Sometimes the dearest connections we make come when lost people find Jesus Christ. In church life there should always be more "room" to make new connections with lost people and new believers. This week, we’ll look at a very UNlikely lost person's conversion to Christ, and how it happened.Sometimes the dearest connections we make come when lost people find Jesus Christ. In church life there should always be more "room" to make new connections with lost people and new believers. This week, we’ll look at a very UNlikely lost person's conversion to Christ, and how it happened.
2. Luke 19:1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.
2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a
chief tax collector and was wealthy.
Meet The Godless Lost Man
3. Luke 19:3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a
short man he could not, because of the crowd.
Grace Is Expressed Through Our Initiative
4. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see
him, since Jesus was coming that way.
Grace Is Expressed Through Our Initiative
5. 5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to
him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at
your house today."
Grace Is Expressed Through Our Initiative
6. Luke 19:5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and
said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must
stay at your house today."
Grace Is Expressed Thru Our Love & Connection
7. 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
Grace Is Expressed Thru Our Love & Connection
8. 7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has
gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.'"
Grace Is Expressed Thru Our Love & Connection
9. Luke 19:8 But Zachaeus 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."
Grace Can Be Felt By Someone Who Hasn't Experienced It
10. Titus 3:5 He saved us, not because of deeds done by us in
righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy, by the
washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit,
Grace Can Be Felt By Someone Who Hasn't Experienced It
11. 6 which he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ
our Savior,
Grace Can Be Felt By Someone Who Hasn't Experienced It
12. 7 so that we might be justified by his grace and become
heirs in hope of eternal life.
Grace Can Be Felt By Someone Who Hasn't Experienced It
13. Titus 3:3 For we ourselves were once foolish,
disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and
pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by
men and hating one another;
Grace Can Be Felt By Someone Who Hasn't Experienced It
14. Titus 3:4 But when the kindness (chrestos) and love of
God our Savior appeared,
Chrestos
Grace Can Be Felt By Someone Who Hasn't Experienced It
15. Luke 6:35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and
lend to them without expecting to get anything back.
Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of
the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and
wicked.
Grace Can Be Felt By Someone Who Hasn't Experienced It
16. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Grace Can Be Felt By Someone Who Hasn't Experienced It
17. Luke 19:9 Jesus said, "Today salvation has come to this
house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham."
Grace Brings Salvation
18. 10 "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what
was lost."
Grace Brings Salvation