GROUP GUIDE: Luke 19:1-10

The key verse in this passage of scripture is verse 10; “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

As Jesus passed through Jericho, Zaccheus, the chief tax collector, wanted to see who Jesus was. Being short of stature and unable to see above the crowd, he climbed a tree in order to get a bird’s eye view. His curiosity concerning Jesus maybe stemmed from a desire to simply get a look at this man so much was being said about.Or perhaps he wanted to see who the former tax collector Matthew was now following. Then again it could be that in spite of his great wealth, he was still dissatisfied with how his life was turning out. All of those things could have been interior motives that spiked his curiosity. However, there was an exterior motive at play in his life. Jesus was at work seeking Zaccheus in order to bring him salvation.

Romans 3:11 states that” there is no one who seeks God.” Sin corrupts every aspect of man so that instead of seeking God, sinful men run and hide from God just as Adam and Eve did in the garden. The salvation of Zaccheus would be the result of a divine appointment. Zaccheus wasn’t the one doing the seeking in this story, Jesus was the seeker.

When Jesus tells Zaccheus to come down from the tree he tells him in verse 5, “I must stay at your house.” The encounter and the salvation that Zaccheus would receive was a must. Jesus had used this language of “must” several times before to indicate things that God had already ordained to happen;

Luke 2:49 “I must be about my Father’s business.”

Luke 4:43 “I must preach the Kingdom of God to other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose.”

Luke 9:22 “The Son of Man must suffer many things, be rejected by the Elders and Chief Priests and the Scribes and be killed and be raised up on the third day.”

Luke 17:25 “But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.”

Jesus was seeking Zaccheus for salvation and salvation would take place in his life that day. It must happen, it was imperative.

Not only was Zaccheus experiencing a Divine Appointment, but He would also experienced a Divine transformation. Such a transformation is evidenced by a change in values, attitudes, pursuits and life orientation.Zaccheus was a new man; born again. This change wasn’t a result of his self-determination but it was the result of the work of God in his life.

The same can be said about any child of God. If we are saved it is because Christ has sought us! What joy, thanksgiving, and humility this should bring to our lives! And let us never forget that our savior continues to seek those who are lost. And when He brings His salvation to His people, those people experience a Divine transformation. Old things pass away, and all things become new (2 Cor. 5:17).