Sermon Central
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Nobody Is To Small For Jesus
Contributed by Jay Rambo on Oct 8, 2001 (message contributor)
Summary: Though small in stature and morals, Jesus still loved Zacchaeus.
Text: Luke 19:1-10
Title: Nobody Is To Small For Jesus
Theme: Zacchaeus was a small man both in stature and in morals yet Jesus still saw him and desired to free him from sin.
Audience: Ozark Christian Church 10-10-99am \ 03-04-01am
Objective: Preach this as an evangelistic sermon with the intentions of leading people to make a decision
regardless of others opinions of them.
Introduction:
- Explain why a tax collector was despised.
- Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector. (this is even worse)
- Bottom of the barrel
- There are two different angles that this text can be looked at.
- View #1
- From the angle of someone who has already accepted Christ
- View #2
- From the angle of someone searching for Christ.
[From the first angle we see]
I: They would not let him through? (1-4, 7)
1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.
2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.
3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd.
4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
A: There was a large crowd
1: This would be like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
- There wasn’t a whole lot of public entertainment in those days.
- People would flock to any large crowd
- Just to break the monotony of everyday life.
- This was Jesus Christ
- To those who believe. They wanted to see their Savior
- To those who didn’t believe. They wanted to mock the Savior.
- This crowd was shoulder to shoulder
Why wouldn’t they make room for this man to see Christ?
2: Because of who he was.
- This was Zacchaeus
- He was the chief tax collector
- Excommunicated from the Synagogue
- Considered a traitor to his people
- He was an undesirable
- No one cared for him.
B: Do you make room for those that you see as undesirable?
- Would you let Zacchaeus through to see Jesus
- Or would you stand shoulder to shoulder and not let them through
- So that no undesirables can see our Jesus.
2: Would you invite Zacchaeus to dinner?
- Would you eat dinner at his house?
- Are you someone who gossips about the person in church that brings an undesirable person to a church dinner (7)
19:7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a `sinner.’ "
[The other view is]
II: Zacchaeus Would Not Give UP
A: No one in the crowd was going to stop him.
1. People use the behavior of others
- As a reason not to attend church.
- Or not learning about Jesus Christ
2. They say things like
- I don’t want to be like them.
- They are just a bunch of hypocrites
3. They allow the behavior of others
- To determine whether they learn about Jesus Christ / or not
- These people are allowing hypocrites to determine their salvation
- Allowing someone else to determine your salvation is simply foolish.
[Are you going to let others elbow you out of the crowd
so that you can’t know Jesus?]
B: Zacchaeus is determined to see Jesus (4)
“So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way”
- He didn’t allow anything to get in his way
- Not the people
- Not his height
- Not his social status
- Not even his sin
C: What’s keeping you back?
- From knowing Jesus
- Is it the people
- Is it your social status
- Or is it your sin
[none of these are reasons
Jesus can see past all of that and more
Because]
II: Jesus knows where you are. [Spiritually and physically] (5-6)
LK 19:5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
A: Notice how Christ knew where Zacchaeus was.
1. How Jesus knew his name.
- Nowhere else in the Bible is this man mentioned.
- Yet Jesus knew his name
2: Jesus knew his needs
- Zacchaeus needed to get to know Jesus
B: Zacchaeus is no fool
1. He jumps down
- And eagerly accepts the offer of friendship that Jesus makes.
2. Even among the scowls from the crowd
- Zacchaeus accepts Jesus’ offer.
C: Jesus knows you by name.
- Jesus knows what you need.
- He makes you an offer.
- Will you accept it.
