Tax Season Again!

Zaccheus, a tax collector, found favor with Jesus when the Pharisees didn't. When reading this story it almost sounds like Jesus was just trying to stir the pot or give the 'religious right' a little shock factor. But, that was not the case at all. We find these words from Jesus in Luke 19:10, "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which is lost." What I find most interesting is in the previous verse (9) where Jesus tells Zaccheus, in response to his promise to give half of his gain to the poor, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham." You know this really ticked off the Pharisees because Jesus was telling them with this statement to Zaccheus that there eternal home would be in hades not Abraham's bosom. WOW! Jesus was not afraid.

Don't miss the point of this awesome passage that is only found in Luke's gospel account. Jesus makes gives us two commandments here and both are very relevant to the church today.

1. The Great Commission
2. Cultural Mandate

Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost and pushed aside all boundaries of culture, which is easy to believe considering the culture of Jesus' day and how tax collectors were regarded unfavorably. The job of believers and churches is to follow this teaching to reach the lost and pose no cultural boundaries to prevent the message from being heard. Those who choose to seek for the perfect doctrine and theology in every jot and tittle might find themself under the label of a Pharisee. They were only interested in correct doctrine, and this of course is very important. But, not at the expense of the two commandments listed above.

You see, I too was once a Zaccheus!

Blake