Red Letters: You Can't Hide - Pastor Josiah Elias
- design97004
- Feb 17
- 4 min read
“What a God! What a God!” we sang. “You have no rival. You have no equal.” He is our amazing Savior and Lord, and during the worship we were in His throne room. Then Joel Munoz encouraged us to “steward the presence of God. He moves; He breathes; He breaks things off of you! The Lord is more than enough.” Amen and amen!
FC’s mission is to culture like Christ, and the vision is Jesus. Pastor Josiah reminded us of Pastor Greg’s sermon about “Championship Faith.” The week before Pastor Josiah discussed the man born blind Bartemaeus’ healing. This week we encountered Zacchaeus, a rich, tax collector, which meant that often other Jews despised him because of his over charging them. Tax collectors were often seen as traitors. Ironically Zacchaeus in Greek “zakchaios” means pure.
Zacchaeus heard that Jesus was coming to Jericho, and he wanted to see the Savior, but he was very short. “So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way.” Luke 19:4 (NLT) Something was brewing in Zacchaeus’ heart to make him climb that huge tree to see Jesus.
If everything you know about Jesus was indeed what God was really like, would you name Him King? Yes because “Jesus is the expressed image of God,” declared Pastor Josiah.
Zacchaeus climbed the tree to see Jesus but remained hidden from Him. Sycamore-fig trees can be huge and leafy, but Jesus is able. Even though we may want to hide from God yet see Him, He can see us and our hidden parts. One of the best ways to encounter God is to come to Him transparently. The psalmist said it so well, ”Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts.” Psalm 139:23 (NLT) Paul in Hebrews wrote, ”And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards this who sincerely seek him.” Hebrews 11:6 (NLT)
The Paramount Point is “You can’t hide forever.” Again the psalmist wrote,”If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.” Psalm 139:8 (NKJV)
The devil wants you to stay in the dark. He tells you you can hide from the Lord. He wants us to hide in our dysfunction, our guilt, our shame. But God…. He wants to shine the light and free us from those prisons to his liberating light and love. Too often we are afraid to open our hearts to Him because of our guilt and shame, but it is the open heart that attracts Him.
When Adam and Even were first in the garden, they had perfect connectivity with God, their Creator. The instant they sinned the connection was broken, and they “felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.” Genesis 3:7 (NLT)
What heart break they experienced as their direct connection with God was broken.
Jesus walked in perfect connection with God, and when he met Nathanael,
“Jesus said, ‘Now here is a genuine son of Israel-a man of
complete integrity.’
‘How do you know about me,’ Nathanael asked.
Jesus replied,’I could see you under the fig tree before
Philip found you.’” John1:47-48 (NLT)
After Jesus spoke to Nathanael in that way, Nathanael responded,”Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.” John 1:48 (NIV) He knew right then who the Savior was! A lifestyle under the fig tree is a lifestyle of devotion to the Lord!
Back to Zacchaeus, as Jesus was walking by, “he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. ‘Zacchaeus! he said. ‘Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.’ Zacchaeus quickly climbed down….” Luke 19:5-6 (NLT) Jesus called him out of his tree and invited himself to Zacchaeus’ home for dinner. Even though the Pharisees did not include the tax collectors, Jesus did. He calls all sinners to Him. Even if you’re hiding, don’t think for a moment that He doesn’t know your name. “I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1 (NLT)
Other people, who might have been more religious or accepted, scoffed and complained because Jesus had gone to eat with a “notorious sinner.” Luke 19:7 (NLT) Let people grumble. He wants to dine with you, liar. He wants to dine with you, thief. He wants to dine with you, addict. Hallelujah!
Zacchaeus’ one encounter with the Lord transformed him. He declared,”I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!” Luke 19:8 (NLT) He did not have to repeat the sinner’s prayer to show his transformation. His own declaration of repentance showed it.
“Jesus responded, ’Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.’” Luke 19:9-10 (NLT) What a liberating moment for Zacchaeus this was! He was a new man. He was hidden in the sycamore-fig tree, yet he wanted to see the Lord. The Lord saw Him, called him by name, and dined with him. That is our risen Savior’s pattern-to seek and save us who were lost.
Paul stated it so clearly.
“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us
from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor
demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about
tomorrow-not even the powers of hell can separate us from
God’s love.” Romans 8:38 (NLT)
Thank you, Lord, that we love because You first loved us. 1 John 4:19 May we then be salt and light in this troubled world.
Calendar:
2/20 LB potluck, worship and speaker Felipe Villa, Pastor Michel’s grandfather-6:00 in the Activity Center
3/20 LB potluck and Meet to Swap at 6:00 in the Youth Center
Blessings,
Larry and Annette
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