September 9 Daily Devotional

Luke 18–19

Jesus took the twelve and said to them, “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: and they shall scourge him, and put him to dea.th: and the third day he shall rise again. And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them.”

“And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man (his name was Bartimaeus) sat by the way side begging: and hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. And he cried saying, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace; but he cried so much the more, Thou son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him, saying, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.

“And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus, who he was; but he could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and he said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. When the people saw him enter the house of Zacchaeus, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.”

Jesus spoke to Zacchaeus. We do not know what he said; probably he spoke about man’s sinfulness and about salvation. His words were not in vain; they found lodging in the heart of this publican. Zacchaeus, so the report continues, stood and said unto Jesus, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.” Zacchaeus became a disciple of Jesus, and Jesus said unto him, “This day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”