Beyond Mere Agreement

Thank you for joining us for this broadcast from The Ninth Avenue Church of Christ in Haleyville, Alabama. We hope that you will subscribe and we'll share our broadcast with others. Now. We take you to the pulpit of the 9th, Avenue Church of Christ for most of this morning and we've been talkin about Jesus a lot. Obviously, that's a good thing to do in worship. But our focus is on the life of Jesus, two things Jesus did. So this morning. I thought we would look at someone whose life was impacted by Jesus and learning from this person to see how we can change our lives to see people who met Jesus. If they were open to him and they accepted him, their lives changed, as there as a result. And there was a man who understood that. That's maybe not I'm not going to say more than others, but he understood that and made a definite change that we can learn from. Several years back. I would say. Oh man. I was probably in my first year of first, two years of ministry, a full-time Ministry and I was assigned to speak one of the lessons at a camp and they assigned me Zacchaeus. And I was a little offended that first thing. So you pick the shortest guy possible to speak about Zacchaeus to this time. I thought I'd beat everybody to the punch and I'll choose to speak of Zacchaeus when I went to speak about that kiss. But I'm so here we are looking at the story of Zacchaeus, a man who definitely changed his life because of a meeting Jesus. Or we just the first four verses of Luke. 19 said he being Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through and behold. There was a man named that kissed. He was a chief. Tax collector in was rich, and he was seeking to see who Jesus was. But on account of the crowd, he could not because he was small in stature.

I like that. I like reading about someone that I can relate to my whole life. I've struggled with seeing things but other people could see if we're at an event. I feel like sometimes I have to stand up to see over the person in front of me, but then I have to remember that now the person behind me can't see. So there's really a lose-lose situation being short sometimes. But I love this that it This man named Zacchaeus desperately wanted to see Jesus. This next verse actually goes on to say March 4th. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him for he was about to pass that way. So the first thing we can see is that Kia's, did all, he could to see Jesus. Have this moment that key. Has he had heard about Jesus. Jesus was gathering crowd. At this point. Rather large crowds is that key is I imagine that I want to know more then. There's just met a man named. Jesus. Everyone's talkin about, Jesus. Everyone's talkin about them, the Miracles and signs. He's doing, they're talkin about the things. He's saying the authority of which he speaks. And I'm a pretty powerful guy, but this guy seems to have a lot more pull than I do. I want to see what this Jesus is all about. And he went out of his way. I like it said, you know, it gives us is inside saying he couldn't see him. I couldn't see through the crowds because he was too short and we almost overlooked this next phrase. So he ran on ahead. We always talk about him climbing a tree, to see Jesus but we almost maybe not almost we do skip over here and ahead and I did pick up on this until I was studying for this lesson all those years ago. And looking at the story of Zacchaeus and I thought he planned it. He didn't just say, all I can't see. Let me push my way through the crowd to let me see a tree that's in behind me or in my in my immediate vicinity. He planned it in in for meeting, for for him to win, on the head. It meant several things. He had to see at least which direction Jesus was moving. See the path of crown had form for Jesus to Walk, and he ran ahead of the crowd climbed in the tree ahead of the crowd. Knowing Jesus is now going to pass by me. I may not be able to get you Jesus right where he is. And if I climb right where I am, but I might get up the tree. Jesus is gone. So Jackie and then it just halfway do it. He decided I'm going to make sure I see Jesus, no matter what so he ran on ahead. He went out of his way to see Jesus.

Do I have to ask? And I'm not sure if this is why we are given the store. I don't think it is, but I think it's worth thinking about. What's preventing you from seeing Jesus? For him? Physically, he couldn't see Jesus, cuz I was his height. Now. He also needed to be open to Jesus, for the way. He was living. So I asked you, what, what things in your life. Prevent you from seeing Jesus. Obviously, it's not going to be. Your height is not going to be your eyesight. Cuz for us, we don't have Jesus here. Physically with us. He's not walking around today. But what in our lives? Maybe it's a job. Maybe it's friendships. Maybe it's other relationships. Maybe it's I send maybe it's a struggle. Maybe it's a trial, you're experiencing. But what? Right now is an obstacle for you, seeing Jesus and finding out what he's all about. You might be thinking, why don't why? I don't know any of them. Well, we all have things that come between us in Jesus, and maybe not seen Jesus, cuz you're here, you're saying, well, I'm here. I'm invested. I read my Bible. I pray, I come to church. I come to worship or about this. What's preventing you from Desiring to see and know more about Jesus. Cuz you can say, a lot of things about Zacchaeus. You can say, well, you were the chief tax collector. He stole from people. He was living in sin. He was hated. He was a thief, he did this, he did that. But you can't deny the fact that he desired. Jesus. He's he's coming to town. I can't see him too bad. He he didn't do that. He didn't say all I want to know more about Jesus but I just there's too much in the way. There's too many things. I have to change. No, he went out of his way. He made the effort. You can't say is that kid showed lack of effort? In fact, he was one of the people we see most to probably had to do a whole lot of work. And do the most to interact with Jesus know, we have the people who dug a hole in the roof. We have the lady with the with the, with the blood issue, who forced to wait, just a touch, the cloak with a few individuals will read about. You just weren't part of the crowd but who found away and went out of their way to encounter Jesus, but keep reading an inverse 5 in look like teen starting verse five. It says end when Jesus came to the place just like he has planned well and found a tree. That was along the path and says it when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him that Hurry and come down for, I must stay at your house today. So we hurried and came down and received him. Joyfully, and when they saw it, they all grumbled. He is gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner, like he has stood and said to the Lord. And behold, Lord, the half of my goods. I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will restore it for fold in. Jesus said to him today, salvation has come to this house and see is also a son of Abraham, son of man came to seek and save the Lost. We love that verse. Jesus came to seek and save the Lost been in contact. Sees, and this moment he is definitely talking to Zacchaeus in about Zacchaeus and it changed Ikea's made, but we have to understand And In This Moment, the kids in a tree, Jesus calls to Zacchaeus. And that key has answered. The call is really fun in your hand while you and I were we're discussing this on the phone a couple days ago and that Jesus invited himself over to that. He has his house and I always thinking about this just last night. How many times has have you? And maybe someone else to into you, but do we like it? When people just invite themselves over? It's one thing to say. Oh, hey, let's go out to eat and playing like an evening together for someone call you and say, hey, you're making me dinner. I'll be there in 5 minutes. Go, hold up. Today is not a good day. That kids could be like, hold you just my house isn't clean. I'm not ready to host anyone today. Can we can we get together tomorrow? But you just said, hey, I'm coming to your house today. And it's very evident that that happened cuz one I love this. Number 7. I'm a timer 6. He came down, not just all he climb back down. If he hurried and came down and he's really excited and it sent and received him. Joyfully. He was happy about it. Many of us are happy about answering the call to Jesus. Sometimes you might say one. I know I'm supposed to obey Jesus and follow him and live a certain way. But sometimes we do it the bad attitude in our class at on Wednesdays are teenagers were looking at spiritual disciplines and and I've asked the kids about this, it's doing what the right thing. At the right time the right way with the right Spirit as it was one of those his hardest. They're all hard. But a lot of us were talking about that. Right? Spirit is really hard. I can do the right thing at the right time and the right way, but I can do it with a bad attitude. And if I'm doing with a bad attitude and I have something I need to fix in my life, but here you can't you can say a whole lot about Zacchaeus. You can say he's not living the right way and he's definitely not doing the things in the right in the end with within the right way and he's definitely not doing the right thing, but he's has the spirit. And that's a start. That's the beginning of this story for that. Key is in the story of his change. What? We see these three calls that will look at this morning. And I hope you can read it and might be too small, but they'll be the call to meet with Jesus, but call to make a change and then the call to dedicate his life to Jesus. Those are those three call that he answered. The first one is is pretty evident the called to meet Jesus. Jesus said I'm coming to your house today, the kiss hurry down and receipts and joyfully, he was ready. The perp remember, if we go back to the beginning of the chapter. It said that there's a man in zecky is he was a chief tax collector. He was were very rich. He was speaking to see who Jesus Was Not only was his plan is to see who Jesus was. Maybe I can get a glimpse of some. Some sign he does. Maybe I get to hear something. He says that's been there. All don't change my life. Like everybody saying, but at this moment, when I get some one-on-one time with Jesus, And he was excited.

Are we excited when we get to spend one-on-one time? And I know for us or something, why don't get to sit down and have a meal? Jesus. That would be really cool. Like, I envy some of these these individuals who led the Jesus cuz they got to eat and spend time with him and sit at the feet of Jesus.

But sometimes I forget that, we have the whole picture. We get to know everything he did and we have the scriptures for us to spend time with Jesus, by reading the scriptures by spending time in Prayer, by spending time in meditation. All of those things are so important. But sometimes we said today is just not a good day for that. I know I'm supposed to read my Bible. I know we're supposed to spend time in prayer. But today I was just too busy. I imagine that he has, he could have said it. I was just here to watch you walk by and maybe catch something amazing, but I got taxes to do. I'm a chief tax collector. I'm not just some normal tax collector. I'm on top, I got people working for me and people who work for them and I'm over all of it. I'm too busy today. Can we eat later? He could have reacted that way, but we see him receiving. Joyfully and then I don't know what happened here. There must have been some time that passed. I don't think this was an immediate reaction cuz we do see. He hurried down received him and the people saw Jesus is like, he is going into the luckiest is home and they were up, they were angry. How old are Jesus? Eat with such a man sexiest was well-known. They hated that key is in fact Tax Collectors were one of the most hated people there were so what may tasks collectors. So I guess I don't know if they were scamming scammers. So you had the chief tax collector was overall either tax collectors. And let's say they know they had to take a certain percentage. Let's just make up easy Matt 5% of everybody. Everybody had to pay 5% was a sure. It wasn't flat flat rate. Let's just say it was, everybody had to pay 5% in the chief tax collector. Had to pay that 5 pad to collect at 5% and pay it back to the Roman government. What he wanted to make some money so we know, I like from history. They would have these weights on the back of the scales to make the scale unbalanced. So they were to get more money and either pocket the difference with the chief tax collector. Say, I want to make an extra 2% on everybody's transaction. So he would do that. But the people who worked under him, he would say I need 7% cuz I have to park at 2. But if you charge more than that, you can keep the difference. So what would happen if people beneath, the chief tax collector would charge, maybe 10%. So they got to collect so much and then they can pay. Jackie is so much, is Ikea's could pay the government to the further down. You went, the more you are being charged because the guy the top, how to make his cut today, news that was going on but they just couldn't do anything about it. Because how else are you going to pay your taxes if you have the tax collectors, so there was this huge scam and they insult He is was rich because he was benefiting off of this payment scam. You could almost even say a. The original pyramid scheme so here, and he's very rich in there has to have been some discussion between 7 and 8 or 7 and 8. I imagine they're eating and Zacchaeus and Jesus are having conversation. I would like to believe that Jesus was very Frank. Was that Kia's? We know from other passages that KIA, so I can Jesus didn't hold back. He he he would correct but you are correct in love. And that and but something some discussion had to have happened cuz a state like he has stood. Now. We're sitting up there at home. He's not standing in front of everyone outside. He was complaining but he standing up to make this Proclamation. Almost this commitment. Just committing it to change you could say and he says the hold Lords, so he's addressing Jesus. The half of my goods, I give to the poor. What would have prompted that key is just from having a meal while? I think that discussion that we that we don't have recorded but it says I'm going to give half of my goods to the poor. And I'm going to get 50% of my income to the needy impressive, but then he goes a step further to this minute to change. And he says, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I've done a big, if that's more of like, okay. I know, I'll just find it people. I mean, that's what Tax Collectors did because if I have defrauded people of anything. I won't just pay them back. I won't just pay them back double or triple. I'll restore it for fold.

That's a big change for a man who prided himself on his well for a man who prided himself on his status of having all of the stuff. He says, I'm going to give half of it away and then all those people that I've got scammed. I'm going to pay them back four times. Would I stole from them?

Did he have to come in if you just paid them back with that have been, right? Sure without a made it. I mean, when I have been just sure. M. I I want to pay them back. Double that has been proper will sure. Thank you. Say no. No, I'm going to go out of my way. So I know that I'm making this right change. I have to make up for what I've done. I've lived this way this wrong life. And now I'm going to completely turn around and live in a way that honors God in a way that honors Jesus. And then, this next part, that's called the engine to call dad in his life to Jesus. We don't see him now. He any, we don't see a statement saying, I'll follow you now forever. We don't see a statement saying. Now, I'll change my way of living. Although, that's kind of what he didn't say. We don't see if any statement saying and he followed Jesus, but here's what we do see. Jesus sang today, salvation has come to this house. She just wouldn't have said that and less like he has completely changed his life and answer that call to live like Jesus today, salvation Has Come Today, you have made that change and we should be happy for it and then never stand because I came to seek and save the Lost. He's talking about Zacchaeus and others, but he's saying you were lost and you've made that change, that's necessary. But you remember, this is this is pre death. This is pre all of the other things that we need to do, but he sang and salvation has come to this house. You see Zacchaeus did all he could to change his life. And I don't think any of the things he did was easy. I don't know if it's easy to climb a sycamore tree, but I know he ran ahead. I dunno, man. It's hard to give 50% of your income in your stuff away. That's really hard. I don't care who you are and how much money you have. That's a lot, the high percentage. And then not just that but now on top of that, I'm going to now give back four times, what I stolen. And remember, how did they make their money from stealing? So most of his income both of his wealth came from robbing people and he says, I'm going to give it back four times.

I also noticed something he didn't wait till he was perfect to start following Jesus. He didn't say. Well I got to do all this stuff before I can now walking. No walking the like he says I'm going to change now. I'm going to follow you and now he had some things, he did it all simultaneously, hit it also as a progress to become transformed to be like Jesus, but he didn't say let me wait till I get some other things in an order in place and then I'll make that change. Sometimes we think we have to be perfect before we start following Jesus. Sometimes we think we have to have it all figured out all together before we can make that commitment. I had a friend in high school. Who and I asked her, I said, why aren't you? Why aren't you baptized yet? We were, I was a junior or senior. She was a year or two younger than me, and she just said, well, I just don't have my life together yet. I said, okay. And, you know, none of us to do is she that she pointed out a few of us who were some of the leaders in the youth group, who, who were all going to go into Ministry. And she said, you'll have it all figured out. I said, no. No, we don't. I said, we have our problems. We have our struggles and we're just people, And for her the sphere up, I don't, I'm going, I still have all these things wrong in my life. I have to fix them before I become a Christian. Text completely on biblical and I'm not talking bad about her. She's a wonderful person and she's a wonderful Christian today. But that fear is so popular today, where I have to figure out everything before I can commit to Jesus really? When it's commit to Jesus and then become more like him, you have to start somewhere in the fact will never be perfect. Zacchaeus Was never perfect. There was never a perfect person except for Jesus. So we say, I got to figure out and get my life together before I become a Christian is total nonsense, and I'm not trying to belittle anyone, but it's completely anti scripture because without becoming a Christian to can't become perfect. We will never be perfect until the final day of judgment. When on the day of judgement. Jesus says, I pay for their sin. They are perfect because they're covered in my Will be perfect on that day of judgment will be glorified and be with him one day. But why do on this Earth while we're still breathing?

Will never have it all figured out. So we have to start somewhere like Zacchaeus seems like he is in his court. I want you to remember he stepped Beyond mere agreement to definite action. I'm just say, oh, yeah. Just I agree. I've done some bad things for the food and had a good meal with you. I'll see you later. He didn't do that and sometimes I get to say, yeah. I'm not lived completely, right? I have some things I have to work on. Both where I am. Look at all these great things. I am doing. I'll work on it. Later. No, he didn't. Sometimes we do that. Proceed Zacchaeus Step Beyond mere agreement to definite action. I want you to come back to that just a little bit. So, what do we need to do? The three things we have to do and then I will close. At least you look familiar. We need to answer the call to go to Jesus. We need to answer the call to commit to change, and we need to answer the call to dedicate Our Lives to him to Matthew Chapter 11. Matthew Chapter 11. Tony ms-28.

Jesus says, this has come to me all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for. I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls are going to be obstacles to following Jesus. It's going to be hard. but also, I would, I would How to say this living a life without Jesus is a lot harder, he just says, hey, you're you're trying hard and you work hard. But come to me and I will give you rest. He thinks I'm calling out to you. If you come to me, you will have rest, maybe not on this life. But especially in the next he says, take my yoke upon you and learn from me, right? Answer my call. You didn't learn for me. Do the things that I'm doing and gets for. I am gentle and lowly in heart and again, and you will find rest for your souls. What a peaceful call Nicole is going to be difficult to difficult to live, like Jesus, but I would stay at the whole lot harder to live without Jesus. He saying, come to me. Then once you get to that call, then to call to change, has the answer some of Paul's writings in Ephesians, chapter 4, in Ephesians 4, Paul writes, this starting verse 22.

If he tells us to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life in his cropped too. Deceitful desires says, once you said I'm going to follow Jesus, you have to get rid of your old life. That Kia's. What are you do? Cuz I'm not going to do my old way of life anymore. I'm going to give all this up to the meeting. I'm going to pay back everybody. I'm not going to steal from anybody anymore. Paul sang put off your old self. Cuz that belongs to what the year old way of living. You're not living that way anymore. US-23. Here's what we should do. Be renewed in the spirit of your mind into put on the new self created after the likeness of God and true righteousness and Holiness. So again, it's not just good enough to say I'm no longer to live this way. We have to do, I'm not letting that way, but now I'm going to live this way and I'm going to commit to not just stop what? I'm not supposed to be doing, but I want to commit to completely change to do what I need to do to become more like Jesus. And in the same chapter Ephesian 4, verses 1 through 3, show us about this Dedication 3. Now, I therefore a prisoner of the Lord urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you've been called. He said, you need to be dedicating yourself to walk, like Jesus. You've been called, you need to answer in walk in a way. That's worthy of that calling first to. Here's how to do that with all humility and gentleness with patients bearing with one another in love eager to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. And then he goes on to do those all those 71 But he sang answer the call, the call to Jesus, the call to change, but then the call to completely dedicate your lives to him into a walk-in in a way. That's worthy of those callings. And when we do that. We'll maintain that unity in the bond of peace. This morning. If you haven't started your walk with Christ, just yet answered that first call. If you haven't been buried in the waters of baptism to be raised in newness of life, to get rid of your old life, to start walking in newness of Life. What are you waiting for? You don't have to wait to be perfect. You don't have to wait, to fix other things in your life that will come to transformation throughout your whole life. But you have to start somewhere and what a better place to start than my saying. I believe that Jesus is the Christ. I know that I've sent and I know what I have to do and I need to be buried in the waters of baptism to contact his blood to be cleansed and walking in his of life, but whether you're baptized are or you're not unbaptized at this point here, is that quote that I want you to remember, I'm going to read back from it, and I found this from the teacher commentary and I thought it was just really good. I'll read it. The mistake of thinking that we are dipoles simply because we agree, I will says, or go to church, Not Mere agreement, to definite action. He has committed himself to do.

And it's not just about agreeing about action. It's about obeying him. It's my last question is what have you committed yourself to? If this program has been beneficial to you, please consider subscribing on YouTube Apple podcast or your favorite podcast. Provider also would love for you to leave us a 5-star review, which will greatly assist us in getting the message of God's love and salvation to others. Would love even more for you to join us in person. We are located at 2309 9th Avenue, in Haleyville, Alabama. You can also check us out on Facebook.

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