Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture:

Read Luke 19:1-10.
TEXT: "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I
must stay at your house today"
(see Luke 19:5).


Jesus' final week is just a few days away. He has
come to Jericho to spend the night, but His host is
not home. So Jesus passes through town to find him.

Zacchaeus is a chief tax collector and extremely
wealthy. But he left his tax office when he heard Jesus
had come to town. He knew Jesus' reputation-while
the Jews and their leaders despised tax collectors
as traitors and thieves-Jesus was known as a friend to
tax collectors. Rushing to the far edge of town, he
climbed a tree to see the Lord.

Jesus comes right up to that spot, stops, and looks
up into the tree. Calling Zacchaeus by name He tells
him to come down quickly. Jesus wants to spend this
night in his house.

Zacchaeus scurries down and receives Jesus with
great joy. The crowd hears this and is terribly
scandalized. How could Jesus choose to stay in the
home of a notorious sinner? What they didn't know is
that Jesus had already begun to change Zacchaeus'
heart. The chief tax collector was repenting of his sins
and planning to make amends for his past wrongdoings.

Jesus points out that Zacchaeus is a son of Abraham
just as are those in the crowd. True children of
Abraham share Abraham's faith in God's promise to
send the Christ or Messiah. Zacchaeus knew Jesus
had given him a great honor by staying in his house.
But did he know His Lord had chosen to spend one
of the last precious nights He had on earth with him?

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus Christ, with amazing grace You sought
out the despised chief tax collector Zacchaeus and
honored him by staying at His house that night. Help
us appreciate the honor You give us by promising to
remain with us always. Amen

(Lutheran Hour Ministries).

Scripture:

Read Luke 18:35-43.
TEXT: And he cried out, "Jesus, Son of David,
have mercy on me!" And those who were in front
rebuked him, telling him to be silent
(see Luke 18:38-39).


Jesus is approaching Jericho. It's one of His last
stops before Jerusalem. Along the road sits a
blind man begging. Hearing a loud commotion
passing by, he asks what's going on. Someone
from the crowd answers, "Jesus of Nazareth is
passing by."

Immediately, the beggar begins shouting at the
top of his lungs. He knows Jesus is somewhere
in that crowd, which is shuffling past him. But
unlike the stranger from the crowd he doesn't
call Him "Jesus the Nazarene." Instead, he calls
him, "Jesus, Son of David." He is convinced that
Jesus is the promised Messiah, David's Son.

Jesus indeed is the King marching on to save His
people from their enemies. Some in the crowd try
to silence the blind man, but he shouts all the
louder to get Jesus' attention. That is the character
of faith: the more people and circumstances rise
up to silence us, the louder we cry for our Lord to
be merciful to us.

We might expect Jesus to be so preoccupied with
His approaching death that He wouldn't notice a
lone voice, crying out to Him in the midst of the
clamor of the crowd. But His ears are attuned to
cries for mercy from His faithful ones. Now that He
has accomplished His mission and won complete
forgiveness, we can be confident He hears our cries
for mercy and pity too.

The man is blind no longer. He rises and follows
Jesus on His way.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus Christ, even as You were journeying
toward Your bitter death, Your ears were wide open
to the pleas of the blind man. Give me confidence that
You hear my prayers for mercy too. In Jesus' Name.
Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Minstries)

Scripture:

Read Luke 18:31-34.
TEXT: For He will be delivered over to the Gentiles
and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit
upon. And after flogging Him, they will kill Him, and
on the third day He will rise (Luke 18:32-33).

Jesus has left Galilee in the north and is on the road
to Jerusalem with His 12 disciples. The crowds are
excited by everything Jesus is doing, and the
disciples are swept up in their hopes and dreams.
Jesus tells them everything recorded in the Old
Testament prophets concerning Him will be fulfilled in
Jerusalem. They expect Jesus to announce His
glorious earthly kingdom, but Jesus paints a very
different picture.

Twice before, Jesus has announced His coming death
and resurrection. Both times He veiled the details
behind the words, "The Son of Man must suffer many
things." Now, however, He spells it out. He doesn't
disclose Judas' upcoming betrayal, but He does reveal
that the Jewish high court, the Sanhedrin, will deliver
Him into the hands of the Gentiles, namely, Pontius
Pilate, the Roman governor.

The Roman soldiers will then mock Him, treat Him
shamefully and outrageously, spit upon Him, flog Him,
and then kill Him. The details are stunning. Jesus
knows exactly what He is walking into-and He goes
willingly.

This is not at all what the disciples expect or want to
hear. But when those words are fulfilled, they will have
no doubt that Jesus foresaw it all, and went through
it all, for them and us.


THE PRAYER:

Almighty God, Your Son knew all He must suffer to
save us from our sins, and yet He took that path willingly.
Give me a thankful heart that I may joyfully follow
whatever path You choose to set before me. I pray in
Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)