“Having a Conversation with Jesus”

Sunday Sermon notes

February 5, 2023

Food for thought:

  • Communication is so much richer when we are face to face and talking with someone
  • Written communication is sometimes misunderstood, so having personal conversations are key in getting to know someone
  • Let us learn from these conversations Jesus had with two individuals

Question: What does it mean to be like Jesus, a Christian?

  • Is it just obeying rules and being a moral person?
  • Is it walking in his footsteps and having a relationship with God?
  • Are there good moral people that do not follow Jesus?
  • What is your motivation for being a good person?

Read Luke 18:9-14

  • What is the difference between the heart of the Pharisee and the heart of the tax collector in this parable?
  • How easy is it for us to see Jesus’s character in someone who is humble, open and honest about their sin?
  • What was motivating this Pharisee to be a good person?
  • It is important to check our hearts and see if we are doing the right things out of motivation for love of God versus just to look good in front of other people

Read Luke 19:7-10

  • What happened to Zaccheus when he met Jesus?
    • First, he acknowledged the LORD!
    • He changed his actions and behavior because of the Lord
    • He understood what it meant to have a Lord in your life, your life should reflect that you make decisions based on the Lord’s requirements
    • As a follower of Jesus, we are not only about following rules and being a good person, our hearts should be willing to please Jesus. Jesus is our entire motivation for what we do. When we are motivated by following Jesus’s life, we will likely be more honest, more humble and more able to help others to understand who Jesus is and follow him
  • Let’s imagine, if someone interacted with Zaccheus one year after his encounter with Jesus, what kind of person would they encounter?
    • He would likely still be repentant and explaining his sins and making things right. This is an example of “sharing your faith”. When people see the changes we make in our lives after encountering Jesus, it should help them to have hope that they could change too. 
    • Paul often boasted in his weaknesses, transforming from a Christian killer to a servant of Christians. This yielded huge impacts and helped others to have faith in Jesus. 
    • What kinds of sins are you repenting of? Action Sins, Heart Sins, Omission Sins? God sees them all and expects us to change, motivated by love for/by him.
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