Grace United Methodist Church - Franklin, IN
  • About Us
    • Staff
    • What to Expect
    • What We Believe
    • Calendar
    • Upcoming Events
    • Institutional Partners
  • Classes & Small Groups
    • Adult >
      • Classes and Spiritual Formation Opportunities
      • Small Group Locations & Times
    • Youth
    • Children
  • Missions
    • Service Opportunities
    • Ministry Partners
  • Give
    • Giving
    • Ways of Giving
    • What is tithing?
  • Preschool
    • Home
    • Classes
    • Calendar
    • Kroger Community Rewards
  • Resources
    • Sermons
    • Blog
    • The Kids These Days podcast
  • About Us
    • Staff
    • What to Expect
    • What We Believe
    • Calendar
    • Upcoming Events
    • Institutional Partners
  • Classes & Small Groups
    • Adult >
      • Classes and Spiritual Formation Opportunities
      • Small Group Locations & Times
    • Youth
    • Children
  • Missions
    • Service Opportunities
    • Ministry Partners
  • Give
    • Giving
    • Ways of Giving
    • What is tithing?
  • Preschool
    • Home
    • Classes
    • Calendar
    • Kroger Community Rewards
  • Resources
    • Sermons
    • Blog
    • The Kids These Days podcast

Extravagant Generosity: Sealed by Faith - Luke 19:1-10

11/26/2019

0 Comments

 
On his way through Jericho one day, Jesus spots a “wee little man” called Zacchaeus up in a sycamore tree. Zacchaeus is very wealthy, but he is also a tax-collector. Because he is too short to see over the crowds, he climbs a tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus coming down the road.
More importantly, though, is that Jesus has his eyes on Zacchaeus. Jesus sees something in him that others do not. He spots Zacchaeus in the tree and then invites himself over to Zacchaeus’ house for dinner. 
It’s Jesus’ self-invitation, though, that raises the eye-brows of the crowd. Indeed, it is Jesus’ self-invite that “offends” the crowd: “See,” the people grumble, “he is a friend of tax-collectors and sinners!” Not only does Jesus demonstrate bad manners by making room for himself at Zacchaeus’ home, but he also crosses a shameful-boundary by identifying with a person whose own actions were suspect. All of which is offensive!
But Zacchaeus is also offended by the crowds and its reaction to Jesus. Indeed, Luke tells us that Zacchaeus remains standing during all this, a sign that he has had enough of the crowd’s complaining: he defends himself by standing up to the crowd and by opening his pocketbook (19:7)! It’s as if he is saying: “Take that! I’ll show you. I am going to give half-of my possessions to the poor, and then I am going to pay back anyone I have defrauded four times” (19:8). 
And in a matter of seconds we see generosity being practiced: not as some future financial plan, but as a change of heart. So much so that Jesus himself announces that “salvation has come to this house!” (19:8). Who would have thought? Zacchaeus, tax-collector, transformed into “son of Abraham” (19:9)! Appearances can be deceiving, can’t they? 
It’s another way of saying that we really don’t know how the Spirit is moving among us, do we? Or how the Spirit is touching the person next to me or you, as the Spirit blows where it wills (John 3:8). Look at Zacchaeus! Who would have expected the Spirit to touch him? 
How might the Spirit be moving us to share in a time of generosity, or working in us to change our hearts? How might we, like Zacchaeus, show extravagant generosity? 
Pastor Andy Kinsey
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018

    RSS Feed

Grace United Methodist Church
1300 E Adams Dr,
Franklin, IN 46131

Phone: 317-736-7962
grace@franklingrace.org

Weekend  Worship Services
Saturday: 5:30pm 
Sunday: 9:00am & 11:00am

Picture