Luke 19:8. And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor;
That was a grand proof that the conversion of Zacchaeus was genuine; I should like to see the same kind of proof in many professors whom I know: "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor." I remember one who was converted in this place, and he at once gave £50 to some good object, and I said to his brother, "I think your brother I converted." He answered, "I hope he is, but he is a dreadful skin-flint." "But," I replied, "only yesterday, he gave £50 to such-and-such a work." "Ah, then!" said the brother, "I am sure he is converted, for nothing but the grace of God would make him do such a thing as that." Now Zacchaeus was, no doubt, a man of that kind, one who loved his money, and kept it to himself as long as ever he could; but now that he is converted, he says, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor;" -
Luke 19:8. And if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.
He acts in charity and justice, for he is determined to do the right thing with his substance. You see, he was a rich man, so his money was a source of trouble. The blind beggar had no such difficulty, for he had not any money that he must distribute when he was converted; but this rich man -this camel, as our Saviour called such men, went through the eye of a needle by the grace of God, and thus the Lord proved the reality of his conversion.
Luke 19:8. And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor;
That was a grand proof that the conversion of Zacchaeus was genuine; I should like to see the same kind of proof in many professors whom I know: "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor." I remember one who was converted in this place, and he at once gave £50 to some good object, and I said to his brother, "I think your brother I converted." He answered, "I hope he is, but he is a dreadful skin-flint." "But," I replied, "only yesterday, he gave £50 to such-and-such a work." "Ah, then!" said the brother, "I am sure he is converted, for nothing but the grace of God would make him do such a thing as that." Now Zacchaeus was, no doubt, a man of that kind, one who loved his money, and kept it to himself as long as ever he could; but now that he is converted, he says, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor;" -
Luke 19:8. And if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.
He acts in charity and justice, for he is determined to do the right thing with his substance. You see, he was a rich man, so his money was a source of trouble. The blind beggar had no such difficulty, for he had not any money that he must distribute when he was converted; but this rich man -this camel, as our Saviour called such men, went through the eye of a needle by the grace of God, and thus the Lord proved the reality of his conversion.