Difficulties, Dedication, Delight

Luke 19:1-10

What’s our motivation when we’re coming to the presence of God? Are you thrilled or is it just a ritual to be done and finished?

Jesus came to save us from sin and from the darkness. He called us, found us, elected us and has now placed us in a position of being His.

There were some people in the Bible who were never visited by Jesus but were thrilled by just meeting him.

Do you know how beautiful the visitation of Jesus is? So many were visited by Him like there was the man who had suffered for 38 years, also Peter’s house and many others. One outstanding person is Zaccheus who was visited by Jesus. This is a Tax Collector who was not loved in society because he did the tough work of getting tax money forcefully from people. It was so bad to the extent that they were not allowed to enter synagogues! So Zaccheus was thrilled when Jesus visited him even if he was hated by the whole society.

If you feel no one loves you, take a step today and allow Jesus to minister to you. Come out and meet Jesus today!

A. This man had many difficulties to approach Jesus;

1. The crowd was a difficulty to him and they couldn’t allow him to access Jesus. His disciples also couldn’t allow anyone to reach Jesus. Just like the Woman with the issue of blood couldn’t approach Jesus so easily.

2. His physical condition as he was short was another difficulty.

3. The critics too restricted him. On one side were the Pharisees who came to criticize Jesus and on the other hand were the normal people who wanted to criticise Zaccheus. All this negativity was against him and restricted him from going to Jesus Christ.

B. Even in the face of this, Zaccheus was able to have the dedication to go towards Jesus!

Luke 19:4

Zaccheus was a man who took a step and ran ahead to Jesus! He was a man who probably had servants and could have sent someone to call Jesus or something like that but he chooses to run to Jesus.

We all have difficulties and negativities but let’s take an initiative and seek out Jesus. What’s your part when you come to the presence of God?

Is it just for blessings or a good job? We should be in His presence to seek His heart and Praise Him for who He is! Let this be our initiative when we’re in God’s presence.

Zaccheus put in an effort to know God. Can we put an effort and challenge ourselves to know God more? Remember if you’re surrounded by negative people, you’ll be swept into them. So take that initiative and break free. That’s why Zaccheus climbed up into the tree. This was his effort.

He paid a price to come to Jesus.

C. He had the delight to come to Jesus. He didn’t want to meet him in a general sense but in the personal sense. Our relationship with God should be deeply personal. The Old Testament showed the Israelites crossing the Red Sea which signifies a mass conversion but God now desires a personal touch.

If you’re ready to invite Jesus, your family and life will definitely change. This we see by Zaccheus pledging to pay back those he wrongly cheated.

Please invite Jesus into your life and family today: once you start exercising His presence freely, things will automatically change in your life and family.

All the wrong will disappear immediately. Jesus didn’t condemn Zaccheus but Zaccheus was personally touched and he repented when Jesus came to him.

You may have many difficulties to see Jesus but if we have a dedication to see him and invite him, He will come in and do marvellous things in your life.

People may change today or tomorrow but if you’re ready to invite Him personally and profoundly into your life, He’ll touch your life mightily in a personal encounter.

God bless you!

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