Next - Week 1 - Logos Sermons

Alright, well good morning!

Hope you guys had a great week - welcome to our new space!

Not 100% done

But this our space, we’re excited about it.

Reminder: A nice space for us is just a space if we don’t use it well. There is room to grow in here, this is space where you can invite your friends…but at the end of the day, I can change a few things, but this is your student ministry. It ultimately becomes whatever you make of it.

Last Week: Finished Up “Habit” - Prayer

This Week: Lanch New Series - “Next”

What’s the goal?

Remember a few weeks ago we talked about how over the next 5-months what we are doing is “relocating, rebranding, and casting vision.” This series is part of the casting vision portion of that plan.

Vision:

Mission:

Strategy:

Today specifically, we’re going to be looking in

CONNECTION

LESSON

Context

In Jericho (last major city that Jesus travels through before reaching Jerusalem)

He entered Jericho and was passing through.

“Jericho” - last major city that Jesus travels through before reaching Jerusalem (where he would later be betrayed by Judas).

:2-4

“Jericho” - last major city that Jesus travels through before reaching Jerusalem (where he would later be betrayed by Judas).

2 And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way.

What do we know about Zacchaeus?

Cheif Tax Collector

typically hated because they worked for the romans government and treated Jewish people poorly.

“chief” - meaning that he was probably more crooked that most of the other tax collectors. He was the overseer of other tax collectors.

Rich

rich does not always mean a lot of money, but it typically means a lot of possessions — which could be money.

25 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’s difficult, because we are already distracted…and sometimes our stuff gets in the way of our desire for God).

Seeking To See Jesus

Why was he seeking to see Jesus? We don’t 100% know the answer to this question.

Maybe he heard that he was coming into town and he wanted to see what it was all about.

Perhaps the crowd is what drew him in to begin with (example: something crazy happens @ school. Crowds tend to draw people in)

Transition: But there was a problem...

Small

Those of you that aren’t quite as tall as some of us, have you ever gone to a concert or an event and you just could not see over the people around you? That’s essentially what is happening here with Zaccheaus. He’s trying to see Jesus, but he can’t because he is short.

:2-4

2 And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way.

Illus: Do you remeber as a kid climbing trees? Imagine this older guy climbing a tree....that’s creepy and weird.

Sycamore Tress - Grow to be 30/40ft tall.

I think even from Zaccheaus we learn something here even before we jump ahead into the passage...

ZACCHEAUS POSITIONS HIMSELF PHYSICALLY WHERE HE CAN SEE THE LORD

Jesus Engaged Others By...

CREATING INTEREST.

:5

5 And 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 and came down and received him joyfully.

First - What a weird thing to say to someone haha.

Notice that Jesus calls Zaccheaus by name. This is interesting considering that the two of them had never met before.

Next - Week 1

Introduction