After Jesus visited Zacchaeus’ house, the short man stood and declared his intent to give away half of his wealth to the poor. This was not a confession of faith, but an evidence of heart change. Zacchaeus had already received Jesus into his house. And this was the result: Riches no longer held his heart, Christ did. Christ Himself was the Salvation that had come to his house. The gospel still moves from house to house. Has Salvation come to your house yet?
When a blind man begging on the roadside near Jericho heard that Jesus was passing by, he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Luke 18:35). So, Jesus stopped and asked him the above question. Why would Jesus ask this? Couldn’t He tell that the man was blind? Wasn’t the blind man’s need obvious? Yet, Jesus insisted on him making a specific request. When the blind man responded that he wanted to receive his sight, the Lord healed him, commending his faith. The currency of the kingdom is asking. “Ask, seek, knock” (Matt. 7:7-12), this is the teaching of Jesus. Do you have the faith to ask God for help? Get specific with God. Ask.
Caleb was one of the 12 spies who Moses sent into the Promised Land. He and Joshua were the only two who gave a positive report. The people were swayed by the majority report and became fearful, doubting God. This resulted in 40 years in the wilderness to raise up a new generation of faithful warriors. Only Caleb and Joshua remained from the adults who first left Egypt. Caleb was 40 years old when he first saw the land flowing with milk and honey. He was 85 years old when he asked Joshua to give him the mountains, to give him the giants, for he was still as strong as he was 45 years before. He could have asked for anything. He could have requested a nice walled city or a grassy plain, but he asked for the hills of Hebron and the land of the giant Anakites who made men feel as grasshoppers in comparison. When others would want their retirement and days spent fishing, Caleb still wanted to accomplish things for God. Many men begin well, but few finish well. Caleb finished better than he started. If the Lord allows me to live until 85, may He grant me the passion and strength to ask for the mountain!
Where is the kingdom of God? And when will it come? The Pharisees asked Jesus to show them the kingdom. But He warned them that it was not yet something they could observe. They were looking for the outward evidence of pomp and power from a conquering king, while the King of Glory stood in their midst unrecognized. For the kingdom was already coming to those who recognized Jesus as King and would be ultimately fulfilled at His return. Where is the kingdom? Wherever Christ is king! When will it come? Whenever we invite Him to be our Lord and Savior! Have you done this? Then, the kingdom of God has come “within you.”
The Gibeonites deceived Joshua and the Israelite leaders and persuaded them to make a covenant with them. The leaders, fresh from a victory, examined the condition of the men’s clothes and food and believed their story. However, once again, they proceeded without counsel from God just as they had in their first encounter with Ai, which they lost miserably. They had a slow learning curve when it came to seeking counsel from God before making a decision. We often have the same tendency. We cry out to God when we face an overwhelming challenge, but when something seems simple, we neglect godly counsel and act with human wisdom. I wonder how many disastrous decisions have been made by well-meaning people because they forgot to ask for God’s counsel? It’s the small decisions that often get us, making us say, “I got this.” When, in fact, we don’t.
Many have started out loving God, but when resulting blessings come, switch allegiance. Rare is the rich man who holds wealth with an open hand, serving God with it. However, one doesn’t have to be rich to love money. The poor man can struggle as severely with the covetous love for the riches he does not have, as the rich man struggles with his unquenchable desire for more. Serving mammon never satisfies. “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil” (1 Tim. 6:10). Yet, those who serve and love God are fully satisfied. Who have you chosen to serve: God or mammon?
Luke 15 has three “lost” parables in a row: The lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. The verse above is from the parable of the lost sheep. Jesus taught the importance of seeking the lost, which Israel had forgotten. They had become inward focused and self-absorbed. Today’s church can be like this. The focus tends to be on keeping the “ninety-nine” members happy and meeting their needs. But the mission of the church should be to help rescue the one. If we want our churches to experience the “joy of heaven,” we will get out of our comfort zones, take our eyes off ourselves, and put them on seeking the lost.
This is the repetitive chorus of Psalm 80, perhaps written after the destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon (“broken down hedges” – v.12). The psalm is a prayer to God, begging Him to “restore us” to Him. They recognized their inability to restore themselves. They needed God to restore them, to bring them out of captivity and return them to Himself. This is a powerful prayer: God restore us. God show mercy on us. God save us. And He did answer their prayer, especially the part found in verse 17 about the “son of Man.” This points to the Messiah, Jesus the Christ, who is the fulfillment of their prayer for restoration and salvation.
Rahab, the Jericho harlot, hid the Israelite spies whom Joshua had sent to reconnoiter the city. After making an amazing confession of faith in the Lord, she made a deal with the spies that she would hide them in return for protecting her family when the Lord gave the city over to Israel. The spies agreed. They told her to hang a “scarlet cord in the window” of her house to identify it and to keep everyone inside the house, otherwise they would not be responsible for them.
The “scarlet cord” reminds me of the blood of the lamb that was applied to the doors of the Israelites’ homes in Egypt, so that the angel of death would pass over them. It also reminds me of the blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, which was shed, so that those who trust in Him might live.
Rahab’s family was spared when Israel destroyed Jericho. Those inside the house with the “scarlet cord in the window” were saved. Rahab and her family became part of God’s people. So that, even Rahab was listed in Matthew’s genealogy of Christ (Matt. 1:5).
Do you have a “scarlet cord” hanging from your window?
Are your words a pressure cooker or a pressure release for others? When you see someone struggling with anxiety, do they need something more to worry about? Or do they need a “good word” that lifts them up? Consider how people perceive you. When they see you coming, what do they expect? Does anxiety grow in them, anticipating criticism or trouble? Or do they lean towards you, hungry for the blessing of your words? Of course, the best word is God’s Word. Fill your heart and mind with His Word and you’ll find that it flows from your tongue when needed to bless others.