And it is this truth that helps us better understand our passage today, in which we encounter another rich man. But rather than a rich ruler, he was a tax collector. He was not respected but despised. He didn’t come asking what he must do to inherit eternal life. He simply wanted to see Jesus and so climbed a tree. But by the end of the day, Jesus could declare, “Today, salvation has come” (19:9).
Tag Archives: Gospel Truth
Gloria in Excelsis Deo
Luke tells us that it was neither leaders of church nor rulers of state who received the angelic announcement but shepherds in a field near Bethlehem, “keeping watch over their flock by night” (2:8). Who are these shepherds? What are their names? We do not know. They are remembered not for who they are but of whom they hear and who they will worship. Their identity is revealed only in the revelation of God to them of the incarnation of the Son of God.
Rendered and Redeemed
What does this mean for the Christian? It means that we are not our own, for we have been bought with a price (1 Cor. 6:19-20). All of us, heart, soul, mind, and body is the Lord’s.
The Purpose of Parables
Therefore, the purpose of Jesus’ parables is less in the story told but of whom the story tells. He is the central theme of every parable, a truth understood only by receiving the gift of saving knowledge in Him.
Planter, Pastor, Preacher 