Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Prayer Meeting Lesson Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/pm/pm19981216.htm

LUKE: GOSPEL OF CERTIFYING THE CHRISTIAN FAITH
Part LXIII: Certifying The Christian Faith In Its Life-Changing Effects On Sinners
(Luke 19:1-10)
  1. Introduction
    1. If Jesus of Nazareth is the true Messiah, there should be real-life evidences of that fact which we can show to questioning onlookers. After all, Messiah is "the Supernatural Counselor, the Mighty God , the Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace" to quote Isaiah 9:6!
    2. Luke's Gospel, that signifies the credibility of the Christian faith (1:3-4), records a very valid effect Jesus produced in defense of the Christian faith in Luke 19:1 -10. That evidence we can use today as follows:
  2. Certifying The Christian Faith In Its Life-Changing Effects On Sinners, Lk. 19:1-10:
    1. Luke's Gospel was written to show the credibility of the Christian faith to Theophilus, Luke 1:3-4:
    2. As such, Luke records the great transformation made in the life of Zacchaeus, a notable sinner who became a notably upright man after his encounter with Jesus as follows (Luke 19:1-10):
      1. When Jesus encountered Zacchaeus, the man was steeped in sin, Luke 19:1-2:
        1. In the first place, Zacchaeus lived in a sinful location. (1) Jericho was a city that was never to have been rebuilt after its destruction by Joshua according to Joshua 6:26. (2) So, whether Zacchaeus lived in the old city of Jericho that had been rebuil t sinfully by Hiel, the Bethelite under the wicked administration of king Ahab according to 1 Kings 16:33-34, or whether it was the newer city that had taken the old city's name, Zacchaeus' choice of residence in Jericho according to Luke 19:1-2 was certainly in defiance of the known will of G od!
        2. Second, Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector, meaning he had tax collectors under him, many of whom were extortioners, so that he was in a sinful occupation, Luke 19:2b.
        3. Third, Zacchaeus was a rich tax collector, Luke 19:2b, meaning he was guilty of a sinful job performance! (1) G. Campbell Morgan (Luke, p. 212) reports that the "Roman system for gathering taxes never permitted a man to become wealthy, except he exto rted more than was due." (2) Thus, since Zacchaeus was a rich tax collector, as Morgan writes, he was a "rogue" collector as well!
      2. Nevertheless, Zacchaeus was open to Jesus as was evidenced by his curiosity in seeing the Lord by his climbing the Sycamore-fig tree to overcome his inhibiting stature, Luke 19:3-4.
      3. Jesus showed an interest in this sinner by addressing Zacchaeus in the tree and asking him to descend so he could be entertained in Zacchaeus' home, Luke 19:5!
      4. Rejoicing at Jesus' interest in him, Zacchaeus hurriedly descended and entertained Jesus at home, 19:6.
      5. After entertaining Jesus, Zacchaeus had a dramatic change of heart, Luke 19:7-8:
        1. Christ's self-invite to this gross sinner's home elicited understandable criticism from the onlookers, for they wondered how Jesus could fellowship with such a sinful man as Zacchaeus, Luke 19:7.
        2. However, the sinner had an attitude of faith in Jesus, and that produced a great conversion. This conversion is evidenced when Zacchaeus and Jesus finished their encounter: (1) Zacchaeus stood up to make a formal announcement to signify his change of heart, Luke 19:8a. ( 2) He claimed that half of his goods he would give to the poor in restitution for the way he had selfishly extorted goods from others, Luke 19:8b. (3) Then, in accord with the stipulations of the Mosaic Law , Zacchaeus stated that he would restore fourfold what he had extorted from any man by way of false accusation, Luke 19:8c with Lev. 6:5. (4) Thus, Zacchaeus came to Jesus as a sinful, selfish thief and was changed into a selfless, big-hearted man!
      6. Jesus commented on Zacchaeus' change of heart, indicating these acts meant he was now saved, 19:9.
      7. In fact, Jesus noted that Zacchaeus' conversion exemplified His whole ministry's purpose: Jesus had come to seek -- (a) in even wicked Jericho -- and to save -- (b) even of the chief of the tax collectors, and a (c) rich and hence rogue tax collector at that -- a man who was very lost, Luke 19:10.
Lesson: The transformation of a sinner into a saint as in the case of Zacchaeus works to certify the reality and credibility of the Christian faith. Changed lives signal the TRUE salvation of God!

Application: We can testify to onlookers the reality of our faith through the life-changing evidences of converted people! Changes in OUR OWN lives make for an effective testimony, cf. 1 Tim. 1:12-17.