Known Part 3
Notes
Transcript
God Knows Your Labels.
God Knows Your Labels.
Luke 19:1-10
MI: God Knows your Labels
ME:
Evey being called stupid
The other day my daughter Evey came home and you could tell she was a little down.
She really wasn’t talking much, which if you know Evey she will talk to a wall and she talks so fast, her mind is just always going!
She really just seemed down.
And of course my dad radar is going up.
And I just to keep the conversation light, and I just ask her, how was school today.
She said it was fine.
That was about it, to which I ask hey are you doing okay.
Yeah— I’m fine.
Ah— Fine I see.
I let it be still for a few moments.
Then I pry again.
Evey you seem a bit off, what is troubling you?
And she just looked at me and said, this girl at school today called me stupid.
She wasn’t being very nice to me.
And you could see tear welling up in her eyes, and all I did was hug her in that moment.
I could see that those words cut her so deep.
I’m pretty sure someone could have hit her an it wouldn’t have made it hurt as badly as these words did.
They cut her to her core.
It attacked her.
It was someone trying to cut her down— to make her even doubt herself.
After we hugged for a bit I got down on my knee and just looked at her right in the eyes, and I asked her Evey, are you stupid.
And she shock her head no.
“It stinks when people say lies about us.”
Because sweetie you are not stupid.
You are smart and beautiful and so much loved.
And in that moment you could see her spirits being lifted up.
Like a switch was turned.
She was down all day because some little punk— called her stupid.
It attacked her and it got under her skin and it caused her pain in the very worst way!
But when that lie was replaced with truth it changed how she felt.
It completely filled her up and she became her normal self.
And part of me wants to lay down the law on this punk kid and fear of God in them— if they ever make fun of my kid again— but that would land me in jail.
But these good lessons for Evey to learn.
One: People are mean
Two: Word can cut us pretty deep.
Three: No matter what people say the truth will free us.
I know that this can been bit touchy for many of us.
WE:
I know we have all be called way worse then stupid.
You remember that old saying stick and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me?
First off how big is that stick and those stones to break bone and secondly— words do hurt— sometimes more then stick or stones.
Stick and Stones hurt but so do words.
We know this to be true.
And there are probably may in this room that know the hurt from words but they also have used words to hurt others.
Before we continue— I just want to ask a question.
what are some things that people have said about you?
Throw out some mean stuff people have called you or things you have heard others be called?
Keep it clean if you can, but I also know that kids are mean and they say lots of horrible stuff.
Fat
Ugly
Jerk
Slut
Whore
Seeing these words on the board probably brings up some memories.
Because these words here quickly become labels for us.
And when we hear the labels often enough we begin to believe them.
When we don’t replace those labels with truth we allow them to become permeant.
They become part of who we are.
They become part of our identity.
And I wish words didn’t hurt us or have so much power.
But here is the good news, while words do have the power to cut us down they also have the power to build us up!
And while having people in your live to give you encouragement and build you up is awesome.
We have a heavenly Father who knows our labels and calls us by those labels.
It is because his grace out shines the labels the world throws at us.
GOD:
I would like us to look at a story that many of us are familiar with.
It is the story of Zacchaeus.
You probably know the story or at least the song.
Zacchaeus was a wee little man and wee little man was he, he climbed up in the sycamore tree for the Lord he wanted to see.
And as the savior passed his way, he looked up in that tree and Zacchaeus you come down, for I’m going to your house today.
I mean that is pretty much the story.
Just kidding.
There is more to this story.
I what I want to show you is how God’s grace outshines all labels.
So if you have your Bibles, lets open to Luke 19 today.
We will begin at verse 1.
He entered Jericho and was passing through. There was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but he was not able because of the crowd, since he was a short man. So running ahead, he climbed up a sycamore tree to see Jesus, since he was about to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down because today it is necessary for me to stay at your house.”
So he quickly came down and welcomed him joyfully. All who saw it began to complain, “He’s gone to stay with a sinful man.”
But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, I’ll give half of my possessions to the poor, Lord. And if I have extorted anything from anyone, I’ll pay back four times as much.”
“Today salvation has come to this house,” Jesus told him, “because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”
Jesus had spent some time in Jericho and Jesus was passing through the town and we are introduced to this guy names Zacchaeus.
We don’t know a ton about him but we do know he is a tax collector and he is rich.
Zacchaeus must had a ton of wealth because we have read about other tax collectors who were not classified as rich.
But we read here that Luke is putting Zacchaeus in this sphere of not only is he a tax collector he is also rich.
Now what do we know about tax collectors?
They were hated by pretty much everyone.
You think you have labels on you?
Tax collectors were hated by all people.
And we can gather this because many times when Jesus would be sitting with people who were not religious there was a distinction between sinner and tax collectors.
Luke back at Luke 5:30
But the Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
People did not like tax collectors?
Why is that?
They were Jews who worked for the Romans, so this made them traitors.
People resented paying taxes to the foreigners who ruled over them.
Tax collectors were not paid an actual wage by the Romans, they were expected to take extra money and keep some for themselves.
And some kept way more then others.
And we can guess by Luke’s description of Zacchaeus being rich that he took and kept lots of money.
Some--- well most would even call him corrupt.
But here is what is interesting about Zacchaeus he wanted to see Jesus.
No matter how much corrupt this man was— he had an interest in Jesus.
He wanted to see who Jesus was.
We don’t know why.
Maybe it was because Jesus was a friend to Tax Collectors.
The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’
Maybe he was like who is this guy he keeps hearing about.
Why does he have his big following.
I am sure he has heard of Jesus and his teaching, and his miracles and Zacchaeus is just deeply curious.
Then Luke makes a short joke of Zacchaeus, he wasn’t able to see through the crowd.
Then in verse 4 we see two things that shows Zacchaeus’s desperation to see Jesus.
He runs and he climbs.
So running ahead, he climbed up a sycamore tree to see Jesus, since he was about to pass that way.
If you were a Jewish adult these are two things that you do not do.
Run or climb.
Running and climbing would have been seen as undignified behavior.
And we know he is already not liked being a rich tax collector.
Notice, I don’t think anybody was trying to make room for him to see Jesus.
So he takes off running because of his need to see Jesus.
But he just wants to see the guy.
He doesn’t want to meet him, or even encounter him.
He is just curious about him.
So he climbs up into a tree.
And this tree he would have been hidden from view in.
(PHOTO)
Here is actually a sycomore tree in Jericho— they actually call them sycamore trees.
I don’t think it would have been easy to pick Zacchaeus out from that tree.
So Zacchaeus has run, climb and is somewhat out of sight.
And here comes Jesus, and Jesus notices him.
Jesus notices everything.
You ever have that moment from you feel like a teacher or a parent has eye in the back of their head— they see everything.
Yeah that is probably a little of what Zacchaeus is thinking.
But it wasn’t that Jesus just saw him, no Jesus then calls him down and invites himself over to his house.
My parent’s always taught us to never invite yourself over to someones house.
Like that was a big no no for us.
But this was big no no in the Jewish community as well.
You would never invite yourself over to someone house.
BUT Jesus is like, Hey Zacchaeus come down here— we are going to your house for food, and I plan on staying there.
And I know why my mom had that rule of never inviting yourself over because she would not like it if someone did that to her.
Because she wants the house to be clean and taken care of.
And if someone would do that she would still allow them to come but it would make her very anxious and just a bit annoyed.
But look at how Zacchaeus responds.
So he quickly came down and welcomed him joyfully.
He received what Jesus was saying with joy!
He wanted Jesus to come over.
He was overjoyed that Jesus wanted to come to his house.
Maybe Zacchaeus just needed a friend.
And Jesus was known to be a friend to sinners and to tax collectors.
Why Zacchaeus was pumped up others were not.
All who saw it began to complain, “He’s gone to stay with a sinful man.”
Here is where those labels begin to show their face.
They all— everyone who as present was not pleased with this.
They wanted Jesus to be on their side.
They wanted Jesus to not like that tax collector either.
They called him sinner and I am sure a bunch of other names.
Probably very similar to this (The Board)
And to think there are people outside the church who just want to get a glimpse at who Jesus is but it is these label, not given to them by the world, but by the church that keep others in that tree and stops them from seeing or hearing the life changing words of the gospel.
There are people who allow their label given to them by others to stop them from experiencing the love Jesus.
And it is heartbreaking.
There may be some of you in his room that allows the labels others give you from experiencing the love of Christ.
Zacchaeus knew who he was.
He knew what others said but he was willing to put it all aside to see Jesus.
He Ran and He climbed in public.
And when Jesus told him to come down he received Jesus joyfully.
Why?
Jesus cut through labels and he meets Zacchaeus right where he is.
Well he calls him down from the tree first— he’s like i’m not getting up there.
But then he meet him where he is.
Now here is where it gets good.
Zacchaeus and Jesus get to his house and there is something special that happens.
That through this relationship Zacchaeus changes.
But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, I’ll give half of my possessions to the poor, Lord. And if I have extorted anything from anyone, I’ll pay back four times as much.”
Zacchaeus’s relationship with Christ changed his values, it cut through the labels and he see a genuine repentance.
Zacchaeus is like I am going to give everything back.
Money had probably had a hold on him, much like the rich young ruler who had kept all the commands and he wanted to know what he had to have eternal life.
When Jesus heard this, he told him, “You still lack one thing: Sell all you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
After he heard this, he became extremely sad, because he was very rich.
Jesus did not care about his money— but the rich young ruler’s identity was in his money.
His heart was his money.
Jesus just wants your heart.
And that is where I feel like Zacchaeus got it.
He is like I will sell everything!
I will give it all way.
And look at what Jesus says to him.
“Today salvation has come to this house,” Jesus told him, “because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”
Zacchaeus was labeled tax collector and sinner and probably a whole lot worse.
but in his moment.
Jesus calls him something else.
He calls him a son of Abraham.
He actually says that salvation has some to this house.
And then he reminds Zacchaeus of his true identity.
He is a son of Abraham.
Not a literal son.
But a spiritual son.
Now it is not as though the word of God has failed, because not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Neither is it the case that all of Abraham’s children are his descendants. On the contrary, your offspring will be traced through Isaac. That is, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but the children of the promise are considered to be the offspring.
The promise was the promise of salvation.
New life in Christ.
Early Luke points to this is Luke 3:7-8
Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance. And don’t start saying to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones.
and who are children of Abraham?
You know, then, that those who have faith, these are Abraham’s sons.
Those who have faith are sons and daughters of Abraham.
How do we know them?
By their fruit— we will see true repentance.
Jesus is telling Zacchaeus that he has been saved.
Not because he is a jew but because of his faith in God.
And then Jesus wraps it all up by saying, look, the son of man, Me, Jesus, I came to seek and to save the lost.
It is only through Jesus that we are saved.
It is his undeserved grace that this is possible.
It is God’s grace that saved a rich man.
recall that rich young ruler— the one who walked away said- look at what Jesus said after he walked away.
Seeing that he became sad, Jesus said, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
It would seem like that would be impossible but when you enter God’s grace all things are possible.
Zacchaeus was described as a tax collector and very rich.
And here he is being changed, he repented and he was willing to give everything up for the sake of Christ.
That is grace— Grace finds a way through the impossible.
A commentary read this week had something that made me just stop dead in my tracks and go to God in thanksgiving.
The Gospel according to Luke A Rich Tax Collector in Jericho Becomes a True “Son of Abraham” (19:1–10)
Grace is forever scandalous because it is forever undeserved
The Gospel according to Luke A Rich Tax Collector in Jericho Becomes a True “Son of Abraham” (19:1–10)
Grace is a scandal because it insists on including those whom we wish to exclude. The story of Zacchaeus illustrates such grace. It ends not with Zacchaeus seeking Jesus but in Jesus seeking him, not in Zacchaeus’s moral perfection, but with his recovery and restoration as a “son of Abraham
Grace is for all.
We don’t deserve it but when you experience unwarranted grace you can’t help but to see your labels dissolve.
YOU:
Labels don’t define anyone.
We give them out as a way for us to make up who we think you are.
And sometimes you are going to be what you are called.
Other times you won’t deserve to be call these things.
Zacchaeus knew what people called him.
You know what people call you.
But I want you to know something that this— these label do not define who you are.
And they sure as heck don’t tell the story of whose you are.
People will try to label you and cut you down and you can believe them.
You can run to them and cling to them.
But they have no value— because they are what your Heavenly Father calls you.
You remember my story with Evey and he bully.
Look those words mean nothing.
That is what I want Evey to come to understand.
And I get it— it is going to be a year after year— month after month— day after day— hour by hour reminder for her that her value is not found in what some punk kid says about her.
Evey’s value is not placed in other people’s words.
Evey’s value is not even placed on the words we fill her up with.
Evey’s value is placed on who God says she is.
Just like Zacchaeus Jesus called him a son of Abraham and saved.
Folks Jesus calls you so much more then this garbage up here.
But these are the words that we dwell on and hold on too and keep records us.
Stop it— you are worth more then these labels.
The grace that God gives cut through all of this even if it’s true!
So what do we need to do?
WE:
We need to replace the world’s labels with God’s labels.
Let’s look at this board.
Can you think about what would happen if we stopped allowing the world to label us?
Think about how free Zacchaeus was when Jesus changed his labels.
I mean the dude was going to give everything back— to people who hated him and you know called him terrible names.
Think about if we would allow God to label us and we took to heart his labels.
Words like Ugly— What if we change that to you are beautifully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
Trash— no you are favored. Psalm 84:11
For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does he withhold
from those who walk uprightly.
Worthless— NO you are loved
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
A burden? NO— You are blessed
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.
Grace or blessing— God calls you blessed.
You are broken and discarded— No— You are his masterpiece
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
The word “workmanship” literally means a poem.
You are God’s masterpiece, His poem!
As a composer or poet crafts their masterwork, so did God compose and craft you.
Don’t let other define who you are allow God to be your label maker.
He calls you his Child.
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
Your value is not in this world it is heavenly.
Keep your trust in the Jesus and let him lead you.
Allow God to replace these labels with His labels.
For only he knows your labels.
Worship team you guys can come on up— can i get a couple of leaders to take this board out of here.
Will you pray with me--
Let’s Pray