Making the Change

Ephesians 4:22–24 NIV

22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

This has been our verse throughout our series on attitude. This series has focused on making… the change from our former way of life to the new self, created to be like God is true righteousness and holiness.

How many in the room are big fans of change?

There are some changes I do like… for instance, when something is broken finally gets fixed… that’s a good change. Or how about when something you need or really like… gets lost. You cannot remember where it is, you’ve retraced your steps and it doesn’t appear to be anywhere you can recall being. Then… that item reappears and you experience that HUGE sense of relief. WHEW! Having something go from lost to found is a good change!

But then… what about changes that are difficult to come by or changes that we don’t really want. Those changes might include walking out to your workbench in your garage only to find someone has changed the placement of your tools! Or what about when a change happens in a relationship you didn’t see coming. These kind of changes can be hard to walk through.

Change isn’t always easy… and that is why many times we don’t like walking through it. But when it comes to moving from our old or former way of life into the new life that Jesus has for us… there is NO GREATER change that we could possibly want!

BUT RIGHT THERE IS THE KEY - YOU HAVE TO WAN THIS CHANGE.

So far we have talked about our attitude toward God, our attitude toward others, our attitude toward ourselves and even if our attitude matters. We talked about how it is we can guard our attitude… and tonight… we are going to talk about making the change. But NONE of this matters UNLESS we are willing and ready to make this change. WE HAVE TO WANT A BETTER ATTITUDE!

So tonight, we are going to talk about wanting and obtaining not just a better attitude… but an attitude that is Christ-like.

How do we move from where we are to where Jesus wants us to be? How does a desire to change begin to take hold? Who or what is the key in all of this?

We are going to look at a story in the gospels that reveal a remarkable change in the life of a man… who wasn’t liked very much by the rest of society.

This guy… he had it all! The nice house, the fancy shoes, the car everyone wanted but couldn’t afford (if cars were a thing back then), the clothes that made people turn and look, the lifestyle that most everyone else could only dream of having.

This guy also had a couple of other things most of the rest of the crowd didn’t have.

He had… a height problem. This guy was a bit… vertically challenged. In other words… HE WAS SHORT!

He had a greedy attitude. The reason he had it all was because… in a sense… he took it all from others! This guy was a tax collector.

Tax collectors in Jesus’ day were known to be corrupt. They would collect taxes for the government… but they would also take some for themselves.

So you might owe the government $60 in taxes. The collectors might tell you that the number is actually $100. $60 would go to the Romans and the rest would go to the collectors fancy camel fund.

Everybody knew this was going on but there was nothing they could do about it. Tax collectors had wealth, but no friends because of their greedy bad attitude.

Based off this information, can anyone tell me the name of this particular tax collector? Zacchaeus! And for some reason, every time I think or talk about this guy, I imagine he looked a lot like Danny DeVito.

(DANNY DEVITO IMAGE ON SCREEN) Anyone know how tall this guy is? Danny DeVito, at the age of 77 years old, is 4’10” tall!

Zacchaeus was a short little guy with a big attitude problem. He was full of greed, full of wealth, and empty purpose and satisfaction.

He had it all but he gained it by burning others. You don’t make many friends as you take their money and wealth away from them!

So… why are we talking about Zacchaeus? Because we see an interesting story that I believe… shows a desire for change AND shows the pathway through which that change happens in his life.

The Desire Revealed.

Luke 19:1–4 NIV

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 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.

So this guy wasn’t just an average tax collector… he was the CHIEF tax collector. He was WEALTHY. This guy “had it all” but then we see him in somewhat of an odd story.

What would a man with everything be doing climbing a sycamore-fig tree for? Why would he be trying to see over the crowd that had gathered?

Scripture makes it clear - HE WANTED TO SEE WHO JESUS WAS.

Now… take note of something interesting here. The crowd doesn’t cut Zacchaeus any lack. They show him no mercy or grace.

What do we do or what should we do when someone is behind us who is trying to see over the top of us? Hopefully, we allow them to stand in front so they can be a part of the action as well. What I am talking about is consideration of others.

NO ONE moves for Zacchaeus. NO ONE. How sad is that? They had all been burned by the corrupt system so badly that the crowd gives him a very cold shoulder. I don’t think that in this situation he could have even paid his way to the front… and I bet he even tried!

Yeah, I know… it is an assumption… but this would be like Elon Musk climbing a tree… wealthy and well to do people don't typically do stuff like that!

Yet Zacchaeus runs ahead of Jesus and he climbs a tree because he wanted to see who Jesus was.

I believe this is a two-fold statement.

Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus - he wanted to know Jesus’ identity.

They didn’t have internet or pictures or newspapers, etc. Zacchaeus had never seen Jesus before therefore he didn’t know who He was!

Zacchaeus wanted to know what Jesus was about.

This is a statement of character. Zacchaeus wanted to know if Jesus was the real deal… if His character was good if His walk matched His talk… Zacchaeus wanted to see the heart of Christ.

Some might say that’s a stretch… but I don’t think so.

Zacchaeus longed for something different… he was looking for change. He was looking for something new. He was willing to go to great lengths just to physically see Jesus.

How bad do you want it? A better attitude? A change in life? How bad do you want to move from your former ways into the ways of Christ?

And change will require effort… but a change in attitude will require not only effort but also discipline, desire, and didication.

It’s easy to slip back into what we know… but it’s a whole different story to reach for something new. Zacchaeus… was reaching for Jesus.

He was reaching beyond the crowd, beyond his past greedy attitude, and even beyond his physical limitations. Zacchaeus was reaching beyond his circumstance in hopes of something… or rather becoming someone new.

And in this moment… Jesus takes notice of the short guy in the fig tree. Jesus calls him out.

The Call Received

Luke 19:5–10 NIV

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.”

Jesus calls out to Zacchaeus and Zacchaeus responds. He gets out of the tree and goes to Jesus.

Verse 6 tells us that Zacchaeus welcomed Jesus gladly. Zacchaeus let Jesus into his house.

And that right there is the key - Zacchaeus let Jesus in. Interestingly enough, there were some people who were not happy with Jesus going to the house of the chief tax collector. Yet there He was.

Jesus was NOT there because Zacchaeus had money.

Jesus was NOT there because Zacchaeus was popular - in fact, the opposite was true.

Jesus WAS there… because Zacchaeus wanted to know Jesus.

Zacchaeus had a desire to see Jesus and now that desire led to knowing Jesus. And… what happens is truly amazing. Zacchaeus has a change of heart.

Jesus didn’t command the tax collector to do what he did. Yet, when Zacchaeus was in the presence of Jesus, his heart was changed from greedy to generous. Zacchaeus pledges to make things right with everyone he had ever cheated out of money!

Talk about an incredible attitude change!

Think about it… this move would cost Zacchaeus his wealth… but this guy learned that having it all through the wrong attitude meant he had nothing at all in reality. He was despised and rejected… but Jesus called out to him.

Jesus has come to help us make such a change in our own lives… a change that would move us from who we used to be to who He has called us to be.

In this moment, the lost was found! Remember how we said we like that kind of change when something lost is found?

We can get lost in sin, in bad attitudes, in a lack of purpose, in all the craziness that life throws at us… but we can be found again in Christ. Jesus is the ONLY ONE who can help us make sense of it all.

Closing

The key is… we have to want it. And… we have to respond to the call.

Zacchaeus was looking for something new… and when it called out to him… he responded.

I don’t know if you are looking for something… rather someone new. But hear me clearly - your attitude matters. How it is shaped and nurtured matters. How it is displayed and the behaviors that come with it matters.

It will effect your life, your circumstance, your relationships, your purpose, your direction, etc.

Zacchaeus was tired of where his old attitude was leading him… so he reached out for something new… that something… was someone named Jesus.

If you need a change… it is possible to change… but you have to want it… and you have to respond to the call.

If a text came across your phone and it said, “Jesus will be walking down main street in your community tomorrow” what would you do? Would you go see Him? Or would you remain where you are?

If a crowd had gathered and you were stuck toward the back would you press through… would you climb a tree… would you stand on a car… how desperate are you for change?

Your level of desire will impact your dedication to change.

Jesus can and will change your heart, but this change must be invited in. Jesus wants to be invited in and welcomed in your house… your heart… what will you do with that information?

Respond to the call

Jesus, I invite you in. Jesus, come and change my life.