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Zak-A-Tude I

You may be familiar with the story of Zacchaeus — tax collector — short guy who climbed a tree so he could see Jesus above the crowd. You can read the entire story in Luke 19:1-10. Here’s the scene: Jesus was coming through town. Everyone knows about it. His passing through the city limits of Jericho is big news. Practically the entire city has thronged Main Street so they can catch a glimpse of Him when He comes through town.

Some of the teens have probably pitched tents and spent the night there — just to get a birds-eye view right on the side of the road. There’s almost a “parade-feel” in the air. Lots of excitement, huge crowds, animals, children, elderly folks. Some youth group is probably selling hot dogs to earn money for their annual ski trip. A lot is happening.

Everyone has heard about Jesus of Nazareth. There were lots of rumors circulating about Him. Some were saying He was a prophet. Others determined He was a really good teacher. Still some said He was a wonderful healer. Others just said He was a nice person. But Jesus had claimed that He was the Son of God — the long-awaited Messiah.

So on this particular day, when Jesus is scheduled to come through town, hundreds have thronged the streets to catch a glimpse of Him and make up their own minds as to who He is.

Could it be possible? What if He really IS the Messiah? People were thinking. You can imagine the excitement, the wonder, the anticipation, the tension in the air as Jesus approached the city of Jericho.

Zacchaeus, too, wanted a glimpse of Jesus. He’d heard the rumors. He, like everyone else, was also anxiously awaiting the promised Messiah. If there was even a slight chance that Jesus of Nazareth could be Him, Zacchaeus wanted in on the action. He wanted to find out for himself.

So he closed shop early that day. He rolled up his sleeves, loosened his necktie and headed toward Main Street. Imagine the frustration he must have felt when he couldn’t even get through the crowds — let alone see over them! Spotting a sycamore tree not too far from the street, he proceeded to climb its’ branches in order to get a glimpse of the Man from Galilee. You see, Zacchaeus was too short to see over the crowds, and he didn’t have a ladder. So the next best thing was to scamper up a tree.

But think about that for a second. An adult man in a business suit climbing a tree? Must have been pretty embarrassing! The cool thing, though, is that Zacchaeus so desperately wanted a personal encounter with Jesus Christ that he was willing to look like a fool to do it!

That’s an admirable attitude — one worth adapting to our own lifestyle. In fact, let’s just go ahead and name it. We’ll call it a Zak-A-Tude.

Know It!
God desires to develop that same attitude in you. He wants you to want Jesus so badly, you’re willing to do anything to have a personal encounter with Him.

Read It!
2 Chronicles 30:19; Luke 19:1-10.

Pray It!
Dear Jesus, I want to want You that badly! I want to want You more than anyone and anything in the world.

Zack-A-Tude II

Okay, you already know Zacchaeus was short. But there’s something else you ought to know. His shortness was more than simply being vertically challenged. The original writings of the Bible use a word that describes him as being a man in a boy’s body. In other words, he was under-developed. This made him look strangely odd. People stared. They made fun of him. He was often the brunt of cruel jokes.

So, that’s one thing Zacchaeus had against him. But there’s another reason he wasn’t very popular — he was a tax collector. This was kind of like being a social leper. People who were physically afflicted with leprosy, had to cross the street alone. The law required them to shout, “Unclean! Unclean!” so people within hearing distance could back away. No one wanted to get close to a leper.

Being a tax collector was like having social leprosy. No one wanted to be near you. No one asked you out for a cappuccino or a latte or even a hot chocolate.

Why? Because to even become a tax collector, you had to do some pretty crooked negotiating. You had to betray your own people. Let’s say you wanted to become a tax collector. Here’s how the scenario would go down: You’d approach the Roman officials and offer them a bribe to allow you to collect taxes from your own people (the Jews). If they accepted the bribe, they would then set an amount of tax for you to collect. But here’s the sticky part: Let’s say the Roman officials have told you to tax your people $1. That’s what you have to turn in to the officials. They’ll hold you accountable for that amount.

But what you want to charge the people is totally up to you! So why not charge them $10? You give Rome $1, and you pocket the rest! That’s what tax collectors did. And they weren’t fooling anyone — everyone was aware of what went down — but ordinary citizens were powerless to stop it.

So it’s a little easier now to understand why Zacchaeus was hated so much, isn’t it? He was a traitor to his own people. But before we become 100 percent negative on Zack, let’s spend the next couple of days looking at some positive things we can learn from his life.

Know It!
God blesses our honesty. He desires for you to live and act in such honesty that people can’t help but notice you’re a young man or woman of great integrity. Do others see you as a person of integrity? Or do they see you as someone who tries to cut corners and take shortcuts? Are you know for “little white lies”?

Read It!
Malachi 3:1; Luke 19:1-10.

Pray It!
Jesus, I’m not always as honest as I should be. I’m sorry. Will You forgive me? I want to be a person who holds a reputation of integrity. The next time I start to say something that’s not completely true, please check me.

Sunday April 29th

Happy Hearers

Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews 10:25

The words of the psalmist echo every Sunday: “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD!’ ” (Psalm 122:1).
What a privilege and pleasure it is when God joins our hearts and voices with those of our fellow worshipers in hymns of joy and praise. Through sermon and song, Word and Sacrament, God recharges our spiritual batteries. He cancels anew our sins and shortcoming through the suffering and death of Jesus. He comforts us with the Good News that our salvation does not depend on our performance but on His promises given in the Gospel. Instead of punishing us, Jesus promises us eternal salvation and blesses us with His presence in our daily lives.
Church attendance is not an option like a sunroof on our car. The Book of Hebrews tells us we should encourage church attendance, not neglect it. Worship is not a dreary drudgery to endure; rather, it is a joy and gift and blessing. As we bump and bounce through life, the Gospel brightens our lives, heightens our joys, and lightens our burdens. It makes us happy hearers.

Heavenly Father, grant that we leave our churches as happy hearers, rejoicing in the Gospel. Amen.

Zack-A-Tude V

Zacchaeus didn’t develop a Zak-A-Tude in his own strength. God Almighty was working in his heart. As Jesus approached the sycamore tree that memorable day in Jericho, He acted on His Father’s prompting to help develop the Zak-A-Tude in Zacchaeus. Now that we’ve taken a look at what Zacchaeus did, let’s scoot a little closer for a peek at what Jesus did.

• He CHOSE the OUTCAST. As we study the Bible, we see that God has never chosen only the most popular, the most talented or the most beautiful. Throughout history, He has specifically selected the unwanted, non- talented and the outcast. He has the miraculous ability to take an ordinary person and do extraordinary things through his/her life. That’s because Jesus sees the potential of what someone can become with His help.

Everyone — at one time or another — feels like an outcast. Your dad leaves, your experience a breakup, someone makes fun of you, people spread rumors. It’s easy to feel unwanted and unloved. But you can take comfort in the fact that God has chosen you!

• He CALLED him by NAME. Zacchaeus had been called a lot of things in life — shorty, jerk, thief, traitor — it must have felt great to be called by his name . . .and to have it spoken by Someone so important!

Jesus calls you by your name, too! He’ll never address you as, “Hey, Big Nose!” or “Slow Stuff.” He’ll always call you in the most personal way imaginable — by your name. Think about it: The Creator of the universe knows your name! How does it make you feel to be on a first-name basis with the King of Kings?

• He went AGAINST THE FLOW. The crowds complained when Jesus went to Zack’s house. “He’s hanging out with sinners!” they jeered. Though Jesus was constantly pressured by the masses to hang out with the “pretty people” and the “important ones,” He dared to go against the flow. He was more concerned in leading Zacchaeus to receive forgiveness for sins and inherit eternal life than he was in what the crowds had to say.

Know It!
Jesus went against the flow for you, too. If you were the only one in the entire world, He still would have chosen to suffer the horrendous death it took to pay for your sins. He has chosen you, He calls you by your name, and He goes against the flow for you. He looks beyond what others say about you and chooses to see your highest potential.

Read It!
Luke 19:1-10; 1 Thessalonians 2:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:24.

Pray It!
Dear Jesus, thank You for choosing me, for calling me, and for believing in all I can become.

Tuesday May 1st

Precious in God’s Sight

Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents. Luke 15:10

Recently I lost a ring that was of great sentimental value. My older son had brought me the opal for it from South Australia, and my husband had the ring made as a Christmas gift. Did I miss that ring! Weeks later, when I found it, I was overjoyed! Now it rests securely in its proper place.
Christ taught among the lost because He wanted them to believe in Him and be saved. The parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin illustrate the great joy in heaven over one sinner who repents. Something precious that had been lost now was found!
These parables reveal why God took on our flesh and came in the person of Jesus. He came to seek and save a world that was lost. He came to seek and save us. Heaven rejoices when He finds us, His Word takes root in us, and we are brought to believe and trust in Him.
So that the world may believe in Him, Jesus raised up apostles (like St. Philip and St. James), pastors, and other Christians to bear His Word before the nations. His Word is effective, calling sinners to repentance and faith, to the joy of the angels in heaven.

Father, bless Your Word, that it may obtain the salvation of many souls. Let Your Word find what has been lost, that there may be much joy in heaven. Amen.

Wednesday May 2nd

Built on Solid Rock

Everyone then who hears these words of Mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. Matthew 7:24

Most people take great care in selecting a building site for a house, to make sure that it’s practical and desirable. Yet many people show little concern about what their lives are based upon.
Jesus compared two foundations for faith, one wise and the other foolish. The wise man relies on the words and teachings of Christ. He depends on the solid rock of God’s truth. The foolish man relies on sand—the shifting, deceptive ground of anyone or anything other than Christ. The issue is not whether the two have faith (both believe something), but rather, whether what they trust is reliable, trustworthy, and sure.
Only Jesus Christ offers us true words that endure through this life and the next. During our lives we will suffer the rains, floods, and winds of trouble, grief, and fear, but His truth stands firm against them all.
Because Christ suffered and died to forgive our sin and reconcile us to God, only He delivers us from sin, guilt, and death. Only Christ is our peace with God. And only Christ is the sure foundation that supports us before God both now and to all eternity.

Lord, in Your mercy, give us faith that relies on nothing but the solid rock of Your Word and truth. Amen.

Thursday May 3rd

Given Out of Love

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

One summer morning I was having a garage sale. My helpers had not yet arrived, and I had been kept too busy with customers to set up a fan, so I was hot and irritable. My younger son came out and kissed me good-bye as he left for classes. I told him good-bye a little absently.
About thirty minutes later, a florist’s van pulled up in the drive. Ah, a lost delivery person, I thought. But I was wrong. I looked at the card that accompanied the beautiful arrangement the man handed me. It said, “With love from your son—just because.”
He and his wife have sent flowers several times since then. Whenever I receive them, I am reminded of that hot summer morning. How precious is the gift given out of love, with no expectation of a gift in return.
Such are the wonderful gifts given us by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. With His death on the cross, Christ won for us forgiveness of sins, ending the reign of death. With His resurrection, He gave us eternal life in heaven. He gives us forgiveness and life freely, without any comparable gifts expected (or possible) in return. He gave us all; all we can give is our thanks.

Dear Lord Jesus, we praise and thank You for the wonderful gifts You freely give us. Amen.

Friday May 4th

Our Present Help

Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

One morning as I was driving to work, I heard a whump whump whump from the rear of the car. Knowing I had a flat tire, I nursed the car onto the shoulder of the interstate and got out.
I knew in theory how to put on a spare, but I had never done it myself. I opened the trunk and began to wrestle with the heavy steel-belted tire.
Because of the noise of the traffic, it was hard for me to hear. I didn’t hear the truck stop behind me or the truck door open and close. Suddenly a pair of strong hands and arms easily lifted the tire and laid it on the pavement. Then my rescuer reached for the jack and expertly set it up under my car’s frame. In what seemed like no time, he changed the tire and had me on my way again, accepting only my thanks for his help.
Similarly, Jesus Christ our Lord takes upon Himself the burdens that are too heavy for us to bear. He suffered and died in our place on the cross, bearing for us the burden of sin and death that was crushing us. His strong hands and arms lighten the load of our crosses in ways we do not even realize. He gives us comfort and rest in all our troubles and burdens. He does it all simply because He loves us.

Lord, we praise and thank You, the source of our rest and salvation. Amen.