Luke 19-A “Receiving & Responding”

S = 19:8-9 “And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” ⁹ And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

O = Such a familiar story, especially for those who have grown up in the church and can picture a Sunday school teacher putting Zacchaeus up in the old flannel-graph tree. Yet as I read this story afresh I see that it is also filled with a high degree of allusion to events from the Old Testament and even the New Testament. While these events didn’t usually make it to the flannel graph…they add great depth to the story. Simple observation often opens the door to greater understanding and appreciation.

1. Where does this narrative take place? Jericho reminds me of the story of Achan in Joshua 7. He took what had been devoted to God for himself. Here Zacchaeus gives half of what he has to the poor and promises to repay any he has defrauded fourfold.
2. This fourfold restitution reminds me of  David’s reaction to Nathan upon hearing his story of the rich man who stole the poor man’s lamb (2 Sam. 12:5-6), when he cries out that the man who did this should die after making fourfold restitution (Ex. 22:1-5).
3. To make a New Testament connection, I compare Zacchaeus the ruler of the tax collectors to the rich young ruler of the previous chapter (18:18-30) who went away sad when Jesus asked him to give his goods to the poor. Here the despised tax collector after being in the presence of Jesus gives the majority of his wealth to the poor and mistreated unasked! Salvation indeed had come to his house…and it was received and responded to!
4. Finally, Zacchaeus’ response is one of full repentance in keeping with the message that John the Baptist had preached along the Jordan River probably not too far from Jericho. In fact, it’s possible that Zacchaeus heard it from John directly (See Luke 3:7-14)!

A = Do I allow Jesus, who by the Holy Spirit, indwells me to make changes in my life? Am I teachable and open to correction by the Holy Spirit? Do I need to be smacked in the ego with the 2x4 of affliction or can I quickly catch a clue as the Holy Spirit gently brings conviction? I want to be sensitive to such conviction this week. I want to answer the call to repent wholeheartedly like Zacchaeus did!

 

P = O Lord, do your work in me so that those who watch my life and grumble may instead be prompted to praise you! May I listen to the Spirit who exposes my blind spots so that you don’t need to take more drastic measures with me (like you did with Achan and even David). May I joyfully welcome you to stay at my house anytime! Amen.