When Jesus is passing through Jericho in Luke 19, please notice that Zacchaeus does not invite Jesus over for dinner. Jesus invites himself.
“I must stay at your house today!” ~Luke 19:5
There were restaurants and hotels in Jericho. Jesus had friends in that town. Why did he say he “must” stay with this chief tax collector? Because Zacchaeus was lost and needed to be saved. And that’s what Jesus does: he saves.
True, Jesus was never one to turn down a free meal at the wrong place. But, the striking thing is that he invites himself. Jesus is always intruding, always pushing in to places where he might not be wanted.
“Today salvation has come to this house! ~Luke 19:9
So, according to Scripture, this is how we define salvation: when Jesus intrudes into your space and makes your sinful table the site of his holy feast.
This is Jesus’ great priority. It’s his initiative, his call. It’s his choice. It’s his undivided passion. And he’ll stop at nothing to see it through.
What a deal — this Kingdom of God! — where the main requirement for membership is to honest-to-goodness lost and the main claim for citizenship is not to have discovered, but to have been found!
Peace,
Allan
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