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| Ev. John Bosco |
ZACCHAEUS FINDS HOPE
What
did you do to host the guest/
How
long did it take you to host the guest?
How
much did it cost you to host the guest?
Why
did you prepare in such a costly manner?
Anybody who is sick makes sure he or she
finds a doctor for his sickness without which he lives unhappily the whole
life. And those who are not sick are friendless with doctors. They don’t associate
even in a simple gathering with doctors because they have no business with
them. What they know is that, they need doctors when they are sick or ill.
One day, Jesus was on His way passing through
Jericho, there live a man who actually was sick but nobody knew that, he
yearned to see Jesus with his own eyes because he heard of His great work and
healing power, Zacheaus was his name.
Zacheaus was a very rich tax collector with a
title Chief Tax Collector. All money collected before being remitted to the
Government treasury must pass through his desk for verification. He had all the
power to change even the figure of the money collected and could formulate any
charges on any business firm within his reach. Many people at his time looked
at him as the richest and happiest man and indeed he thought he was rich and
felt happy. But one thing, people at his time looked at him as the most sinful
because of his act of cheating through taxation, even if he was doing that,
nobody was ready to protest against him because he was looked at by the
government agency as the most educated and skill finance controller of his time
In spite of all his richness and happiness he
enjoyed, he was still troubled and felt always worried about his own life. All
that he had though were great enough, was not enough to give him exactly the
type of life he wanted. He was totally in dilemma knowing nothing but his money
and to eat and drink.
As people were joining the company of Jesus
on His way through Jericho, Zacchaeus too, ran to have only a glance to such a
man so that he becomes happy to have seen the famous great man whose name is
above every name. Because he was too short to see Jesus, ran ahead and climbed
a sycamore tree that was just by the roadside Jesus was using so as to have the
live picture of Jesus Christ.
Just some few meters, Jesus looked on the
sycamore tree and called Zacheaus to get down because he wanted to have dinner
with him, Luke 19: 5, what luck for such a man to be visited by Jesus at that
time! Hurriedly, Zacheaus jumped down and was very happy to having seen the
real Jesus and now that He was going to be his guest that night. The joy that
filled Zacheaus was beyond imagination because he thought Jesus could not accept
to be with him leave alone greeting his hand because of his sin.
When they entered Zacchaeus’ house, people
grumbled against Jesus and complaint why he had entered into the house of such
a sinful man who has been robbing them for those past periods. However, Zacchaeus
was very careful to immediately confess to Jesus of his sin without being
forced. He said, ‘Look Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor and if I have taken
anything from any man by false accusation, I restore fourfold.’ Luke 19:8.
Jesus replied, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a
son of Abraham.’ Luke 19:9.
Jesus did not stop there, to clarify His
role, He said, ‘for the son of man has come to seek and save that which was lost.’
Vs.10
Before I continue, what do you know about
Jesus –Zacchaeus relationships and the people at the time?
?
Zacchaeus
Ø Zacchaeus was a re-known sinner that people
disassociated themselves from
Ø He was quick to repent
Ø Zacchaeus was not saved
Ø He was not happy
Ø He lacks friends
Ø He was popular but not like what he had heard
about one popular man
Ø He was not important like the man Jesus was
very important
Ø He was sick and need healing
?
Jesus
Ø Jesus came to save the lost
Ø He is a friend to the friendless
Ø He loves everyone
Ø He wants nobody to die
Ø He is a doctor who treats the sick only
Ø He is a father to the fatherless
?
The people
Ø People hated Zacchaeus because of his bad
practices of corruption
Ø People expected Jesus not to associate with
sinners like Zacchaeus
Ø Jesus was only for them who claimed to be
righteous
Ø Jesus was to them as a King not as Messiah
In
our situations:
Ø We think those who are rich are the happiest
Ø Those who are rich have everything and
therefore no need Jesus
Ø The rich think they are everything because
they can do anything with the money they have
Ø No need for the rich to be in the church or
where children of God are
Ø The haves think Jesus is only for the don’t
haves
Ø Those who are in the government control life
or power
Ø We have no voice because of our status quo
Ø We believe that, those in church are the people
have nothing to do, in fact the poorest but is it true?
Example:
The story of the rich and poor man
A poor man (not real name James) wanted to be
rich like a rich man and decided to consult a rich man (not real name John)…………
What
does that teach us?
Ø Richness is nothing without Jesus, like
Zacchaeus, he had everything but lacked Jesus so he was nothing
Ø Power is nothing without Jesus
Ø Gun is nothing without Jesus
Ø You too are nothing without Jesus in your
life
Ø Your family is nothing without Jesus
Ø You will continue to be unhappy without Jesus
in your life
Ø Going to church every day is not enough, you
need Jesus in your life
Ø Having a pastor in your home means nothing
without Jesus in that home
Ø Walking with the bible in the hands is
nothing, cannot give you happiness without Jesus in your life.
Ø Unless you, your husband, your wife and the
whole family has Jesus, happiness is just a dream
Reflection:
Ø What kind of person are you, do you have
everything and need nothing?
Ø Is your family living in full happiness
everything?
Ø Do you go to church still lacks happiness?
Ø Do you pray every day but still lacks happiness?
Ø Are you sure you are happy in your life? Are
you sure there is nothing lacking that you need because you sleep on money?
Because you have relatives who are ready to cater for your needs?
Conclusion
In a nutshell, our life is surely nothing without Jesus, Zacchaeus
had everything to take but he lacked one thing and that was a happy life
because he had no Jesus. He heard about him, learnt many things about him but Jesus
was not in his heart/life
Jesus promised Zacchaeus Salvation and said, he Zacchaeus had become
Abraham’s son (those who believe in the Lord YHWE are Abraham’s children)
In Revelation 3:20, Jesus said, ‘Behold I stand at the door and knock, if
anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with
him, and he with Me.
Jesus is standing at the door of your heart and wants to sit inside
your heart to replace and give happiness that you failed to find, He wants to
be your guest personally? Are you there to allow Him?
Dear
Lord Jesus,
I
am so sorry for rejecting your presence in my life, I now understand that You
are the only source of happiness and everything I need. I here open my heart
for you, come and enter and build your house in my heart so that I remain your
child forever. Thank you for accepting me. Amen
© Evangelist John
Bosco
+211-928-150660
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