Day 306 – Luke 19

Talking Points

• Considering the enemies of Jesus never stops being strange. The Pharisees, who read and took pride in practicing God’s Word, and the scribes, who copied and were thought of as experts in God’s Word, both rejected Christ. They hated Him. Evidently, though they had the Word of God, they did not know the God of that Word.
• Jesus tells the parable of the coming kingdom of God, the slaves, and their faithfulness during the time they have. As His servants who’ve been given stewardship of the gospel of Jesus Christ, what we do with that good news reveals what our hearts believe about Jesus. Chase what matters. Make the most of your time. You won’t get these hours back. Upon His return, may we be found faithful slaves who’ve worked in the Master’s fields.

• During Jesus’ triumphal entry, the people, thinking He was ushering in God’s earthly kingdom in that moment, “praise God joyfully…, shouting: ‘BLESSED IS THE KING WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!’” (Luke 19:37-38). When the religious Pharisees hear this, they tell Jesus to correct His followers’ claims that He is the Messiah. Not only does Jesus not rebuke them, for He cannot, but He says, “if these become silent, the stones will cry out!” (19:40). He truly is “the King who comes in the name of the LORD!“

Thoughts

As we read the account of Zaccheus, we may be familiar enough with the details that we read over them quickly. But, if we’ll take our time, we see the words are all so deep, it’s almost too much to take in.

“He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner” (Luke 19:7). Would you read that verse again? I think those words are among some of the most beautiful, hopeful words in all of Scripture. Especially when you read Jesus’ response to the accusation — “Today, salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (19:9-10).

In His defense of His actions, Jesus testifies to what happened to Zaccheus and explains why it happened. Salvation had come to him, because he was a son of Abraham — not simply according to his lineage, but according to faith. Zaccheus had “received Him gladly” (19:6). “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12). “Even so Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham” (Galatians 3:6-7). As he committed to make restitutions to those he had wronged, Zaccheus demonstrated the fruit of that faith.

Responding to the grumbling crowd, Jesus also took this opportunity to state His mission — He came to find and save the lost. The ruined. The perishing. The sinner. See, this is where our hope lies. Salvation is found only because the God of that salvation would take on flesh and come to seek out and deliver the lost — “to be the guest” of those who are sinners. Literally, Salvation comes to our house to be our Guest. When, by faith, we receive Him gladly we, too, are children of Abraham.