9/20/2020

This past week we looked at the story of Jesus and His encounter with Zacchaeus. We saw that Jesus traveled to Jericho and picked the most hated man in all the city and brought salvation to his home. We pointed out that Jesus saw into the heart of Zacchaeus what others could not see.  The one who had climbed into the tree, Jesus saw was ripe for the Kingdom. Jesus did not belittle him before the townsfolk, He did not remind Zacchaeus how much the people around him hated him, Jesus simply asked if He could go and stay with him at his home. In doing so Jesus brought the walls of a sinner to the ground. Jesus showed Zacchaeus a kindness and friendliness that Zacchaeus was unfamiliar with because he was hated. Jesus showed Zacchaeus that He was willing to be his friend, despite what others thought and said about him.  In just a short time Zacchaeus was a different man! The man who loved money, pleasure, and authority, who was known as a notorious sinner, suddenly cared no longer about the things of this world and was now giving his money away to the poor and those he had cheated. On that day, a camel passed though the eye of a needle! Zacchaeus found Jesus that day because Jesus was seeking to save that which was lost, and Zacchaeus, a man with all the money in the world, still had an empty hole in his heart only Jesus could fill. Jesus taught us that day that if we will be fishers of men, we must genuinely care for the people we will lead to Him. This week we will continue looking at Jesus’ personal encounters and turn our attention to the woman at the well. Join us this week for “Keeping Your Hook in the Water.”