|
Reflections for Sunday on Luke 19:1-10
Each week, Pastor Sarah will provide reflections on the readings for the following Sunday.
I remember singing a song in Vacation Bible School as a kid based on this story - "Zacchaeus was a wee little man and a wee little man was he. He climbed up in a sycamore tree for the Lord he wanted to see." The moral of that story, as I remember from VBS, was that Zacchaeus was a bad guy, but after he met Jesus he became a good guy.
These days my understanding of the story is a little more nuanced. Zacchaeus was a man who was prisoner to his role in life, a tax collector. He was mistrusted by his peers, the other Jews, and driven to dishonesty by his employers, the Roman government. But Jesus saw Zacchaeus for who he really was - a beloved child of God. Jesus met Zacchaeus with grace and unconditional love. And Zacchaeus' life changed forever.
+ When have you received grace when you know you didn't deserve it?
+ What does it feel like to be loved unconditionally?
Family Devotion:
Each week, Pastor Sarah will provide a short devotion for families based on a reading for the following Sunday.
Read: Luke 19:1-10
Bring it home:
These are some questions or activities to help you think and talk about the reading as a family.
+ Zacchaeus was very short but he wanted to see Jesus, so he climbed to the top of a tree. Have you ever felt too small to do something? How did you feel? What did you do to change that feeling?
+ Jesus became friends with Zacchaeus even though other people didn't like him. How do you make friends? Could you make a new friend this week?
Pray:
Consider lighting a candle or having a cross to look at while you pray.
Thank you, Jesus, for loving me unconditionally. Help me to make friends and share your love with the world. Amen.
|
