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Zacchaeus who was saved by meeting Jesus

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[Luke 19:8]

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."

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There was a man named Zacchaeus in Jericho. This man's job was a chief tax collector.

This man was a very rich man.

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The Jews very much despised and disliked those who had a job as a tax collector.

Judas was under Roman rule at the time. The tax collectors have done the same thing as collecting the taxes of the people of Judah and giving them to the Roman Empire.

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The Jews and Pharisees thought that tax collectors were a class that could never be saved.

In particular, Zacchaeus, the chief of tax collectors, was no exception to these glares and neglect. Zacchaeus had a lot of money but his heart was not happy.

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Then one day Jesus came to Jericho where Zacchaeus lives. As the news of Jesus came, many people gathered and walked with Jesus.

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Zacchaeus also wondered what Jesus was like. So he went to a place

where people gathered to meet Jesus.

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But Zacchaeus could not see Jesus. Because Zacchaeus was a man of little height.

Zacchaeus, who wanted to see Jesus,

found a big tree in the distance and came up with an idea.

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Zacchaeus ran ahead of Jesus.

Then he climbed up a big tree and was waiting for Jesus to come.

As Zacchaeus thought, Jesus was coming toward it.

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Zacchaeus was looking at Jesus on the tree. Passing under the tree, Jesus stopped there.

And Jesus looked up at the place where Zacchaeus was.

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And he said: "Zacchaeus, come on down. I will stay in your house today."

Zacchaeus, who heard the words of Jesus, was impressed by Jesus who knew his name.

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Zacchaeus joyfully invited Jesus into his home. The Jews began to whisper when they saw Jesus coming into the house of the tax collector who hated that they were sinners.

"That teacher went in to stay at the house of the sinner."

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Zacchaeus, who invited Jesus, stood and said to Jesus,

"Lord, I will give half of my wealth for the poor.

And if I have deceived others, I will pay them in four times."

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After meeting Jesus, Zacchaeus became completely different.

When Jesus saw Zacchaeus' changed personality, he said to Zacchaeus:

"Today salvation came to this house. This man is also a descendant of Abraham. I have come to this earth to seek and save the lost."

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Jesus declared Zacchaeus, the tax collector, to be saved.

Zacchaeus received a gift of great joy directly to Jesus. He has received the grace of salvation, which is incomparable to all that he has, directly to Jesus.

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Jesus declared through Zacchaeus that everyone is the object of salvation.

Zacchaeus showed that faith in Jesus did not discriminate people.

Salvation has revealed to us all who gather there that it is grace that anyone can receive.

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The gift of salvation that is granted to us because we believe in Jesus is the most valuable thing in this world. It is a value that cannot be compared with the money of this world.

No matter what our circumstances are, we should all be faithful people who will give thanks to God for giving us the grace of salvation and willing to give

what we have for our neighbors like Zacchaeus.

(This is the sample conclusion provided by CTM. Please feel free to change the conclusion to best suit the listeners of your sermon.)