the Third Week after Easter
Daily Devotionals
Grace for Today
Luke 19:1-10
Saving faith always produces good works
Read Ephesians 2:1-10
What are those good works which grace always produces?
Zacchaeus believed Christ. He believed Christ’s claims as Lord and received him as such. The first result of the Holy Spirit’s call is faith in Christ. Faith is not produced by the preacher. Faith is not produced by the sinner. Faith in Christ is a supernatural work, produced in the hearts of men by the Holy Spirit in effectual calling. It is the gift of God. It is the operation of God in a man’s heart that causes him to believe. We believe by the working of his mighty power. The saving, effectual call of the Spirit always produces faith in Christ.
Zacchaeus surrendered himself to Christ as Lord. The effectual call of the Holy Spirit causes proud sinners to bow in humiliation before Christ as Lord and King. Where there is no knowledge of Christ’s lordship, there is no knowledge of his saviorhood. Where there is no surrender to Christ the Lord, there is no faith in the Savior. Where there is no submission to Christ, there is no salvation by Christ.
Zacchaeus became a gracious man. Before he was a selfish, self-centered, self-seeking publican. He robbed widows and orphans to increase his riches. He walked over the poor to make gain for himself. But no more! Grace entered his heart and make him gracious. As it was with Zacchaeus, so it is with all who are born again by the Spirit of God. Grace makes men gracious Grace produces love, love brings forth generosity and generosity shows itself by acts of benevolence, hospitality and kindness.
Has the gracious call of God had such an effect upon you? If so, then it may be said of you as it was of Zacchaeus: ‘This day is salvation come to this house forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham [one of the chosen seed]. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost’ (Luke 19:9-10).
God of heaven, send forth your Spirit with mighty, sovereign, irresistible, effectual power this day, to call dead sinners to life and faith in your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
