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[0:00] Luke tells us in the ninth chapter of this gospel that Jesus is on a specific journey.

[0:12] A journey that allows for no deviation or deflection from the end purpose of that journey.

[0:24] When the days drew near, Luke writes, for Jesus to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.

[0:36] We are told by Luke that when Jerusalem was almost reached and visible to the eye, it was the cause of weeping on the part of Christ, which I would suggest tells us much.

[0:54] About the heart of the Lord Jesus speaks volumes of the pastoral care he had for the citizens of this city.

[1:06] When he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace, but now they are hidden from your eyes.

[1:23] And as he journeyed towards his goal, he preached, and in his preaching, he made use of parables, by using parables to illustrate the teaching and instruction that he was setting before his audience.

[1:42] His preaching gave instruction not only as to how one becomes a disciple, but also as to how one should live as a disciple.

[1:55] He healed many who were sick. He met with many differing needs. Our passage for reflection this evening almost brings his journey and his preaching near to its intended goal.

[2:12] In this familiar passage, Luke sets before us Christ's own assessment of his mission in the world.

[2:25] For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. It's an important mission statement, and it's written for the encouragement of us all, I believe.

[2:40] For by nature, we are defined by the word lost. We are all by nature lost.

[2:52] It is also, I believe, a striking feature of Luke's gospel that he focuses our attention on Christ's wonderful care for those on the edge.

[3:08] Those, as it were, on the perimeter, on the outside. You find examples of this in his gospel. Christ touching the untouchable.

[3:20] Christ delivering the woman that was a sinner. His association with those viewed with revulsion by the scribes and Pharisees.

[3:33] This man received sinners and deeds with them. His association with tax collectors, who were viewed with animosity by the larger population.

[3:48] It is also evident from the lives of those touched by the power of the gospel and brought to faith in Christ. That it is a time of joy.

[3:59] When they are united to Christ through faith in his name. And you may be here this evening. And you well remember the first ecstatic days of newfound joy in Christ.

[4:15] Your sins most graciously forgiven. The realization that they had been forgiven. The crushing burden of the guilt of sin lifted off.

[4:27] And although much was hidden from your sight that would cause you great challenges in the following years with regard to being a follower of the Lord.

[4:39] Yet the most important thing of all had taken place in your life. You became a sinner saved by grace.

[4:49] You were united by faith to Christ. And it may have been that you then thought that all your days would be days of being as it were on the mountaintop.

[5:04] Days of ecstatic joy. And then you discovered that there were valleys to be traversed and experienced. You may have been tempted to think and may still be that the Lord had forsaken you.

[5:21] Can I ask Were you? Or are you still Able to echo the words of another who wrote the words Where is the blessedness I knew when first I saw the Lord?

[5:36] Where is the soul refreshing view Of Jesus and his word? What peaceful hours I once enjoyed How sweet the memory still But they have left An aching void The world can never fill Only Christ can fill that void In the lives of those who have had experience Of that blessedness And so that If that is your complaint This evening The word of God exhorts And encourages you Hope in God And the psalmist who had experience Of these depths in his own life Goes on to say As he conducts a conversation With his own soul Hope in God For I shall again praise him My salvation And my God Well as we come to focus

[6:38] On this passage It is very apparent That the meeting Between the Savior of sinners The Lord Jesus Christ And this executive tax collector Caught the attention of Luke The reason I say that Is that he is the only gospel writer Who writes about this Life changing meeting Neither Matthew, Mark or John Make any reference to this meeting Between the Savior and Zacchaeus Luke considers it important for us To hear about this life changing meeting In the life of the man Zacchaeus He tells us Jesus entered Jericho And was passing through And behold There was a man named Zacchaeus And the word behold Is frequently used in the Bible For the very purpose

[7:38] Of drawing our attention To a matter of importance A matter deserving of our reflection And attention It is if you like The highlighter of the Bible Now although Luke wishes us To know about this meeting It is not so much As I said to focus Our attention on Zacchaeus Important as that is But on Jesus As the one who came To seek and to save the last That I believe cannot Be overemphasized The purpose of Jesus' mission The purpose of Jesus' mission It is God alone Through Christ Who is able to open The eyes of the blind To make the deaf hear To give the dumb to speak In short To gift us salvation

[8:39] Something that money cannot buy He alone is able to Blot out our transgressions To pay our debts To restore to life To heal our diseases He is the great Savior Who abundantly pardons And Luke is saying to us Do you see this Jesus?

[9:03] For the story does not end With the astounding Life changing experience In the life of Zacchaeus That you might think Is the climactic highlight Of the story An amazing Wonderful conversion No The emphasis And explanation of truth Is this For the Son of Man Came to seek And to save the last In other words We must not lose sight Of the mission purpose Of Christ In coming Into the world Well Just three thoughts First of all Where did Jesus Find this man?

[9:48] Secondly What did Jesus say To this man? And thirdly What evidence do we have Of this man being saved?

[9:59] Firstly Where did Jesus Find this man? And the answer That the Bible gives us Is that this man Was found in a city Which does not have A great reputation Luke tells us Jesus entered Jericho And was passing through Jericho Was a city With a past Who Or what Doesn't have a past?

[10:32] You and I All Have a past And if you go back Into the Old Testament You will find Mention of this city It was the first Place of opposition That the people Of Israel Encountered After they had Crossed the river Jordan Into the promised land It was a walled City It was fortified The walls Were regarded As being Impregnable The citizens Felt Very secure As they watched The approach Of the people Of Israel Yet You may remember Despite Such strong Apparently Impregnable Walls They are reduced To rubble By the power Of almighty God alone As the people Of Israel Took God At his word Because that is In essence What faith involves Taking God

[11:32] As it were It is not done Through the use Of siege machines The children Of Israel Encircled The city For days Six days And on the Seventh day They encircled The city Of Jericho Seven times They blew The trumpets The people Shouted And the walls Came crashing Down You may also Remember That the Bible Speaks of the Deliverance Of a woman From that city By faith In the New Testament Letter to the Hebrews Rahab the prostitute Did not perish With those Who were disobedient Because she had Given a friendly Welcome to the spies And she is a story Of the marvelous Grace of God In Christ The story of the Destruction of Jericho In the book of Joshua Also tells us How There would be

[12:33] Grave consequences For anyone Who might attempt To rebuild The city Joshua Laid an oath On them At that time Saying Cursed before The Lord Be the man Who rises up And rebuilds The city Jericho At the cost Of his firstborn Shall he lay Its foundation At the cost Of his youngest son Shall he set Up its gates And yet Despite the Prohibitive cost That is mentioned With regard To rebuilding This destroyed City We are told That the city Was rebuilt In the days Of King Ahab Days that were Characterized By Departure From the Teachings And instruction Of the word Of God We read in the Bible Ahab Did more to Provoke the Lord the God Of Israel To anger Than all the Kings of Israel Who were before Him in his In his days

[13:34] That is in the Days of Ahab Hiel Of Bethel Built Jericho He laid its Foundation At the cost Of Abiram His firstborn And set up Its gates At the cost Of his youngest Son Segub According to The word Of the Lord Which he spoke By Joshua The son of Nun In other words The word That was spoken By Joshua Is fulfilled So often The word Of God Is treated With disdain By man Scant regard Is paid To what God Says And the cost Of such Blatant disregard Is enormous Just in passing We too Are living In a day Where the word Of God Is treated As irrelevant Make no mistake That will reap Its own rewards In fact We may Be already

[14:34] Reaping it As a nation It's not Entirely clear Whether this Man Heil Sacrificed His sons As happened In those days Or Was their death A judgmental Act On the part Of God For this Man's Disobedience I rather Incline Towards the Lat of you But the Bible Doesn't make That abundantly Clear Be that as It may You cannot But wonder At how the Lord finds His own Wherever They might Be Remember John tells Us He loved His own His own Are the Objects Of his Love And he Will find Them Wherever They might Be Whatever Place They might Occupy In the World However

[15:35] Low They might Sink In life He Will Find Them And so You cannot But wonder At how In this City That The Son of Man This City With A Past This City That God Spoke Judgmentally Against It Was in Jericho City That The Son of Man The Lord Jesus Christ Found This Man And I Would Suggest That Jericho Is a Picture In Miniture In Miniture It Is Symbolic Of Of Of The World Has Been Under The Curse On Account Of Man's Disobedience And Luke Pinpoints For us Where The Lord Found This Person He Found Him In This City That's The First Thing He Discloses

[16:36] His Identity Not Only Does He Disclose His Identity But We Learn About His Work And His Social Status His Employment His Name Sacchias His Employment A Tax Collector In Fact He Was A Chief Tax Collector He Was At You Might Say At Executive Level In The Tax Collection System He Was Also Rich Executive Tax Collectors And Riches Went Hand In Hand A Chief Tax Collector Would Have Meant That He Had Several Tax Collectors Accountable To Him Tax Collectors Were Unscrupulous And Ruthless In Their Work They Didn't Care About Their Fellow Jews Or The Poverty Levels That Their Fellow Men Experienced You Would Say That They Contributed To The Poverty Of Their Fellow Beings By The Extortionate

[17:36] Levy Of Tax Imposed By Them As A Consequence Of Their Questionable And Unscrupulous Behavior They Were Hated By The General Population But Just Not Just Because They Were Seen As The Representative Or The Employee And Friend Of The Hated Roman Empire But Also For Their Corrupt And Fraudulent Practice With Regard To Tax Levies They Were Largely Ostracized Among The Population And Luke Tells Us That This Executive Tax Collector He Was A Small Man He Was Small In Stature You Might Say A Little Man With Great Authority A Little Man But In Possession Of Great Wealth And Luke Tells Us Where Exactly Where Jesus Met With This Man He Had Climbed Into A

[18:36] Sycamore Tree Now I Don't Think That That Would Be An Everyday Occurrence For An Executive Tax Collector It Would Do Nothing For His Reputation A Person Who Saw Himself As Being Of Great Importance An Executive Tax Officer And This Person Of Enormous Influence Whose Tentacles Of Greed Spread Widely He Was In An Unusual Place Why Was He In An Unusual Place Well You Might Say You Could Argue That It Was Because He Was A Little Guy And That He Had To Get Into An Elevated Position If The Crowds Were Throng In The Streets They Could Have Been Determined Not To Let Them To The Front Because Of Their Anomosity To Him In The Knowledge That He Would See Nothing From The Rear Of The Crowd Well I Don't Harvey

[19:37] Given His Lack Of He To See Over The Crowd He Could Have Gone To His Office He Could Have Gone Home He May Not Even Have Wanted To See Jesus But Luke Tells Us Why He Was In The Tree He Was Seeking To See Who Jesus Was He Was Decirous Of Meeting Jesus That Is The Real Reason That Luke Gives For This Man Been In The Sycamore Tree Now This Was Most Likely Out Of Character In The Life Of This Man It Was Uncharacteristic Behavior On The Part Of This Man It Was Not Normal Wasn't His Usual Pattern Of Behavior It Is Possible That His Desire To See Jesus What He Was Really Like Had Been Prompted By The Fact That

[20:37] A Tax Collector Was Among Jesus' Disciples The Bible Tells Us That On Occasion Jesus Went Out And Saw A Tax Collector Named Levi Sitting At The Tax Booth And He Said To Follow Me And Leaving Everything He Rose And Followed Him And Levi Made A Great Feast In His House There Was A Large Company Of Tax Collectors And Others Reclining At Table With Them I Would Suggest That It Is Very Possible That Word Of This Occasion This Event Had Reached The Years Of Zacchaeus Had He Heard The Complaint Of The Scribes And Pharisees Against Jesus For They Were Highly Critical At The Fact That Jesus Not Only Just Associated With Tax Collectors And Sinners But He Was Entertained By Them He Dined With Them And The Pharisees And Their Scribes Grumbled At

[21:37] His Disciples Say Why Do You Eat And Drink With Tax Collectors And Sinners It Was Total Anathema To Them They Couldn't Understand It Again Jesus Performed Significant Acts Of Healing He Gave Sight To The Blind And We Have The Incident Outside Jericho With Bartimaeus He He Healed Lepers Zacchaeus May Even Have Heard Of The Illustration That Jesus Used About Prayer The Story Of The Tax Collector And The Pharisee Who Went Up To The Temple To Pray Did He Hear The Conclusion Of That Story I Tell You This Man Went Down To His House Justified Rather Than The Other For Everyone Who Exalts Themselves Will Be Humbled But The One Who Humbles Themselves Will Be Exalted Was It Really True Zacchaeus Could Have Asked That The Tax Collector Was Saved And The Pharisee Lost Would That Be Possible And For These Reasons And Possibly More I

[22:38] Am Of The View That They Serve To Explain The Unusual Behavior Pattern Of This Little Man You See When Our Lives Begin To Be Influenced By The Lord Jesus Christ You Do Things That Would Have Been Once Totally Out Of Character He Wanted To Know More About Christ Who He Really Was And When That Happens In Your Life And Mine You Begin To Do Things That You Didn't Do Before For Example You Begin To Read The Bible That Would Have Been Anathema Once To Read The Bible To Reflect On What The Bible Has To Say But You See When Jesus Is

[23:38] Influencing Your Life And Your Heart You Begin To Read The Word Of God Your Behavior Pattern Your Normal Behavior Pattern Is Disrupted And You Begin To Do Things That You Wouldn't Believe Of Yourself You Begin To Read The Word Of God That In And Of Itself Could Be A Very New Practice Unusual For You To Do That And You Begin To Attend Where Christ Is Spoken About You Begin To Attend Services In A Building Like This Perhaps You Just Come On A Sunday Evening But It's It's It's It's A Different Pattern To What Used To Be The Norm And Perhaps You Surprise Yourself By

[24:38] Your Attendance On The Means Of Grace You Are In A Place Where You Might Not Be Expected To Be Found Where You Wouldn't Even Expect To Find Yourself Perhaps In Past Years And Here You Are This Evening In The House Of God And You Begin To Listen To The Message You Are Not Just There To Pass The Time You Begin To Listen To What Is Been Said Or You Might Be Very Unwilling To Admit That You Are Listening That Might Be Too Embarrassing To Admit To Your Peer Group That You Are Actually Listening To The Message Of The Gospel But Sacredly You Are Listening That Is Why You Are Here And Then It May Not Be Unusual For You To Be Here Tonight Perhaps

[25:38] Perhaps Perhaps You Are Here Because You Want To Please Someone Who Is Close To You Maybe This Is Your Regular Place On A Sunday Even Out Of Practice Out Of Custom Or Just To Please Someone Close To You Perhaps Out Of A A A A The Way That You Looked Sense Of Reverence Perhaps For Parents Who Are No Longer Living Who Put That Practice Into Your Mind And Into Your Heart Set It Before You And As The Years Passed You Have Began To Keep That Practice And So You Come Here On A Sunday Even And You Consider That You Have Done Your Duty That Is It For Another Week Oh But My Friend Even If It's Not Unusual For

[26:39] You To Be Here Have You Began To Listen To The Message That Comes From The Pulpiteer Week In Week Out Whatever The Reason Have You Considered That You Are Here Tonight And The Reason For You Been Here Has Not Yet Been Disclosed To You Do You Think About That So That For You Tonight This Could Be You Jericho And What May Have Been Occasional Or A Habitual Custom May Be For You A Birthday Ordered By God When Jesus Finds You And Like Zacchaeus Calls

[27:39] You By Name That He Might Come Into Your Home And Into Your Life And Into Your Heart Could That Be Why You Are Really Here This Evening Zacchaeus Was Thought And Found By Jesus And It May Be That You Are Being Found This Evening By Him Too Maybe Jesus Is Breaking Into Your Thoughts Into Your Heart In A Way That You Did Not Expect And So That In Kennel Street Free Church Building The Lord Is Speaking To You You Know You Would Not Be The First Whom Christ Has Sought And Found In This Building A Rich Man Too

[28:40] Poor To Buy What Would Make Him Acceptable To God Because Salvation Cannot Be Bought Or Earned It Can Only Be Received The Sacrifice Of Christ Alone Is The Purchase Price Where Did Jesus Find This Man In A Cursed City In An Unusual Location Secondly What Did He Say To Luke Tells Us When Jesus Came To The Place He Looked Up Did Zacchaeus Expect To Remain Hidden From The Sight Of Jesus On His Perch In The Tree I Don't Know But Let Me Ask You The Question Do You Think That Christ Is Unaware Of Your Presence In This Service This Evening I Can Categorically State That Christ Is Well Aware Where You Are Tonight

[29:40] And Every Other Night And Luke Gives The Impression That Christ Was Aware Of The Fact That Zacchaeus Was In The Tree When Jesus Came To The Place He Looked Up That Suggests That Jesus Knew Full Well That This Man Was In The Tree And So He Addressed Him As Reported By Luke Zacchaeus Hurry And Come Down There Is No Indication Given That He Pleached To Zacchaeus No Attention No Indication That He Drew Attention To The Sins Of Zacchaeus Why I Wonder Is There No Mention Of These Things Well It Seems To Me The Emphasis In This Particular Context Is On The Saving Power Of The Son Of Man Through This Brief Conversation It Is As If The Sins Of Zacchaeus

[30:40] Rise Up Before him Jesus Doesn't Preach Because He Himself Is The Summation Of The Gospel The Fact That Jesus Was There Was A Presentation Of The Gospel To This Little Man But He Calls Him And You Know It Was A Personal Call You Know Zacchaeus Wasn't Left In Any Doubt As To Who Was Being Called A Great Crowd But There Was No Room For Dubiety Because He Called Him By Name It's This Man Of Whom Luke Speaks Seeking To See Who Jesus Was But On Account Of The Crowd Who Could Not Because He Was Small And Stature He Is Calling This Man And Could It Be Tonight That It Is You Who Is Being Addressed He

[31:42] Called Him By Name And It Was An Urgent Call Zacchaeus Harry You Know It's In Our Nurture Isn't It To Procrastinate On Occasions When We Are Confronted By The Challenges Of The Gospel We Tend To Say Tomorrow Oh Tomorrow And That Tomorrow Never Comes How Many Times Have You Said Tomorrow And It Does Never Come Remember Remember How Felix In The Book Of Acts When He Was Challenged By The Message Of The Gospel The Bible Tells Us He Was Alarmed Do You Remember How He Appeased His Alarm Go Away For The Present When I Get An Opportunity I Will Summon You Oh My Friend Is That What You Are

[32:42] Doing Is That What You Have Been Doing Over The Years As You Came To This Building Perhaps Out Of A Sense Of Duty And Have You Been Saying Over The Years When I Have A More When I Get An Opportunity But My Friend It's Not Us Who Summon Him It's He Who Summons Us The Authoritative Insistent Voice Of Jesus Says Here Sakeas Hurry Come Down Now It's It's A Royal Command From The King Of Kings Hurry No Time To Lose It Was A Command That Could Not Be Resisted In The Life Of Sakeas But Are You Here This Evening And Are You Guilty Of Seeking To Suppress The

[33:42] Voice That Comes With Urgency And Says Hurry Have You To This Urgent Authoritative Command To Hurry And You Could Say Not Only Was It An Urgent Call But It Was A Humbling Call By Nature Even Even The Even The Humblest Of Us By Nature We Are So Proud That Is The Fruit Of The Fall In The Life Of Man And There Is An Inclination To Think And To Say No Need For Me To Come Down And Find Where I Am Ah But You Don't Come To Christ On My Terms Or Your Terms We Have To Come On His Terms And You Know And So Christ Says Hurry Come Down Come Close To Me In Other Words Come Into Union With Me Where There Is No Wrong For

[34:42] Pride And Lack Of Humility It Was A Call Of Love That Sought Zacchaeus And Brought Him Near To Christ It Was An Effectual Call Many Of You Have Learned The Shorter Catechism You Remember That Question What Is Effectual Calling The Work Of God Spirit Whereby He Convicts Us Of Our Sin And Misery Enlighten Our Minds And The Knowledge Of Christ Renewing Our Will He Doth Persuade And Enable Us To Embrace Jesus Christ Freely Offered To Us In The Gospel Where Do We See The Work Of The Holy Spirit In This Context In My View We See It In The Obedience He Is Embracing Christ As His Lord And His God And His Saviour And Jesus Then Says I

[35:43] Must Stay At Your House Today It's Worth I Believe Reflecting Where The Bible States That There Are Things That Christ Must Do The Must In The Life Of Christ Moses Lifted Up The Serpent The Will So Must The Son Of Man Be Lifted Up That Whoever Believes In Him Have Eternal Life He Couldn't Be A Saviour Unless He Was A Sacrifice For The Sin Of The World At The Age Of Twelve Years Do You Not Know That I Must Be In My Father's House He Had A Deep Aware Of His Relationship To God The Father Indicative Of The Pattern Of Obedience That Was To Characterize The Whole Of His Life I I Have Other Sheep That Are Not Of This Fold I

[36:43] Must Bring Them Also And This Must Involves Them In Going Into The Various Are Of Life In The World In Order To Find The Lost Sheep And We Have A Good Example Of It Right Here In This Context How Indebted We Are Tonight If You Are In Christ That He Persisted In His Search Because This Must Surely Speaks Of The Intense Longing That There Be One Flock Ultimately And One Shepherd And That Must Inevitably Lead Them To The Cross And The Sufferings Associated With It As He Effects Reconciliation And So In This Context I Must Today I Must Stay At Your House As If To Say I Require Your Home

[37:43] In Order To Stop A Little While On My Journey Towards Jerusalem And You Know Zacchaeus Had No Problem With That One More Thought Before We Leave This Some Are Of The View That Conversing Must Be A Highly Dramatic Experience But Would You Say That This Conversing Was Highly Dramatic He Was In The Sycamore Tree Because He Wanted To See Who Jesus Was He Didn't See A Strange Light He Didn't Hear A Strange Unusual Sound He He He The Voice Of Jesus Clearly Coercively Authoritatively Calling To To Come Down From His Perch Christ Came To Seek And You Could Say As Far As As This Man He

[38:44] Was Concerned Christ Came And Asked There Was Nothing In His Life To Warrant That Christ Call him In Fact Quite The Opposite But You See Christ Who Was The Key Of David Unlocked His Heart He Placed War In A Hitherto Cold Unbelieving Heart So That This Man Was More Than Willing To Have Christ In His Home He Hurried And Came Down And Received Him Joyfully What A Joyous Moment In The Life Of This Man He Received Him Joyfully Can I Ask Have You Come Here Tonight With A Desire To See Jesus Now It Is True That Zacchaeus Saw With His Physical Eyes But He Also Saw Saw Jesus

[39:44] As Saviour With The Eyes Of Faith And Tonight Christ Is Strolling Through Stornway And If He Were To Say To You I Must Stay At Your House Tonight How Would You Respond Would You Like Zacchaeus Hurry To Welcome Him With Joy Or Would You Seek To Keep Him Out Would You Lock The Door So That He Couldn't Come In Answer The Question Many Might Tell You Keep Him Out Don't Submit To Him Many Might Respond As They Did Here Very Critically What Right Is Christ To Go With Such A Person He Is Going To Go Without Thief When They Saw They All Grumbled He Has Gone To Be The Guest Of A Man Who Is A Sinner Oh

[40:45] Praise God That It Is Written In The Bible This Man This Jesus Receives Sinners And Eats With Them All Sinners None Of Us Are Deserving Of The Least Of His Mercies So When He Again Offers Salvation Are You Willing To Receive It Is It True It Is True That Where A Welcome Is Given To Jesus In A Heart And Home In This Life A Glorious Welcome Awaits Them In The Father's House At The End Of Life What Did He Say To Him Where Did He Find Him Finally The Evidence Have Been Saved The Time Is Gone And The Evidence Is Presented From Two Sides First First First We Have Zacchaeus His Own Testimony He Demonstrates By His Testimony The Great Change That

[41:45] Has Occurred In His Life His Behavior Has Been Totally Changed Behold Lord He Says The Half Of My Goods I Give To The Poor If I Have Defrauded Anyone Of Anything I Restore It For Fault That Was Certainly Not The Kind Of Practice That This Guy Had Until Now In Fact Totally The Reverse He He He Took From The Poor He Didn't Give To The Poor He Didn't Care About The Poor As Long As Zacchaeus His Bank Account Continued To Grow Not Was He Overly Concerned About Defrauding His Fellow Men That Was The Way The Tax Collectors Operated He Could Not Have Been At Executive Level Without Fraudulent Practices And There's No Indication That He Ever Lost A Wink Of Sleep About These Matters But Now He Says Behold

[42:46] Lord The Half Of My Goods I Give To The Poor To They Have Defrauded Anyone Of Anything I Restore It For For And You Cannot But Wonder If Zacchaeus In Hearing Himself Speaking These Words If He Is Asking The Question Is This Really Me Is This Really Me Did I Say That There Was A Man I Knew Years Ago Came From The Area Of Ness He Was Up In Years When He Was Converted And He Used To Say Frequently You Know He Said Even The Dog Noticed The Change In My Life The Way In Which He Had Previously Spoken

[43:46] To The Dog Perhaps The Language Wasn't The Best And He Used To Maintain The Dog Noticed The Change Such Was The Reality Of The Change That Had Occurred In The Life Of That Man And That's How It Is In The Life Of Every Person Who Is Changed By The Power Of God's Grace So If It Was Unusual For This Man To Be In The Tree It Was Even More Unusual To Hear Himself Make This Confession Confession From A One Time Fraudulent Tax Collector His Life Has Been Changed Not By Him But By The Grace Of God

[44:47] In Jesus Christ The Bible Reminds Us If Anyone Is In Christ He Is A New Creation The Old Has Passed Away Behold The New Has Come And It's Not Just His Manor Of Speaking That Has Changed But His Life Practice Has Changed Money Was His God But Now He Gives His Funds Away To The Poor He Restores Those Whom He Has Defrauded In Past Years Now I Said The Evidence Is Presented From Two Sides Sacchias Testimony Is Born Out By Jesus Jesus Said To Him Today Salvation Has Come To This House Since He Also Is A Son Of Abraham What A Glowing Testimony Paid By Jesus Salvation Has

[45:47] Come To This House Here Is Visible Evidence That Salvation Has Come Into The Life Of This Man And This Home I Am A Welcome Guest In The Home Of This Man Just Think Of That You Know There Used To Be In Old Days I Don't Know If It's Still True But You Would Go Into Houses And You Would See Like A Little Plaque On The Wall Christ Is The Head Of This Home I Don't Know If That Was If It Was True What The Statement Said If It Was True That He Was Indeed The Head Of The Home I Know In Some Homes That It Was Let Me Ask You Is That True Of Your Home Is It True Of Your Heart That Christ Is The Lord Of Your Heart This Evening Because That's What Happened Here No

[46:48] Matter How Full You Think Your Life Has Been Or How Full Your Home Is It's Empty Without Christ And In Order To Leave No Dubiety About The Matter Jesus Goes On To Assert Since This Man Is A Son Of Abraham Now That Doesn't Mean That Zacchaeus Was A Jew That Is True But It Means Much More Paul Writes To The Galatians For In Christ Jesus You Are All Sons Of God Through Faith For As Many Of You Were Baptized Into Christ Have Put On Christ And If You Are Christ Then You Are Abraham's Offspring Heirs According To Promise In Other Words Christ Is Saying About This Man Sac Heirs Heirs Heirs A Child Of The Covenant Promises An Heir Of The Blessings A True Believer We Don't Know How

[47:49] This Would Have Been Tested In Coming Days It Probably Was We Know That Abraham Self Was Tested In The Very Evening Of His Life But You See By God's Grace He Was Able To Face The Testing And So Will You Friend Someone Wrote Like This I Sought The Lord And Afterwards I Knew He Moved My Soul To Seek Him Seeking Me It's Not I That Found No Savior True No I Was Found Of Thee Oh My Friend Has He Found You Tonight In This Building Is He Welcome Him In Your Heart And In Your Home Where Did Jesus Find This Man In A Cursed City In An Unusual Location What Did He Say To Him Hurry And Come

[48:49] Down Evidence Of Been Saved The Life The Life The Life Of Sacrace And The Testimony Of Christ Himself A Man Sought And A Man Saved Is That True Of You And Me Let Us Pray Oh Eternal God How Important It Is To Be Found In Christ For Without Thee We Are Without Hope And Without God In The World Forbid That That Be So And The Glory Shall Be Thine In Jesus Name We Ask It Amen Let Us Conclude By Singing To God's Praise From Psalm 105 Psalm 105

[49:49] Page 374 Of The Psalter The Tune Is Danfield Give Thanks To God Call On His Name To Man His Deeds Make Known Sing Ye To Him Sing Psalms Proclaim His Wondrous Works Each One See That Ye In His Holy Name To Glory Do Accord Let The Heart Of Everyone Rejoice That Seeks The Lord The Lord Almighty And His Strength With Steadfast Hearts Seek Ye His Blessed And His Gracious Face Seek Ye Continually Think On The Works That He Has Done Which Admiration Breed His Wonders And The Judgments All Which From His Mouth Proceed O Ye That Are Of Abraham's Race His Servant Well Approved Ye That Jacob's Children Are Whom He Chose

[50:50] For His Own Let Us Sing These Verses In Conclusion Give Thanks To God Give Give thanks To God Call On His Name To Men His Tees Make Known Sing And This populations His wondrous works each one.

[51:29] See that he in his holy name to glory do accord.

[51:45] And let the heart of everyone rejoice that sings the Lord.

[52:01] The Lord Almighty and his strength with steadfast hearts seeking His blessed and his gracious praise seek ye continually.

[52:27] Think on the words that he hath done which admiration read.

[52:45] His wonders and the judgments all which from his mouth proceed.

[52:59] O ye that are of Abram's grace His servant will approve and ye that Jacob's children are whom he chose for his own.

[53:31] Now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ the love of God the Father fellowship and communion of the Holy Spirit rest on and abide with you all now and forever.

[53:45]  Amen.