Week5–Zacchaeus
Luke19:1-10
PastorDwayneSmith
I.
Hewasseeking.
“HewasseekingtoseewhoJesuswas…”(Luke19:3)
a. Zacchaeuswasinatree.
i. Climbingatreewas“undignifiedbehavior”inthisculture.
ii. Hewaswillingtohumble/embarrasshimselftofindJesus.
iii. Thisshowsthattherewasmorethancuriosityhere.
b. WhywasHeseeking?
i. ThiswastowardtheendofJesus’ministry.Jesushadareputation.There
wasacrowdfollowingHim.
ii. TherewasamiracleasHeenteredJericho–Jesushadjusthealedablind
beggar,Bartimaeus.
c. Peoplearelookingtoday.
i. 43%unchurchedintheSeattlearea.1
ii. Peoplewanttodeepentheirfaith-“2/3ofthechurchlessnotedthat
theyhavetriedvariouswaysofdeepeningtheirfaith…”2
iii. 51percentoftheunchurchedclaimtobeactivelyseekingsomething
better.3
iv. 14percentofunchurchedpeoplesaidtheyareopentotryinganew
church.4
v. WhatdoesthatmeanforShoreline?
1. 55,174currentlyinShoreline.
2. 24,000arenotgoingtochurchand12,000areseekingsomething
betterspiritually.
a. 1in2peoplearenotgoingtochurch.
b. 1in4arelookingforsomething.
1
http://cities.barna.org/top-10-seattle-tacoma/
Barna,George(2016-09-13).AmericaattheCrossroads:ExplosiveTrendsShapingAmerica'sFutureandWhat
YouCanDoaboutIt(KindleLocations506-508).
3
Barna,George(2016-09-13).AmericaattheCrossroads:ExplosiveTrendsShapingAmerica'sFutureandWhat
YouCanDoaboutIt(KindleLocation519).
4
Barna,George(2016-09-13).AmericaattheCrossroads:ExplosiveTrendsShapingAmerica'sFutureandWhat
YouCanDoaboutIt(KindleLocations524-525).
2
1
II.
Hecouldn’tseeHim.
“AndhewasseekingtoseewhoJesuswas,butonaccountofthecrowdhecouldnot,
becausehewassmallinstature.”(Luke19:3)
a. Thecrowdblockedhisvision.
b. WhatarethethingsthatpreventpeoplefromseeingChrist?
i. Ourculture–OurcultureisconfusedaboutWhoGodis.5
ii. Ourlife–OurlackofapursuitofGodconfusespeople.
iii. Grumbling-“Theyallgrumbled”–thepeoplewhowerehappytosee
Jesuswereupsetbythis.
iv. Lackofhonesty.
1. Thechurch,likelife,ismessy.
2. Peoplearen’tsomuchbotheredbythemessasmuchastheyare
botheredwhenwepretendit’snotmessy.
c. BUT,despitetheseobstacles,peoplearesearching.
III.
Jesussawhim.
“Helookedupandsaidtohim,‘Zacchaeus,hurryandcomedown,forImuststayat
yourhousetoday.’”(Luke19:5)
a. Helookedup!Weneedtobewalkingwithourheadsup,lookingforthosewho
areseeking.
b. OfferedHimselftoZacchaeus–“Imuststayatyourhouse.”
c. EvidenceofSalvation-“Todaysalvationhascometothishouse,sincehealsoisa
sonofAbraham.”(Luke19:9)
i. ASonofAbraham
1. ManyJewswereleaningontheir“roots”tosavethem.They
thoughttheywere“saved”becauseoftheirgenealogy.
2. Zacchaeuswasa“true”sonofAbrahambecauseofhisactive
faith:givingawayhispossessionsandmakingrightwiththosethat
hehurt/defrauded.(Luke3:8-9)
ii. Emptiedhimself-“HegaveawayhalfofHisgoods.”(Luke19:8)
1. “BlessedarethepoorinSpiritfortheirsisthekingdomofGod.”
(Luke6:20)
2. Springcleaning–cleanoutthe“junk”thatisintheway.
iii. Maderightthethingsthatwerewrong–“ifIhavedefraudedanyoneof
anything,Irestoreitfourfold.”(Luke19:8)
ReflectionQuestions:
• Howareyouseekingthosewhoarelost?Whoarethespiritualseekersinyourlife?
• HowcanyouhelpthemseeJesus?Whatthingsaremakingithardforthemtosee?
• Jesusislookingatyoutoday–whatisHesayingtoyou?Areyou“poorinspirit”?What
thingsneedtobeemptiedfromyoutomakeroomforChrist?Whattypeof“spring
cleaning”needstotakeplace?
5
Barna,George(2016-09-13).AmericaattheCrossroads:ExplosiveTrendsShapingAmerica'sFutureandWhat
YouCanDoaboutIt
2