Luke 19:1-10                                                                                    Building Relationships

Kowloon International Baptist Church Kowloon Tong

Harry Lucenay, Pastor                                                                         10 September 2006

Jesus connected with people where they were. He lived with an openness to build relationships with them regardless of their backgrounds. We can learn valuable faith-sharing lessons from our Savior.

1. Create an opportunity.

Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.

Luke 19:5

Jesus saw Zacchaeus’ curiosity.

Don’t judge another’s thoughts and reactions without giving him a chance.

Jesus took the initiative to spend time with Zacchaeus.

Sharing faith out of relationship requires looking for chances to spend time with people.

Jesus selected a place where Zacchaeus would be comfortable.

Corrie ten Boom: No problem is too big for God’s power; no person is too small for God’s love.

2. Discuss openly.

Sometimes you have to get away from the crowd to share hope.

Sometimes the crowd doesn’t want you to turn to God.

All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” Luke 19:7

Get away where you can talk.

Luke doesn’t give us the whole dinnertime conversation.

We have reason to believe that Jesus both listened and spoke.

I sought the Lord and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Psalms 34:4

Did Zacchaeus respond out of what Jesus said or what Jesus was?

Your iniquities have separated you from God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. Isaiah 59:2

We cannot confess to God what we do not acknowledge to ourselves.

Zacchaeus had built up his life by his wealth. His treasures bolstered his self-esteem.

Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount. Luke 19:8

Zacchaeus offered the fruit of repentance — a changed life produces fruit which reflects the way of Jesus.

3. Express your observations.

Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost. Luke19:9, 10

What did Zacchaeus want from Jesus?

From the sounds of Zacchaeus’ words his greed was leaving him unfulfilled, and the pain of the people he overpowered weighed heavy on him.

Lost – a condition of the soul not the behavior of an individual

Luke helps us see what Zacchaeus was seeking by telling us what he found.

What are you seeking today? What is your life all about?

Many people appear to have life all together but on the inside something is missing.

The words salvation, seek, save, lost indicate something amiss with Zacchaeus.

Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Acts 2:38

The New International Version is the Bible translation used today.