Today salvation has come to this house
Luke 19:1-10. November 15, 2022 - Tuesday, 33rd Week
We are all familiar with the question: ”Brother/sister! are you saved?” The answer varies depending on the denomination one belongs to. Some joyfully jump with “yes”. Some are puzzled by the question and respond, “I don’t know”. And some prudently respond, “yes and . . . no”, seeing salvation as a continuous process of growing in grace.
However, there is a much more interesting question: “Brother/sister! What have you been saved from?” In this case, the answer does not depend on the church we belong to, but on our life story. Aside from sin, we can be saved from sickness, loneliness, alienation, guilt, confusion, slavery, oppression, and so on. The experience of salvation depends on the situation we live in. In the case of Zacchaeus, it was salvation from being seen by society as an outcast. By entering his house, Jesus affirmed that this man, too, is a son of Abraham (Luke 19:9). “So, brother/ sister! What have you been saved from?”
But, the inquiry into salvation does not end with this question. There is a follow-up question: “Brother/sister! What have you been saved for?” The ‘negative aspect’ of salvation - being saved from - has to be complemented by the ‘positive one’ - being saved for. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph 2:10). Salvation is about transformation: from sin for holiness, from sickness for wellness, from loneliness for friendship, from guilt for peace, from slavery for freedom, and so on. In the case of Zacchaeus, it was a transformation from greed to generosity. “Behold, Lord! the half of my possessions I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold” (Luke 19:8). That is the way God moulds us into a new creation (Gal 6:15). So, brother/sister! What have you been saved for?
There is, however, one obstacle to this experience of salvation, namely the crowd. The woman who suffered from haemorrhage had to push her way through the crowds to get to Jesus (Mark 5:27). The blind beggar, Bartimaeus, was silenced by the crowd. (Mark 10:47-48). The crowd was also preventing Zacchaeus from seeing Jesus (Luke 19:3). To meet Jesus and experience the joy of salvation, we have to get out of the crowd. Even if it would require doing something unusual, it is worth the effort. Zacchaeus never regretted climbing that sycamore tree. Although the people probably laughed at him, Jesus rewarded his effort. Jesus also left the crowd and went against the current, by inviting himself to the house of a tax collector (Luke 19:5).
“Today salvation has come to this house” (Luke 19:9). It seems that two thousand years ago it was easy to experience salvation. One could decide to see Jesus, climb the tree and then, the Lord was calling him by name. How about today? Well. The good news of the Gospel retains its power. It is today that Jesus must enter our house; it is also today that salvation comes to our lives. But, it comes to those who dare to leave the crowd to meet Jesus. Will you dare to do that?