The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-05-14
WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
JESUS INSPIRES HONESTY
By HIGHT {. MOORE

"A Sunday, May II. :
* Read Luke 10. Study Luke>l9
l-l0, 45-4S.
:; During the week beforei hi
erucifixion in the year 80, A. ID
Jesus. on his finat journey 10 Jes
usalem, was the Guest-Saviour o
the chief publican at Jericho i
the lower Jordan valley which wa
the regional headquarters for tn
regulation of exports and import
between the Roman Empire an
the dominion of HerOd.
On Sunday of CrucifiXion Wee
Jesus made his triumphal entr.
into Jerusalem and for the SecOnC
time cleansed the temple of tn
traffickerS who had made it rob
bers' den.
THE CONVERSION OF THE
PUBLICAN
= Jesus Inspires Honesty in BuSi
ness. Note two things here a.
Through conversion he makes al
honest man. Here are three
glmpSeS of Jesus. First-Jesus al
irving. The head of the colony OF
tax collectors in Jericho was nam
ed ZacchaeuS who was almost Ger
tainly a Jew as appears from ms
name and from the fact that Jesus
called him Il son of Abraham He
must have been extremely un-
popular with the Jews since reve-
iIue officers We're generally hated,
especially if they were Jews. No
doubt his life was stained by ex-
tortion and injustice as seems
from his confession. AT any rate,
he had amaSsed an immense for
time for 'he was rich" Second
Jesus attracting. Zacehaeus had
heard of the fame of Jesus when
had filled all Palestine and he was
very DESTROYS of seeing this dis
tinguished perSOnafe. So when he
heard that Jesus was near the city
he went from curiosity to see the
Great Teacher. Perhaps to ms
sarprise he found him in the midst
m an immense multitude Being
low of stature he was unable TO
work his way through the crowd
n the Lord. Just ahead in the dl-
rection the crowd was moving
Stood a Syrian sycOmore tree. TO-
inc forward and ascending this
tree. Zacchaeus probably seated
himself on a high limb stretching
ont over the road and there await
eA the coming of the Saviour.
Third-JeSus abiding. Jesus APP
pfoached and looking up discover
ed the waiting publiran and a new
opportunity for doing good was
offered the Son of man. Upon
this hated publican the Jews have
peured their hostility and he re-
mains unchanged; Jesus will try a
n6ghtier expedient with far differ
emit effect. The Jews would not
under any consideration enter his
house. Jesus will cross his TIRES
hold, enjoy his hospitality, and
rsnovate his life. How welcome to
Zacchaeus must have been the
self-invitatiOn of Jesus to ms
house! Instantly he Obeyed and
came down with haste and "receiv-
ed Jesus far deeper and rich
er experience than he had yet had,
and he received him not in a cool
and distant nor even dlgnitled
manner but jOyfully. The accept
anee of the publican's hospitality
on the part Of Jesus awakened IN
the thronging multitude and muir
muring long and loud. Why should
he not lodge with some OF the
numerous priests of the city!
Why should he put up at the house
OF "a man whose very profession
was q symbol of the national deg
radation% (2) Through eonse-
Grafton he, makes a man honest.
Jesus had q purpose in going to
the house of Zacchaeus and it was
soon accomplished. Doubtless be-
fore Zacchaeus seated himself IN
his house and entertained the
Lord, ne made to Jesus a promise
and a, proposition including also a
confession. He said: THE half OF
my goods | give to the poor
great liberality, showing likeness
to the Master at once; and also
"If | have wi'ongfhlly eXacted
aught of any man, | restore four
iOld'-the highest restitution that
even the Romans demanded, while
the Jewish law ordinarily required
only twofold. This was a most re-
markable statement for a man OF
his grasping nature and record OF
extOrtion. 1t shows that q pro-
found change had occurred in the
nublican who now made a sacri-
flee of his wealth in the most Just
and generous way and personally
received into his inner life Jesus
Christ as a regnant force. Truly
could Jesus say, To-day is saliva
ton come to this house." for the
publican's joyful reception of the
Messiah had resulted in signifi-
cant liberality, humble confession,
and living faith. And so again
our Lord could truly say, THE
Son of man came to seek and to
save that which was lost"
THE CLEANSING OF THE
TEMPLE
.. Jesus Inspires Honesty in Re-
hgion. Note two things here:
% He requires honesty in prac-
tice. When Jesus entered the
temple he found it ringing with
traffic and reeking with filth. In
its very courts were the money
changers, assuming to seek the
convenience of pilgrims from afar
who must give into the treasury
only Jewish coin, but in reality
they were dominated by greed,
filled with fraud, and guilty of