There once was a corrupt tax collector by the name of Zacchaeus…
...who had been victimizing the citizens of his city through extortion and intimidation. The people despised and hated him for it. When one day, he found himself having a face-to-face meeting with Jesus Christ himself. The encounter was unexpected, but it was good.
Confronted by Israel's Messiah, a guilty and remorseful tax collector promised to repay everyone he had taken money from unjustly. He also voluntarily pledged that he would give each of his victims four times the amount he had misappropriated. Then, Zacchaeus shocked the crowd even more by declaring he would also give half his possessions to the poor.
After this, Jesus told Zacchaeus that he wanted both he and his disciples to be allowed to spend the night at his house. The locals were not at all happy and voiced their displeasure. "The one who claims to be our Messiah is going to be a guest at the home of a sinner," they protested.
The Lord's response? "I have come to seek and to save those who are lost in sin." While in another passage, Jesus boldly proclaimed that he has come, "Not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Mark 2:17).
It's no different today. Christ is still seeking those who are lost in their sins and have yet to receive forgiveness. Yes, God offers forgiveness to even the worst of offenders. And this brings me to the main point of my message. Oftentimes I will encounter those who think they have done too many bad things to be forgiven, but this is one of the Devil's biggest lies.
Years ago, I too fell for that lie. When confronted by a fellow prisoner who told me that God loves and wants to cleanse me of all my sins, I said, "No way!" I told him I had done too many bad things and there is no way God would forgive me. But I was wrong.
The Big Lie is that some think themselves to be beyond the reach of God's forgiveness. I'm glad the Lord opened my eyes to the truth. This being the Good News how God is seeking people like myself and Zacchaeus, two of the most hated men in our respective communities, to receive His undeserved mercy. He wants to demonstrate to mankind His love for the lost and His power to forgive even those whom society thinks are the most evil of all.
D.B.
Confronted by Israel's Messiah, a guilty and remorseful tax collector promised to repay everyone he had taken money from unjustly. He also voluntarily pledged that he would give each of his victims four times the amount he had misappropriated. Then, Zacchaeus shocked the crowd even more by declaring he would also give half his possessions to the poor.
After this, Jesus told Zacchaeus that he wanted both he and his disciples to be allowed to spend the night at his house. The locals were not at all happy and voiced their displeasure. "The one who claims to be our Messiah is going to be a guest at the home of a sinner," they protested.
The Lord's response? "I have come to seek and to save those who are lost in sin." While in another passage, Jesus boldly proclaimed that he has come, "Not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Mark 2:17).
It's no different today. Christ is still seeking those who are lost in their sins and have yet to receive forgiveness. Yes, God offers forgiveness to even the worst of offenders. And this brings me to the main point of my message. Oftentimes I will encounter those who think they have done too many bad things to be forgiven, but this is one of the Devil's biggest lies.
Years ago, I too fell for that lie. When confronted by a fellow prisoner who told me that God loves and wants to cleanse me of all my sins, I said, "No way!" I told him I had done too many bad things and there is no way God would forgive me. But I was wrong.
The Big Lie is that some think themselves to be beyond the reach of God's forgiveness. I'm glad the Lord opened my eyes to the truth. This being the Good News how God is seeking people like myself and Zacchaeus, two of the most hated men in our respective communities, to receive His undeserved mercy. He wants to demonstrate to mankind His love for the lost and His power to forgive even those whom society thinks are the most evil of all.
D.B.
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