HOW ZACCHAEUS MET JESUS

Monday Musings #17, Sept. 18, 2023

Luke tells the story of Zacchaeus, a Jew who worked for the Romans as a tax collector. Luke is the only non-Jewish writer in the New Testament and the only one who never met Jesus in person. His book is addressed to Theophilus whose title identifies him as a high-ranking official in the Roman government. Luke is a physician who later traveled with Paul. How Luke became a follower of Jesus, we do not know.

Zacchaeus’ story begins when he heard that Jesus was coming through Jericho on His way to Jerusalem. Great crowds were packed along the streets, hoping to see Jesus. Zacchaeus was not very tall, and he had another problem: he had sold out to the Romans to collect taxes for Caesar’s government. He had to send in a certain amount to Rome, but whatever he collected above that, he could keep. By collecting more than the government required, he had become very rich and very hated by his fellow citizens. Standing in the crowd would be dangerous. “Accidents” could happen.

But Zacchaeus was not a man to give up easily. He ran on ahead of the crowd and found a sycamore tree with low branches that he could climb and hide in the foliage. He settled into the tree and waited to see Jesus.

Soon the crowds were passing by, and then Jesus stopped, looked up into the tree, and said, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for this day I must stay at your house.” Zacchaeus came down and gladly welcomed Jesus to his house. Religious Jews in the crowd were appalled that Jesus was going to be the guest and eat with a “sinner.”

Zacchaeus reacted with joy that Jesus had singled him out to be his host….and he realized that he needed to make some things right! There in the street with the whole crowd watching, Zacchaeus declared, “Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have taken anything from any man by fraud, I will give back four times as much.”

Jesus replied, “Today has salvation come to this house!”

We don’t hear any more about Zacchaeus in the Bible. But I can’t help but admire a man (or woman) who doesn’t let circumstances hem them in. Zacchaeus couldn’t change his height, but he could go where he would meet Jesus, and that changed his whole life!

As I read about Zacchaeus, I thought about changes I need to make: To spend more time in prayer, showing love to those who help take care of me including those who do less than their best, and reaching out to those who are more handicapped than I am. I’ve never regretted showing love; I can’t change a person for the better, but God’s love can. And He has enough for everyone, so let’s share it.

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Personal Notes:

Dear Friends, Fall weather is bringing relief from the heat and some rain to Springfield, MO.

I appreciate the cards you send and your prayers. As someone has said, “Getting old is not for sissies!” Every week brings more stiffness to my joints even though I do exercises to help me keep moving. Some creams ease the soreness and pain temporarily.

Birds continue to fight for places to eat at the bird feeder outside my window. This week I received a large bag of seed from Prime. I have no idea who sent it, but whoever you are, a big “THANKS” from me and the birds. “Just remember in His Word, how He feeds the little bird, Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there!” Whatever we are facing, God knows and will be with us until He calls us to live with Him! Trust Him when your burden is heavy!

With love and prayers, Joyce Wells Booze

LOVE THE SINNER, BUT HATE THE SIN

Monday Musings #16, Sept. 11, 2023
Based on JOHN 4:3-43

It was near noon that day in first century Palestine. The Pharisees in Jerusalem had heard that Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John— although it was not Jesus who baptized, but His disciples. To avoid trouble, Jesus and His disciples were walking from Jerusalem back to Galilee.

The shortest route was through Samaria. They stopped outside a Samaritan village called Sychar, and the disciples went to buy food. Jesus sat near the historic Jacob’s well to rest.

While He sat there, a woman came to draw water. Usually women came early in the day and again late in the afternoon to get water and catch up on the local news. But this woman was alone. Jesus spoke to her and asked her to give Him a drink. She was in shock that a Jewish rabbi would ask her for water, since as John records, “The Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans.” Their differences dated back centuries, mainly over the proper place to worship.

The woman asked. “How is it that thou, being a Jew, ask drink of me, a Samaritan woman?” She also objected, “Sir, this well is deep and you have nothing to draw with. Where then do you get that living water?”

Jesus replied, “If you knew who it is that said to you, ‘Give me to drink,’ you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water.”

The woman said to him, “Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.”

Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”

Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.”

The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.” This is the first time in John’s gospel that Jesus has stated that He is the Messiah, and He said it to a woman, a Samaritan woman, whose life was less than holy!

Just then Jesus’ disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?”

The woman left her water jar and went into town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” They went out of the town and were coming to him.

Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and He stayed two days. Because of His words, many more became believers. They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”

Note that Jesus ministers to this woman with love. He did not preach to her about her faults. Yet her interaction with Jesus brought about the change she needed. She became an evangelist to her people.

There’s an old adage, common back in the days before many country homes had adequate screens, that said, “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.” If we apply this to our evangelistic efforts, I think it would be something like this: “You can attract more people to Jesus by using love than condemnation.” When those we label as sinners come into contact with God’s love and accept Jesus into their lives, that’s when change takes place.

Oh, love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure—
The saints’ and angels’ song.
(Frederick M. Lehman, 1917)

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Personal Notes: A cool, cloudy day with light rain before daylight in Springfield, MO,  and a hint of autumn in the air. Perhaps the intense heat of summer has passed for this year.

The bird feeder outside my window continues to be a busy place.  My son Jon says he thinks I’m feeding every bird in Springfield since the feeder needs refilling often. I’m no expert on birds, but have seen some with yellow breasts and occasionally a red or blue bird.  When the feeder gets low, some of the birds come up to  the window and peck on the glass as much as to say, “Can’t you see we need more food?”

On days when my physical strength is low, the birds remind me of God’s promise that He supplies our needs. “Just remember in His Word how He feeds the little bird; Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.”

Visits from friends, and cards from those too far away to visit, give joy to my days.  May God continue to bind us together in His love.  Peace, love, joy,  Joyce Booze

LOVE VS CONDEMNATION

Monday Musings #15, Sept. 4, 2023

Near the end of Jesus’ life on earth, He was teaching in the outer court of the Jerusalem temple, the only part of the temple where women were allowed to enter. He had spent the night in the Garden of Gethsemane, and returned to the temple at dawn to resume teaching. On this last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, crowds gathered to hear Him. Some believed He was the promised Messiah; others were not sure.

A group of men, members of Jewish religious groups known as Pharisees and Sadducees, brought a woman to Jesus whom they claimed had been caught in the very act of adultery. They reminded Jesus that according to the Mosaic law, she should be stoned to death. Jesus didn’t answer directly. Instead, He stooped down and wrote something on the ground with His finger. The accusers were awaiting Jesus’ answer, hoping to catch Him in saying something they could use against Him before the Jewish Sanhedrin. What Jesus wrote on the ground, none of the gospel writers tell us.

The accusers continued asking for an answer, so Jesus raised up and said, “Let the one among you who has never sinned throw the first stone at her” (John 8:7, Phillips). Then Jesus wrote more on the ground. When He stood up again, only the woman was still there. Jesus asks her, “Woman, where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you?” She answered, “No man, Lord.” Jesus replied, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

Sentences for disobeying parts of the Old Testament Law often included stoning for serious offenses. One writer describes it as a “do or die” situation. If a Jewish person kept the law, he could live. If he didn’t keep it, he could receive the death penalty.

God the Father sent Jesus to earth to become our Savior. Why did He do it? Because He loves us! Jesus took the penalty for our sins upon himself: He who had no sin took our sins, so that we could be called the children of God!

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. (Titus 2:11-14)

“Oh, the joys of sins forgiven,
Oh, the bliss the blood-washed know,
Oh, the peace akin to heaven,
Where the healing waters flow!”
(H. H. Heimar, 1902).

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Personal Notes. A beautiful fall day in Springfield, MO, today, with a predicted high of around 90 degrees. Birds are keeping the feeder busy, and I’m trying to bring some sort of order to my work desk. Mostly it’s stacks and piles of things I intend to do “when I have time.” Included in those piles are cards I’ve received and been encouraged by. Thanks to all who pray for me and send cards or notes. 

Many of the regular workers here have had time off for the holiday, and our routines have been seriously impacted. My body continues to deteriorate in spite of my efforts to keep it functioning. Your prayers are much appreciated. May God return to you the blessings so many of you have sent to me!

Wishing each of you God’s peace, joy, and love…Joyce Booze