The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1943-03-26
SernnOnette
for Today

do VIGIL do LdNliidCuS, WIFI Wiioiii
they would not worship. Fac
chaeus had much guilt. He was
higher-up in an Objectionable
phase of public life. He was a
chief of the publicans, the tax
gatherers, racket, possibly
very much like a protective
racket. Zacchaeus was shun-
ned by the Jericho Jews, and
was compelled to find his as
sociates in the underworld of
Jericho. At the same time, he
had a yearning soul, hungering
and thirsting for righteousness,
lonesome for God. His friend
ship. and fellowship. The fam
lily of Zacchaeuos had no decent
friends, only Romans. They had
no chance to be as they should
have been. There were no spir-
itual contacts. This was the man
whom Jesus went into Jericho
TO see!
No doubt Zacchaeus was de-
lighted in rubbing his neighbors
the wrong way, very much so,
when they tried TO impress him
with their piety, and righteous
ness! At the same time he new
er impressed them as even hav-
ing a soul. much les as being
spiritually o n m e. Conse-
quently no one in Jericho had a
good word for him. However,
the Jericho Jews were not guilt
less. They criticized anyone who
dared be different than they
we're. They did not consider any
one needy of God, if they did
not pattern their individual lives
after their own clan, the Jeri-
cho Jews. AS long as folks con-
formed to their own standards
OF morals, and religion, they
might have a part in their So
ciety and their church! The Jer-
icho Jews forgot that Jesus was
the example for people to fol-
low, not the so-called righteous
in town!
Nevertheless, there is no need
to glorify the non conformist.
Most of us know Zacchaeus as
the little man who climbed a
Sycamour tree that he might be
able to see what Jesus was like.
If we are sincerely earnest, Je-
sus sees us above the level of
commercialism, crowds, confus-
ion, business, babbling and bust
ling. On the street level, people
work, walk, trade apd toll. One
cannot live continuously on the
level of the street and maintain
the warmth and the glow of a
truly spiritual life! Jesus cause
has always been fostered by
those who disciplined themselves
to cooperate as followers of His.
If sinner is sincerely DESTROYS
of becoming a disciple of His,
then he must really meet Him.
Jesus knew that, and for that
reason He ignored all others, and
every established conventional
ity of Jericho, and invited Him.
self to Zacchaeus' home.
The Jericho Jews were good
men, like the elder brother of /
the prodigal son. But here they
we're caught in their petty pur-
suit of virtue, begged down in |
The Jericho Jews !
were so blinded by self-admira-
ton, that they overlooked two
points: they, too, were |
sinners and Jesus came to save
men because they were sinners
for no other ason! The Jer-
icho Jews had done nothing to
save Zacchaeus, and when Jesus
went directly to his home, they
began murmuring. May we al !
SO be warnet. by their example,
and not find fault with the
Church of Jesus Christ, when
it tries to help those who need
help, rather than flatter us SIM
plJ because we feel that we have
His Church, or be-
long to it as members. There is
no credit in that, if we have not
welcomed others to join us in
sharing His church everywhere!
It is so easy to get lost in this
world. Churches and lodges are
losing members all the time.
Somehow, Zacchaeus got lost,
and somehow people in our
town, and in your town have al
so gotten lost. They are not to
bc criticized, nor are they to be
unlimited to come to Church,
and have a part ih its program
in the town. 1t is our response
bility to draw bigger circle
like Jesus did, and include all
people within the Church OF
Jesus Christ, especially those
whom the Jericho Jews" have
summed because they were un-
like themselves. Jesus is our
Master, and our Example. Let
us follow Him, and then we shall
be qualified to lead others 10
Him! Luke 19:1-10)