Come and See

Intro

God is good... all the time

Intro yourselfHS Pastor at The Glade ChurchInterns with EvanTrusted brother. One I have zero hesitation in going to for love, compassion, and advice. So I know that you can do the same.

I love weekends like these. I have benefitted so much from getting away on weekends like these growing up. There's something to be said about getting away, even if just for a brief moment. You loaded up in whatever vehicle you came down here in. You packed a a couple changes of clothes. If you're a guy you maybe brought a pair of underwear or two. Maybe a toothbrush. If not, you're rooming with Evan this weekend.

But the best part of weekends like these is that you get to leave so much behind you. In the day and age that we are living in, it takes all of 5 minutes watching tv, or a couple of scrolls on your phone to just become exhausted. School year has been turned on its head. We've maybe been holed up in quarantine for months on end now. But here we are, able to get away. Hit the restart button a bit and maybe put some thought towards some things that really matter.

What I love about weekends like these is that we are offered a new perspective on things. Maybe something that we've long since already heard about in our lives. Or maybe something totally new. Either way is great. But my challenge to you this weekend is to take full advantage. Wring out this weekend for all its worth. There will be plenty of opportunity to be with friends, take part in this really beautiful camp, and God willing, God's Word, the Bible will come alive for you this weekend.

Guys, I won't try and hide it or be clever about it. I have one goal in mind this weekend. How can I best help you all see Jesus more clearly this weekend. Whether you've long since been walking with Jesus in a faithful relationship or perhaps you truly lock in for the first time ever, myself, Evan, your leaders, we all hope and pray you can walk away from here and know that you had a true encounter with Jesus.

Transition

With this in mind, we turn to a story about someone who literally had to change the way that he saw Jesus. And what he got in return was so much more than what he was expecting...

Scripture

Luke 19:1–9 (CSB)

1 He entered Jericho and was passing through.

2 There was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.

3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but he was not able because of the crowd, since he was a short man.

4 So running ahead, he climbed up a sycamore tree to see Jesus, since he was about to pass that way.

5 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.”

6 So he quickly came down and welcomed him joyfully.

7 All who saw it began to complain, “He’s gone to stay with a sinful man.”

8 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.”

9 “Today salvation has come to this house,” Jesus told him

The buzz is out on Jesus. He's travelled the lands. He's taught some really controversial stuff. He's done these really amazing things. He's made blind people see.

And here is this man, Zacchaeus trying to catch a glimpse of this man he's heard of. He's short. He can't see. And we learn here that the writer says that he was a chief tax collector and that he was rich from doing so. This means a couple of things. Tax collectors were seen as the cheats of society. No one likes paying taxes. I don't like paying taxes. When I see my paycheck and line by line I see all of these people taking money away from me I just sit and think... this sucks... you know?

It's like halloween rolls around when I'm a kid and in the days and weeks after, dad sneaks some candy away from me and and I just want to scream at him... you didn't go door to door in a mask and inhale your own stinky breath to get your piece of candy... go away. but he puts a roof over my head and food on my table so I let it go, but I'm not going to be happy about it... It's the dad tax.

But with Zacchaeus it went so much deeper. He not only took money for the government, but he padded his own pocket as well. And he did this so often and for so much that he was notably rich. He stole... there's no other way to put it. He's a crook.

You can imagine this short little man trying to maneuver his way through the crowd. And people lock eyes with him. And they know, and he knows, I shouldn't be here. I've wronged these people.

You've known a time like this. All eyes fall on you. That feeling of embarrassment and shame rises up from underneath you and you feel like you are going to drown in this feeling of being on the outside.

So with desperation, Zacchaeus climbs a tree. Little man just swaying from side to side, hoping to catch a glimpse. And its right then and there that Jesus looks up and says. You, I'm coming to be with you.

What more could someone ask for on this earth? I want to be with you... We desire to hear that from a loved one. We desire to hear that from some pretty little girl or maybe some really good looking guy. But how much more does it mean if it comes from God.

You, I want to be with you.

Do you believe that God says that about you? I want to be with you. You might be afraid to truly and fully commit to believing with your whole heart that that is the case. You might be afraid that someone would look at you and say, "Him? Her? They go to church? Have you heard some of the things they've said? Have you heard of the things they've done"

That's what the crowd was saying here. You're going to be with him? You obviously don't know who you're dealing with. Don’t you know that he's a liar and a cheat?

But it remains the same. Jesu says, "I want to be with you."

Guys, I don't know what brought you down here. Maybe you were just thrilled to get away.

Maybe you were kind of curious what a weekend like this would look like. Or maybe you needed to get a change of scenery to see things a bit more clearly. Zacchaeus literally climbed a tree to get a new perspective on things. What would it take for you to put yourself in a position to see... really see this weekend, who Jesus is?

I have zero doubt that some of you will be able to point back to your time here, with these people, in this ministry, with this church, and say... that's when. That's when I really saw Jesus for the first time.

Zacchaeus was willing to lay it all on the line. He said, I don't want it anymore... I'll give it all back.

What would it take for you to lay it all on the line this weekend?

There's going to be a lot of opportunity for you to take part in this weekend. To go and have fun. To stay up late. To play pranks on Evan... but what do you need to do to wring out this weekend for all that it's worth?

That's my invitation to you, here and now. Come and see what it is that God has in store for you. Let's pray together.