Jesus' Mission

JESUS’ MISSION

Text: Lk. 19:1-10

Introduction

1. Illustration: “Our mission as Christians is to conform our lives evermore to Jesus as the model of our lives” (Pope Francis)

2. If we take this to heart, then Jesus’ mission becomes our mission.

3. What was Jesus’ mission?

a. He Came for Outcasts

b. He Came for Hopeless Cases

c. He Came for the Lost

4. Read Lk. 19:1-10

Proposition: As Christians, we are called to continue the mission of Jesus.

Transition: First, Jesus…

I. Came for Outcasts (1-4).

A. Chief Tax Collector

1. If you closely examine the life and ministry of Jesus, you must take notice that he came to seek out the outcasts of society. Look at what Luke tells us in v. 2, “There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich.”

a. Luke is the only one of the Gospel writers to mention Jesus’ meeting with Zacchaeus.

b. What makes this event so important was that Zacchaeus was a tax collector. Tax collectors were hated by the Jews because they were collaborators with the Romans.

c. As such, they collected taxes for the Romans, but they had the authority to collect more than was required by Rome and would therefore pocket the extra money.

d. So, they were rich, but they were considered outcasts by the Jews because they exploited their own people. You could go so far as to say, they were grouped with such people as prostitutes and people of disrepute.

e. But it gets worse, not only was Zacchaeus a tax collector, but he was also the “chief tax collector.”

f. For this reason, he would get a cut from the other tax collectors. As a result, “he had become very rich.” So, he was hated and despised more than other tax collectors.

2. However, there’s another interesting thing about Zacchaeus. In v. 3 we learn, “He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd.

a. Not only was Zacchaeus a tax collector, but he was also a short tax collector. He wanted to get a look at Jesus.

b. He had heard about the rock star preacher from Nazareth. He had heard about his teaching with authority unlike anyone else.

c. He had also heard how he had healed the blind, the lame, the deaf, and loosened the tongues of the mute.

d. He had heard that Jesus was no ordinary man, and that he was kind and accepting of those considered as outcasts by society.

e. He heard that Jesus was coming through town and wanted to get a look at the famous teacher.

f. Unfortunately, he was short, too short to see over the crowd.

3. But look at what Zacchaeus does in v. 4, “So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way.”

a. Here we see something unique about Zacchaeus, he was so hungry for a spiritual change in his life that he was willing to go the extra mile for it.

b. He was unable to see Jesus, but he was so desperate, that he sees a sycamore-fig tree and decides to climb it so he could see Jesus.

c. The sycamore tree was very plentiful in Palestine, and in fact, still is today.

d. It was like an oak tree, with a short trunk but very substantial and wide spreading limbs.

e. What a great stroke of luck for a short guy like Zacchaeus! Or was it a stroke of luck? Maybe it was the providence of God!

B. Brings Back Outcasts

1. Illustration: God taught me a very important lesson. Years ago, Tina and I were a part of a Christian band, and our band was playing at an outdoor festival. As I looked around, I noticed a bunch of biker types. They certainly looked the part: the wore dirty jeans, faded t-shirts, had long stringy hair, and big bushy beards. As I looked at them, I thought to myself, “Boy, I sure hope someone tells them about Jesus, because they could sure use him!” Then I watched them a little closer and noticed that they were going around helping the other bands with their equipment and they were handing out tracts. Then I noticed the back of their vests, which said, “Sons of God.” They were Christian bikers!

2. Since Jesus’ mission was to reach outcasts, it is also our mission to reach them too.

a. “For the Sovereign LORD, who brings back the outcasts of Israel, says: I will bring others, too, besides my people Israel.” (Is. 56:8)

b. It’s easier to talk to people like doctors, lawyers, accountants, and businesspeople about Jesus.