The overarching theme for this three week series comes from 1 Corinthians 15:3. In this series we will see that we have a legacy and that the Gospel is at the heart of it. 


Luke 19:1-10 - the story of Zacchaeus, yeah, the wee little man who climbed up a sycamore tree.  


BIG Idea: The Gospel is the good news that Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10).


The Gospel is good news for the worst and the difficult to reach (Luke 19:2). … Zacchaeus was a tax collector. And he was rich. Throughout the Gospel accounts we see that tax collectors are thieves and despised. And Jesus himself says that it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter Heaven. Zacchaeus represents the worst and most difficult to reach of us. 


The Gospel comes as an encounter with Jesus (Luke 19:3-5). … Zacchaeus was short and couldn't see over the crowd when Jesus came through town. He chose to revert to a child-like action and climbed a tree so he could see. Then Jesus came by and said He would stay at Zacchaeus' house.


  • Notice: Who is seeking whom. … Zacchaeus seeked Jesus and Jesus seeked Zacchaeus. God is sovereign and people are responsible. We must seek Jesus knowing He is always seeking us.

  • Notice: The ugliness of self-righteousness. … Even while Zacchaeus is still lost, Jesus extends an offer of friendship. It was grace in action. When we become self-righteous, we also become allergic to grace. That is the opposite of what Jesus does here.


The response to the Gospel is faith, obedience, and repentance (Luke 19:5-8). … Zacchaeus showed faith, immediate obedience, and radical repentance. 


The effect of the Gospel is joy (Luke 19:6). … Remember the parable about the man who found the treasure in the field and sold all his belongings to buy the field? That's what Zacchaeus did here. 


The Gospel is the power of God for us and the world (Luke 19:9-10). … Not only was Zacchaeus saved that day, but his family saw the change and was also saved. This is a great example of why it's important for the leader of a household to live out a faithful life. This is how the legacy is passed on. 


What kind of Gospel Legacy are you living into?


What kind of Gospel Legacy are you passing on?