基督带来的改变
路加福音十九章1至10节
1耶稣进了耶利哥，正经过的时候，
2有一个人名叫撒该，作税吏长，是个财主。
3他要看看耶稣是怎样的人；只因人多，他的身量又矮，所以不得看见，
4就跑到前头，爬上桑树，要看耶稣，因为耶稣必从那里经过。
5耶稣到了那里，擡头一看，对他说：“撒该，快下来！今天我必住在你家里。”
6他就急忙下来，欢欢喜喜地接待耶稣。
7众人看见，都私下议论说：“他竟到罪人家里去住宿。”
8撒该站着对主说：“主啊，我把所有的一半给穷人；我若讹诈了谁，就还他四倍。”
9耶稣说：“今天救恩到了这家，因为他也是亚伯拉罕的子孙。
10人子来，为要寻找、拯救失丧的人。”
信息分享
耶利哥城似乎住了很多祭司和富裕的犹太人及罗马人。它在耶路撒冷东北约二十五公里，它显然是一个充满罪恶的城市。基督正要前往耶路撒冷过逾越节，途中经过此城。但即便在耶利哥，仍有一大群人围在基督身边。
撒该很好奇，可惜他身量又矮，很难在人群中看见基督。他跑到前面，爬上路边的一颗树，这对他来说实在是颇失颜面！还从来没有人像撒该所为表现出对耶稣的兴趣，但遇见耶稣成为许多人一生的转捩点。
基督直呼撒该的名字，然后到他的家中晚餐。要款待基督和祂的门徒吃饭，想必要花一段时间预备。我们推想门徒在他家一定很享受，撒该也可能认识门徒马太，他从前也是税吏。无疑在大家等候晚饭的时候，基督会跟撒该交谈，因此撒该逐渐认识到自己是个罪人；而他家中这位特别的客人能够也愿意完全改变他的一生。
基督能够做甚么呢？祂能够赦免撒该的过去、祂能够改变他的现在，祂也能够引导他的将来。这一切便在这一天发生在撒该的身上。证据就是撒该在第9节称基督为「主」，并亲口表明他要改变自己的人生态度和生活方式。基督的话也印证这点：「今天救恩到了这家。」接着，基督还再次表明祂的使命：「人子来，为要寻找拯救失丧的人。」祂的工作至今没有改变。任何人来寻找基督，基督都会亲近他/她，使其生命彻底改变。赞美主！
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!