Psalm 108:1-5 (NIV)

My heart, O God, is steadfast;

I will sing and make music with all my soul.

Awake, harp and lyre!

I will awaken the dawn.

I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;

I will sing of you among the peoples.

For great is your love, higher than the heavens;

your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;

let your glory be over all the earth.

Explanation:

My primary language to God is, and always has been, worship. There is something about stepping into an atmosphere of worship that makes the surface under your feet a holy ground. Praise ushers in the presence of the Almighty King. He chooses to abide in the presence of His people when we praise Him.

Worship has been a burial ground for me. I can bring all my burdens into His presence with me, relieved to finally lay them down at His feet, knowing they are covered beneath safe and regenerative soil. In seasons of heartache and pain, it was only in worship that I encountered the deep comfort and unchanging quality of His character. Like a rock that is immovable, His presence would meet me there in the dark place, and give me a foothold to stand on again. When there was nothing else I could count on, the depths of His presence would offer me a lifeline to hold onto when I lifted my hands in worship. When I was mourning the loss of something precious, His goodness would envelope me in a warm embrace and pour into my empty places, and shore me up once more. When I enter His presence wanting, no more than an empty shell of flesh from pouring out of myself to the demands of life, His fullness always meets me there, offering me new life from His unending abundance. I’ve never raised my hands in surrender without finding my God’s hands already there, enveloping mine in His, so glad to welcome me home into His presence.

I have found that there is a praise that creates space in your spirit for God to work. It’s where you can praise Him for all the victories He’s brought you through, while praising Him in advance for all that is coming ahead of you. In praise, you can set the table in faith for victory over a current battle, and taste His triumph in the spirit before you ever see it with human eyes. Praise paves the way for His will to be done in your life.

When we worship and praise Him with our ALL, bringing all of our needs, all of our joys and all of our pain, all of our intelligence and all of our limitations, all of our hopes and all of our fears… when we praise Him with all of our souls, He meets us there with all of Himself.

Application:

1. Create a space for bringing your all to God today by finding a safe place to worship without having to worry about others. Turn on some praise and worship on your preferred device, and spend time worshipping in His presence with all your soul.

Prayer:

Lord God, You invite us to enter Your gates with thanksgiving, and to come into Your courts with praise. I praise You for Your unchanging nature, for Your love that is higher than the heavens, and Your faithfulness that reaches to the sky. Thank You that You are a God who meets me in that holy place of worship when I surrender to You with my all. Help me to bring all of myself to You. Teach me how to worship, God! In Jesus’s name. Amen.

Psalm 98 (ESV)

“Oh sing to the Lord a new song,

For he has done marvelous things!

His right hand and his holy arm

Have worked salvation for him.”

The LORD has made known his salvation;

he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.

He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness

to the house of Israel.

All the ends of the earth have seen

the salvation of our God.

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth;

break forth into joyous song and sing praises!

Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre,

with the lyre and the sound of melody!

With trumpets and the sound of the horn

make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD!

Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;

the world and those who dwell in it!

Let the rivers clap their hands;

let the hills sing for joy together

before the LORD, for he comes

to judge the earth.

He will judge the world with righteousness,

and the peoples with equity.

Explanation:

The Psalms are composed of 150 Hebrew poems that are divided into five books. Each book has a connected theme of praise for Yahweh. Psalm 98 calls for God’s people to sing His praise as a celebration of God’s faithfulness in His promise of salvation. The “new song” is meant as a fresh response to an experience or witness to the wonderful things God does for us. God’s power and righteousness provide justice and a heavenly kingdom for all the world.

I often attended church with my grandparents when I was a little girl. I vividly remember being snuggled up to my soft grandma on the hard pew, peaceful and relaxed. And then, when the organ piped music into the air, she was quick to her feet. She loved singing the hymns. Her voice was not the most in tune, but she knew every word and sang with such a declaration of her heart. Her body was full of praise and rhythm. She sang with fresh glory during every song.

Many years later, my grandma showed early signs of dementia. She had become forgetful of names and places, and always needed a guiding hand. I accompanied her to the funeral of an extended family member at a local Catholic Church. She was somewhat confused during the unfamiliar service…until the organ piped up. She immediately rose, and her sweet voice sang every word of “How Great Thou Art.” It was such a beautiful moment for her to recognize and remember how powerful worshiping God feels. At the end of the service, on the unsteady walk to the car, my grandmother made it known why she liked singing hymns. “It’s the one thing I can do every day to tell Jesus, ‘I love you.’”

I am thankful her passionate love for the hymns has passed to me. I am grateful to be in the presence of a community of followers who sing, sway, and give glory to God. It’s the one thing we can do every day to tell God, “We love you!”

Application:

1. Take time this week to play worship music. Close your eyes. Do you feel powerful? Speak prayerfully as you listen.

2. Pastor Michael is always encouraging the audience to reflect a posture of praise. Challenge yourself to reflect your heart and love of Christ.

3. Psalm 98 is behind the famous hymn, “Joy to The World.” Enjoy listening or singing this hymn today.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we thank You for the marvelous things You have done for us. You provide us with steadfast love and protection. Help us to see each day as a fresh opportunity to sing Your praises. I pray children grow up in an environment that shows them love. I also pray for those who are confined, and can no longer enjoy beautiful music in the church they call home. God, fill us with Your Spirit so that we burst with a joyful new song.

1 Chronicles 16:8-13, 23-36 (NIV)

Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;

make known among the nations what he has done.

Sing to him, sing praise to him;

tell of all his wonderful acts.

Glory in his holy name;

let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

Look to the Lord and his strength;

seek his face always.

Remember the wonders he has done,

his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,

you his servants, the descendants of Israel,

his chosen ones, the children of Jacob.

Sing to the Lord, all the earth;

proclaim his salvation day after day.

Declare his glory among the nations,

his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;

he is to be feared above all gods.

For all the gods of the nations are idols,

but the Lord made the heavens.

Splendor and majesty are before him;

strength and joy are in his dwelling place.

Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations,

ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;

bring an offering and come before him.

Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.

Tremble before him, all the earth!

The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;

let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!”

Let the sea resound, and all that is in it;

let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them!

Let the trees of the forest sing,

let them sing for joy before the Lord,

for he comes to judge the earth.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

his love endures forever.

Cry out, “Save us, God our Savior;

gather us and deliver us from the nations,

that we may give thanks to your holy name,

and glory in your praise.”

Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,

from everlasting to everlasting.

Then all the people said “Amen” and “Praise the Lord.”

Explanation:

Have you ever had a mountaintop experience? I had a literal mountaintop experience this past summer when we were on vacation. It was my first time to experience the mountains, and it did not disappoint. I had expectations going into the vacation, but I had no idea that what I was about to see was going to far exceed my expectations. As I stood on the mountaintop looking out at this amazing creation, I was in awe. The only thing I could do in that moment was to praise the One who created everything. I wept and began to sing a song of praise to God for this amazing moment and experience. God’s beautiful creation screams and sings His praise. On that day, I experienced this first hand. Creation is amazing, and a beautiful song of praise to our God.

We too are a beautiful part of God’s creation. As His creation, we are called to worship Him and lead others to do the same. Once God has changed your life, the natural by-product should be a heart that sings His praises. He has redeemed us, forgiven us, and saved us. He loves us unconditionally, and showers us with grace over and over again. We should not only want to sing and shout His praises, but we should want to share this with the rest of the world. God has done so much for us, and we show Him our thanks by the way we conduct our lives. Sing His praises through your actions, words, and deeds. Sing His praises in the quiet and in the noise. Worship Him by sharing with others how He has changed your life. The way we live our lives can be a beautiful song of thankful worship and praise to God. Let’s sing a song of praise, and share our incredible God with others.

Application:

1. In what ways have you found yourself singing the praises of God?

2. What are things in your life that often keep you from singing His praises?

3. I encourage you to take some time this week to get into the presence of God. Sing songs of worship and praise. Make a list of all the things He has done. And then go out and share what He has done with others.

Prayer:

God, today we simply want to pr

Matthew 8:5-13 (NLT)

When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with him, “Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.”

Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.”

But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.”

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel! And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour.

Explanation:

The Roman officer, also called a “centurion,” was someone who held prestige in the Roman army. They were leaders in the Roman army and often commanded military units of 100 or so soldiers. They were responsible for enforcing the Roman law at the fullest extent. What this centurion wasn’t was a Jew. He crossed political lines on behalf of his servant, an act of great love and selflessness, especially by someone of his authority.

The centurion had seen and heard what Jesus was capable of—healings and miracles to those who believe. Though he was not Jewish, he had great faith. Jesus called him out, and said that his faith was greater than that of many of the Israelites. The centurion set aside his pride and chose to anchor himself in faith. He exercised humility and grace at a time when he could have turned away.

The culture we live in today often shows a lack of love and compassion. We draw lines in the imaginary sand about who we can commiserate with and who we should turn from, often in the name of a political party or group. We forget that Christ showed love to everyone, and called us to do the same. Jesus loved the “enemies” of the Jews, like the centurion.

Imagine you had the ability to take your pride and stash it in your attic or some other hard-to-get-to location in your house. After you tuck it away, you begin having conversations with others who are on the “other side” of your imaginary line, and begin to see them as a person who God created, just like you. All labels are stripped away, and for that moment, you are both just broken people. You find out in that conversation that this person needs Jesus and has never entered into a relationship with Him. You become the catalyst for this person to know Jesus personally. Suddenly, those imaginary lines don’t matter anymore, and perhaps you realize they never did. Perhaps we can all learn something from the centurion on our journey to be more like Jesus.

Application:

1. One of the most powerful parts of today’s passage is when Jesus tells the centurion that even though he’s not Jewish, he’s demonstrated faith greater than that of many Israelites. When you meditate on those words, what do they say to you?

2. Have you ever been in a situation where you’ve had to cross the political divide? Did you “Love Well” or did you behave in a manner that was less than exemplary? What could you have done differently to bridge the divide?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us the Bible. So many examples of broken people being restored by Your grace are demonstrated in these pages. Give me faith like the centurion, and help me to remember to “Love Well.” Remind me that the imaginary line I have drawn is truly just that—imaginary. Give me humility when I interact with other

Luke 10:25-37 (ESV)

And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

Explanation:

There once was an OSU fan that was beaten by robbers and while two OSU fans stood by and watched, a Michigan fan came and helped at the cost of his reputation and comfort…

There was once a Democrat beaten by robbers and left on the side of the road. After being passed by two other Democrats, a Republican came along and at the cost of his constituency, sacrificially cared for the down and out Democrat…

There once was a pro-life supporter that was beaten by robbers and left by the side of the road. After being passed by their fellow pro-lifers, a Planned Parenthood staffer stopped and sacrificially took care of the pro-lifer, saving their life…

I get the scandalous nature of this last example and I chose it purposefully because it has the potential to be the most polarizing, the one where the Christian community may feel most justified in their disdain for another group of people. I chose it because it gets us the closest to the scandal that we so quaintly call the “Parable of the Good Samaritan.”

This story that has become almost like a children’s tale to us is a story of the barriers God is calling us to break down to see and show His love. It is a call to throw off the simple stereotypes we use to label people and keep them at a distance. It addresses the issues of why the “good guys” don’t always act like the “good guys,” and the “bad guys” maybe act more like Jesus than the “good guys.” Telling the people of God that they are missing God’s intentions, while celebrating how a “heathen heretic of a Samaritan” (the 1st Century Jewish thought) demonstrated it, was scandalous.

Jesus told this story to shake things up and to open eyes, first to the type of sacrificial, scandalous, and reckless love God puts on display for each of us, and second to break down the walls of who we show it to. No matter how much we try, we categorize the people we do or do not care for.

So the question is, who are the people that you disqualify? Maybe those who we see as evil? Are we willing to see them as human beings, willing to see the hints of godliness they portray? Are we willing to look at the evil inside of us and where we fail to demonstrate Jesus’ love? And are we willing to change?

Application:

1. How does the story of the Good Samaritan challenge our perceptions of how we view those outside our group?

2. How does God’s extravagant and scandalous love for us challenge how we love others?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, please help me to love those who aren’

Mark 5:1-20 (NLT)

So they arrived at the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus climbed out of the boat, a man possessed by an evil spirit came out from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the burial caves and could no longer be restrained, even with a chain. Whenever he was put into chains and shackles—as he often was—he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones.

When Jesus was still some distance away, the man saw him, ran to meet him, and bowed low before him. With a shriek, he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the name of God, I beg you, don’t torture me!” For Jesus had already said to the spirit, “Come out of the man, you evil spirit.”

Then Jesus demanded, “What is your name?”

And he replied, “My name is Legion, because there are many of us inside this man.” Then the evil spirits begged him again and again not to send them to some distant place.

There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby. “Send us into those pigs,” the spirits begged. “Let us enter them.”

So Jesus gave them permission. The evil spirits came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd of about 2,000 pigs plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water.

The herdsmen fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons. He was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. Then those who had seen what happened told the others about the demon-possessed man and the pigs. And the crowd began pleading with Jesus to go away and leave them alone.

As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him. But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.” So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them.

Explanation:

Few of us know the level of torment someone experiences when possessed by an evil spirit. Hollywood may give us a glimpse of what it looks like on the outside, but only God can see what takes place in the soul of someone operating under Satan’s control.

In spiritual terms, the word possessed is used exclusively for ownership by a demonic spirit. We do not say that Christ followers are angelically or divinely possessed, rather that we are saved, or redeemed. The difference between possession and salvation is free will. One may take an interest in the occult or even unwittingly entertain satanic philosophies, but once that door is open, possession is not a matter of choice—it can happen quickly, completely, and without warning.

Contrast that with the tenderness of God, who “[draws us] with gentle cords, with bands of love” (Hosea 11:4). It’s up to us to respond to His call for salvation, and if we do, He guarantees that the enemy cannot possess us (John 10:28). We can be tempted, harassed, attacked, even oppressed by satan’s army, but the battle for our soul has been won. We must spend time daily putting on the full armor of God’s protection, so we can be victorious over anything that comes our way.

Application:

1. Jesus did not allow the healed man to follow Him, rather He instructed the man to go tell everyone what Jesus did for him. Are you telling anyone what Jesus did for you?

Prayer:

Lord God, thank You for saving my soul, and for the blessed assurance that the enemy cannot snatch me out of Your hand. Surround me with Your hedge of protection as a shield. Amen!

Matthew 8:1-4 (NIV)

When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

Explanation:

Jesus had just finished the Sermon on the Mount when a man inflicted with leprosy asked Jesus if He was willing to heal him.

During this time, if someone had a strange spot on their skin, they would be inspected by a priest and quarantined for a time. They would then be reinspected, and their lives would go in one of two ways: either they would be allowed back into society, or they would be condemned to isolation in a leper colony, no longer able to interact with family members. Spouses were no longer kissed, and children were never again hugged. Lepers developed putrid, decaying skin with deep sores from head to toe, and often a foul odor. Over time, extremities became numb and fell away, often including the nose. Victims were described as having lion-like, swollen faces, claw-like hands, and raspy voices. Leprosy went 4,000 years without a cure.

It was believed that lepers were inflicted with the disease due to sin, and religious leaders were cruel and harsh to them. Lepers were also required by law to announce their approach with, “Unclean! Unclean!” Imagine having to shout your worst embarrassment or shame whenever in public.

For this man to leave his colony and seek Jesus was a testament to his faith. He broke many laws to do this. And notice how he asked if Jesus was willing to heal him? He didn’t waver or question this. He just knew it. Jesus said He was willing, He touched the leper, and the man was healed immediately. This demonstrates the parallel of leprosy and our sinful condition. Both spread and destroy their hosts, but one touch from Jesus will restore us completely.

Jesus didn’t need to touch the man to heal the leper. He chose to. Jesus was filled with compassion. Just as a parent longs to ease the pain of their child, Jesus wants to bear our burdens. He is not embarrassed by our sins. He is willing to touch us, not based on how foul we are, but on how wonderful He is. Jesus never once told someone they are too far gone or can’t be reached. Sometimes we think we will never get our lives together, or we’ve gone too far, or the damage is too severe, but Jesus wants to heal us. Now is the time to embrace Him. Jesus chose to illuminate His miraculous ability through healing the leper. Jesus touches the outcast.

Application:

1. Journal some ways you may not accepting of outcasts.

2. Make a list of things you wouldn’t hesitate to do for your family members or dearest friends. How does this relate to your relationship with God?

3. Say out loud, “God, I need You.” Do this until it becomes habit.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, give us the strength to leave our colonies and ask for Your healing. Use us to illustrate Your strength and miraculous ability. Touch us, heal us, fulfill us, and deliver us from the death sentence of sin. Remind us we will never get it together enough to wait to ask You for healing. Help us to have the courage to ask right now.

For Further Study:

Read and study Leviticus 14, Mark 1:41, and 2 Corinthians 5:21.

Luke 7:36-50 (ESV)

One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”

“A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Explanation:

Imagine that room.

✔️ The Host

✔️ The Guest

✔️ The Condemned

…and dinner.

…and cringing onlookers.

…AND humility upstaging piety.

We have no idea why Simon invited Jesus to dinner but he certainly was not effusive in honor. He literally just did dinner and skipped the customs that showed basic respect for his guest. He tips his hand by what he didn’t do.

BUT we know without a doubt why Mary was there.

She was there for Jesus.

She heard where Jesus was and went to Him.

Grateful people want to thank Jesus.

She had wept at Jesus's feet before in a lack of faith when her brother died, and now she had an opportunity to weep at His feet in gratitude for doing something greater than raising her brother Lazarus from the dead…He forgave her many sins. She had a history with Jesus.

John 11:2 defines her as “the Mary who…”

John 11:32-33 finds her weeping at Jesus's feet.

John 12:3 shows her pouring perfume on Jesus’ feet and wiping them with her hair.

In Simon’s house, Mary responded again by kneeling at the feet of Jesus, with palpable gratitude. Jesus was her Redeemer. She had a tender heart.

Think how many tears she had to cry to be able to wash Jesus’s feet. In a loving act of faith, she broke a costly jar of perfume and anointed Jesus. In a tender expression of humility, she cried at His feet. In a beautiful moment of serving, she dried His feet with her own hair.

She loved him from the deepest parts of her soul against the backdrop of her fallen nature, and her tears flowed unabashedly.

She kissed the feet that Simon hadn’t bothered to wash.

Simon and Mary both had souls.

Both had spiritual needs.

Both had longing.

Both had brokenness.

Both weren’t meant to be perfect, but both were meant to be whole.

Simon stays rigid in pride while Mary basks in her freedom.

Simon had the answer for wholeness at his dinner table, but his natural heart resisted. He stood firm in his religion and judgment.

Mary, however, is formidable in her embrace of grace and lack of pretense. She is lavish with love and thanks.

Every cell in Mary’s body understood___

a life troubled by the ravages of sin can become a life of opulent peace, when grac

Luke 19: 1-10 (NIV)

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

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.”

Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Explanation:

I don’t know about any of you, but I hate to be lost. A loss for words, lost in the sense of direction, lost in life, loss of money, loss of time. A loss of anything gives me a headache, frustrates me, and makes me sweat.

Think about this for a second: There are people out there who are lost and don’t even know it. We were those people at one time. At least I was one of those people. I had no real purpose. I was doing what I wanted to do all day, every day. Just doing me. Being selfish with my time, my money, my desires. I didn’t really care about anyone else unless they could benefit me in some way. Kinda like Zacchaeus. He was a tax collector, not any old tax collector, but a chief tax collector. A big shot. I don’t know about any of you, but that title would have gone straight to my head when I was a lost soul like Zacchaeus was.

Zacchaeus obviously wanted to see what this Jesus guy was about. I mean, the dude climbed in a tree just to catch a glimpse of Jesus. So, at that point Zacchaeus was looking. Something was pulling him in. Maybe he was looking for change. Looking for someone to direct his life. Looking for answers to questions that kept him up at night. All we really know is that his spirit was stirred.

These are questions we need to ask ourselves often:

Was I lost?

Am I lost?

Will I get lost?

Is this the path God wants me on? Should I be dating this person? Am I really addicted to this? Take the inventory of your life to God. Give Him all of your lost moments. This is scary, I know. No one wants to be lost, and a lot of us don’t want to ask for help. But look at Zacchaeus at the end of this story. Zacchaeus tells Jesus that he will repay the people he swindled, to the extreme of paying it back fourfold. And he will give his stuff to the poor. Then Jesus says to him, in public, “Today salvation has come to this house.” On that day, a lost soul has come to know Christ, and he has turned from his old, terrible, exhausting ways to follow Christ. Mike drop and give someone a chest pump moment. A lost soul has a moment that changes his eternity.

So now I have to ask you:

What is making you lost in your life? Because Jesus wants to talk with you about it.

Application:

1. Was I lost? Really think about the times you were lost. Did you invite Jesus to help?

2. Am I lost? What can I do to find the direction that God has for me?

3. Will I get lost? Yes, yes you will, but ask God to show you how to navigate through it.

Prayer:

God, thank You for today. Thank You for standing with me even when I’m lost. Thank You for loving me through the lost times and the found moments. Show me how to listen to You better in the lost moments. Give me the courage to ask for help in my weak moments. Give me strength to help others in their lost times. God, I love You and praise You in all the moments of my life. Amen.

Mark 2:13-17 (ESV)

He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Explanation:

Jesus was meticulous with where He taught. You would find Him in the synagogues or homes with Pharisees to debate the finer points of theology. This would be where you would expect to see the Son of God. But many times, you would find Him in the outdoors for His teachings. Getting outside the confinement of walls, He was able to expand His ministry and reach a different, more diverse audience. Most of the crowds that followed Him included those that wouldn’t generally be welcomed into the synagogues for teaching. Women, girls, and boys under thirteen years old didn’t have Pharisaical duties that would make it necessary for them to be a part of it. Gentiles and sinners were definitely rejected and unwelcome in the synagogues. The crowd that was gathering around Jesus were made up of more than the disciples, Pharisees, and scribes. It was also the Gentiles, women, children, and sinners. Because of this, Levi most likely saw many faces in the crowd that he recognized.

In a mirroring passage, Matthew 9:9, we learn that Levi is actually Matthew, and most likely Jesus was invited to his house for a feast amongst his peers of other tax collectors, Gentiles, and sinners. Pharisees were harsh on Jewish tax collectors. They were excommunicated from the synagogues, banned from court rooms, and generally looked at as the worst of the worst. So when they saw Jesus having dinner with them, the Pharisees were baffled. These people do not follow or meet any of the Mosiac laws put in place to make them ritually clean and right with God. Why in the world would Jesus want to be associated with people like that?! In classic Jesus format, He gently reminds them of His purpose: to save the sinners, and to grow His kingdom.

We can gravitate toward things, groups, and people that exemplify our own identities. Often it means we are excluding what comes against those identities, too. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing when the opposition can cause harm or lead us away from Christ. But we can still love each other well when differences arise. Knowing Jesus and aligning ourselves with those that are also seeking to know Jesus will naturally grow the kingdom and cancel out any earthly divisive identities we have embraced. This doesn’t mean we need to completely walk away from all groups, people, things that haven’t fully turned their attention toward Jesus, though. We must keep our identity in Jesus as our foundational truth everywhere we go. Allow those groups and people to experience Jesus through you.

Application:

1. What are the types of environments you enjoy being in? What are some of the things that make your friend groups stick together?

2. Do these groups or environments exclude anyone? Or have rules/laws?

3. It’s important for us to find and expose ourselves to things that are different than us. But we must first be firm in our own relationship with Christ. Jesus works through us to expand His kingdom when we choose to love well in all circumstances and environments. Take a moment to think about all that you are a part of. In what ways could you impact others if Jesus was at the front of your mind?

Prayer:

Jesus, I am so grateful for the love You have for all of humanity. We are