Encounters
The Encounter
The First Disciples
Review - Zacchaeus
How did you get on with thinking about Zacchaeus’ encounter with Jesus?
What changes, if any, have you made to your own life?
What are you still thinking about, encouraged or challenged by?
The First Disciples
From what you remember of the stories about Jesus (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), when do you think Jesus’ first disciples actually became Christians?
Why not DIG DEEPER here?
How do I become a Christian?
Did you know that it is ok to ask God to become a Christian?
This is the whole reason that John wrote his gospel:
'that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name'. (John 20:31)
You may want to use the prayer in the Alpha booklet, Why Jesus? or the 100th Anniversary of the Gospel of John that was given to those in ‘Active Service’ in 1914-1918. Let me know if you would like a copy.
Or, why not follow my Grandpa’s advice in his 1952 book, ‘When God Goes A-Fishing’ (p 41). He suggests:
‘When you get to your room, kneel and pray. Listen for the word of Jesus in your soul, and be obedient to it. All the rest must be left to God’s Spirit’.
The First Disciples
Review - Zacchaeus
How did you get on with thinking about Zacchaeus’ encounter with Jesus?
What changes, if any, have you made to your own life?
What are you still thinking about, encouraged or challenged by?
The First Disciples
From what you remember of the stories about Jesus (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), when do you think Jesus’ first disciples actually became Christians?
Why not DIG DEEPER here?
How do I become a Christian?
Did you know that it is ok to ask God to become a Christian?
This is the whole reason that John wrote his gospel:
'that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name'. (John 20:31)
You may want to use the prayer in the Alpha booklet, Why Jesus? or the 100th Anniversary of the Gospel of John that was given to those in ‘Active Service’ in 1914-1918. Let me know if you would like a copy.
Or, why not follow my Grandpa’s advice in his 1952 book, ‘When God Goes A-Fishing’ (p 41). He suggests:
‘When you get to your room, kneel and pray. Listen for the word of Jesus in your soul, and be obedient to it. All the rest must be left to God’s Spirit’.
The Encounter
Zacchaeus
Watching Jesus - maybe admiring or just curious about Jesus;
Following Jesus – shown in a behaviour change;
Trusting in Jesus – shown in a further behaviour change;
Bringing others to Jesus – or some other kingdom impact.
The story of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-9) is a great place to begin exploring the way in which ordinary people related to Jesus.
Luke 19:1-10 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
Zacchaeus the tax collector
Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.’ 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, ‘He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.’
8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.’
9 Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.’
Read the passage a few times to get a sense of the story. Look at it in context too.
Note how Zacchaeus goes from watching Jesus, to following Jesus, to trusting in Jesus, to behaviour changes which had a positive impact on others.
If you like reading, DIG DEEPER here.
Zacchaeus
Watching Jesus - maybe admiring or just curious about Jesus;
Following Jesus – shown in a behaviour change;
Trusting in Jesus – shown in a further behaviour change;
Bringing others to Jesus – or some other kingdom impact.
The story of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-9) is a great place to begin exploring the way in which ordinary people related to Jesus.
Luke 19:1-10 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
Zacchaeus the tax collector
Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.’ 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, ‘He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.’
8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.’
9 Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.’
Read the passage a few times to get a sense of the story. Look at it in context too.
Note how Zacchaeus goes from watching Jesus, to following Jesus, to trusting in Jesus, to behaviour changes which had a positive impact on others.
If you like reading, DIG DEEPER here.