Loving people makes a difference

Luke 19:1-10

Luke 19:1–10 NKJV

1 Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. 2 Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3 And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” 6 So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. 7 But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.” 8 Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; 10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Intro: It is our calling to share the love of Jesus with everyone. To share that love we have to make people feel loved. Real love, not a fake love. When we love people we will make a difference in their lives. That means, no matter who they are, no matter what their life style is. It doesn’t mean we agree with what they do. If we love them in Jesus, they may receive God grace and forgiveness and change.

How can we make a difference? The best was is to model our lives after the one who made the greatest difference in history, Jesus Christ.

If we want to make a difference we should seek to model our lives after Him. In this passage we will see how Jesus made a difference in the life of a man that had do some bad things.

Throughout the gospels Jesus loving others made a difference.

God wants you to make a difference in the lives of those we are around.

God wants you to make a difference in the lives of your family.

God wants you to make a difference in the lives of your work associates.

Jesus made a difference by getting involved in peoples lives.

If Jesus made a difference by being involved in people’s lives I have an important question. How did he do it? He got out among the people.

In our text we find Jesus entering the city of Jericho. They were having an unplanned parade. Jesus was the master of ceremonies. It was at that parade where Jesus met Zacchaeus. (You can’t love people if you don’t meet people)

When you are involved in church, and you are faithful in your church attendance, you are have mainly church friends and few friends who do not attend church. You have to get to know people.

This will require that we get out of our comfort zone. That we have to go where the people are. Start a conversation with someone. Invite a neighbor over for supper. (Once the pandemic is over)

There are people out there that in need. They are hurting, they are lonely. They need a relationship with Jesus.

I. Zacchaeus was seeking Jesus.

Luke 19:1–3 NKJV

1 Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. 2 Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3 And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature.

1. Zacchaeus: Tax collector. A chief Tax collector. He worked for the Roman government. He other under him. Elab on how crooked these men were. He didn’t have many friends. Not many people cared about Zacchaeus. But Jesus did.

a. Jesus was passing through “Passed through” Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem where He would be crucified, so He was passing through. But He also had something to do in Jericho. There was a life that needed to be changed.

b. Zacchaeus hears Jesus is in town and he “sought to see who Jesus was” He wanted more then to just see Jesus, wanted the truth about this man Jesus: Who is Jesus Christ?

Luke 19:10 NKJV

10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

c. Jesus is seeking, but for a lot of people, most people, He just passed by, because they didn’t call out to Him. It’s not enough for you to have a passing relationship with Jesus. It’s not enough for you to have a glimpse of Jesus. It’s not enough for you to see Jesus unless you see in your seeing who Jesus Christ is. Who is Jesus Christ?

d. That was the question of Zacchaeus. And he really wanted to know, that was His hearts desire.

e. Zachariah has a desire, not only to see Jesus, but he wants to know who Jesus is. He wants to know more about Him. But there was a problem, there was a crowd of people.

f. Some were just curious, but there were some who wanted to know who Jesus was just like Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus was short. Wee little man. No one was going to let him trough.

h. He doesn’t give up, his desire to know who Jesus was, was real.

II. Don’t let barriers keeps us from loving others VS 4-7

Luke 19:4–7 NKJV

4 So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” 6 So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. 7 But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.”

Ealb on Zacchaeus running a head a climbing up the Sycamore tree. “For He (Jesus) was going to pass that way” If Zacchaeus wouldn't has climbed the tree, Jesus would have passed by.

Jesus will you the opportunity love love others, don’t let that opportunity pass by.

2. If you are a Christian there are many barriers that will separate you from people you are trying to love.

a. Jesus broke down the barriers by befriending Zacchaeus.

b. Jesus didn’t pass by Zacchaeus, He stopped and took time not to just talk to Him, but built a relationship with him by wanting to spend time with him.

c. People didn’t like Zacchaeus. He was rich, but felt lonely. (His friends were other tax collectors.) There people out there that for some reason are not loved.

d. Zacchaeus must likely felt guilty for the things He had done. Jesus just loves him. People who feel guilt because of their past, we can’t condem them, we have to love them, show them the love of Jesus.

e. Just loving people will back down barriers. We can’t act like we are better, we all sin, we all have our faults.

f. If we will love like Jesus loves, we will love people to Jesus.

g. This means we have to go to the people.

Luke 19:7 NKJV

7 But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.”

Here “they” were the people. “Look at Jesus hanging out with sinners”

1.Another barrier, is people mis-perceptions of Christians.

a. Christians are always judging people. Well are they judging Christians by saying that?

b. Christians are always looking down on people.

c. Christians are think they are better.

d. Christians are pushing their beliefs on people. (We must share the gospel and we can without pushing it on them) This is why it is important to build relationships.

e. Sad part, this is true in some cases. But have to love them as they are. “Just as I am”

f. This is what Jesus did with Zacchaeus. I don’t want they talked about, maybe Zacchaeus had a lot of questions. But we know that Jesus shared the gospel with get like He did one on one with Nicodemus.

III. Love shared, a life changes, VS 8-10

Luke 19:8–10 NKJV

8 Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; 10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

1. Jesus built a relationship with Zacchaeus. Jesus earned his respect. Finally, he lead him to make a response.

a. By loving Zacchaeus, he discovered God grace.

b. It was a transforming grace. Look at how his life was transformed. VS 8

c. It was a saving grace. Zacchaeus was now a born again believer. VS 9

d. It was a loving grace: VS 10