Sermon Luke 19:1-10

After the Music Stops

Luke 19:1–10 NRSV

1 He entered Jericho and was passing through it. 2 A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. 7 All who saw it began to grumble and said, “He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.” 8 Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.” 9 Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.”

—> Jesus knows us before we ever know him.

Luke 19:3 NRSV

3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature.

Luke 19:5 NRSV

5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.”

—> Everyone knew who Zacchaeus was.

—> Jesus really knows Zacchaeus

—> Its not our job to question who Jesus wants to hang out with.

Luke 19:7 NRSV

7 All who saw it began to grumble and said, “He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.”

—> When did we get to decide who was welcome and who wasn’t around Jesus.

—> Zacchaeus doesn’t just say he is changed by this encounter with Jesus he shows it.

Luke 19:8 NRSV

8 Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.”

—> His restitution isn’t necessary by law

—> above and beyond

—> Jesus restores Zacchaeus, just like he can restore us.

Luke 19:9–10 NRSV

9 Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.”

—> Zacchaeus wasn’t damned or doomed, he was lost.

—> No one is beyond the scope and reach of Jesus.

—> Lost doesn’t men hopeless it simply means out of its rightful place.