Topic: Salvation/Christian Living
Theme: Saved from Sinful Attitudes
Purpose: to be the Holy Spirit’s second witness calling God’s people in my care to pray for salvation from sin and sinful attitudes.
Response: Individuals will ask Jesus to set them free from sinful attitudes in order to experience God’s grace fully.
Pattern: A narrative of how Jesus set Zacchaeus free from greed to generosity and how He can set us free from our sinful attitudes as well.
Visual Aid: Handcuffs, bank moneybag, “floor map”
As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. (Luke 9:51)
He set out from his home in Capernaum on the north west shore of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus worked his way south to the border of Samaria. The people there refused to receive him and so he turned east and crossed the Jordan River. He kept going south until he was across the river from Jericho.
[Then] Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, "We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again." The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about. (Luke 18:31-34)
Jesus knew where he was going and he knew what would happen. His disciples were trapped by their preconceived ideas and couldn’t understand what he was saying. It just didn’t fit with their attitudes.
After they crossed the Jordan River and head west toward Jericho, Jesus came across a blind man and healed him. When he entered Jericho, he met a man called Zacchaeus.
Zacchaeus had grown up in a wealthy family. They probably lived in a big, beautiful house. Everything had gone very well for them until the Romans conquered Jericho. When the soldiers arrived at his door, Zacchaeus faced his toughest decision about right and wrong. The invading army wanted to collect taxes – especially from the rich. That’s when --
Zacchaeus had a big problem – his CHARACTER – not his tax load.
You see, he was GREEDY. Zacchaeus loved his money and possessions more than anything or anyone. He wanted to keep all he had to acquire even more.
So he became a TRAITOR. Instead of paying taxes to the Roman soldiers, Zacchaeus went to work for them. He started collecting taxes from his neighbors.
That’s when Zacchaeus became a CHEAT. The Roman government did not pay tax collectors a salary. The law gave them to right to charge people whatever they wanted as long as the Empire received a set tax. Any extra was the tax collector’s to keep for “administrative expenses.” The Roman soldiers arrested anyone who resisted paying the tax collector. Zacchaeus could collect two or three times what a person owed and get off scot-free. And he did.
So, Zacchaeus was a very LONELY man. No one wanted to be his friend. Who could trust a greedy, traitorous cheat? The only people who could stand to be with Zacchaeus were his fellow tax collectors.
By the way – how does your character compare to JESUS? God will judge us by the standard Jesus set. The Bible tells us, “[Jesus was] tempted in every way, just as we are -- yet was without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). When we compare ourselves to Zacchaeus we can think we look great. But not one of us is without sin because “all [of us] have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). When we compare ourselves to Jesus, we all know we need help.
For months, Zacchaeus had heard about Jesus and was CURIOUS.
Some people said Jesus was a prophet. Others believed he was the Messiah. But the stories that interested Zacchaeus the most were the ones about Jesus and tax collectors. People said Jesus liked to eat with them. This religious teacher would hang out with guys and gals no one else would even think about.
Zacchaeus WANTED to see Jesus. And that brings us to Jesus entering Jericho. The news spread rapidly and soon the streets were filled with people wanting to see – or to be seen with – Jesus.
That was a real problem for Zacchaeus. He was not only short on character; he was just plain short! So he climbed a TREE so he could see Jesus. He did not expect to talk to Jesus but Zacchaeus really wanted to see him.
But wait a minute. Why would a rich, greedy traitorous cheat humble himself enough to climb a tree? Why would he risk falling and breaking an arm just to see Jesus? I believe he was drawn to Jesus by THE HOLY SPIRIT.
By the way – how does your curiosity compare to ZACCHAEUS? What’s your motive for coming to church? Why are you here today? Whatever you think the reasons may be you and I are here today because God wants is to meet with Jesus.
Up in the tree, Zacchaeus had the perfect view of Jesus and the parade of people with him. He was probably only ten or twelve feet off the ground and right out over the street. He could hear Jesus talking – blessing the children and greeting the good people. I think Zacchaeus must have felt lonelier out there on that branch than at any time in his life. But something changed all that in an instant!
Zacchaeus heard Jesus’ CALL.
He heard Jesus say, “Come down and BE WITH ME.” Zacchaeus could hardly believe his ears. Jesus – the Messiah, the Son of God was talking to the nastiest man in Jericho. He wanted to see him face to face. Then came the best part of Jesus’ call, “I must stay at your house today."
Zacchaeus had a DIVINE APPOINTMENT with Jesus. God’s Holy Spirit had drawn him to Jesus and now God’s Son is inviting himself into Zacchaeus’ life. How do you think he responded? What so you think he did when Jesus called him down out of the tree?
By the way – what about you? Have you heard Jesus’ call? Have you had a divine appointment with God? Have you heard him say, “I must come into your life to stay”?
Zacchaeus’ neighbors GRUMBLED.
They said, “Jesus is eating with A SINNER.” Why? Because we eat with people we like and no one like Zacchaeus. They thought they were too good to eat with a greedy, traitorous cheat like Him. They could not tolerate Zacchaeus or the idea of Jesus choosing to stay with him and not with them.
But Zacchaeus was SET FREE.
He stood up and said to [Jesus], "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." Zacchaeus had new attitude of GENEROSITY. Jesus set him free from his greed.
By the way – what new attitude could Jesus give to you? Jesus set Zacchaeus free from greed to generosity.
1. Wouldn’t you like Jesus to liberate you from the compulsion to be in control so you can hand over your life to God’s direction?
2. Wouldn’t you want Jesus to free you from the need to feel secure so you can completely trust God with your future?
3. Wouldn’t you enjoy Jesus to replace your discouragement with a confident faith in God’s love, wisdom and power?
4. Wouldn’t you love for Him to break the chains that bind you to what you’ve always done so you can see God do more than you’ve ever dreamed possible?
5. Wouldn’t you be passionate about it if Jesus set you free from thinking all you could ever experience is what you can put together yourself so you can come into contact with God’s supernatural power?
THE BOTTOM LINE:
Jesus is a SEEKER. He said, “[I] came to seek and to save what was lost" (19:10). He is seeking people like Zacchaeus – men and women like you and me.
Has Jesus found you? Has he saved you from your sins? He is not only the standard we will be judged by; Jesus is also the Savior from our sins. A simple, honest prayer asking for forgiveness and help to become more like Him is the starting point for an eternal adventure.
Has Jesus set you free? Has He given you a new attitude? No matter how long you and I follow Jesus, no matter how much He changes us, there will always be room for more growth. An honest, heartfelt prayer for freedom and change is the nest step.
Why not ask Jesus to set you free from sin and the attitudes that bind you? Then you can experience God’s abundant grace. You can be set free like Zacchaeus. Let’s pray.
