Hello and welcome
again to Faith Chapel.
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My name is Pastor Mark
Duarte and our message today
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is entitled "Little Big Man,"
nothing to do with the film.
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Before we begin would you
join me for a word of prayer?
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Heavenly Father,
we thank You so much
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for the freedom that we
have to study Your word,
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to own a copy of Your
word, to pray and to seek You
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without surrounding
persecutions for the most part.
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We thank You God that
You send Your Holy Spirit
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to help us to understand
the things in Your word.
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And as we study it today
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we pray that we
may not only understand
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but that it may become
and living an active part
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of each of our lives.
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For we ask it in
Jesus name, amen.
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Don't you think it's
hard to like "mean people."
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Yeah, dishonest people at
best make you uncomfortable.
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People who're in the
habit of using foul language
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they are very
unpleasant to be around.
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Selfish people, they
tend to drain ones energy.
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And people who abuse or control
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or manipulate others
often have very few friends
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unless their
friends are just like them.
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Well, you know, there
was a man in the Bible
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whose name was Zacchaeus,
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who was probably a
little of all the above.
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You'd to be that type of person
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really to be a tax
collector in that day.
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Really you had to
sell out if you were a Jew
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and a tax collector.
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You had to sell
out in your culture
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and to much
extent your faith in God
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as a practicing Jew and
a practitioner of Judaism,
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to join the forces of
the occupying Roman Empire
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and be a
collector of taxes for them.
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Now, there may be
someone who's watching
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who works in a tax office
or does something like that
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but even you know,
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people are not
really excited about taxes,
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paying them or having to
pay or to do or so forth.
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Well, it wasn't any
different in those days,
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perhaps, even worse
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because Roman
armies could come through
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and in whole district to
collect taxes fore seizure
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and you had to give,
you had to pay or else--
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And the "or else"
had lot more to do
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then a court case
and making extension
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as we sometimes do
with our income taxes
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it had to do with--
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and the story we
want to look at today is
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found in the
Gospel of Luke Chapter 19.
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And there through--
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all the way through
the tenth verse is that
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but we want to begin
by reading the 1st verse
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of Luke Chapter 19 and it says,
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"Then Jesus entered and
passed through Jericho."
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"Jericho" does that
sound familiar to you?
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Seems to me there
was a town way back
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and there is a song
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"Joshua Fit the
Battle of Jericho."
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Yeah, he did fight it.
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And that's the same
name and really Joshua is too
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because you see
Joshua was the Old Testament
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or Hebrew
version of the name Jesus
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which comes through the Greek.
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But first Joshua fought a battle
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and walls came tumbling down.
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He had walls to deal with.
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The second Joshua, the
second Jesus if you will,
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also had a battle
of walls to fight.
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There were walls that had
to be brought down in His day.
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Both of them had a
connection with the Jericho,
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town by the same name.
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Both Jesus and
Joshua and you know,
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Christians today have to do--
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have to deal with
some of those same walls.
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We're not talking
about stone or brick walls,
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we're talking about walls that
have to do that are being built
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and that are set
up in human hearts.
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Walls of things like
prejudice, walls of racism,
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fear, hatred, anxiety,
walls of spiritual darkness.
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But when the love of
God surrounds people,
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when Jesus entered
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just as Joshua and
the children of Israel
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went round and round
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until the walls
came tumbling down.
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When Jesus entered the
town as Jesus in this story
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pass through
Jericho walls come down.
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What kind of walls
are you talking about?
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Well, some of the
ones I just mentioned
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as we'll see as
the story proceeds.
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Jesus will bring
down personal walls of sin
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that stand between us,
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between Him,
between our friends,
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our family members, our
loved ones, our children,
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our parents back
and forth, walls,
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you see that's
the devils strategy.
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Build walls between people,
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break and cut and
harm those relationships
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and especially build
walls between people and God.
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Verse 2 of Luke Chapter 19.
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We read these words
Luke 19:2, "Now behold,
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there was a man named Zacchaeus
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who was a chief tax
collector, and he was rich."
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Zacchaeus was not
only a tax collector,
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he was chief tax collector.
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Now, none of us
lived back in that time
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and the best we can do is
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whatever is recorded in history
or in biblical commentators
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and so forth we kind of
put together the picture
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but being a tax collector
if that wasn't bad enough
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for being the
chief tax collector
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he wasn't even able to make
an excise to his fellow Jews,
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"well, do you see
they make me do it."
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You are the chief, how
can they make you do that?
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And not only wasn't
the chief he was a rich
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as a result of being
a chief tax collector.
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Where did all
that money come from?
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From cheating.
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Remember earlier we talked
about the uncomfortableness
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we have around dishonest people.
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I mean would you lend your
car and give the keys to someone
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that you know is
a dishonest person
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and that you know has
a history of car theft.
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Well, you'd have
to have some pretty
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interesting
circumstances to do that.
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But then normally
we wouldn't. Would we?
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Chief tax collector,
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he had the authority of
Rome and the power of Rome,
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the Roman Empire which
rule that part of the world
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at that time in history.
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People knew who Zacchaeus was.
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He had the things
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really that so many
people are spending the time
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and their effort
even going through
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years of
difficult studying college
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to get a name and a degree
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so that they can have a position
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which enables them to
financially have those things
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which Zacchaeus had all of them.
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The money, the power,
the influence, the prestige--
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yeah, there's a lot of
people didn't like him.
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But "hey, who cares about them
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I'm in Flynn
with the good group."
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Is that the purpose
that some have in life?
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Well, if it is then you
probably just like Zacchaeus.
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All of the
outside stuff was there
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but the heart was empty.
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The heart was empty and cold.
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Some persons may feel
that they're too intelligent
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or I'm satisfied, no thank you
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I don't need God or
may be you may feel that
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you're a kind of chief
sinner in your own way--
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a chief sinner.
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We may feel that we
are too bad to save,
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how is it possible?
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But even Paul was saved
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and even he considering
rightly in his own way
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had something interesting to say
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which we find in
the letter of Timothy.
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First Timothy and in
1 Timothy letter 1:15,
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Paul says this,
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"This is a faithful saying
and worthy of all acceptance,
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that Christ Jesus came
into the world to save sinners,
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of whom I am chief."
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"Chief of sinners though I be,
Jesus shed His blood for me,"
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one hymn says.
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Well, Zacchaeus, he may
have known he was a sinner
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but there was some
stifled conviction there,
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some conscience
in the background
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on a back shelves.
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He became rich at
the expense of others
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and continued to do so.
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You see, riches
are not a bad thing.
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It is God the Bible says
who gives power to get wealth.
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And but He gives
power to get wealth
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rightly not at
the expense of others.
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So there's nothing
evil about being rich,
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the Bible says that
it is the love of money
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that becomes a problem.
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And that's in the same
book that we just read from
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over there in 1 Timothy.
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Only now, we want to look
at chapter 6:10 of chapter 6,
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we find these words,
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"For the love of money is
a root of all kinds of evil,
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for which some have
strayed from the faith
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in their greediness,
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and pierced themselves
through with many sorrows."
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You see, riches those of us
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who don't have it
may look appealing
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and if I could
only be like that,
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if I could only have what
they have then I would be happy.
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And of course, I'd give
a lot to the church too.
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Would you? I've
often has to be--
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Just the other day
one of my own son said,
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"What would you do if
you won the state lottery?"
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I said, well,
first of all I wouldn't
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play the state lottery.
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"Well, what if you did?
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What if somebody gave
you, you find a ticket
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and you won, what
would you do with the money?"
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And I said, "well, you know,
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I don't know have
to think about that."
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That is money that in some
respects as ill-gotten gained,
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is it really mine?
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How would I use it,
how would you use it?
00:10:07.07\00:10:08.71
But that's beside the point.
00:10:08.74\00:10:10.38
This man knew what he
did with his own money
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and he became rich on
that and really the plight,
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the problem of the so called
advanced modern society toady
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the society that
you and I were part of
00:10:22.44\00:10:24.41
is we think we are rich
and increased with goods
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as it says in Revelation 3:17.
00:10:27.75\00:10:32.05
And let's read that
together. Revelation 3:17.
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"Because you say, 'I am
rich, have become wealthy,
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and have need of nothing'
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and do not know
that you are wretched,
00:10:42.21\00:10:44.68
miserable, poor,
blind, and naked."
00:10:44.71\00:10:50.16
Wow. What a commentary?
00:10:50.19\00:10:52.64
Think about that,
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you think you are rich
and have need of nothing,
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no thank you I'm satisfied,
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I don't get-- need
to check that right
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you one out one
spiritually in the same way.
00:10:58.70\00:11:01.48
Spiritually the same it says,
00:11:01.51\00:11:03.77
you've become wealthy
and have need of nothing.
00:11:03.80\00:11:06.61
How many of us only
need drive a few miles
00:11:06.64\00:11:08.98
to find a bookstore
with Christian literature,
00:11:09.01\00:11:11.99
Christian museum or if it's
too far away you can go online
00:11:12.02\00:11:15.31
and just search up
one of the websites
00:11:15.34\00:11:18.30
that sells all kinds
of interesting thing.
00:11:18.33\00:11:20.65
Right at the fingertips free,
00:11:20.68\00:11:22.55
I myself I own several
version of Bible maybe too many.
00:11:22.58\00:11:26.43
We have all of this wealth
00:11:26.46\00:11:27.49
and we have sermons and
we have broadcasts like this,
00:11:27.52\00:11:30.49
we have radio,
we have television
00:11:30.52\00:11:32.46
so many other things.
00:11:32.49\00:11:33.76
A wealth of spiritual things
00:11:33.79\00:11:35.95
and yet had they
made a difference?
00:11:35.98\00:11:39.60
Had they made a difference?
00:11:39.63\00:11:40.85
It's not just
the physical in which
00:11:40.88\00:11:43.93
this society
considers itself to be rich
00:11:43.96\00:11:47.08
but often times
even in the spiritual
00:11:47.11\00:11:50.42
and thinking
that riches are found
00:11:50.45\00:11:52.16
in the form of
these very strange
00:11:52.19\00:11:54.41
and exotic type
religions and philosophies
00:11:54.44\00:11:56.58
but it says without really
knowing that you are wretched,
00:11:56.61\00:12:00.14
pitiful, miserable,
blind and naked all of these
00:12:00.17\00:12:04.70
and then he counsels
them to buy the gold,
00:12:04.73\00:12:06.74
tried in the fire,
all those good things
00:12:06.77\00:12:08.36
which will change the
situation for that person.
00:12:08.39\00:12:11.28
But we need to
go back to Luke now
00:12:11.31\00:12:12.77
and look at verse 3
of chapter 19, verse 3,
00:12:12.80\00:12:18.26
"And he sought to
see who Jesus was,
00:12:18.29\00:12:20.79
but could not
because of the crowd,
00:12:20.82\00:12:23.98
for he was of short stature."
00:12:24.01\00:12:28.27
Zacchaeus became famous
in the history of the Bible
00:12:28.30\00:12:32.29
and Christianity
for being the short guy.
00:12:32.32\00:12:35.81
He was a big shot in his work
and in the eyes of his cohorts
00:12:35.84\00:12:40.63
but really
spiritually he was a midget
00:12:40.66\00:12:43.71
and thus the
title "Little Big Man."
00:12:43.74\00:12:49.40
There are many big people
who are spiritual midgets,
00:12:49.43\00:12:53.98
their growth has been
stunted so they can't see Christ
00:12:54.01\00:12:58.14
but whoever wants to
see Christ can't see Him.
00:12:58.17\00:13:02.62
It's often the case as
we read in this scripture
00:13:02.65\00:13:04.88
that those who
want to see Christ
00:13:04.91\00:13:06.86
and have the desire to see Him
00:13:06.89\00:13:08.35
and to understand are prevented
00:13:08.38\00:13:10.32
from seeing Him
because of the crowd.
00:13:10.35\00:13:12.97
The crowd, what's the
crowd? It's a group of people.
00:13:13.00\00:13:15.89
People, sometimes
even those closest to us
00:13:15.92\00:13:19.80
get in the way
unknowingly sometimes
00:13:19.83\00:13:22.90
and block our sight
and block our experience
00:13:22.93\00:13:27.13
and if that is your
experience take courage, friend.
00:13:27.16\00:13:30.51
Look at the experience of
Zacchaeus and don't give up.
00:13:30.54\00:13:34.97
Don't give up, lets go on
00:13:35.00\00:13:36.93
and read verse 4 of
the same chapter Luke 19:4,
00:13:36.96\00:13:41.35
"So he ran ahead and climbed
00:13:41.38\00:13:43.77
into a sycamore tree to see Him,
00:13:43.80\00:13:46.34
for He was going
to pass the way."
00:13:46.37\00:13:49.50
Zacchaeus, you see,
ran ahead of the crowd.
00:13:49.53\00:13:52.51
He didn't run with the crowd,
00:13:52.54\00:13:54.37
in fact, crowd wasn't running
00:13:54.40\00:13:55.46
they were walking
taking their sweet time
00:13:55.49\00:13:57.71
it was difficult to Jesus to,
00:13:57.74\00:13:59.31
for Jesus to pass
through some of the villages
00:13:59.34\00:14:01.92
because so many people
would come to hear him.
00:14:01.95\00:14:03.85
Sometimes the Bible says,
00:14:03.88\00:14:05.07
He couldn't even
enter the village.
00:14:05.10\00:14:06.45
They came outside because
the crowds were so large.
00:14:06.48\00:14:08.94
So as they're gradually
00:14:08.97\00:14:10.36
and slowly making their
way along Zacchaeus says,
00:14:10.39\00:14:13.23
"I want to see Him
and I see the crowd
00:14:13.26\00:14:15.09
where people
standing there and looking."
00:14:15.12\00:14:16.63
And he comes up, "excuse me"
00:14:16.66\00:14:17.84
and they're
looking see who it is
00:14:17.87\00:14:18.90
and moved shoulder to shoulder
and he comes on the other side
00:14:18.93\00:14:20.72
and he tried to
look through the legs
00:14:20.75\00:14:22.88
and they close those up.
00:14:22.91\00:14:24.97
No where they're
gonna let him see,
00:14:25.00\00:14:26.60
"this tax collector,
this chief tax collector."
00:14:26.63\00:14:29.09
And they're in the crowd
Jesus is walking in the middle
00:14:29.12\00:14:32.30
and over the heads of the others
00:14:32.33\00:14:33.64
you see Zacchaeus perhaps,
00:14:33.67\00:14:34.78
jumping up and
down trying to see,
00:14:34.81\00:14:36.94
it didn't work
because of the crowd.
00:14:36.97\00:14:39.90
So it says he went ahead
of the crowd, smart move.
00:14:39.93\00:14:45.03
"And he climbed
a sycamore tree."
00:14:45.06\00:14:48.00
Now, if you ever climbed a tree
00:14:48.03\00:14:50.19
you know there are certain
things that you have to do
00:14:50.22\00:14:52.61
and there are certain
things that you never do.
00:14:52.64\00:14:54.34
What you have to do is
drop what you are holding.
00:14:54.37\00:14:57.35
You need both
hands to climb a tree.
00:14:57.38\00:14:59.08
So, he had to have his free
00:14:59.11\00:15:01.69
in order to climb
to get a higher more,
00:15:01.72\00:15:04.02
a loftier view to see Jesus.
00:15:04.05\00:15:06.88
There is meaning there.
00:15:06.91\00:15:08.06
And some of things that you
never do in climbing a tree,
00:15:08.09\00:15:11.45
ladies will know about that,
00:15:11.49\00:15:13.02
you don't climb a
tree wearing a skirt.
00:15:13.05\00:15:16.55
Well, in these days
there were robes, did he care?
00:15:16.58\00:15:20.70
Obviously not.
00:15:20.73\00:15:21.76
He was not self
conscious he only had one focus,
00:15:21.79\00:15:24.90
one desire, one thing
that was totally consuming him,
00:15:24.93\00:15:28.51
"I've got to see
who this Jesus is."
00:15:28.54\00:15:31.31
Because he realized
the emptiness in his heart
00:15:31.34\00:15:34.11
nothing else had satisfied
him, "could it be the rumors
00:15:34.14\00:15:37.04
that I've heard about
this man, could it be?"
00:15:37.07\00:15:39.60
You know I
believe Jesus went through
00:15:39.63\00:15:41.87
Jericho that day specifically
and just for Zacchaeus.
00:15:41.90\00:15:47.19
You read the story,
00:15:47.22\00:15:48.25
after that happened
next place just for Zacchaeus
00:15:48.28\00:15:52.55
that's how
important you and I are.
00:15:52.58\00:15:54.70
I mean when we look at ourselves
00:15:54.73\00:15:56.40
if you looked at
your finger prints
00:15:56.43\00:15:57.83
recently put something black
00:15:57.86\00:16:00.77
and your read and
put it on the paper
00:16:00.80\00:16:02.66
and look at that and realize
00:16:02.69\00:16:04.13
there's nobody else in the world
00:16:04.16\00:16:05.79
who has that finger print.
00:16:05.82\00:16:07.93
Just as unique or even
more unique than a snowflake.
00:16:07.96\00:16:12.08
We are unique and we are
special to God whoever we are.
00:16:12.11\00:16:16.97
And so
Zacchaeus climbs this tree
00:16:17.00\00:16:18.90
goes out on a limb so to speak,
he had to have a higher view.
00:16:18.93\00:16:23.02
He left the low lands
of earth to beaten track
00:16:23.05\00:16:25.62
where everybody else was
00:16:25.65\00:16:26.89
and he had to
climb in order to see
00:16:26.92\00:16:29.20
and we, you and I,
we need higher goals,
00:16:29.23\00:16:32.52
a higher standard,
higher expectations
00:16:32.55\00:16:35.07
if we would have a
clearer view of Jesus.
00:16:35.10\00:16:37.73
Does the Bible say that?
00:16:37.76\00:16:39.40
Well, lets look and
see in Colossians 3,
00:16:39.43\00:16:43.41
Paul's letter to the Colossians
in chapter 3 of that book
00:16:43.44\00:16:47.54
and we want to read
verses 1, 2 of Colossians 3
00:16:47.57\00:16:51.86
and I'm turning there in
my Bible Colossians 3:1, 2.
00:16:51.89\00:16:57.91
"If then you were
raised with Christ,
00:16:57.94\00:17:00.15
seek those
things which are above,
00:17:00.18\00:17:02.37
where Christ is, sitting
at the right hand of God.
00:17:02.40\00:17:05.19
Set your mind on things
above, not on things on earth.
00:17:05.22\00:17:09.43
For you died and your life
is hidden with God in Christ,
00:17:09.46\00:17:13.26
with Christ in God."
00:17:13.29\00:17:15.43
Set your mind on things above,
00:17:15.46\00:17:17.99
things above and that's
what Zacchaeus said he got up
00:17:18.02\00:17:21.01
and so here he is in this tree
00:17:21.04\00:17:22.67
and I see the
crowd coming towards Him.
00:17:22.70\00:17:24.83
There slowly
painstakingly making way
00:17:24.86\00:17:27.39
and He is looking and He says,
00:17:27.42\00:17:28.58
"okay, oh, there that looks like
00:17:28.61\00:17:29.88
the center of the group there
00:17:29.91\00:17:31.09
and that must be
Jesus, that's got to be Him.
00:17:31.12\00:17:34.95
Yeah, I'm sure that's Him."
00:17:34.98\00:17:36.57
And then
scattered through out there
00:17:36.60\00:17:38.35
kind of in the inner circle
are the disciples of the Christ
00:17:38.38\00:17:41.55
and the group
continues to move forward
00:17:41.58\00:17:43.84
and continues to move
forward and he realizes,
00:17:43.87\00:17:45.97
"wow, do I have a front
row seat, nobody even knows
00:17:46.00\00:17:49.90
I'm up here all the others--
hey, I'm pretty smart, ain't I?
00:17:49.93\00:17:53.33
Up here in this tree."
00:17:53.36\00:17:54.71
And the crowd
continues to move and move
00:17:54.74\00:17:56.48
and all of a sudden they
stop right under the tree.
00:17:56.51\00:18:00.12
And then He thinks, "wow,
may be He's gonna preach now.
00:18:00.15\00:18:04.41
Not only do I
have an excellent view
00:18:04.44\00:18:06.75
I can hear perfectly up here."
00:18:06.78\00:18:08.85
And the crowd stops and
the people are wondering
00:18:08.88\00:18:10.54
what's going on perhaps,
00:18:10.57\00:18:11.60
they're even wondering is
Jesus going to preach now.
00:18:11.63\00:18:14.04
And suddenly something
almost horrifying happens
00:18:14.07\00:18:18.01
the Lord turns His
gaze upwards into the tree.
00:18:18.04\00:18:22.63
Now, have you ever done
that little thing in public
00:18:22.66\00:18:24.65
where you know on a
crowded street you stand there
00:18:24.68\00:18:26.53
and you look up
and just wondering
00:18:26.56\00:18:28.24
how many other
people are gonna pass by
00:18:28.27\00:18:29.83
and look at you and look up
00:18:29.86\00:18:31.04
and see what you're
looking at up there.
00:18:31.07\00:18:32.38
You ever done that?
00:18:32.41\00:18:33.44
Or have you seen
someone else looking up
00:18:33.47\00:18:35.31
and you look up to see
what they're looking at?
00:18:35.34\00:18:38.21
Normally all the gaze turns up
00:18:38.24\00:18:40.54
and there is
Zacchaeus in the tree.
00:18:40.57\00:18:43.69
This chief tax collector,
00:18:43.72\00:18:45.57
this rich man with the authority
00:18:45.60\00:18:47.80
of Rome sitting up in the tree
00:18:47.83\00:18:49.89
and if I were him I would
have immediately checked my robe
00:18:49.92\00:18:52.47
be sure the thing is closed
and the Lord looks up at him
00:18:52.50\00:18:56.92
and they make eye contact,
00:18:56.95\00:18:59.39
"He's looking at
me. He's looking at me."
00:18:59.42\00:19:02.47
Well, lets go on and read
verse 5 of Luke Chapter 19.
00:19:02.50\00:19:07.32
"And when Jesus
came to the place,
00:19:07.35\00:19:09.65
He looked up and
saw him and said to him,
00:19:09.68\00:19:12.03
'Zacchaeus, make
haste and come down,
00:19:12.06\00:19:16.40
for today I must
stay at your house.'"
00:19:16.43\00:19:20.53
I almost hear Jesus looking
at this curious short man
00:19:20.56\00:19:25.77
sitting up in
the tree and He Says,
00:19:25.80\00:19:27.26
"Zacchaeus" how do
you his name? Interesting.
00:19:27.29\00:19:32.78
That's why I
believe He came there
00:19:32.81\00:19:34.42
especially for
"Zacchaeus, make haste, hurry up
00:19:34.45\00:19:38.40
and come down because today
00:19:38.43\00:19:40.27
I just have to
stay at your house."
00:19:40.30\00:19:42.75
I mean, "hey,
you are a character
00:19:42.78\00:19:44.61
but you are really a character.
00:19:44.64\00:19:46.67
Come down and I
must stay at your house.
00:19:46.70\00:19:48.70
In the midst of
all of those people."
00:19:48.73\00:19:50.57
Jesus knows
Zacchaeus was on that tree.
00:19:50.60\00:19:53.54
And He longed for a better
life and for peace of mind
00:19:53.57\00:19:57.25
Jesus knew what
was in his heart.
00:19:57.28\00:19:59.34
And when Jesus stopped in
that spot it was no accident
00:19:59.37\00:20:03.44
I don't believe in accidents,
in fate and blind chants.
00:20:03.47\00:20:07.58
The Lord is guiding in
the affairs of this world
00:20:07.61\00:20:11.39
and what may seem
like chance to us like,
00:20:11.42\00:20:13.63
"whoa, how could God
would have known about that?
00:20:13.66\00:20:15.60
What about this?" Things
that He allows, definitely.
00:20:15.63\00:20:18.72
Things that He
works most definitely.
00:20:18.75\00:20:21.09
All things work together for
the good to them that love Him
00:20:21.12\00:20:24.32
and who're called
accordingly His purpose
00:20:24.35\00:20:26.10
the scriptures tell us.
00:20:26.13\00:20:27.80
So, Jesus stopping under
that tree was not an accident
00:20:27.83\00:20:31.44
it was for the
saving of Zacchaeus
00:20:31.47\00:20:33.39
and for his house and Jesus said
00:20:33.42\00:20:35.25
"I must stay at
your house today,
00:20:35.28\00:20:38.90
not tomorrow, not
next week but today."
00:20:38.93\00:20:41.66
And you know,
from that moment on
00:20:41.69\00:20:43.94
Jesus had a place
in Zacchaeus's heart
00:20:43.97\00:20:47.45
and in
Zacchaeus's home forever more.
00:20:47.48\00:20:51.48
He began on that day a
new walk becoming a new man
00:20:51.51\00:20:56.48
and He wants to come
into all of our homes
00:20:56.51\00:20:59.71
and in all of our hearts too.
00:20:59.74\00:21:02.50
Just think for a
moment whatever problems
00:21:02.53\00:21:05.36
you may be having in your life
00:21:05.39\00:21:07.00
or in your home
whatever challenges,
00:21:07.03\00:21:08.89
a spouse, a
child or someone else,
00:21:08.92\00:21:11.06
have you asked the
Lord to take that problem?
00:21:11.09\00:21:13.60
Have you asked for His guidance?
00:21:13.63\00:21:15.04
And if you have
asked Him to show,
00:21:15.07\00:21:16.65
what percent of the problem
is being caused by yourself
00:21:16.68\00:21:20.52
and how you can
make a difference?
00:21:20.55\00:21:23.29
I remember
vaguely a story of a wife
00:21:23.32\00:21:26.01
who was in tears talking to
a minister about her husband
00:21:26.04\00:21:29.04
who was a big problem
and abuser in the home
00:21:29.07\00:21:32.28
and wishing that
she had a new husband.
00:21:32.31\00:21:35.14
And the preacher
saying something to the fact,
00:21:35.17\00:21:36.98
well, the best way
to have a new husband
00:21:37.01\00:21:38.78
is to give him a new wife.
00:21:38.81\00:21:41.11
Makes a lot of
sense or vice versa
00:21:41.14\00:21:43.41
the best way to have a new wife
is to give her a new husband.
00:21:43.44\00:21:48.65
Revelation 3:20, we read these
00:21:48.68\00:21:51.94
very, very important
words in Revelation 3:20.
00:21:51.97\00:21:57.13
Words of Jesus and He says,
00:21:57.16\00:22:01.26
"Behold or look I
stand at the door and knock.
00:22:01.29\00:22:05.35
If any one hears My
voice and opens the door,
00:22:05.38\00:22:09.11
I will come in to
him, and dine with him,
00:22:09.14\00:22:13.86
and he with Me."
00:22:13.89\00:22:17.24
Have you heard the
voice? The knock at the door.
00:22:17.27\00:22:20.82
Have you opened the door?
00:22:20.85\00:22:21.91
"I must stay at your
house today" Jesus said.
00:22:21.94\00:22:24.38
And going on in Luke 19:6.
00:22:24.41\00:22:27.36
"So he" that is Zacchaeus,
00:22:27.39\00:22:28.96
"he made haste and came down,
and received Him joyfully."
00:22:28.99\00:22:33.38
You see, it's important
to do what the Lord says
00:22:33.41\00:22:36.28
when He says to do it,
"make haste and come down."
00:22:36.31\00:22:38.54
"Well, not with all
these people watching here."
00:22:38.57\00:22:40.80
"Hurry up and come down there."
00:22:40.83\00:22:42.15
He made haste and came
down and received Him joyfully.
00:22:42.18\00:22:45.50
There is a difference happening
being born in his life.
00:22:45.53\00:22:49.09
Being in the tree and then
being called down was certainly
00:22:49.12\00:22:51.84
some what of a humbling
experience for Zacchaeus
00:22:51.87\00:22:54.29
but he received
Jesus gladly and with joy,
00:22:54.32\00:22:57.88
the joy that is only born
00:22:57.91\00:22:59.86
from knowing
personally who Jesus is.
00:22:59.89\00:23:03.22
And from
walking from and knowing
00:23:03.25\00:23:04.83
what He does in
each of our lives.
00:23:04.86\00:23:07.18
A few minutes earlier
00:23:07.21\00:23:08.45
he had been the most
miserable man in town--
00:23:08.48\00:23:12.01
where Jesus is, there is joy.
00:23:12.04\00:23:15.19
And so I ask you sincerely
have you received Jesus?
00:23:15.22\00:23:20.58
Have you taken His
invitation knocking at the door
00:23:20.61\00:23:24.26
and have you opened the door,
00:23:24.29\00:23:25.45
one artist drew--
painted a picture of Christ
00:23:25.48\00:23:29.64
standing at the
door and knocking
00:23:29.67\00:23:31.08
you may remember
you may have seen it.
00:23:31.11\00:23:33.51
And there is a doorknob
only on the inside of the door,
00:23:33.54\00:23:36.51
no doorknob on the outside.
00:23:36.54\00:23:37.74
He doesn't come in,
00:23:37.77\00:23:38.83
have an interesting
thing in the culture of Japan
00:23:38.86\00:23:41.59
which is perfectly normal.
00:23:41.62\00:23:43.19
If you leave your door unlocked
00:23:43.22\00:23:45.00
because in the
old days most doors
00:23:45.03\00:23:46.60
there were sliding doors
took a little getting used to it
00:23:46.63\00:23:50.38
in my time of
living there in Japan
00:23:50.41\00:23:52.28
I used to warn the
voluntary missionaries
00:23:52.31\00:23:54.80
who came in, be sure
you lock your door. Why?
00:23:54.83\00:23:57.95
Japan is not a
dangerous country, is it?
00:23:57.98\00:24:00.92
And I say, well, it's
not what I'm talking about
00:24:00.95\00:24:02.98
because the custom is
to open the door step in
00:24:03.01\00:24:06.13
and then announce
that you are there saying,
00:24:06.16\00:24:07.75
excuse me please in Japanese.
00:24:07.78\00:24:09.78
Knocking, no knocking just
walking in and 'gomen kudasai'
00:24:09.81\00:24:13.36
they say in
Japanese very polite.
00:24:13.39\00:24:15.63
But if you happen to be in
a straight line of sight there
00:24:15.66\00:24:18.91
and partial undress you
got an interesting situation.
00:24:18.94\00:24:24.53
So you keep the door locked
00:24:24.56\00:24:26.15
but you have to open
the door here in America,
00:24:26.18\00:24:29.06
don't we when someone knocks
00:24:29.09\00:24:30.93
and let them in or
keep it chained for somebody
00:24:30.96\00:24:33.55
they don't but
don't chain the door,
00:24:33.58\00:24:35.19
don't chain the door
when Christ is knocking
00:24:35.22\00:24:37.47
open it and let Him in.
00:24:37.50\00:24:39.55
And verse 7 goes
on to say Luke 19:7,
00:24:39.58\00:24:43.86
"But when they," that
is the crowd the people,
00:24:43.89\00:24:45.89
"when they saw it,
they all complained, saying,
00:24:45.92\00:24:48.66
'He has gone to be a guest
of a man who is a sinner.'"
00:24:48.69\00:24:52.08
You know, that one verse right
there is a gospel in miniature.
00:24:52.11\00:24:56.54
He has gone to be the
guest of a man who is a sinner?
00:24:56.57\00:25:00.83
That's good news, thank God
00:25:00.86\00:25:02.71
that He goes to be the
guest of people men and women
00:25:02.74\00:25:05.36
who are sinners if not
what hope would we have.
00:25:05.39\00:25:08.83
What hope would we have?
00:25:08.86\00:25:10.00
And then verse 8,
00:25:10.03\00:25:12.47
"Then Zacchaeus
stood and said to Him,
00:25:12.50\00:25:14.26
'Lord, look, I give
half of my goods to the poor
00:25:14.29\00:25:16.95
and if I have taken
anything from anyone
00:25:16.98\00:25:18.91
by false accusation,
I restore fourfold.'"
00:25:18.94\00:25:23.15
And we should go on to
read also in verses 9 and 10
00:25:23.18\00:25:27.12
"And Jesus said to him,
00:25:27.15\00:25:28.52
'Today salvation
has come to this house,
00:25:28.55\00:25:32.18
because he also
is a son of Abraham
00:25:32.21\00:25:34.76
for the Son of
Man has come to seek
00:25:34.79\00:25:36.81
and save that which was lost.'"
00:25:36.84\00:25:41.91
True repentance
and true conversation
00:25:41.94\00:25:46.30
happened in Zacchaeus's life.
00:25:46.33\00:25:48.08
What's the evidence of that?
00:25:48.11\00:25:49.43
What he said, if I
have defrauded anyone
00:25:49.46\00:25:52.01
I restore to Him
00:25:52.04\00:25:53.27
and not just once
but several times over
00:25:53.30\00:25:55.42
and if I have taken
anything by that you know--
00:25:55.45\00:25:57.47
he made the wrongs right
showing that he had repented.
00:25:57.50\00:26:02.74
Of course, the people no doubt
00:26:02.77\00:26:04.15
were very, very
happy about that.
00:26:04.18\00:26:05.74
And I can see the Lord standing
00:26:05.77\00:26:07.29
with a very
pleasant smile on His face
00:26:07.32\00:26:09.66
seeing once again
the grace of God at work
00:26:09.69\00:26:12.63
in this man's life.
00:26:12.66\00:26:14.15
And then finally
what He said there,
00:26:14.18\00:26:16.30
the people were still--
00:26:16.33\00:26:17.36
he's going to be
guest of a man who say,
00:26:17.39\00:26:18.78
He said "salvation
has come to this house
00:26:18.81\00:26:21.17
for he too is a Son of Abraham."
00:26:21.20\00:26:24.56
And what we read
in verse 10 earlier,
00:26:24.59\00:26:26.90
the Son of Man has come to seek
00:26:26.93\00:26:30.59
and to save that which was lost.
00:26:30.62\00:26:35.23
Interesting words
that Jesus did not say
00:26:35.26\00:26:38.27
He came to save that which
is lost but that which was.
00:26:38.30\00:26:43.53
In the case of Zacchaeus
before Christ entered the town
00:26:43.56\00:26:47.28
he was a lost man
without a hope in this life
00:26:47.31\00:26:50.01
or without a hope for the next
00:26:50.04\00:26:52.40
but when Jesus did pass,
00:26:52.43\00:26:54.30
when Jesus did come and call
him down from the tree by name
00:26:54.33\00:26:58.97
and say I must go to your house.
00:26:59.00\00:27:01.24
Didn't He even preach
just I must to go to your--
00:27:01.27\00:27:03.92
I mean you're not embarrassed
to spend time with me?
00:27:03.95\00:27:06.23
No. You love me that much? Yes.
00:27:06.26\00:27:09.01
You care about
me that much? Hmm.
00:27:09.04\00:27:12.62
I'm a new man
and he was a new man
00:27:12.65\00:27:15.56
and no longer was he lost
00:27:15.59\00:27:17.55
but he was saved
that which was lost.
00:27:17.58\00:27:21.30
Zacchaeus experience has
been the experience of people
00:27:21.33\00:27:24.66
throughout history
for thousands of years
00:27:24.69\00:27:27.47
and it can be your
experience and my experience.
00:27:27.50\00:27:31.02
Wherever we are at this moment
doesn't have to remain the same
00:27:31.05\00:27:34.77
if we're separated from God.
00:27:34.80\00:27:37.09
We don't have to
climb trees to do it.
00:27:37.12\00:27:39.55
All we need to do is to say,
00:27:39.58\00:27:40.79
"Lord, here I am would You come
into my heart, into my house?"
00:27:40.82\00:27:46.29
And you know, He will.
00:27:46.32\00:27:48.11
And He will stay with you
both now and for eternity.
00:27:48.14\00:27:52.64
Praise the Lord.
And may God bless you.
00:27:52.67\00:27:54.65