Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

 ³  Zaccheus was trying to see who Jesus was, and was unable because of the crowd, for he was small in stature.

 ⁴  So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to see Him, for He was about to pass through that way.

 ⁵  When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”

 ⁶  And he hurried and came down and received Him gladly.

 ⁷  When they saw it, they all began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.”

 ⁸  Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much.”

 ⁹  And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham.

 ¹⁰  “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”  Luke 19:1-10. 

Election:

Salvation came to Zaccheus, “because he, too, is a son of Abraham”.  Luke 19:9.  In other words, salvation came to Zaccheus, because he was one of the elect.  Most of “the crowd” were descendants of Abraham, but they were not considered the son of Abraham as Zaccheus was.  “… For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel;  nor are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants, but: “THROUGH ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS WILL BE NAMED.”  That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants.”  Romans 9:6-9.

Hope: 

So often, we can lose hope when we read some discouraging Scripture.  But, if we continue to read:  “Hope is around the corner”.  Here too, in the prior chapter, we may lose hope when we read:  “And Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!  “For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”  Luke 18:24-25.  But, hope was around the corner, when we read today that salvation came to Zaccheus who was “rich”. 

Irresistible Grace:

Jesus came “to seek and to save that which was lost.”  Luke 19:10.  We are reminded of John 6:37-39.  “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.  “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.  “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.” 

In conclusion, this is the story of Zaccheus.  He was saved, because he was one of the elect, “a son of Abraham”.  He did have hope, even though he was “rich”.  He did come to Jesus through God’s irresistible grace.