Peeled: Luke 19:1-10: Be Kind

Introduction

Staci smelling like bug spray. Someone’s words ruined a beautiful story.

It is easy to recognize when someone is unkind. It’s unkind to use your words to hurt. It’s unkind not to consider the feelings of others. It’s unkind to be rude, arrogant, etc. -

We live in an unkind world. You’ve been the recipient of unkindness. You’ve probably also been the giver of unkindness.

Imagine a world where people genuinely treat others with care…

We know what unkindness is, but what is kindness? It’s not simply being nice. Anyone can be nice. Kindness is a fruit of the Spirit - a character quality produced by the Holy Spirit.

Kindness is a strong desire to help, encourage, or comfort someone else for the sake of Jesus even if being kind causes great interruption or inconvenience to the person expressing kindness.

Kindness acts on behalf of others.

Jesus is the Fruit of the Spirit for you. He is kind for you!

You are a child of God because of the kindness of God (Ephesians 2:7). The kindness of God leads to repentance (Romans 2:4).

Christ-centered kindness has the potential to change lives.

Luke 19: A life transformed because of the kindness of Jesus.

Two simple truths to help you grow in kindness.

A kind person looks past what everyone else looks at.

Jesus made his way through Jericho - a wealthy city near Jerusalem - located on a major trade route, lots of commerce in Jericho. Jericho one of three major centers for collecting taxes.

No one likes to pay taxes, especially when you have to pay taxes to an enemy nation that was oppressing you. Zaccheus didn’t work for the IRS of Israel. He worked for Rome. Instead of fighting against Rome, people like Zacchaeus were helping Rome!

The Jews looked at Zaccheus as a traitor and extortionist. Zaccheus was good at his job. He was a chief tax collector. He probably didn’t collect from the people himself. He had tax collectors working under him. He was rich.

Who knows how long Zaccheus had been in this lucrative business, but the business wasn’t as lucrative as he thought. His pursuit of wealth cost him more than it gave him.

Materially, Zach had everything he could ever want. Relationally, he had nothing. His own momma told him not to come home for family gatherings. She was ashamed of him. Not a good thing when your momma doesn’t like you...

Zaccheus knew he had nothing… Maybe you know you have nothing… Maybe this morning you’re like Zaccheus. You showed up here because you want to see if Jesus has something for you.

You don’t have to climb a tree to see Him this morning - just listen and allow God to reveal Himself to you.

Zaccheus knew about Jesus. He knew that Jesus was kind. He had heard of how Jesus spent time with people like tax collectors. Zach probably knew about Levi, the former tax collector who was one of the twelve disciples.

Zach had to know more. Heard Jesus was passing by. A crowd gathered to see Jesus. Zach was like me… short. (Zaccheus was a wee little man… Such a degrading song…) He was jumping but couldn’t see over the crowd.

He ran ahead of the crowd and found a tree - started climbing. The richest, shortest man in town climbing a tree to see Jesus. A grown man climbing a tree - not a sight you saw every day. Like Warren Buffett climbing a tree to get a chance to see a local celebrity.

I don’t know what Zaccheus expected to happen when Jesus passed by. Maybe he just wanted to lay eyes on Jesus. Maybe he thought Jesus would at least be nice to him and smile or wave at him.

Imagine Zaccheus screaming as Jesus passed… “Hey Jesus! Up here!”

Zaccheus couldn’t have expected what happened. Jesus wasn’t simply nice to Jesus… He didn’t politely look up at Zaccheus in the tree and say, “Hey, how are you?” Jesus was kind… He said Zaccheus’ name.

“Zaccheus...” Jesus knew Zach’s name. Everyone else tried to forget Zach’s name. Zach had caused so many people so much hurt and financial devastation. Everyone cringed when they heard the name Zaccheus.

Jesus didn’t want to forget Zach’s name. He wanted to write Zaccheus’ name in the Lamb’s Book of Life. He wanted Zach to know that He knew his name. He wanted Zach to know that He wanted to know him. “Come out of that tree. I’m going to your house today.”

Immediate scandal. Shock. People complained. “Doesn’t Jesus know who Zaccheus is? He’s a tax collector. A traitor. A sinner...”

The scorn that Zaccheus had experienced over the years now directed at Jesus. “How could He?” All of a sudden, the focus and scorn was taken off of Zaccheus and put on Jesus. In that moment, people weren’t complaining about Zaccheus, they were complaining about Jesus. Jesus gladly took the scorn for Zaccheus. He would take Zach’s scorn upon Himself again some time later when He went to the cross.

“Jesus is a hypocrite. What does He think he’s doing?” Jesus didn’t care about the unkind things people said about Him. He cared about Zaccheus.

Jesus did something we have a hard time doing: He looked past what everyone else looked at: labels, stereotypes, sins, shortcomings, failures, hurts, etc. and endured pain and insults for someone else.

Everyone else looked at Zaccheus and saw a sinner, a traitor, an extortionist, etc. Jesus saw a man a broken man that He could help.

Jesus looked past all of that and saw deep need: a hurting man who needed help, home, and comfort.

If you’re going to exude kindness, you have to look deeper into the lives of people than you typically look.

KINDNESS BLOCKERS

If I’m going to be kind I have to look past stereotypes I’m tempted to hold.

If I’m going to be kind I have to look past the perceived faults of others.

If I’m going to be kind I have to understand brokenness and its cure.

Waterfall chasing - beauty but you got to be willing to look

A kind person sees Gospel potential in every person.

We look past what everyone else looks at because we’re convinced that Jesus is able to transform anyone.

Zach hurried down the tree. Jesus coming to his home? Couldn’t remember the last time someone came to his home.

In that moment, the kindness of Jesus changed everything for Zaccheus. For years, Zach took. Immediate repentance - a response to the acceptance of Jesus (Romans 2:4). Now, a giver. “I’ll give half my possessions to the poor and pay back four times as much to everyone I’ve extorted.”

Jesus came to seek and save the lost. You couldn’t get any more lost than Zach.

“Today salvation has come to this house...” Then Jesus says something that would have shocked all the religious leaders that witnessed this scene: “…because he too is a son of Abraham.” Even more kindness...

Religious leaders loved to talk about how they were the children of Abraham (Luke 3:8). I imagine Jesus looked at the religious leaders and said, “Zach is a son of Abraham too. He’s part of the family.”

Zach was a prodigal son. He once was lost but now found.

When everyone looked at Zach they saw a traitor, but when Jesus looked at Zach He saw Gospel potential. He saw a man made in His image, a broken man who needed love, compassion, grace, and mercy. Jesus saw a man that He was willing to die for. Jesus saw a man who He could make into a new creation.

Kindness = a heart issue - the kind of person you are because you’ve experienced kindness. But, how do you practice it?

How do I practice kindness?

Be willing to be interrupted. Jesus often welcomed interruptions because He was more focused on people than tasks. Your “to-do” list is important but not eternal. But, eternity is at stake for people you come in contact with. Make room for interruptions - get the hard stuff done early so you can embrace interruptions.

Needs have a way of surfacing at the most inopportune times but needs always present strategic opportunities.

Need comes at 10:00 at night when that husband walks out on his wife.

Need comes during your Sunday afternoon nap when your dear friend loses a child in a tragic accident.

Need comes during the week when you’re trying to get homework done, dinner on the table, etc. and your neighbor’s car won’t start.

Those interruptions may be divine opportunities - an opportunity God is putting in your lap to share the love of Jesus.

We HATE interruptions because we prioritize tasks over people. Or, we prioritize our needs over the needs of others.

Get extremely practical. “I’m going to your house.” That’s what Zaccheus needed - fellowship. To be person who gives kindness you have to be a student of people. You’re an expert at knowing you, but are you an expert in knowing others? How can you best show kindness to someone that needs kindness? A conversation? A financial gift? Being a consistent friend? --- that’s what most people need. Being an encourager? Who is someone right now that everyone else is looking past that you can say, “I can be a constant presence in his/her life?”

Practice kindness at home. Model and teach kindness! Let your children see you being kind to your spouse and kind to them. Let them see you willing to be interrupted. Show kindness together. Practice kindness in your church (Galatians 6:10).

Keep the goal in mind. We’re not talking about random acts of kindness where you pay for someone’s coffee at Starbucks. (That’s good too…) We’re talking about intentional kindness that sees Gospel potential. You’re showing kindness because you believe God wants to take someone from where they are to where He wants them to be.

Always remember the kindness of Jesus. Knowing Zaccheus’ name and calling him out of the tree was an extraordinary act of kindness, but there was a day when Jesus showed Zach the ultimate demonstration of kindness - Jesus was nailed to a tree for the man that He called out of a tree.

Talk about a willingness to be interrupted! Jesus allowed His perfect fellowship with the Father to be interrupted on the cross as He willingly took the condemnation/punishment for your sin upon Himself. He willingly experienced your punishment for your rebellion against God so that you will never have to be punished. He rose from the dead to bring you into relationship with the Father.

We desire to be kindness because we’ve experienced it. We know what kindness is all about. Romans 2:4: The kindness of God has led us to repentance - to turn from our sinful ways and turn to Him because we know He has a better way for us.

If you’ve never trusted Jesus, let the kindness of God lead you to repentance this morning - to trust the God who gave His Son for you.