Zacchaeus: Jesus Came to Save the Lost

Saturday, November 30th: Luke 19:1-10

Bible Verse:

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

— Luke 19:10 (EHV)

Devotion:

In this story, Jesus meets Zacchaeus, a man who had made a lot of bad choices in his life. Zacchaeus was a tax collector who had cheated people, and most people didn’t like him. But Jesus saw Zacchaeus up in a tree, and He called him by name. Jesus wanted to spend time with Zacchaeus, and that changed Zacchaeus’s life.

Zacchaeus was so happy to meet Jesus that he promised to make things right. Jesus came to seek and save people who were lost, just like Zacchaeus. No matter what we’ve done, Jesus wants to be with us, and He offers us forgiveness and love. When we meet Jesus, it changes our lives, just like it changed Zacchaeus’s.

Questions to think about:

1. Why did Jesus want to spend time with Zacchaeus, even though he had made bad choices?

2. How does it feel to know that Jesus loves you, no matter what you’ve done?

3. What can you do to show Jesus that you love Him too?

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, thank You for loving me, even when I make mistakes. Help me to follow You and to show others Your love and forgiveness. Amen.

Activity Idea:

Draw a picture of Zacchaeus in the tree, looking down at Jesus, who is calling his name.

Full Bible Reference:

“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.’”

— Luke 19:1-10 (EHV)