TODAY’S INTRO
What was Zaccheus’ net worth in the morning?
What was Zaccheus’ net worth in the evening?
Was the change an accident, a drop in the stock market, or intentional?
TODAY’S TEXT- Luke 19:1-10
19He entered Jericho and was passing through it. 2A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax-collector and was rich. 3He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. 4So he ran ahead and climbed a sycomore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. 5When 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.’ 6So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. 7All who saw it began to grumble and said, ‘He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.’ 8Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.’ 9Then Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. 10For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.’
TODAY’S STATUS UPDATES
Transformers- they were a popular toy a few years back.. As I recall , they were these action figures that looked like regular people but if you twisted them in certain ways they became these “super heroes”. A few twists and they were radically transformed into something really exciting.
Zaccheus is nothing less than a transformer today. He is in a despised occupation in the morning- a 1st century jerk. By the afternoon, he has encountered Jesus and he is all of a sudden an agent trying to make peace, trying to make a mends, and he has intentionally shared half his net worth to advance Jesus’ mission to serve the poor! In the morning, prior to meeting Jesus he is living for self. In the afternoon, he has been transformed into a follower- overflowing with generosity. Nothing is held back. Generosity prevails. Connecting once more to people is what matters to Zaccheus.
How do you and I need to be transformed? Have we been transformed? Are we agents of generosity yet? Are we like Zaccheus in the morning, at midday, or in the evening? Which would we like to be?
Jesus, transform us this day as you once transformed Zaccheus. Help us to overflow with generosity each day. Amen
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