Good Tuesday morning, my friends. Just a couple days till Christmas and still so much to do! I am truly blessed though. As I shared with a friend last night, every year I dont know how I am going to make ends meet... paying bills, buying presents, extra groceries with the kids out of school... but every year we are blessed beyond our means! Every year has become best Christmas ever! in our home. This is not of my doing. This is God providing for our needs. He takes care of my children and me. Remember in our reading in Luke 12:29-31 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. God loves His children and loves to take care of them! Lets get going in Luke 19... Zacchaeus was a wee little man and a wee little man was he! How many of us remember singing this song in Sunday School. Here we have Jesus going through Jericho (another Sunday School song... Joshua fit the battle of Jericho and the walls came tumbling down.) So what do we know about Zacchaeus? He was the cheif tax collector, so he was the big cheese of the tax collectors, and much hated by the Jews. He would have worked for the Roman government collecting taxes and charging more, so he could skim off the top. We know that Zacchaeus was a short dude. He couldnt see Jesus through the crowd so he climbs a sycamore tree to see Jesus. So we have this short, wealthy, much hated, cheater of a man, desiring to see Jesus so much he does something undignified. He runs ahead of the crowd and climbs a tree. Jesus spots him and tells him to make haste and get down out of that tree. Hes going to stay at Zacchaeus house! It says Zacchaeus receives Jesus joyfully! BTW, notice... Jesus calls Zacchaeus by name. He knew Zacchaeus name just like He knows yours and mine. Imagine how special he must of felt having Jesus call his name! Zacchaeus then confesses to Jesus. Not only does he confess, he promises to make up for the wrong hes done. Not only will he repay what he owes, but will give fourfold more for compensation. He is truly a repentant man. Jesus announces Zacchaeuss salvation. The Son of Man seeks and saves those who are lost. BTW, Zacchaeus means pure one. He sure wasnt pure when Jesus met him, but he became pure after his encounter with Jesus! As Jesus leaves Jericho and approaches Jerusalem, the disciples and Jesus followers are expecting Jesus to take over Jerusalem in a political coup becoming the Jewish Messiah they were looking for. The city would have been packed since Passover was approaching. Jesus shares a parable: A nobleman leaves his country to claim a kingdom, but before leaving gives his ten servants an equal amount of money to do business with. There are also people who do not want the nobleman to rule over them and rebel. The nobleman returns and first deals with his servants. One has earned 10 minas, and given ten cities to govern. Another has earned 5 minas and given 5 cities to govern. The third just placed his in a handkerchief. He says he disobeyed his master because his master is so powerful he didnt need to do anything but guard what he was given. The nobleman tells him basically because I am so powerful, you should have been diligent, not used it as an excuse to be lazy! (Dawns translation). The servant has the money taken from him, given to the servant who had earned 10 more minas, and was left with nothing but to stay and serve the master in his home. So whats the meaning? Jesus wasnt going into Jerusalem to take it over. His return to reign on this earth would be a long time away. During this time, we are to be faithful servants, doing the work of our Father, not being lazy and wasting the gifts and talents He has given to us. Next the nobleman deals with the rebellious citizens who didnt want him to rule over them and had them slain. So the question has to be asked... is Jesus your ruler? Are you working hard for the Kingdom? Or are you rebelling and refusing Christ? The results of the later are death. Eternal death. That is about as far as I can go today. We have Jesus entering Jerusalem. The donkey obtained for Jesus to ride on. The people praising Jesus as He rides into the city on a donkey in humility. The Pharisees getting ticked as they proclaim Jesus as their King. Jesus weeps over Jerusalem. Jerusalem will miss the Messiah, but will kill Him. The cleansing of the temple by Jesus. (I believe one of David Snyders favorites as Jesus shows righteous anger.) Have a blessed day my friends. Go seize that day in love, who do you serve? Are you working for the Kingdom of Heaven investing your talents and gifts Jesus has given to you? Peace out and ARMOR ON!
Posted on: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 13:16:58 +0000
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