BaptistWay: Repentance or rebuke?

• The BaptistWay lesson for Jan. 26 focuses on Luke 19:1-10.

As Baptists, we desire every person to receive salvation in Christ. This desire expresses itself in many ways. We hold revivals, distribute tracts, invite people to the accept Christ as Savior after the preaching of God’s word and lead people in “the sinner’s prayer.” Unfortunately, our methods do not guarantee salvation will come to any person.

When salvation comes

The most important part of Luke 19:1-10 is the beginning of verse 9: “Today salvation has come to this house.” This should cause our ears to perk up. It tells us that what we want to happen to everyone did happen to Zacchaeus. Ask most people what they remember about this guy, and they will tell you that he was short, he climbed a sycamore tree, and he was told by Jesus to come down so he could host the Lord in his house. More important than all of these details is Zacchaeus was saved.

What does that mean exactly? Verse 9 goes on to say something that would have caused Luke’s audience to think critically about this question: “because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.” At first glance, this simply is an affirmation of Zacchaeus’ lineage. He was a Jew, a son of Abraham by race. However, if this is the cause of salvation coming to his house, then why does Jesus say this happened “today” in verse 9? The point Jesus made is Zacchaeus received the promised fulfillment foretold to Jews, and it had nothing to do with who his relatives were. Salvation came to Zacchaeus and can come to anyone through Jesus.

The desire for salvation

When we go back and survey the familiar story, we see there is more to it than a simple invitation and response. The Bible gives us two important biographical details about Zacchaeus that played a role in his coming to salvation: 1) He was a wealthy tax collector; 2) He wanted to see Jesus (vv. 2-3). Physically speaking, tax collectors did not want for things compared to the rest of the population in Jesus’ day. Zacchaeus was a “chief tax collector,” which set him apart as being both exceptionally wealthy and crooked.

When we think of rich people, we do not generally think of them as being great candidates for evangelism. Last week, we looked at the story of the rich young ruler who walked away sad when given the opportunity to follow Jesus. Jesus followed this sad story with an encouraging promise: “What is impossible with man is possible with God” (Luke 18:27). Zacchaeus’ story is proof this is true.

Being led to salvation

In a meeting with some volunteers in our children’s ministry, one woman expressed uncertainty about her ability to lead someone to Christ. “What if I say the wrong thing? What if they don’t understand? What if what I say actually turns them away from Jesus?” These were just a few of the concerns she aired before going with a group to camp she knew would hear about and have a chance to response to the gospel. We talked about different scriptures she could point them to and various methods volunteers in this position sometimes use. Perhaps you’ve been in a similar meeting where a lot of emphasis is put on what to say and when to say it.

Interestingly, Jesus does not say much in leading Zacchaeus to salvation. He doesn’t point him to the ABC’s of Salvation or the Roman Road. Instead, he extends an invitation to him: “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”

This does not mean the two did not exchange further words the Bible leaves out, but the words the Holy Spirit inspired Luke to write for us emphasizes Jesus’ actions over his words. He invited Zacchaeus to have a personal encounter with himself that changed his life.

When someone has a desire to see Jesus, sometimes the most important thing we can do is extend an invitation—to church, camp, a mission trip, or in the case of someone like our children’s ministry volunteer—an invitation to have a conversation about Jesus.

The response to salvation

But when can we count someone as “being saved?” When they walk an aisle? Check a box? Say a prayer? Jesus did not have Zacchaeus do any of those things. In fact, Zacchaeus’ only action was not something he was told to do but a response to his encounter with Jesus. Unlike the rich man who was unwilling to part with his possessions, Zacchaeus volunteered to give half his possessions to the poor and pay back four times the amount he had cheated anyone out of (v. 8). Zacchaeus’ life was changed, and this is the proof Scripture provides that salvation came to his house.

Checking boxes, walking aisles and saying prayers are fine. They help people take Jesus’ offer of salvation seriously, and we have perfected our methods at helping them do these things. The more enduring task is helping them respond to the salvation they receive in Jesus with tangible action. How can you invite someone to do this today?