Hello friends.
Welcome to the continuation
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of our 3ABN Fall Camp Meeting.
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Weren't we just blessed?
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Amen! Praise the Lord!
And the blessing is going to
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continue as my good
friend Pastor Doug Batchelor
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is going to be
speaking this hour...
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and Climbing the Tree of Life
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is the title of his message.
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And we know that the
Lord has a blessing in store
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for every one of us.
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What can I say about
Pastor Doug Batchelor?
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I've known him
since I had black hair
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and since he had hair.
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I started in evangelism
when I came to California
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to begin ministry.
Pastor Doug Batchelor invited me
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out to be a part of
his evangelistic team.
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We worked together for 11 months
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and at the end of 11
months we were separated.
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I say that not in a negative way
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but the Lord blessed so wonder-
fully they gave Doug and I
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different directions to go.
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We have worked together through
the years on many occasions
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with Amazing Facts, and
I was even in his wedding.
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I see his wife Karen
here. Good to see you, Karen.
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Can we say Amen? Amen!
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It's wonderful to have
Karen here. We go back a ways.
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But I know that we've
traveled together on land,
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we've done evangelism together,
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we've flown
together. You'll hear stories
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how Doug and I were in a plane
together running out of fuel.
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And the Lord
obviously pulled off a miracle
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because we
landed with no fuel left
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and here we are: on the
fuel of the Lord's grace.
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And I know tonight
the Lord is going to bless
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in a powerful way.
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Every time we get a
chance to get together
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it's always a blessing.
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And I'm not going to take
too much time from his message
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because I know that there's
going to be a wonderful sermon
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going forth tonight
to the glory of God.
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And the same attention
that the Lord has given to us
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to listen to Elder Ted
Wilson I know that He's going to
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bless us as we open our
hearts for His manservant
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my good friend and colleague
in ministry Pr. Doug Batchelor.
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I'm going to have him
pray, but before he comes out
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I've been given the
opportunity to sing a song
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that has such meaning to us.
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Many of you... Years ago
you may have seen Doug and I
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sing this song together.
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I did extend an invitation
for him to sing with me,
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but he just came in and he said:
"I'll let you sing it tonight. "
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But in honor of the work that
God has done through our lives
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as fellow laborers
in the field of God
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tonight this song is
dedicated to His work,
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to the work God has done in us
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because Only Jesus
Can Satisfy Your Soul.
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The world may try
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to satisfy
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that deep longing in your soul.
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You may search
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the wide world o'er
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but you'll be just as before.
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You'll never find
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true satisfaction
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until you find the Lord
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for only Jesus
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can satisfy your soul.
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Only Jesus
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can satisfy
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your soul.
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And only He
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can change your heart
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and make you whole.
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He'll give you peace
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you never knew...
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sweet love and joy
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and heaven, too.
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Only Jesus
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can satisfy
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your soul.
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If you have the
fame and fortune,
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all the wealth you could obtain,
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but you have not Christ
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within
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your living here
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would be in vain.
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There'll come a time
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when death will call you...
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riches cannot help you then.
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So come to Jesus
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for only He can satisfy.
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Only Jesus
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can satisfy
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your soul.
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And only He
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can change your heart
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and make us whole.
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He'll give us peace
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we never knew...
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sweet love and joy
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and heaven, too.
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For only Jesus
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can satisfy
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your soul.
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He'll give us peace
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we never knew...
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sweet love and joy
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and heaven, too.
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For only Jesus
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can satisfy
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your
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soul.
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Amen!
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Believe it or not, we
used to sing that together.
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But nobody would
listen back then.
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Well, it's so good
to see each of you.
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And Karen and I are very
thankful to be here with you
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for our Homecoming Camp Meeting
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where we're going to talk
about Living Above the Crowd.
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There's Mrs. Batchelor.
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We just flew in from Sacramento,
and we're so thankful now
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it's one airplane from
Sacramento to St. Louis!
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And so who knows...
we may come more often.
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But good to see each of you.
It's always good to be back here
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at 3ABN. It's such a miracle
the way the Lord has blessed
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this vision. And you
know, we have a downlink there
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in Sacramento. Plays 3ABN.
We hear stories all the time
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about people coming to the Lord
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and it's just a
wonderful blessing.
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You know, I'm very thankful to
be able to be with you tonight
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and just to
open the Word of God.
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In keeping with the theme
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Living Above the Crowd
you know the Bible says that
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"Straight is the
gate and narrow is the way
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that leads to life and
few there be that find it.
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Broad is the way... "
The crowd is on that road.
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"that leads to destruction. "
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Moses told the
children of Israel
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"Be mindful not to
follow a multitude to do evil. "
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And so, you
know, being a Christian
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Jesus said in
this wicked generation
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it requires faith
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and you've gotta keep
your eyes fixed upon Jesus.
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Now in our message tonight
we're going to be talking about
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Climbing the Tree of Life.
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And I'm always
fascinated with amazing facts.
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The tallest tree
and the biggest tree
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and the widest tree,
and I've spent a lot of time
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in the woods working with trees.
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Sometimes I cut one
down I count the rings.
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But one tree
that's amazing to me
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that's called the tree of life
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is the simple coconut tree.
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We just returned from Asia.
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We were in three different
countries preaching the gospel,
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doing missionary
training and evangelism.
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And we flew over some
of those beautiful islands
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near the Equator.
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And you can look from the window
and you see the green emerald
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specks in the blue and you
know that there's trees there.
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They used to tell the
pilots during World War II
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"If you get shot down
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and if you are in
your little life raft... "
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maybe primitive life
rafts or your life vests...
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if you can get to one of those
islands where there's coconut
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trees there's a good
chance you can survive
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until someone finds you. "
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Hopefully the right
side would find you.
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Because the
coconut... it's amazing!
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We did an
Amazing Fact on coconuts.
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They make, of
course, you've got food.
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You've got water.
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You can get milk.
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You've got tools.
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Make cloth.
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You can start a
fire with a coconut tree.
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They make soap.
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They make baskets.
00:11:00.12\00:11:02.02
Building material.
00:11:03.12\00:11:04.46
It's just absolutely amazing.
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If you go
through the South Pacific
00:11:06.46\00:11:07.90
and visit some of those
islands to see what they can do
00:11:08.10\00:11:10.30
with that one tree!
00:11:10.50\00:11:12.13
And so they kind of
call it a tree of life.
00:11:12.53\00:11:14.94
You know, the Bible
begins talking about two trees.
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You've got the Tree of Life
and you've got a tree that was
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the forbidden tree: the
Knowledge of Good and Evil.
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And because man
ate from the wrong tree
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we were evicted from the garden.
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And the whole Bible is
telling us how to get back
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to the garden. And
you get to Revelation
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it says they're back
in the Garden of Eden
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eating from the
Tree of Life again.
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Well, I'm going to
take you to a story
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about a man that
climbed a tree of life.
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It's only found one
place in the gospels.
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And it's really just
the story of Zacchaeus.
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People hear that and
they think: "Oh, Pastor Doug,
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I already did Sabbath
School or Sunday School"
00:12:00.45\00:12:02.38
depending on your background
00:12:02.58\00:12:04.12
"and I know this
story and I know the song
00:12:04.32\00:12:06.89
about the wee little man. "
00:12:07.29\00:12:08.72
But I think sometimes we forget
that these stories that we
00:12:09.22\00:12:12.89
sort of relegate to the children
00:12:13.09\00:12:15.20
are absolutely erupting with
profound theological meaning.
00:12:15.40\00:12:20.50
And I'd like for you to
look at this story tonight
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with fresh eyes.
00:12:23.54\00:12:25.31
"Jesus entered... "
Luke chapter 19 verse 1...
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"Jesus entered and He
passed through Jericho. "
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All right... gotta stop already.
00:12:35.82\00:12:37.32
This was the last
journey of Jesus to Jerusalem
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before the crucifixion.
00:12:42.79\00:12:44.29
When it says He passed through
Jericho you realize He's at the
00:12:45.49\00:12:48.06
lowest point on the planet.
00:12:48.26\00:12:49.70
The city of Jericho
is in the Jordan Valley
00:12:50.47\00:12:52.60
not far from where the Jordan
river runs into the Dead Sea,
00:12:52.80\00:12:55.80
and that's 1,300
feet below sea level.
00:12:56.00\00:12:59.01
And Jesus... You could say
He's reached one of the lowest
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points. And the city of Jericho,
one of the ancient cities
00:13:03.65\00:13:06.58
of the world, was
actually a cursed city.
00:13:06.78\00:13:09.78
You remember when they
marched around the city
00:13:09.98\00:13:11.49
and the walls fell, and Joshua
pronounced a curse on the city.
00:13:11.69\00:13:15.56
Said: "Cursed is
anyone who rebuilds Jericho.
00:13:15.76\00:13:18.59
He will lay the
foundation in his firstborn
00:13:18.79\00:13:21.23
and he will set up the
gates in his youngest. "
00:13:21.43\00:13:24.27
And later during
the time of King Ahab
00:13:24.87\00:13:26.77
someone had the
audacity to rebuild Jericho
00:13:26.97\00:13:29.24
in spite of the curse.
And his firstborn died when
00:13:29.44\00:13:32.57
they laid the
foundation and his youngest died
00:13:32.77\00:13:34.94
when they set up the
gates. It was a cursed city.
00:13:35.14\00:13:38.31
You see, Jericho -
because of its location -
00:13:38.71\00:13:41.45
is at the intersection
of three continents.
00:13:41.65\00:13:44.39
You have Asia, Africa, Europe.
00:13:45.32\00:13:48.46
And you know, there's a forbid-
ding deserts that's to the east
00:13:48.86\00:13:51.79
and so the only way
the caravan traffic went
00:13:51.99\00:13:53.90
was through the Jordan Valley.
00:13:54.10\00:13:55.46
And so it went all the
way back to the time of Rahab.
00:13:56.50\00:14:00.77
That city was known
for its bad behavior.
00:14:00.97\00:14:04.61
And so as soon
as we say Jericho...
00:14:05.64\00:14:07.68
You know the story of the
man who fell among thieves?
00:14:07.88\00:14:09.68
He's going from
Jerusalem - the city of God -
00:14:10.25\00:14:12.28
to Jericho.
00:14:12.48\00:14:13.82
And he falls on
his way to Jericho.
00:14:14.08\00:14:17.09
And so Jericho didn't
have the best reputation.
00:14:18.02\00:14:20.72
But Jesus knew that they
needed the gospel there too.
00:14:20.92\00:14:23.83
So on His way to die He
goes to the lowest city.
00:14:24.03\00:14:27.06
And the Bible tell us:
"Now behold there was a man
00:14:29.66\00:14:33.10
named Zacchaeus who
was a chief tax collector
00:14:33.30\00:14:37.84
and he was rich. "
00:14:38.41\00:14:41.94
Tell you a story:
00:14:42.21\00:14:43.55
this guy owned a fitness gym
00:14:43.95\00:14:46.82
and wanting to be a good
example he was pretty built.
00:14:47.58\00:14:50.25
As a matter of fact, he
was over built. He had the arms
00:14:50.45\00:14:53.32
that reached that wide and very
strong; exercising all the time.
00:14:53.52\00:14:56.96
And one of the ways
he would promote the gym
00:14:57.16\00:14:58.79
is he had this little
challenge that he'd issue.
00:14:58.99\00:15:03.00
He'd say: "For fifty dollars
I'll give you a chance to win
00:15:03.20\00:15:06.77
a thousand dollars. I am
going to squeeze all of the
00:15:06.97\00:15:09.60
juice out of a lemon, and if
you can get one drop of juice
00:15:09.80\00:15:12.94
out of the lemon after
I squeeze all of it out
00:15:13.14\00:15:15.74
I'll give you a
thousand dollars. "
00:15:16.14\00:15:17.48
And so he got some
takers every now and then.
00:15:17.95\00:15:19.58
You know, these big loggers
and muscle men would come in...
00:15:19.78\00:15:22.92
and mechanics and so
forth, and the owner would...
00:15:23.12\00:15:25.79
he'd take that lemon and
he'd squeeze it and he'd rub it
00:15:25.99\00:15:28.36
and he'd get all of it out
then he'd hand the messy pulp
00:15:28.56\00:15:30.56
to someone else and say:
"You get another drop out
00:15:30.76\00:15:32.09
and you get a
thousand dollars. "
00:15:32.29\00:15:33.63
They never could.
00:15:33.66\00:15:35.00
And eventually
this one guy comes in
00:15:36.36\00:15:38.37
and he's five feet
tall. He's skinny as a rail.
00:15:38.57\00:15:41.60
He's got these big
horn-rimmed glasses on.
00:15:41.80\00:15:43.44
He says: "I can do it! "
00:15:43.64\00:15:45.21
And everyone's laughing.
He comes over; he plops down
00:15:45.41\00:15:46.88
his $50 for a chance to get
another drop out of this lemon.
00:15:47.08\00:15:51.41
And so he goes right
up there and he presses
00:15:52.01\00:15:54.12
and plip, plip,
plip... three drops came out.
00:15:54.32\00:15:56.32
And everybody is dumbfounded
that he was able to do that.
00:15:57.35\00:15:59.95
They said: "How do you do
that? How do you get so strong?
00:16:00.16\00:16:02.49
What do you do?
Are you a lumberjack?
00:16:02.69\00:16:04.23
Do you milk goats? How do you
get the strength to do that? "
00:16:04.43\00:16:06.93
Said: "No... I
work for the IRS. "
00:16:07.43\00:16:09.60
So...
00:16:12.23\00:16:15.94
Zacchaeus wasn't greatly loved.
00:16:19.41\00:16:21.48
He was a tax collector.
00:16:23.35\00:16:25.21
Except tax
collectors back in Bible times
00:16:26.41\00:16:29.42
were loved even
less than they are today.
00:16:29.92\00:16:31.92
Now you know
there's legitimate people...
00:16:32.12\00:16:33.49
We had one of our head elders
for years was a tax collector
00:16:33.69\00:16:36.36
and a good man.
00:16:37.43\00:16:39.66
Honest job. The Bible says
there's a reason and a place
00:16:39.86\00:16:42.96
for taxes, but in Bible times
00:16:43.16\00:16:45.33
the publicans - tax collectors
- their names were synonymous
00:16:45.97\00:16:51.07
with the most wicked
and sinful people in Israel.
00:16:51.27\00:16:54.61
In fact, if you wanted to just
put someone down and insult them
00:16:55.84\00:16:59.88
you might call them a dog,
you might call them a Samaritan
00:17:00.08\00:17:02.95
then you call them a publican.
00:17:03.15\00:17:04.65
And oh, it's just
like: "Ooh, don't say that. "
00:17:06.12\00:17:08.79
Publican was as
low as you could go.
00:17:09.19\00:17:11.93
Now what they did is they
basically would buy a contract
00:17:13.56\00:17:17.43
from the Romans so that
they could extract taxes
00:17:17.63\00:17:22.10
from their own people.
And the way they did the taxes
00:17:22.30\00:17:24.41
it was kind of rough. I mean
you brought a wagon into town
00:17:24.61\00:17:26.91
and you had your goats and
somebody's saying: "I'm going to
00:17:27.11\00:17:28.61
charge you so much for the
goats, so much for the horns
00:17:28.81\00:17:30.81
on the goats. " And they
kind of made up the rules
00:17:31.01\00:17:32.88
as they went along. And they'd
collect what the Romans required
00:17:33.08\00:17:36.38
and everything on
top of that they kept.
00:17:36.58\00:17:38.59
And they lined their pockets
by extorting their own people
00:17:39.19\00:17:42.76
and giving the
money to their enemies.
00:17:43.16\00:17:45.59
So you can see why the publicans
were not much appreciated.
00:17:46.33\00:17:49.36
And Zacchaeus was not only
a publican. He was the chief
00:17:50.57\00:17:55.27
publican in the most
lucrative city to be a publican.
00:17:55.47\00:17:59.27
And it was basically what
you would call organized crime.
00:17:59.47\00:18:03.11
He was like the Dom of Jericho.
00:18:03.95\00:18:07.28
It was the underworld.
00:18:08.15\00:18:09.85
And the people that the pub-
licans typically hung out with
00:18:10.25\00:18:13.79
well you know they gave
Jesus a hard time 'cause He
00:18:13.99\00:18:15.72
went to a feast
at Matthew's house
00:18:15.92\00:18:17.89
and they said: "Why
does your Master hang out
00:18:18.29\00:18:20.80
with publicans and sinners? "
00:18:21.00\00:18:22.76
Publicans and harlots...
that all went together
00:18:23.16\00:18:25.33
in one phrase.
00:18:25.53\00:18:27.27
And so Jesus goes to
this town. Now Zacchaeus...
00:18:28.37\00:18:32.17
he was probably
born a good Jewish boy
00:18:33.24\00:18:35.31
and something made
him take a wrong turn.
00:18:36.14\00:18:38.48
His parents probably had
the best of intentions for him.
00:18:38.68\00:18:41.28
His name Zacchaeus means pure,
00:18:41.68\00:18:44.45
innocent, good.
00:18:46.45\00:18:49.92
And he went bad!
00:18:50.93\00:18:53.46
And maybe it was
'cause he was short, you know.
00:18:54.30\00:18:56.60
I didn't ruin the story...
you knew that part already,
00:18:56.80\00:18:58.57
didn't you? I hope I
didn't spoil it for you.
00:18:58.77\00:19:01.60
But as they say: "Some people
when they're short they get
00:19:03.10\00:19:05.41
something called
short man syndrome. "
00:19:05.61\00:19:08.31
They say that, you know,
people like Hitler and Napoleon
00:19:09.28\00:19:11.91
and Alexander the Great, they
were all like 5 ft. and above
00:19:12.11\00:19:14.75
and they try to prove themselves
so they over compensate by
00:19:15.15\00:19:18.22
working. And they're driven
'cause they want to be somebody.
00:19:18.42\00:19:21.06
And maybe when Zacchaeus was
a boy everyone else bullied him
00:19:21.66\00:19:24.73
and teased him
and so he became angry
00:19:24.93\00:19:26.36
and he just decided: "The only
thing that's going to give me
00:19:26.56\00:19:28.80
power is money. "
00:19:29.00\00:19:30.37
And he did everything he
could and he learned how to
00:19:30.67\00:19:33.94
manipulate and pull strings
00:19:35.30\00:19:37.34
until he was not just rich
00:19:37.54\00:19:40.78
he was VERY rich.
00:19:40.98\00:19:42.84
Well let me tell you: a
man's life does not consist
00:19:43.95\00:19:48.18
in the abundance of
things he possesses.
00:19:48.38\00:19:50.42
Amen! As a matter of
fact, Solomon says the more you
00:19:50.62\00:19:52.75
possess the
harder it is to sleep.
00:19:52.95\00:19:54.59
That's a loose paraphrase.
00:19:54.99\00:19:57.13
And you've probably
heard my testimony. My dad
00:19:57.96\00:20:01.73
had millions of dollars
00:20:01.93\00:20:03.60
and at one time he
owned two airlines.
00:20:04.30\00:20:08.20
And in our garage: Lamborghini,
00:20:08.60\00:20:11.51
Ferrari, Jaguar, Rolls Royce...
not all at the same time.
00:20:11.71\00:20:15.94
But I mean... a
yacht in the back yard.
00:20:16.54\00:20:18.65
And so there was a
lot of money there.
00:20:18.85\00:20:21.68
And I'll tell you:
there was a lot of misery.
00:20:22.18\00:20:24.29
He drank himself
to sleep every night.
00:20:25.25\00:20:27.49
I don't want to sound
disrespectful, but I could see
00:20:28.26\00:20:30.89
right away money
does not bring happiness.
00:20:31.09\00:20:33.19
A lot of people have
found that out the hard way.
00:20:34.00\00:20:35.86
They basically sell their souls.
00:20:36.06\00:20:37.57
Jesus said: "What
profit is it to you
00:20:37.77\00:20:39.80
if you gain the whole
world and you lose your soul? "
00:20:40.20\00:20:42.97
And you know it's true.
00:20:43.64\00:20:45.04
The more you have,
the more worried you are
00:20:45.61\00:20:47.44
about what you have!
00:20:47.64\00:20:48.98
And time you ought to
be out sharing the gospel
00:20:49.51\00:20:51.35
you've gotta stay home to
grease and to monitor, to guard
00:20:51.55\00:20:54.28
all your stuff.
00:20:54.48\00:20:55.82
And the devil...
basically he makes slaves
00:20:56.82\00:20:59.85
out of many in the
church because they can't avoid
00:21:00.06\00:21:02.72
to leave their stuff
to do the work of God
00:21:02.92\00:21:04.63
because
somebody's got to stay home
00:21:04.83\00:21:06.16
to take care of their stuff!
00:21:06.19\00:21:07.53
It's not in the
Bible... it's an old folk song:
00:21:10.10\00:21:12.80
Freedom is another word
for nothing left to lose.
00:21:13.00\00:21:15.44
And in some ways I know
I was freer as a Christian
00:21:16.27\00:21:20.14
when everything I
owned fit in my backpack
00:21:20.34\00:21:22.34
and I was walking with the Lord.
00:21:22.74\00:21:25.51
And you become more...
You know, you go from hippie
00:21:25.71\00:21:29.12
to yuppie, and pretty
soon you have all this "stuff"
00:21:29.32\00:21:31.32
you don't have as much freedom.
00:21:31.72\00:21:33.12
Zacchaeus had arrived; he was...
00:21:34.56\00:21:36.69
I don't know if he was
famous. He was infamous
00:21:37.83\00:21:40.53
and he was wealthy and he
was unhappy. He was empty.
00:21:41.40\00:21:45.83
And he was isolated. You know if
you're a publican you couldn't
00:21:48.10\00:21:51.01
go to the temple. If
you did, everybody sneered.
00:21:51.21\00:21:53.21
You were never invited to
the house of anyone respectable.
00:21:53.98\00:21:56.81
But he had heard about
this Teacher from Nazareth
00:21:58.25\00:22:02.12
and he heard that He even
invited one of His inner circle
00:22:03.39\00:22:08.46
from among the publicans...
and that was a scandal.
00:22:08.66\00:22:11.29
Jesus walked up and
asked Matthew: "Follow Me. "
00:22:11.69\00:22:14.73
And he walked away
from his cash register
00:22:14.93\00:22:16.83
and he followed Jesus.
And then Matthew invited Him
00:22:17.03\00:22:19.77
over to his house, and
Jesus was eating with publicans
00:22:19.97\00:22:23.24
and harlots! And so
Zacchaeus was thinking
00:22:23.44\00:22:28.18
"Maybe there's hope for me. "
00:22:28.38\00:22:30.08
"Maybe I'm not
totally forever lost. "
00:22:30.28\00:22:33.31
And then... then he heard
that Jesus told a parable.
00:22:34.15\00:22:37.62
Two men went up to
the temple to pray.
00:22:38.02\00:22:40.42
One a Pharisee... now
you all know a Pharisee.
00:22:41.22\00:22:43.43
They were the
opposite of a publican...
00:22:43.83\00:22:45.79
at least outwardly.
00:22:45.99\00:22:47.33
They were very
scrupulous about carrying out
00:22:47.53\00:22:50.90
all of the religious laws
and very fastidious about their
00:22:51.10\00:22:53.70
washing and their tithe paying.
00:22:53.90\00:22:55.94
And they were religious zealots:
praying long prayers in public
00:22:56.14\00:23:00.78
so everyone could
see how holy they were.
00:23:00.98\00:23:02.64
Making big donations in
public and blowing the trumpet.
00:23:02.84\00:23:05.15
They were all about
being religious and being holy
00:23:05.35\00:23:08.52
and staying pure... outwardly.
00:23:08.72\00:23:10.95
But Jesus said they were
like "whitewashed sepulchers"
00:23:11.15\00:23:13.62
many of them. And He said:
"Two men went up to the temple
00:23:13.82\00:23:17.69
to pray. One was a Pharisee,
another was a publican.
00:23:17.89\00:23:21.60
The Pharisee... he
went up front and he stood
00:23:22.53\00:23:24.73
and he prayed with himself
and he said: 'Lord, I thank you
00:23:24.93\00:23:26.84
that I'm not like other men.
00:23:27.04\00:23:28.37
I pay tithe of all that I have
and I fast twice a week. ' "
00:23:28.50\00:23:31.01
And those are
good things by the way.
00:23:31.21\00:23:32.54
"And I'm glad I'm not
like this publican back there.
00:23:33.48\00:23:37.01
But the publican would not
so much as lift up his head,
00:23:38.01\00:23:41.38
his eyes to heaven.
But he bowed his head
00:23:41.58\00:23:44.05
and he smote on his breast
00:23:44.25\00:23:45.62
and he said: 'Lord, have
mercy on me, a sinner. ' "
00:23:45.82\00:23:49.09
And then Jesus stunned the crowd
00:23:49.29\00:23:51.63
when He said: "The publican
went down to his house justified
00:23:51.83\00:23:57.07
and not the Pharisee. "
00:23:57.27\00:23:58.93
And Zacchaeus is thinking
00:24:00.64\00:24:02.74
"Maybe there's hope for me. "
00:24:03.14\00:24:05.14
And so it says that Jesus
was on His way through Jericho.
00:24:07.24\00:24:10.28
Something else
probably peaked His interest.
00:24:10.48\00:24:12.31
If you read in Luke
the previous chapter
00:24:12.71\00:24:14.88
on His way into Jericho
Jesus heals a blind man.
00:24:15.08\00:24:18.42
Several gospels say
He healed Bartimaeus
00:24:19.25\00:24:22.09
and then another gospel says
there's actually two of them
00:24:22.29\00:24:23.96
there. It's the same story.
Some of the stories it talks
00:24:24.16\00:24:26.80
about two, and sometimes
it tells of one of them
00:24:27.00\00:24:29.16
who may have been the vocal one
00:24:29.36\00:24:30.70
of His miracle of someone
who had never seen before
00:24:30.77\00:24:34.14
and their eyes are
opened. And so the crowd...
00:24:34.34\00:24:38.04
Christ is at His absolute
peak. He is being thronged
00:24:38.24\00:24:41.94
and mobbed on every side
00:24:42.14\00:24:43.71
because He's just performed
this incredible miracle
00:24:43.91\00:24:46.11
on His way into Jericho.
00:24:46.31\00:24:47.72
And Zacchaeus is thinking: "I'd
like to see a Man like that.
00:24:48.62\00:24:53.19
Maybe... maybe
there's hope for me. "
00:24:54.29\00:24:57.16
Now I can't... I can't overstate
the importance of the next
00:24:57.93\00:25:01.86
verse: "And he sought
to see who Jesus was. "
00:25:02.06\00:25:06.97
Seek and you will find.
00:25:09.34\00:25:12.11
The Bible tells us that
00:25:14.04\00:25:16.71
"You'll search for
Me and you'll find Me
00:25:18.01\00:25:20.72
when you search for Me
with all of your heart. "
00:25:21.12\00:25:23.82
Jeremiah 29:13.
00:25:24.39\00:25:26.45
He was seeking for
Jesus, and Jesus knew that.
00:25:28.16\00:25:30.96
You know, if someone were to say
00:25:32.83\00:25:35.10
"What is the first
step in salvation? "
00:25:35.30\00:25:38.30
I often ask our missionary
trainees in our AFCOE program
00:25:39.07\00:25:42.60
"Explain to me how you
get saved. What do you do?
00:25:42.80\00:25:45.07
What are the steps? "
00:25:45.27\00:25:46.61
And people say: "Repent! "
00:25:47.28\00:25:48.68
That is
definitely one of the steps
00:25:49.08\00:25:51.21
but I don't believe
it's the first step.
00:25:51.71\00:25:53.25
Because how can you
repent unless you know there's
00:25:53.45\00:25:55.72
something to repent of?
00:25:55.92\00:25:57.25
I believe the
first step in being saved
00:25:59.22\00:26:01.52
is you must see the Lord.
00:26:01.72\00:26:03.39
Because it's the goodness of
God that leads us to repentance.
00:26:05.06\00:26:09.33
Amen! And when we
see His goodness...
00:26:09.53\00:26:12.47
Like John the Baptist
began by saying: "Behold
00:26:12.67\00:26:15.04
the Lamb of God. "
00:26:15.44\00:26:16.94
John the apostle says:
"Behold what manner of love
00:26:17.84\00:26:20.98
the Father has bestowed on
us that we should be called
00:26:21.14\00:26:23.55
sons of God. "
We're invited to behold.
00:26:23.75\00:26:26.21
Isaiah chapter 6 it says: "In
the year that King Uzziah died
00:26:26.41\00:26:29.95
I saw the Lord.
" After he sees God
00:26:30.15\00:26:33.02
high and lifted up on His
throne and the glory of the Lord
00:26:33.22\00:26:35.49
and the angels around
God and the holiness of God
00:26:35.69\00:26:37.83
He then sees himself by contrast
00:26:38.03\00:26:40.90
and he says: "Woe
is me... I am undone. "
00:26:41.26\00:26:44.17
There was a thief on
the cross next to Jesus...
00:26:45.20\00:26:47.30
he'll be in
heaven. You know why?
00:26:47.50\00:26:49.30
He saw the Lord lifted up.
00:26:49.90\00:26:52.97
Jesus said: "Unless
you see Me lifted up... "
00:26:53.17\00:26:57.15
Elijah said to Elisha: "If you
see me when I am taken up... "
00:26:58.81\00:27:01.88
Christ said: "As
Moses lifted up the serpent
00:27:03.59\00:27:07.09
in the wilderness... " Why?
He put that serpent on a pole.
00:27:07.29\00:27:09.76
Held it up where people
could see, and when they saw...
00:27:09.96\00:27:11.99
That serpent lifted up
repre- sented a defeated serpent
00:27:13.19\00:27:15.93
by faith. Then they got
the victory over the venom
00:27:16.73\00:27:19.43
of the serpent. What
brought about Paul's conversion?
00:27:19.63\00:27:22.57
He was on his way to Damascus
00:27:23.37\00:27:25.04
and Jesus appeared to him.
He said: "I saw the Lord. "
00:27:25.54\00:27:27.94
And when he saw the goodness
of God and he heard the voice
00:27:29.31\00:27:32.11
of God he then saw
himself and he repented
00:27:32.31\00:27:34.48
and said: "What shall I do? "
00:27:34.68\00:27:36.28
And this is the way
it is with everybody.
00:27:37.05\00:27:39.05
You really need to get a picture
00:27:39.55\00:27:41.86
of who Jesus is.
00:27:42.56\00:27:44.89
And this is what
Zacchaeus wanted:
00:27:45.09\00:27:47.43
he wanted to see the
Lord. Notice what it says here.
00:27:47.63\00:27:50.43
It says: "He
sought to see the Lord,
00:27:51.23\00:27:53.44
who Jesus was. "
It's not just what he sees
00:27:53.84\00:27:57.17
it's WHO he sees.
00:27:57.37\00:27:59.07
He wanted to know:
"Who is this Man? "
00:27:59.61\00:28:02.38
"This is life eternal:
that they might know Thee. "
00:28:03.78\00:28:07.58
John 17.
00:28:07.78\00:28:09.28
"My people are destroyed
for lack of knowledge. "
00:28:10.29\00:28:12.59
It's not knowledge
about prophetic dates.
00:28:13.79\00:28:17.09
It's the knowledge of the Lord.
00:28:17.49\00:28:18.83
Jesus will say to the
lost: "I don't know you. "
00:28:18.96\00:28:20.70
So how do we get
to know the Lord?
00:28:22.30\00:28:24.47
Conversion and godly
living comes from regularly
00:28:24.97\00:28:30.27
looking to the Lord.
00:28:30.47\00:28:32.57
The Bible says in Hebrews
12 "We fix our eyes upon Him. "
00:28:33.38\00:28:36.85
And that's how we're
able to lay aside the sin
00:28:37.25\00:28:39.81
and to run that race.
00:28:40.02\00:28:41.58
Zacchaeus... he
wanted to see Jesus.
00:28:42.28\00:28:45.15
Now he doesn't just
make an ordinary effort.
00:28:46.05\00:28:48.32
He doesn't look around
because he wouldn't see anything
00:28:48.52\00:28:51.89
horizontally. He
has to actually look up
00:28:52.09\00:28:53.96
to say: "How am I
going to see Him? "
00:28:54.36\00:28:55.96
The Bible tells us
that he had a handicap.
00:28:56.16\00:28:58.60
It says: "He couldn't see
the Lord because... " What?
00:29:00.77\00:29:03.20
Everyone said short, but
it doesn't say short first.
00:29:04.21\00:29:06.71
It says: "the crowd. "
00:29:06.91\00:29:08.24
It wasn't that he was too
short; the crowd was too tall.
00:29:09.11\00:29:12.11
Really! If there was no crowd
would he have seen the Lord?
00:29:14.88\00:29:17.22
Yeah... see, you all
look at it the wrong way.
00:29:17.42\00:29:19.95
You come to a traffic signal
00:29:20.16\00:29:22.16
you call it a stoplight.
00:29:22.56\00:29:23.89
But isn't it also a "Go" light?
00:29:23.96\00:29:25.73
Yeah. We don't
always think of it...
00:29:27.30\00:29:29.63
You know, if you haven't heard
this before it's really funny.
00:29:30.23\00:29:33.60
Karen has heard
this a thousand times.
00:29:34.27\00:29:36.64
I meet people who
have watched the TV program
00:29:37.04\00:29:39.14
for years and then they see
me in person for the first time.
00:29:39.34\00:29:42.24
And they don't mean but
they just blurt out and say:
00:29:42.44\00:29:44.35
"You're short! "
00:29:44.55\00:29:45.88
It happened again last
week... it happens all the time.
00:29:46.61\00:29:49.05
Really. I don't know what it is.
It's the position of the camera
00:29:49.25\00:29:52.49
in Sacramento where it
looks up and it gives you
00:29:52.69\00:29:54.52
a bigger than... I
don't tell them to do it.
00:29:54.72\00:29:56.06
But for whatever reason -
it's not special effects -
00:29:56.19\00:29:58.09
I look bigger
on TV or something.
00:29:58.49\00:30:00.76
And then they meet me
and they're so disappointed.
00:30:01.16\00:30:02.96
And they say:
"Why you're short! "
00:30:05.63\00:30:07.97
And I say: No I'm
not! I'm concentrated. "
00:30:08.37\00:30:10.21
But I tell you: I just...
I like going through Asia
00:30:13.81\00:30:16.95
because I was just in
Asia. I'm not short in Asia!
00:30:17.15\00:30:19.48
I want you to know.
00:30:19.68\00:30:21.02
So... he wanted to see
Jesus but he could not.
00:30:24.35\00:30:30.29
"because of the crowd for
he was short of stature. "
00:30:31.09\00:30:35.13
By the way, we
are all too short.
00:30:36.46\00:30:40.74
We are all falling
short of the glory of God.
00:30:43.00\00:30:47.64
And unless we take
some action and think ahead
00:30:48.94\00:30:53.52
we never will have that
life-saving view that we need.
00:30:53.72\00:30:58.72
The Bible says that he
decided he had to do something
00:31:00.32\00:31:03.66
to compensate. So
how do you get taller?
00:31:03.86\00:31:07.56
Platform shoes?
00:31:09.70\00:31:11.23
That won't help much.
00:31:12.20\00:31:13.64
You know, Jesus said:
"Which of you by taking thought
00:31:14.37\00:31:17.51
can add a cubit
unto your stature? "
00:31:17.67\00:31:19.77
Not too many. You
know a cubit's 18 inches.
00:31:21.01\00:31:23.61
I remember hearing this story
once. You may have heard me
00:31:24.88\00:31:26.82
share this before. I
heard it on Paul Harvey
00:31:27.02\00:31:31.02
and I always repeat it
as well as I remember it.
00:31:31.22\00:31:33.56
I never saw it again; I
never found it in print.
00:31:33.76\00:31:36.36
But I remember him telling this
00:31:37.06\00:31:38.59
during one of his The
Rest of the Story stories.
00:31:38.79\00:31:42.13
And there was this gentleman
in southern California that
00:31:43.30\00:31:47.34
for whatever
reason his dream was to be
00:31:47.54\00:31:49.50
a member of the Los
Angeles Police Department.
00:31:49.70\00:31:52.14
And I think he was a Filipino
so he was a little shorter
00:31:52.91\00:31:56.95
than normal. And they
have a height requirement
00:31:57.15\00:32:00.68
in Los Angeles
Police Department.
00:32:00.88\00:32:03.28
You've gotta be
a certain height.
00:32:03.49\00:32:04.92
And so... I don't know
what it was. You had to be 5'8"
00:32:05.55\00:32:08.52
or something. I say
that 'cause I'm 5'9".
00:32:08.72\00:32:10.53
But so whatever it was
00:32:10.93\00:32:12.79
he was one inch too short.
00:32:12.99\00:32:15.56
So he asked to enroll
in the Police Academy.
00:32:16.60\00:32:20.74
And they looked him up and
down and they said: "Well...
00:32:20.94\00:32:22.70
you know, technically you
can go to the Police Academy
00:32:22.90\00:32:24.61
but you're never going to get
hired by L.A. because they've
00:32:24.81\00:32:26.68
got this height requirement and
they're very strict about it. "
00:32:26.88\00:32:29.21
He says: "No problem. " He said:
"I think I'm not done growing
00:32:29.64\00:32:33.68
yet. " Well he was like 21
00:32:33.88\00:32:35.38
but he was optimistic.
And he said: "It's one inch.
00:32:36.28\00:32:38.15
"I can figure something
out. I can grow an inch.
00:32:38.35\00:32:39.69
I want to enroll. " And so
he persuaded and he enrolled
00:32:39.85\00:32:42.12
in the Academy. And he
did very well... he excelled
00:32:42.32\00:32:45.86
in all of his classes
and everything. They told him
00:32:46.06\00:32:47.83
several times along the
way. They said: "You realize
00:32:48.03\00:32:49.86
they're not going to hire
you if you're not tall enough.
00:32:50.07\00:32:54.20
I mean, just for
practical reasons.
00:32:54.60\00:32:56.24
You can understand it. If you're
just real short and you're
00:32:56.44\00:32:58.91
trying to arrest
a 6'9" drug dealer
00:32:59.11\00:33:01.64
it just makes it more difficult
00:33:01.84\00:33:03.18
so they've got a minimum. "
00:33:03.24\00:33:04.58
And so he said: "No problem. "
00:33:05.08\00:33:09.45
So he started doing all these
things to try to grow one inch.
00:33:09.95\00:33:13.52
And he had a bar in
his bedroom. And he'd hang
00:33:14.29\00:33:16.89
from his feet and
he'd hang from his hands.
00:33:17.09\00:33:20.00
He'd hang hang from his feet
until the blood rushed from his
00:33:20.20\00:33:21.60
head. He didn't know why he'd
flip around, but he did that.
00:33:21.80\00:33:24.00
And he found out that he was
actually taller in the morning.
00:33:24.83\00:33:28.47
You know, you're a little taller
in the morning when you first
00:33:28.67\00:33:30.57
get up than you are
at the end of the day
00:33:30.77\00:33:32.11
because the compression on
your vertebrae through the day
00:33:32.21\00:33:34.41
you just shrink depending
on your height up to 1/4".
00:33:34.61\00:33:37.81
So if you want to look
taller get measured early in the
00:33:38.21\00:33:40.55
morning when you first get up.
00:33:40.75\00:33:42.08
And then he even
got these bungee straps.
00:33:43.32\00:33:47.02
When he tried to sleep at
night he had a metal-frame bed
00:33:47.22\00:33:49.92
and he'd put
these bungee straps on.
00:33:50.13\00:33:51.63
He'd put them under
his arms and on his legs
00:33:51.83\00:33:53.43
and he'd try and pull
himself during the night.
00:33:53.76\00:33:55.53
He had a friend at
the clinic at the Academy
00:33:56.70\00:33:59.77
and he'd run in
and he'd get measured
00:33:59.97\00:34:01.30
so they'd put it in his chart.
He said: "You know I'm really
00:34:01.34\00:34:02.97
impressed. You
added a quarter inch. "
00:34:03.17\00:34:04.51
He said: "But they're not going
to let you in unless you're
00:34:04.57\00:34:07.44
at the right height.
" Said: "No problem. "
00:34:07.64\00:34:09.38
And he was doing everything
he could to try to grow one inch
00:34:09.78\00:34:12.51
and he just
wasn't getting there.
00:34:12.71\00:34:14.35
So he told his
mother there's an operation.
00:34:15.05\00:34:18.52
Says: "The
operation: they break your legs
00:34:19.59\00:34:22.12
and they put these braces
on the outside of your legs. "
00:34:23.36\00:34:26.39
This is true.
00:34:26.59\00:34:27.93
And they slowly
pull the bone apart
00:34:27.96\00:34:31.40
and the bone begins to grow in
00:34:31.60\00:34:33.94
and starts to fill in the
gap. And it's very expensive
00:34:34.14\00:34:37.07
and I understand it's painful.
00:34:37.27\00:34:38.61
But some people... they've got
the money and they're desperate
00:34:39.01\00:34:42.14
enough to get that extra height.
You might get an inch or two.
00:34:42.34\00:34:46.11
I don't know how
much the limit is... but
00:34:46.51\00:34:48.92
he said: "I want to do
it. " He told his mother:
00:34:49.12\00:34:50.45
"We've gotta do
this. This is my dream.
00:34:50.79\00:34:52.12
I've thought of it all my
life. " He grew up watching
00:34:52.22\00:34:53.99
L.A. Chips or whatever it
was and he wanted to be a L.A.
00:34:54.19\00:34:57.16
Police Department... And
she thought: "We don't have
00:34:57.36\00:35:01.80
the money; this is crazy. "
00:35:02.00\00:35:03.33
So one morning she told him,
she says: "I've got an idea.
00:35:03.63\00:35:06.13
I have a solution for
how you need to grow. "
00:35:06.33\00:35:08.50
Oh, he was so excited. She
said: "I've got the solution. "
00:35:08.90\00:35:11.17
She said: "After
breakfast I want you to look out
00:35:11.37\00:35:14.21
the window and
I'll show it to you. "
00:35:14.41\00:35:15.88
And so he ate a good breakfast
and then he... she told him,
00:35:16.64\00:35:20.05
she said: "I want you to
look out of the kitchen door,
00:35:20.25\00:35:23.08
look up the street, and you're
going to see a solution. "
00:35:23.28\00:35:24.89
He opened the
kitchen door expectantly.
00:35:25.09\00:35:26.72
He looked out the door
and while he wasn't looking
00:35:26.92\00:35:28.72
she took a cast iron frying pan
00:35:28.92\00:35:30.93
and she walloped
him over the head.
00:35:31.13\00:35:32.89
Right on top of his head!
00:35:33.09\00:35:34.63
He fell to the ground and
yelled and rubbed his head
00:35:35.93\00:35:38.03
and said: "Why'd you do that? "
00:35:38.23\00:35:39.57
She said: Quick! Go to
the doctor, get measured. "
00:35:39.60\00:35:41.50
It raised up a bump about
3/4 of an inch on his head.
00:35:43.41\00:35:48.01
And the doctor at the clinic
saw what he was going through
00:35:50.88\00:35:53.28
to try to get that one inch.
00:35:53.48\00:35:55.98
And they said: "Look, he's going
to kill himself. We'd better
00:35:56.38\00:35:58.82
hire him. " And he
finally got the job.
00:35:59.02\00:36:00.76
But if someone would
go through all of that
00:36:03.09\00:36:05.46
and you can only grow that much!
00:36:06.76\00:36:09.10
"Which of you by taking thought
00:36:10.90\00:36:12.47
can add a cubit
unto your stature? "
00:36:12.67\00:36:14.47
There's nothing really
we can do. But Zacchaeus...
00:36:15.24\00:36:17.74
he actually had a solution.
00:36:18.14\00:36:19.81
"And he sought to see Jesus,
who He was, but he could not
00:36:21.41\00:36:24.71
because of the crowd for
he was of short stature. "
00:36:25.11\00:36:27.82
But then he remembered
00:36:29.08\00:36:31.15
that there in Jericho on the
main road where Jesus was going
00:36:31.55\00:36:35.96
He could see where Jesus was;
he heard the crowd was coming,
00:36:36.16\00:36:39.19
he saw them all pressing Him
and he saw where He was going.
00:36:39.39\00:36:42.93
He thought: "He's going
to pass down Main Street
00:36:43.13\00:36:44.93
and there's this
tree on Main Street. "
00:36:45.33\00:36:48.94
Now... I was not the
tallest kid in the school
00:36:50.07\00:36:54.78
as you probably gathered.
00:36:54.98\00:36:56.95
And I went to an
all-boys school in Miami called
00:36:57.68\00:37:01.68
Curley. It was
a Catholic school.
00:37:01.88\00:37:03.35
And I one day was out on the
field and it was during recess
00:37:04.25\00:37:07.96
and everyone was out playing.
00:37:08.16\00:37:09.49
And there was a
bully in the school.
00:37:09.82\00:37:13.46
And somebody went and
threw a rock or something -
00:37:14.80\00:37:18.83
I don't even know
what they threw...
00:37:19.03\00:37:20.37
They were behind me, and
they threw it at the bully.
00:37:21.17\00:37:24.17
And it hit him
and he looked at me!
00:37:24.37\00:37:27.51
This is true.
00:37:28.38\00:37:29.78
And I thought: "No... not me! "
00:37:30.48\00:37:33.08
And I turned around. They
were gone, whoever had done it.
00:37:33.28\00:37:35.05
And he started coming over to
me like this. I said: "Oh, he's
00:37:35.98\00:37:38.25
going to kill
me. He's a big guy. "
00:37:38.45\00:37:40.36
So I ran... and I'm very fast.
00:37:40.56\00:37:43.36
And I ran around
the back of the school
00:37:44.99\00:37:47.43
and I jumped up into
the branches of a tree.
00:37:47.93\00:37:50.60
And I climbed up in this
tree. And I remember seeing him
00:37:51.40\00:37:54.20
with his entourage
coming around. They were looking
00:37:54.40\00:37:56.37
all over for me, but
I hid myself in the tree
00:37:56.57\00:37:59.47
and he didn't find me. He
found me later in typing class.
00:37:59.67\00:38:02.18
Another story... but I
got kicked out of typing class
00:38:03.81\00:38:05.68
because we got into a fight and
knocked over several typewriters
00:38:05.88\00:38:08.22
but anyway... I at
least temporarily hid from him
00:38:08.42\00:38:11.32
in the tree. And I
thought: "Zacchaeus, you know,
00:38:11.52\00:38:15.06
he knew where that
tree was! " Didn't he?
00:38:15.26\00:38:18.29
He thought: "I remember that's
where I used to have to hide
00:38:18.89\00:38:21.73
from all the bullies. "
00:38:22.23\00:38:23.57
And so he made a plan
00:38:24.53\00:38:28.44
to be where he
knew Jesus was going.
00:38:28.64\00:38:32.97
You know, if you put yourself
in a place where you think
00:38:35.94\00:38:39.18
Jesus is going to
be, there's a good chance
00:38:39.38\00:38:41.22
you're going to see Him.
00:38:41.42\00:38:42.75
The Bible says: "Where 2 or
3 gather together in His name
00:38:43.59\00:38:46.72
He is there. "
00:38:46.92\00:38:48.26
And that means every Sabbath
00:38:49.19\00:38:50.93
you be where Jesus
said He's going to be.
00:38:51.79\00:38:54.46
Amen! When
there's a prayer meeting
00:38:54.66\00:38:57.90
do all you can to be
where Jesus is going to be.
00:38:59.83\00:39:02.37
Surround yourself with the Lord.
00:39:03.20\00:39:06.71
Now this to me is I think
one of the most important things
00:39:07.21\00:39:09.71
I say. Whenever I
travel I always repeat it
00:39:09.91\00:39:11.91
because it's just so
basic but it's so neglected.
00:39:12.11\00:39:14.58
You won't be a
successful Christian
00:39:16.79\00:39:19.79
if you don't love the
Lord because you can't obey Him
00:39:19.99\00:39:22.59
unless you love Him.
He says: "If you love Me,
00:39:22.79\00:39:24.46
keep My commandments. "
You're not going to love Him
00:39:24.66\00:39:26.90
if you don't know Him.
00:39:27.10\00:39:28.56
You're not going to know Him
unless you communicate with Him.
00:39:28.76\00:39:31.30
You communicate with
Him by His speaking to you
00:39:31.83\00:39:34.97
and you're
speaking to Him in prayer.
00:39:35.17\00:39:37.17
He speaks to you through
the Word, through sermons:
00:39:37.37\00:39:39.44
spiritual information.
00:39:39.64\00:39:41.38
The area where I think
Christians are really failing
00:39:42.08\00:39:44.71
is in feeding their
souls and having an ongoing
00:39:44.91\00:39:47.78
daily relationship with the Lord
00:39:47.98\00:39:49.92
through a
personal devotional life.
00:39:50.12\00:39:52.35
And you need to be plain,
downright legalistic and rigid
00:39:52.55\00:39:56.19
about it. I
mean, you need to say:
00:39:56.39\00:39:59.53
"I have an appointment
with God. I might be tired.
00:39:59.73\00:40:02.03
It might be inconvenient.
I may not feel like it...
00:40:02.23\00:40:05.03
but I am going to read His
Word and I am going to pray
00:40:05.43\00:40:08.30
no matter what. " It's not
that you work your way to heaven
00:40:08.50\00:40:12.17
by doing that, but you have
to literally carve out that time
00:40:12.57\00:40:16.68
or the
relationship's going to suffer.
00:40:17.08\00:40:19.28
You need to feed your soul.
00:40:19.98\00:40:21.65
Zacchaeus knew where Jesus
was going, and he put himself
00:40:22.25\00:40:25.55
in a place where they
would have a rendezvous.
00:40:25.75\00:40:28.12
And we need to make
those same plans with the Lord.
00:40:29.02\00:40:31.49
So the Bible says "he ran. "
00:40:32.56\00:40:35.96
He made a superhuman effort
00:40:36.93\00:40:39.37
and he took a risk
00:40:39.77\00:40:42.07
that people
might make fun of him.
00:40:42.47\00:40:46.98
He ran ahead and he
"climbed up into a sycamore tree
00:40:48.01\00:40:51.48
to see Him, for He was
going to pass that way. "
00:40:51.68\00:40:55.58
Now the sycamore trees
in Bible time, it's not
00:40:55.98\00:40:58.82
the typical American
sycamore that you see.
00:40:59.02\00:41:01.59
It was actually a
primitive form of a fig tree.
00:41:01.89\00:41:07.86
They had the fancy,
more cultivated figs
00:41:08.36\00:41:10.23
and then they had the cheaper
figs. They called them sycamore
00:41:10.43\00:41:12.83
and it's a fig tree.
00:41:13.23\00:41:16.14
This is very interesting because
00:41:16.54\00:41:18.87
Jesus actually cursed one
of those fig trees later on.
00:41:19.27\00:41:23.28
It's also interesting because
what did Adam and Eve use
00:41:25.11\00:41:28.08
to cover their nakedness?
00:41:28.28\00:41:31.82
They used fig leaves.
00:41:32.02\00:41:34.32
So he goes ahead
and he finds this...
00:41:34.86\00:41:36.69
You know, it's got a wide base
and it's probably got some low
00:41:36.89\00:41:39.33
branches. And if
he's a wealthy mafia Don
00:41:39.53\00:41:43.43
he's probably not an athlete.
00:41:43.63\00:41:45.20
And it must have been a spec-
tacle to see this short man -
00:41:46.10\00:41:49.60
maybe even a little rotund -
00:41:49.80\00:41:51.37
huffing up the street. He ran.
00:41:51.57\00:41:54.01
He was in a hurry.
00:41:54.41\00:41:55.91
You know, one of the
things that amazed me?
00:41:56.78\00:41:59.01
When David went to fight Goliath
00:41:59.21\00:42:01.92
the Bible says the
giant "went out to meet David
00:42:02.92\00:42:05.85
and David ran. " That always
just absolutely shocked me
00:42:06.05\00:42:11.23
that David would
run to fight a giant.
00:42:11.43\00:42:13.19
When you come to the
Lord you need to make haste.
00:42:14.96\00:42:17.13
So he ran ahead...
got ahead of the crowd.
00:42:18.60\00:42:21.14
He had to get away from
the crowd and he climbed.
00:42:21.34\00:42:24.81
Now he couldn't see Jesus be-
cause the crowd got in the way.
00:42:25.51\00:42:30.81
What kind of crowd
was around Jesus that day?
00:42:31.81\00:42:34.48
Well... is it safe to
say it was a religious crowd?
00:42:36.32\00:42:39.45
Yeah... the apostles were there.
00:42:40.56\00:42:42.72
They were sort of you
know the inner secret service
00:42:42.92\00:42:45.26
that were surrounding Jesus.
00:42:45.46\00:42:46.80
And then He had
disciples that were with Him.
00:42:47.06\00:42:50.03
And then it even tells
us there were certain women
00:42:50.23\00:42:52.47
that followed Him
that ministered to Him
00:42:52.67\00:42:54.24
of their substance. And so
there may have been some women.
00:42:54.44\00:42:57.34
They may have helped
Him in a special way.
00:42:57.54\00:42:59.47
But He had this
entourage of His inner circle
00:42:59.67\00:43:04.68
and disciples and then there
were these enemies and spies
00:43:04.88\00:43:09.38
And then there were
just the curiosity people
00:43:09.58\00:43:12.52
and locals. And then you
get just the masses of people.
00:43:12.72\00:43:15.16
But they're all interested
in this religious Teacher.
00:43:15.36\00:43:18.23
You could say
it's a religious crowd.
00:43:18.43\00:43:20.00
He could not see Jesus
'cause the religious crowd
00:43:20.20\00:43:22.13
was in the way. How
often does that happen today?
00:43:22.33\00:43:26.37
What do you think
the biggest obstacle is
00:43:27.47\00:43:29.47
that prevents the world
from seeing the goodness of God?
00:43:30.31\00:43:33.17
You know, typically the
secular media... they love to
00:43:34.78\00:43:38.81
criticize Christianity.
And the reason they criticize
00:43:39.01\00:43:43.15
Christianity is 'cause
they point at Christians.
00:43:43.35\00:43:45.59
They usually don't have some-
thing against the teachings
00:43:46.49\00:43:49.06
of Jesus per se...
00:43:49.26\00:43:50.59
but they ridicule those who
claim to be followers of Jesus.
00:43:50.76\00:43:54.40
The greatest enemy
of the Christian church
00:43:55.40\00:43:59.20
is professed Christians. Amen.
00:43:59.40\00:44:01.80
That they say one
thing and they do another.
00:44:03.04\00:44:05.04
This is what Jesus
went right to the heart of
00:44:05.24\00:44:07.08
when He began preaching
is religious hypocrisy.
00:44:07.28\00:44:10.58
He started out saying:
"You fast to be seen of men
00:44:11.91\00:44:15.48
and you give to be seen of men
00:44:15.88\00:44:17.45
and you pray to be seen of men
00:44:17.65\00:44:18.99
and you try to look religious
00:44:19.12\00:44:20.76
but your hearts
aren't changed. "
00:44:20.96\00:44:22.92
And you wonder how many -
if you were to do percentages -
00:44:23.46\00:44:26.46
what percentage of those
who take the name of Christ
00:44:26.66\00:44:29.33
really know Jesus out there?
00:44:29.53\00:44:32.20
I think it's the vast minority.
00:44:33.07\00:44:35.70
So if you're going to
be a witness for Christ
00:44:36.77\00:44:39.14
and if you're going
to see Christ, you got to
00:44:39.34\00:44:40.68
get above the crowd.
00:44:40.71\00:44:42.04
Bartimaeus wanted
to be healed by Jesus.
00:44:42.81\00:44:45.55
He heard the crowd was
coming up the street to Jericho.
00:44:46.41\00:44:49.45
He said: "Who is
it? " "It's the Healer,
00:44:50.19\00:44:52.42
it's the Teacher, it's
the Rabbi from Galilee. "
00:44:52.62\00:44:55.16
And when he heard
that he started saying:
00:44:55.69\00:44:57.53
"Son of David,
have mercy on me. "
00:44:57.73\00:44:59.19
"Son of David,
have mercy on me. "
00:44:59.39\00:45:00.83
And the crowd
told him to be quiet!
00:45:01.33\00:45:03.67
What did he do?
00:45:05.73\00:45:07.07
Cried louder. You've got
to be louder than the crowd.
00:45:07.47\00:45:09.57
And he cried out. You know,
Jesus heard him the first time
00:45:11.17\00:45:13.91
but He let him keep crying.
00:45:14.11\00:45:15.44
God hears every prayer you pray
but you've gotta keep praying.
00:45:16.08\00:45:18.61
And He said: "Bring him to Me. "
00:45:19.85\00:45:21.55
Said: "What do you want
that I should do to you? "
00:45:22.28\00:45:23.92
Said: "Lord, that I
might receive my sight. "
00:45:24.12\00:45:25.72
"Be it unto you
according to your faith. "
00:45:26.42\00:45:28.56
And he follows Jesus.
00:45:28.76\00:45:30.29
So woman... she
has a personal problem.
00:45:32.39\00:45:38.33
Think I'm talking
about that later this week.
00:45:38.53\00:45:40.37
Wants to talk to Jesus
but the crowd's in the way.
00:45:40.77\00:45:43.10
Has to get by the crowd.
00:45:44.07\00:45:45.54
Jesus is in a house.
00:45:46.44\00:45:48.44
He's teaching. They
bring a paralyzed man.
00:45:48.84\00:45:50.75
Can't get to Christ.
Why? Crowd is in the way.
00:45:51.61\00:45:54.05
What kind of
crowd? Religious crowd.
00:45:54.25\00:45:55.58
Have you ever met people
they stop going to church
00:45:57.19\00:45:59.02
because someone in the
church hurt their feelings?
00:45:59.22\00:46:00.82
Yeah, we all...
That's a serious problem.
00:46:01.86\00:46:04.99
I never did understand it
00:46:06.59\00:46:09.53
because they say: "I like
the Lord and I want to follow
00:46:09.73\00:46:13.57
the Lord but I'm not going
to church any more because of
00:46:13.77\00:46:15.40
what they did to me. You
know, they're all hypocrites
00:46:15.60\00:46:18.47
and so I'm just
going to be lost.
00:46:18.67\00:46:21.54
And then when they're in
the City of God and that lake
00:46:21.94\00:46:25.11
of fire is creeping up around
my ankles I'm going to point
00:46:25.31\00:46:27.68
to them and say:
'See, this is your fault!
00:46:27.88\00:46:29.22
That's why I'm here! ' "
00:46:29.35\00:46:30.69
As though you're going to
get some relief from that?
00:46:30.72\00:46:32.45
Why would you want to get even
with the church by being lost?
00:46:32.95\00:46:36.99
If you are trying to
teach the hypocrites something
00:46:39.13\00:46:41.36
in the church then be genuine.
00:46:41.56\00:46:44.07
But so many
people get discouraged.
00:46:45.60\00:46:47.57
And Jesus said: "If anyone
makes even one of these little
00:46:48.24\00:46:52.07
ones stumble it'd be better
for them if they weren't even
00:46:52.27\00:46:55.71
born or if a millstone
were hung about their neck
00:46:55.91\00:46:57.88
and they were cast into
the depths of the sea. "
00:46:58.08\00:46:59.61
Gotta be very careful
that we're not doing anything
00:47:00.02\00:47:02.25
to wound people that
are young in the faith,
00:47:02.45\00:47:05.92
are coming to church.
00:47:06.12\00:47:07.72
So he said: "I'm not
going to let the crowd
00:47:09.12\00:47:11.19
keep me away. " Now what did
the crowd think of Zacchaeus?
00:47:11.39\00:47:13.29
Not very highly.
00:47:14.13\00:47:16.56
He probably
normally had bodyguards
00:47:17.70\00:47:19.97
because here he's
taken all the tax money...
00:47:20.37\00:47:23.30
taken all the
money from everybody.
00:47:23.51\00:47:24.94
But he wanted to see
Jesus so he climbed a tree.
00:47:25.54\00:47:28.08
"For He was going to pass that
way. " And then Zacchaeus is up
00:47:31.15\00:47:35.52
there and you know he's
probably huffing and puffing.
00:47:35.72\00:47:37.59
He gets into the tree and
he finds an overhanging limb.
00:47:37.79\00:47:39.82
And he's somewhat
hidden by the leaves, but he
00:47:40.02\00:47:41.69
sees the entourage
coming up the street
00:47:41.89\00:47:44.46
and Jesus stops and says a word
to someone every now and then
00:47:44.66\00:47:47.46
and He's pressing on.
And everyone's looking
00:47:47.66\00:47:49.86
and there's commotion and a
lot of noise and some rejoicing.
00:47:50.07\00:47:53.57
And finally they're
passing up the narrow streets
00:47:53.77\00:47:57.34
and they come right
underneath where Zacchaeus is.
00:47:57.54\00:48:00.64
And it says Jesus stops.
00:48:01.74\00:48:03.58
When He stops the
whole crowd has to stop
00:48:03.78\00:48:05.15
because He's the -
you know - guest of honor.
00:48:05.35\00:48:07.08
They're all going
to run into each other.
00:48:07.28\00:48:08.85
And he thinks: "Oh great!
I'm going to get to not only
00:48:10.05\00:48:13.76
see Him I'm going to get
to hear Him say something. "
00:48:13.96\00:48:16.42
But Jesus slowly lifts
His head and He looks directly
00:48:17.46\00:48:20.63
at Zacchaeus. And He
preaches a very short sermon
00:48:20.83\00:48:24.13
but it converted Zacchaeus.
00:48:24.33\00:48:25.67
You know what the sermon was?
00:48:26.43\00:48:28.00
"Zacchaeus... " First
of all He knew his name.
00:48:28.74\00:48:31.17
So Zacchaeus just
about falls out of the tree.
00:48:31.37\00:48:33.21
In fact, he may have
fallen out of the tree...
00:48:33.41\00:48:35.04
and I'll explain later.
00:48:35.24\00:48:36.58
"Zacchaeus, make
haste and come down. "
00:48:37.48\00:48:41.58
When He says that
He's saying: "Come to Me. "
00:48:41.78\00:48:43.79
"for today I must
stay at your house. "
00:48:44.92\00:48:48.22
I think that his heart stopped
00:48:50.66\00:48:53.26
and he thought: "God
knows that I'm looking for Him.
00:48:53.46\00:48:57.17
This answers all the
questions and the prayers
00:48:57.57\00:49:00.27
in my heart is He knows me,
00:49:00.47\00:49:03.71
He loves me! " And
Zacchaeus is so overwhelmed
00:49:03.91\00:49:08.41
with the fact that God
would not only know him
00:49:08.61\00:49:10.65
but that Jesus
would want to be with him.
00:49:10.85\00:49:13.42
Probably coming down out of the
tree... I don't know if he fell
00:49:14.92\00:49:17.69
right from the branch
or fell on his way down
00:49:17.89\00:49:19.35
but a little later
it says: "Rising... "
00:49:19.55\00:49:21.36
So in order for him
to rise from the ground
00:49:21.66\00:49:24.03
he has to be on the ground.
00:49:24.23\00:49:25.79
Does that make sense?
00:49:25.99\00:49:27.33
So I think he came out of the
tree and everybody's snickering.
00:49:28.53\00:49:30.73
Here's this publican
in his Calvin Klein robes
00:49:30.93\00:49:34.97
and he's fallen out of
the tree. And everybody thinks
00:49:35.17\00:49:37.21
"Oh, what's going on here? "
00:49:37.41\00:49:38.74
"He made haste and he came
down... " About as fast as you
00:49:39.41\00:49:41.91
can... "and he
received Him joyfully. "
00:49:42.11\00:49:46.21
How do we receive the Lord?
00:49:47.02\00:49:48.55
Joyfully.
00:49:49.52\00:49:51.15
The gospel's good news.
00:49:53.19\00:49:54.72
Amen!
00:49:54.92\00:49:56.26
And the
incredible thing to me is
00:49:56.62\00:49:58.79
he receives Him joyfully
and look at what happens.
00:49:58.99\00:50:01.40
It says: "When the people saw it
they were all complaining saying
00:50:02.46\00:50:06.30
'He has gone to be a guest
with him who is a sinner. ' "
00:50:06.50\00:50:08.60
Well what did
they think they were?
00:50:08.80\00:50:10.14
This is the religious crowd.
00:50:10.17\00:50:11.51
Was there anyone in this
crowd that wasn't a sinner?
00:50:11.94\00:50:13.98
But we think some people
are worse sinners than we are.
00:50:14.78\00:50:17.05
All sin will
separate us from God.
00:50:18.91\00:50:20.98
Zacchaeus did not let
the church discourage him.
00:50:21.18\00:50:24.65
They're talking, they're
murmuring... hah, nothing new.
00:50:25.69\00:50:28.22
He says: "Jesus
wants to be at my house. "
00:50:29.19\00:50:32.76
By the way, you know
Jesus wants to be in your house.
00:50:32.96\00:50:35.16
Amen! Your body is the
temple of the Holy Spirit.
00:50:35.36\00:50:37.83
Jesus wants to
abide in your house.
00:50:38.53\00:50:41.50
The Bible says "He stands and
He knocks at the door, and if
00:50:41.90\00:50:44.21
anyone opens the door, He will
come in and sup with them. "
00:50:44.41\00:50:47.04
He wants to abide with you.
00:50:47.24\00:50:49.34
The Bible says:
"Unless we abide in Him
00:50:49.54\00:50:51.81
and He in us we can't bear
fruit and have eternal life. "
00:50:52.65\00:50:57.22
Zacchaeus is so
overwhelmed with gratitude
00:50:58.09\00:51:00.92
that Jesus wants
to be his friend,
00:51:01.12\00:51:03.76
that He would receive
him, it says: "He stood
00:51:03.96\00:51:06.53
and he said: 'Lord, look...
half of my goods I give to
00:51:06.73\00:51:09.73
the poor, and if I've
taken anything from anyone
00:51:09.93\00:51:13.23
by false accusation I
restore him fourfold. ' "
00:51:13.44\00:51:16.30
Now why does he
say that in particular?
00:51:16.50\00:51:19.07
Because you know, it
tells us that in the Hebrew law
00:51:19.27\00:51:23.24
if you took something
from somebody illegally,
00:51:23.75\00:51:26.35
if you extorted money
and you robbed somebody,
00:51:26.75\00:51:29.28
that you would have to pay it
back fourfold when you did that.
00:51:30.12\00:51:34.32
And so he was willing
to give up everything.
00:51:35.39\00:51:37.03
Exodus 22:1: "If a man
steals an ox or a sheep
00:51:37.23\00:51:40.40
and slaughters it and sells it,
00:51:40.60\00:51:42.26
they will restore 5 oxen for
an ox and 4 sheep for a sheep. "
00:51:42.46\00:51:45.63
And it says in II Samuel 12:6:
00:51:46.03\00:51:48.67
"He will restore fourfold.
" That's what David said
00:51:48.87\00:51:52.17
when he heard the
parable of Nathan.
00:51:52.37\00:51:54.38
So Zacchaeus knew the Bible.
00:51:54.78\00:51:56.64
He knew what the law was.
00:51:57.05\00:51:58.38
He knew what he had done.
00:51:58.48\00:51:59.91
He said: "Half of my
goods I give to the poor. "
00:52:00.12\00:52:02.68
And why'd he
keep the other half?
00:52:02.88\00:52:04.35
Because he says: "If I've
taken anything from anyone
00:52:04.75\00:52:07.49
by false accusation... "
00:52:07.69\00:52:09.02
There's going to be a
very long line in Jericho!
00:52:09.42\00:52:12.03
He had to be very
rich to be able to do that.
00:52:13.56\00:52:16.50
Now this is a fascinating thing
because if you go back 1 chapter
00:52:16.70\00:52:20.24
there is a rich young ruler
who is a good, church-going
00:52:20.54\00:52:23.54
young man. And Jesus
loves him and He says:
00:52:23.74\00:52:26.11
"If you would have eternal
life, go sell what you have.
00:52:26.31\00:52:28.38
Give it to the poor... you'll
have treasure in heaven. "
00:52:28.58\00:52:30.28
He couldn't do it.
00:52:31.11\00:52:32.58
He went away rich and sad.
00:52:32.98\00:52:34.68
And Jesus said: "How hard
it is for those who have riches
00:52:35.62\00:52:38.29
to enter the
kingdom of heaven. "
00:52:38.49\00:52:39.82
And the disciples can't believe
that Jesus is saying this
00:52:39.89\00:52:42.46
because they've been hearing
this "prosperity" gospel.
00:52:42.66\00:52:44.99
The Pharisees said: "You
know, if God blesses you,
00:52:46.39\00:52:48.36
then it's OK to rob widows. "
00:52:48.56\00:52:50.07
Didn't Jesus say you're the
ones who robbed widows' houses
00:52:50.47\00:52:54.17
and for a pretense
you make long prayers?
00:52:54.37\00:52:56.50
God blessed us!
00:52:56.71\00:52:58.41
And so here Jesus...
the disciples are saying
00:53:01.24\00:53:04.51
"Who then can be saved? "
00:53:04.71\00:53:06.31
The Bible answers that
question in the next chapter
00:53:06.51\00:53:09.38
with Zacchaeus. So here you've
got the biggest sinner in town!
00:53:09.58\00:53:12.19
He accepts Jesus. Jesus does
not ask him to sell anything.
00:53:12.39\00:53:15.42
He does not ask him to
give anything to the poor.
00:53:15.62\00:53:17.43
But he is to thankful, like
Naaman after his healing from
00:53:17.63\00:53:20.60
leprosy, he has to go
right back to give something.
00:53:20.80\00:53:23.13
He's overwhelming with gratitude
and he's willing to unload
00:53:23.33\00:53:26.23
everything he has
'cause he's realized:
00:53:26.43\00:53:28.94
"I had everything and
it didn't make me happy. "
00:53:29.14\00:53:31.77
And so one of the signs that
salvation had come to his house
00:53:33.68\00:53:38.01
is he is sorry for his sins.
00:53:38.21\00:53:40.55
He repents of his sins
00:53:40.95\00:53:42.65
and he wants to
make everything right.
00:53:43.42\00:53:45.09
He publicly confesses:
"If I've taken anything... "
00:53:45.29\00:53:47.52
A little bit of a veiled
confession but he's confessing.
00:53:47.72\00:53:50.86
They all knew. "If
I have taken anything
00:53:51.06\00:53:53.29
from any man by false accusation
00:53:54.46\00:53:56.06
I will restore him fourfold. "
00:53:56.26\00:53:57.73
And Jesus said: "One
of these days salvation
00:53:57.93\00:54:00.90
will come to this house. "
00:54:01.10\00:54:02.44
This is the last
verse... it's so important.
00:54:03.61\00:54:06.07
It summarizes the
mission of Christ.
00:54:06.27\00:54:08.34
"Today salvation
has come to this house
00:54:08.74\00:54:12.35
because he is...
" Not he will be...
00:54:12.55\00:54:15.38
at the moment that he
received Jesus joyfully
00:54:15.78\00:54:19.15
Jesus said: "Salvation
has come to this house.
00:54:19.35\00:54:21.49
He IS a son of Abraham. "
00:54:21.69\00:54:24.03
He didn't say: "I'm
putting you on probation. "
00:54:24.23\00:54:25.73
That means as soon as a
person surrenders and accepts
00:54:26.56\00:54:29.93
Jesus they receive adoption.
00:54:30.13\00:54:33.37
He was being told:
"You are a child of Abraham
00:54:34.37\00:54:37.54
and I'm going to
abide in your house. "
00:54:37.74\00:54:39.81
And his whole heart
was utterly transformed.
00:54:40.54\00:54:43.21
So the message is
Climbing the Tree of Life.
00:54:44.35\00:54:46.58
All of us are too short.
00:54:47.75\00:54:49.68
How do we add a
cubit unto our stature?
00:54:51.49\00:54:54.06
Jesus said: "If any
man would follow Me,
00:54:54.99\00:54:57.03
let him deny
himself, take up his cross. "
00:54:57.63\00:55:01.90
Where do you take your cross?
00:55:02.40\00:55:04.03
To your crucifixion.
00:55:05.00\00:55:06.43
Do you want to get taller?
00:55:07.27\00:55:08.60
You've gotta climb a tree.
00:55:08.94\00:55:10.31
But when you take up your cross
00:55:11.07\00:55:12.74
you are climbing a tree of life.
00:55:12.94\00:55:15.51
You know, Zacchaeus was
not exactly what you would
00:55:16.54\00:55:20.62
think of when you're
looking for fruit in a fig tree.
00:55:20.98\00:55:24.02
But that was really the kind
of fruit Jesus was looking for.
00:55:24.95\00:55:27.62
He cursed the fig
tree that was fruitless.
00:55:28.42\00:55:30.39
But Jesus said: "I have
come to seek and to save
00:55:30.59\00:55:33.06
the lost. " What
qualifies you to be saved?
00:55:33.26\00:55:36.26
You need to know you're lost.
00:55:37.17\00:55:39.17
Zacchaeus knew he was lost
00:55:40.04\00:55:41.97
and he was so happy
that Jesus would receive him
00:55:42.37\00:55:45.74
and forgive him. He
thought: "What profit is it
00:55:45.94\00:55:47.68
if I gain the whole
world and lose my soul? "
00:55:47.88\00:55:49.61
He was willing to
give everything away
00:55:49.81\00:55:51.61
that he might have that
great gift of eternal life.
00:55:51.81\00:55:54.72
You've probably heard
before the incredible story
00:55:56.05\00:55:58.42
of the testimony of John Newton.
00:55:58.62\00:56:01.79
The one who wrote Amazing Grace.
00:56:02.82\00:56:05.19
And he was a... He
actually was a slave trader.
00:56:06.49\00:56:09.93
Raised a Christian. Mother
prayed for him all the time
00:56:10.33\00:56:12.73
but he totally rebelled
00:56:12.93\00:56:14.47
and he just became a scoundrel.
00:56:14.97\00:56:17.31
As a matter of fact, he was such
a bad sailor the bad sailors
00:56:17.51\00:56:20.08
didn't even like him.
00:56:20.28\00:56:21.81
He was so bad that once
when a ship was shipwrecked
00:56:23.38\00:56:26.01
they said: "If we
have to turn to cannibalism
00:56:26.21\00:56:27.95
the first one we're
going to eat is him. "
00:56:28.15\00:56:29.85
But he went through
a dramatic conversion.
00:56:33.05\00:56:35.16
Of course, pastored a
church. Wrote a number of songs
00:56:36.26\00:56:39.19
including Amazing Grace.
00:56:39.39\00:56:40.73
And when he got older he
started losing his memory.
00:56:41.60\00:56:45.40
And it got pretty bad.
He'd stand up to preach
00:56:46.47\00:56:49.04
and he'd lose his
way in the sermon.
00:56:49.24\00:56:50.61
And finally he got to the
point where he'd stand there
00:56:51.84\00:56:54.44
and he'd say: "You know
I don't remember very much
00:56:54.64\00:56:56.34
any more but I
remember two things:
00:56:56.54\00:56:58.88
Jesus is a great Savior
00:56:59.88\00:57:02.22
and I am a great sinner...
00:57:02.98\00:57:04.62
and Jesus came to seek
and to save the lost. "
00:57:05.89\00:57:08.69
If you come to Him and
you say: "Lord, I surrender
00:57:09.09\00:57:11.79
and I'll take up my cross"
you climb that tree of life
00:57:11.99\00:57:15.36
He promises that
He can declare to you
00:57:15.56\00:57:18.03
that you are today forgiven.
You are a child of Abraham.
00:57:18.43\00:57:23.67
And He wants everyone
here to have that experience.
00:57:23.87\00:57:27.04
Is that your desire, friends?
00:57:27.24\00:57:28.58
Amen! Can I pray
with you as we close?
00:57:28.61\00:57:30.45
Father in heaven, we're
so thankful for the promise
00:57:32.15\00:57:34.58
in Your Word that You
have come to seek and to save
00:57:34.78\00:57:38.52
the lost. That Your arm is
not shortened that You cannot
00:57:38.72\00:57:42.29
save. That there is no sinner
00:57:42.49\00:57:45.53
that You cannot reach
if we're willing to repent
00:57:45.73\00:57:49.00
and to come to You. Lord,
I pray that we'll all make
00:57:49.20\00:57:51.83
that decision to seek
after You as Zacchaeus did.
00:57:52.03\00:57:56.40
To want to see You;
to want to know You.
00:57:56.60\00:57:58.57
And Lord, You promised
that if we draw near to You
00:57:59.14\00:58:01.64
You will draw near to us.
00:58:01.84\00:58:03.18
That's what we're
doing here this week.
00:58:03.21\00:58:04.81
Please bless us
with Your presence.
00:58:05.01\00:58:06.41
I pray that everyone
here, everyone watching,
00:58:06.61\00:58:08.78
might make that decision
00:58:09.18\00:58:11.09
to take up their
cross, to climb that tree
00:58:11.29\00:58:13.49
that they might see Jesus and
experience the joy of salvation.
00:58:13.69\00:58:17.69
We thank you and
pray in His name, Amen.
00:58:18.09\00:58:21.26