Tag: Luke 19
Jesus loves “Short” people!
Scripture reading for March 28: Luke 19
“And behold there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see Who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd, he could not, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was about to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” So he hurried and came down and received Him joyfully.” Luke 19:2-6
My mother loved to tell this story about Jesus. She was a short woman and I inherited her stature. This story had impacted her life and she shared it with her children and the Sunday School she helped to lead at our country church. She even had a song she taught to her children that I remember yet today! “Zacchaeus was a wee little man, a wee little man was he!” was the first line!
Zacchaeus was a short person who was also ‘short’ on spiritual stature according to his fellow Jews. He had become a tax collector for the Roman government and was viewed as the lowest of sinners. But Zacchaeus had a desire to know more about this Jesus Who was drawing crowds and healing people. He made a plan to get a view of Jesus by climbing a tree. As Jesus passed by, Jesus looked up and called out to Zacchaeus to come down. Jesus wanted to spend some time with him at his house! Zacchaeus received Him joyfully! This created a real stir among the religious folks and they began to grumble and complain. Zacchaeus stood and announced a change of heart (and stature)! In true repentance, he would restore four times all he had stolen to become rich. He would give half his goods to the poor. Jesus announced to him that “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.” (Luke 19:8-10) It was Jesus mission to seek and save the lost!
Have you ever had a desire to know more about this Man Jesus? What kind of a plan might you make today to get a better understanding of Him? Can you believe that He wants to spend time with you and bring salvation to your house and family?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for my godly mother who faithfully told me and others Your great love for all the “short” people of this world. Use me today to reach out to those who may feel ‘short’ because of rejection, sin and shame, or others judgments. I am receiving You in my house with rejoicing! Amen!
Recognize God’s time!
Scripture reading for March 29th: Luke 19
Key Scriptures for over-comers: Luke 19:41-44 “As He approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it and said, “if you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace–but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”
Jesus approached the beloved city of Jerusalem for his last few days on earth. As He looked at the city, He wept over it. He had preached and plainly revealed that He was their Messiah but they had rejected Him. They would hail Him as their King, but call for His crucifixion before the week was over. How Jesus longed to bring peace to those people He knew and loved! But each person and each group of people has a time of visitation and a window of opportunity. When light is rejected, darkness descends on the soul and God gives you over to have what you have chosen. In Jesus’ day, Jerusalem and Israel did not recognize the time of God’s coming to them!
Observations for over-comers: Believers must remain alert and responsive to the Lord and the Holy Spirit in the last days. We know that the time is short and we must make the most of our time here. “There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven:. . .” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
Seek and save the Lost!
Scripture reading for March 30th: Luke 19
When I was very young, my mother loved to tell Bible stories with a flannel board. I remember her telling me the story of Zacchaeus, the little man who had to climb a tree to see Jesus. This story interested me, because I was short and had a desire to see Jesus too!
Zacchaeus was a tax collector. He was a Jew who worked for the Roman government collecting taxes. His salary came from adding onto the tax collections, often using fraudulent means. People holding this job were considered by the Jews to be the worst of sinners! But Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus and climbed up into a tree to get a better view. “When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, com down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”” (Luke 19:5) This caused people to mutter about Jesus eating with sinners!
“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.” Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke 19:8-10) In the presence of the lover of sinners, Zacchaeus had true repentance! He turned from his deceitful ways and was willing to follow God’s instructions. He wanted to give to the poor and to restore money he might have taken by cheating. Jesus declared that salvation had come to his house! After all, Jesus came to save sinners like me and the short man up in the tree!