Luke 19:1-48
This chapter begins with the conversion of Zacchaeus and ends with the cleansing of the temple. Christ responded to different people in different ways based on the way that they responded to Him and what had been revealed to them. I think it is helpful to look at how Christ responds to the variety of people with who He comes in contact.
CHRIST RECEIVES THE REPENTANT: Zacchaeus was an outcast of society and, apparently, had been very dishonest in his work. However, when Christ came into his home and into his life there was a radical transformation. He gave half of all he owned to the poor and made restitution for all he had stolen. These acts could never save anyone, but these are the actions that demonstrate the fruits of salvation. Christ declares that he is saved while the multitude of critics who could not believe that Jesus would associate with such a man continue in their lost condition. God is not nearly so concerned with the sins of our past but He does care very much about our repentance in the present. As long as we pretend that we have no need of repentance we will be critical of others. The proof of true repentance is a concern for others coupled with a realization of our need for Christ.
CHRIST REWARDS THE FAITHFUL: The parable of the minas demonstrates the way that Christ will reward believers. We have seen this principle repeatedly in the Gospels as Christ wants His disciples and us to know that He will judge His followers upon His return. He expects that we be faithful with the gifts, talents and opportunities He has entrusted to us. While we are not entirely sure what these rewards will entail, this passage seems to indicate that it will be authority in His coming kingdom. Whatever the rewards are, we can be sure that they will be worth it and they are worthy of us living in light of today. People often question whether or not it is appropriate to desire rewards in eternity. It seems obvious that Christ thought so, since He repeatedly used them as motives in His teachings. In reality, I believe that we honor God by desiring the rewards He has promised.
CHRIST REJECTS THE UNBELIEVING: Christ could see right through the triumphal entry and all of the adulation surrounding it. He knows that the are thrilled at the prospect of a political king but that they have not desire for a spiritual saviour. He longs for them to come under the protection from the wrath of God that He wants to offer them but they are unwilling to consider themselves as needy of such protection. They want political power not personal purity. That Christ was a great man was indisputably proven by all of the miracles He performed. But He did not want to be praised as a great man, He wanted to be worshiped as God. Since they rejected Him for who He was, He rejected them. The same will be true for all of eternity for those who refuse to worship Christ as God but insist that He was only a great man in history.
CHRIST REBUKES THE GREEDY: The temple was a place for prayer, sacrifice and worship. The money changers that gathered in the court were not there for prayer or sacrifice but they were actively worshiping. The trouble was that they were worshiping the money that crossed their table each day. God created us as worshipers. We are all worshiping all of the time. Unfortunately, we often choose to worship our things, our comfort, our relationships and ourselves. We always seems to want more and are rarely satisfied with the "things" in our lives. However, we are far too easily satisfied with our prayer life or our level of spirituality. Of course we would never say such things, but our actions, desires and efforts demonstrate the reality of our hearts. Do we strive greedily for longer and more productive times with God in prayer? Do we strive with passion and creativity to gain a greater understanding of God's Word? The way we spend our time and the dreams that occupy our minds betray the objects of our true worship.
CHRIST RECEIVES THE REPENTANT: Zacchaeus was an outcast of society and, apparently, had been very dishonest in his work. However, when Christ came into his home and into his life there was a radical transformation. He gave half of all he owned to the poor and made restitution for all he had stolen. These acts could never save anyone, but these are the actions that demonstrate the fruits of salvation. Christ declares that he is saved while the multitude of critics who could not believe that Jesus would associate with such a man continue in their lost condition. God is not nearly so concerned with the sins of our past but He does care very much about our repentance in the present. As long as we pretend that we have no need of repentance we will be critical of others. The proof of true repentance is a concern for others coupled with a realization of our need for Christ.
CHRIST REWARDS THE FAITHFUL: The parable of the minas demonstrates the way that Christ will reward believers. We have seen this principle repeatedly in the Gospels as Christ wants His disciples and us to know that He will judge His followers upon His return. He expects that we be faithful with the gifts, talents and opportunities He has entrusted to us. While we are not entirely sure what these rewards will entail, this passage seems to indicate that it will be authority in His coming kingdom. Whatever the rewards are, we can be sure that they will be worth it and they are worthy of us living in light of today. People often question whether or not it is appropriate to desire rewards in eternity. It seems obvious that Christ thought so, since He repeatedly used them as motives in His teachings. In reality, I believe that we honor God by desiring the rewards He has promised.
CHRIST REJECTS THE UNBELIEVING: Christ could see right through the triumphal entry and all of the adulation surrounding it. He knows that the are thrilled at the prospect of a political king but that they have not desire for a spiritual saviour. He longs for them to come under the protection from the wrath of God that He wants to offer them but they are unwilling to consider themselves as needy of such protection. They want political power not personal purity. That Christ was a great man was indisputably proven by all of the miracles He performed. But He did not want to be praised as a great man, He wanted to be worshiped as God. Since they rejected Him for who He was, He rejected them. The same will be true for all of eternity for those who refuse to worship Christ as God but insist that He was only a great man in history.
CHRIST REBUKES THE GREEDY: The temple was a place for prayer, sacrifice and worship. The money changers that gathered in the court were not there for prayer or sacrifice but they were actively worshiping. The trouble was that they were worshiping the money that crossed their table each day. God created us as worshipers. We are all worshiping all of the time. Unfortunately, we often choose to worship our things, our comfort, our relationships and ourselves. We always seems to want more and are rarely satisfied with the "things" in our lives. However, we are far too easily satisfied with our prayer life or our level of spirituality. Of course we would never say such things, but our actions, desires and efforts demonstrate the reality of our hearts. Do we strive greedily for longer and more productive times with God in prayer? Do we strive with passion and creativity to gain a greater understanding of God's Word? The way we spend our time and the dreams that occupy our minds betray the objects of our true worship.
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