The Servant Messiah 19
Becoming As A Little Child - Luke 19: 1-10 18:9-17
On the way to Jericho Messiah notices that a man has climbed up into a tree to be able to observe the Master’s arrival. He was well known in the area. He had a high position in that day. He was the District Director of Tax Collection. He had achieved this position with hard work and a good business sense. He was a wealthy man with many servants, a spacious house, and attractive chariots. Although he was the picture of worldly success, he was a prime example of spiritual decay. His occupation had made him tough-minded, hard hearted, and rigid. He had few friends and did not know the meaning of warm feelings. He wanted to see the friend of publicans but it would be difficult for him. He was short in stature and he could not submit himself to the crush of the crowd. They would take this opportunity to squeeze and push. The only way he could see the Master was to climb up into a tree. For a man of his position this was indeed a humbling event. He literally had fullfilled Messiah’s teaching: "In order to enter the kingdom of heaven you must become as a little child. " The district Tax Collector in climbing a tree was the picture of a little child.
Messiah was impressed and invited himself to dinner at his house. Of course, there were murmurs from the crowd, but Messiah’s compassion reached out to this spiritually deplete, friendless man. At the table the Tax Collector was so moved that he repented and opened his life to a new direction. Salvation indeed came to this house through the one who came to seek and to save the lost.
Another parable makes the point clear.. Two people were praying in the temple. One was thanking God that he was not as others are: "I thank Thee that Thou hast made me righteous and good." The other prayed: "God be merciful to me a sinner." Messiah points out the contrast: "Everyone that exalts himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."
The parable became real when little children wanted to touch Messiah. As the disciples interferred Messiah could not hold back the words: "Let the children come unto me and forbid them not. Of such is the kingdom of God.
On the way to Jericho Messiah notices that a man has climbed up into a tree to be able to observe the Master’s arrival. He was well known in the area. He had a high position in that day. He was the District Director of Tax Collection. He had achieved this position with hard work and a good business sense. He was a wealthy man with many servants, a spacious house, and attractive chariots. Although he was the picture of worldly success, he was a prime example of spiritual decay. His occupation had made him tough-minded, hard hearted, and rigid. He had few friends and did not know the meaning of warm feelings. He wanted to see the friend of publicans but it would be difficult for him. He was short in stature and he could not submit himself to the crush of the crowd. They would take this opportunity to squeeze and push. The only way he could see the Master was to climb up into a tree. For a man of his position this was indeed a humbling event. He literally had fullfilled Messiah’s teaching: "In order to enter the kingdom of heaven you must become as a little child. " The district Tax Collector in climbing a tree was the picture of a little child.
Messiah was impressed and invited himself to dinner at his house. Of course, there were murmurs from the crowd, but Messiah’s compassion reached out to this spiritually deplete, friendless man. At the table the Tax Collector was so moved that he repented and opened his life to a new direction. Salvation indeed came to this house through the one who came to seek and to save the lost.
Another parable makes the point clear.. Two people were praying in the temple. One was thanking God that he was not as others are: "I thank Thee that Thou hast made me righteous and good." The other prayed: "God be merciful to me a sinner." Messiah points out the contrast: "Everyone that exalts himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."
The parable became real when little children wanted to touch Messiah. As the disciples interferred Messiah could not hold back the words: "Let the children come unto me and forbid them not. Of such is the kingdom of God.
posted by Dr. James F. Hubbard at 4:02 PM
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