61: CHANGED (Luke 19:1-10)

I taught on this about 5 years ago…and lots of you weren’t here then. And since we didn’t have this recorded I decided to tweak the previous teaching and borrow some of what I used before…like this joke for example.

The Parrot and the “ugly” Lady

A lady was walking down the street to work and she saw a parrot on a perch in front of a pet store. The parrot said to her, "Hey lady, you're ugly."

The lady is furious! She stormed past the store to her work.

On the way home she saw the same parrot and it said to her, "Hey lady, you’re ugly." She was red-faced mad now.

The next day the same parrot again said to her, "Hey lady, you’re ugly."

The lady was so angry that she stormed into the store and threatened to sue the owner. He apologized profusely and promised the parrot would never say those words again.

Later that day the lady walked past the store after work and the parrot called to her, "Hey lady..."

She paused and said, "Yes?"

The bird said, "You know."

Haven’t we all had this experience? We are strolling through life when suddenly, memories from our past are triggered, memories that continue remind us of how “ugly” we are; times we have disobeyed God, lied to a loved one, cheated someone financially; hurt our spouse, our children, a friend, a member of the opposite sex. When that memory is triggered we don’t have to hear the words, “You’re ugly” - we know.

But after all we’ve done, is it really possible to be truly CHANGED?

Today we discover how one encounter can change you forever.

PRAY

Luke 19:1–2 (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.

To most Jews, Zacchaeus would have been thought of like a crack dealer of our day - exploiting & destroying other people’s lives for his own gain. He was the head honcho over the tax collectors in his area. And since taxes were collected at three places—Capernaum, Jerusalem, and Jericho— he had one of the big three collection points!

He was financially wealthy, but relationally bankrupt, a Jew who betrayed his people to work for the Romans, As we’ll see shortly, he was despised among his own people.

And as the word was spreading that Jesus was in town, Zach wanted to see what all the fuss as about. He probably told his secretary she could reach in on his cell, and he left the office.

Luke 19:3–4 (NIV)

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.

Zach was vertically challenged, a little-big man. As children many of us learned a song about Zacchaeus, ‘the wee-little man who climbed up in the sycamore tree, the Lord he wanted to see.’

We can have fun with this story, but we can’t lose sight that THIS STORY is the last personal encounter that Dr. Luke records before Jesus arrives at Jerusalem to give His life as a ransom for many. And what a fitting story it is as it gives us a snapshot of WHY Jesus - God in skin - came to Earth in the first place.

One quick insight before we move further: remember the earlier words of Jesus?

“Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” Luke 18:25–27 (NIV)

One commentator floored me with this insight - saying ‘We are about to see 'the camel' go through the eye of the needle! The rich man is about to enter the kingdom!

As Jesus walks near the tree, despite the crowd that surrounded Him, Jesus focused His attention on ONE person…to borrow His story from Luke 15, leaving the 99 to find THE ONE - Zacchaeus.

Luke 19:5

5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”

What Would Jesus Do? Evidently, He would invite Himself over for lunch.

So…YOU want to be like Jesus? Just turn to a neighbor sitting beside you, look ‘em right in the eye, and tell ‘em…“I’m coming to your house today!”

That wasn’t as awkward for Zach as it might have been for you. He appreciated the opportunity to have Jesus over.

Luke 19:6-7 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.”

This was a common complaint - Jesus hanging out with sinners. Like the parrot in the opening joke, these people were quick to point out how ‘ugly’ Zacchaeus was…they thought he fell out of the ugly tree and hit every limb. He was considered the worst kind of sinner!

Imagine the outrage and the comments like: “Out of all the people Jesus could have stayed with, He chose him?”; “What’s He thinkin!”

WHY would Jesus go to be the guest of a ‘sinner.'? Jesus had explained this before saying He had come like a doctor to heal the sick (Luke 5:31-32). The problem was, while everyone was SICK with a deadly disease - SIN - many thought they didn’t need Jesus to help them.

To those prideful people Jesus said these words..."I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.” Matthew 21:31 (NIV)

I would have LOVED to hear the conversation between Jesus & Zach. And while we don’t know what was said, something brought Zach to the point where he realized that his satchel was full, but his soul was empty.

The only recorded words in the house give proof that one encounter can change you forever.

Luke 19:8 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.”

Unlike the rich young ruler who loved his money more than his Maker, Zach gives half all his stuff to the poor! Think about how your house would look different after that!

Two couches turned into 1.

Two TV’s - now 1.

Two children...just kiddin’!

Further, he will pay back those he had cheated - meaning ‘stolen from’.

According to the OT Law, the thief who voluntarily confessed his crime was to restore what he took, and add 1/5th to it, plus bring a guilt offering to the Lord (Lev. 6:1–7). If he had stolen something that couldn’t be restored - like sheep or oxen - he was to repay four to fivefold (Ex. 22:1).

So rather than trying to make the minimum repayment, Zacchaeus offered to pay the highest price as evidence of his sincere repentance.

Can you imagine that! If he charged a person $5 too much, he would give them $20 back. If his wealth was measured like a fuel gauge, it plummeted from FULL to EMPTY pretty quickly.

Luke 19:9 9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.

As a tax collector, barred from the Court of the Israelites at the temple, Zacchaeus had been an outsider - a shame to his Jewish people. Yet in one statement Jesus communicates… ”Welcome to the family, son! Your past is forgiven. Your future is certain.”

Why had salvation come to his house? One reason…because

BIG TRUTH: Real repentance results in SalvationBIG TRUTH: Real repentance results in SalvationBIG TRUTH: Real repentance results in SalvationBIG TRUTH: Real repentance results in Salvation

BIG TRUTH: Real repentance results in Salvation

BIG TRUTH: Real repentance results in Salvation

Question: Was there any evidence that Zach’s repentance was REAL? What was it?

Answer: The Evidence of repentance is Obedience.

Real Repentance is MORE than feeling guilty & saying “God, I’m sorry”.

Repentance is asking God’s forgiveness & walking away from the sin.

Repentance also involves making things right with people.

Based on this truth, have you really repented?

What’s the EVIDENCE of your REPENTANCE?

Have you walked away from the sin?

Have you attempted to make things right with people we have sinned against? Have you stolen something or slandered someone? Have you restored what you have taken?

Zacchaeus did, and salvation flooded his SOUL, because…

BIG TRUTH: Real repentance results in SalvationBIG TRUTH: Real repentance results in SalvationBIG TRUTH: Real repentance results in SalvationBIG TRUTH: Real repentance results in Salvation

BIG TRUTH: Real repentance results in Salvation

BIG TRUTH: Real repentance results in Salvation

But maybe YOU think you’ve gone TOO FAR.

You haven’t followed through on previous commitments.

You have done something that God could never forgive….REALLY?

You might be right…

1 Corinthians 6:9–10 (NIV)

9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

There’s Zach - a swindler…but wait a second…Jesus said salvation came to him. He called him a SON. I thought these kind of people won’t inherit the kingdom. Listen to the rest of the passage:

1 Corinthians 6:11 (NIV)

11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

washed - sin has been washed off!

sanctified - make holy, set apart - not viewed as sinner!

justified - released or set free from judgment!

I wonder what would have happened if someone said…Zacchaeus, you’re a swindling tax collector, a liar, and a cheat. ‘You’re ugly and you know it.’ I think he would have responded just like this: “That’s what I USED TO BE. But now I’m cleansed, made holy, made right with God - Jesus said, ‘Welcome to the family, son!’

What if every time we were reminded, “You’re ugly”, we could respond that way!

Knowing that, when we turn from our sin & trust Jesus

BIG TRUTH: Real repentance results in SalvationBIG TRUTH: Real repentance results in SalvationBIG TRUTH: Real repentance results in SalvationBIG TRUTH: Real repentance results in Salvation

BIG TRUTH: Real repentance results in Salvation

BIG TRUTH: Real repentance results in Salvation

Jesus didn’t come to Earth to condemn all mankind. If Jesus posted a purpose statement on the wall, it would come from what He said in the house of Zacchaeus:

Luke 19:10 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Isn’t this EXACTLY what Jesus had just done!!! HE was SEEKING Zacchaeus! The Good Shepherd left the 99 to find the 1 lost sheep! He is STILL doing that!

You know what gives me boldness today? KNOWING that no one in here seeks Jesus on his/her own. HE is SEEKING you! You might be here just to take a look at who Jesus is…but He is speaking to your heart…and if you’ll respond, that one encounter can change your life forever!

Convinced Quit wallowing in your past! Bask in the forgiveness Jesus has given you and offer that great gift to others!

Confused You’ve been told you are saved because you prayed or felt guilty, but there has never been a CHANGE.

Critic I invite you to ask your questions & voice your concerns with people in this room. We are willing to give you reasons for our faith & invite you to consider the evidence.

PRAY Is God is dealing with your heart this morning?

During this song I invite you to pray, ask another Christian to talk [if you need help - I’m right here], or come to TJ or myself to talk more about Jesus, because this one encounter can change you forever

Tell Your Heart to Beat Again