Hide And Seek School Yard Games #3 Series

Easter Sunday 4/4/21 A.M. Luke 19:1-10

Well, a few weeks ago I talked about our first School Yard Game. “Red Rover” Do you all remember that? Satan looks for the WEAK LINK in our lives.

And then a couple of weeks ago I talked about the second School Yard Game. “Tag, you’re it” How Jesus TAGGED the DISCIPLES and then we looked at what they left behind. We also talked about how Jesus tags each one of us and what He expects us to LEAVE BEHIND.

And so this morning I’ll be looking at one more game. One that we have all played. Are you ready? “Hide and Seek.”

You all know how it’s played, right? Someone is chosen to be “IT”. And everyone else HIDES and it’s the job of the person chosen to FIND all of the others.

It’s a GREAT GAME when it’s played ......... CORRECTLY!!!

ILLUS: Many years ago the Leader of the Youth Group at the church I attended decided to play Hide and Seek .......... (Just a minute here, I want to make this clear. That Youth Leader wasn’t me!!!!! And I wasn’t there!!! I had NOTHING to do with this!!!) But he decided to play Hide and Seek with the TEEN GROUP from the church. And he decided to play this game at ...... Woodland Hills Mall. Someone was “IT” and all the rest of the kids scattered all over the MALL. And “IT” went all around the MALL, SEEKING OUT the kids in all of the different stores. Sounds like fun doesn’t it?

That went OK until one of the BOYS got caught, by a STORE SALESMAN, HIDING in a Washing Machine. NOW THAT’S NOT GOOD!!!

But this morning I want to talk to you about Hide and Seek.

So let’s turn in our Bibles to Luke 19:1-10.

“And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.

2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.

3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.

4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.

5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.

6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.

7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.

8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.

9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.

10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

The game of Hide and Seek is meant to be fun. But the “GAME” we’re talking about this morning will make an ETERNAL DIFFERENCE for those who are FOUND and those who are NOT. I know of folks who have been SOUGHT OUT by the Lord Jesus Christ. He has DRAWN THEM to HIMSELF but yet they REFUSED to accept His call. They REFUSED to give up their OWN WILL. They continued to HIDE. And today, they are PROBABLY in HELL where they will NEVER BE FOUND. I hope you’ll listen to the WORDS that I have today as we look at “Hide and Seek.”

Let’s Pray

I. First off, we need to get this out of the way. Who is “IT” and who is HIDING? Well I can tell you today that JESUS is “IT”!!! He is the One who is SEEKING. In this passage of scripture He is traveling through the streets of Jericho. Jesus by this time caused quite a stir everywhere He went. He was becoming well known. People wanted to SEE HIM. People wanted to HEAR HIM. And Old Zacchaeus was NO DIFFERENT. But yet Zacchaeus had a problem. He was Vertically challenged. He was short. It probably wasn’t enough to climb up on a chair to have a look. He needed more. So he uses his head.

He gets ahead of the crowd and climbs up in a tree. He was NOW going to have a front row seat to see this man named JESUS.

You know what, Old Zacchaeus was in PLAIN SIGHT but only for those who were looking. I bet you most people didn’t even see him up in that tree. They were TOO BUSY with all the things going on around them. But yet JESUS was “IT” and Jesus looked up and called him, to come on down.