Luke 19:1-10_Sermon_Parallel Paths

{ILS} Jury Duty

Begins with jury selection

What does the prosecution want?

What does the defense want?

What does the judge want? - Balance and willingness to hear

{SCR} Luke 19:1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through town. 2 A man there named Zacchaeus, a ruler among tax collectors, was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but, being a short man, he couldn’t because of the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed up a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus, who was about to pass that way.

{MPT} A sense of urgency

Jesus - why is he passing through?

He never stopped

Path to Jerusalem for the Passover

A celebration of the action God took to free the Israelites

Zacchaeus - I want to see this man i’ve been hearing about

Man highly capable at his job - if he wants to get it done he will

I will even ignore religious and social dignity by running

{SCR} Luke 19:5 When Jesus came to that spot, he looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down at once. I must stay in your home today.” 6 So Zacchaeus came down at once, happy to welcome Jesus.

{MPT} A problem of elevated isolation

Jesus - elevated because he had changed lives by healing and teaching

Feeling that pull of the crowd desperate for his attention

Experiencing judgement in a way few of us can understand

Zacchaeus - elevated because he was excellent at his job, for the Romans

No one is going to help him with a single thing - money hungry

Experiencing judgement in a way few of us can understand

{SCR} Luke 19:7 Everyone who saw this grumbled, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” 8 Zacchaeus stopped and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my possessions to the poor. And if I have cheated anyone, I repay them four times as much.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Today, salvation has come to this household because he too is a son of Abraham. 10 The Human One came to seek and save the lost.”

{MPT} A son of Abraham

God’s promise to Abraham was to create a nation

Set apart to understand and live God’s will

Hope and purpose to light the way for other nations

Set apart

Food, prayer, worship, rest, our people

Any religious organization is trying to balance

An elevated status

A path for those not there - - ZERO entry pool

The trouble today is the elevated status

Follow the rules more than Jesus does

I am faithful to my nation more than Zacchaeus

I am part of a jury that will decide your fate

Jesus and Zacchaeus are on parallel paths of rejection, but encountered

Celebrated

Affirmed - how God was working through them

It is about committing yourself to what it takes to see the calling in others

To provide zero entry

To share God’s calling

To face those who will not with a peaceful resolve