This week as we continue our series on Breaking Bread with Jesus, we see the interaction between Jesus and Zacchaeus as recorded in the gospel of Luke…
Luke 19:1-10 Common English Bible
19 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through town. 2 A man there named Zacchaeus, a ruler among tax collectors, was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but, being a short man, he couldn’t because of the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed up a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus, who was about to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came to that spot, he looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down at once. I must stay in your home today.” 6 So Zacchaeus came down at once, happy to welcome Jesus.
7 Everyone who saw this grumbled, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”
8 Zacchaeus stopped and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my possessions to the poor. And if I have cheated anyone, I repay them four times as much.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Today, salvation has come to this household because he too is a son of Abraham. 10 The Human One came to seek and save the lost.”
As we sit with familiar ten verses, I offer you ten questions to consider this week…
1.What do you notice about Zacchaeus before he ever speaks to Jesus? What seems to be motivating him?
2. Who makes the first move in this story—Zacchaeus or Jesus? What does that tell you about Jesus?
3. Why do you think Jesus chose to go to Zacchaeus’ home rather than simply speaking with him on the road? What might happen around a table that is less likely to happen in a crowd?
4. The crowd sees Zacchaeus one way, while Jesus seems to see him differently. What do you notice about the difference?
5. Luke doesn’t tell us what Jesus and Zacchaeus talked about in the house. What do you imagine that conversation might have been like?
6. What changes in Zacchaeus after welcoming Jesus into his home? Where do you see evidence that his encounter with Jesus has become more than simply an interesting conversation?
7. Why do you think Zacchaeus’ response involves his money and his relationships with other people? What does that suggest about the kind of transformation Jesus brings?
8. Jesus says, “Today salvation has come to this house.” What do you think salvation looks like in this story?
9. Jesus ends by saying that He came “to seek and to save the lost.” Who is doing the seeking in this story? Is it Zacchaeus looking for Jesus—or Jesus looking for Zacchaeus?
10. If Jesus sat at your table this week, what area of your life might His presence invite you to see differently?
Let’s talk about it on Sunday.
~ Pastor Dustin