Miracle in the Market Place

The curse on the ground (see Gen.3:17) affected its business dimension. The resulting rebellion had an impact on its government aspect. And because God was no longer enjoying unhindered fellowship with His creatures, the educational dimension was lost. Therefore, when Jesus stated that He had come to save that which was lost, He meant the marketplace as well as individuals.

This truth becomes more apparent when we consider that the words of Jesus recorded in Luke 19:10 were meant to explain why Zacchaeus - a marketplace leader-was crucial to the establishment of God's kingdom on earth. A few hours earlier when a blind beggar had been blessed, everyone praised God, but when the "Donald Trump of Jericho" had a similar experience, everyone got upset.

Yet Zacchaeus' salvation clearly illustrates that Jesus came to recover everything that was lost.

The tax collector's link to God was established when God's kingdom came to his house. His relationship with his neighbors was restored when he gave half his wealth to the needy and used the other half to make restitution to those he had cheated. And through the parable Jesus told after Zacchaeus' conversion, He showed how He would use people such as Zacchaeus to recover the marketplace.

The parable of the minas is the story of a nobleman who gave investment capital to his servants to do business, obviously in the marketplace. While he was away, his enemies took over the kingdom, but his servants continued to do business as instructed. When he returned the nobleman granted them authority over cities in direct proportion to their success in the marketplace.

Jesus told this story to show that Christians must gain authority over cities by applying kingdom principles the way Zacchaeus did in Jericho. It also teaches that the scope of His redemption goes beyond the salvation of souls. In fact, it is three-dimensional: It applies to the individual, to interpersonal relationships and to the marketplace.

When Christians understand that Jesus came to save everything that was lost, they are able to see the marketplace as an opportunity instead of a threat. Rather than viewing it as an unconquerable evil, they tackle its challenges with the same spiritual arsenal with which pastors come to the pulpit on Sunday mornings.