Nobody Is To Small For Jesus

Text: Luke 19:1-10

Title: Nobody Is To Small For Jesus

Theme: Zacchaeus was a small man both in stature and in morals yet Jesus still saw him and desired to free him from sin.

Audience: Ozark Christian Church 10-10-99am \ 03-04-01am

Objective: Preach this as an evangelistic sermon with the intentions of leading people to make a decision

regardless of others opinions of them.

Introduction:

- Explain why a tax collector was despised.

- Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector. (this is even worse)

- Bottom of the barrel

- There are two different angles that this text can be looked at.

- View #1

- From the angle of someone who has already accepted Christ

- View #2

- From the angle of someone searching for Christ.

[From the first angle we see]

I: They would not let him through? (1-4, 7)

Luke 19:1-4

1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.

2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.

3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd.

4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

A: There was a large crowd

1: This would be like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

- There wasn’t a whole lot of public entertainment in those days.

- People would flock to any large crowd

- Just to break the monotony of everyday life.

- This was Jesus Christ

- To those who believe. They wanted to see their Savior

- To those who didn’t believe. They wanted to mock the Savior.

- This crowd was shoulder to shoulder

Why wouldn’t they make room for this man to see Christ?

2: Because of who he was.

- This was Zacchaeus

- He was the chief tax collector

- Excommunicated from the Synagogue

- Considered a traitor to his people

- He was an undesirable

- No one cared for him.

B: Do you make room for those that you see as undesirable?

- Would you let Zacchaeus through to see Jesus

- Or would you stand shoulder to shoulder and not let them through

- So that no undesirables can see our Jesus.

2: Would you invite Zacchaeus to dinner?

- Would you eat dinner at his house?

- Are you someone who gossips about the person in church that brings an undesirable person to a church dinner (7)

19:7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a `sinner.’ "

[The other view is]

II: Zacchaeus Would Not Give UP

A: No one in the crowd was going to stop him.

1. People use the behavior of others

- As a reason not to attend church.

- Or not learning about Jesus Christ

2. They say things like

- I don’t want to be like them.

- They are just a bunch of hypocrites

3. They allow the behavior of others

- To determine whether they learn about Jesus Christ / or not

- These people are allowing hypocrites to determine their salvation

- Allowing someone else to determine your salvation is simply foolish.

[Are you going to let others elbow you out of the crowd

so that you can’t know Jesus?]

B: Zacchaeus is determined to see Jesus (4)

“So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way”

- He didn’t allow anything to get in his way

- Not the people

- Not his height

- Not his social status

- Not even his sin

C: What’s keeping you back?

- From knowing Jesus

- Is it the people

- Is it your social status

- Or is it your sin

[none of these are reasons

Jesus can see past all of that and more

Because]

II: Jesus knows where you are. [Spiritually and physically] (5-6)

LK 19:5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

A: Notice how Christ knew where Zacchaeus was.

1. How Jesus knew his name.

- Nowhere else in the Bible is this man mentioned.

- Yet Jesus knew his name

2: Jesus knew his needs

- Zacchaeus needed to get to know Jesus

B: Zacchaeus is no fool

1. He jumps down

- And eagerly accepts the offer of friendship that Jesus makes.

2. Even among the scowls from the crowd

- Zacchaeus accepts Jesus’ offer.

C: Jesus knows you by name.

- Jesus knows what you need.

- He makes you an offer.

- Will you accept it.