THE ZACCHAEUS' PRINCIPLE: BELIEVE
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. The Zacchaeus' Principle
a) Zacchaeus was socially somewhat on the outer. First, he was a rich man, and the implication is that he became rich by collecting taxes with rather too much commission, that is to say he was corrupt. Therefore he was probably not well liked. Secondly, he was a man of short stature, so short that he found it necessary to climb into a tree in order to see Jesus, because the crowd around Jesus blocked his view. Zacchaeus was probably more surprised than anybody when Jesus stopped under the tree and honored Zacchaeus by inviting himself to be a guest in Zacchaeus' house. (Luke 19:1-10)
b) Here is one of the elements for Zacchaeus' Principle.
2. Believe
a) Jesus said that Zacchaeus was saved because he was "a son of Abraham". This had nothing to do with him being a Jew, or another of Abraham's descendants. The salvation of any person "is of faith that it might be by grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only those who are of the law, but also those who are of the faith of Abraham who is the father of us all" (Romans 4:16). It is having the "faith of Abraham" that makes one a son of Abraham (Galatians 3:6-7). It is true faith that is behind the Zacchaeus principle. People whose faith is living and true, and who are justified by their faith, are those who make personal sacrifice in order to devote themselves to righteousness. Salvation came to Zacchaeus because that's what Zacchaeus did.
The End ...
1. The Zacchaeus' Principlea) Zacchaeus was socially somewhat on the outer. First, he was a rich man, and the implication is that he became rich by collecting taxes with rather too much commission, that is to say he was corrupt. Therefore he was probably not well liked. Secondly, he was a man of short stature, so short that he found it necessary to climb into a tree in order to see Jesus, because the crowd around Jesus blocked his view. Zacchaeus was probably more surprised than anybody when Jesus stopped under the tree and honored Zacchaeus by inviting himself to be a guest in Zacchaeus' house. (Luke 19:1-10)
b) Here is one of the elements for Zacchaeus' Principle.
2. Believe
a) Jesus said that Zacchaeus was saved because he was "a son of Abraham". This had nothing to do with him being a Jew, or another of Abraham's descendants. The salvation of any person "is of faith that it might be by grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only those who are of the law, but also those who are of the faith of Abraham who is the father of us all" (Romans 4:16). It is having the "faith of Abraham" that makes one a son of Abraham (Galatians 3:6-7). It is true faith that is behind the Zacchaeus principle. People whose faith is living and true, and who are justified by their faith, are those who make personal sacrifice in order to devote themselves to righteousness. Salvation came to Zacchaeus because that's what Zacchaeus did.
Comments
Post a Comment