Okay A friend of a Wounded Heart A friend of a wounded heart um you know many times I’m listening to the sound I’m reading the words many times we have we cry you know it spoke about tears that no one can see and it’s so comforting to know that Jesus is a
Friend of a wounded heart so whenever we are happy God is our friend because that’s is in ition for us to be happy but whenever we are not he would be there you see we have to always remember how we feel as parents or we feel as towards
Somebody we love you know as soon as they are hurting it hurts us as well and no one can love as much as Jesus because God is love love come from God you know and all true love is of God so when we get some a little fraction of what that
Love should look like or what that love should be like then we know that if we feel that way towards our our loved ones and we want to go and comfort them and we want to be there for them then think how much more God Christ the Holy Spirit
Wants to gather around us when we find ourselves in pain and any kind of pain you know the smallest of pain remember being a parent if you are one your child just fall and you’re just running toward them you’re trying to pick them up you’re trying to find out is everything
All right are you okay God is like that he comes to our rescue the only difference between God and the parent is that God comes to our rescue even before we fall even before we call God answers our prayer he is ready he has a plan
Already so we serve a mighty and amazing a loving God so at this time I want to say welcome to those of you who missed my first welcome brother Mel it is good to have you again in the meeting we know that um for kept you because
You’re here so welcome welcome to Sister rakel welcome to Sister Roslin all the way out there in California welcome to you welcome to Sister Julian as well sister V Julian welcome to you and we will now hand you guys over to brother Rudell who is willing May the Holy
Spirit be with you right now brother Rodell as you take over thank you so much uh sister Patricia I want to invite everybody to you know uh be ready to share even put on your your your cameras I would love to see your faces we are here to study
Uh Luke chapter 9 19 go with me to Luke chapter 19 we’ll pray in a little while as we study the story of zakus and I hope that we takes we we took special note of the song Jesus Friend of a wounded heart all right friend of a wounded
Heart because I believe in this story we will find many gems that are applicable to us many many gems uh it’s to see everybody here I know that there will be some people on YouTube listening please feel free to leave your comments that will be forwarded to us uh please
Feel free to ask your questions those who are on zoom and those who are listening live on YouTube as we delve into the story of zakas let us invite the Holy Spirit bow your heads with me please Heavenly Father you are loving God many times we read this stories and we just
Look for theological uh Impressions and arguments but of God this Bible teaches us how to live how to treat each other it teaches us about the love of God How Deeply God sees inside inside of us and reaches out to us when we need it most oh Father may
This be seen in this story and I pray oh God that those who are listening would be impressed to share what they also see in Jesus name we pray amen and amen are we ready to study this evening I want to see uh those who are ready to study this
Evening put a one in the chat you know raise your hand whatever you feel impressed to do we are going to study a familiar story in Luke Chapter 19 Verse 1-10 I will read in your hearing I’m going to use the the a King James version you can
Read along in any version that you possess but I’m going to to to look at the King James version verse one says and Jesus entered and passed through Jericho now we know what Jericho when we hear about Jericho something is conjured up in our minds right let’s read
Intelligently as we as we go along Jesus entered and passed through Jericho and behold there was a man named zakus who was the chief among the publicans or a tax collector and he was rich and he sought to see Jesus who he was and could not for the Press there
Was a there were a lot of people there because he was little of stature zakas was a short man and he ran before and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him for he was to pass that way and when Jesus came to the place he looked up and
Saw him and said unto him zakus make haste and come down for today I must abide at thy house and he made haste and came down and received him joyfully and when they saw it they all murmured saying that was going to be guested with a man that is a sinner and
Zakus stood and said unto the Lord behold Lord the half of my goods I give to the poor and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation I restore unto him for full and Jesus said unto him this day is salvation come to this house for so much
As he also is a son of Abraham for the son of man is come to seek and to save the lost all right I what I would like us to do is to understand the character who is zakas all right welcome to those who are entering I we are looking at Luke chap
19 verse 1-10 please pull out your Bibles we are looking at the very familiar story in zakas I want us to understand the character that is zakas so what do we know about zakus anybody what from what we would have read what did you see and understand
Zakus to be anybody let’s start the ball rolling yes was definitely short he was definitely short thank you anybody else what do you see was he was rich he was rich somebody else was speaking no I said rich not all at once Publican I I
Actually say not all at once he was a Publican sister Julian what will you say no I said before he was a rich man oh he was a rich man anybody else what do you see about uh in zakus so we see that he was rich he was short
Right Chief Republicans he was he was the head tax collector now it was not stated but what religion was zakas of what race was he was he an African was he Syrian who was his people who was zakia’s people or we know the story who was zaki’s people which group did he belong
To so he was a Jew all right and know I thought we knew that zakus was a Jew and he was hated by the Jews why was he hated by the Jews anybody was he collected tax from them but why but why was that hated though
Why was it a why why did they hate being taxed what was the point of being hated I see the girl under Roman law so he so who was he and who was he collecting tax for I want I want us to hit the nail right I want to hit the
Nail on the head he was a tax collector for the Romans so he was hated by the Jews good night good night my dear and he was hated by the Romans think about it now if it is zakus was hated by his own people because he was a tax elor he was
Also short right why and he was also hated by the Jews what kind of Life do you think zakas was leading if he was hated by everybody he was living a lonely life a very lonely life and if it is that he was a short man we can very well assume
He was a short child all right and growing up as a short child being probably one of the smallest in your year group the smallest um compared to kids above and below you I would imagine that he he would have been bullied growing up he would have been made fun
Of growing up and so as he grew as he grew into an adolescent into an adult man you know many people you know thinking about it now probably would say this man had Napoleon syndrome the Napoleon complex the short man syndrome because he is now an angry person because everybody has been taking
Advantage of him since he was a child and we’re now trying to understand the psychology behind zakus and what would have driven him to be a tax collector do you see sometimes that people sometimes are driven to success not because something was pulling them but something was pushing them and
Because zakus was a short man hated by his people hated by the Romans nobody loved zakus do you think in your own opinion somebody that zakus was trying to compensate for his deficiencies by becoming rich somebody share your thoughts what do you think may have been going through the mind of
Zakus as we try to understand this character on Friends help me out what do you think was going through the mind of zakus well definitely um one of the things that will be going through his mind especially seeing that he’s collecting tax is that you know I
Will do for them you know we trly say that I will do for them and so we know that he was not very honest in his dealings with people and I think that’s because he felt that people had been doing to him and so he wanted to get
Back at them so he definitely would have revenge in his mind yeah yes yes I like that I like that perspective anybody else what do you think what do you think zakus may have been feeling all his life growing up hated by his so in other words he did
Not have the benefit of fraternity with the oppressed there was no Brotherhood there and he did not have the benefit of camaraderie with the oppressor and so in a land occupied by the Romans right in a land really and truly where his people would have been blessed
By the the land would have been given to them by God zakas was a lonely man and we sing the song zakus was a we little man a we little man was he but we don’t understand how zakus would have felt growing up and tonight we are
Trying to understand how zakus may have felt because you know why the song that we played this evening Jesus the friend of a wounded heart I believe can be applied to at least one person in this group has anybody ever felt lonely has any anybody ever felt
Like they would would have been a misfit growing up you you’re not fitting in with your family you’re not fitting in with those at work you’re not fitting in with anybody and so you are alone this song was for you Jesus Friend of our Wounded Heart and so zakus I
Believe may have been having some problems with his self identity and psychologist will tell you that self-identity is a product of several things for example um you know your your role in society right how do you fit in your self identity is a product of uh your your social identity your
Self-esteem so when somebody may have asked zakus Zak who is zakus do you think Zak would have been able to answer that question and I’m asking anybody today tonight who are you who is Patricia who is rosin who is melch who is Rael if if you were to sit
Down and talk about and describe who you are are you able to describe it and yet I will tell you this there’s nothing wrong with saying you don’t know because who you at 25 is different to who you are at 35 and different to who you are at
45 it’s it’s it’s it’s you know when life comes around and situations test you you don’t know exactly how you will react until you cross that bridge and so while you may have an idea of who you are in part the only person who knows us completely is who is Jesus himself sister
Patricia oh you’re muted yeah I um S I hope I wasn’t interrupting you on your trend of thoughts um I agree with you you know what I’m grateful for you know whenever I found myself being lost in terms of who I am where do I fit in you know I
Remember when I was a little girl uh I used to watch um one of those religious program for children I think it was um circus square and they used to sing a song um that went like why am I here what was I ever made for you know and
Who am I and that kind of thing and I always thought about that you know cuz I always felt like I didn’t belong and as you Grew Older as you said you know that as you grow older you know that in your 20s and your 30s and your 40s you feel
Like a different person however one thing I am always glad that we as Christians can can Embrace is that we maybe all sorts of things are uncertain but we are a child of God you know and what’s great about that is that while you may not know how you would respond
To a situation and in a situation one thing you know for sure is how you would want to respond because in being a child of God and studying the word of God you know what is expected of you and we may not always be able to do it but thank
God for his mercy and and for his forgiveness and for his constant persistent with us many times when we look back we see where we see growth whereas if you’re without God in the world you find that you don’t see good you see more and more Depression
More and more negativity and and inside of all of that you find suicide and now mental health and all sorts of of things that you can’t deal with but as a child of God God Embraces all of that and sets you free yes yes yes indeed does anybody
Have um anything to contribute what do you think about what was said just now and you know uh how would you how would you uh uh you know think about zakus you know growing up battling with his self identity hated by everybody what do you think um what do you think
Guys you know I felt I was thinking um zakus because of his height he had to climb up to see Jesus but somehow I feel that he knew that meeting Jesus Jesus would have compassion he would feel you know like he yeah yeah yeah we going to get there
Know we are going to get there and like that comment anybody else thank you no you know it in on this any everything that we are going to see in this text we realize it happened to zakus while he was on the road while zakas was battling with his
Self-identity and he was on the road to be coming and you know we quote this scripture you know looking at Jeremiah chapter 13 I believe with the Potter having this this clay in his hand and he lays it on the wheel the Putter’s wheel and he is molding this butter sorry he’s
Molding this clay into um into a a a a vessel this is really describing the us being on the road to becoming and it does not yet appear what we shall be because we can be we can be a bowl we can be a cup we can if you get what I’m
Trying to say so we are on the road to becoming and we have to be satisfied with being on the road because if we are not satisfied with being on the road then we will adopt camouflages in order to project this this sense of Readiness or this position that we have not that
We are not really in just because we are trying to compensate for where we really are we’re trying to hide who we really are and so in zakus we have to understand that zakus meeting Jesus was a pivotal pivotal uh occurrence in his life and so we see that zakus is
Actually in the same situation with the woman with the issue of blood and the reason why I say that is because both of them were ostracized and rejected both of them were seen as definitely people who God would be angry with both of them they went to see Jesus
Jesus did not go to see them I want us to understand that all right but everything that happened to zakus happened on the road I want us to switch from zakas and go to Jesus sorry go go ahead I just wanted to say something before you switch you
Know um he asked God to forgive him the way he treated people in money monetary part you’re too far ahead of me now I want P that point now right we still in the beginning we are building the character when we reach there I want you
To give the point all right all right so when we look at Luke chapter 19 we see zakus but in Luke 22 we see that Jesus was betrayed now Jesus being God knew what was going to happen to him he knew that um Judah had a Devil in him he knew that Judas
Was possessed from the very beginning and yet we see that while zakus was on the road Jesus was also on the road it is a journey that is not copied by anybody else Jesus is on a journey and we knew that he was going to the cross and yet
As sister Junior was was saying Zakia somehow felt that Jesus would have had compassion on him here’s here’s my point it is hard to be on a road bearing a cross and yet have the capacity to feel compassion for other people can anybody identify with that while you are stressed out and
Life is beating you down home life is terrible work life is terrible all right your social your your family uh is against you people misinterpret you and yet you are being called as a disciple of Christ to have compassion on people is a difficult thing to be can anybody
Identify with that can anybody identify with being short-tempered when they under stress being less patient when they are under stress put on one in the chat if you identify with me raise your hand if if you identify with me because this story what I’m encouraging us to do
Is to not pretend as if we are perfect but to realize that all of us are fighting the same battles and sometimes Breen we lose the ble brother just put on one patri put on one do we have perfect people in the group you know I’m
Just um pulling your legs when we are under stress bedroom it is difficult to have compassion on people let me tell you Brethren Jesus actually stopping to notice zakas was Jesus showing compassion while he was on the road to the cross and even when we look at Jesus in
Gethsemane have you ever noticed that for Jesus to really show himself or to authenticate himself as Messiah he had to be vulnerable he took three of his closest disciples and said listen pray with me we cannot take everybody into close confidence he had 12 disciples he could
Not show himself to bolu he could not show himself to to to you know to to the other guys but he showed himself just to a small group of people and zakas was a man who did not have that benefit because zakus was hated by everybody else let’s go to to Luke chapter
19 let’s go to Luke chapter 19 we see that in verse three he was of little stature and then in verse 4 he actually did something that was very important can I have a a reader for both verse 3 and verse4 please can somebody read Luke 19 verse3 and
Verse4 Luke 193 and 4 and he sought to see Jesus who he was and could not for the Press because he was little of stature and he ran before and climbed up into a to see him for he was to pass that way for he was to pass that way amen he
Was the pass that way now do you did you did you notice um everybody that zakus zaki’s view okay let me ask this question why was zakus unable to see Jesus what does the scripture say what are the two things that show why zakus was unable to see Jesus in verse
Three because of his little statue his little statue what else and what else a short but what the crowd all right here’s me application now cuz we’re going to because we see that Jes because of other people zakus could not have seen Jesus what is the application for many of us
Today is the view is our view of Jesus being blocked by other people is the character of Christ M because of other people let’s make it more personal now now are we blocking G uh people’s view of Jesus are we by our own behavior marring the character of Christ in us so
That people cannot see Jesus for who he is let’s talk about that what do you think how how do we make this personal what do you think of the question anybody can we sometimes block people’s view of Jesus want to hear from brother M
Where I may be putting him on the spot I want toar brother good night good night good night yes man let’s let’s let’s um have a dialogue what do you think I believe that um we shouldn’t look to others especially when it comes to going to church
And having a relationship with God you know a lot of people leave the church and they refuse to go to church because the behavior of other members in the church but I believe we should always keep our eyes on God keep our eyes on Jesus you know and develop that relationship with him
Daily yes we may see other people doing things that are not in line with scripture but what we should do is really pray for them you know and maybe speak to them if we could if the holy SP lead us in that direction but we shouldn’t always keep our eyes upon
God if not we might end up leaving the church right anybody else what do you think guys can we block people’s view of Jesus and should we take responsibility for the way that we actually project Jesus to other people what do you think um I believe that we do we have a
Lot of people who literally say I don’t want to be that religion because them people are in that church you know so they will name somebody and as long as they in that church that you know so in other words when we look at church as a place where
People can come to find Jesus it shouldn’t always be that way because Jesus is not situated in the church only Jesus should be in everybody’s lives the Bible says that we should let our light so shine B also calls us the salt of the earth and it didn’t say the church is
You are so as a person whoever you are people should see the light of God in you they should see Jesus in your be able to find Jesus but some people when they have been you know when they feel that moving they want to come you know the
Bible say Do not forsake the Gathering of yourself but when they think about certain people in the church they say no and and more time than not when they say no they mean they don’t just mean no I’m not going to come to church but I’m
Going to try to find God in my own house or they mean know I’m not coming to church I know right now I don’t have time for God unless those people move out and I come there then I’m ready to open up my whole heart so they lack of
God totally just because of certain people yeah I mean I I listened to brother Mel J’s comment I’m listening to yours but I’m also remembering Revelation 11 the French Revolution why is it that people revolted in France it is because the soal Christians depicted a type of Christ that was injurious
Offensive and simply devilish to the population so while we can say keep your eyes on Jesus you have to face the fact as Christians that in scripture even with in Revelation 13 dealing with a lamb like this we see that people are against Christianity be and it is our
Fault Jesus is saying it is your fault so while we can say listen guys don’t study the people in the church we must not use that as an excuse I’m not saying that it was used as an excuse tonight but we must not use that as an
Excuse individually and as a people that oh we could do whatever still come the fact is many people do not come now in to the church because the church is not where it is supposed to be that is a fact and so we have the story of zakas
Being mistreated by his own bread you think zakus would have been going to church you think zakas would have why should somebody go to church if people hate him there think about it it’s hard to go to a to to to to a church it is
Hard to go to church and you don’t feel welcome so we cannot advise people oh block it out keep your eyes on Jesus it’s stressful because we know when we if we are if we are normal human beings we you you’re at home and everybody at
Home hates you would you look forward to going to going to home would you look forward going to going to work and everybody there hates you don’t you sometimes advise people well look for another job so why then would we tell people go to church in spite of them feeling
Unwelcome people gossiping behind their back we have to take responsibility and be better people and then people will people will flood the church now because they see ah they love each other therefore Jesus has to be in that place all right so yes um I’m thinking about the story you know of
Um looking at yes and how the story tring he was short you know because every story in the Bible is there for us to look at and to learn from and I I sense that he had and we know that he had shortcomings not just short know and
Um Christ comes in to a person’s life who is fill with shortcomings and he makes the difference you know he he changes that whole thing and accepts you as you are you mentioned something there and I’m thinking where do we draw the line because now we have people who have
Shortcomings we know that they don’t look at it as shortcomings so they may say Hey you know um I’m coming out I’m now gay you know and because I have a knowled who I am and I know know who I am it doesn’t mean that I don’t want
Christ in my life I want Christ in my life but I want you to respect me for who I am so I’m going to come to church and I want you to treat me as as a person I want you to respect my rights I don’t want you to discriminate against
Me so if you have a position in the church then I should have you know the rights to that position as well if I’m qualified for it so I’m saying where do we draw the line in accepting the unaccepted in accepting the short ones you know whether do we
Join the line that’s a very good question I’m going to thr that out now I hope that you know um somebody else will will comment as well where do we draw the line now when you say qualified for the position what do you mean by that
Because it’s not like we give up a CV all right for a position Church a position in the kingdom of God the kingdom of God is regulated and guided by principles that God himself would have given to us all right throughout uh the scriptures and if it is that we are
Living in open Rebellion then we cannot have a a team living in open rebellion and then being in front of the church because the Bible says by beholding we become changed look at the story of Aaron Aaron was in open Rebellion at one point in time not
Because he hated God but because he was weak giving the people a golden calf because coming out of Egypt you know it was hard for them to change at first worshiping the gods of Egypt and so when they envisioned a god they said let us build us a cal Aaron being weak said
Okay I’ll make you a cal and what happened most of the people fell except for a few so we cannot have it being open season for any and everything just because they want to accept sin Sinners are accepted but sin must be rejected in the church do we have anybody else with
Another question or another comment so she she rais something I’m heing mic is somebody wants to say something do you have you reached the part where I can make my point um you know what let me make my point now and then you’ll come in right okay sister Patricia made a
Point that zakus was short and that was actually my point Zak because the Bible does not really describe the stature of his characters except for maybe Saul who was Head and Shoulders over everybody else except maybe for Goliath who was a giant we do not see the Bible regularly
Describing the height of his characters we don’t even know how tall Jesus was so there must have been something important for this that the spirit wanted to draw right to our attention zakus was short it means seems that Not only was there a physical characteristic for us to pay attention
To but in a deeper sense this man had shortcomings and let me tell you the Bible says that all have sinned and have come short of the glory of God Romans 3:23 it means that all of the people in this story were short people you could
Be 642 and you’re short you can be 78 and you’re short and I want us to admit as people in this Bible study tonight that we come up short at our jobs we come up short as mothers we come up short as fathers we can anybody admit to that
That we come up short as Christians too yes we come up short because there are things in our lives the way that we would have grown up that we are battling with childhood trauma right maladjustments one parent not being um not being present one p either through death or
Abandonment okay maybe a teacher would have played with your your your your mental when you in primary school we are short people and we are doing the best we can because every day we have to deal with the fact that we come up short can
Everybody admit to that put a one in the chat if you can agree in this Bible study that we come up short that we make mistakes that we are faulty people right somebody said the problem is that we don’t see that we come up short and that’s a dangerous thing
One complaining about the shortness of their spouse and they are not seeing how they themselves are short we are proficient at measuring other people and tonight I’m saying take the yard stick yard stick and measure yourself all of us come short of the glory of God
This is why the Bible says zakus was short a friend of mine told me years ago when I was at USC the Bible does not waste words he was doing theology at that time the Bible does not waste words every single word in a line of scripture is
Important but many times I agree with you sister Pride sets in and guess what pride is a shortcoming yes pride is a shortcoming and and if you look at the story Bren how did zakus compensate for his shortness anybody carer um you know Ron anybody how did zakus compensate for
His shortness what did zakus do zakus told God that um if he has done anything not yet not yet he’s not compensating he’s repenting what did zakus do to compensate for his height try to get rich try to get rich so can powerful okay I agree with that he rich
And what else did he do he climbed up in a tree he climbed up in a tree let me tell you something guys because we are short some of us were healed right in a literal sense some of us like zakus have our own tree because we spend our lives trying
To be larger than we really are and so we also grow our own trees so that we can be something that we are not zakas was a walking contradiction just like all of us all of us seated here tonight well some of us might be lying down but
All of us here tonight we are walking contradictions sister let me take sister Julian first make your point then I’m going to take uh Patricia sister Patricia yeah we are talking about zakas that he was not honest in his tax collecting right but I was thinking what
About some of us Christians who have you know we have house rent we are renting you know our homes and so on for people and we are charging them we are overcharging sometimes people able to pay their rent what about that he was collecting his his taxes
Yeah so I’m taxing the People Too Much yeah you know yeah so we must be honest in the way that we deal with people all right you you you promise to pay somebody and yet when it’s time to to pay your your ducking their call right you’re you’re not honest you
Say yes yes I’ll give money next week oh some sad story comes when um next week arrives we have to be honest I like that point Patricia you had you had your hand raised yes um we see in that story there Jesus had to come and and step in P
Right and call Zak some in that tree sometime I I wonder had he not done that what would have happened zakus would have gone back do you think that he would have changed in that moment if Jesus had not stepped him would have had a brush with Jesus many people have a
Brush with Jesus while laying their trees you know but they don’t allow the interaction to make a difference right to change the plans that they have their plans was really to to elevate themselves do something but when Jesus steps in you have to stop and allow God
You know allow God you can go up in that tree and fall a branch could break and you come tumbling down the more you try to do right is the more you you break and things get worse you know Mary sang some songs and when I was reading the
Bible I real realiz way this man got these words from the Bible some of these words that he he spoke about the higher you go and the hard you call and all these kind of things so we have to allow Jesus while we are in our trees comfortable trying to find a way
To do what we think is going to be best for us because God has made us with that brother Rudell God has made us with that innate ability to tell right from wrong so we really want to do right you know but we don’t have it in us we
Have to allow God to come us climbing that trees when we yes and we going to deal with that tree because every Redemptive act had to had to oh it was done a tree was involved that’s what I want to say it started in the Garden of Eden the tree
Of knowledge good and evil tree of life it start then we are talking about Jesus being laid out on a tree and here we are in Luke 19 studying trees the Bible is sweet Breen it’s one story you know different aspects but one story all right let’s let’s let’s continue I like
That point zakus was in a tree to compensate for his shortness for his shortcomings if you please do we have trees in our lives Breen this is this calls for introspection intro look within yourself many times people feel that they are perfect and that their methods are
Without error you are not God when you keep hearing people telling you listen this method that you’re doing whether it be raising your children whether it be um you know how you talk to other people it is time to examine yourself examine yourself Brethren maybe maybe you know we are our
Tempers are too short we are too impatient okay what trees do you have where you you you put yourself you elevate yourself in order to appear better than you really are to be taller than you really are zakus had a tree but all of us in this
Room have a tree as well every single one of us has a tree sometimes you may dress up more because we want to be appear more affluent than we really are maybe want we we buy big cars because really and truly we want to hide how low our
Self-esteem is we we we buy the most expensive things because we we we grew up poor and so we don’t want to go back to feeling as if we are nobody all every single one of us here on this zoom on this YouTube live has a tree what is your
Tree what is your tree and let me tell you something sister Patricia asks an important question if Jesus had not seen zakus notice how I stress the word because I want us to understand that while zakas was in the tree you know what let’s go to Luke 195 look at Luke
195 and when Jesus came to the place now notice now who created the place who was there first was it zakus or was it Jesus somebody tell me who was there first zakus was there first in other words many times we might be praying
Lord help me to do this help me to do that but we are not positioning ourselves where Jesus can now use us and and to to our fullest ability zakas positioning himself in this tree was actually a lesson for all of us we must position ourselves right that’s
One perspective I want us to to look at and when Jesus came to the place he looked up and he saw him he saw zakus and said said unto zakas make haste now Bible is sweet we have our trees sometimes we are not very forgiving we hold grudges we are Petty
People we are insecure Jesus is saying to every one of us make haste and come down come down from that tree do not take your time and come down do not wait until I get there and then you will present yourself to to me zakus presented himself and created the place
And then Jesus came many people say when I get my life in order then I will come to church the Bible says God is saying to us you must come as you are although you are messed up you are Shipwrecked although you are short filled with shortcomings or although you are angry
Insecure you have a temper problem you must present yourself in the place and then I will come come as you are sister Patricia yes I I didn’t want you to um miss the little part between that there you know um when Jesus when zakus was in
The tree um Jesus didn’t have to pass there you know the thing is God knows exactly where you are God knows where you are and God comes to you with your shortcomings you know he comes and he say you mention it come as you are but Jesus the Bible could have
Said you know Jes Jesus passed somewh or could it be that he would have been passing and didn’t look up in the tree but he looked up in the tree not because zakus made a noise not because zakus the tree was whatever but because Jesus knew that zakus was in that tree
And Jesus know where we are you know in the midst of all our trees in the midst of all that we are doing to compensate Jesus knows us naked as we are and he is ready to accept us naked as we are he’s ready to in vit naked as we are you know
And that is a beautiful beautiful thing Beau in all that we try to fix up we just mess up get it but when Jesus comes in he’s able to say listen you leave yourself like that what you doing think about it brother brother you know I love to bring
It to children because of how I’m a parent when you’re a child and you’re ready to do your thing children now when they grow up when they they don’t really want to do anything but when you’re a child you want to help you want to clean
You to grab the broom and sweet and you do all sorts of things and get this have messed up your parent come running what you doing they’re ready to pick you up leave it so leave it so mhm that’s Jesus he’s saying leave it Soul stop trying to
Fix you before you come to me come to me as you are I’m going to fix you a beautiful thing off salvation it is beautiful because not only is it free it doesn’t take anything from you Jesus is saying I will come I will fix you I will
Give you and I will save you everything is i i i on Jesus PA yes all we have to do is respond just respond put set yourself in position and let me tell you when you come to that place do not give place to the devil the devil is after territory you know
Friends he’s after territory do not give place to the devil hold fast to the Salvation that you have been blessed with because when you look at that story here listen zakas in the tree Jesus says come down zakas make haste if zakus did not come down from the tree Jesus would not have
Abided with him at home p is Jesus abiding with you in your house does he abide with you as you go to school in the bus in the taxi does Jesus abide with you as you are driving to work as you’re managing your classrooms managing your your desk job managing
Yourself as as you’re in the field does Jesus abide with you because I’m going to tell you this although you are short and you are filled with shortcomings Jesus loves short Jesus loves short people he really does he loves short and the thing that we try to hide is the
Thing that he wants to most don’t we don’t we serve a loving God Zaki has tried to hide his short by being in a tree but Jesus told him to come oh come down Zak let me see short he loves short and so when we pray our prayers we
Have to be honest with Jesus Jesus said no I have a problem with this please help me I have a problem with forgiveness I have a problem with you know just being Wicked I I I hold grudges I have a problem with my mother my father because they treated me this way
Please Lord help me to overcome Brother David night to all I want to look at it from a different angle I don’t know if this was discussed prior you know the Bible states that job was a righteous man and in all his ways he honor God
But when you read the account of Job in the Bible it is written more in poetry so it’s more like metaphorical language you know some of the things job was saying he was like celing to God to some why this happening to me and it’s interesting that in job
383 says G up now thy loins like a man for I will demand of thee and answer me and he start to say where were you where were you where were you so though job was perfect he still had to learn Perfection so it seems to suggest that
Even if you’re walking in harmony with God’s will we should never reach the point where we say we have reached or we have learned everything we must have that humble Spirit to be continue to be taught and learned by anybody yes because it it is so interesting that
When God told job friends you haven’t treated myself you haven’t you haven’t treated my my servant job um kindly or fair and God commanded them to go and talk to J and ask to pray for them it shows a bit of a humility yes and when
To pray back to them now pray back for them as a Christlike figure it chose humility and J in and do we have that humility in us that even when we know so much in in the Lord that we could be humble enough to still be taught h still
Grow by strength to strength because you’re perfect but you will I want to say this very carefully you’re perfect yes but you’ll never be perfect in this perspective you always have to keep learning and only eternity will make you learn completely so I don’t know if anybody
Have any more thoughts on the matter as the spirit lead and guide them so we need to really be have that teachable spirit that correctable spirit and also have that Spirit to be learned and unlearned no matter whe whether we now join the church under the guidance of
The Holy Spirit are we here for 20 years yeah beautiful Point beautiful point and I just want to extract something that you said you said do we have that type of teachable spirit I want to I want to substitute we with I because many times and this is not a
Criticism on your point of course but I just want to expand on it many times we love to say we and we feel comfortable with we because we thinking be talking about everybody what I want us to say is do I have patience do I have love do I
Fall short with compassion do I fall short with forgiveness do when people advise me what to do do I reject it because I think I know better that’s how we do introspection God God does not gossip he does not come to us and say well what do what does everybody do he
Comes to you and to me and say you think you could do better walk walk this way this is the better way to walk in right so beautiful Point let us go forward because we are short do you know that because you are short because I am short we are eligible for
Grace this is why the Bible says in Joor chter 3 and: 10 let the weak say I am strong and we have a song let the poor say I am rich because of what the Lord has done for we see us but What the Lord Has Done For Me Grace Bridges the Gap
Grace um it Bridges where I am and where I am called to be grace is a bridge Grace is The Equalizer it makes up the Hedge and plugs it closes in the Gap Grace allows me to be taller than I really have Luke chapter 19 the story of
Zakus and I want us to move to verse four now verse 5 let’s go to verse four verse four says zakus run before and climbed up into a syore tree I did some research do you know what a syore tree is a syot tree is a type of fig tree oh my
Gosh let’s go to Luke Chapter 13 Verse 6-9 can somebody read Luke 13: 6-9 please Luke 13 6-9 we are going to read something very interesting somebody read it from me please luk 1369 he spake also this Parable a certain man had fig tree planted in his
Vineyard and he came and S of thereon and found none then said he unto the dresser of his Vineyard behold these are three years come seeking fruit on this tree and find cut it down why cth it the ground and he answering and said unto
Him unto the Lord let it alone this year also till I shall dig about it and Dong it and if it bear fruit well and if not then after that thou shalt cut it down sh cut it down Al I you know in in another uh chapter Jesus cursed the viig
Tree oh what does this mean zakus being in a Sy fig tree some version say soric tree zakus was climbing a tree a type of tree that was cursed by Jesus oh my gosh zakas was climbing a tree that was cursed by Jesus H do we believe that Jesus is
Passing way the same way that zakus was in the tree do we believe that Jesus passing by zakus is a message to us that Jesus will be passing our way in spite of our shortcomings in spite of our troubles in spite of our insecurities Jesus is passing our way
Just hold on to the place that you’re in find yourself in the right position zakas climbing a fig tree now listen zakus in a syamore fig tree and what does Jesus tell zakus he said zakus you have this backward because zakus in a cursed tree was looking down
At a blessed Jesus and the Blessed Jesus told zakus you have this backward I must be on a curs tree and you must come down if Jesus had gone up into that cursed tree he would have been making the mistake the first man Adam would have made the first man Adam died with
His Bride but the second man Adam died for his bride Jesus had to go up into that cursed tree just a few chapters I’m telling you brethren we in chapter 19 in chapter 22 of Luke Jesus was betrayed Jesus was Jesus was on the road and Jesus is saying to zakus you
Are in the wrong place you’re in the right place yes being that you have used this tree to see me but now is is your time to come down I must be on that cursed tree those shortcomings in other words give them to me I must be in this curse Stree and you
Must come down we can’t be in this in in in the curse tree at the same time zakus you must come down come down first so that I could go up zakus came down in Luke chapter 19 Jesus went up in Luke 23 Luke 24 Brethren are you willing to come down
From that CR tree that you have are you willing to give up your shortcomings are you willing to say Jesus I give up everything to you now everything that I have in my possession that is blocking my way to heaven I give them up to you I’ve come down from the
Tree and Jesus did not say take your time he says make haste make haste tonight and come down from the tree zakas was a misfit zakas fit in with nobody else and I love the fact that everybody else did not really see zakus for who he really was because
They made assumptions on who zakus really was you know we love to assume things about people and feel as if we are right oh this man you know he has a temple he says whatever he wants he’s a terrible man and you don’t know the man’s background I once heard a quote from
Mike Tyson the one of the most devastating boxers of all time he says and I believe it’s him maybe it’s somebody else he said you don’t know how much violence it took for a man to become gentle think about that you don’t know how much violence it took for a man to become
Gentle Jesus saw zakus in that tree meaning he saw right into zaki’s hand and the same way he saw zakas Jesus can see you as well he knows your insecure he knows your trouble he knows you’re battling with your shortcomings he knows you’re trying to compensate for those same
Shortcomings and Jesus is saying to you I see you tonight I see you I’m here now it is time to come down sister Patricia you just finish and make the point I wanted to make I was just add I’ll just add by saying you know we think
That you know is not you know worthy for us to come to Jesus but Jesus doesn’t wait for us to come he comes you know and he says I know that you have all of these tough things don’t wait until you clear it up come just the way you are
And I would do all of that Jesus listen you know we like to talk about professionalism and those who have the experience brother Jesus has all the experience Beyond 6,000 years God has always been there’s no beginning to God there’s nothing that takes God by surprise you know he knows all things he
Sees all things he has a million new to work things out so when we feel a hop less and I can’t do this because if I do it then I wouldn’t be able to be a good Christian you because I I’m still smoking I would be able to be a good
Christian because I’m still living in adultery and I don’t know how to come out of it or fornication but say here what you just allow me and I would start moving things you would you would you would look and say wow all of that happened give God a chance to work a
Mirac in your life I always say if they were to write over the Bible many of us will have a part in there if you give God a chance to write all your wrongs if you give God a chance to work the miracle and watch him do it and then be
Amazed yes yes that second man Adam is Jesus Christ himself all right you can see it in first uh Corinthians um 15 I believe from verse 45 and you can compare other verses all right you can even Google it who’s the second man Adam and you may get some
Some texts uh to match up as well Jesus died for us if if if uh zakas had stayed in that tree as a sinner his death I’m speaking metaphorically of course his death would have mattered to nobody Jesus had to be in that tree he had to be in the tree
And look at look at how zakus responded and I want us to ask ourselves how would I respond if I were in the same position as zakus and in some ways we are in the same position of zakas because as we studied zakas we realize he has some shortcomings we have some shortcomings
Jesus said in verse five make haste zakas how did zakas respond even though people were murmuring and saying this man Jesus want to be in in the house of a sinner look at what zakus said in verse 8 and zakus stood and said unto the Lord
Behold Lord oh boy you know I cried when I studied the story because I see the love of God zakus switched positions because he saw he felt seen by God he fell seen by Jesus Christ for the first time in his life he was not judged can you imagine that all your
Life you’ve been judged for the first time nobody said want this tax collector in his tree boy look at this Rich because it is very hard to grow up and live where you are and people for for people to see you for who you have become they always
Remember the person that you used to be and Jesus identifies with zakas and we’re going to end in next two minutes Jesus identifies with zakas because you know why many times people used to say is this not the son of a carpenter they were confused about Jesus
As well and people were confused about zakus and and I’m telling you there is somebody here who knows what I’m talking about people might be confused with you as well because they remember the things you used to do and not they cannot see for who you have become today look at
Verse 8 behold Lord the half of my goods I give to the poor and if I have given anything from any man if I have taken anything from any man sorry by false accusation I restore him fourfold by the law in Leviticus 5: 16 zakas has only required to give back 20%
In well put 20% on top of what he would have taken so if he took um $100 from Carla he’s supposed to give back $120 zakas was zakas bypassed 20% and he say you know what 400 100% for everybody I would have stolen from this man showed as somebody said the
Rejuvenating Reviving power of the holy spirit in his life zakus repented while everybody saw or thought that this man is just an evil tax collector this man already had repented sometimes we judge people for who they are when they have already changed I give everything for full Jesus
Said no wonder he said to to zakas this day is salvation come to thy house zakus for as much as he also is a son of Abraham for the son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost make haste people and make
Changes make haste and the same words Jesus spoke to Jesus uh Jesus spoke to zakus Salvation has come to your house can also be your words tonight if only we come down from our truth thank you so much Brethren I enjoy the study I hope you enjoyed it too and I hope I
Hope that it has impacted your life and we are now thinking what are some things I need to change I might be too stubborn I might be too stubborn I might think I know everything that’s Pride you think everything that you’re doing is right and you’re affecting people around you you’re
Affecting the children uh that that that you are raring those children are not yours they belong to God don’t make children feel as if you don’t love them just because of your actions or your spouse or your friends make haste and come down thank you so much amen amen thank you
Amen and we want to say thank you to brother rud for you know what he would have done to it is amazing this story was really really amazing and and we did enjoy it it was really spirit filled for those of you who joined us uh late we want to say
A late welcome to you as we are getting ready to leave if I if I am to repeat just one sentence that we would have learned tonight or that would have been said tonight by Brother Ruda I would say to you guys um we are all in our trees
God is saying to us come out come down from that tree we know that it seems to be a big task we know that sometime we limit God we think that God is not able to meet us where we are you know God is able to meet us exactly where we are and
To fix everything trust God trust God as we look today and we see the world falling apart men are so afraid of what is happening in the world every day it’s a new thing God is saying hey over here it’s not all together I am the only way
Where you can go and find it all together you can find safety you find provision you will find everything in God he saying you don’t have to bring anything come as you are let us take God at his word let us come down from our
Trees and let us go and supp with him at this point in time I really want to thank you for coming out I hope that you would come next week and I’m going to put to brother and brother melz who would pray to close and we would see you
Again next week where we would come to see another amazing from God coming in November for something big we’re GNA talk about family again we’re going to bring some pastors again where we would really be blessed look out for that have your friends on standby to invites and
Look out for more communication on it brother M good night everyone could we please bow our heads and close our eyes to prayer Lov and Heavenly Father we thank you for tonight we learned a lot about you and ourselves tonight oh Lord we know that zakas really responded to the Holy
Spirit speaking to him and because the Holy Spirit spoke to him he responded and he went seeking after Jesus Lord likewise and is the holy spirit speaking to each and every one of us I hope that we will respond and go to you oh Lord Jesus who is the one who
Will take away our sins father help each and every one of us to do really do some introspection and relase see where we are coming short in our lives in our walk with you oh Lord and help us to give those things to you Lord so that when you may come again you
Will say well good well done th good and faithful servant enter into the joy of your lord so father continue to be with us as we go our separate ways we ask for your blessing on each and every head bowed here tonight in Jesus’s name I pray amen amen amen and good night
Everyone good night good night Everybody good night everyone
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