" You Can Be Saved ! "

Luke 19:1-11   " And JESUS entered and passed through Jericho. And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans (tax collectors), and he was rich. And he sought to see JESUS WHO HE was; and could not for the press (crowd), because he was little of stature (short). And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see HIM: for HE was to pass that way. And when JESUS came to the place, HE looked up, and saw him, and said unto him,  ' Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house.'  And he made haste, and came down, and received HIM joyfully.

And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That HE was gone to be a guest with a man that is a sinner. And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the LORD; Behold, LORD, the half of my goods 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.'  And as they heard these things, HE called and spake a parable, because HE was nigh (close) to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of GOD should immediately appear.

     JESUS, having entered Jericho, was passing through it. Many people had gathered to be with HIM, but one man in the crowd particularly wanted to see WHO JESUS was. Yet because he was  "little of stature"  (v.3), he could not see through or above the crowd. So, he climbed into a sycamore tree in order to see JESUS. JESUS spoke to him and called him by his name:  "Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house" (v.5). Now, this man was someone whom people hated. He was a despised tax collector hired by the Roman government to collect taxes from his fellow Jews. Even worse, he was "the chief among"  the tax collectors; and, as a result,  "he was rich" (v.2). He was basically rejected by his own people; his only  "friends" would have been others in the same profession. Nobody had anything to do with him. So, when JESUS invited HIMSELF to the house of this man, Zacchaeus  "made haste, and came down, and received HIM joyfully"  (v.6). The people, however, "murmured, saying, That HE was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner" (v.7).

     JESUS came to seek and save the lost  (v.10). The crowd should have said, "LORD, come also to my house," for they, too, were sinners - but they did not think they were. As a result, they lost out on the blessing of Salvation and fellowship with the LORD. Zacchaeus, however, repented of his sins, made restitution, and received Salvation  (v.9).  No one is  "too sinful"  for the LORD JESUS CHRIST to save.  Others may reject you, but not GOD.  Trust JESUS CHRIST today and experience HIS Salvation and forgiveness. PNF

Your servant in CHRIST,

Julie

Copyright, Feature: A Daily Bible Study Guide.

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