Sermon - Curiosity

The Devotional – The Father’s Call by Mrs. Newell

Keeps calling us
Calls us over and over, again and again to do His work
He calls us to new challenges
We must choose to answer; the choice is ours, or is it?
Freedom gives us choices
Sometimes we become paralyzed with indecision
Other people in this world are not as fortunate as we are with choices to make
We have obligations to them
We are too spoiled and blessed with so many good choices in clothes and food, etc
It is humble to be “chosen”
The Father called us, and we have to say “Yes”
We don’t really want to have to make the Father call again
The Father called Mrs. Newell to help the Albanians living in Greece


Sermon: Spiritual Disciplines Most Difficult to Practice: Curious Zack and the Kingdom of Heaven - Luke 19:1-10

Luke 19: 1-10 –
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 being a short man he could not, because of 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 what was lost."

The Man who climbed a tree
• He climbed out of simple curiosity
Zack was a tax collector and wanted to see who Jesus was
He was short and couldn’t see, so he climbed a tree
Jesus called Zack by his name and said that Jesus would sleep at his house
Salvation came to Zack because he seeked what was lost
• Curiosity motivated Zack
God made us to be curious and interested
• But the children grow up, lose curiosity of life
• It involves us to admit we don’t know or understand something
• Jesus had a way of attracting curious people
• People never said they asked too many questions
• Curiosity makes pilgrims of all of us
• Be curious the way God made us to be
• God sees and knows everyone
• Some people feel there is no God, and if there is one, then God forgot about them
• God KNOWS who we are
• Zack feels that Jesus knows him, and can use him
• If you pursue curiosity long enough, then know that Jesus knows you and can use you
• Curiosity leads us to new paths
• God isn’t through with us yet
• How can God continue to use me, is to keep my curiosity
• Be all that God wants you to be