2. Luke 19:1-10 In the first ten verses of chapter 19 in Luke talks about one of my favorite person in the bible Zacchaeus. It goes that when Jesus was passing through Jericho a short, wealthy tax collector named Zacchaeus climbed up a sycamore-fig tree. He climbed up the tree just to see Jesus cause he was to short and wanted desperately to see him. When Jesus passed by he looked up and told Zacchaeus that he would stay with him at his house. Zacchaeus then came down immediately and welcomed him and told him that he would give half of his stuff to the poor and payback four times the amount to anyone he cheated.
3. How far This story is one of my favorites cause it sparks the question “How far are you willing to go?”. How far are you willing to go to see and serve the Lord? Would you climb up a tree? Would you give to the poor? Would you repent and start obeying his commandments? If you are saying to yourself “I want to come to the Lord ,but I don’t know how.” This is a good question to ask yourself. Are you willing to accept Christ? Are you willing to study and learn his word? Are you willing to help others? If you answered yes to just one then you are ready. Cause they all flow together. You accept Jesus and you start to want to know more. Then you start to sin less and you start wanting to help.
4. Welcoming the Lord As soon as Jesus called to Zacchaeus he jumped down and welcomed the Lord. This is what we need to do in the present day. When you hear the call, when you hear his word, you just need to welcome him. Instead of asking question after question procrastinating just answer his call welcome the Lord into your heart and all your questions will be answered.
5. Good Acts I love this cause when you see and accept Jesus you feel a change. You start caring about what you do. You start to see that there are people that want to help you. Then you start to want to help people. Maybe it does not happen as fast as it did in Zacchaeus ,but it does happen. When it does you feel Gods love and you know the Son of Man has saved you.
6. Final Thoughts As I said this is one of my most favorite part of the bible. It shows a man desperately seeking Jesus that he went up a tree just to try to get a glimpse of him. Just to realize Jesus all ready knew him. When he heard Jesus call, he came and welcomed him. Then he repent and wanted to make right and do good. This PowerPoint has been in my mind for a while ,but It seemed like it was time for it to come out and I hope it encourage you to welcome the Lord or even just study more if you all ready have Jesus.
Editor's Notes
Luke 19:3-4He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. 4So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
Luke 19:5-6When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
Luke 19:8-10But 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.“ Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."
Luke 19:9-10Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."