Transcript

Podcast Introduction

Today we’ll read Luke 19-20. Afterwards, I’ll have some thoughts to share with you. I’m calling today’s episode “The Dinner Guest.”

Comments on Luke 19

Zacchaeus was a *chief* tax collector, and the Jews hated tax collectors in general, so as a chief tax collector he probably was especially disdained by them. Tax collectors often got rich by extracting extra taxes from people, over and above what was required by the Roman government. Zacchaeus appears to be one who took full advantage of his position.

Interestingly, the name “Zacchaeus” means “pure one”, which of course, he was anything but pure.

He had evidently heard about Jesus and the miracles he had done, and probably had heard reports of His teachings and the way he dealt with people. So Zacchaeus wanted to meet him, so much so that he ran ahead along the route that Jesus was taking and climbed up a sycamore tree because he was a short man and could not see over the heads of the crowd. 

Let’s consider the inclusion of Zacchaeus’ short stature for a moment. While not always true, it is sometimes true that short men develop a personality trait called a Napoleon complex, or short man syndrome. They sometimes have a chip on their shoulder, often as a result of being bullied when they were young. And this might be why Zacchaeus became a tax collector, as a way of getting back at those who bullied him. He may have become driven to achieve financial success, no matter what it took. And this driven personality trait made him a man not to let anything get in his way, so on this day, in order to see Jesus, he set aside personal pride and climbed a tree as a child would do, so that he could achieve the goal of seeing this Jesus that everyone was talking about. I like what the commentator Alexander Maclaren said: “I wish there were more of us who did not mind being laughed at if only what we did helped us to see Jesus.”

So Jesus did walk past the tree where Zacchaeus had perched himself, and He looked up and called Zacchaeus by name! He called him by name. I believe that Jesus had a divine appointment with Zacchaeus that day. This was no chance meeting. Jesus knew that Zacchaeus was waiting to see Him, and that Zacchaeus’ heart was prepared for something special, even if Zacchaeus himself didn’t know it.

“Hurry down from there, Zacchaeus, because I’m coming to your house today!” Jesus said. Can you imagine Zacchaeus’ excitement at those words? The crowd around Jesus is so numerous that he had to climb a tree to even *see* him, and Jesus singles *him* out *by name* and says, “I want to spend some time with you.” Jesus didn’t just want to talk to him, He wanted to have a relationship with him.

In John 10:3 Jesus said, “The one who watches the door opens it for him. The sheep listen to the voice of the shepherd. He calls his own sheep by name and he leads them out.” Jesus knew Zacchaeus’ name, and He knows your name, beloved. Isn’t that marvelous? 

Of the billions of people who have ever lived, He knows your name. But of course He does, because He formed you in your mother’s womb. Psalm 139:13 says, “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.” I find this to be both humbling and reassuring, don’t you?

So after Jesus called to him in the tree, what did Zacchaeus do? He did what Jesus asked him to do, he hurried down from the tree. And our verse says he “received Him gladly.” Zacchaeus could have stayed in the tree. He could have come down but rejected Jesus inviting Himself into Zacchaeus’ home. But Zacchaeus received Him gladly. The great preacher, Charles Spurgeon, said, “Christ will not force himself into any man’s house, and sit there against the man’s will. That would not be the action of a guest, but of an unwelcome intruder.”

Zacchaeus received Jesus before he knew what Jesus was going to do or say at his house. He just received Jesus, on Jesus’ terms. And isn’t this the way we are called to receive Jesus? Very few of us studied Christian doctrine before accepting Jesus. We just knew that we needed Him. When I was that teenage boy, I had no idea what He would do with me when I accepted Him. I certainly didn’t know that I would be talking to you right now! I just knew that I needed Him. And in the more than fifty years since I happily received Jesus, there has never been one fleeting moment that I regretted that decision. 

We aren’t told what Zacchaeus and Jesus talked about once they got to Zacchaeus’ home, but after spending some time with Jesus, Zacchaeus stopped and told Jesus, “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. 10For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

You see, there are no special words you have to say to accept Jesus. It was obvious that Zacchaeus had experienced a changed heart, a changed mind, a changed character. He had become born again. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” NASB

If you have not yet received Jesus, you can do it now. Invite Him in, just like Zacchaeus did. Ask Him to come in, to spend some time with you. And allow Him to do what He will with your life. I promise you will forever be glad you did.

To do that all you have to do is pray a simple prayer. I can lead you if you like. Just pray after me, if you want to follow Jesus. You can pray out loud, or in the quietness of your heart. Are you ready? Here we go: Dear Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I am sorry for my sin. I turn away from it now, and turn to You by faith right now. Thank You for dying on the cross for me and paying the price for all of my sins. I ask You now to come into my life and be my Lord, my Savior, and my friend. Fill my with Your Holy Spirit. Help me to stand for You from this moment forward. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, congratulations. You have begun a new life as a child of the King. Sometimes people feel like a weight has been lifted off their shoulders, sometimes they feel joyful, sometimes they feel nothing. The fact is, it doesn’t matter how you feel. Your salvation is not based on emotions. It is based on the promise of God. And God always keeps his promise. There are many promises for those who believe in Jesus, and here’s one of them. John 3:16 says, “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”ˆThat promise is from the lips of Jesus Himself. If you prayed that prayer, and you meant it, you are now one of His. And I would like to send you a very special New Testament, free of charge, to help you get started in your new life. Listening to this podcast is a great way to get to know the Bible, but the New Believer’s Bible has hundreds of notes especially for, as you might guess, new believers, written by Greg Laurie of Harvest Ministries. If you’ll email me with your name and address, I’ll send one to you as a gift. And I won’t sell or use your email address in any other way. I just want to help you get off on the right foot. Email me at steve @ lifespringmedia.com. 

Comment on the bottom of this page.

Today’s Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 19 NASB, Ch. 20 NLV

Hymn Mentioned In the “On This Date In Church History” Segment

Thanks to Kirsty for posting the Spotify link! Here is a video from YouTube.

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Transcript

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Steve Webb 0:00
Of the billions of people who have ever lived. He knows your name.

Steve Webb 0:12
Wow, happy Saturday. This is the Lifespring family Audio Bible coming to you from Riverside, California, podcasting since 2014. I’m your OG God casters. Steve Webb, welcome. How you doing today? Our reading today is Luke 19 and 20. After our reading, I’ll have some thoughts for you and I’m calling today’s episode, the dinner guest. The show notes page for today’s episode is Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 192. Do you want to send me an email, I’d love to get it, set it to Steve at Lifespring media.com. Alright, let’s get started.

Steve Webb 0:49
Luke chapter 19.

Steve Webb 0:52
He entered Jericho and was passing through. And there was a man called by the name of Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and he was rich Zacchaeus was trying to see who Jesus was and was unable because of the crowd, for he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to see him for he was about to pass through that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, Zacchaeus, hurry and come down for today, I’m a stay at your house. And he hurried and came down and received them gladly. When they saw it, they all began to grumble, saying, He has gone to be the guest of a man who was a sinner. Zacchaeus stopped and said to the Lord, behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much. And Jesus said to him, today, salvation has come to this house, because he too is the son of Abraham, for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. While they were listening to these things, Jesus went on to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem, and they suppose that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately. And so he said, a nobleman went to a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself and then return. And he called 10 of His slaves, and gave them 10 miners and said to them, do business with this until I come back. But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him saying, We do not want this man to reign over us. When he returned, after receiving the kingdom, he ordered that these slaves to whom he had given the money, be called to him so that he might know what business they had done. The first appeared saying, Master, your miner has made 10 Miners more. And he said to him, Well done good slave, because you have been faithful and a very little thing. You are to be in authority over 10 cities. The second came saying, your minor Master has made five minus. And he said to him also, and you are to be over five cities. Another came saying, Master, here is your minor which I kept put away in a handkerchief, for I was afraid of you because you are an exacting man, you take up what you did not lay down and reap what you did not sell.

Steve Webb 3:12
He said to him, by your own words, I will judge you, you worthless slave. Did you know that I am an exacting man taking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sell? Then why did you not put my money in the bank and having come I would have collected it with interest. Then he said to the bystanders, take the miner away from him and give it to the one who has the 10 minus. And they said to Him, Master, he has 10 Minus already. I tell you that to everyone who has more shall be given, but from the one who does not have even what he does have shall be taken away. But these enemies of mine who do not want me to reign over them, bring them here in slay them in my presence. After he had said these things he was going on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. When he approached Beth, Fujian, Bethany, near the mount that is called all of it, He sent two of the disciples saying, Go into the village ahead of you. There as you enter, you will find a cult tied on which no one has yet ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, Why are you on tying it you shall say the Lord has need of it.

Steve Webb 4:22
So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. As they were untying the cold, its owner said to them, Why are you on tying the cold? They said, The Lord has needed it. They brought it to Jesus and they threw their coats on the cold and put Jesus on it. As he was going, they were spreading their coats on the road. As soon as he was approaching near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen. Shouting. Blessing is the King who comes in the name of the Lord, Peace in heaven and glory and the highest. Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to

Steve Webb 5:00
Teacher rebuke your disciples. But Jesus answered, I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out. When he approached Jerusalem, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, If you had known in this day, even you the things which make for peace, but now they have been hidden from your eyes, for the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side. And they will level you to the ground and your children with you. And they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation. Jesus entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling, saying to them, it is written, and My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a robbers den. And He was teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the leading men among the people were trying to destroy him. And they could not find anything that they might do. For all the people were hanging on to every word he said.

Steve Webb 6:03
Luke chapter 20.

Steve Webb 6:06
As he was teaching and preaching the good news, the religious leaders and the teachers of the law in the elders came, they said to him, tell us by what right in power, are you doing these things? Who gave you the right and the power? Jesus said to them, I will ask you one question also, you answer me Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men? They said to themselves, if we say from heaven, He will say, then why did you not believe in, but if we say from men, then all the people will throw stones at us because they believe John was one who spoke for God. They said that they did not know where John’s baptism came from. Jesus said to them, and I will not tell you where I get the right and the power to do these things. Jesus began to tell the people a picture story saying there was a man who planted a grape field, he rented it to farmers, then he went to a country far away for a long time. At the time of gathering fruit, he sent one of his servants to the farmers to get some of the fruit. But the farmers beat him and set him away without fruit. He said another servant, the farmers beat him also, they made it very hard for him and sent him away without fruit. He said a third servant, they hurt him and threw him out of the grape field. Then the owner of the grape field said, What should I do? I will send my much loved son, they might respect him. The farmer saw the sun, they said to themselves, this is the one who will get everything when the owner dies, let us kill him and we will get everything. They put him out of the great field and killed him.

Steve Webb 7:48
Now, what will the owner of the grape field do to them, He will come and kill those farmers, then he will rent the grape field to other farmers.

Steve Webb 7:57
When they heard this, they said May this never be done. Jesus looked at them and said, What does this writing mean? The stone that was put aside by the workmen has become the most important stone in the building. Whoever falls on this stone will be broken, and on the one at falls that will make them like dust. At this time, the religious leaders and the teachers of the law tried to take Jesus but they were afraid of the people. These leaders knew Jesus had told this picture story against them. They watched Jesus and they sent men who pretended to be good people to watch him. They wanted to trap him in something he said, then they could give him over to the leader of the people who had the right and the power to say what to do with him.

Steve Webb 8:41
These men who were sent as Jesus, Teacher, we know that what you say and teach is right? We know you do not show more respect to one person than to another. We know you teach the truth about God. Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Jesus knew they were trying to trap him. He said, Show me a piece of money. Whose picture is this? Whose name is on it? And they said Caesars, Jesus said to them, pay to Caesar the things that belong to Cesar paid to God the things that belong to God. They could find nothing wrong with what He taught. They were surprised and wondered about what he told the people so they said nothing more.

Steve Webb 9:25
Some people from the religious group who believe no one will be raised from the dead came to Jesus. They asked him, Teacher, Moses wrote to us in the law. If a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, then his brother must marry her. He should have children for his brother who died. There were seven brothers. The first had a wife but died without children. The second brother took her for his wife. He died without children. The third brother took her for his wife. In the same way all seven took her for a wife. They all

Steve Webb 10:00
died without children. Then the woman died also, when people are raised from the dead, whose wife will she be? All seven brothers had her for a wife. Jesus said to them, people of this earth marry and are given in marriage. But those who have the right to have that life and are raised from the dead, do not marry and are not given in marriage. They cannot die anymore. They are as the angels and our sons of God. There are children who have been raised from the dead. As for the dead being raised, even Moses spoke of that when he told of the burning bush, there he calls the Lord, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob, for he is not the God of the dead. He is the God of the living, all live for him. One of the teachers of the law said, Teacher You have spoken well, after that they were afraid to ask him anything. Jesus said to them, how do they say that Christ is the Son of David, for David himself said in the book of Psalms, the Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right side, until I make those who hate you a place to rest your feet. David calls him, Lord, then how can he be his son?

Steve Webb 11:14
All the people were listening, he said to his followers, look out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in long coats, they like to have people speak words of respect to them in the center of town where people gather. They like the important seats in the places of worship. They like the important places at Big suppers. They take houses from poor women whose husbands have died. They cover up their actions by making long prayers, they will be punished all the more.

Steve Webb 11:46
Let’s talk about Zacchaeus. From chapter 19. Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector, one of the bosses, and the Jews hated tax collectors in general. So as a chief tax collector, he was probably especially disdained by them. Tax collectors often got rich by taking extra taxes from the people over and above what was required by the Roman government. And Zacchaeus appears to be one of those guys who took full advantage of his position. Oh, and did I mention Zacchaeus was himself a Jew? Yeah, so here’s a Jew working for the enemy taking money from the Jews. Well, interestingly, the named Zacchaeus means pure one, which of course he was anything but pure. He had evidently heard about Jesus and the miracles he had done and probably had heard reports of his teaching, and the way he dealt with people. So the key is wanted to meet him so much that he ran ahead along the route that Jesus was taking and climbed up a sycamore tree because he was a short man, and couldn’t see over the heads of the crowd. Let’s consider for a moment the inclusion of the fact that he was a short man. While not always true, it is sometimes true that short men develop a personality trait that some people call a Napoleon Complex or short man syndrome. They sometimes have a chip on their shoulder often as a result of being bullied when they were young. And this might be why Zacchaeus became a tax collector as a way of getting back at those people that bullied him. He may have become driven to achieve financial success no matter what it took, because of the same reason, in this driven personality trait made him a man that didn’t let anything get in his way. So on this day, in order to see Jesus, he set aside personal pride and climbed a tree as a child would do so that he could achieve the goal of seeing this Jesus that everybody was talking about. I like what commentator Alexander McClaren said, I wish there were more of us who did not mind being laughed at, if only what we did helped us to see Jesus.

Steve Webb 13:55
So Jesus did walk past the tree where Zacchaeus had perched himself and he looked up and he called Zacchaeus by name, he called him by name. I believe that Jesus had a divine appointment was the case that day. This was no chance meeting, Jesus knew that Zacchaeus was waiting to see him. And that Zuki his heart was prepared for something special, even if the kious himself didn’t even know it. Hurry down from their Zacchaeus because I’m coming to your house today. Jesus said, can you imagine hearing that, can you imagine Zacchaeus excitement in those words? The crowd around Jesus is so numerous that he had to climb a tree to even see him. And Jesus singles him out by name and says, I want to spend some time with you. Jesus didn’t just want to talk to him. He wanted to have a relationship with Him.

Steve Webb 14:50
In John 10, three, Jesus said, The one who watches the door opens it for him. The sheep listen to the voice of the shepherd. He calls his own sheep buying

Steve Webb 15:00
name and leads them out. Jesus knew Zacchaeus by name, and he knows your name. Beloved, isn’t that marvelous? Of the billions of people who have ever lived? He knows your name. But of course he does because he formed you in your mother’s womb. Psalm 139 13 says, You made all the delicate inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. I find this to be both humbling and reassuring, don’t you? So after Jesus called to him in the tree, what did Zacchaeus do? He did what Jesus asked him to do, he hurried down from the tree. And our verse says that he received him gladly. Zacchaeus could have stayed in the tree. He could have come down but rejected Jesus inviting himself into his home. But Zacchaeus received him gladly. Charles Spurgeon said, Christ will not force Himself into any man’s house and sit there against the man’s will. That would not be the action of a guest, but of an unwelcome intruder. Well, Jesus was not going to be an intruder in Zeki his house Zacchaeus received Jesus before He knew what Jesus was going to do or say at his house. He just received Jesus on Jesus terms. And isn’t this the way we’re called to receive Jesus? Most of us did not study Christian doctrine before accepting Jesus, we just knew that we needed him. When I was a teenage boy, I had no idea what he would do with me when I accepted him. I certainly didn’t know that I’d be talking to you right now. I just knew that I needed him. And in the more than 50 years since I happily received Jesus, there has never been one fleeting moment that I regretted that decision. We aren’t told what Zacchaeus and Jesus talked about once they got to his home. But after spending some time with Jesus Zacchaeus stopped and told Jesus, behold, Lord, half of all my possessions I will give to the poor. And if I’ve defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much. And Jesus said to him, today, salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham, for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. Listen, there are no special words you have to say to accept Jesus, it was obvious that Zacchaeus had experienced a changed heart, a changed mind, a changed character, he had in fact, become born again. Second Corinthians 517 says, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation. Old things have passed away, behold, new things have gone. If you have not yet received Jesus, you can do it now. invite Him in, just like Zacchaeus did. Ask him to come in to spend some time with you, and allow him to do what he will do with your life. I promise you will forever be glad you did. You can accept Jesus, just by praying a simple prayer. I can lead you if you like, just pray after me. If you want to follow Jesus, you can pray out loud or in the quietness of your heart. Are you ready? Here we go. Dear Jesus, I know that I am a sinner. And I’m sorry for my sin. I turn away from it now, in turn to you by faith right now. Thank you for dying on the cross for me, and paying the price for all of my sins. I ask you now to come into my life.

Steve Webb 18:36
And Be my Lord, my Savior. And my friend. Fill me with your Holy Spirit. Help me to stand for you from this moment forward. Thank you, Jesus. Amen. Well, if you prayed that prayer, congratulations, you begun a new life as a child of the King. Sometimes people feel like a weight has been lifted off their shoulders. Sometimes they feel joyful. Sometimes they feel nothing. Well, the fact is, it doesn’t matter how you feel. Your salvation is not based on emotions. It’s based on the promise of God. And God always keeps his promise. There are many promises for those who believe in Jesus. And here’s one of them. John 316 says, For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life that promises from the lips of Jesus Himself. And if you prayed that prayer and you meant it, you are now one of yours. And I’d like to send you a very special New Testament free of charge to help you get started in your new life. listening to this podcast is a great way to get to know the Bible, but the new believers Bible has hundreds of notes especially for as you might guess, new believers, written by Greg Laurie of harvest ministries. All you have to do is email me

Steve Webb 20:00
with your name and address, and I’ll send one right out to you as a gift. And I won’t sell or use your email address in any other way. I just want to help you get off on the right foot. Email me at Steve at Lifespring media.com. I’ll send it right out. If you have comments on today’s show, I would love to hear them. Go to Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 192. Scroll to the bottom of that page and you’ll find a place where you can put your comment there. Tomorrow we’re going to read Colossians one and two bow.

Steve Webb 20:42
On this date in church history, march 12 1607, German hymn writer Paul Gearhart was born one of his hens was oh, Sacred Head now wounded.

Steve Webb 20:57
If you missed the last newsletter, you really missed it. Remember a few days ago when Kirsty told us about her grandparents who took her to church? Well, in the newsletter, she put a photo of her grandparents, her brothers and her about a year before their first trip to church. It’s really a great shot. Kirsty thank you for sharing that. Now, if you’ve not signed up to get the newsletter and you don’t want to miss the next one, go to news dot Lifespring media.com and sign up there. Kirsty is really good about putting the coming weeks reading schedule in there. And with that you can read ahead and perhaps do your own Bible study and maybe send me a question ahead of time if you like. And when you’re on the mailing list for the newsletter, please know that I will never sell or share your info, I promise.

Steve Webb 21:52
Let’s pray. Our Father we thank you for saving us while we were yet sinners, thank you that we don’t have to clean up our act before coming to you. If that were the case, we’d never be able to approach you. Thank you that you take us in whatever condition we’re in and then lovingly and patiently showing us, molding us shaping us into the people you want us to be. Thank you that you understand that we’re not perfect, but help us to be more like you every day. Thank you for the Lifespring family Lord, thank You that each one is different, and that you intimately know each need. I pray that you meet those needs today. Whatever they are, we know that there is nothing that you cannot do. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen. Send in your prayer requests and praises to prayer dot Lifespring media.com I’ll pray for you in my private prayer time and I’ll share them here on the show.

Steve Webb 22:53
If you enjoy the show, if the show adds to your life, please help support it it Lifespring media.com/support Thank you. God bless you. Until tomorrow. May God bless you richly. Thank you for being here. My name is Steve Webb. Bye

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