_ZACCHÆUS_ ‘And behold, there was a man named Zacchæus.’ Luke 19:2 ‘Behold’—here the history of a soul, its struggles into the light. I. ZACCHÆUS WAS ‘RICH’: the sin is when money is used only for selfish ends. Christ never set the masses against the classes. He assumed there would be poor as w... [ Continue Reading ]
_ZACCHÆUS AND CHRIST_ ‘And (Zacchæus) made haste, and came down, and received Him joyfully.’ Luke 19:6 When Christ was upon earth He dealt with every one severally in such a way as to promote in every one a growing and increasing devotion to His will. In the story of Zacchæus we see one who made... [ Continue Reading ]
_CHRIST’S MISSION OF MERCY_ ‘The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.’ Luke 19:10 The justification of Christ’s conduct towards Zacchæus the publican is threefold:— I. HIS OWN NATURE AS ‘THE SON OF MAN.’—This name frequently applied to Christ by Himself, never, in the Gos... [ Continue Reading ]
_A MOTTO FOR LIFE_ ‘Occupy till I come.’ Luke 19:13 The words have a threefold course: A constant, daily, life-long work; a sweet end, when that work is done; and the highest and most loving motive which can ever influence the heart of man: ‘Occupy till I come.’ A man, who wishes to be ‘occupied... [ Continue Reading ]
_FAITHFULNESS IN LITTLE THINGS_ ‘Because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.’ Luke 19:17 ‘Faithful’ is a larger and more comprehensive word than at first sight appears. It has two meanings; it has a double application. It means, first, one who trusts, an... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE COMING KING_ ‘Blessed he the King that cometh in the name of the Lord.’ Luke 19:38 All the city moved. As our whole nation stirred by the war, defeats or victories. Great things at stake. I. THE KING COMING IN HUMILITY.—Are hearts stirred? What is at stake? Are we concerned in His life, wo... [ Continue Reading ]
_WHY JESUS WEPT_ ‘And when He was come near, He beheld the city, and wept over it.’ Luke 19:41 How touching, but how solemn, to think of our Lord weeping! No doubt there were many occasions on which He wept bitterly (Hebrews 5:7). ‘He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief’—but only two i... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE COMMANDINGNESS OF CHRIST_ ‘If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.’ Luke 19:42 There is a commandingness about the figure of Christ here which we at once feel, and for reasons of which we are most... [ Continue Reading ]
_TIMES OF VISITATION_ ‘Thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.’ Luke 19:44 There is indeed nothing so saddening to the mind as the thought of great opportunities unrecognised and unused. Whether it is in the case of a nation, of a Church, or of an individual, we think of the glorious possibi... [ Continue Reading ]
_CLEANSING THE TEMPLE_ ‘And He went into the Temple … den of thieves.’ Luke 19:45 Our Lord twice had to cleanse the Temple. The profane practice grew up gradually until He put it down in His authoritative way. What is its counterpart now? I. THE ENCROACHING SPIRIT OF WORLDLINESS.—God is practic... [ Continue Reading ]
_A HOUSE OF PRAYER_ ‘It is written, My house is the house of prayer.’ Luke 19:46 A house of prayer—this is what the Jewish Temple ought to have been, this is what the Church of the living God is. Why is it that we fail so miserably to use our churches as the houses of prayer which God designed t... [ Continue Reading ]