Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-02

Jericho was stirred by the appearance
In its streets of Jesus, who had crossed
the fords of the Jordan about five miles
east, on His way from Perea to Jerusa-
lem. It was the first time that He had
ever visited the famous city, and this
visit was destined to be His last. The
keen ear of blind man. BartimaeuS, a
beggar, hearing some of His followers
speak of the Master. gave him an in
SEPARATION for he had heard of His heal
ing the blind, so that he cried out:
Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy
upon mel" Although rebuked, the blind
beggar kept calling until Christ ordered
HIS disciples to summon him and He
healed the beggar, when He learned
that the blind man desired sight.
This event quickly spread throughout
Jericho and the Masters progress was
slowed up by the crowds who sought to
see Him pass through their city. One
noted man tried to secure place
where he could see Jesus but he was
not able to obtain an advantageous
position, so he showed his initiative and
the earnestneSs of his desire to see Jesus
by taking another path that enabled
the ostracized publican to secure posi-
ton in a sycamore tree, where he was
able to see the crowds pressing around
Jesus. Evidently Zacchaeus had heard
of Christ's attitude towards the publ
cans and 1onged to see Him. for he felt
the hostile attitude of his countrymen,
who ostracized him because they con-
sidered that he was not a patriot or
loyal to their religious ideals. Evidently
he had acquired a fortune as middle
man, representing the Roman authorl-
ties in the sale Of the privilege OF COL
lecting the taxes. The people insisted
that he had obtained his fortune by
unpatriotic and INSCRIPTIONS means.
The only person who had kind word
for the publicans was Jesus of Nazareth,
so he ran ahead of the crowd and
climbed up into the sycamore tree,
whose loaded branches, filled with the
figs that only the poor would eat, bent
over. This made it possible for small
man to climb up into the tree, where ne
could get good view Of the Master. 1t
must have been a welcome surprise
when the Lord arrived and looked up
in the tree and seeing the publican.
said: "ZacchaeuS, come down, for today
1 must abide at thy house"
Publican Welcomes Christ.
Although Jesus had His face set like
"a flint" in His determination TO press
on to Jerusalem, He changed His plans
when He saw the eager earneStneSs ana
spiritual hunger in the face OF FAC
chaeuS whose presence in the tree ano
name he may have learned from the
mob that was following Him through
Jericho. Jesus came to seek and TO save
that which was lost. He could not per-
nit even a publican to be lost. He Inc
vited himself into the home Of the de-
spised and ostracized man because Jesus
saw the possibilities in the publicans
life. Whenever one wants to see the
Christ so much that he makes an effort
to see the Savior, that soul can be GER
tain that the Lord Jesus will want TO
see him.
The quick response that Zacchaeus
made to the Masters command and the
generosity Of his hospitality, gave the
Christ the opportunity He needed to
probe the soul Of the publican and show
the rich man his real need. The talk
at the table about the Kingdom OF God
and the requirements TO enter opened
the soul of the publican to its privileges
and his needs of repentance and reStl-
tuition. He decided quickly in reference
10 his duty. He determined to take his
stand with Jesus and made VOW that
he would give one-han of his immense
fortune TO the poor. He promised to pay
fourfold TO any person whom he had
wronged, although he claimed nc
knowledge OF having taken any advan-
tage In business Of any person. He had
the opportunity but denied that he had
used 1t unjustly. He proposed to make
the restitution required of thief, pay
ing to any one that he had wronged
fourfold.
Christ had won His man. Zacchaeus
knew that the crowd was criticizing the
Master for His decision to lodge with
| him, the most unpopular man in Jer-
| icno. His heart was full Of JOY and he
proposed 10 prove beyond question his
loyalty to the Lord Jesus. There Is a
! tradition that when he was an old man
! he was in the habit of taking a water
| ing pot and going out with 1t early
every morning. His wife followed him
one morning and she saw Zacchaeus
watering the sycamore tree. from whose
limbs he had seen the Lord Jesus.
Winning the Lost.
No two men are alike, and Christ
! did not use the same methods at all
times He adjusted His means of APP
proach. but He never forgot that His
| first mission was TO save the lost. II
is the Christians hrst and greatest task
to help win the lost for Jesus. We
would be more successful in our efforts
II We practiced the PRINCIPLES Of our
GflriHtaArlrhian