In story after story in Luke’s Gospel we catch glimpses of
what God’s reign through Jesus is like. But if there is one story to sum it up
it might be Zaccheus’ encounter with Jesus (Luke 19:1-9). Jesus’ words, ‘The
Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost’ could summarise the entire
Gospel.
The corrupt Zaccheus is pretty unattractive. Corrupt,
compromising with the Roman occupiers and exploiting the poor. Yet Jesus picks this
most unlikely of people out of the crowd and visits him. Once just an observer
from his place in the tree he responds to Jesus not just with words of
allegiance but a completely changed way of life. Abraham was called to be a
blessing to all people. Zaccheus becomes a ‘son of Abraham’ and a blessing to
others. The wealth he had gathered for himself he then used to repay the people
he had wronged.
For thought:
· Has God put unlikely people in my path to whom He
wants me to show his love?
· Are there areas of my life which God particularly
wants to transform?
(Christ Church lay preacher)