Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net
-----Original Message-----
From: "Apostle Tom" <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Sat, 01 Sep 2007 13:12:39 -0500
To: pressingon@hotmail.com
Subject: Morning Manna (Sept. 2); BP: Lk. 19:1-10; RBTTY: I Cor. 13; Ps. 137-139
September 2 “Evidences of True Repentance”
“And Zacchaeus stood and said unto the Lord, ‘Behold, Lord, the half of my
good I give to the poor. And, if I have taken anything from any man by
false accusation, I restore him fourfold.’ And Jesus said unto him, ‘This
day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of
Abraham—for the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was
lost’.”
Luke 19:8-10
When the Master is more important than “mammon,” His grace heals our
heart and loosens our purse strings.
Wouldn’t it have been wonderful to have had a hidden camcorder in
Zacchaeus’ house that day when Jesus came to visit? There’s no doubt it was
a fabulous house—a mansion, if you will—in comparison to the others there in
Jericho.
But, the people knew (as did Zacchaeus) that it was built upon the
shaky foundations of greed and thievery. As a “contract worker” of the
Romans, Zacchaeus (a Jew) was free to require as much tax as he wanted above
was required by their law. So, it’s clear that he took advantage of that
“pagan perk,” as evidenced by the people’s criticism of Jesus for “going to
be the guest with a man that is a sinner” (v.7).
So often we shrink back or become infuriated at others’ criticisms;
however, when they’re based in truth we should use them as a clarion call
for repentance. But, thankfully, Jesus didn’t suddenly pull away from the
squatty-bodied tax-collector and say, “Oh, me! I had not idea!”
Why didn’t He?
Because He already knew what Zacchaeus was—and why He’d called him down
out of the sycamore tree to begin with.
Jesus was a “Man on a Mission” that day when He passed through Jericho.
He’d not come there for the people’s applause, accolades or approval.
He’d come to transform one of the worst sinners in that ancient city. .
.knowing if He could change him, He could change them. Glory!!
After arriving at Zacchaeus’ house, the Lord of glory quickly let his
host know He was more interested in him than He was his large house, fine
china and sumptuous food. He was there but for one purpose: “To seek and
save that which was lost.” And, it’s quite evident He accomplished that
purpose, for today’s Manna clearly shows that Christ’s “liberality of love”
was already at work in Zacchaeus’ life.
You see, you don’t go from being a crooked thief to a blessed
benefactor without a definite change-of-heart. And, you certainly don’t
demonstrate “grace-generosity” without the Lord being the Owner of your
pocketbook. That’s why Zacchaeus was willing to “give half of his goods to
the poor and give back four times as much as he’d stolen to the ones from
whom he’d stolen it.” Our Lord knew what He was talking about when He said
“You cannot serve God and mammon (Grk. ‘mamonas’—‘wealth, avarice, etc.’)”
(Mt. 6:24). Perhaps we should spend a little time with our checkbook today
to see who’s really Lord of our lives.
_________________________________________________________________
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