"Zacchaeus" Talk for All age service: Luke 19. 1-10

 Note: this talk was designed to present for all ages the lessons in Scripture Union's "Light" resources, which prescribed completely different Bible passages for under-5's and over-5's.  However, common themes emerged from the smaller children's story of Zacchaeus and the older kids' material on the Sermon on the Mount.  Each section began with a drama presentation prepared earlier in the service by members of the congregation (aged from preschool to older adult)
The three delightful pieces of artwork in this talk are © Henry Martin.  Free use for ministry purposes.  Not to be used for publication or profit.  

Drama presentation 1: Matthew 6. 19ff - "Money; treasure"
Question: What was the person in the sketch wanting/worrying about?  Answer: Money.

Art © Henry Martin.

Zacchaeus had loads of money. He liked having money and always wanted more and more money. His job was collecting tax - taking money off people to give to the Roman Government. What Zacchaeus used to do was take extra money from people, and keep it himself.  Money mattered to Zacchaeus. He had a nice house big enough to have a dinner party in. He was rich. Do you think he was happy?  No. He knew something was missing from his life and that's why when he knew Jesus was coming, he was desperate to see Jesus.

Lots of people today are like Zacchaeus. They have loads and loads of nice things. They get nice presents at Christmas. They have loads of money to spend. But still there is something missing inside.  Some people are like Zacchaeus and want more money, more nice things - and do silly and wrong things to get more.  If someone takes money that doesn't belong to him or her, does it make them happy? No, it makes them unhappy.  Jesus was right. There is no point worrying about money. As well as treasure on earth, we need "Treasure in Heaven," the kind of Treasure Jesus gives.  I wonder what Jesus gave to Zacchaeus?

Drama presentation 2: Matthew 7. 1-6 - "Judging"
Question:  What was the first person thinking and saying about the other person?  Answer: Judging: he could see what was wrong with the other person but couldn't see what was wrong with himself.

Art © Henry Martin.

Loads of people were "judging" Zacchaeus.  Maybe you and I have judged him today as we have heard his story. What a silly, greedy man.  I guess because he was little, and because he did a job that made everyone hate him, people would push him around.  I guess that is why he had to climb the tree. Maybe Zacchaeus was even judging himself, and thinking "I'm such a bad person..."

Lots of people today are like Zacchaeus: they have other people thinking "what a bad person; what a stupid person; what an ugly person; we don't want that person as our friend; we don't want a person like that in our gang; or in our street or our Church..."

But Jesus stopped, and found Zacchaeus hiding up the tree, and went to his house.  I wonder what kind of treasure Jesus gave Zacchaeus when he went to his house.  He gave him friendship and acceptance.  And then some people judged Jesus too.  They said "How terrible to go and have dinner with a bad man like Zacchaeus."

Drama presentation 3: Matthew 7. 7ff - "Asking"
Question: what kind of gifts does our heavenly father give?  Answer: Good gifts.

God had given a really good gift to Zacchaeus.  Jesus talked about it when he said "Salvation has come to this house"...

Art © Henry Martin.

But what is salvation?   It is having the bad things taken way from your life.  It is a new fresh start, a brand new life instead of the one you have messed up.  It is having God live inside you to help you live for him. That's what Zacchaeus was looking for when he climbed the tree to see Jesus.  That's the treasure Jesus wanted to give him...

Some of us are like Zacchaeus - we want a fresh start, a new life; we want to be new people.  Jesus wants us to do two things:
(1) Ask Jesus for it
(2) Make Jesus the boss in your life. Zacchaeus stood up and made a little speech: he promised Jesus he would be different.
These two things, asking in faith, and putting Jesus in charge, are how we begin  as Christians; and they are also how we continue and keep going as Christians. If we need to receive God's good gifts today, whatever stage we are at in our walk with him, he invites us to come and ask, and to put him in charge.


© Gilmour Lilly February 2012