08/25/2025
Such A Rich Passage (Luke 19:1-10)
I reflected a lot on the passage about Zacchaeus because it has been written off as “been there, read that, little guy in a tree.” But it is so rich in getting to the heart of what it means to be saved by grace through faith—to live our lives out of gratitude rather than obligation. The following is a reflection that I didn’t use, but if we’d had more time, I might have.
“Zacchaeus’ story makes it clear that grace always comes first. Jesus doesn’t tell him, “Clean up your act, then I’ll come to your house.” He says, “I’m coming over today.” Acceptance before repentance. Grace before change. And that grace does something to Zacchaeus. He doesn’t just feel bad about what he’s done—he encounters the living Christ. Repentance isn’t simply remorse; it’s a turning toward Someone, a reorienting of life in light of Jesus’ presence.
“And notice the scale of what Zacchaeus promises: half of his wealth given away, fourfold restitution to anyone he’s cheated. That’s the maximum repayment required by the Law, and for a man who has made his fortune by skimming and extorting, it could have left him broke. But that no longer matters to him. Wealth is no longer his god. Meeting Jesus has set him free from clinging to it.
“And so something remarkable happens: Zacchaeus is restored not only to God, but to his community. Jesus declares him a “son of Abraham”—brought back into covenant family. His neighbors, who once despised him, now witness the very real fruit of repentance and restitution. Grace didn’t excuse Zacchaeus; it transformed him. Forgiveness was free, but it wasn’t fruitless.”
Archived Posts
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Maybe you know the story of how Joseph and Mary accidentally left Jesus at the gas station on their way home from Jerusalem. Well, not the gas station bathroom in Jesus’ case. Joe and Mary are far down the road before they realize Jesus isn’t with them...
So many quips and quotes...
So little time to preach
I wonder what Mary and Martha’s phones might look like:
* Martha = the open browser with 27 tabs
* Mary = the single window that matters
* Psalm 46 = God saying, “Close the tabs.”
Quotable Outtakes That Didn’t Make the Sermon This Week
“When you try to control everything, you don’t just exhaust yourself—you quietly replace trust in God with trust in you.” & more
There is a challenge when it comes to preaching the Word of God.
Preachers are called to open up and interpret the word—inspired and written down thousands of years ago—and make it relevant to a very different world. On top of that there’s a degree of persuasion that goes along with the process.
What Jessica Really Meant to Say in Her Sermon…
When Jessica or Rick or a guest preacher takes the pulpit it’s hard for me to write a One More Thing Blog. I can’t share with you what didn’t make it into the sermon because I have no idea, not having written or delivered it.
Jesus Keeps On Ruining Funerals!
I didn’t have anything this last week that didn’t end up in the sermon. No catchy illustrations that didn’t make the cut. No theological insights that slowed down the main point. No one can ruin a funeral like Jesus. Told as I saw it and that was it. So I did some quick research and I thought I’d share just a reminder of what Easter is all about.