Basic HTML Version
328
From Heaven With Love
a seat among the boughs. As the procession passed below, Zacchaeus
scanned with eager eyes to discern the one figure he longed to see.
Suddenly, just beneath the fig tree, the company came to a stand-
still, and One looked upward whose glance seemed to read the soul.
Almost doubting his senses, the man in the tree heard the words,
“Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at
thy house.”
Zacchaeus, walking as in a dream, led the way toward his own
home. But the rabbis, with scowling faces, murmured in scorn that
“He was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.”
Zacchaeus had been overwhelmed at the condescension of Christ
in stooping to him, so unworthy. Now love to his new-found Master
unsealed his lips. He would make public his repentance. In the
presence of the multitude, “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.”
Now the disciples had a demonstration of the truth of Christ’s
words, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with
God.”
Luke 18:27
. They saw how, through the grace of God, a rich
man could enter into the kingdom.
Before Zacchaeus had looked upon the face of Christ, he had
confessed his sin. He had begun to carry out the teaching written
for ancient Israel as well as for ourselves: “If your brother becomes
poor, and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall maintain him;
as a stranger and a sojourner he shall live with you. Take no interest
from him or increase, but fear your God.” “You shall not wrong one
[369]
another, but you shall fear your God, for I am the Lord your God.”
Leviticus 25:35, 36, 17
, RSV. The very first response of Zacchaeus
to the love of Christ was to manifest compassion toward the poor
and suffering.
Among the publicans there was a confederacy so that they could
oppress the people, and sustain one another in their fraudulent prac-
tices. But no sooner did Zacchaeus yield to the Holy Spirit than he
cast aside every practice contrary to integrity.
No repentance is genuine that does not work reformation. The
righteousness of Christ is not a cloak to cover unconfessed and