Family Discipleship April Week 4
April27th-May 3rd
Little Man, Big Faith
The Big Picture: Remember how the first workers from the parable of the vineyard grumbled when they learned the owner gave the workers who only worked on hour the same payment as those who worked all day? They lost sight of the generous heart of the boss, just like we lose sight of the generous heart of the boss, just like we lose sight of God's generous heart. None of us deserve his grace--no matter if we are first or last. We are all sinners deserving to be punished for our sins. That's what is fair! We don't want God to be "fair" in that way. Instead of being "fair" like that and punishing everyone, our just and generous God sent Jesus to save us. In Luke 19 we learn about one of those people. His name is Zacchaeus. No one in his town would have expected that Jesus would give him grace. But he did!
Watch the Youtube video for this week together
This weeks big truth is:
Jesus gives grace even to big-time sinners.
Jesus gives grace even to big-time sinners.
This weeks memory verse is:
The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.
(LUKE 19:10)
The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.
(LUKE 19:10)
Reading 1: LUKE 19:1-4
ANOTHER RICH MAN
What happened to the last rich man who approached Jesus--did he walk away happy or sad? To the Jews of Jesus's day a chief tax collector was the lowest of the low. So Zacchaeus was a big-time sinner! What is unusual about what Zacchaeus did that day? Would you run and climb a tree to see Jesus?
ANOTHER RICH MAN
What happened to the last rich man who approached Jesus--did he walk away happy or sad? To the Jews of Jesus's day a chief tax collector was the lowest of the low. So Zacchaeus was a big-time sinner! What is unusual about what Zacchaeus did that day? Would you run and climb a tree to see Jesus?
Reading 2: LUKE 19:5-6
SEEKING JESUS
How did Zacchaeus respond to Jesus's command? Remember the parables of the lost sheep, coin and son--how did Zacchaeus respond like those who found what was lost? Should we respond to God's grace with such joy too?
SEEKING JESUS
How did Zacchaeus respond to Jesus's command? Remember the parables of the lost sheep, coin and son--how did Zacchaeus respond like those who found what was lost? Should we respond to God's grace with such joy too?
Reading 3: EXODUS 16:2-3; LUKE 19:7
GRUMBLE, GRUMBLE, GRUMBLE
What did Israel do in the wilderness after God saved them from their slavery in Egypt? What has Jesus taught in some of his parables about grumbling about grace? What did the crowd grumble about?
GRUMBLE, GRUMBLE, GRUMBLE
What did Israel do in the wilderness after God saved them from their slavery in Egypt? What has Jesus taught in some of his parables about grumbling about grace? What did the crowd grumble about?
Reading 4: LUKE 19:8
A PICTURE OF TRUE REPENTANCE
When Zacchaeus received Jesus into his heart and home, he was a changed man. How did he express that change? If we receive Jesus, do we need to do exactly what Zacchaeus did? But what do we need to do to show that we love Jesus more than our sin?
A PICTURE OF TRUE REPENTANCE
When Zacchaeus received Jesus into his heart and home, he was a changed man. How did he express that change? If we receive Jesus, do we need to do exactly what Zacchaeus did? But what do we need to do to show that we love Jesus more than our sin?
Reading 5: LUKE 19:9-10
TO SEEK AND SAVE THE LOST
Salvation came to Zacchaeus because he, like Abraham, believed! If Jesus came to seek and save lost people--like chief tax collectors--do you think anyone is beyond the grasp of God's grace? Think of someone now who is so far from following God's ways. pray for that person, knowing that God can do the impossible.
TO SEEK AND SAVE THE LOST
Salvation came to Zacchaeus because he, like Abraham, believed! If Jesus came to seek and save lost people--like chief tax collectors--do you think anyone is beyond the grasp of God's grace? Think of someone now who is so far from following God's ways. pray for that person, knowing that God can do the impossible.
GOSPEL CONNECTION
The last line in the story, which is the most important, comes from Jesus. he says, "For the Son of man came to seek and save the lost" (LUKE 19:10). Another way to say that is Jesus came to save sinners. Do you remember that Jesus said "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God" (18:25)? Zacchaeus is rich! So how did he get through the eye of the tiny sewing needle? Easy. Jesus pulled him through. he came to seek and save the lost--both rich and poor, short and tall. The next time you think about Zacchaes, picture Jesus pulling a camel through the eye of a needle. Impossible? Not with God--all things are possible for him.
The last line in the story, which is the most important, comes from Jesus. he says, "For the Son of man came to seek and save the lost" (LUKE 19:10). Another way to say that is Jesus came to save sinners. Do you remember that Jesus said "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God" (18:25)? Zacchaeus is rich! So how did he get through the eye of the tiny sewing needle? Easy. Jesus pulled him through. he came to seek and save the lost--both rich and poor, short and tall. The next time you think about Zacchaes, picture Jesus pulling a camel through the eye of a needle. Impossible? Not with God--all things are possible for him.
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