Saluki downtime October 14, 2024

Saluki downtime October 14, 2024

Have you thought about what the problem is?

Maybe you are the problem?

The song

It's me, hi, I'm the problem, it's me (I'm the problem, it's me)

At tea time, everybody agrees   I'll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror

It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero

It's me, hi, I'm the problem, it's meIt's me, hi, I'm the problem, it's me

It's me, hi, everybody agrees, everybody agrees

How many of you have been told or think you are a disappointment to your parents or to someone else?

Zacchaeus

He was desperate to see Jesus.

Bible Passage – Luke 19:1-10

19 Jesus was going through the city of Jericho. 2 In Jericho, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a wealthy, very important tax collector. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was. Many others wanted to see Jesus, too. Zacchaeus was too short to see above the people. 4 So he ran to a place where he knew Jesus would come. Then he climbed a sycamore tree so he could see him.

5 When Jesus came to where Zacchaeus was, he looked up and saw him in the tree. Jesus said, “Zacchaeus, hurry! Come down! I must stay at your house today.”

6 Zacchaeus hurried and came down. He was happy to have Jesus in his house. 7 Everyone saw this. They began to complain, “Look at the kind of man Jesus is staying with. Zacchaeus is a sinner!”

8 Zacchaeus said to the Lord, “I want to do good. I will give half of my money to the poor. If I have cheated anyone, I will pay them back four times more.”

9 Jesus said, “Today is the day for this family to be saved from sin. Yes, even this tax collector is one of God’s chosen people.[a] 10 The Son of Man came to find lost people and save them.”

Tax collectors were despised as traitors (working for the Roman Empire, not for their Jewish community) and as being corrupt. They worked for the Roman government.

How did they make their money as tax collectors? Tax collectors were despised as traitors (working for the Roman Empire, not for their Jewish community) and as being corrupt.

I want you to think about his real life as a tax collector. How did he feel doing what he did?

What are some professions that are sketchy but aren't illegal?

Why did Zaccheus climb the tree?

There were a lot of people.

A desperate need to see Jesus.

If there weren't many people there, and if there wasn't much going on, would Zacheaus need to climb the tree to see Jesus?

5 When Jesus came to where Zacchaeus was, he looked up and saw him in the tree. Jesus said, “Zacchaeus, hurry! Come down! I must stay at your house today.”

6 Zacchaeus hurried and came down. He was happy to have Jesus in his house. 7 Everyone saw this. They began to complain, “Look at the kind of man Jesus is staying with. Zacchaeus is a sinner!”

Did Jesus care about who Zacchaeus was?

Did Jesus care about how busy it was around him?

Did Jesus have time for Zacchaeus?

Jesus wanted to put aside everything that kept Zaccheaus from genuinely being who he was called to be.

Jesus didn't care about Zacchaeus' past.

What happened due to this interaction between Zacchaeus and Jesus?

8 Zacchaeus said to the Lord, “I want to do good. I will give half of my 

money to the poor. If I have cheated anyone, I will pay them back four times more.”

9 Jesus said, “Today is the day for this family to be saved from sin. Yes, even this tax collector is one of God’s chosen people.[a] 10 The Son of Man came to find lost people and save them.”

How many of you believe everyone knows when they do something wrong?

Where does that come from?

Zacchaeus was this man. He had heard the stories of this Jesus guy. So when he heard he was coming to town, he wanted to make sure he got to see him. Just a glimpse of this guy was enough for him.

Jesus had other plans.

Jesus wanted to make sure this guy knew God called him and loved him so much that he wanted to spend time with him in his home.

You are the same. You are not the problem. God loves you—so much so that Jesus is here for you—right now. All you have to do is trust in him.

Trust the time of your life.

Trust that Jesus is your hope.

Trust that God forgives you.

Trust that you are good enough.

Trust that God loves you.

I trust in Jesus - what now