The Conversion of _Zaccheus_.
LUKE xix. 9, 10.
_And JESUS said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house; forasmuch as he also is the Son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost._
SALVATION, every where through the whole scripture, is said to be the free gift of GOD, through JESUS CHRIST our LORD. Not only free, because GOD is a sovereign agent, and therefore may withhold it from, or confer it on, whom he pleaseth; but free, because there is nothing to be found in man, that can any way induce GOD to be merciful unto him. The righteousness of JESUS CHRIST is the sole cause of our finding favour in GOD’s sight: this righteousness apprehended by faith (which is also the gift of GOD) makes it our own; and this faith, if true, will work by love.
These are parts of those glad tidings which are published in the gospel; and of the certainty of them, next to the express word of GOD, the experience of all such as have been saved, is the best, and, as I take it, the most undoubted proof. That GOD might teach us every way, he has been pleased to leave upon record many instances of the power of his grace exerted in the salvation of several persons, that we, hearing how he dealt with them, might from thence infer the manner we must expect to be dealt with ourselves, and learn in what way we must look for salvation, if we truly desire to be made partakers of the inheritance with the saints in light.
The conversion of the person referred to in the text, I think, will be of no small service to us in this matter, if rightly improved. I would hope, most of you know who the person is, to whom the LORD JESUS speaks; it is the publican _Zaccheus_, to whose house the blessed JESUS said, salvation came, and whom he pronounces a Son of _Abraham_.
It is my design (GOD helping) to make some remarks upon his conversion recorded at large in the preceding verses, and then to inforce the latter part of the text, as an encouragement to poor undone sinners to come to JESUS CHRIST. “For the Son of man is come, to seek and to save that which was lost.”
The evangelist _Luke_ introduces the account of this man’s conversion thus, verse 1. “And JESUS entered and passed through _Jericho_.” The holy JESUS made it his business to go about doing good. As the sun in the firmament is continually spreading his benign, quickening, and cheering influences over the natural; so the Son of righteousness arose with healing under his wings, and was daily and hourly diffusing his gracious influences over the moral world. The preceding chapter acquaints us of a notable miracle wrought by the holy JESUS, on poor blind _Bartimeus_; and in this, a greater presents itself to our consideration. The evangelist would have us take particular notice of it; for he introduces it with the word “behold:” “and behold, there was a man named _Zaccheus_, who was the chief among the _Publicans_, and he was rich.”
Well might the evangelist usher in the relation of this man’s conversion with the word “behold!” For, according to human judgment, how many unsurmountable obstacles lay in the way of it! Surely no one will say there was any fitness in _Zaccheus_ for salvation; for we are told that he was a _Publican_, and therefore in all probability a notorious sinner. The _Publicans_ were gatherers of the _Roman_ taxes; they were infamous for their abominable extortion; their very name therefore became so odious, that we find the _Pharisees_ often reproached our LORD, as very wicked, because he was a friend unto and sat down to meat with them. _Zaccheus_ then, being a _Publican_, was no doubt a sinner; and, being chief among the _Publicans_, consequently was chief among sinners. Nay, “he was rich.” One inspired apostle has told us, that “not many mighty, not many noble are called.” Another saith, “GOD has chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith.” And he who was the Maker and Redeemer of the apostles, assures us, “that it is easier for a camel, (or cable-rope) to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of GOD.” Let not therefore the rich glory in the multitude of their riches.