Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 217

August 5;       Luke 19:5;       63/260(III);       ‘Zacchaeus Come Down’

Luke 19:5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house."

Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector.  Tax collectors were hated in the days of Jesus as they extorted money from the people and cooperated with the Roman Empire.  Verse 3 tells us that he wanted to see Jesus.  This must mean that Zacchaeus heard about the Lord and wanted to at least see Him.  Verse 10 teaches that the Lord Jesus came to seek and to save the lost.  Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit and knew in His spirit that this tax collector was desirous to know Him.  If you desire to know the Lord, know that He knows that and will open the door to begin a relationship.  Zacchaeus was short and had to climb up a tree to see the Lord Jesus as He passed by.  The Lord Jesus looked up and saw Zacchaeus and told him to come down from the tree because Jesus wanted to stay in Zacchaeus’ house.  Verse 8 teaches that the spirit of Zacchaeus had to be effected by Jesus because he told the Lord about how he would give a great deal of money to the poor and would reimburse several times over anyone he may have cheated.  Jesus confirms this, because He says in verse 9, that salvation has come to Zacchaeus.  I believe that Jesus, in verse 5 tells Zacchaeus that He must stay in his house.  I believe it means literally and also that Jesus is coming into Zacchaeus’ spirit to be his Lord and  Savior.  Our house is often a reference to our body being the house and temple of God.  This man though his profession was hated was changed spiritually when He met Jesus.