"And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, "Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house." - Luke 19:5
A little different flavor today. This verse freaked me out last week, but did so because it made made me really love Jesus. Anyone who has loved someone for a long time knows what I'm talking about. You have someone that you always love, day in and day out, but occasionally they do something above and beyond (or maybe something they always do, but you notice in a special way) and on that day you really love that person. Well, when Jesus invited Himself over to Zaccheus' house, it made me really love Him.
Normally, when someone invites themselves over to your house, it isn't a life-changing experience. Most would consider it rude. And Jesus isn't asking, He's telling.
Jesus does this a lot actually. People will be conversing with Jesus, or just sitting there minding their own business, and Jesus will command them to do something:
"Give me a drink."
"You must be born again."
"Follow me."
"You give them something to eat."
"Fill up the water jars."
"Put the net on the other side of the boat."
"Come out of him!"
"Talitha Koum! (a personal favorite - "Little girl, get up!)"
"Go wash in the pool of Siloam."
"Go into town and untie the first donkey's colt you see."
"Lazarus, come forth."
"Pick up your mat and walk."
"Hustle down out of that tree - I'm coming over."
It's like He thinks He has the authority to just tell people what to do.
Anyway, He invites Himself over, and before they get there the man has some sort of breakdown and decides to diversify his portfolio by getting rid of half of it, and then paying back people he cheated with the other half.
I think we can say Jesus wasn't naive. He knew this guy was a cheat, a thief, and a Roman collaborator with a Napoleon complex. But He also knew something everyone else hadn't realized - Zaccheus was lost. He was just wandering around, making things up as he went along. He didn't know the way. When he tried to follow the crowd he ended up in a tree.
Jesus invites Himself over (inviting criticism in the process), and it changed the man's life. Kinda freaks me out.
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3 comments:
Nice but how come you did not mention his ordering the deamons to shut up and/or leave (they always obeyed) and when he tells the wind and the sea to be still, it was not a request (or a wish or a prayer) and they too did as they were told to do.
Correction you did address his command of the demons: "Come out of him"
Sorry about that. Still the reaction of the disciples to his command of the wind and the sea says alot about that event.
Yeah, that's a good one - I was going from memory, so it's not an exhaustive list. Maybe I'll make an exhaustive list...
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