Encouragement
Luke 19v1-10
2 Samuel 9v1-9
Intro
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, [Or his only begotten Son] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
If God did this, who am I to deny anyone the chance to walk and live with Christ?
Background
Zacchaeus (Pure)
• A rich tax collector- overtaxing and cheating the “innocent.”
• Seen to be siding with the Roman government that oppressed Israel.
• A man of rank and status, wealthy yet abhorred and despised by society
Mephibosheth (Exterminating the idol)
• A cripple in the feet
• In his own eyes a “dead dog.”
• A dethroned prince living in Lo-debar (Without pasture; nothing)
• A shabby man from the least tribe
• The only surviving member of the royal family
3 Things that linked them together
• Both were outcasts
• Both needed another chance (revival)
• Both accessed and received grace/favor
Definitions of Revival
• Restoration
• Rebirth
• Renewal
Objective of the Message
• To show what revival can do
• To birth a desire for revival
• To point you to the revival
Seven Things revival will do
1. It purposes to bring turnaround
Zacchaeus
• His life was without meaning, inconsistent and unfulfilling
• He had all the money, but no friends, maybe no wife and forsaken even by his kids
• He wanted change
Mephibosheth
• He lived in constant fear that King David might kill him as was the case with Ish-Bosheth
• He was ashamed of himself and had a low self esteem
• He needed change
2. It births new things and initiates a new walk
• It is like the early spring rain that brings new life out of seemingly dead things
• Illustration of a “dead trunk” producing new shoot or a germinating seed
3. Ushers Jesus Christ to a new walk with you
Zacchaeus
• Jesus invites Himself to supper at his house
- Revelations 3:20 “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.”
• Jesus took notice of him and called Zacchaeus to walk side by side with Him as they went to his house. No more was Zacchaeus an outcast and no more did he have to worry about the rest of the crowd
Mephibosheth
• Was invited to done with royalty. David as King was a type of Jesus.
• He could now eat at the King’s table always
NB: When you walk with Jesus, he can tell you more about you and listen to your side of the story. He can be your Friend and Soul mate.
Proverbs 18:24 “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
4. It brings restoration and salvation
• David promised that he would restore to Mephibosheth all the land that belonged to Saul
• He granted him a royal seat
• You and I are royal Kings and we ought to eat from the royal table
- Psalm 23:5 “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.”
David knew what it was like to be looked down upon and good it felt to be the guest of honour at the table (1 Samuel 16)
• Jesus called Zacchaeus a “son of Abraham.” Yet we are busy calling people names, forgetting that they too are sons and daughters of God
5. It restores reputation
Zacchaeus
• Was known as a swindler and sell out.
• When he gave back to those he had robbed his reputation was restored
Mephibosheth
• Was an outcast out of Saul’s house
• Yet when he ate from the royal table, others bowed before him as he was a prince again.
NB: You don’t know what the future of someone is like tomorrow so don’t ever look down on anyone, you might bow down to them tomorrow
6. It changes our worldview
• How do we perceive and see things?
• We should look at people not as dogs but as those Christ died for. We need to see them through His eyes and see them as He would. Once our worldview is changed then our treatment of others changes.
7. It turns you into another man
Zacchaeus
• Became a disciple and probably a sponsor of the poor and Jesus’ ministry.
• He may have opened up orphanages and set up scholarship funds and became a supporter of global evangelism.
• He had the contacts to do all these things and used them for the glory of the kingdom
Mephibosheth
• Became a landowner as his property was given back to him. H was able to turn into a success story overnight
• He had access to resources. While others lacked he had more than enough. Imagine, he ate at the royal table all his life
• He became royalty once again. While the rest of Saul’s family was being killed off, he was spared.
• He was a master. He had servants and as such his need were taken care of by others
You and I
• We have a tendency to look down on others, looking at their background, history and current status. We judge the book by its cover.
- Illustration of the widows, orphans, bastards and divorcees.
• We complain whenever they come to Christ
- Luke 19:7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a `sinner’.”
- We are judgmental of others
• We question why Jesus has gone to their homes for supper
- Is He not fit to only come in to my home rather than theirs?
The Outcome
• Zacchaeus repaid all those he had cheated to demonstrate that he was revived and understood his forgiven state
- A downtrodden life was raised up
- 1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
• He got an invitation to eternal communion
- Luke 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.”
• He was saved and accepted into the family
- Luke 19:9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.”
• Jesus came for the low, the forsaken so that He could save them. Maybe you are like Mephibosheth, “a dead dog”
- Crippled, dethroned and least in all your dealings
Take heart
• Favor and elevation are yours
• You can be treated like royalty
• You can be fed from the high table
• You can be kept by grace
3 Ultimate lessons
1. Jesus Christ is not selective
- Just as you are, He will welcome you
2. His Arms are wide open
3. He will start a new chapter in your life
Two things to do as we close
• Repent and ask God to forgive you for looking down upon others and being judgmental
• We will pray for revival for the outcasts
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