Grace Killers- Assumptions Text: Luke 19:8
What is the difference between a taxidermist and a tax collector? The taxidermist takes only your skin. (Mark Twain)
One person said, “Be wary of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors... and miss.” (Unknown)
Zacchaeus, the tree-climbing tax collector, met Jesus and was changed. He vowed to repay four times the amount of money he had dishonestly taken form others.
Listen to the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-7NLT Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. 3 He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.” 6 Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. 7 But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled.
This morning we’re talking about- Grace Killers. Repeat this statement: Grace is a gift from God. However, there’s always some grace killers such as, prejudgement and self-righteousness. Listen to Romans 6:15NLT Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not!
In those days, tax collectors frequently overcharged citizens and pocketed the extra.
Key verse: Luke 19:8-9aNLT Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!” 9 Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today,
Key Verse: Luke 19:8-9aTM Zacchaeus just stood there, a little stunned. He stammered apologetically, “Master, I give away half my income to the poor—and if I’m caught cheating, I pay four times the damages.” 9a. Jesus said, “Today is salvation day in this home!
According to Lev. 6:5 and Num. 5:6-7, the law required one-fifth as restitution for money acquired by fraud, so Zacchaeus was doing more than was required. On top of that, he gave half his goods to the poor!
I want to give you 3 Grace Killers this morning.
1. The love of money.
The contrast of this story is the young rich ruler. Remember the question he asked, “What do I need to do to follow You?” Jesus replied, “Sell all you have and follow Me!”
Listen to two parables told by Jesus. Matthew 13:44-46NLT “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field. 45 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. 46 When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!
Second grace killer, Unbelief. When a person thinks and even say’s through his or her actions, “They’ll never change!”
Mark 11:22NLT Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God.
Faith activates God - Fear activates the Enemy. (Joel Osteen)
DO YOU KNOW HOW TO PRAY I heard a story of a ship that was sinking in the middle of a storm, and the captain called out to the crew and said, "Does anyone here know how to pray?" One man stepped forward and said, "Yes sir, I know how to pray." The captain said, "Wonderful, you pray while the rest of us put on life jackets--we're one short." (Unknown)
We’re not talking about that kind of faith, we’re speaking about a faith that trust God, believes in God, with actions following.
Last grace killer for this week is, assumption.
What is assumption? Here’s the definition, a thing that is accepted as true or as certain to happen, without proof.
More than 25 years ago (1982), seven residents of the Greater Chicago area made an assumption that proved fatal. They all took a dose of Extra Strength Tylenol® that had been laced with potassium cyanide. What they thought was medicine proved to be poison. This crime, still being investigated as of this very week (February 10, 2013), is still unsolved, Imagine the horror of taking what you thought was beneficial and discovering, too late, that it was killing you!
Listen, if Zacchaeus a crooked tax collector can be changed; if a thief hanging on a cross beside Jesus Christ can be saved, grace can come your way.
I want to close with these verses found in Ephesians 2:4-10NLT But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, 1AHJ he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. 7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. 8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Benediction.
