Sermon Series: Why He Came He Came on a Mission to Seek and Save Luke 19:1-10

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Carmel Sherman
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1 Loudonville Community Church Volume 3 - Number 7 The week of December 3, 2017 Sermon Series: Why He Came He Came on a Mission to Seek and Save Luke 19:1-10 THIS WEEK S CORE STATEMENT Hope: Followers of Jesus Christ are able to cope with the hardships and the uncertainties of life because of the sure and certain hope that only He is able to provide. The following article was written by Joe Stowell who serves as the President of Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, Michigan: We talk a lot about hope. We hope the weather will be good for our family vacation. We hope that our favorite team will win the Super Bowl - or at least make it to the big game! We hope that we get just what we want for Christmas. But for many of us, hope lacks a sense of certainty. It is more like a wish - something that we want to happen but have no way of knowing that it ultimately will. So we keep our fingers crossed and hope that everything will go the way we want it to. The reality is that often life doesn t turn out the way we hoped it would. Hope is a fragile commodity. When life is disappointing, our optimism is replaced by feelings of discouragement and hopelessness. Before long we run the risk of becoming cynics who believe that there is nothing in which we can confidently hope. This was the landscape of life when Jesus entered the world. The prevailing mood of Israel was anything but hope. The once proud nation was now a puppet state of the pagan Roman Empire. The common person lived under the defeating burden of the exaggerated requirements of the religious establishment. Centuries before, they had been promised a deliverer who would restore Israel to its former glory, but it had never happened. Into this sense of cynical hopelessness, true Hope was born. But the tragedy of that first Christmas was that very few realized the hope that had been introduced. Hope for the forgiveness of sins. Hope for a bright future - forever. Hope for God s presence and power in daily living. Hope that would enable us to forget the past and set our sights on stuff that doesn t disappoint. A hope that, because of Jesus, is a certainty and not just another wish to be dashed on the rocks of reality. I love the honesty of the psalmist who said, Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? We ve all been there. But let s not stop there. Keep reading! Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God (Psalm 42:5). Rejoice that Jesus came to give you something better than the disappointments of life on planet earth. And when by faith you embrace Him and all that He promised, you can have a hope that is no longer a fingers-crossed wish that you harbor in your heart, but rather a confident, courageous optimism that is rooted in the certainty of His Word. Pin your hopes on Jesus this Christmas - you won t be disappointed!

2 STEP ONE... READING what the passage says (Read it at least three times) Luke 19:1-10 (ESV) He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today. 6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner. 8 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. 9 And Jesus said to him, Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. STEP TWO... OBSERVING how the passage moves Return to the passage and mark key words, phrases and movements: Circle all of the words in these passages that speak of the Triune God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit, etc.). Underline the significant verbs/action words in these passages. In Luke 19:3, underline the phrase: he was seeking to see who Jesus was. Highlight Luke 19:5. In Luke 19:6, underline the phrase: he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. In Luke 19:8, underline the phrase: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold. In Luke 19:9, underline the phrase: Jesus said to him, Today salvation has come to this house. Highlight Luke 19:10. THIS WEEK S COMPLEMENTARY PASSAGE Psalm 2 (ESV) 1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, 3 Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us. 4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. 5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, 6 As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill. 7 I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, You are my Son; today I have begotten you. 8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. 10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him. 2

3 STEP THREE... Ask the five W questions and the one H question: 1. WHO is speaking? Who is this about? Who are the main characters? And, to whom is it speaking? 2. WHAT is the subject of the passage? What does the passage say about the subject? 3. WHEN do or will the events occur? When did something happen to a particular person, people, or nation? 4. WHERE did or will this happen? 5. WHY is something said or mentioned? Why would or will this happen? Why at this time? Why this person? 6. HOW will it happen? How is it to be done? How is it illustrated? STEP FOUR... UNDERSTANDING what the passage means This commentary is intended to enhance your own study of the text. Luke 19:1-10 (ESV) 19:1 - Jericho. Jericho is one of the most ancient cities in the world. It is located about nineteen miles northeast of Jerusalem on the western side of the Jordan River close to the mouth of the Dead Sea. It was noted for its balsam wood and date palms (cf. Josephus, Antiq ). It was once Anthony s gift to Cleopatra. 19:2- Zacchaeus. This is a Hebrew term meaning pure or innocent. He will fulfill his name in this encounter with Jesus. He was a chief tax collector. The term architelōnēs is very unusual, but it seems to mean that he was a tax commissioner over the district of Jericho. He would have purchased this position from the Roman authorities. The local Jews hated and ostracized those who worked for Rome because they often, if not always, overtaxed them. And was rich. Although he had wealth, he was not happy. He seems to be a perfect example of the truth found in Luke18: Zacchaeus is a literary foil to the rich, young ruler of Luke :3- And he was seeking to see who Jesus was. This verb is in the imperfect tense and here means continual action in past time. The Holy Spirit had already done His work drawing this man. He was small in stature. This term usually refers to age, but in the New Testament it can also mean height. In this context it can refer to the height or stature of Zacchaeus or Jesus, but most probably of Zacchaeus. 3

4 19:4- So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree. This action was highly unusual for a man in this culture who had great wealth. His pride was gone. One wonders what he had heard about Jesus. Sycamore. This is not the same as the sycamore tree in America. This tree is of the nettle family, which also includes the mulberry and fig. In Greek the term sukomorea is made up of fig (sukon) and mulberry (moron). It was a large tree with low branches, which made it easy to climb. 19:5- And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today. Jesus had a divine appointment with this man. Jesus loved outcasts, both rich and poor, male and female, Jew and Gentile! 19:7- And when they saw it, they all grumbled. The root word for grumble is from the buzzing of bees. It was used in the Old Testament to describe the griping (murmuring) of Israel (cf. Exod. 15:24; 16:2, 7, 8; Num. 14:2). It is found only twice in the New Testament, both in Luke s Gospel (cf. 15:2; 19:7). The local Jews felt that Jesus fellowship with sinners (those unable or unwilling to observe the Oral Traditions) made him ceremonially unclean and theologically suspect. 19:8- And Zacchaeus stood and said. Zacchaeus must have heard the murmuring! This is his public statement of confession, repentance, and restitution as a sign that a brand new relationship of love and forgiveness had been established with God through this encounter with Jesus, the Messiah. The half of my goods I give to the poor. This was a large amount of money. Being right with God opens one s eyes to the needs of the poor! And if. This is a conditional sentence, which is assumed to be true. He was admitting that he had defrauded the people. I restore it fourfold. He was using the Old Testament standard from Exodus 22:1 and the example in 2 Samuel 12:6 as restitution for a violent robbery. This was a much larger sum than Leviticus 6:5 and Numbers 5:7, where only an added one fifth was required as restitution. His restitution was a proof of a changed heart, not a means to it. This statement, combined with the previous promise, meant he was not a wealthy man anymore. 19:9- Today salvation has come to this house. A new relationship with God was evidenced by this man s changed attitude and actions, which impacted his whole family. This salvation was a present reality (cf. 2 Cor. 6:2), as well as a future consummation. The phrase to this house implies that the other members of the extended family and servants would be affected by Zacchaeus conversion. Household evangelism is seen several times in Acts (cf. 10:2; 11:14; 16:15, 31-34; 18:8). Western individualism is not the only biblical model. Since he also is a son of Abraham. Apparently Zacchaeus was already a racial Jew, but now through faith in Jesus, he had become a true descendant of Abraham by faith (cf. Rom. 2:28-29; 4:12; Gal. 6:16). His lineage did not bring salvation, but his faith, evidenced by his public confession and restitution, surely did! 19:10- For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. This may be an allusion to Ezekiel 34:16 and it certainly relates to Luke 1: It is similar to the emphasis of the parables of Luke 15. It is also similar to the central summary statement of the Gospel of Mark (cf. Mark 10:45 and 1 Tim. 1:15). Theologically Jesus came for several reasons: (1) to reveal the Father; (2) to die for sin; and (3) to give converted humans an example to follow. In this context the redemptive theme is emphasized. The Greek word rendered lost is a form of apollumi, which means to destroy. Here it is used as a metaphor of permanent spiritual loss. Resource for Commentary: Robert James Utley s Study Guide Commentary Series from Logos software. STEP FIVE SUMMARIZING the message Advent is now upon us. Therefore, there is no more important question to ask than this one: Why did Jesus come? It is not enough to sing about His birth and to celebrate the wonder of the Christmas season if we don t know why He came in the first place and the difference His coming made. The final line in the story of Zacchaeus significantly captures the reason why Jesus came: For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost (v. 10). Zacchaeus had it made. As chief tax collector for the Jericho Branch of Roman Revenue, he oversaw a prime location. Even more, his agents who extorted the people paid him before he paid the Romans. As someone put it, He was the kingpin of the Jericho tax cartel and had the scruples of a modern-day crack dealer. Zacchaeus was corrupt, wealthy, and despised. In Jesus day, tax collectors were agents of Rome. They held the least esteemed profession of all and were deemed the most immoral. No one would ever have guessed on that day that Jesus was looking for Zacchaeus. That would not have made any sense to the crowd. What most people didn t know though was that Jesus had a soft spot for people like Zacchaeus. 4

5 It is possible that Zacchaeus was tired of being hated. The relentless contempt he felt every time he showed his face in public must have left him miserable and alone. So this sad little man was determined to see Jesus, but his size and the press of the crowd made that possibility improbable. One has to admire Zacchaeus ingenuity of plotting Jesus potential path and then selecting just the right tree that would give him the perfect view. When Jesus spotted him in the sycamore tree, he must have braced himself for more ridicule, especially when Jesus called him by name. Jesus knew his name! When Jesus called him by name, He did not mock him. Instead, He invited Himself to stay in Zacchaeus home. Jesus did not ask him, May I come to your home today? Rather, He said, I must stay. Zacchaeus was an integral part of Jesus mission. Zacchaeus could not believe his good fortune, but the crowd was unhappy and grumbled: He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner (7). Jesus not only shared table fellowship with Zacchaeus and his companions, but according to Palestinian custom, He would also have spent the night. At some point during Jesus visit, the little man stood up and announced for all to hear, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold (v. 8). For sure, Zacchaeus had ripped off many people, but now he was willing to part with his filthy lucre to make things right. By faith, Zacchaeus had become a true son of Abraham. Jesus said to him, Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham (v. 9). Hence, the story ends with one extraordinary reason why Jesus came: For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost (v. 10). Zacchaeus was precisely the kind of man most people would have written off as irreparable. However, he was exactly the kind of person Jesus came seeking to find and to save. In the story of Zacchaeus, we discover why He came. We also learn that He has charged us with the same mission of being a friend of sinners and reaching out to the outcast. STEP SIX EXPLORING the passage through discussion Please try and read the entire passage before gathering with your Growth Group. Questions 1. Jesus knew Zacchaeus name. When did it dawn on you that Jesus knew your name before You knew who He was? 2. Read Luke 19:1-6. What are some things we learn about Zacchaeus? Why do you think it was important for Luke to identify his profession and to mention his wealth? (Look back to Luke 18:9-14 and 18: How do those other stories set us up for this one?) 3. What do you think was going on in Zacchaeus life that made him want to see Jesus? Notice specifically Luke s language: [H]e was seeking to see who Jesus was? (3). Why does Luke stress Zacchaeus desire in that way? 5

6 4. Read Luke 19:6-7 and pay attention to the contrast cited between both verses. Dig deeply here. Why did Zacchaeus respond as he did? Why did the crowd respond as they did? What were they grumbling about? In what ways can we be guilty of grumbling in the same way? How can we destroy any attitude we have that suggests some people are more deserving of God s love than others? 5. What do you appreciate most about Zacchaeus? What do you admire most about Jesus? What did Jesus do to build a friendship with him? 6. What must have transpired in Zacchaeus heart before he stood and made his announcement? What changed within his life? Why does Luke stress his response? 7. If Jesus was to have a heart-to-heart conversation with you over dinner, what do you think He would encourage you to do? 8. Who are the Zacchaeus all around us that Jesus is seeking today? Who do we label as undeserving of His attention or dismiss as a lost cause? How would you react if those kinds of people showed up at church? How does your heart compare to the heart of Jesus? 9. How does Jesus mission define our mission? 6

7 STEP SIX... APPLYING the passage to my life Our desire is to not be merely hearers of the Word but doers ~ James 1:22 When you apply God s Word, you are thinking about what God might be saying to you through the Scriptures. Application involves action. Application makes your reading become a reality in your own life. Make your applications specific (state who, what & when). You are encouraged to use the S.P.E.C.K. method to apply God s Word to your life. Remember that each passage of Scripture may not lend itself to answering all five of these questions. S - SINS to confess and avoid (Are there sinful actions, attitudes, or thoughts that you need to confess to God based upon your study of these Scriptures?) P - PROMISES to claim (List God s promises for you from these Scriptures.) E - EXAMPLES to follow (What examples, for right thinking or right actions, can you take for you own life from these Scriptures?) C - COMMANDS to obey (List God s commands for you from these Scriptures and seek to be obedient to them.) K - KNOWLEDGE of God to apply (God s character is visible throughout the Scriptures as an example to us. What attributes and/or attitudes does God display that you can apply to your own life?) 7

8 Sermon Notes: #asithappened (one-year chronological walk through the Bible) Sunday, December 3 thru Saturday, December 9 1 Corinthians 15-16; 2 Corinthians1-4; 2 Corinthians 5-9; 2 Corinthians 10-13; Acts 20:1-3, Romans 1-3; Romans 4-7; Romans 8-10 Memory Verse Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. The Abide in Me Bible study series is written by the pastoral staff of Loudonville Community Church, 374 Loudon Road, Loudonville, NY (

I. A TAX COLLECTOR EAGER TO SEE JESUS (Luke 19:1-6)

Lesson Text: Luke 19:1-10 King James Version (KJV) Sunday, March 24, 2019 I. A TAX COLLECTOR EAGER TO SEE JESUS (Luke 19:1-6) 1. And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. 2. And, behold, there was