“And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way” (Luke 19:4).
TEXT — Luke 19:1-10
Among the few celebrated personalities in history who converted to Christianity was Constantine the Great. He later became the Roman Emperor from 306 to 337CE. His acceptance of Christ was dramatic, reportedly motivated in part by a vision he experienced during a battle in Rome in 312CE. He then went ahead to Christianize the entire Empire. He sought to prove that his encounter with Christ that gave him salvation was real.
In the annals of Bible narratives, Zacchaeus was another famous character who, against all odds, earnestly sought and met the Lord. Challenged by his small frame and the throng that usually followed our Lord, Zacchaeus resorted to an unusual ploy to catch a glimpse of the Saviour as He passed through Jericho. He took a vantage position atop a tree. Although he was disdained by the Jews as a tax collector, “a man that is a sinner,” the Lord noticed his genuine thirst for pardon and salvation and granted his wish. It is not in Christ’s character to reject transgressors who sincerely approach Him for forgiveness and deliverance from the power of the devil and the sin that has taken them captive. He came to seek such lost people. Their status in society is of scant consideration, as long as they humbly admit their wrongdoings and forsake them and acknowledge the lordship of Jesus as Zacchaeus did.
Those who have not obtained and savoured the Mercy of Christ through the new birth encounter or have backslidden, can learn from Zacchaeus. They should not be deterred by the aspersions their neighbours, schoolmates, colleagues and kinsmen are casting on them. Nor should they be discouraged by physical disabilities or socioeconomic restraints to stay away from the One who has declared that He is their Friend. He is not human beings who are influenced by social media gossip. He knows all men and women intimately and does not need tell tale reports on anyone.
Thought for the day
Christ is willing to lovingly accept souls longing for Him.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
