Luke chapters 15, 16

The three parables of Jesus that Dr. Luke recorded for his readers – the prodigal son, the dishonest steward and the story of the rich man and Lazarus, have something in common that links all the three together. The younger son wasted his father’s money, the steward wasted his employer’s money and the rich man wasted his own money to lose his own soul.

Zaccheus the rich tax collector from Jericho had amassed so much wealth by extortion, that the tax payers in his district despised him. Probably feeling wretched within himself, he cast his pride and dignity aside, ran before the crowd that followed Jesus and climbed a tree just to have a glimpse of the Master. Jesus called Zaccheus down and invited Himself to stay in his house to the sheer astonishment of Zaccheus.