基督帶來的改變
路加福音十九章1至10節
1耶穌進了耶利哥，正經過的時候，
2有一個人名叫撒該，作稅吏長，是個財主。
3他要看看耶穌是怎樣的人；只因人多，他的身量又矮，所以不得看見，
4就跑到前頭，爬上桑樹，要看耶穌，因為耶穌必從那裡經過。
5耶穌到了那裡，抬頭一看，對他說：“撒該，快下來！今天我必住在你家裡。”
6他就急忙下來，歡歡喜喜地接待耶穌。
7眾人看見，都私下議論說：“他竟到罪人家裡去住宿。”
8撒該站著對主說：“主啊，我把所有的一半給窮人；我若訛詐了誰，就還他四倍。”
9耶穌說：“今天救恩到了這家，因為他也是亞伯拉罕的子孫。
10人子來，為要尋找、拯救失喪的人。”
信息分享
耶利哥城似乎住了很多祭司和富裕的猶太人及羅馬人。它在耶路撒冷東北約二十五公里，它顯然是一個充滿罪惡的城市。基督正要前往耶路撒冷過逾越節，途中經過此城。但即便在耶利哥，仍有一大群人圍在基督身邊。
撒該很好奇，可惜他身量又矮，很難在人群中看見基督。他跑到前面，爬上路邊的一顆樹，這對他來說實在是頗失顏面！還從來沒有人像撒該所為表現出對耶穌的興趣，但遇見耶穌成為許多人一生的轉捩點。
基督直呼撒該的名字，然後到他的家中晚餐。要款待基督和祂的門徒吃飯，想必要花一段時間預備。我們推想門徒在他家一定很享受，撒該也可能認識門徒馬太，他從前也是稅吏。無疑在大家等候晚飯的時候，基督會跟撒該交談，因此撒該逐漸認識到自己是個罪人；而他家中這位特別的客人能夠也願意完全改變他的一生。
基督能夠做甚麼呢？祂能夠赦免撒該的過去、祂能夠改變他的現在，祂也能夠引導他的將來。這一切便在這一天發生在撒該的身上。證據就是撒該在第9節稱基督為「主」，並親口表明他要改變自己的人生態度和生活方式。基督的話也印證這點：「今天救恩到了這家。」接著，基督還再次表明祂的使命：「人子來，為要尋找拯救失喪的人。」祂的工作至今沒有改變。任何人來尋找基督，基督都會親近他/她，使其生命徹底改變。讚美主！
THE CHANGE CHRIST CAN MAKE
Luke 19:1-1 0
1 Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.
2 Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.
3 And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature.
4 So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way.
5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”
6 So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully.
7 But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.”
8 Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.”
9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham;
10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
Message
Jericho seemed to have been the home of many priests, wealthy Jews and Romans. It was about 25 kms (15 miles) north-east of Jerusalem. It appeared to have been a very wicked city. Christ was passing through on His way to Jerusalem for the Passover. But even in Jericho there was a crowd surrounding Christ.
Zaccheus was curious but his lack of height was against him. It must have been quite undignified for him to run ahead of the crowd and then climb a convenient tree! But no one has ever shown an interest in Jesus the way Zaccheus did. Meeting Jesus has been a turning point in many people’s lives.
Christ called Zaccheus by name and then went home for dinner to his house. It would take time to prepare a dinner sufficient for Christ and His disciples. We wonder how comfortable the disciples were in that home and whether Zaccheus knew Matthew, another tax-collector. No doubt as they waited for the meal, Christ would have talked with Zaccheus. Somehow it gradually registered with Zaccheus that he himself was a sinner and that this special guest in his home could and would change his life completely.
What could Christ do? He could redeem Zaccheus’ past, He could transform the present, and He could re-direct the future. All that happened to Zaccheus that day. The evidence was in Zaccheus’ own words in verse 9 when he called Christ “Lord” and declared his life and lifestyle were going to be different. This was confirmed in the words of Christ, “Today salvation has come to this house.” Then He declared again His own mission, “I have come to do just this, to seek and to save the lost.” That is still His work today. When any soul seeks Christ, Christ will meet him or her and change that life completely. Praise the Lord!