SALVATION HAS COME
“But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”” Luke 19:8-10 NIV
Zacchaeus was a wealthy tax collector, despised by many because of his dishonest practices. Yet when he encountered Jesus, something remarkable happened. His immediate response to Christ’s presence was not only faith but repentance, demonstrated through radical generosity and restitution.
Notice that Zacchaeus did not wait to get his life in order before meeting Jesus. Instead, the grace of Christ transformed him in the very moment of encounter. His confession, his restitution, and his generosity were not the conditions of salvation but the fruits of it.
Jesus’ declaration “Today salvation has come to this house” was not just for Zacchaeus as an individual but for his whole household. The presence of Jesus brought redemption, belonging, and identity: “This man, too, is a son of Abraham.” In other words, he is no longer an outcast but part of God’s covenant family.
The story closes with the heart of the gospel: “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Zacchaeus was not looking for Jesus; Jesus was looking for him. And He still seeks after the broken, the hidden, the ashamed, and the outcasts today.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You that You came to seek and save the lost, and that includes me. Help me to live out my faith with actions that bear witness to the change You have made in my heart. May my life demonstrate repentance, generosity, and love, so that others may also see that salvation has truly come into my house, to the glory of your name. Amen.
CI.
RELATED RESOURCES
• Exodus 22:1
• Ezekiel 18:30
• Acts 4:12
