(This sermon was introduced by playing a video clip from the movie “Mama Heidi.” This movie touches on one of the deepest desires that lies within the heart of man. This desire is in the heart of believers as well as non-believers. Every person was created with a desire to make a difference. The movie is about a missionary couple named the Baker’s. They served as missionaries in Indonesia, China and Mozambique. In Mozambique they adopted a dilapidated orphanage and made a difference by caring for, educating and feeding over a thousand children. Karen Baker made a statement that should be helpful to us as we seek to make a difference. "I really believe, that if we receive this pure heart of Jesus...we will start to see "the one" in front of us...they will be the one you can touch, they will be the one God put in front of you.”) The implication of her words is that we can make a difference in our world by making a difference in the lives of “one.”
How can we make a difference? I believe the key is to model our lives after the one who made the greatest difference in history, Jesus Christ. Jesus impact is undeniable. If we want to make a difference we should seek to model our lives after Him. I want to use a familiar passage from Luke 19 to highlight Jesus approach to ministry. In this passage we will see how Jesus made a difference in people’s lives but also in His world.
1. The first observation is that Jesus was involved with people. If you look back into chapter 18 verse 15 you will find Jesus disciples bringing children to Him. In that same chapter in verse 35 you will find Jesus involved in the life of a beggar. In chapter 19 Jesus is involved with Zacchaeus.
• God wants you to make a difference in the lives of your neighbors.
• God wants you to make a difference in the lives of your family.
• God wants you to make a difference in the lives of your work associates.
Illustration: A recent e-mail asked readers to reflect on the following questions: 1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world; 2. Name the last five heisman trophy winners; 3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America contest; 4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize; 5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress; 6. Name the last 10 World Series winners?
As you reflect on these six questions you quickly realize that very few people would know the answer to even one of them. The e-mail follows with another set of questions: 1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school; 2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time; 3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile; 4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special; 5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with; 6. Name six heroes whose stories have inspired you?
The point of the e-mail is this: “The people who have made a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money or the most awards. They are the ones that care.” They are the ones who have been involved in your life.
(Contributed to Sermon Central by Jim Kane)
A. If Jesus made a difference by being involved in people’s lives I have an important question. How did he do it? To that question we find a simple answer. He got out among the people. In our text we find Jesus entering the city of Jericho. They were having an unplanned parade. Jesus was the master of ceremonies. It was at that parade that Jesus met Zacchaeus.
It has been noted that the longer we stay in church the fewer non churched friendships we develop. That is a natural process, unless we fight against it. If we are going to make a difference in our world we must intentionally make friends with people who do not attend our church. This will require that we get out of our comfort zone. When I came down last November I was asked if I would start a Sunday night service. My answer was that I would rather us be out among people than sitting in church for another service.
How can you be involved and get out among people. Have a block party for your neighborhood! Carry your neighbors a gift basket! Find someone who is moving into a new home and carry them a gift! Have a barbeque and invite all of your neighbors! One of my favorite stories concerns Matthew. Matthew was one of Jesus disciples. When Matthew met Jesus he invited all of his unbelieving friends to a party and invited Jesus to be the guest of honor.
B. Jesus got out among the people but he also cared for people. When Jesus came to Jericho he looked up into the tree and saw Zacchaeus. This point sounds simplistic but it is not. Many times when we are in a crowd we see the crowd rather than the individuals in the crowd. We are often treated as numbers or objects. Jesus saw individuals and He cared for them.
Illustration: When Judy and I moved here a few months ago I had to get all of our utilities and internet services switched. I was having trouble with my internet service so I called our internet service provider. I was switched from one recording to another for 45 minutes. I finally got frustrated and hung up on a recording. None of us want to be treated impersonally.
I will mention one of my hang ups about churches. I think churches make a huge mistake in the way they treat “visitors.” I do not think we should identify people as “visitors.” They should be seen as “guests” and not as “visitors.” To me the term “visitor” conveys a cold mentality. When a person walks into a church they should be treated as V.I.P.’s. They should be treated as a part of the family.
Illustration: Today we are going to have a community festival. I want to encourage you to do something. Look for people you do not know and befriend them. People want to know that you care. There will be people who feel awkward being on our property. Some will be unchurched and some will be guests. Put yourself in their shoes. Be encouraging! Be helpful! Be friendly! Please do not get absorbed in your group of friends and fail to meet our guests.
Illustration: I heard about an incident that occurred while Thomas Jefferson was Vice President of the United States. One night Jefferson went to a prestigious hotel in Baltimore, dressed like a farmer. The manager of the hotel thought Jefferson’s appearance would discredit his hotel. The manager turned Jefferson away, not knowing who he rejected. Later that evening the hotel manager discovered that he had turned away Thomas Jefferson. Immediately he sent a note to the famed patriot, asking him to come back and be his guest. Jefferson replied by instructing his messenger as follows: “Tell him I have already engaged a room. I value his good intentions highly, but if he has no place for a dirty American farmer, he has none for the Vice President of the United States.”
Illustration: One of the most influential books I have ever read is Dale Carnegie’s book “How to Win Friends and Influence People.” One of the strongest principles in that book is this: “If you want to influence people, show a genuine interest in them.”
Over the years I have noticed a quality that very few people display. There are very few people who will pour themselves into other people, people who will listen and care and show empathy for the other person. When I was working on my doctorate I taught a class on stress management. The goal of this class was to equip people with the skills to cope with stress using spiritual disciplines as a resource. I suggested that one of the greatest resources is a loving supportive Christian friend. I lead 20-25 people through the class. One day I asked the class members how many had a friend who would listen to them with empathy, in a non-judgmental way and with a sacrificial spirit. In that group of 20-25 people only 2 people indicated they had such a friend. Friends, people are looking for a person who will be genuinely interested and care for them.
2. Jesus got involved. Next, He lived an intentional life. He did not travel haphazardly. He traveled with a purpose. He did not meet people haphazardly. He met people with a purpose. He knew exactly what he wanted for the people he met.
Illustration: A man named Larry Gilbert wrote a book several years ago. In that book he shared a concept that was helpful to me. The concept was stairstepping. Stairstepping is the intentional process of helping another person find God. Jesus intentionally stair stepped Zacchaeus to God. Everybody you meet is somewhere between 0 and 10 in their relationship with God. In helping people connect with God Jesus helped them move to the next level. He did this intentionally. So what can we learn from him. We learn three things from Jesus about how to be intentional. You might call these the three “R’s” of working with people.
A. Jesus earned Zacchaeus respect. Zacchaeus might have expected Jesus to treat him with contempt, as the people were doing. Zacchaeus might have expected Jesus to act like some pious, holy religious person. Instead, Jesus was down to earth. Jesus was friendly, supportive and accepting of Zacchaeus. Jesus earned Zacchaeus respect.
Illustration: The African Bishop, Desmond Tutu, was once asked why he became an Anglican rather than joining some other denomination. He replied that in the days of apartheid, when a black person and a white person met while walking on a footpath, the black person was expected to step aside to allow the white person to pass and nod their head as a gesture of respect. "One day" Tutu says, "when I was just a little boy, my mother and I were walking down the street when a tall white man, dressed in a black suit, came toward us. Before my mother and I could step off the sidewalk, as was expected of us, this man stepped off the sidewalk and, as my mother and I passed, tipped his hat in a gesture of respect to her! I was more than surprised at what had happened and I asked my mother, ‘Why did that white man do that?’ My mother explained, ‘He’s an Anglican priest. He’s a man of God, that’s why he did it.’ When she told me that he was an Anglican priest I decided there and then that I wanted to be an Anglican priest too. And what is more, I wanted to be a man of God."
(Contributed to Sermon Central by Wayne Field)
B. He cultivated a relationship with Zacchaeus. He was interested in Zacchaeus as a person. He did not start by preaching to Zacchaeus. Our first job in connecting people to God is to love them and be their friend.
If you are a Chrisitan there are many barriers that will separate you from people you are trying to love. Jesus had to overcome barriers in stair stepping Zacchaeus.
• There was the distance barrier. Zacchaeus was up a tree.
• There was the alienation barrier. Zacchaeus felt condemned by other people.
• There was the guilt barrier. Zacchaeus felt guilty for his past life.
Jesus broke down the barriers by befriending Zacchaeus.
When you and I seek to stair step people in their efforts to find God we must help them overcome barriers.
• There is the dress barrier. Many people think you have to wear a coat and tie to attend church. Many people are alienated by ministerial dress. Religious dress and uniforms creates a barrier with people.
• There is the perception barrier. Many people have mis-perceptions about Christians, and especially pastors. I do not tell people I am a pastor. I want them to discover I am a man before they find out I am a pastor.
When I was serving a church in Pensacola some years ago I planned to go visiting with one of our deacons. On the night of our visit my friend showed up with a huge Bible in his hand. I asked him if he was going to carry the Bible visiting. He said yes. I politely asked him to leave the Bible in the car. I shared with him that our first job is to love the people we visit. A person who is not connected to God will be reluctant when he sees us carrying a Bible.
C. Jesus cultivated a relationship with Zacchaeus. Jesus earned his respect. Finally, he lead him to make a response.
Illustration: As a boy I was an animal tamer. I often took in stray animals, especially dogs and cats. Those animals had to be cultivated. First, I earned their trust by feeding and caring for them. Later I was able to pet and befriend them. This process required step by step bonding. The end product was a pet that responded to my loving care and became a part of our family.
We do not lower people to the level of pets but the process is similar. First, we build trust. Next we cultivate a relationship. Finally, we lead them to be a part of the family of God.
3. Jesus was committed to His mission.
A. He prioritized people. People were not an after thought with Him. Sometimes in churches we get our priorities out of order.
• We get hung up on the institution.
• We get caught up in bills and budgets and lose sight of the most important thing.
• We get hung up on preferences in music, schedules and polity.
Illustration: All of us have heard stories about the sinking of the Titanic. Survivor Eva Hart recalled the night. She said "I saw all the horror of its sinking, and I heard, even more dreadful, the cries of drowning people." Although twenty life-boats and rafts were launched (too few and only partly filled) most of the passengers ended up struggling in the icy seas while those in the boats waited a safe distance away. Lifeboat No. 14 rowed back to the scene after the ship sank. The one lifeboat chased cries in the darkness, seeking and saving a precious few. Incredibly, no other boat joined it. Some were already overloaded, but in virtually every boat, half-filled boats rowedaimlessly into the night, listening to the cries of the lost. Each feared a crush of swimmers would cling to their craft and swamp it. We face a similar obstacle: fear. While people drown in the treacherous waters around us, we are tempted to stay dry and make certain no one rocks the boat.
(Contributed to Sermon Central by Ryan Johnson)
B. Jesus was motivated by a purpose. That purpose is found in verse 10.
• Jesus commitment to His purpose was more important than tradition. He did not care what tradition said about Zacchaeus.
• Jesus commitment to His purpose was more important than people’s opinions. He did not care what people would say if he went home with Zacchaeus.
• Jesus commitment to His purpose was more important than His own comfort. He took the time to love Zacchaeus.
You can make a difference. Get involved! Intentionally help people draw closer to God! Commit yourself to God’s mission of rescuring the persihing!
