For the Son of a man is come to seek
and to save that which was lost.
Luke 19:10
I had the feeling that I was going to do the preaching during today's chapel service...
and to save that which was lost.
Luke 19:10
I had the feeling that I was going to do the preaching during today's chapel service...
My chaplain had the day off to be with his family. Then due to a fierce snowstorm which fell on Saturday and is still continuing somewhat, the volunteer minister who was scheduled to be here did not show up. So the responsibility fell upon me. It was a blessing though because I got the chance to share with the congregation a message from one of my favorite stories in the gospels, that of Zacchaeus the swindler (Luke 19:1-10).
Our service began at approximately 10 a.m. The equipment was all in place. One man opened the service in prayer, then we read a passage from the Bible together. Next, we took time out to give each other a warm welcome, shaking one another's hands and hugging. Then the choir came with an excellent and anointed selection of worship songs. And when they were finished, I told the entire congregation how glad we should be to have such talented musicians and singers with us. Although, of course, none of us want to be here in prison, but I will say that the members of the choir are doing their best to serve the Lord.
Anyhow, as the service continued, I had asked several of the elders to come up to the front of the church to give us a few words of encouragement. So Richard spoke from First John Chapter four on the need to show God's love to everyone. Then Philip shared on the need for genuine repentance, which means to forsake our sins.
Finally, it was my turn to come to the pulpit. I was nervous as always. But I read Luke chapter nineteen from verses 1 to 10 out loud. And when I was finished, I prayed. Next, I introduced everyone to Zacchaeus. I told the men that Zacchaeus was a tax collector. This meant that the citizens of his community considered him to be a crook, a cheater, an extortionist, and a traitor. Basically, he was a "white collar" criminal who, when it suited him, probably had his delinquent debtors beaten up. Zacchaeus could be ruthless when it came to getting paid.
The story, I said, took place in what was then the city of Jericho. Here in Jericho, which was located northeast of Jerusalem, the overall climate was cool and comfortable year-round. It was the vacation spa of the rich and powerful. It was also the perfect place for a greedy Zacchaeus to set up his criminal enterprise.
But to make a long story short, Zacchaeus, although now a wealthy and powerful "chief" above all the city's tax men, had a deep-seated problem. He'd been suffering from a guilty conscience. He was terribly ashamed of what he was doing. And so I told the congregation, "A man could run from his crimes, but he cannot flee from his conscience." Such was the case with Zacchaeus.
Therefore, when the One whom Zacchaeus had heard so much about was coming to town, this Jewish criminal felt compelled to sneak away from his cohorts to go see this Messianic figure for himself. Zacchaeus' heart, I believe, was burning from within. And he wasn't sure exactly why.
A short while later, however, after Zacchaeus had climbed a sycamore tree so as to get a good view of Jesus without, he'd hoped, the risk of Jesus seeing him, the Lord, as He walked down that people packed road, happened to look up at that very tree. And there was Zachaeus, his little body snaked around a limb, his face partially hidden by leaves. But in that moment of time, their eyes met.
I believe that in those precious seconds, a sin laden Zacchaeus saw nothing but love and compassion radiating from the Savior's face. He did not see condemnation or scorn. And, just as suddenly, the Lord beckoned him to come down from his perch. To Zacchaeus' surprise, Jesus even told the unscrupulous tax collector that He wanted to stay at his house. Then, as the Bible account describes, Zacchaeus scrambled down the tree with joy.
Yet, at the same time, while Zacchaeus stood in the middle of the road for his face-to-face encounter with the Son of God, when the crowd saw what was happening, and as they heard the exchange of words between those two, the fine citizens of Jericho began to murmur. "This man is going to be the guest of a sinner!" They were astonished. They couldn't understand why the One who was hopefully going to become their King, would want to mingle and dine with a person whom they considered to be a scoundrel. In their minds, Zacchaeus was a lowlife. He was "trash."
"Imagine," I said to the men, "the Messiah of Israel comes into a big city and instead of doing what important people usually do, go to hobnob with the city's elite, Jesus opted to have fellowship with a repentant criminal." I then went on, "Jesus did not stop at the home of the city's mayor, nor did He visit with the Chief of Police. Rather, He chose to go off with a despised mobster."
"And guys," I said to them as passionately as I could, "the Lord wishes to do the same with you." I told them that Jesus wants to come into their hearts. That He offers forgiveness, and He seeks fellowship. I then read Revelation 3:20 which says that Jesus is knocking on the doors of human hearts hoping these doors would be opened to let Him in. I added, as well, that Jesus is even calling each of us by name inviting us to repentance, and asking us to have faith in Him. "It doesn't get more intimate than this," I said.
Then, when I was finished with my message, I asked brother Philip, who's the assistant pastor, to come along-side me to give the altar call. We invited those who, like Zacchaeus, were riddled with guilt, to come forward. Thankfully, a sizeable number did come, one by one, to seek salvation.
D.B.
Our service began at approximately 10 a.m. The equipment was all in place. One man opened the service in prayer, then we read a passage from the Bible together. Next, we took time out to give each other a warm welcome, shaking one another's hands and hugging. Then the choir came with an excellent and anointed selection of worship songs. And when they were finished, I told the entire congregation how glad we should be to have such talented musicians and singers with us. Although, of course, none of us want to be here in prison, but I will say that the members of the choir are doing their best to serve the Lord.
Anyhow, as the service continued, I had asked several of the elders to come up to the front of the church to give us a few words of encouragement. So Richard spoke from First John Chapter four on the need to show God's love to everyone. Then Philip shared on the need for genuine repentance, which means to forsake our sins.
Finally, it was my turn to come to the pulpit. I was nervous as always. But I read Luke chapter nineteen from verses 1 to 10 out loud. And when I was finished, I prayed. Next, I introduced everyone to Zacchaeus. I told the men that Zacchaeus was a tax collector. This meant that the citizens of his community considered him to be a crook, a cheater, an extortionist, and a traitor. Basically, he was a "white collar" criminal who, when it suited him, probably had his delinquent debtors beaten up. Zacchaeus could be ruthless when it came to getting paid.
The story, I said, took place in what was then the city of Jericho. Here in Jericho, which was located northeast of Jerusalem, the overall climate was cool and comfortable year-round. It was the vacation spa of the rich and powerful. It was also the perfect place for a greedy Zacchaeus to set up his criminal enterprise.
But to make a long story short, Zacchaeus, although now a wealthy and powerful "chief" above all the city's tax men, had a deep-seated problem. He'd been suffering from a guilty conscience. He was terribly ashamed of what he was doing. And so I told the congregation, "A man could run from his crimes, but he cannot flee from his conscience." Such was the case with Zacchaeus.
Therefore, when the One whom Zacchaeus had heard so much about was coming to town, this Jewish criminal felt compelled to sneak away from his cohorts to go see this Messianic figure for himself. Zacchaeus' heart, I believe, was burning from within. And he wasn't sure exactly why.
A short while later, however, after Zacchaeus had climbed a sycamore tree so as to get a good view of Jesus without, he'd hoped, the risk of Jesus seeing him, the Lord, as He walked down that people packed road, happened to look up at that very tree. And there was Zachaeus, his little body snaked around a limb, his face partially hidden by leaves. But in that moment of time, their eyes met.
I believe that in those precious seconds, a sin laden Zacchaeus saw nothing but love and compassion radiating from the Savior's face. He did not see condemnation or scorn. And, just as suddenly, the Lord beckoned him to come down from his perch. To Zacchaeus' surprise, Jesus even told the unscrupulous tax collector that He wanted to stay at his house. Then, as the Bible account describes, Zacchaeus scrambled down the tree with joy.
Yet, at the same time, while Zacchaeus stood in the middle of the road for his face-to-face encounter with the Son of God, when the crowd saw what was happening, and as they heard the exchange of words between those two, the fine citizens of Jericho began to murmur. "This man is going to be the guest of a sinner!" They were astonished. They couldn't understand why the One who was hopefully going to become their King, would want to mingle and dine with a person whom they considered to be a scoundrel. In their minds, Zacchaeus was a lowlife. He was "trash."
"Imagine," I said to the men, "the Messiah of Israel comes into a big city and instead of doing what important people usually do, go to hobnob with the city's elite, Jesus opted to have fellowship with a repentant criminal." I then went on, "Jesus did not stop at the home of the city's mayor, nor did He visit with the Chief of Police. Rather, He chose to go off with a despised mobster."
"And guys," I said to them as passionately as I could, "the Lord wishes to do the same with you." I told them that Jesus wants to come into their hearts. That He offers forgiveness, and He seeks fellowship. I then read Revelation 3:20 which says that Jesus is knocking on the doors of human hearts hoping these doors would be opened to let Him in. I added, as well, that Jesus is even calling each of us by name inviting us to repentance, and asking us to have faith in Him. "It doesn't get more intimate than this," I said.
Then, when I was finished with my message, I asked brother Philip, who's the assistant pastor, to come along-side me to give the altar call. We invited those who, like Zacchaeus, were riddled with guilt, to come forward. Thankfully, a sizeable number did come, one by one, to seek salvation.
D.B.
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