And Zacchaeus made haste and came down, and received him joyfully.
That look from the eyes of the Son of God had gone straight into the heart of the rich, avaricious Publican; and though the crowd was offended, and said that Jesus had gone to be with a man that was a sinner, Zacchaeus did not trouble at all as to what they said! He had seen the face of Jesus, and he had felt in his own heart that he was a sinner, and he was longing to ask the forgiveness which he believed Jesus would give him.
So he stood before them all, and he told Jesus, in a few simple words, that he wished to make up for what he had taken wrongfully, and would make up four-fold if he had accused anyone without cause.
And Jesus said to him, "This day is salvation come to this house ... For the Son of Man is come to seek, and to save, that which was lost!"
When any of us remember past sins, as Zacchaeus did, the best thing we can do is to go to Jesus and tell Him all about it, and ask Him to forgive us; and He will say to us, as he did to Zacchaeus, and to all who heard him: "The Son of Man is come to seek, and to save, that which was lost!"
[V. THE INVITATION TO THE FEAST]
[LUKE 14.16]
OUR Lord Jesus tells us this story, with its great warning.
A certain man made a great supper, and invited a great many to come to it, and when all was ready, he sent his servants to tell the guests.
But to the astonishment of the servants, the guests all made excuses that they could not come!