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3560 McCarty Rd. Saginaw, MI 48603 | 989.790.1676

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May 27th, 2020

Chapel – 5/27/20

Lessons from Zacchaeus

1) Refresh your memory on the Story of Zacchaeus!

You can read the story in Luke 19:1-9 here: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+19%3A1-9&version=NIV

 – or – 

Watch the less than two minute cartoon version here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BjtbJFz2ug

2) Lessons from Zacchaeus:

Jesus did the exact opposite of what the crowd expected.  He chose to ‘hang out’ with the last person any self-respecting Jewish community member would want to be seen with….a tax collector.  Jesus offers something to Zacchaeus that completely changes the life of this outcast sinner: unexpected love and acceptance.

Jesus’ great gift of GRACE to Zacchaeus changes him.  The love, forgiveness, and acceptance that Jesus offers makes Zacchaeus a new person – spiritually, AND in real life.  Zacchaeus has an immediate response: He wants to right the wrongs that he has inflicted on other people.   The love, forgiveness, and acceptance of Jesus is TRANSFORMATIONAL!  It changes Zacchaeus.

There are three quick lessons (really there are many, many more!) that we can learn today:

  1. God sees YOU!  The short little Zacchaeus was feeling overlooked.  He was doing everything he could to be visible – including climbing a tree as a last resort.  Our God created us in HIM image – and singles YOU out for love, forgiveness, and acceptance.
  2. God knows your NAME!  The invisible Zacchaeus was called out – was singled out – by Jesus.  God calls YOU by name to be his child…his dear sons and daughters through baptism and continuous forgiveness and renewal.  Forever, no matter what.
  3. We RESPOND to God’s love, forgiveness, and acceptance!  Just like Zacchaeus, we have people and relationships in our lives that need to be nurtured and repaired.  We can offer love, forgiveness, and acceptance to those around us.  We can reach out and serve our family, friends, neighbors, and community.

We can respond to our Savior’s love, forgiveness, and acceptance just like Zacchaeus – by doing the same to people in our lives, and serving them with a Christ-like attitude.

 

3) Please Pray:

Dear Lord, 

Thank you for your unconditional love, forgiveness, and acceptance.  Please allow us many opportunities to share these same things with the people around us every day.  

In Jesus’ name,  AMEN!

 

PS…

If you REALLY need a flashback to Sunday School…here is the song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkd-QFD7vMA

The Saginaw Valley Lutheran High School Association, operating Valley Lutheran High School, admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin, and physical handicap to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, national and ethnic origin, genetic information, and physical handicap in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic or other school administered programs.