Why did Jesus call Zacchaeus by name? This question stormed me many days.... There were a lot of people around Jesus and hundreds of people were eagerly waiting for Him on both sides of the road in the Jericho. What are the qualities in Zacchaeus that grabbed Jesus's attention?
The answer is not so simple.... Let's examine these qualities....
1)He wanted to see who Jesus was...
LUKE 19:3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was;
This nature is always valued by God PSALMS 14:2 says "The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God."
Zacchaeus had an intense longing to see and know Jesus. God is searching for men with this attitude to anoint and send for His mission. This can be considered as the first quality that we must possess to be a true christian.
2)He was ready to do anything to see Jesus
LUKE 19:3 says "And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature."
Zacchaeus was rich and the chief tax collector of Jericho. As he was a higher official in the revenue department of Roman Government, the other Jews hated him. Some how he heard about Jesus and he got a burning desire to see Him. But despite his all tries he could not see Jesus as he was short. Jesus was surrounded by hundreds of people, His disciples, those who seek healing, those who got healing, and many common men. Till that moment Zacchaeus was one among them, more accurately an unlucky one because he was too short to see Jesus who was in the midst of huge crowd. What made the difference.....? He was ready to do anything to see Jesus. Are we like Zacchaeus? Are we ready to overcome all the difficulties to follow Jesus. We may not be physically fit to do God's work. We may not be having money, education, intelligence or famous pastors as ancestors but Jesus doesn't search for any of these qualities... He want people who have an intense longing for Him. Even if Zacchaeus had an intense longing to see Jesus, Jesus didn't call him at that moment. He waited for transformation of Zacchaeus faith into action. We may have some decisions in our mind to do something for God... but God doesn't want just decisions but action(James 2:15-20).
3)Zacchaeus took shame for Jesus.
LUKE 19:2 says "And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich."
Zacchaeus, a rich person, an officer in Roman government, tried to see Jesus but He couldn't. He didn't give up. He moved aside all his powers and glory and decided to ran ahead of the mob to see Jesus but that try also ended in vain. He had only one option to see Jesus, he must climb up a tree. There were only Sycomorous Fig trees on both the sides of the road. He might have stopped at one of the tree and thought, "if I climb the tree,people may think I am so poor and collecting figs which only beggars eat." But his decision was so strong to create an action. He didn't think about the people around him, his relatives, subordinates and people under his jurisdiction may be there, he ran close to a sycomorus fig tree and started to climb it. People might laughed at him but he took that humiliations for Jesus. Here Zacchaeus gave up all his money powers, social status and all his ego for Jesus and he took shame to see Jesus, that faith and action was acknowledged by God Almighty.
Could we sacrifice our money, time, energy, and social status for God.... Can we take some shame, humiliation and reproach for our loving God. If we can God has a call for us too. God is same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. If you wear a crown of thorns now.... Don't worry.... He is waiting with a crown of glory for you.......
So have a heart to receive God and be blessed....
In His love &service,
Sebastian
+919961330772
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
The dream
Dreams are pleasurable but most of the times they cause pain..... But even in the midst of the pain you go on dreaming... your dream will come true.....
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