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.
III: Zacchaeus accepts the offer of salvation that Jesus offers (8, 9)
LK 19:8 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."
LK 19:9 Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.
A: We don’t know what Jesus said to him.
- It may be that Zacchaeus realized what Jesus has done for him
1. What ever it was
2. It brought Zacchaeus to a state of repentance.
3. And Zacchaeus accepts salvation through Jesus Christ.
B: Jesus announces Zacchaeus’ salvation
1. Jesus is excited over the saving of one soul.
2. Jesus rejoices over the saving of your soul
Lk. 15:6b
`Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
IV: The offer of salvation is there for you to. (10)
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."
A: Jesus indicates that he is not done.
1. He still searches for you
2. He still calls out your name.
3. Will you jump to your feet and answer the invitation to be with Christ?
B: Or will you let others elbow you out of the presence of Christ.
- Will you use others as an excuse
- Or make your choice
Conclusion:
Zacchaeus was big enough
- Not to let the crowd keep him from Jesus.
Zacchaeus was big enough
- To accept the offer that Jesus had
- Regardless of what the others thought
Zacchaeus was big enough
- To repent
- And started making the necessary changes in his life immediately.
How big are you?
Are you big enough
- To listen to the Holy Spirit urging you
Are you big enough
- To follow the instructions given by Peter
- To a group of people when they realized
- That the answers lie
- In salvation through Jesus Christ
Acts 2:37-38
37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"
38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
