Video Transition: Chairs!
Series: Pull Up a Chair - Zach!
Thesis: God is inviting each of you to pull up a chair next to Him this new year in 2026 – Yes, even next to His table – to have a conversation with Him – to even ask questions of Him.
(Reference the banner) Key Verse on the banners for Series:
1 Peter 4:8-10: 8Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. 9Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. 10God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.
Tag Line – Love – Host – Serve! The challenge of 2026!
Summary of the message and the story of Jesus and Nicodemus: The story of Jesus and Nicodemus, found in John Chapter 3 of the New Testament, Nicodemus comes in the middle of the night wanting to sit down at the table and talk with Jesus about what He has seen and heard! Jesus did not turn him away instead he invited him to sit with Him at the table. Jesus has an open invitation to all- whoever- whomever to come and pull up a chair with Him so as to talk and to fellowship! Yes, even to ask questions and discuss the Word of God together! Yes, this meeting describes a clandestine meeting where Jesus explains the necessity of spiritual rebirth and the nature of salvation to a religious leader who knows he had to come from God. Jesus explains why he came to earth from Heaven. To establish His kingdom and set people free from sin. You could say Nicodemus had a miraculous conversation with “The Great I Am!”
What did we need to know from last week’s message?
Answer: We need to accept Jesus’ invitation to “Pull Up a Chair and come to Him.”
Why did we need to know this?
Answer: The invitation from Jesus is always open to anyone who is willing to pull up a chair with Jesus – these heart-to-heart talks with Jesus should change us and compel us to go pull a chair up with someone else that Jesus highlights to us so we can be a miracle in another person’s life.
Sermon:” Zaccheus come pull up a chair!” – Jesus.
Scripture: Luke 19:1-10 --- Zacchaeus the Tax Collector
1Jesus 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 because he was short, he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.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. 7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” 8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now, I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Introduction:
Let me remind you of what Jesus is inviting you to do this year:
Jesus extends numerous invitations in the Bible, most famously "Come, follow me" (Matthew 4:19, Mark 10:21), calling people into discipleship, service, and a deeper relationship with God, promising rest for the weary in Matthew 11:28, and offering eternal life through Himself (John 14:6). These invitations, often using phrases like "Come and see" (John 1:39) or "Come and dine" (John 21:12), are to know Him personally, find true rest, and enter His Kingdom, accessible to all who hunger and thirst for God.
Jesus’ choses to go thru the town of Jericho – which is the oldest inhabited city in the world according to archaeologists. Jericho is known from the book of Joshua and how the Lord instructed them to walk around the city and blow the trumpets, to shout on the 7th day and the walls fell as the Lord had said they would – and then the Israelites conquered the city. See Joshua 6 for all the details.
See pictures of Jericho.
Jericho in Jesus’s day was and an oasis – like a palm springs destination in America. It was perfect temperature year-round and filled with a lush green landscape. The rich and famous hung out in Jericho during Jesus day – it was a resort town – so in his journey to find followers Jesus is led by the Holy Spirit into Jericho and led right to Zaccheus. He was the number one tax collector of this wealthy city of wealthy people – it is noted – he was small in stature and had to climb a tree to get a view of Jesus – to get a glimpse of Jesus – to see Jesus – who was being mobbed by the crowd. Zach knew and heard the stories of Jesus – miracle worker – Yes Jesus had become famous at this point in his ministry and life. Jesus is passing by the tree he is in and Jesus looks up – and invites himself to Zaccheus house. Zach seems excited to host Jesus – but interestingly the crowd murmurs about Jesus’ choice of Zach – Jesus invited this chief of sinners to the table of the Almighty – to dine together – talk together – at the sinners’ house. This was unheard of in Israel! Good godly men did not associate with these types of people!
T.S. - The stage is set for Zaccheaus – Jesus is coming over to his house – the miracle worker – the Messiah – the great teacher is going to stay at his house! This opens the door for salvation to enter the house of Zaccheaus!
I. Why would Jesus choose to go stay with the chief tax collector – the most sinful man of the city (according to the crowd) –Yes he was despised as a traitor to Israel – the traitor gets invited to dine with Jesus?
a. Did Matthew put him up to it – Jesus to stay there – besides he was another famous tax collector turned disciple?
i. No - Matthew never mentions him in his gospel account! He is only noted in the book of Luke.
1. No, Zacchaeus is mentioned exclusively in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 19:1-10) within the New Testament, serving as a key example of Jesus' mission to save the lost and a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy about seeking the lost sheep, though his story contains allusions to Ezekiel and parallels with other Gospel figures like the Rich Ruler.
a. Later Christian tradition identifies him with figures like the first bishop of Caesarea or even Saint Amadour, but these are post-Biblical legends.
ii. Key Points of the story:
1. Unique to Luke: The specific narrative of Jesus calling Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector in Jericho, climbing a tree, and promising to stay at his house is found only in Luke's Gospel.
a. Jericho was made famous by who? Joshua 6!
i. STORY (FUNNY): WHO KNOCKED DOWN JERICHO’S WALLS?
1. The new minister was asked to teach a boys’ class in the absence of a regular teacher. He decided to see what they knew, so he asked who knocked down the walls of Jericho. All the boys denied having done it, and the preacher was appalled by their ignorance. At the next deacons’ meeting he talked about the experience. "Not one of them knows who knocked down the walls of Jericho," he lamented. The group was silent until finally one seasoned veteran of disputes spoke up. "Preacher, this appears to be bothering you a lot. But I’ve known all those boys since they were born and they’re good boys. If they said they didn’t know, I believe them. Let’s just take some money out of the repair and maintenance fund, fix the walls, and let it go at that."
2. Thematic Connections: His story resonates with themes in Luke, such as Jesus' focus on the marginalized and the lost (like the parable of the lost sheep) and connects to Old Testament prophecies about seeking the lost, according to Bible Hub.
3. Later Traditions: While not in the Bible outside Luke, early church writers like Clement of Alexandria mentioned him, and legends later linked him to other figures, notes Wikipedia.
4. This encounter with Jesus transformed Zaccheaus life!
iii. So, if you're looking for Zacchaeus in the Bible, Luke 19 is your only direct source, but his story echoes throughout scripture thematically and has grown in tradition over centuries.
1. The point of Jesus choosing this chief sinner – is this – I think you will be surprised who you meet in Heaven and who you don’t meet in heaven. Religious people think they know who is in and who is out of Heaven – it’s what comes with the arrogance of pride!
a. I believe you will be surprised by who you meet in heaven – I am serious – Theology and Bible stories promote a common theme and popular sayings, emphasizing that human judgment about a person's salvation is often different from God's. This concept points to the idea that salvation is based on God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not on human works or outward appearances.
b. Key Concepts about who you may meet in heaven?
i. God Judges the Heart: The core of this belief is that while humans judge based on external actions and appearances, God looks at a person's true heart and faith. People who may seem outwardly righteous might not be saved if their heart was far from God, while others who struggled publicly with sin but genuinely put their faith in Christ may be in heaven (e.g., the thief on the cross).
ii. Surprise at Who Is (and Is Not) There: A well-known quote often attributed to various figures like John Newton or Archbishop Fulton Sheen captures this sentiment:
1. "When I get to Heaven, I shall see three wonders there. The first wonder will be to see many people there whom I did not expect to see. The second wonder will be to miss many people whom I did expect to see. And the third and greatest wonder of all will be to find myself there."
iii. Salvation by Grace: The surprise element reinforces the biblical teaching in Ephesians 2:8-9 that salvation is a gift of God's grace through faith, not a result of human works, so no one can boast or judge another's final destination.
iv. The Narrow Door: Jesus spoke in parables about the "narrow door" to heaven, warning that "many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able". This highlights that simply claiming to know Jesus ("Lord, Lord") is not enough; one must have a genuine relationship with Him and do the will of the Father.
v. Ultimately, the concept serves as a reminder to refrain from judging others and to focus on one's own relationship with God, recognizing that His mercy and judgment are beyond human understanding.
iv. Zacchaeus had what Albert Eisntein called a “Holy Curiosity of Jesus!”
1. He wanted to see – Him – the crowd made that impossible – he was too small – so he climbed a tree – to see Jesus and Jesus saw Him and even knew his name!
2. Mark Batterson notes, “Remember the 878-page biography on Einstein? Five words on page 755 changed the trajectory of my life: “Never lose a holy curiosity.” There was something about the juxtaposition of those two words—holy and curiosity—that captured my imagination. It’s almost like holy curiosity was conceived in my soul right then. My prayer is that this book would conceive that same holy curiosity in you! Curiosity about what? About everything! About everyone! About the million little miracles that are all around us all the time!
a. Batterson, Mark. A Million Little Miracles: Rediscover the God Who Is Bigger Than Big, Closer Than Close, and Gooder Than Good (p. 29). PRH Christian Publishing. Kindle Edition.
b. Do you have a holy curiosity for the things of the Lord – or have you lost it?
v. Climb The tree: Batterson gives a story and his thoughts:
1. Climb the Tree in December 1874, John Muir was staying at a cabin nestled in the Sierra Nevada when a storm whipped through the valley. Instead of seeking shelter, Muir sought adventure. He located the tallest cluster of Douglas fir trees he could find, climbed one of those trees to the very top, and held on for dear life. “On such occasions, nature always has something rare to show us,” he said. “The danger to life and limb is hardly greater than one would experience crouching deprecatingly beneath a roof.” Can you picture John Muir hugging a hundred-foot-tall tree as it swayed? It may seem like Muir was tempting death, but that’s how he came to life. He feasted his senses on the sights, sounds, and smells of earth, wind, and snow. Eugene Peterson referenced that moment as an icon of Christian spirituality. He called it “a standing rebuke against becoming a mere spectator to life, preferring creature comforts to Creator confrontations.” Are you a mere spectator to life? Do you prefer creature comforts to Creator confrontations? Are you settling for creation or seeking the Creator Himself? This book (This sermon) is an exhortation to brave the storm and climb the tree. That’s where the miracles are hiding!
a. Batterson, Mark. A Million Little Miracles: Rediscover the God Who Is Bigger Than Big, Closer Than Close, and Gooder Than Good (p. 30-31). PRH Christian Publishing. Kindle Edition.
b. The Three Great Surprises of Heaven:
i. Many theologians, including John Newton, Archbishop Fulton Sheen, and Billy Graham, have shared variations of this idea:
1. Seeing people, you didn’t expect to be there: You may encounter those you judged as unworthy or "sinners"—such as the thief on the cross or people with difficult pasts—who were saved by grace rather than their own works.
2. Missing people you fully expected to see: You may find that certain "religious" or "good" people are absent because they may have relied on their own merit or lacked a genuine personal connection with God.
3. The biggest surprise: Finding yourself there: This refers to the realization that admission to heaven is based entirely on God's mercy and grace, not one's own worthiness.
c. Zaccheus most likely was shocked at Jesus request and invitation – inviting himself over to his house for dinner – to stay – rather bold – but Jesus knew the heart of the one he was asking and inviting. He was in a tree because he had a holy curiosity to see Jesus – The Miracle worker – Possible Messiah – Prophet of God. Jesus knew what was in Zaccheaus heart and soul – he knew he was one invite away from being transformed by an encounter with Jesus and the Spirit of God.
i. Yes, biblical accounts show Jesus knows people's names and deeply understands their hearts, motives, and inner lives, demonstrating His divine nature and personal, intimate knowledge of individuals, calling them by name and seeing beyond outward appearances to their true selves.
1. Jesus saw the heart of a tree climber – a person passionate to see Him face to face!
2. Jesus also knows what dwells in your hear and soul too – don’t be fooled he knows!
ii. Biblical Examples of Knowing Names & Hearts:
1. John 10:3 (Good Shepherd): Jesus calls His sheep by name, showing a personal, intimate relationship with each follower.
2. John 20:16 (Mary Magdalene): Jesus reveals Himself to Mary by speaking her name, instantly recognizing her even when she didn't recognize Him.
3. John 2:24-25: Jesus "knew what was in man," understanding people's inner thoughts and intentions without needing external testimony.
4. Matthew 9:4 & John 2:25: Jesus perceived the hidden thoughts and motives (what was in their heart) of those He encountered, like the scribes questioning Him.
5. John 4 (Samaritan Woman): Jesus saw beyond cultural barriers and knew her personal history, revealing His deep understanding of her needs.
6. Revelation 3:5: Jesus promises to acknowledge believers' names before His Father, linking names to eternal identity and belonging.
iii. Significance of how Jesus could know this information:
1. Divine Insight: Only God can truly search the heart (Jeremiah 17:10), and Jesus' ability to do so highlights His deity.
2. Personal Relationship: It signifies that Jesus offers a unique, personal relationship, not just a general one, as seen in His calling individuals by name.
3. Beyond Appearances: Just as God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7), Jesus sees individuals truly, not just their outward actions or status.
iv. Illustration: The Chosen scene of the Centurion ruler and his dying son and his request to Jesus – It reveals that miracles are not reserved for just God’s people -– the Israelites --but for all His people – all who believe and have faith! Miracles from Jesus are just a request away!
1. Illustration: Play the video clip from the Chosen!
II. Did inviting Zaccheus to the table make a difference in his heart and life?
a. From what I read – he was going to give ½ his possessions to the poor!
i. That’s impressive!
1. But he adds – if I have cheated people, I will give them back 4 times what I cheated them out of! 4x that amazing!
a. Observation: I cannot say I have ever heard of someone doing this before for the Kingdom and because Jesus invited them to His table!
b. I have read stories but never met someone who did this – actually!
c. But I do know that true repentance causes us to do make things right and turn from sin!
ii. Wow he is giving – away his wealth – I want to say it again wealth does not buy happiness! It does not buy Joy and or contentment! People want to be a part of God’s family! They do! You cannot buy it – it’s a relationship – there is a invitation to all to come – you just have to respond!
1. Money can it buy joy? Does wealth bring joy?
a. Where money falls short
i. Diminishing returns: Studies show happiness rises with income but levels off, suggesting money isn't a limitless source of joy.
ii. Temporary pleasure: Material purchases offer short-lived pleasure, not lasting contentment.
iii. Materialism paradox: People focused on acquiring things are often less happy.
2. Sources of true contentment
a. Inner state: Contentment is a mindset of being satisfied with what you have, independent of circumstances.
b. Meaningful connections: Strong relationships with others are key.
c. Purpose & fulfillment: Finding meaning in work, helping others, and living authentically.
d. Acceptance: Learning to accept emotions as they come and go.
3. The verdict
a. While money removes unhappiness caused by poverty, it doesn't guarantee joy. Lasting joy and contentment are cultivated internally through gratitude, relationships, purpose, and a healthy mindset, not through purchases.
b. Beyond Income: Money is just one determinant of happiness. Factors like strong relationships, a sense of purpose, personal growth, social support, and the freedom to make life choices have a significant impact on well-being that money cannot entirely replace.
c. How You Spend It: Spending money on experiences, on others (e.g., charitable donations), or on time-saving services (like cleaning or cooking) tends to increase happiness more effectively than spending on material possessions.
d. The Bible teaches that money itself isn't the source of true, lasting joy, but rather a gift from God that enables enjoyment of life's simple pleasures, like good food, work, and family; the love of money and hoarding wealth leads to temptation, sorrow, and emptiness, while true contentment and joy come from trusting God and using resources generously, reflecting His character, not from accumulating riches. Verses highlight that wealth can be a blessing if used well (Ecclesiastes 5:18-20), but the pursuit of riches traps people in harmful desires (1 Timothy 6:9-10).
b. Studies and life reveal that money does buy temporary happiness; it just does not buy lasting JOY.
i. The Scriptures teach us this truth in 1 Timothy 6:9-10: “People who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.”
1. If you spend your days longing to be rich, you’ll be tempted and trapped by your own harmful desires. “The love of money” is evil. Not money itself. Money is a tool used to bless people and provide basic human needs. What's evil is when our heart desires money above all else.
ii. Jesus invited Zach to pull a chair up to the table with Him – at his own house and this man discovered salvation – love – acceptance – forgiveness – he discovers the Love and mercy of Jesus and God the Father – He realized He is back in the family of God!
1. Part of Abraham’s family again which he has been shunned from and cast out of!
c. I fully believe there are a lot of hurting people out in this dark world – even people with wealth and power – they are discovering the truth that wealth – materialism don’t by lasting Joy or happiness for long – they are searching for lasting contentment – in essence they are waiting to be invited to Jesus table – to pull up a chair – with the Great I Am – Love Personified! To be a part of God’s family!
Conclusion:
TRUTH FOR TODAY: 1 Timothy 6:6, “But godliness with contentment is great gain.” (NIV)
What do we need to know from this message?
Answer: We need to accept Jesus’ invitation to “Pull Up a Chair and come to Him.” To dine with him and spend time with Him – to host him and others in our home and serve others faithfully for the Kingdom.
Why do we need to know from this message?
Answer: The invitation from Jesus is always open to anyone who is willing to pull up a chair with Jesus – these heart-to-heart talks with Jesus should change us and compel us to go pull a chair up with someone else that Jesus highlights to us so we can be used to do a miracle! Maybe it’s making things right with someone? Blessing someone financially? Spending time with someone? Loving someone?
What do they need to do in light of this message?
Answer: Pull up a chair to Jesus’ table and talk, ask questions and then listen. Then go find someone else highlighted by Jesus – to host – to serve and pull a chair up to their table and have a heart to heart with them. Maybe you need to bless them financially – make things right in your relationship? Forgive?
Why do they need to do this truth and action?
Answer: I believe Jesus wants us to bring people into His kingdom this year – invite them into His family – We must invite people in --- even if we think should they should not be allowed in – Jesus is doing something in this day and hour and we need to jump aboard and pull our chair up beside those who need a miracle in their lives. Yes, that means the chief sinners, the IRS swindlers – the thief’s- and people who have wronged us! Can I challenge you to go to Jesus and have a heart to heart with Him and then love on others.
