Thursday, January 31, 2008
@ 11:19 PM
Sat night life
Date: 26 January 2008
Speaker: Brother Andrew Yeo
Title: Loving the unlovables
Jesus and Zacchaeus
Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way.
When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.”
Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. 7 But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled.
Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!”
Jesus responded,
“Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”
This is one of the famous story in the Bible, a story about the man Zacchaeus who became a good friend of Jesus. Why is this story so special?
Firstly, Zacchaeus is a Tax Collector, a person who is not well-liked by the Israelites, because tax-collectors in those days are people tat exhorts money. They are considered one of the most unloved people in that country.
Secondly, it involves our Lord, who is the best example for us to follow, because we are called to be like Christ!
Thirdly, It shows how our Lord, is able to show love to a person who is unloved by others, just because Zacchaeus climbed a tree just to have a look at Jesus
A little kindness that Jesus showed to Zacchaeus changed his life and his family.
With a little kindness that we show to the people around us, we can change the world for Christ!
we are called to go out to the nations and share the word of God, but the best word of God is our personal testimony. Lets go out there and be a testimony to the people around us!