Title: Zacchaeus the Redeemer
Contents
Zacchaeus saved
(2009.10.4. Afternoon) (Luke 19:1~10)
It is often said that a tree that grows well is different from the cotyledon. - But not all.
There are many people in the world who break all expectations, break preconceived notions, and change drastically.
* There are many people who studied and built walls when they were young and became university professors.
* There are many people who became chaebols from poor people who barely managed to survive with the help of others when they were young.
* There are many people who became pastors when they were troublemakers and troublemakers when they were young.
These are people who were not good looking when they were cotyledons, but later became giant trees.
It is said that such a person was tolerated in Gaecheon in a common saying.
Therefore, we must not view everything in the world with preconceived notions.
Zacchaeus, who always appears in the texts, was a person who could not be saved from a preconceived view.
(19:2)-“There is a man named Zacchaeus, a publican and a rich man”
The profession that all believers in Israel regarded as a traitor to the nation and an enemy of their faith was a publican. Zacchaeus was the chief publican among publicans.
He was the richest among tax collectors - of course, he was a person who was branded as a person who made a lot of illicit wealth.
Can such a person be saved?
Surprisingly, such a Zacchaeus was saved.
(19:10) - “The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost” - Jesus said - - Zacchaeus in the past was like a lost child, but now he is a found child and a saved child.
How did Zacchaeus, who was like a lost child, and Zacchaeus, who was like the prodigal son, be saved?
1. Someone who has an interest in Jesus.
A prodigal who left home does not completely forget his home - Just as the prodigal who left home suffered hardship and missed his hometown and returned home to restore his son's identity, no one can forget his hometown.
So did Zacchaeus.
Although he was a publican who was pointed at by everyone and a man who shunned the faith - an interest in Jesus is entrenched in the corner of his heart.
(19:3)-“He wanted to see what kind of person Jesus was, but he was short and there were many people, so he could not do it.”
Haven't seen Jesus yet, but he's heard rumors about him too - Who is Jesus? I'm interested. I wanted to meet Jesus.
Even though you don't know Jesus yet, your interest in Jesus and the desire to meet Jesus are the first steps you can take to receive salvation.
*Dear saints - It is a mistake to think that people who are unbelievers, persecutors, or sinners will not be interested in Jesus or the Church.
Among them, like Zacchaeus, about Jesus and about the church - remembering that there are many people who are interested and want to go to church - please evangelize to anyone without prejudice.
In particular, if you have any interest in God, Jesus, or the church, please do not turn away and actively evangelize.
2. Those who accepted Jesus.
I wanted to see Jesus, but I couldn't get to Jesus through the people who hated Zacchaeus.
However, he did not give up on seeing Jesus and climbed up a tree, had his head decapitated, and was looking at Jesus - Jesus stayed under the tree to meet Zacchaeus.
(19:5) - “When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, and I must stay at your house today.” you have given How excited was Zacchaeus at that time?
*(19:6)-“He came down in haste and welcomed him with joy.”
*Zacchaeus did not hesitate and came down to meet Jesus.
*Zacchaeus welcomed Jesus with joy.
Salvation has already been accomplished for him when he immediately, thrilled, and joyfully accepted Jesus without hesitation.
*Are you slow, relaxed, and lukewarm to serve Jesus? Or do you trust and serve right away like Zacchaeus?
Do you believe in boldly without any emotion? Or do you believe with joy like Zacchaeus?
Like Zacchaeus, I hope you receive it quickly and joyfully - be quick and joyfully loyal.
3. A person who is not swayed by public opinion.
Among the members of the church, there are people who turn away from the faith and stay away from the church when criticizing the church or disappointing people. Then it shouldn't. What was Zacchaeus like?
(19:7) - “When all the people saw him, they began to mumble, saying, “He has gone to stay in the house of a sinner”.
*Jesus entered a sinner's house, *Zacchaeus is a sinner - murmur.
However, no matter how many people chattered, Zacchaeus was not shaken by the gossip of the crowd.
Thank you for having Jesus welcome you. I am thankful that I can have Jesus
*Whether or not people talk about it - Zacchaeus, who saw Jesus as the greatest happiness in his home, was already saved.
*Dear saints, don't worry too much about people's judgments - I hope you know that serving Jesus is the greatest blessing and give thanks.
4. Changed person.
Zacchaeus did not grow up slowly after meeting Jesus. I am not someone who grew up after many years. - Zacchaeus was a wonderfully changed person on the very day he met Jesus.
(19:8) - “Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I will give half of what I have to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone, I will pay back four times as much.”
If you look at these words, you can see how greatly changed Zacchaeus was.
Previously, he was a tax collector who only had to earn his own money even by oppressing his people.
But after meeting Jesus, he became a completely different person.
1) I have become a person who can think of the poor.
When he had the idea that he only had to use his own wealth, he had no consideration for the poor around him.
But now he will give half of his fortune to the poor without any conditions.
2) I became a person of thorough repentance.
Of course, I don't know whether Zacchaeus cheated or stole someone else's things before, but - if there was any cheating, I'll reimburse you four times. It is a thorough repentance.
We must listen deeply to Zacchaeus' confession.
*Is the kind of repentance that prays for repentance only in words without taking any responsibility for one's own mistakes is true repentance? - Zacchaeus promised true repentance by reparing materially for any material damage.
*Jesus - There are words of promise to Zacchaeus who were interested in Jesus, accepted Jesus, did not turn away from people's criticism, repented and changed.
(19:9) - “Jesus said to them, Today salvation has come to this house, for this man is also a descendant of Abraham.”
Zacchaeus finally became the saved people of God.
*Jesus gives lessons to us who believe first.
(19:10) - “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” - Jesus not only loves us who have already been saved - His purpose is to save unbelievers now - If we are believers in Jesus, we too Like Jesus, we must do our best to save unbelievers in the world.
Dear saints who believe in Jesus who came to seek the lost - Please do your best to find and save lost souls.