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Feb 23, 2020

Encounters: Zacchaeus (Click here for Resources)

Passage: Luke 19:1-10

Speaker: Brian Land

Series: Encounters with Jesus

Category: Grace Brevard

Keywords: money, wealth, giving, acceptance, outcast, gratitude, need, desperate, pursue

Jesus was perpetually surrounded by three categories of people: The Fascinated that were intrigued by Jesus; The Furious that were offended by Jesus; The Followers that worshipped Jesus. We can each likely find all three in our hearts as we 1) believe and follow Jesus, 2) only want to know “about” him rather than actually obey him, and 3) are angry that Jesus demands to be our sole Lord. Within Zacchaeus we can find ourselves as we all have “treasures” we withhold from God, thinking that they will give us life, joy and hope, without realizing that these things are only found in Jesus and offered for free in infinite measure. It’s not about what we own, it’s about what owns us. In this story we will also find outrageous grace as we realize what a deplorable outcast Zacchaeus was, yet he was pursued, forgiven and brought to a new standing with the Lord for “salvation has come to this house...the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

ORDER Of Worship

CALL TO WORSHIP: Matthew 11:28-30 & Proverbs 8:17

READING: 2 Corinthians 8:9 & Matthew 5:3 

MUSIC: 

PRAYER: Refuge                     

ALL: O Lord, Let me dwell in thy most secret place under Your shadow; where is safe impenetrable protection.

LEADER: I am entirely dependent upon You for support, counsel, and consolation. Uphold me by Your Spirit.

ALL: Strengthen me inward for every purpose in life. Anew each day in the finished work of Christ.

LEADER: Take my body, soul, talents, character, success, family, friends, work, and future. My very end.

ALL: Take them. They are Yours. We are Yours.  Now and forever.

MESSAGE: Encounters: Zacchaeus

TESTIMONY: Jason and Juli Lefler

CENTRAL TEXT: Luke 19:1-10

BENEDICTION: Romans 11:33-36

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURES:

  • Deuteronomy 4:29
  • 1 Chronicles 29:14
  • Proverbs 10:22
  • Proverbs 22:2
  • Jeremiah 29:11-13
  • Malachi 3:8
  • Matthew 7:7
  • Matthew 6:19
  • Matthew 19:21
  • Mark 12:41-44
  • Luke 5:31
  • Luke 18:9-14
  • Luke 18:18-25
  • 1 Corinthians 6:12
  • Revelation 2:4
  • Revelation 3:17-18

MEDIA:

2.23.20 Album

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1) The Crowds

We see three reactions to Jesus. Go through and describe how you see each one in different parts of your life. (for instance, I am a “consumer” with Jesus regarding my finances, “critical” when it comes to sexuality, “contrite” when it comes to my career).

  1. a) Curious / Consumer - I keep Jesus at arm’s length. Interested, but not too sure.  Not ready to commit/trust.
  2. b) Critics - I disagree with and are offended by Jesus and some of the things he says / demands.
  3. c) Contrite - I am melted at the beauty and Truth of Jesus, and convicted of how I’ve fallen short; hopeful,  not in despair. “Desperate” to see and hear from Jesus.

2) The Calling

How have you heard/senses Jesus’ calling in your life?

How is it that it was Jesus looking for Zacc more than Zacc looking for Jesus? How is this true in our lives?

Jesus wasn’t interested in a simply “meet and greet” but wanted to “abide” (go stay with) Zacc. What is the difference? How would it impact us if Jesus really came over fully to the house of our hearts and stayed (without having “off limit” areas)?

3) The Confession

AFTER (not before) Jesus’ engages Zacc’s life, Zacc’s heart and behavior was transformed. Explain his behavioral response with money, payback etc.

What MUST have happened in his heart for that to happen?

How are finances usually an accurate gauge of our hearts/faith?

Why can it be such a struggle? Why do we withhold giving?

How can you ask Jesus to help loosen money’s grip on your heart?

How can resting in Jesus giving up His “treasures” while securing us eternal treasures by paying our eternal debt be a freeing and faith-based (vs. guilt based) motivation toward generosity?

QUOTES:

  • “Nothing teaches us about the preciousness of the Creator as much as when we learn the emptiness of everything else.” - Charles Spurgeon
  • “If you want God’s grace, all you need is need, all you need is nothing.” - Tim Keller
  • “This whole ‘happiness from the inside’ thing…where's it coming from? What am I feeling good about? You have to have some sense of accomplishment...Because I knew that you need two things. You need money and you need a girlfriend. With no money, there's no girlfriend. Of course, I hated myself deeply, but that's because I didn't have the money and the girlfriend. If I had the money and the girlfriend, I knew I would hate myself a little less.” - Larry David (GQ, February 2020)
  • “I have been a scoundrel all my life, I’ve been selfish. I’ve been cruel at times, hard to work with, and I’m grateful that so many of you in this room have given me a second chance….I think that’s when we’re at our best: when we support each other. Not when we cancel each other out for our past mistakes, but when we help each other to grow. When we educate each other; when we guide each other to redemption.” - Joaquin Phoenix (Oscars Acceptance Speech 2020)
  • “Success is a beast. And it actually puts the emphasis on the wrong thing. You get away with more instead of looking within.” - Brad Pitt
  • “To live for yourself is to rob yourself of your own humanity. It is only in living for Christ that we actually begin to become what we were meant to be.” - Paul David Tripp 
  • “We must become convinced that Love has to be a person to us before it can become a verb.” - Scott Sauls
  • “My deepest awareness of myself is that I am deeply loved by Jesus Christ and that I have done nothing to earn or deserve it.” - Brennan Manning (The Ragamuffin Gospel)

BOOKS / DOCS

SERMONS / TALKS: