“Come Down From That Tree”
(Luke 19:1-10) NLT
Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way.
When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.”
Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled.
Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!”
Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this house today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”
Part I
- Now you might not be in a tree right now, but you’re just like Zacchaeus…you’re watching from a distance. You’re spectating. You’re on the back row.
- You’ve heard about the miracles. Your family members & peers have told you about this man Jesus. You’ve heard the testimonies. But for some reason you’re just not fully convinced. You’re hesitant or cautious. You’re afraid to jump in. Maybe you’re insecure.
- I’m sure Zacchaeus was insecure about his height. He probably was told all his life you’re too short, and as if that wasn’t enough, he had people that hated him because he was a tax collector and people despised tax collectors back in those times.
- But also he felt conviction as well, especially finally coming face to face with this Holy man that they called the Messiah, the Son of God. In the verse we see Zacchaeus confessing his sins to the Lord without the Lord even pointing them out. We see repentance, which is the key ingredient for salvation.
- The Lord wants you to come to him just as you are, no mask, no pretending and with all humility. Stop watching and start living. You see, when Zacchaeus went up the tree, he was an observer, when he came down, he was a participant!
Part II
☆Showed an illustration of being an observer versus being a participant.
- Some of yall have been coming to this church…..service after service, week after week, year after year, and you’re still just an OBSERVER. During praise & worship, just observing, not participating. Jesus is wanting to come and be a guest in your home and when I say your home I mean YOU. Are you not the temple? Today, the Lord is saying…when are you gonna come down from that tree?
Part III
John 10:10
Jesus said… “I have come that you may have life, and that you may have it more abundantly.”
Matt 7:7 says…
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.”
- You can’t keep hanging in the tree, you can’t keep sitting in your seat, you can’t keep staying in your comfort zone, you can’t keep watching other people get blessed, get healed, get breakthroughs, come down from that tree and experience it for yourself!
- Some of us have been at the same level of faith for 5, 10, 15 years. At some point we gotta get pass needing Pastor to pray for you or Deacon Rudy to lay hands on you. LAY HANDS ON YOURSELF!!!
- Now there could be many reasons of what is still keeping you in the tree. Fear of man, not feeling worthy, or possibly the fear of failure. None of those are valid reasons for not climbing down. When Jesus calls you…its for His glory, not yours. And once He calls you…that’s when the real journey begins!
2 Peter 1:3 “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”
So I ask you…are you ready to come down?
