sermon notes from Luke 19

In Luke 9:51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.

Since that verse a lot has happened on his way to his destination. These are the last moments in Jesus life before he gets to Jerusalem. Two major themes are covered here: Celebration and Evaluation.

Jesus effects strongly 2 people as he passes through Jericho. The blind man and Zacchaeus. Today we look at the later of the two.

Luke 19:1-3 NIV

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd.

Inside the human race is an emptiness and a hunger for more, and for many it is that which drives them to Christ. There was rumor that this man came to seek and save the lost;the sinner. This compelled Zacchaeus to seek him.

Luke 19:4 NIV

So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

He was short but that didn't stop him. He was fast and ran ahead to the direction that Jesus was going. How many of us would have done the same in his shoes? How many of us would have instead turned back saying, "oh well. I guess i don't get to see Jesus today."? When we run into challenges in our life what is far too often the first thing we give up on? Its our time with Jesus. Rough Sunday morning? Skip church and you're back on schedule. Stressfull day? Skip your prayer time or home Bible study so that you can relax to some prime time TV. Right? Isn't that the way the majority is? Press on Christian. Have a heart for Jesus; a genuine desire for God through thick and thin.

Luke 19:5-6 NIV

When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

Rejoice! For if you are saved then this same thing has happened with you. You as a sinner have been graced to have the King of Kings come and take residence in your heart. He has looked beyond your sins and chosen to spend time with you. Reading on, you will see more keys to this relationship.

Luke 19:7-8 NIV

All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a sinner." But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "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."

This is a repentive heart; A result of the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Just by being near God, Zacchaeus is convicted of his sin and he repents. Repentance is a requirement of salvation, for the heart must be of right motivation to take hold of the free gift of salvation.

Luke 19:7, 9-10 NIV

All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a sinner." Jesus said to him, "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 the lost."

Now, this is not to say that works save you but rather that if in your heart you are truly saved, then the result will be evidenced in works. Works don't cause salvation, but salvation will cause works. Salvation will result in convictions from the Holy Spirit that change us.

Jesus sought us out. Do you remember when you were unsaved and God put Christians in your life? Do you remember when he increased your curiosity and your desire for reading the word? This is the Holy Spirit working guidance into our lives to seek and save us. It was done on purpose when the holy Spirit convicted us and drew us in. It was on purpose when Jesus sought out Zacchaeus and went to his house. And it ought to be on purpose that we share the love of God today.

Luke 19:7, 11-13 NIV

All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a sinner." While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. He said: "A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. 'Put this money to work,' he said, 'until I come back.'

Have we all been given the same amount of money? Certainly not. So what is this parable about? We are to (like Jesus) be about the Father's work. We have all been given the Gospel equally and how we stewart that is what this parable is about. 1 Thessalonians 2:4 says, “On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts.”

Luke 19:14-15 NIV

"But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, 'We don't want this man to be our king.' "He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.

There is a time that we will be judged for our stewardship. We must have an eternal value of our current actions and thoughts. Everything we do has an eternal value; an eternal merrit. Do every thing you do as unto the Lord. Do everything in a way that reflects the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 3:11-15

¹¹ For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹² If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, ¹³ their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. ¹⁴ If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.

2 Corinthians 5:10

¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Luke 19:16-19 NIV

"The first one came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned ten more.' "'Well done, my good servant!' his master replied. 'Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.' "The second came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned five more.' "His master answered, 'You take charge of five cities.'

Everything you do has a value. Be faithful in what you do and do it for the Lord. Imagine hearing "well done my good servant" from the Almighty. How amazing a thought.

Luke 19:20-23 NIV

"Then another servant came and said, 'Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.' "His master replied, 'I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? Why then didn't you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?'

Too often Christians and the rest of the world consider evil as something you do. But here it is made very clear that evil can indeed be in what you don’t do as well. Sitting idle with this great gift of the gospel and the eternal allowances from accepting and living in it’s truth, is in fact sin. Make no mistake, it is evil to withhold a cure for a fatal disease when within your ability to deliver. We are entrusted with the cure. What do we do with it? Do we just sit on this knowledge? Or are we faithful to share it with others. Are we faithful with salvation and grace and mercy and wisdom?

Luke 19:24-27 NIV

"Then he said to those standing by, 'Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.' "'Sir,' they said, 'he already has ten!' "He replied, 'I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away. But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.'"

Eternal judgement is very real. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. Once we took hold of that, our mission changed. We are no longer judged on being lost once we have been found. But we will be judged on our faithfulness to the new mission. Are we sitting on that free gift or helping to seek and save the lost by sharing the gift openly with others? The word of God is not ours... it is Gods and we are to be good stewards of it. What is more important than this? Seriously... What do you place as a priority over the Gospel? Write down a list of the things you have been trusted to steward in your life. Anything on the list that is placed above the Gospel needs to be reprioritized. Your choices day to day may require re-alignment to proper stewardship of the mission at hand.