November 9, 2025 // Luke 19:1-10
APPLICATION: Read & watch/listen to Luke 19:1-10
Sermon Title: Called
Sermon Notes:
Life Application:
Is He Here Yet?
The final cluster of planes was headed into the airport before it shut its doors and hangars for the night. A small girl came skipping down the hallway, taking two or three steps for every one the woman beside her took. Tied to her arm was a long string connected to a big yellow balloon that was bobbing above the people who were rushing to meet the night’s last incoming flight.
“Is he here yet?” the girl screamed. Eyes glanced her way, smiling at her enthusiasm. Then eyes turned to follow her stare to the exit leading to the plane.
“No! He is not here yet,” the woman answered, seeking to calm the child a bit. Weary, bloodshot eyes lighted up as travelers caught sight of the girl and remembered their childhood experiences at airports.
“Is he here yet?” the girl cried out again and again. Each time the young mother looked down to say, “No, honey, not yet.” Still the young legs pumped forward eagerly, getting as close to the doorway as possible.
Suddenly, the balloons began waving back and forth, up and down as the young girl jumped up and down, screaming. “There he is! He’s here! He’s here!” All eyes turned to see a young soldier walk through the doorway into the airport waiting room. Returning from Operation Desert Storm, he glanced quickly through the crowd to the leaping balloons and the small arm attached to them. Stooping down, he scooped up the running girl into his arms, welcome sign, balloons, and all.
“Daddy, Daddy,” she yelped. “I found you! I found you!”
The airport crowd smiled at the little girl’s happy discovery. Our smiles should be much bigger. Jesus came to earth to seek and to save the lost. He found us while we were yet sinners. He died for us. Now he rules on the heavenly throne at God’s right hand, watching as we carry out the responsibilities he has assigned us. Meanwhile, we join the disciples at the triumphal entry in singing Christ’s praises. We also join Christ in looking at a lost world that has rejected him and will not accept him as their Savior. Tears fill our eyes as they did his. We realize that we, too, are on a search-and-find mission with Jesus after the lost. Sadly, that mission begins in our own church, where secular business and human greed too often have taken over God’s house of prayer. Jesus calls us to let revival begin at our church, purifying our church life and worship. We must let Christ’s teaching once again be the central concern of our church. We must hang on every word he says, not because we are spellbound waiting for a miracle to gasp at, but because we know that obeying his teaching is the only way to meaningful life here and eternal life hereafter.[1]
Digging Deeper :
A. Salvation (19:9–10)
Salvation is a key word in Luke’s Gospel. The infancy narratives point to salvation as the reason for Christ’s coming (1:69, 71, 77). This salvation seems to have two components: physical deliverance from enemies and spiritual deliverance through the forgiveness of sins. Such salvation is for “the house of his servant David” (1:69). Zacchaeus needed such salvation. He acknowledged the deceit and fraud he had perpetrated. The Jewish people saw him as a traitor to their nation and their God. He was separated from everyone. Jesus knew precisely who he was and what he had done. Still, Jesus offered this chief of sinners his salvation because he saw that Zacchaeus had repented and changed his way of living.
Jesus argued with the Pharisees because he saw his miracles as saving life, while they saw such work as violation of Sabbath commandments (6:9). Jesus said the person he healed and restored to normal life had been cured or saved (the same Greek word sozo being capable of being translated as “delivered,” “cured,” “healed,” “made well,” or “saved”; 7:50; 8:36, 48, 50; 9:24; 17:19; 18:42). The crowd at the cross and the criminals crucified with him expected Jesus to use the same power he exercised in saving people from disease to save himself from the cross (23:35–39), but Jesus exercised his power only within the limits of God’s will and purpose.
Jesus also speaks of spiritual salvation. Hearing and believing the word of God leads to being saved, but Satan seeks to prevent people from hearing, believing, and being saved (8:12). Being saved is the same as entering the kingdom of God, but only a relatively few people make it (13:22–30; 18:26). Those few have to admit they are among the lost so Jesus can find them and save them (19:10).[2]
B. The Compassionate Savior
Why did Jesus come? Jesus made his mission clear as he invited himself to a tax collector’s home. He came to seek and to save the lost. Still, Jewish religious leaders bickered with him over who was lost. They felt secure in their religious system in which they controlled all authority and power.
Finally Jesus approached Jerusalem. He looked at the holy city in its unholy state and grieved for it, pronouncing judgment on it and its inhabitants because they had rejected him, the one who represented God’s visit to the city.
Entering the city, Jesus went to reclaim the temple because it had given way to legalistic religion and secular commerce. He drove out the businessmen and restored the order of prayer and worship that God intended. The king had momentarily reclaimed his home, but soon he would go to the far country; his prophecy of destruction would come true. The religious leaders were even then plotting his death.[3]
Questions to Consider:
1. How does Zacchaeus’ encounter with Jesus inspire you about the transformative power of Christ?
2. How can you apply the lessons from Zacchaeus' encounter with Jesus to your interactions with others?
3. How can we ensure that our life transformation, like Zacchaeus, impacts others positively?
4. How does Zacchaeus' transformation challenge you in your personal transformation journey?
Prayer Time:
[1] Trent C. Butler, Luke, vol. 3, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 323–324.
[2] Trent C. Butler, Luke, vol. 3, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 324–325.
[3] Trent C. Butler, Luke, vol. 3, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 322.
Sermon Title: Called
Sermon Notes:
- Called Out of Distraction vs. 1-4
- Called By Name vs. 5-7
- Called Into Service vs. 8-10
Life Application:
Is He Here Yet?
The final cluster of planes was headed into the airport before it shut its doors and hangars for the night. A small girl came skipping down the hallway, taking two or three steps for every one the woman beside her took. Tied to her arm was a long string connected to a big yellow balloon that was bobbing above the people who were rushing to meet the night’s last incoming flight.
“Is he here yet?” the girl screamed. Eyes glanced her way, smiling at her enthusiasm. Then eyes turned to follow her stare to the exit leading to the plane.
“No! He is not here yet,” the woman answered, seeking to calm the child a bit. Weary, bloodshot eyes lighted up as travelers caught sight of the girl and remembered their childhood experiences at airports.
“Is he here yet?” the girl cried out again and again. Each time the young mother looked down to say, “No, honey, not yet.” Still the young legs pumped forward eagerly, getting as close to the doorway as possible.
Suddenly, the balloons began waving back and forth, up and down as the young girl jumped up and down, screaming. “There he is! He’s here! He’s here!” All eyes turned to see a young soldier walk through the doorway into the airport waiting room. Returning from Operation Desert Storm, he glanced quickly through the crowd to the leaping balloons and the small arm attached to them. Stooping down, he scooped up the running girl into his arms, welcome sign, balloons, and all.
“Daddy, Daddy,” she yelped. “I found you! I found you!”
The airport crowd smiled at the little girl’s happy discovery. Our smiles should be much bigger. Jesus came to earth to seek and to save the lost. He found us while we were yet sinners. He died for us. Now he rules on the heavenly throne at God’s right hand, watching as we carry out the responsibilities he has assigned us. Meanwhile, we join the disciples at the triumphal entry in singing Christ’s praises. We also join Christ in looking at a lost world that has rejected him and will not accept him as their Savior. Tears fill our eyes as they did his. We realize that we, too, are on a search-and-find mission with Jesus after the lost. Sadly, that mission begins in our own church, where secular business and human greed too often have taken over God’s house of prayer. Jesus calls us to let revival begin at our church, purifying our church life and worship. We must let Christ’s teaching once again be the central concern of our church. We must hang on every word he says, not because we are spellbound waiting for a miracle to gasp at, but because we know that obeying his teaching is the only way to meaningful life here and eternal life hereafter.[1]
Digging Deeper :
A. Salvation (19:9–10)
Salvation is a key word in Luke’s Gospel. The infancy narratives point to salvation as the reason for Christ’s coming (1:69, 71, 77). This salvation seems to have two components: physical deliverance from enemies and spiritual deliverance through the forgiveness of sins. Such salvation is for “the house of his servant David” (1:69). Zacchaeus needed such salvation. He acknowledged the deceit and fraud he had perpetrated. The Jewish people saw him as a traitor to their nation and their God. He was separated from everyone. Jesus knew precisely who he was and what he had done. Still, Jesus offered this chief of sinners his salvation because he saw that Zacchaeus had repented and changed his way of living.
Jesus argued with the Pharisees because he saw his miracles as saving life, while they saw such work as violation of Sabbath commandments (6:9). Jesus said the person he healed and restored to normal life had been cured or saved (the same Greek word sozo being capable of being translated as “delivered,” “cured,” “healed,” “made well,” or “saved”; 7:50; 8:36, 48, 50; 9:24; 17:19; 18:42). The crowd at the cross and the criminals crucified with him expected Jesus to use the same power he exercised in saving people from disease to save himself from the cross (23:35–39), but Jesus exercised his power only within the limits of God’s will and purpose.
Jesus also speaks of spiritual salvation. Hearing and believing the word of God leads to being saved, but Satan seeks to prevent people from hearing, believing, and being saved (8:12). Being saved is the same as entering the kingdom of God, but only a relatively few people make it (13:22–30; 18:26). Those few have to admit they are among the lost so Jesus can find them and save them (19:10).[2]
B. The Compassionate Savior
Why did Jesus come? Jesus made his mission clear as he invited himself to a tax collector’s home. He came to seek and to save the lost. Still, Jewish religious leaders bickered with him over who was lost. They felt secure in their religious system in which they controlled all authority and power.
Finally Jesus approached Jerusalem. He looked at the holy city in its unholy state and grieved for it, pronouncing judgment on it and its inhabitants because they had rejected him, the one who represented God’s visit to the city.
Entering the city, Jesus went to reclaim the temple because it had given way to legalistic religion and secular commerce. He drove out the businessmen and restored the order of prayer and worship that God intended. The king had momentarily reclaimed his home, but soon he would go to the far country; his prophecy of destruction would come true. The religious leaders were even then plotting his death.[3]
Questions to Consider:
1. How does Zacchaeus’ encounter with Jesus inspire you about the transformative power of Christ?
2. How can you apply the lessons from Zacchaeus' encounter with Jesus to your interactions with others?
3. How can we ensure that our life transformation, like Zacchaeus, impacts others positively?
4. How does Zacchaeus' transformation challenge you in your personal transformation journey?
Prayer Time:
[1] Trent C. Butler, Luke, vol. 3, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 323–324.
[2] Trent C. Butler, Luke, vol. 3, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 324–325.
[3] Trent C. Butler, Luke, vol. 3, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 322.