Sunday, September 2nd, 2023

Topic:  What’s so wonderful about salvation in Jesus Christ? 

Preacher: Dr. Abel Muyisa

Luke 19: 1-9

The story of Zacchaeus is a very good example of an encounter with Jesus Christ, an encounter that leads to salvation. When Jesus was about to finish his journey in Jerusalem, he passed through the border town of Jericho. In that town was a man named Zacchaeus who was not just a tax collector but a chief tax collector. He wanted to see Jesus, but because he was short, it was difficult for him to see in the crowd, so he climbed upon a tree. When Jesus arrived at the place where Zacchaeus had perched himself, he called him down and conveyed to Zacchaeus’ home, which simultaneously brought joy to Zacchaeus  and scandalized the crowd, because they knew that Zacchaeus was a sinner. He was financially successful and had a place in the society but he was lost from God’s perspective. No matter how rich you are, no matter your social status, there is nothing in this world that can compensate to our need for Jesus. The attitude and the reaction of Zacchaeus mean that we have not really started to live until we meet Jesus. There are many things that we can say about the wonders of salvation in Jesus Christ. From the experience of Zacchaeus, we are going to learn three things that make this salvation so wonderful.

• An encounter with Jesus is peace: when Zaccheaus met Jesus, he forgot about his riches even about his social status. He knew deep in his heart how he got his riches because his conscious accused him. He was not at peace with God and with himself. That’s why he ran to Jesus, he repented and gave back all that he gained unlawfully. Peace with God will push us to reconcile with our neighbors. 
• From salvation we receive a new place: When we repent and receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are forgiven of all our sins and delivered from God’s condemnation and eternal punishment. 
• We get a new purpose: an encounter with Jesus comes with a new calling. When we encounter Jesus, the why of our lives changes. When Zacchaeus realized that there was more than money in his encounter with Jesus, he gave half of his possessions to the poor. 

Dear congregation, if you truly encounter Jesus, He will not be an addition to your life, He will be an explosion of your life, the reason why you’re alive. He will mess everything up and will give you a new reason for living as it said in Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me”. Amen