. He was so good at his position, he became a leader of tax collectors. With money, goes political influence. Things haven't changed much over the years. Christ gave us many warnings about coveting money and wealth. One of the best examples of what's happening now in America is found in Luke chapter 19:11--27. It is no coincidence the second half of chapter 19 is devoted to money. I would guess you've never had those verses explained properly because people want to read about money's success. Those verses are about corruption that comes with power. Think seriously about that story before you write
me off. Back to Zacchaeus.
Several things happen now in our account of Zacchaeus's life. It's all according to God's plan. First of all, Christ is on His way to Jerusalem, and travels through Jericho on His way. He knows someone in Jericho needs to return to God. Zacchaeus, being short, could not see over the crowd that usually accompanied Christ, so he climbed a tree. He needed to at least see Christ, because he had come to the conclusion God was needed more
than money or wealth. His conscience told him he needed salvation.
Obviously he did not expect to actually meet Christ or he would not have climbed up in that tree. It was a smooth bark sycamore, which is not easy to climb. He must have been surprised that Christ saw him, and even more surprised when Christ told him to come down because Christ had need to accompany him to his house. The crowd murmured because Christ was stopping at a publican's (sinner's) house instead of some dignitary's home. Christ went into Zacchaeus's house, and they shut the door. The crowd milled around outside, gossiping about what might be going on inside.
Scripture tells us to raise children properly, and they will turn out all right. Zaccheus had been raised properly, but the pull of the material world had overcome his upbringing. Now he realized his mistake, and he had the opportunity to repent. As a tax collector, he had overcharged citizens to enrich himself, had foreclosed property from the poor, and taken property from widows. In short, he was a corrupt politician living only for money
and power. Those with money didn't mind paying him a little over their actual taxes, because it gave them privileges over the common man.
When evening came, the door opened, and Zacchaeus came out and addressed the crowd. They wondered what happened inside with Christ. If this would happen today, wouldn't you be stunned? I can hear the comments from many in the crowd, "He's nuts!" Here is what he said. (Beginning in verse 8), "Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold."
And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."
If you know scripture, you can tell from Zacchaeus's announcement exactly what Jesus said to him behind the closed door. Go to Exodus 22, verses 21-28. "You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. If you afflict them in any way, and they cry at all to Me, I will surely hear their cry, and My wrath will become hot, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.
If you lend money to any of My people who are poor among you, you shall not be like a moneylender to him; you shall not charge him interest. If you ever take your neighbor's garment as a pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down. For that is his only covering, it is his garment for his skin. What will he sleep in? And it will be that when he cries to me, I will hear, for I am gracious."
These were among the laws God gave Israel, adding them to the Ten Commandments. You might also note Ex. 21:2, "If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years; and in the seventh he shall go out free and pay nothing" Slaves in America were not freed until
nearly 100 years after our Constitution became law. You can offer the excuse slaves in America weren't Hebrew. But think again: it didn't matter their nationality, because the Constitution set them free, although it took the Civil War to enforce the law of the land.
Another thing Christ told us was the Eleventh Commandment. Matt. 22:39, "And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" The circumstance that brought Christ to Jericho was Zacchaeus's need to repent and end his backslide through two factors. His heart had to accept Christ's offer, and he had to declare with his public announcement that he repented and would restore his ill-gotten gains.
James 1:22-25 sums this up quite accurately. "But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself , goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does."
Attending church and reading the bible is not enough to be able to be a doer of the Word. There has to be an understanding of Christ's gift as well as the responsibility when you accept the offer. Just throwing money in the collection plate is not sufficient--for many people it is the easy way. Remember what Christ told His disciples when He observed the offering, as told in Mark 12:41-43, and Luke 21:1-4. Sometimes personal service is better than money. Whatever you give or do, it is in His service, and He knows the condition of your heart. It is never too late to repent, but your heart has to be honest.
Rev. Walbear
When we become a product of our surroundings and culture, we sooner or later have to make choices. Zacchaeus faced these choices, if we follow his life in Luke, chapter 19. He was born into a fine Jewish family, and his parents gave him a name that means "pure". He received a fine education, and became a community leader. Although raised with regular synagogue attendance, he came to a major point of decision. Should he keep his strong religious ties, or accept a very lucrative political position?
The position was that of tax collector, which would make him a hated publican and servant of Rome. If he accepted this position, he would be cut off from the mercy seat, the equivalent of losing his connection to God. It was a tough decision, but being a tax collector would get him on the road to wealth. He wasn't making big bucks because of his attendance in the synagogue.
A tax collector was actually an agent for the Roman government. He would collect taxes from his countrymen for Rome, AND collect taxes for himself. It was a very profitable situation. Zacchaeus was not a big man physically, but the position of tax collector gave him a very powerful standing in the community. He was so good at his position, he became a leader of tax collectors. With money, goes political influence. Things haven't changed much over the years. Christ gave us many warnings about coveting money and wealth. One of the best examples of what's happening now in America is found in Luke chapter 19:11--27. It is no coincidence the second half of chapter 19 is devoted to money. I would guess you've never had those verses explained properly because people want to read about money's success. Those verses are about corruption that comes with power. Think seriously about that story before you write
me off. Back to Zacchaeus.
Several things happen now in our account of Zacchaeus's life. It's all according to God's plan. First of all, Christ is on His way to Jerusalem, and travels through Jericho on His way. He knows someone in Jericho needs to return to God. Zacchaeus, being short, could not see over the crowd that usually accompanied Christ, so he climbed a tree. He needed to at least see Christ, because he had come to the conclusion God was needed more
than money or wealth. His conscience told him he needed salvation.
Obviously he did not expect to actually meet Christ or he would not have climbed up in that tree. It was a smooth bark sycamore, which is not easy to climb. He must have been surprised that Christ saw him, and even more surprised when Christ told him to come down because Christ had need to accompany him to his house. The crowd murmured because Christ was stopping at a publican's (sinner's) house instead of some dignitary's home. Christ went into Zacchaeus's house, and they shut the door. The crowd milled around outside, gossiping about what might be going on inside.
Scripture tells us to raise children properly, and they will turn out all right. Zaccheus had been raised properly, but the pull of the material world had overcome his upbringing. Now he realized his mistake, and he had the opportunity to repent. As a tax collector, he had overcharged citizens to enrich himself, had foreclosed property from the poor, and taken property from widows. In short, he was a corrupt politician living only for money
and power. Those with money didn't mind paying him a little over their actual taxes, because it gave them privileges over the common man.
When evening came, the door opened, and Zacchaeus came out and addressed the crowd. They wondered what happened inside with Christ. If this would happen today, wouldn't you be stunned? I can hear the comments from many in the crowd, "He's nuts!" Here is what he said. (Beginning in verse 8), "Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold."
And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."
If you know scripture, you can tell from Zacchaeus's announcement exactly what Jesus said to him behind the closed door. Go to Exodus 22, verses 21-28. "You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. If you afflict them in any way, and they cry at all to Me, I will surely hear their cry, and My wrath will become hot, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.
If you lend money to any of My people who are poor among you, you shall not be like a moneylender to him; you shall not charge him interest. If you ever take your neighbor's garment as a pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down. For that is his only covering, it is his garment for his skin. What will he sleep in? And it will be that when he cries to me, I will hear, for I am gracious."
These were among the laws God gave Israel, adding them to the Ten Commandments. You might also note Ex. 21:2, "If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years; and in the seventh he shall go out free and pay nothing" Slaves in America were not freed until
nearly 100 years after our Constitution became law. You can offer the excuse slaves in America weren't Hebrew. But think again: it didn't matter their nationality, because the Constitution set them free, although it took the Civil War to enforce the law of the land.
Another thing Christ told us was the Eleventh Commandment. Matt. 22:39, "And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" The circumstance that brought Christ to Jericho was Zacchaeus's need to repent and end his backslide through two factors. His heart had to accept Christ's offer, and he had to declare with his public announcement that he repented and would restore his ill-gotten gains.
James 1:22-25 sums this up quite accurately. "But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself , goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does."
Attending church and reading the bible is not enough to be able to be a doer of the Word. There has to be an understanding of Christ's gift as well as the responsibility when you accept the offer. Just throwing money in the collection plate is not sufficient--for many people it is the easy way. Remember what Christ told His disciples when He observed the offering, as told in Mark 12:41-43, and Luke 21:1-4. Sometimes personal service is better than money. Whatever you give or do, it is in His service, and He knows the condition of your heart. It is never too late to repent, but your heart has to be honest.
Rev. Walbear
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