Luke 19
Rich Zaccheus, chief among the publicans, wanted to see Jesus, who He was. Being short, he could not see over the heads of the crowd, so, running ahead of the procession, he climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Jesus as He passed by.
Coming to the place where Zaccheus was, Jesus looked up and said, "Zaccheus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house." Zaccheus came down, and received Him at his house joyfully. The people who saw this murmured because Jesus would stay in the house of a publican, a sinner.
Zaccheus told Jesus his history and what he had done, but Jesus answered, "This day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham. [Abraham is the father of faith.] For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."
Zaccheus was saved, not because of any righteous dealings in his life, but because he had received Jesus.
A Nobleman Goes to a Far Country
A nobleman went to a far country to receive for himself a kingdom. Before leaving, he called his ten servants and delivered each a pound, saying, "Occupy till I come." But his citizens hated him and sent a message after him, saying, "We will not have this man to reign over us."
Having received the kingdom, he returned and commanded the servants to whom he had entrusted money to come to him. He wished to know how much each had gained by trading.
The first had gained ten pounds. Because he was faithful with little, he was rewarded by receiving authority over ten cities. The second gained five pounds; he was given authority over five cities. The third had laid up the master's pound in a napkin. He feared his master, considering him to be an austere man, receiving that which was not his. This servant was condemned by his own judgment of his master. Having considered his lord an austere man, he was judged with an austere hand. The pound was taken from him and given to the one with the ten pounds. "Unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him."
The citizens, his enemies, who would not have him reign over them, were brought and slain before him.
Riding Unto Jerusalem As King
On the way to Jerusalem, at the Mount of Olives near Bethphage and Bethany, two disciples were sent to a nearby village for a colt. As they loosed the unbroken colt, the owners said, "Why loose ye the colt? And they said, The Lord hath need of him."
We never hear Jesus say that He had need of anything but this colt, the foal of an ass. "Vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt."
Bringing the colt to Jesus, they cast their garments on it, then sat Jesus on it. Clothes were spread in the way. As they descended the Mount of Olives, the multitude began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for the mighty works that Jesus had done. They said, "Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest." There must be peace in heaven before the kingdom is established on earth (Rev. 12:7-97And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (Revelation 12:7‑9)).
Hearing this praise to Him, some of the Pharisees asked the Lord to rebuke His disciples. Jesus said, "I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.... For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation [70 A.D.]."
Cleansing the Temple
Jesus upset the merchants in the temple, casting them out and saying, "My house is the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves." There He taught daily, while the leaders of Israel sought how they might destroy Him, but they could not, for the people liked to hear Him.