Reading: Luke 19: Jesus & Zachaeus, Parable, Triumphal Entry, & Cleansing Temple

Verse for Today  

Then Jesus said, “Today salvation has come to this house because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and save the lost. (Luke 19:9-10) 

Daily Devo 

Zacchaeus 

Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector and was rich. He was trying to see Jesus as he passed through Jericho. He was short of stature, so he ran ahead and climbed a tree. When Jesus came to the tree, He said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down for I must stay at your house today.”  

All who saw it began to grumble, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” 

Zacchaeus said to the Lord, “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.” Jesus said, “Today salvation has come to this house; the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.” 

Parable 

As they were listening to this, He told a parable because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the Kingdom of God was to appear immediately. He said, “A nobleman went to a distant country to get royal power for himself and then returned. He summoned his servants and gave them ten pounds, saying, “Do business with these until I come back.”’ 

The citizens of his country hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to rule over us.’ 

When he received royal power and returned, he summoned the servants who had received his pounds to see what they had gained by trading. The first said, “Lord, your pound has made ten more pounds.” He said, “Well done. Because you have been trustworthy in a very small thing, take charge of ten cities.” The second came, saying, “Lord your pound has made five pounds.” He said to him “Rule over five cities.” 

The other came, saying, “Lord, here is your pound. I wrapped it up in a piece of cloth, for I was afraid of you because you are a harsh man. You take what you did not deposit and reap what you did not sow.” The nobleman said, “You wicked servant! Why did you not put my money into the bank? When I returned, I could have collected it with interest.”  

He said, “Take the pound and give it to him who made ten pounds. To all who have, more will be given; from those who have nothing even what they have will be taken away. But for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be King over them – slaughter them in my presence.” 

Entry 

After giving this parable, He continued going toward Jerusalem. Nearing Bethany on the Mount of Olives, He sent two disciples to the village where they would find a foal of a donkey that had never been ridden. He said to bring it to Him, but if anyone asked, ”What are you doing,” say “The Lord needs it.” 

They brought it to Jesus; after throwing cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. As He rode toward Jerusalem, they kept spreading cloaks on the road. All His disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!” 

Some Pharisees said, “Teacher, order Your disciples to stop.” He said, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.” 

Weeping 

Seeing the city, He wept and said, “If you, even today, had recognized the things that make for peace! But they are hidden from your eyes. The days will come when your enemies will set up ramparts around you and surround you and hem you in on every side.  

They will not leave within you one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.” 

Cleansing 

He entered the Temple and began to drive out those selling things there. He said, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer;’ but you have made it a den of robbers” 

He taught every day in the Temple. The chief priests kept looking for a way to kill him; but they did not find anything they could do, for…

“All the people were spellbound by what they heard” and the leaders feared the people. 

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Pray for Yourself   

Father, I pray that I may seek and save the lost, as Jesus did. In His holy name, AMEN!  

My Prayer for You (and for me)  

Father, I offer this prayer for all who may read these words, and for myself. I pray that each of us will help cleanse the church of those not fully committed to Jesus, who live carnal, unholy lives by teaching them to live as Jesus lived – starting with ourselves. This is my prayer, in Jesus’s holy name, I pray, AMEN!