LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2004, Page 107

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CONVENTION BIBLE STUDIES

IX. How Jesus Loved
To Seek and Save The Lost
Luke 19
Come with me. Hear now a story about Jesus and his
beautiful witness as He sought and found the lost:
They lived in the city of Jericho, this octogenarian
husband and wife. They were devoted to one another,
but as sometimes happens after six decades of marriage, they didn’t talk too much to each other or anyone
else for that matter. They lived quietly in their more
than adequate surroundings, blessed with servants and
a genteel life. But of late the woman of the house had a
concern about her dear husband. She had not said anything to anyone, but for the past years her husband had
exhibited a strange behavior which puzzled and troubled her. It was not much of a concern at first, but then
she began to realize that he went through this strange
routine on the exact same day, every Thursday . . .
every Thursday. For very early in the morning, on that
day, before the dawn, he would quietly leave the bed
chambers, wrap himself in his garments, and leave the
house.
Such behavior continued and finally she could bear
it no longer. After he left the room, she got up very quietly and so as not to be seen, watched from a distance
as he went into the storeroom in the courtyard of the
home and retrieved a bucket and a large scissors. He
then left the courtyard, disappearing down the street
toward the center of the city. She was troubled, but did
not follow him.
But then on one Thursday morning, early and dark,
she did. What she saw astounded her. For the old man
walked very slowly with his bucket and scissors into the
center of the city and to the flowing well there. He filled
his bucket with water from that well and continued
down the hill, around the corner, until finally he
stopped—in front of a stately tree. He took his scissors,
pruning as he could any unsightly or dead branches and
other rubble. Then ever so tenderly he poured the water
by the roots of the tree, slowly, so that the water soaked
into the soil and surely gave the tree moisture and life.
He looked up into the tree for a time, a tear could be
seen on his face. But it was not sorrow there on that
face, but a wistful, quietly joyful look there. Then he
picked up his tools and returned to his home.
His wife said nothing to him, but as the routine continued in subsequent weeks, she could remain silent no
longer. She confessed her surveillance. “I saw what you
are doing. Why?”
“Come with me to the tree, and I will tell you,” he
said. Standing under the tree he began to speak:
“When I was quite young, before you and I were husband and wife, I had a thriving business, chief tax col-

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lector for this entire region. I became wealthy quickly,
and proud, and self made. While I did not cheat the people of much, there were times when I bent the rules and
took bribes, and even on occasion overcharged. I suppose it was the ghost of my good mother speaking to
me, but my conscience began to trouble me and I was
bereft of peace. In those days there was a Man among
us who brought great hope and joy to many, and I felt
that if I could only talk to Him, perhaps I would find
peace again. This man was coming through Jericho
with His followers on His way to Jerusalem where it
was reported He would find trouble waiting for Him;
some said death. I marveled at His courage and decided
to see Him. But the crowds were so thick that with my
short stature I was not able to come close or get His attention, so I ran ahead along this road to this spot and
to this very tree. Its branches gave me a vantage point.
I sat here on this branch as He approached.
“I was spellbound, for as He came this way, the people were shouting and calling to Him and He was looking straight at me, like He knew I was here, waiting to
see Him. He stopped right here. I was going to speak to
Him, but before I could, He spoke to me: ‘Zacchaeus,
come down immediately. I must stay at your house
today.’
“Do you see? I was waiting for Him, but really, my
dear wife, He was waiting for me. He came to my house.
I told Him of the pain and guilt that was in my heart,
and what I wanted to do to make recompense, and He
said, ‘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 what was lost.’”

Our Lord Jesus is not walking the streets of Jericho
these days. Our Lord Jesus is not walking the streets of St.
Louis these days, nor of Marshfield, Wisconsin; Williamsburg, Virginia; Chicago, Illinois; Muncie, Indiana; Hoisington, Kansas; Tokyo, Yokohama, Japan; Springdale,
Arkansas; Orlando, Florida.
But wait! Did He not say, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age!”(Matthew 28:20). Indeed!
He is with us. He has His arm about our shoulder, grasping
our hands, lifting up our weak knees! He is relying on us
to be His hands, His feet, His voice! He doesn’t have any
other people but us! And He calls us to willing service to
Him, and that means to speak for Him, about Him, about
His love, His mercy, and His forgiveness to those about us.
This is an awesome privilege, a great honor.
Jesus help us. Amen.
Thomas R. Zehnder
Williamsburg, VA

2004 Convention Proceedings