Humility is the path to happiness. JSIo self-seeker can ever be happy, because he can never be satisfied. The more the self-seeker gains, the more he covets. To this vicious circle there is no end. But the humble man is satisfied with God’s goodness and therein is content (Phil. 4:11). Let the Christian guard against false ambition. Let him be satis fied with the will of God for his life. August 31, 1952 GIVING HONEST MEASURE Luke 6:38; 19:1-10 The two passages of Scripture from Luke are both designed to teach us the importance of square dealing with God and man. Our Lord Jesus was pre eminently honest. We would expect this from the Son of God. He was the only Man who ever lived apart from sin. He came into the world virgin-bom in order that He might not contract by natural generation the virus of sin inherent in human nature from the time of Adam. During all the thirty-three years of His earthly life He never sinned once in word or deed or thought (Heb. 4:15). This holy Son of God demands right eousness on the part of each believer. But let us be clear here. God does not demand righteousness on our part in order that we might be saved; this righteousness He confers on the be liever; this is imputed righteousness; this is the righteousness that He reckons to our account the moment we trust in the Saviour (2 Cor. 5:21; Rom. 3:21-31). But God does demand personal holiness on the part of every saved man. He ex pects His children to obey Him out of love, and to do His will in everything. This is practical holiness, the result of regeneration (Titus 2:11-14). Making Restitution The central truth of the paragraph dealing with the conversion of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10) is this: when a man is truly converted, he will make amends for his sins of the past as they involve other people whom he has wronged. As we consider this truth, let us note the facts of the incident. Zacchaeus was very rich, but he was also a very miserable man. Although Zacchaeus was wealthy in material pos sessions, he was very poor in spiritual things. Many men today do not value spiritual treasure, but one day they will come to the place of judgment, and there they would give all their material possessions, if possible, in order that they might be spared from spiritual bankruptcv (Mark 8:36; Matt. 6:19-24; Luke 12:16-21). Christians also need to consider this truth. No believer will ever stand before the Great White Throne Judgment be cause his sins have been taken care of by Christ and personal faith in His
atoning work on .Calvary (Rom. 5:1; 8:1). But every Christian will one day stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ (Rom. 14:12; 1 Cor. 3:12-15; 2 Cor. 5:10; Gal. 6:7-9). Christian, let us spend and be spent for the glory of God. Let us live in the light of eternity and not waste our lives chasing the tem poral things of this life. Zacchaeus was a very rich man but he was not happy. We know this because he wanted so desperately to see Jesus and because he responded so quickly to our Lord’s command (vv. 3-6). True happiness, or better, Christian joy, is not dependent upon circumstances, but entirely apart from them. The Christian can sing in the night because his joy comes from within and not from without. We maintain that the only real joy in the world comes from fellowship with God and from obedience to His holy will (John 15:11). When Christ came into the life of Zacchaeus, he became immediately aware of sin. (v. 8). This is always true. There is no evidence in Luke 19 that our Lord spoke to Zacchaeus about his dishonesty in previous dealings with people, but He did not have to mention it. His very presence brought convic tion, and the change of heart experienced by Zacchaeus made him uncomfortable until he had made things right. Not only was Zacchaeus going to give back what he had stolen with interest, but he was going to give half of his possessions to the poor. Christ in a man’s heart makes that man sensitive to the world’s need, and also makes him generous with his own possessions. Being Generous With God The passage in Luke 6:38 states the proper attitude of giving. A man is to give generously, wholeheartedly, cheer fully, and in so doing, he becomes the receiver of rich blessings for his own soul. Many of us believe that the minimum of giving taught by the Word of God is the tithe. The Old Testament, of course, made the tithe obligatory on all God’s people (Mai. 3:7-10). The New Testament does not expressly require the tithe, but it is surely assumed. When Paul urges God’s people to give as the Lord has prospered he no doubt had at least the tithe in mind (Cor. 16:2). In many instances God’s people will be able to give more than the tithe, and if they are able to do so they should do so. Every Christian ought to be as gen erous with God as it is possible for him to be. The Christian is generous with God not with a view to getting re turns on his generosity, but out of genu ine love for God. God, however, will be no man’s debtor, and will repay His liberal child with His own riches. This truth is taught many times in the Bible and has been experienced by every Chris tian who dares to be generous with the Lord (Mai. 3:10; Luke 6:38; 2 Cor. 9:6).
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