Dig Deeper - Sunday 13th September
Sermon Reflection: Courage to Change - Zacchaeus
Luke 19:1-10
Link to service
Dig Deeper notes from Sunday 13th September service -
From the scripture reading we know 3 key points about Zacchaeus:
1. He is a tax collector.
2. He is wealthy.
3. He is short in stature.
Tax collectors held a very bad reputation. Working for the Romans, they were considered traitors, and most likely, Zacchaeus’ wealth came from over charging on taxes and taking the extra money for himself. Although his height may seem irrelevant, historically and culturally a tall man was someone to hold authority and power, and so being shorter was seen as a disadvantage.
All in all, Zacchaeus was not someone who was thought highly of, and was categorised alongside ‘sinners and outcasts.’
His encounter with Jesus changed all of this.
By addressing him by name and declaring that he would eat with Zacchaeus, Jesus is breaking the social conventions and breaking down barriers. He is amending the way people think and act.
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus’ teaching is focussed on helping everyone turn away from their old lives, and be saved through Christ. But in order for this to happen, the individuals need to want to change the way they live and they need to act on those changes.
Jesus’ kindness towards Zacchaeus demonstrates how we should live out our lives towards others.
Change starts with the heart.
For Zacchaeus, his life revolved around money. When he met Jesus, his life was upended and his heart was transformed. Suddenly wealth was not important, following Jesus was. And so, Zacchaeus gave away his money and paid back all those people he had wronged and followed Jesus.
We need to identify within our lives what needs to change in order to follow Christ better. We will all have things that need to change, big or small. We also need to have the courage to take those first steps to change.
Needing courage to want to change.
Wanting to change is only the first step, we must also actively do something about it. And this can provide us with anxiety and concern as there are so many ‘what if’ scenarios.
Philippians 4:6 says: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, through prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Trusting that God will guide us and affirm us within the changes we make enables us to step out in faith and change our lives for Him.
Keeping the momentum of change.
When you first start changing things, your motivation carries a lot of the weight, but you may come across a time when things get difficult. Spiritual warfare may mean that the unseen battle with evil will sometimes derail us or shake us. Ephesians 6 tells us about the armour of God and how He will protect us throughout times of difficulty.
Surrounding yourself with others who are also changing their lives for Jesus is a powerful way to keep that momentum. Your church family are there to offer support, love and kindness.
Small groups within church offer the space to be more open with struggles and help build relationships.
God will meet us where we are in our lives, and He will help transform us into entering a relationship with Him. He offers us forgiveness when we repent of our sins – saying sorry for all the things we have done wrong, turning away from sin and turning towards a life with Him. We need to have the courage to step out and change our old lives, knowing that we will be entering into a wonderful life with Him.
Points to consider & discuss:
1. Who else in the Gospels can you think of that have changed their lives when encountering Jesus? What can we take from these examples?
2. What in our own lives do we need to change in order to grow closer to God?
3. What can we do in order to keep the momentum of change going?
4. Are you part of a small group? If not, this is something to consider in order to help your relationship with God grow stronger.
If you are in a small group, pray together for God to guide you and direct you with the areas that need to change in your life. Ask Him to provide you with courage and strength to act on these changes.
Let’s pray.
Heavenly Father, thank you for your Word. As we read throughout scripture of all the times you have enabled and equip people with courage to change their lives to be closer to you, we thank you that your unwavering love for your people is still as strong for us today. We pray now for the courage to change the things in our lives that are holding us back from following you fully. Ease all anxiety and worry, equip us with the full armour of God and help us to become more Christ-like so those who know us will see your light shine through us.
In your mighty name we pray, Amen.
