Wounds from a friend Proverbs 27:5-6. Better open rebuke than hidden love. 6 Wounds from a friend are received as well-meant, but an enemy's kisses are insincere. Yeshua never pampered or comforted those who were under conviction of Sin, such as Zakkai: Luke 19:1-9. Yeshua entered Yericho and was passing through, 2 when a man named Zakkai appeared who was a chief tax-collector and a wealthy man. 3 He was trying to see who Yeshua was; but, being short, he couldn't, because of the crowd. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed a fig tree in order to see him, for Yeshua was about to pass that way. 5 When he came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zakkai! Hurry! Come down, because I have to stay at your house today!" 6 He climbed down as fast as he could and welcomed Yeshua joyfully. 7 Everyone who saw it began muttering, "He has gone to be the house-guest of a sinner." 8 But Zakkai stood there and said to the Lord, "Here, Lord, I am giving half of all I own to the poor; and if I have cheated anyone, I will pay him back four times as much." 9 Yeshua said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, inasmuch as this man too is a son of Avraham. When Zakki (Zaccheus) shared with Yeshua his plans for repentance and restitution, remember, Zakki was a tax collector like Matthew. Tax collectors were immensely hated. Tax collectors were government officials who collected taxes for the Emperor (Rome). They were escorted by soldiers and would collect the taxes one way or the other. There were hated because they collected more than the required taxes then skimmed the extra for themselves. Because of this tax collectors were wealthy. Everyone knew they skimmed and collected more then what was required but there was nothing that could be done about it since they were support by both the Emperor and the Emperor's troops. This is why they were despised. Zakki, who is Jewish understood God's teaching on restitution.

05-10-13
Rabbi: Eric Carlson
Shabbat Message: