Seeking and Saving the Lost

Happy New Year. It's good to see all of you this morning. Turn in your Bibles, if you would

! please, to Luke chapter 18. And if you're using the pew Bible in front of you, it's on page 878.

Luke 18 · chapter mention

Luke chapter 18. We're picking up our series in Luke and hope to finish this off by the end of May.

Luke 18 · chapter mention

So we're kind of in the last leg, as it were, the final week of Jesus's life in ministry.

And we're kind of making our way from Jericho up to Jerusalem. And we find ourselves this morning

in Jericho, which is about 15 miles away from Jerusalem, as Jesus sets his sights on this final

objective. This morning, one of the questions that we're going to find that Jesus asks is found in

chapter 18, verse 41. And it goes like this. Jesus asks the blind man, what do you want for me to do

for you? What do you want for me to do for you? If Jesus were to ask you that question this morning,

how would you answer? What do you want for me to do for you? How would you fill in the blank?

What is the deepest longing of your life? What is the thing in your heart that if Jesus can help

to provide resolution to that thing, whatever it is, how would you answer that question? What do you

want for me to do for you? And of course, at the end of our passage, we'll find the mission statement

of Christ that he's come to seek and to save the lost. I think we're really experts when it comes to

answering this question, at least from a superficial level. I mean, we've just come through the Christmas

season. And so even at a very early age, we've kind of conditioned ourselves to answer this question,

what should I do for you? Or what do you want for Christmas? Create your list and give it to me,

and I'll make sure that I am helping to provide whatever is on that list. We condition ourselves

or even our children, our culture is conditioning us, even at an early age, how to fill in that blank,

as it were. Matter of fact, I was fascinated to find that millions of children, even around the world,

in as many as 200 different countries, will follow and track Santa Claus online through the North American

Aerospace Defense Command Santa tracker. You aware of this? At least 100,000 children actually even call

into the hotline, where is Santa right now? And they'll have an answer. Mall Santas. Maybe you're acquainted

with them, or even have taken your kids to sit on Santa's lap, to give him their list, to take a picture.

Not saying that that's wrong, just something we do to condition ourselves to think about how to answer

this question. As many as 18 million children will go see Santa Claus in the store. And millions of

children and adults around the world will write to Santa each year. Either a personal letter,

the USPS says that they've received as many as 23,000 physical letters this past year to Santa Claus.

They've created even a way to create a letter online so that in France, about almost 2 million

children or people will write a letter to Santa. In Canada, about 1.3 million. And here in the States,

about 1 million children and adults will write a letter to Santa. We've conditioned ourselves to answer

this question. What would you have for me to do for you? And maybe I'll need to graduate this

illustration a little bit so that we can all maybe resonate a bit with the tension of this. How many of

you have experienced or maybe even participated this past year in having given or received a gift that

wasn't quite exactly the way you wanted it to be? It wasn't the right color. It wasn't the right brand.

It wasn't the right kind. It didn't have the right features. And so it really wasn't what you asked for or what you wanted. And so you're a little frustrated.

And the registries that we have that not just that I need something fill in the blank, but I need a specific kind of something with certain features. Like I want the 12 cup coffee machine and not the 10 cupper. I don't want the kind that heats.

I want the thermos kind that sits and stays warm inside. I want the kind with the reservoir. Not that you have to fill with the pot itself, but you detach the reservoir. You know what I'm talking about, right?

And so when Jesus would ask us this question, what would I have you? What would you have for me to do for you?

Not only is there a blindness in our own heart to what our true need is, there is this affection for things that are completely other than what Jesus intends to give to us.

The things, by the way, the things that actually meet our deepest need.

The things that will fill us up in a way that nothing can actually fill up other than Christ.

So in our time today, I want to help us be able not only to answer this question, what would I have for you to do for me?

But to understand from Jesus' perspective, what he came to do, the very purpose that Jesus came to fill.

That is what we're going to find in our passage today.

Two purpose statements of Jesus.

And then two examples of individuals who surprisingly get to enjoy the benefits of what Jesus has come to do.

And they participate.

They enjoy the experience, the blessing of that purpose of God for their life.

Now this is significant for us, especially at the beginning of a year.

We're heading into 2025.

And my guess is there's a number of pressures and challenges and distractions, maybe frustrations and problems, maybe even joys and things that are thrilling you.

Those good things and hard things.

Those great things that you're celebrating.

Those things that you're grieving.

Whatever it might be.

It is so significant for us to enter this year, 2025, being able to answer this question.

What would you have for me to do for you?

So we have a lot of ground to cover, but I want to do it in a little different way.

So please bear with me.

My goal this morning is just to draw out some of the statements in the text today.

We're not going to have time to dig in and to develop the specifics of every word or phrase in this pretty extensive passage.

But I want to just draw out for us and think about and meditate on and digest some of the things that are taking place in this passage.

So we can really appreciate how to answer this question.

It is the quintessential question of 2025.

It really is the ultimate question you could ever answer.

What would you have for me to do for you?

So if you're with me in Luke chapter 18, beginning in verse 31,

Luke 18 · chapter mention

we're going to see that Jesus, this first purpose that he will explain to his disciples

is that Jesus came to provide a way of salvation.

Jesus came to provide a way of salvation.

You and I need salvation and rescue.

But maybe not the rescue or the deliverance or the help that you think you need.

Jesus came to provide a way of salvation.

We're going to see what that looks like here, beginning in verse 31.

It says,

And after flogging him, they will kill him.

And on the third day, he will rise.

But they understood none of these things.

This saying was hidden from them.

And they did not grasp what he said.

Jesus came to provide a way of salvation.

He does that and accomplishes that through his obedience.

That's what we're going to see first.

He accomplished that through his obedience.

Now, it's not spelled out explicitly here in the text.

But I want to draw your attention to two statements right at the beginning

that help us understand what it means that he's going to Jerusalem.

What's the big deal?

Well, Jesus says, we're going to Jerusalem.

Why?

Because we need to accomplish something.

There's a destiny.

There's a purpose to fulfill.

That purpose is to accomplish all the things that were spoken about by the prophets.

And Jesus, throughout his ministry, has conditioned his heart and spoken the words

and ordered his life in obedience to God the Father to carry out his will.

He does this through obedience.

We see Christ's obedience in these statements.

And these events in Jericho, by the way, probably happened on a Friday, okay?

And it was the Friday before Good Friday.

So we're talking about just a week away.

Jesus is in Jericho.

And in just seven days, he's going to die.

He's going to be on the cross.

Good Friday has happened.

That's why we're in this last week, this Passion Week, as it were,

he's here.

The moment has come.

And Jesus is wanting to help describe his disciples what is about to go down in Jerusalem

and why it matters.

So Jesus is there.

And Jesus would spend the night on Friday with Zacchaeus.

Jesus and a band of disciples.

This massive crowd of pilgrims would make their way up to Jerusalem on Saturday.

On Sunday, likely Jesus would ride into Jerusalem.

And that would be his triumphal entry.

And then the rest of the week would happen.

And on Friday, he would die.

So what Jesus says here is significant.

These are kind of the parting words that we're beginning to hear from his mouth.

We're beginning to really understand what his life in ministry was all about.

But Jesus cares to convey to his disciples what's about to happen is not a surprise.

Jesus knows what his future holds.

And Jesus, being a man on a mission, we see that he's been making his way to Jerusalem now

for at least six months.

We find, going all the way back to Luke chapter 9, some statements that Jesus will make about his future.

Luke 9 · chapter mention

In Luke chapter 9, verse 22, he tells his disciples the first time,

Luke 9:22

The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes

and be killed and on the third day be raised.

Then a few verses later, after his transfiguration, we find in verse 44,

Let these words sing down in your ears.

The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.

But they did not understand the saying.

It was concealed from them so that they might not perceive it.

And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

And from this time in Galilee, we find that Jesus begins to set his face towards Jerusalem.

He understands what's ahead of him.

He recognizes what God's will is for him.

And it's to finally and ultimately arrive in Jerusalem to be the Passover lamb

and to be killed for the sins of the world.

We find in Luke chapter 9, verse 51 and 53,

Luke 9:51

When Jesus, the days drew near for him to be taken up,

he set his face to go to Jerusalem.

He sent messengers ahead of him who went and entered the village of Samaritans

to make preparations for him.

But the people did not receive him because his face was set towards Jerusalem.

Then in Luke chapter 13, verse 22,

Luke 13:22

He went on his way through the towns and villages,

teaching and journeying towards Jerusalem.

Jesus knew the objective.

Jesus aligned his heart in life to carry out that objective

because Jesus alone is the way of salvation.

So why did he go?

Why did he do this?

Why didn't he just run away?

Because Jesus was committed to the will of God.

Jesus aligned his heart and life in obedience and submission to the Father.

So that we find in Philippians 2, 8,

Being found in the human form,

he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death,

even death on a cross.

Jesus was not a victim of tragic circumstances.

Jesus boldly and clearly and obediently made his way to Jerusalem,

knowing that that's the will of the Father.

Jesus was fulfilling God's plan.

The plan that wasn't just hidden from Jesus.

It was open to Jesus.

But it was a plan, as we see here in our text,

a plan that had been laid out by the prophets

before Jesus even became a man.

It's a plan, a master plan of God the Father

going all the way back into the Old Testament.

Notice verse 31, it says,

Everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets

will be accomplished or will be fulfilled.

This in the Greek is a divine passive,

which means that it is something that God himself will do.

He is the divine actor.

He is the one who initiates.

He's the one who puts his plan into action.

And when God is putting his plans into action,

you can count on the fact that they will happen.

Jesus knew what he was doing.

The prophets knew what he was doing.

And ultimately, this way,

this way of salvation would come

not only through the obedience of Christ,

but it would also be accomplished through his sacrifice.

His sacrifice.

Obedience and sacrifice.

We find that in verse 32.

He will be delivered over the Gentiles.

He will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon.

After flogging him, they will kill him.

And on the third day, he will rise.

Why?

Why such a gruesome and tragic death?

The reason for the sacrifice is to help us understand

that salvation is not free.

Salvation is not free.

Salvation is costly.

It cost Jesus everything.

It cost his life.

It cost his dignity.

It cost shame and rejection

from the very people who he came to save.

It was in accord with the prophet Isaiah

in Isaiah 53 verses 4 to 5,

Isaiah 53:4–5

which says,

Surely he has borne our griefs

and carried our sorrows.

Yet, we esteemed him stricken,

smitten by God and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions.

He was crushed for our iniquities.

Upon him was the chastisement

that brought us peace.

And with his wounds, we are healed.

Jesus' costly, sacrificial death

was to demonstrate the cost of your sin and my sin.

Sin demanded something costly.

It demanded the life of our Savior.

Salvation that our minds cannot grasp

without the power of God.

Notice how clear the statements were

that Jesus had said now three times.

And notice what the response is from the disciples.

The disciples are hearing this.

And how do they respond?

This three-fold response that we find in verse 34.

But they understood none of these things.

This saying was hidden from them.

They did not grasp what was said.

Why would Luke share this three times

to drive home the point?

The way of salvation is clear

when the Lord allows you to see

your need for salvation.

You see, the expectation,

the blindness of the disciples,

they're followers of Jesus,

they're hearing his teaching,

but they're still blinded

to the real purpose

that Jesus has come to resolve in them.

They're blind to the real need that they have.

They're thinking about something physical.

They're thinking about something superficial.

They want Jesus to come

and to be the Lord

and to overcome the Roman Empire.

They want deliverance

from their physical oppression.

And Jesus came to give them

something greater,

something better.

They could not see it.

And that is often the case for us.

We're like the disciples.

We're blinded by our own thoughts,

our own perspectives

of what our real need is.

And Jesus has come to meet

our deepest need.

And only with Jesus' help

can we really begin to understand

how to come to appreciate

and discover what that really is.

We need the Spirit's help

to open blind eyes like the disciples,

to open our eyes,

to open our minds,

to see what is my true need.

Because Jesus came to resolve

our deepest need.

In the next two accounts or narratives,

we find some examples.

Some examples of how to enjoy

and experience

what Jesus has come to offer.

We find in verses 35 to 43

that this blind man's example of faith.

Surprising example of faith.

Notice with me in verse 35.

As he drew near,

speaking of Jesus,

to Jericho,

a blind man was sitting

by the roadside begging.

And hearing a crowd going by,

he inquired what this meant.

They told him,

Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.

And he cried out,

Jesus, Son of David,

have mercy on me.

And those who were in front

rebuked him,

telling him to be silent.

But he cried out all the more,

Son of David,

have mercy on me.

And Jesus stopped

and commanded him

to be brought to him.

And when he came near,

he asked him,

what do you want me to do for you?

He said,

Lord,

let me recover my sight.

And Jesus said to him,

recover your sight.

Your faith has made you well.

And immediately,

he received his sight

and followed him,

glorifying God

and all the people

when they saw it,

gave praise to God.

The blind man's example of faith

that begins,

by the way,

with a plea for mercy.

He pleads for Christ's mercy.

That's how it begins.

Jericho was about 15 to 17 miles

away from Jerusalem.

It was a massive climb

up this steep hill,

weaving its way up to Jerusalem.

This blind man,

he sits in the dust

by the roadside.

He's expecting the generosity,

the pity,

you might say,

the compassion

and generosity,

you might say,

of the crowds

that are making their way

to Jerusalem.

Jerusalem would have experienced

or swelled

about two to three million

in size

during the Passover event

as all these pilgrims

are required to come.

This is one of the three

pilgrimages

that were required

for every Jewish male

in the first century.

Here he is,

this blind man,

sitting by the road,

asking for pity

and mercy

from the crowds.

And Jesus,

surrounded by this crowd

of people,

has gained their attention

in some way.

They know,

he knows that this crowd

is dense.

He knows that the numbers

of people

that are traveling

in this concentrated bunch

must have something to do

with the central figure

of that group.

And so,

so this blind man

asks some members

of the crowd

what's going on.

And he comes to,

to know that Jesus

of Nazareth

is passing through.

Now he's heard about Jesus,

about three years of ministry

have taken place,

and he recognizes

what Jesus can do

for his problem.

And so he says,

Jesus,

son of David,

have mercy on me.

This word for mercy

is the word for pity,

for compassion,

to extend help

for the consequences

of sin.

In some way,

this blind man

came to understand

and to know

that whatever he was

asking for

from Jesus

was not something

that he deserved.

He needed mercy.

He needed the compassionate

heart of Christ

to see his situation

and to help provide

some resolution.

But what's significant

about this statement,

Jesus,

son of David,

is that

in expressing

the identity

of Jesus

in this way,

he's not just

identifying Jesus

as a descendant

of David,

but using the title

of Messiahship.

He's come to recognize

that Jesus

is something

more than just

a significant figure.

Jesus is

the embodiment

of the one

that they were waiting for,

the Messiah himself.

And by addressing

Jesus as the son of David,

he was affirming

his faith

in Jesus

as Israel's Messiah.

This blind man

had a unique perception.

This is the first time

that Luke addresses

and uses this title

in his account,

in the gospel account

of Luke.

This is the first time

we see this title,

son of David.

It's an uncommon title

that's used anywhere

in the gospels.

Son of David.

It's only used

in two other situations

earlier in Christ's ministry

and used by

the gospel writer,

Matthew.

And maybe

not surprisingly,

it was a pair

of other blind men

who recognized

Jesus as the son of David

early in Jesus'

Galilean ministry

and cried for help.

Jesus,

son of David.

Very similar

to what we find

here in Jericho.

It was also

a Canaanite woman,

a Syrio-Phoenician woman,

who when she sees Jesus,

says,

Jesus,

son of David,

my daughter is severely

oppressed by a demon.

Will you help me?

This title,

son of David,

helps to identify Jesus

as more than just

a descendant of David,

but this blind man

understood the significance

of who Jesus was.

But notice the response

of the crowd,

and this is important

for us to see.

Those who were in front

of him rebuked him.

Be quiet.

Shut up.

Be still.

You're distracting

this situation

that's going on.

You're kind of a nuisance.

Keep it closed.

But what does he do?

This man cries out

all the more.

He was undeterred

by the crowd.

He doesn't listen

to the crowd.

He overcomes

the crowd

in any way

that he can.

He screams out

and says,

all the more.

Jesus,

son of David,

have mercy.

He was undeterred.

And in that respect,

he helps to demonstrate

the example

of moving back

even further

in Luke chapter 18,

Luke 18 · chapter mention

where Jesus says

in verse 1

that he encourages

men to always pray

and not lose heart.

and then he uses

the example

of the woman

there

who's pleading

for mercy

from the unjust judge

and he's encouraging,

Jesus is encouraging

persistent faith

and asking

for help from God.

And here we find

the results

of that kind

of persistent faith.

Jesus is willing

to receive.

Jesus,

son of David,

have mercy

and Jesus

is more than willing

to demonstrate

that mercy.

And so we move

into the next several verses

beginning in verse 40.

And this blind man

receives Christ's healing

because of his

emboldened faith.

He receives

Christ's healing.

He experiences

what Christ has to offer.

Notice,

Jesus stopped

and commanded him

to be brought to him.

Now just notice

that for a moment,

will you?

Jesus,

this fourfold response,

he stops,

then he commands,

then he asks

the man to be brought

and then he heals.

Jesus

was not put out

by this distraction.

This distraction

was actually

by design

to call attention

to the means

by which

or the way

in which we

enjoy

in experiencing

the true healing

that God has to offer.

This way of salvation.

Jesus draws

the crowd in.

He wants them

to take notice.

He wants them

to have this

physical

portrayal

and demonstration

right up close

and personal.

He forces them

into

the process

of this healing

that's taking place.

Jesus

stops.

He waits.

He pauses.

This deliberate

waiting

in yielding

and allowing

the crowd

to settle down

and to even

part the way

and perhaps

somebody in the crowd

or maybe

the crowd in general

is helping

to guide

and to steer

This blind man

as he made

his way to Jesus

and they're all

going to be part

of this process

of seeing

this object lesson

that Jesus

wants them to learn.

Here's how

you enjoy

this way

of salvation.

It happens

through faith.

Jesus

is drawing

the crowd out

for that

very reason.

Jesus

capitalizes

on this opportunity.

while the question

in verse 41

may seem

so obvious

it may even

seem

a little

absurd

Jesus

asks it

anyway

what do you

want me

to do

for you?

Well Jesus

isn't it

obvious?

Isn't it

clear?

Well I wonder

maybe

it's clear

to us

because

we've read

the story

but the blind

man could

have said

any number

of things

he could

have said

Jesus

would you

fix my

economic

situation?

Jesus

would you

fix my

standing

in the

community?

Jesus

would you

give me

a better

place

to sit

so I don't

have to be

on this

dusty road?

Jesus

I want

the people

around me

to be

more empathetic

now he

doesn't ask

for that

he goes

to Jesus

and he

has this

eye for

mercy

and he

believes

two things

about him

he believes

that he's

the Messiah

and he

believes

that Jesus

can fix

his blindness

and Jesus

is more than

happy to

comply

Jesus

is more

than happy

to resolve

his

vision

problem

but he

gets more

than he

bargains

for

Jesus

says

recover

your sight

your faith

has made

you well

you are

looking for

something

physical

but because

of your

faith

in believing

who I

am

there is

so much

more to

offer

you

your faith

has made

you well

this is the

word

has saved

you

you're

enjoying

the fruit

of salvation

because

your faith

has let

you see

who I

really am

your faith

has saved

you

and now

true faith

leads to

true

transformation

notice

immediately

verse 43

he recovers

his sight

and follows

him

that's

important

he follows

him

you remember

in our

journey

through the

gospel of

Luke

that following

Jesus

is really

the emblematic

of those

who are

with him

and true

disciples

of Christ

and that's

what this

man does

he's found

the answer

to his

deepest

issues

Jesus

has saved

him

faith has led

to transformation

not only in

following

after him

but also in

glorifying God

and as a result

of him

glorifying God

it's interesting

it says in this

final phrase

in verse 43

when they

saw it

speaking of

the crowd

they gave

praise to

God

now this

word of

seeing

and blindness

is now

essentially

kind of placed

on the crowd

too

there needs

to be some

sight

which they

have to

experience

as well

at least

at this

point

their sight

is temporary

their sight

is superficial

now we

move

to the

example

that we

see in

Zacchaeus

in verses

1-10

of chapter

19

we see

in this

next passage

the example

of repentance

in Zacchaeus'

life

look with me

it says

he entered

Jericho

and was

passing through

and behold

there was a

man named

Zacchaeus

he was a

chief tax

collector

and was rich

and he was

seeking

to see

who Jesus

was

he was

small in

stature

so

he ran

on ahead

and climbed

up into

a sycamore

tree

to see

him

for he

was about

to pass

that way

and when

Jesus came

to that

place

he looked

up and

said to

him

Zacchaeus

hurry

and come

down

for I

must stay

at your

house

today

so he

hurried

and came

down

and received

him joyfully

and when he

saw it

they all

grumbled

he has

gone

in to be

a guest

of a man

who is a

sinner

and Zacchaeus

stood and

said to

the Lord

behold

Lord

the half

of my

goods

I give

to the

poor

and if

I have

defrauded

anyone

of anything

I restore

it

fourfold

and Jesus

said to

him

today

salvation

has come

to this

house

since he

also is

a son

of Abraham

for the

son of

man

came

to seek

and to

save

the lost

Zacchaeus

his example

of repentance

begins

with his

seeking

heart

Zacchaeus

is seeking

after Jesus

we see

that there

in verse

two

he was

seeking

to see

Jesus

the crowd

wasn't going

to get in

his way

Zacchaeus

the name

ironically

means

righteous

it means

clean

it means

innocent

or pure

which

as far

as the

crowd

was concerned

Zacchaeus

was the

furthest

away

from being

righteous

he was

the furthest

away

from actually

embodying

that name

in their

minds

tax collectors

as you know

we've worked

our way

through the

gospel of

Luke

tax collectors

are almost

always attached

to sinners

those tax

collectors

and sinners

lumped

all together

and because

of

his

occupation

and essentially

turning his

back on

the nation

of Israel

and turning

his back

on the

blessing

of Abraham

and essentially

being in

league

with the

Gentile

oppressor

he

Zacchaeus

in the

minds

of the

people

of the

first century

he had

abandoned

or rejected

all the

things

that should

be true

about those

who were

of Israel

he had

given it up

he had

sold himself

out

as it

were

for

wealth

and he

had

enjoyed

wealth

to the

max

we find

that he

was

wealthy

he was

rich

but here

he is

the seeking

little man

and so

you can

imagine

what he

might be

doing

he's on

his tiptoes

perhaps

trying to

look over

the crowd

but because

of his

short stature

he couldn't

catch a

glimpse

of him

and maybe

you can

maybe even

kind of

see him

kind of

hopping up

and down

see if he

can catch

any glimpse

of the

savior

but he

gets this

master plan

that this

master plan

he sees

this tree

ahead on

the path

he's going

to climb

that tree

and he's

going to

catch his

glimpse

of the

savior

he's

desperate

to see

he's

not

going to

allow

the crowd

to get

in his

way

much

like

the

blind

man

will

not

allow

the

crowd

to get

in his

way

of

catching

a glimpse

of

Jesus

so

Zacchaeus

does

the

unthinkable

of the

day

he runs

ahead

that's

an

undignified

way

for a

man

of his

stature

to

respond

and then

he adds

more to

that by

actually

climbing

a tree

and perhaps

even

his legs

are dangling

over the

path

as Jesus

and the

rest

of the

crowd

is

passing

through

he's

going to

do

whatever

it

takes

so he

can

catch

a

glimpse

of

Jesus

however

temporary

however

short

lived

it

doesn't

matter

he

wants

to

see

Jesus

Jesus

is

the

center

of

his

affection

in

the

sense

that

he

he's

got

to

lay

his

eyes

on

Jesus

and

then

Jesus

does

with

Zacchaeus

what

he

does

with

the

blind

man

he

stops

he

takes

notice

he

looks

up

he

calls

him

by

name

Zacchaeus

come

down

hurry

for I

must

stay

at your

house

today

a glance

has now

become

a guest

now

this

extended

stay

now

would have

been

temporary

becomes

a personal

visit

becomes

a close

encounter

it

becomes

a face

to face

interaction

a one

on one

kind

of

interaction

that he's

having

now

with the

savior

no longer

an outsider

no longer

on the

fringe

so what

does he

do

he

he receives

this word

it says

he hurries

down

he comes

down

he receives

him

joyfully

he explodes

with joy

because

things are

better than

he ever

dreamed

but notice

the reaction

now of the

crowd

who was

a seeing

crowd

for the

blind man

and now

a seeing

crowd

again

but now

their

glorifying

turns

into

grumbling

they don't

like what

Jesus is

doing

they're not

interested

in that

kind

of

interaction

they don't

think that

Zacchaeus

is fit

for this

kind

of help

and what

we find

in the

remaining

parts

of this

passage

this

morning

is that

while

it seemed

like

Zacchaeus

was seeking

for Jesus

now

the

the

script

flips

and we

find

that it's

actually

Jesus

who's

seeking

for Zacchaeus

Jesus

is the

seeker

not

Zacchaeus

notice

Zacchaeus

stood

and said

to the

Lord

behold

Lord

the

half

of

my

goods

I

give

to

the

poor

I

have

defrauded

anyone

of

anything

I

restore

it

fourfold

and

Jesus

said

to him

today

salvation

has

come

to this

house

since

he also

is a

son

of

Abraham

for

the

son

of

man

came

to

seek

and

to

save

the

lost

something

radical

happens

in

Zacchaeus

heart

this

shift

has

taken

place

true

faith

has

produced

true

change

again

Zacchaeus

moves

from being

a taker

to a

giver

from being

a hoarder

to a

sharer

from being

a thief

to one

who

distributes

but most

importantly

one who

moves

from

serving

self

to

serving

God

and

Jesus

knowing

his

heart

identifies

what's

really

going

on

today

salvation

has

come

to

this

house

true

repentance

has

happened

there's

been

a

shift

of

heart

that's

happened

because

of a

new

perspective

of

faith

and

that's

what

must

happen

for

every

believer

who

truly

places

their

faith

in

Jesus

there

must

be

a

shift

of

heart

in

action

and

life

Zacchaeus'

response

demonstrates

outwardly

this

inward

change

that's

taken

place

Zacchaeus

again

which means

righteous

forms a

contrast

to the

earlier

story

about

the rich

young

ruler

who

celebrated

his own

righteousness

remember

and Jesus

said

hey

you want

to be

a follower

of me

sell

your

stuff

and

follow

me

and he

went

away

sorrowful

well

guess

what

Zacchaeus

being a

rich

man

demonstrates

where

true

righteousness

comes

from

he

saw

in

himself

a

need

he

saw

in

himself

the

wickedness

and

ungodliness

of his

heart

he

recognized

that he

wasn't

those

things

and he

pursued

relationship

wanted

to see

Jesus

Jesus

comes

to his

house

and he

celebrates

with joy

and

because

of

these

example

we

see

that

Jesus

has

come

to seek

and

save

the

lost

that's

our

second

purpose

Jesus

has

come

to

save

sinners

and so

this

morning

as we

come

to our

elements

we

come

to

understand

that

what

we

are

celebrating

this

morning

here

at the

beginning

of a

new

year

is

an

expression

of

interest

and focus

for us

this

do

in

remembrance

of me

this

is

how

it

all

begins

for us

it

doesn't

just

begin

here

it

continues

as

God

wants

to

continue

to

cultivate

a

relationship

with us

that's

not

meant

to be

static

but

dynamic

always

moving

always

growing

always

increasing

and deepening

with God

let me

just in a

couple of

moments

I wanted

to share

a few

points

of

application

what do

we do

with

this

message

first

we need

to

overcome

the

crowd

if

you're

going

to

see

Jesus

and

you're

going

to

enjoy

what

he

has

to

give

you

have

to

overcome

the

crowd

now

what

is

the

crowd

for

us

well

it's

the

noise

that

bombards

us

every

day

we've

got

to

silence

the

noise

we've

got

to

silence

the

crowd

as it

were

like

the

blind

man

we

have

to run

ahead

of

the

crowd

like

Zacchaeus

we've

got

to

find

a

way

to

get

around

the

crowd

and

to

focus

our

energies

and

to

listen

to

God

quiet

our

hearts

to

quiet

the

crowd

to

remove

the

distractions

and

to

seek

him

what

are

those

voices

that

interfere

with

us

listening

to

Jesus

well

I

wonder

if

you

can

fill

in

the

blank

for

yourself

but