Bible Studies

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The Gospels

Luke 19:1-10 - Out on a Limb
Key Verses: (NLT)

• 2: "There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was one of the most influential Jews in the Roman tax-collecting business, and he had become very rich." - Jews who cooperated with the Roman government and grew rich off the misfortunes of others were scorned upon and hated.
  
  
• 3-4: "He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowds. ⁴So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree beside the road, so he could watch from there." - Zacchaeus was a seeker looking for an opportunity to get close to Jesus to find out if the stories about Him were true.
  
  
• 5: "When Jesus came by, He looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. 'Zacchaeus!' he said. 'Quick, come down! For I must be a guest in your home today." - Jesus knew Zacchaeus and called him by name.
  
  
• 7: "But the crowds were displeased. 'He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,' they grumbled." - Another lost soul and more criticism from the "righteous" that Jesus was hanging out with the wrong crowd.
  
  
• 8: "Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "I will give half my wealth to the poor…" - A life changed.
  
  
• 10: "And I, the Son of Man, have come to seek and save those like him who are lost." - Jesus reveals His clarity of purpose and provides a mission statement for all of us to follow.
  

Points to Contemplate:

• Are you blocking access to Jesus? As a Christian, are you in any way keeping seekers from finding and knowing Christ? In your desire to have your needs met, do you create worship experiences that keep people pushed to the fringes of understanding? Do you amass and gather with other like-minded Christians and think nothing of those who do not think and feel as you do? To what extent do the seekers in your church have to go to meet Christ? If they are having to climb trees are you at least providing them with ladders?
  
  
• Do you go out of your way to see and hear Jesus? In every aspect of your life are you seeking opportunities to find evidence of God working in your life? Do you go to extreme measures to read the Bible or to attend worship services? Are you willing to set everything aside, even your dignity, for a better view of His kingdom?
  
  
• Have you received God's grace? Has He called you by name? Or have you been standing in the back of the crowd watching grace handed out like candy in a parade? Are you scrambling for your portions of the kingdom or waiting for a morsel to fall at your feet? Zacchaeus took action - he went on a limb. In doing so Jesus responded, called him by name, and invited him into the kingdom. What steps will you need to take, what limb will you have to clime out on, in order to receive the fullness of Christ's love?
  
  
• Are you changed? Zacchaeus immediately took action following Christ's call. He knew that life could not and would not continue as it had before. What dramatic changes have occurred in your life? Are you still angry? Do you still struggle with drugs and alcohol? Do you continue to have lust or envy in your heart? Are you worshipping the gods of power, money, and success? Zacchaeus shows that change must take place. What aspects of your old self are you still clinging to that must be handed over to Jesus?
  
  
• What is your purpose? Jesus states clearly that He came to "seek and save those who are lost." As a Christian being molded into the image of Christ, is this your purpose too? Should there be any other agenda? Can your mission for Christ ever be more clearly stated? Are you actively seeking those who are lost? Are you praying for their souls? Are you helping them climb the sycamore trees in life that will provide better views? If you are not doing these things, who should?
  

Promises of the Gospel:

The story of Zacchaeus is a familiar one. So familiar that it can almost seem shallow and trite. But there are some fascinating aspects to becoming a Christian outlined in this short story. Are we as believers blocking access to Christ for those who seek Him, including the outcasts and scorned-upon in our society? Are we actively seeking Christ ourselves in all situations in our lives? Do we fully comprehend the meaning of grace? Are we changed by our relationship with Christ? And, most importantly, are we reaching out into the world with the love of Christ to find and save those who are lost? The story of Zacchaeus reveals to us the barriers to redemption that we erect, the process of justification by faith, and a mission statement that we all should follow. These are ten little verses that bring life, hope, and salvation to the world. Are you willing to go out on a limb for Jesus?

FUMC Devotionals

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