THE SALVATION OF ZACCHAEUS

Luke 19:1-10

Morning Meditation

The conversion of Zacchaeus was a model conversion. What a blessing it would be if everyone would receive Jesus as readily as Zacchaeus did.

HIS CONVERSION WAS OF A RICH MAN

Jesus had just taught that it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to be saved. This is brought out in Luke 18:25-26, "For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved?" Jesus was dealing with a special case in Luke’s gospel.

HIS CONVERSION WAS OF A RICH PUBLICAN

A publican was a Jew who hired out to Rome to collect taxes from his countrymen. He was a hated man; he was a rejected man. If you were picking out someone for Jesus to save it surely would not be a rich tax collector. Verse 7 brings this out in Luke 19:7, "And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be a guest with a man that is a sinner."

HIS CONVERSION WAS ONE OF A CURIOUS MAN

We are told that Zacchaeus sought to see Jesus. He is described as a short man. He evidently tried to see Jesus as He walked by the way and could not for the press. So he devised a plan. He ran ahead of the crowd and climbed up a sycamore tree to see Jesus as he passed that way.

Zacchaeus was seeking Jesus out of curiosity but Jesus was seeking him as a lost sheep out of compassion. Many a person has come to church out of curiosity and been saved. May the Lord increase their number.

His conversion was sought by the Lord

This is brought out in Luke 19:8, "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 any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold."

We do not know what the conversation was that day but it was a conversation that caused him to say the following: Luke 19:8, "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 any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold." Any time you get this kind of commitment from a person it is a definite sign of true repentance.

HIS CONVERSION WAS THE RESULT OF SIMPLE FAITH

Luke 19:5-6, "And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully."

This Jew met the conditions of salvation: John 1:11-12, "He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:"

Somewhere between the limb and the ground Zacchaeus was saved. You don’t have to climb up a tree to be saved but you do have to humble yourself before the Lord and receive him as your personal Saviour.

May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ

Bro. White