Every Life Can Be Changed

Luke 19:1-10 (NIV) 1Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3He 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. 5When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 7All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner.’” 8But 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.” 9Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

Two critical points about change:

1. Anyone can change.

Luke 3:12 (NIV) Tax collectors also came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”

Luke 5:27-28 (NIV) After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.

Luke 7:29-30 (NIV) (All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John. But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)

Luke 15:1-2 (NIV) Now the tax collectors and “sinners” were all gathering around to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

Luke 18:10-14 (NIV) 10“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men–robbers, evildoers, adulterers–or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ 13But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ 14I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Jesus is attracted to outlaws and outlaws are attracted to him.

Unless you know you’re a moral failure, you will want religion, not the gospel.

2. Earthly stuff can get in the way of your change.

How to change:

1. You have to climb a tree.

Matthew 18:2-4 (NIV) He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

2. You have to get over the crowd.

3. You have to take Jesus home.

The love of Jesus Christ is not the basis for change, it’s the dynamic for the change.

The grace of Jesus Christ will always change you!

Revelation 3:20 (NIV) “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”

Talk It Over

• Where did Jesus first find you? Up a tree? Out on a limb? How did he get you to join him?

• If you had been Zacchaeus when Jesus stopped and told him to come down, how would you have felt? Stunned, flabbergasted, embarrassed, overwhelmed with joy, excited and afraid? Why did Jesus single him out?

• “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.” What was Jesus saying about Zacchaeus?
  A. He has followed the example of Abraham’s faith.
  B. He was “lost” but now is “found.”
  C. Others see him as an outcast, but God loves and accepts him.
  D. His generous decision shows that his heart has changed.

• Who was the person early in your life who affirmed you like Jesus did with Zacchaeus? Who is the person who builds you up now? Who are you speaking life into and building up?

• We know how completely Zacchaeus’ heart has changed by the actions he took. Do your current actions speak of the change Jesus has made in your life? Is there anyone to whom you need to make amends or restitution? Ask God to give you the courage to take those steps!

• Parents: Use the story of Zacchaeus to help your kids understand that Jesus isn’t waiting for us to “clean up our act” to love us. He didn’t wait for Zacchaeus to stop sinning before he called to him. It’s the same with us. We don’t have to clean up our lives before we get to know Jesus. When we follow Jesus, he makes big changes in our lives!