Serving Others | Craig Curtis

Luke 19:1-10 NIV

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. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” 8 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.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

  

Luke 19:10 NIV

10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the LOST.

 

Jesus Sought and Saved the Lost: 

 I. Jesus broke boundaries. 

 

“Jesus got himself crucified by the way he ate.”  - Robert J. Karris

 

Zacchaeus was a renegade in the eyes of the Jews, yet he was a precious lost sinner in the eyes of Jesus.

Jesus found Himself HELPING OTHERS TAKE STEPS more than seeing how far the RELIGIOUS ELITE HAD STEPPED.

 

Jesus Sought and Saved the Lost: 

I. Jesus broke boundaries. 

II. Jesus practiced hospitality.   

 

Luke 19:5 NIV

5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 

 

HOSPITALITY is the practice of turning guests into neighbors and neighbors into family.

 

Jesus simply saw meals as MINISTRY.

 

Luke 7:34a NIV

34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking...

Meals provide a chance to BE with someone – not just to eat with someone.

  

Jesus Sought and Saved the Lost: 

I. Jesus broke boundaries. 

II. Jesus practiced hospitality.   

III. Jesus saw interruptions as opportunities. 

 

1 John 3:18 NIV

18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 

 

Love is an ACTION you take, 

A CHOICE you make, 

A LIFESTYLE you cultivate. 

 

Take Action this Week: 

1. Become an example of the community you long to see. 

If you want a more loving family, if you want a more loving school/office, if you want a more loving church, COMMIT TO LIVING IT OUT.

 

1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV

13 And now these three remain: FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE. But the greatest of these is love. 

 

Love is choosing to unselfishly SERVE OTHERS.  

 

Love LASTS. 

 

Take Action this Week:

1. Become an example of the community you long to see. 

2. Take a step toward what God has for you. 

 

Luke 19:4 NIV

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

 

The seeking Savior will ALWAYS find a sinner looking for a new beginning. 

 

7 Marks of Discipleship

Impact by Serving