Luke 19:5

Jesus made it plain! He said, “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32). He also stressed “. . . They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick” (Luke 5:31). What a powerful message that we, the twenty first church, must never downplay or minimize for as long as time endures and Jesus tarries. Our message and mission are chiefly to the lost, dying, the destitute and the dispossessed. It is forever a message of radiant hope and deliverance! However, how many times do we still desire to minister to the righteous and to heal healthy people. It’s contrary to our mission!

Therefore, could it be that our churches are too sanitized today? May we never forget, but always keep in mind, that this is not just a sanctuary but a sanitorium – a place that provides therapy and healing. This is a place where people come to get better! We must go out and reach them and after reaching them, we must bring them to a place of help and further healing. The Church of Jesus Christ must be a safe place of rest and recuperation. Just as they came to Jesus for healing and deliverance, they must find His church to be a place of healing – a place to help, cure and restore them. Yes indeed, a place where health is restored!

More and more I am realizing that we deal in the healing arts here. We come to the house of the Lord to find health and healing for body, mind and soul. The church is a place for recovering addicts. We help people recover soundness of mind and help people become every whit whole. The church is not a courthouse! It is not a place of judgment and condemnation. Jesus said “Come . . . and I will give you rest…” (Matthew 11:28). Here we invite souls to lay down their heavy burdens and find rest. We are a continuation of His message and ministry!

Contrary to the expectations of the multitude in Luke 19, despite those who were signally offended, Jesus deliberately looked up into the sycamore tree and beckoned Zacchaeus to immediately come down. Luke declared “And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus make haste and come down; for today I must abide at thy house” (Luke 19:5). So many judged Zacchaeus unworthy and refused to have any kind of dealings with him. To their absolute dismay Jesus refused to ostracize him. In fact, it was to this kind Jesus specifically came. He came to those of us who were written off and cast aside. Jesus called out to him “Make haste and come down” (5). He intimated “Today, I must abide at thy house” (5).

It is our duty to know them, to find where they are, to see them and to call them out and down with a genuine sense of urgency and earnestness. Jesus called him into fellowship, community and restoration. This was Zacchaeus’ salvation day! What if Jesus had bowed to the feelings and expectations of the masses. Zacchaeus’ transformation is demonstrated in his eagerness to confess and make genuine restitution. It is demonstrated in his willingness to generously lend assistance to the poor, to give back anything wrongfully taken. He joyfully heard the words from Jesus – “This day is salvation come to this house . . .” (9). That’s really what it is all about, extending God’s shalom – his saving health to all who are desperately in need of His healing grace and love. The church is not just a sanctuary, but it is a genuine sanitorium for the weak, sick, halt and withered.