INTRODUCTION

Part 5) Proclaim: Life on Mission

Jesus calls us to gospel proclamation

Journal

• Explore your fears and what’s behind them.
• Write about a relational conflict you are experiencing.
• Recall a significant reaction, conversation, or event.
• List out all that you are grateful for.

 Here are some tools to help you with the devotionals:

• How to journal? 
• What am I feeling?

Bible Text: Luke 19:1–10

¹ He entered Jericho and was passing through. ² And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. ³ And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. ⁴ So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. ⁵ And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.”  ⁶ So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. ⁷ And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” ⁸ And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” ⁹ And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Context & Commentary

v.2 Of all people in Palestine, tax-collectors were the most hated. They were Jews who collected taxes from their own people to give to the occupying Roman government, and they also took a cut of the collection to enrich themselves.  Robbers, murderers and tax-collectors were classed together. Zacchaeus is a “chief tax collector,” which means he stands at the top of the collection pyramid, taking a cut of commission from those who collected taxes for him. He is therefore a wealthy man, though many consider his wealth ill-gotten.

Bock, Darrell L., “Luke 19:1-10” in NIV Application Commentary, New Testament: Luke Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1998.

Questions

1. What’s surprising about the fact that a chief tax collector would go to such extreme lengths to see Jesus?
2. How does Zacchaeus’ spiritual responsiveness challenge my assumptions about who would be open to God?
3. What steps can I take to share in Jesus’ mission to seek and save the lost?

Prayer