The Wednesday Word 7.05.2023

 

Luke 19:1-10

New Living Translation

 

1 Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. 3 He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.” 6 Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. 7 But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled. 8 Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!” 9 Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

 

Of the points Pastor Jay made in his sermon last Sunday, one in particular kept buzzing in my head. It comes from a perspective that can make all the difference in how we live. The world seems to look at the Judeo-Christian way of life as nothing more than a long code of “thou shalt nots.” You must do this and you cannot do that and that can’t be any fun! If you step out of line you are condemned. It is a life dictated by the judgement of your betters. And underlying it all…you can never measure up, so why bother?

 

Pastor Jay reminded us of why Zacchaeus went from a life of oppressing his own people, using his position to extort the proceeds of their labor, to one of fairness and compassion. It was not out of fear. It was not because he had been condemned for violating the “shalt nots.” It was because he experienced the love and mercy of Jesus Christ. He did these things joyfully in response to that astounding experience. 

 

You can know the love of Jesus first hand. You can read the Scriptures and see the power in the “Good News.” You can stop avoiding God because, up to now, you have been going through life thinking you know what it says and what it means. Your life will be different. You will want to respond in the very best way that you can. You will want to love in return, joyfully…something to pray about.

 

Don’t forget to look for the Lord today. Vicki H.


                                                                                                        photo by Jessica Syssengrath

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