UNEXPECTED GUEST

ZACCHAEUS

Read: Luke 19:1-10

      When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house." Luke 19:5 NKJV

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      Zacchaeus was a man who was small in stature, but a big shot in his position as tax collector for the Roman government. The price for his dishonest position of wealth was contempt by his own people.

      Unlike many who stood by, Zacchaeus knew he was a sinner and believed that Jesus could forgive him. He also knew what he had to do next: He said, "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." (19:8 NIV)

      Jesus never did anything the way the leaders expected. To call a tax collector down from a tree and announce that He was going to his house; that was unprecedented behavior. But Jesus did things purposefully for eternal results, not human applause.

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      Lord, I want to live for You in a way that pleases You, not just as others expect. I want to teach my children and grandchildren to seek Your will in their lives, not the applause of the world.

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      And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." Luke 19:9-10 NKJV

HUMILITY AND REPENTANCE

THE PHARISEE AND TAX COLLECTOR

Read: Luke 18:9-14

      The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself,'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. Luke 18:11 NKJV

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      This religious leader may have had much to be proud of in avoiding gross sin, but he missed the fact that he was still a sinner. Salvation comes through repentance, and Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
     The tax collector, so despised for his sin, had it right. He, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' (18:13)

      The Pharisee was like the rich young ruler who thought he could gain eternal life by doing good works. We must all come by way of repentance from sin and faith in Jesus Christ. Only then can we do genuinely good works, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

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      Lord, forgive me when I am guilty of looking down on someone I judge to be more sinful than I.
      As You have extended mercy to us, we must desire mercy for others. You look beyond the outward appearance and see our hearts. Help us to discern the heart attitudes of our children and grandchildren and teach them humility by example.

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      ". . . everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Luke 18:14 NKJV

THANKFULNESS

TEN LEPERS CLEANSED

Read Luke 17:11-19

           …There met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" Luke 17:12-13 NKJV

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      There were many in Israel willing to be healed of their diseases, to be fed with free bread and be part of an adoring crowd. But there were few who were willing to accept Jesus as Messiah, the Son of God, and commit their lives to Him. In the case of these ten very sick men, only one came back to give glory to God for his healing. In spite of the fact that ten were cleansed of leprosy, to only one he said, "Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well." (17:19)
      There is a sickness of the soul that is far worse than leprosy and that is sin. Only faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, can heal us of that disease.

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      Thank You Lord, that You were willing to cleanse me from sin, just as You cleansed those men from their leprosy. Forgive us when we go day after day without remembering to stop and say thank You. Help us to teach our children and grandchildren to be thankful as well.

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      So Jesus answered and said, "Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?" Luke 17:17-18 NKJV

OUR ETERNAL DESTINY

A WARNING FROM THE GRAVE

Read: Luke 16:19-31

      "I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment." Luke 16:27-28 NKJV

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      Jesus taught in this powerful story of life after death, that the circumstances of this life, wealth or poverty, are of little consequence in comparison to our eternal destiny. The rich man in Hell wanted God to send the godly beggar Lazarus to tell his brothers how to avoid this "place of torment."
      Abraham's answer that this man's brothers would not be convinced, "though one rise from the dead" was prophetic of what was about to happen. Jesus did rise from the dead and the Pharisees still did not repent and believe.

      It is not pleasant to consider the reality of eternal punishment. When people are still alive there is always the potential that they will hear the message and believe, but after death, there is no more hope.

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      Lord, help us to remember this and realize the urgency of getting the message out. Bless our efforts in supporting our church and missions and telling others ourselves, about Jesus who died and rose again to pay the penalty for our sin.

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      He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'" Luke 16:31 NKJV

JOY IN HEAVEN

JESUS SEEKS THE LOST

Read: Luke 15

      I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. Luke 15:7 NKJV

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      It was an affront to the religious leaders when Jesus spent time with "tax collectors and sinners." The parables in this passage were a message to these Pharisees and teachers of the law. He told the story of three lost things: a lost sheep, a lost coin and a lost son.

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      Those Pharisees who complained were like the older brother of the prodigal son who said, "…All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders…But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!' (15:29-30 NIV)

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      Our role here on earth as Christians is not to congratulate ourselves on how good we have been. Our lives should so shine as to draw lost people to our Lord Jesus Christ. Lord, make our home a lighthouse so that those who are lost on the sea of life will find their way to shore. Give us a heart to love and disciple those who were lost and are found.

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“…we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.'" Luke 15:32 NKJV