August 11th 2019 Sermon Notes

OPERATING UNDER THE EMPOWERMENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD

Speaker:Rev Gail Price Title: Jesus had to come Text: St Luke 19:1-10

Introduction

How many times have we run ahead of God or made every effort to do all we can to reach the top? The human character says that we have to be in control or in charge, we are “fix-it” people and Dr Evangelist Luke explored this in the story of Zaccheus. But when we run ahead to find solutions and solve our problems, Jesus comes to tell us the truth. No matter how far we climb or how much effort we put into life’s plans, we can’t get nowhere except through Him, we miss the bigger picture and our weakness is shown up every time.

Luke brought out some characteristics about Jesus in his gospel, he…….

LUKE’S GOSPEL GIVES US A DETAILED VIEW OF JESUS, THE SON OF MAN, THE MESSIAH
1. HE SHOWED JESUS HAVING SPECIAL INTEREST IN THE GENTILES
2. HIS EMPHASIS ON PRAYER
3. THE ROLE OF WOMEN
4. THE SPECIAL INTEREST IN THE POOR
5. SPECIAL INTEREST IN SINNERS AND WE WILL FOLLOW THIS STORY

As we look at the characters in this passage Luke 19:1-10 we must see a bit of Zaccheus in ourselves, we must examine ourselves and conclude that we cannot do without Jesus.

Jesus had to come: If he came for Zaccheus he can come for you and me:
To deliver us, to heal us, to save us, to protect us, to lead us, to empower us, to anoint us to change us, to transform us to shift us to teach us……
He loves us so much that the comforts of heaven didn’t stop Him or the suffering he would endure didn’t deter him. The worship. The beauty of heaven, the voices of heaven, and his place with the father could not dissuade him; the power of his holiness and glory didn’t hold him
He could do nothing else but come when he thought of the possibility of youand I losing our lives for all eternity; it was too much for him to bare. So he stepped out of heaven and took his place in this sinful, corrupt, evil world because he knew without him we would have no chance of entering into the bliss of heaven’s glory and eternal life. Zaccheus , his name means pure, but was a selfish, greedy arrogant man, he probably had (in modern times) several cars, Mercedesfor work, a Hummer for school, Porche for weekends and a Bugatti for nights on the town. He had a mansion, a penthouse condominium, a beach house and a yacht in Port Ferdinand. He had a black credit card and was known in every high end hotel restaurant and store. But one thing he also had was rejection, hatred and loneliness from society, he was despised because of who he was, a tax collector and an agent for Rome, became rich on the expense of the people.
Everything was stacked against him and he probably lived with friends around but still a lonely life and he had to do things and find solutions and be better than anybody else. The Bible said he was short in stature so he always compensate for his shortness; have you ever observed that a short person is always a loud person and a “know it all”? As Believers we often times find ourselves in similar positions not necessarily greedy or arrogant but rejected and misunderstood, and because of these you do things to get ahead and do it ourselves. But today, we need to experience the fullness of God’s plan for our lives as long as we are willing to allow God to get us out of the tree; he will show us strategies we can use to draw to him.

1. Jesus will stop for you
A. He was passing through on his way to Jerusalem God will notice the unnoticed; stop operating within your comfort zone, hiding in your shame and guilt. Our heart beats at the same rhythm as Jesus’ heart and when we reach out he will come. Because when we do call out, draw near, it will cause Jesus to be interrupted and stop. Remember Mary at the tomb, Jesus had not gone yet to the father but Mary’s crying drew him to her.He is Intentional towards you and me .He was on his way to Jerusalem and just was passing through Jericho. Jesus stopped at the tree because Jesus knew Zaccheus needed him. No problem is too big that God can’t fix in your lives; if he carried the weight of the world upon his shoulder, he will carry you. Jesus has a solution for you, Get out of that tree, today.

2. Begin to seek for Jesus
A. sought: He wanted to seek in order to find:
Meditate, reason; to crave or long for
B. See: To perceive, to discover, to discern, to examine

Consider. Romans 6:11
11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Exodus 3 Moses wanted to observe a little closer the sight of the burning bush He Met God.

Jer 29: 13:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Sycamore tree:The Sycamore tree
A symbol of strength, protection and divinity.

Leaves: It provides shade because of its broad leaves.

Fruit:
Its fruits are bitter

Roots:
Its root can dig up an entire property.

Zaccheus went up in the tree because he knew the crowd won’t let him get to Jesus. Stop feeling as though you have to be in a crowd, the crowd will reject you, seek God for yourself because what God has for you it’s not for the other person. He climbed the tree because he was ashamed, he needed the leaves to hide behind

We always have trees we climb, a part of our daily lives but the lord will always pass by to call us down for a closer walk with him. In your mental physical social emotional state. Shutting off: tv social media friends things that will draw away from time with God The tree of bitterness, un-forgiveness, worry, doubt, shame, guilt,stubbornness, hurt, pain Climb the tree for its shade, big leaves, bitter fruit, deep roots; these roots can destroy property, it is destructive. The tree we are in is so deeply rooted that all of our foundation is dug up, damage is done but Jesus is the repairer.

Example: Martha Mary syndrome
The tree puts you in a rut that keeps you from breaking old and deadly habits. What are we willing to uproot from our life. When is the last time you were not so distracted by your daily things and just take time and set aside for Jesus?
Jesus will ignore the self-righteous people vs7. He will come to your place, to the point where you are at.

3. Your faith and God’s Grace
1. It was shameful for a grown man to climb a tree. He didn’t care what others said about him he had to see; at that point, pride, arrogance, all went through the window.
2. Sometimes we want to be all gentle and cute and refuse to go to the altar
3. Jesus paused to move him out of that bitter place; e.g., the figs in the sycamore tree can be bitter and grow insects if they are not pierced early so they can ripen and be picked. Jesus had to stop to pierce Zacchaeus heart. Make haste: waste no time, be earnest, to urge on
4. He did something that was out of the norm for him, he experienced repentance and with that he wanted to give back. He wanted to put wrong things right but more importantly he wanted to please God and that is all he wants from us, our service is not because we need to make amends and do the right thing but our service and ministry to God and to others should be one where desire to make Jesus smile His faith was stronger than his shame; God’s Grace held sway over every weakness he had disappeared; he was covered. He was desperate and hopeless but the One who created HOPE stepped on the scene he passed through just as he passed through Samaria just as he is passing through here today. His Grace covers a multitude of sins and the moment Zaccheus obeyed Jesus in his heart he walked under the covering of Grace.

What do you have to give?
Two things he will do: give of his personal things and where he has done wrong go beyond to make it right.

WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO GIVE??????
WHAT WILL YOU DO???
GET OUT OF THE TREE…MAKE EVERY WRONG THING RIGHT;GO BEYOND WHAT IS YOUR NORMAL AND DO RIGHT.

ZACHHEUS A FEW MINUTES AGO WAS IN THE EYES OF THE CROWD A SINNER BUT JESUS SAW HIS VERY OWN CREATION.

Result: Salvation came to him, not the ones who looked down and scorned him and scorned Jesus. But to the one who recognized his shortcomings and humbled himself. When is the last time you checked your heart and could honestly say I have been up to know good; myself-righteousness think I am all that a bag of chips; when was the last time you paused and said I am horrible and my in my tree/heart I am hiding some things that is causing me to not meet Jesus.

Come down today and meet Him. Those who seek Jesus are sought, seen and saved by him, no one is beyond his help, and his love is constant and unconditional Only Jesus is the repairer of the Breach: Isaiah 58:12 he can destroy every root that is damaging your life. He can take you out of the tree. When Zaccheus stepped down he got under the cover of Grace and got a heart transplant; Jesus is better than Kentucky or Chefette, he instantly began to change. As long as our hearts are towards Jesus in obedience to Him and His Word, as long as our desire is to please Him and Him alone no sin you have incurred in the past, present or future can out-do Grace. Paul said we must endure many sufferings, but it brings patience and perseverance and endurance and builds character but still walk free, all the things will flair up but you are no longer a slave to them. Your Jesus and my Jesus took them to the cross and nailed; for our pleasure and His.

FAST FORWARD: the next day what would Zaccheus be doing, WORKING!! But it’s a different Zaccheus, he has found the freedom that his heart longed for; when the people saw him their perspective of him would not have changed but his perspective of himself changed. The Samaritan Woman; The people would have still dressed him as proud or wicked or greedy but he knew who he was now- He was a free man. Jesus met him at the point of his need and he showed him his love and his truth, that he came to seek and save the lost.

Just like Zaccheus, Jesus had to come for you and I ; I don’t care what the devil has preached over the last week or month in your ears or to your face: let today be the last day you accept what your flesh and the devil do to you, GOD is for YOU!!!! He pursues you with his goodness and mercy, he sends angels to protect you, his love and kindness and strength is perfect when we are weak. Allow him to lead you today into all righteousness or rightness with God.

At the cross of your salvation you were brought into Christ by the Power of the Holy Spirit who lives in you; He makes you pant and thirst for that righteousness and drives us to Jesus; GET OUT OF THAT TREE AND DO A ZACCHEUS because by His Spirit and His Word you will walk free.My challenge to you today, don’t let the trees in your life hold you prisoner but jump, skip hop or just step out and allow Jesus to be in total control. You will experience total freedom and fresh empowerment.