Tuesday, June 19, 2012

June 20, 2012

"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. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 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. 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.” 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.”  Luke 19:1-10

Jesus came to seek and to save those who are spiritually lost.

What did you come to do?

If you are a Christian, a follower of Christ, you are commanded to do as He did - look for lost people to win.

So, what should you look for when identifying someone you could reach?

John Maxwell gives this helpful insight into understanding change:

People change when they …

Hurt enough they have to,

Learn enough they want to, and

Receive enough that they are able to.

In other words, Maxwell is saying that there are three main change points in a person's life.

A person who is effective in reaching lost people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, knows how to recognize someone who is at a change point in his life.

Zacchaeus is a good example of one who was at a change point and Jesus recognized it and stepped into his life.

Zacchaeus was hurting because, as a tax-collector, he was despised and had no friends. He was a Jew collecting taxes from other Jews for the hated Romans. That was not a way to make friends or influence people.

So, he hurted enough to want to change. He knew what he was doing wasn't working and he was looking for something that would. When he heard about Jesus coming to his village he knew that he had to meet this amazing Teacher.

Jesus, quickly recognized Zacchaeus was at some change points and took advantage of this vulnerable time to give Zach what he needed in order to experience a fundamental change in his life.

This is a great lesson for those of us who are called and commissioned to "seek and save" lost people.

Who do you know who is at a change point in his life?

Do you know some one who is hurting?

Do you know some one who is just begin a healing process and is looking for a better way to live?

Do you have some one in your life who is highly motivated toward self-improvement but misguided in that search?


Spiritual transformation happens at change points!