If you have ever played hide and seek you’ve heard these words. “Ready or not, here I come.” We always have a certain amount of time to get ready. That time may differ depending on circumstances. Who you’re playing with, where you are, and many other things. The seeker or the person that is it will count to whatever number decided upon. That can be a difference as well depending on how fast or slow they count. Everyone frantically runs around trying to find the best hiding spot before the seeker is done counting. Because once they are done it doesn’t matter if you have found your place or not, they are looking at this point.
Luke 19:10 KJV For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Jesus is seeking that which was lost. We shouldn’t be hiding from Him, but finding the place to make ourselves more visible to Him. Our place in the kingdom. Jesus said this in reference to the encounter with Zacchaeus.
Luke 19:1-10 KJV
1 And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.
2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.
3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.
4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.
5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.
6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.
7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.
8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.
9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.
10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Zacchaeus being a small man could have easily hidden in the crowd. He could have hidden that he was rich and not offered to give to the poor. He could have hidden that he had most likely taken things wrongly. Zacchaeus wasn’t hiding anything though. Zacchaeus put himself in a position to be seen openly by Jesus.
This story is followed by the parable of the talents. I want to look at the one talent man, but for better understanding I will compare the same parable in Matthew.
Luke 19:20 KJV And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin:
Luke 19:22 KJV And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant….
Matthew 25
25 KJV And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
You see the parable was not unrelated to Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus wasn’t hiding. The one talent man though was. When he was brought before the ruler he confessed that he had hidden what was given him. This reminds me of this verse:
Luke 8:16 ISV “No one lights a lamp and hides it under a bowl or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a lamp stand so that those who come in will see the light.
We are not supposed to hide the light that Jesus has given us. Notice that the parable of the talents is followed with judgment. Anytime you see weeping and gnashing of teeth it is serious. This is in reference to hell and the lake of fire. Immediately after this in Matthew, Jesus speaks of His return and the judgment of the world.
1 Corinthians 11 KJV
28 But let a man examine himself…
31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
We must examine and judge ourselves. Get out the magnifying glass of the Word and use it to search through our lives. Then we must apply what we have learned and be a doer.
James 1:25 KJV But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
You may be thinking, why are you talking so dark? Well it’s not a dark moment if you have made yourself ready. It is a glorious day. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure…(2 Peter 1:10 KJV).
You see one day Jesus will say, “Ready or Not, here I come.” Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. (Matthew 24:44 KJV)
Matthew 5:14-16 ISV
14 “You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden.
15 People don’t light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
16 In the same way, let your light shine before people in such a way that they will see your good actions and glorify your Father in heaven.”
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