Engaging Your Story

October 13 – Engaging Your Story - Luke 19:1-9

Each of us has a different story. Some of our stories are clear stories of conversion; we can clearly, distinctly mark that our lives were out of control and had little meaning until we met Jesus. Others of us have never known a day in which we did not have an experience of the love of God in Jesus Christ. However, we are able to mark the time in our lives when our faith in God became our own personal faith and less the faith of those who encouraged us along the way. While it is easy to go through the motions of religious activity, our call, as followers of Jesus Christ, is to live and serve out of a personal relationship with God.

To experience the power of transformation, we are going to encounter Zacchaeus through Luke 19:1-9.

“Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. ² A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. ³ He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. ⁴ So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. ⁵ When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” ⁶ So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. ⁷ All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” ⁸ But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” ⁹ Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.” 

Try to imagine what it must have been like to have been Zacchaeus. Here are some things to ponder about Zacchaeus’ life:

1.      Scripture records that Zacchaeus was small and had to climb a tree to see Jesus. Apparently, he had no friends along the parade route to help him see Jesus. Zacchaeus worked for the Roman Empire. He not only collected taxes for the occupying power, but he also took extra taxes to increase his riches, which made him a despised man. As he scrambled through the crowds to get a glimpse of Jesus, not one person in the crowd said to Zacchaeus, “Hey, step in front of me; I want you to see him!”

2.      The cool thing is that he climbs a tree to see Jesus, and Jesus notices him up in that sycamore. Jesus invites him to come down from the tree. And then Jesus takes another step toward intimacy: he goes to Zacchaeus’ home.

3.      Because of this personal relationship with Jesus, Zacchaeus’ life is transformed. He makes amends with the people he has cheated, and he serves the poor.

Transformation has three main phases: the time before we encounter life’s meaning, an experience of meeting the love of God in Jesus Christ, and life lived in response to God’s love.

Think about people who have helped you see Jesus, people through whom you have

experienced a life-changing relationship with God.  Pray for these people by offering God thanks and praise. Think about how that experience of Jesus has made a difference in your life. Think about people in your life whom you can help to see Jesus and pray for them. Reflect on how the major areas of ministry at LMPC help bring people closer to God.  Which church ministries are helping people draw closer to Jesus? How can you get involved?