Sermon Discussion Questions
Luke 19:1-10
1. What barriers stood between Zacchaeus and Jesus? (Consider not only the physical, but social, spiritual, etc.)
Note: Jericho was at this time a major toll collection point. This is the only time in the NT that the term “chief tax collector” is mentioned. Therefore Zacchaeus was incredibly wealthy due to ill-gotten gain.
2. Why do you think Zacchaeus wants to see Jesus? What strikes you about the way he seeks out Jesus?
3. How does Jesus pursue Zacchaeus? What can this teach us about how he pursues us?
4. Why did the crowd grumble? What might this reveal to us about our own hearts?
5. What can this story teach us about the nature of salvation? Did Jesus ever “climb a tree?” How is this short story a depiction of the grace of the gospel?
6. What does this story teach us about wealth, power, and generosity? How does life in Christ empower us to be radically generous with our money?
7. It’s quite possible for this to simply be a cute story about a short man who climbed a tree and gave away money. Instead, allow yourselves to sit under its power, feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and let this be for you an encounter with a gracious savior who heals blind beggars (see the previous chapter).
8. Read 2 Corinthians 8:9
[9] For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.
Pray that our neighbors would see such gospel transformation in our lives that our strange and radical generosity would cause them to seek Jesus at any cost.