Text:
Luke 19:1-10:
1: And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.
2: And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.
3: And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.
4: And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.
5: And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.
6: And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.
7: And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.
8: And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.
9: And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.
10: For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Theme:
Why Jesus
Introduction:
- Luke, the physician, who is also the author of the Acts of the Apostles, wrote the Gospel According to St. Luke packed with more information than any of the other Gospels. Luke’s primary focus in writing this Gospel was, as the other Gospels, to depict the life of Jesus Christ.
- However, Luke chose to focus on 1)the patriarchal lineage of Jesus and 2)the extensive details of the what, when, where and who of the life of Jesus with special attention given to Jesus’ birth and crucifixion.
- This portion of scripture that serves as our text focuses on a rich tax collector named Zacchaeus who had a strong curiosity to see Jesus. Just like Zacchaeus, we have the same curiosity:
- To see Jesus — “who He was”
- what is Jesus really like
- Jesus firsthand and not secondhand
- To get beyond the hype and fanfare
- “could not for the press, because he was little of stature”
- Everyone else seems so much closer to Jesus
- Other seem to know Jesus so much better
- To overcome obstacles to see Jesus
- “And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him”
- Old saying, “No problem is too hard for God”
- Old saying, “God can make a way out of no way”
This leaves us me with questions:
- What makes Jesus such an object of curiosity and concern?
- What about this man, Jesus, makes us have to get to know “who He is”?
-
Simply put, WHY JESUS?
- First reason is WHO He was – His constitution
- God’s only begotten Son – All man/All God
- Hebrews 2:7, “Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:”
- Second reason is WHY He was – His purpose
- Why did God give us His only begotten Son.
- This is explained in verse 10, the focus of our text:
- “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
Body:
- WHY JESUS?
- “to seek”
- God looks for those who don’t look for Him.
- Genesis 3:8-9 says, “And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?”
- God looks for those who don’t look for Him.
- After Abraham had “bargained” with God to agree that merely 10 people would be enough to save Sodom and Gomorrah, God sent angels down to look for the 10 necessary people to save the city…to no avail. As it says in Genesis 19, “And there came two angels to Sodom at even”
- God looks for those who don’t look for Him.
- Then in Revelations 3:20 we here the familiar passage of scripture that says, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
- Yes, when we know better, we can then look for Him, but, until we look for Him, He looks for us!
- Zacchaeus was not seeking Jesus for his saving power. He was seeking Jesus for WHO HE WAS …curiosity. So, Jesus SOUGHT after Zacchaeus! (Just like us)
- 5 says, “And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.”
- Aren’t you glad that He seeks us even when we don’t seek Him!
- Zacchaeus was not seeking Jesus for his saving power. He was seeking Jesus for WHO HE WAS …curiosity. So, Jesus SOUGHT after Zacchaeus! (Just like us)
- God looks for those who don’t look for Him.
WHY JESUS?
- “to save”
- It was God’s purpose — John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
- It is our choice — Romans 10:9, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
- Jesus is the only way to salvation — Acts 4:12, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
- Jesus can save our homes — Acts 16:31, “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”
- Jesus can save our souls – 9 of our text says, “And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.”
- Now we know WHY JESUS?
Conclusion:
- But once the curiosity is satisfied there is still the need for a changed life
- It’s doesn’t help your life to:
- Speak about Him but not speak for Him
- Be around Him but not be with Him
- Know of Him but not know Him
- In conclusion, v. 10 of our text explains that:
- It’s doesn’t help your life to:
“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
- If you think that you have everything together
- If you live as if no one can tell you anything
- If you close your mind to anything that is not what you like or prefer
- If you can identify your life with being lost
JESUS WON’T SAVE YOU!
- There once was a lifeguard who while on duty saw someone kicking and screaming that they were drowning in his guarded pool. Although the person was kicking and screaming frantically, the lifeguard calmly sat in his seat. Another person looking on yelled to the lifeguard that the person was drowning, but the lifeguard sat still and watched. Then, when the person had given up and began to get still and sink, the life guard sprang into action saving the person from going under to there death. Afterwards the person standing near asked the lifeguard why he did not help the person earlier. The lifeguard responded that, when they were kicking and screaming, he could not save them because there actions would have drowned the both of them. It was not until the person had stopped trying themselves was the lifeguard able to do what was needed to save them. WE HAVE TO ADMIT TO BEING LOST AND BE ABLE TO RECEIVE HELP!
- Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me
- I once was lost, but now I’m found. I was blind, but now I see.
- Like a ship that’s tossed and driven battered by the angry sea
- When the storms of life are raging and their fury falls on me
- I wonder what have I done that makes this race so hard to run
- Then I say to my soul take courage. The Lord will make a way somehow.
- WHY JESUS (He made a way!)
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