Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” —Genesis 12:1-3
B- BEGIN WITH PRAYER
L- LISTEN
E-
Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” —Luke 14:7-11
He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” —Luke 14:12-14
The power to overcome the obstacle of self and indifference in is the confidence that this world is not the main world. —Dave Ferguson
E- EAT WITH
He entered Jericho and was passing through. And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” —Luke 19:1-10
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. —John 6:44
He has put eternity into man’s heart… —Ecclesiastes 3:11
“You have made us for yourself, O God, and our hearts are restless until they find thier rest in you.” —St. Augustine
“If I find in myself a desire which not experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” —C.S. Lewis
So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. —Luke 19:4-6
And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” —Luke 19:7
And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” —Luke 19:8
And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.” —Luke 19:9
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. —Luke 19:10
1) HE WAS
2) HE MET
3) HE
4) HE
Study Guide for further reflection
DISCUSS
What does it mean to be a blessing to others, and how can you apply God’s strategy of blessing mentioned in Genesis 12:1-3 in your own life?
Context
The message talks about God’s strategy to bless us so that we can bless others, based on the promise made to Abram in Genesis.
Application
Can you think of a specific person in your life who could benefit from your blessing? How can you start engaging with them?
DISCUSS
Why do you think Jesus emphasized the importance of eating with others, as illustrated by His interaction with Zacchaeus in Luke 19?
Context
The message discusses how sharing a meal helps build relationships and create meaningful connections with others.
Application
When was the last time you had a meal with someone who needed support? What did that experience teach you about connection?
DISCUSS
How can listening to others’ struggles, as mentioned in the message, change how we interact with them?
Context
The message emphasizes the importance of listening as part of loving your neighbor and engaging with others.
Application
Can you recall a time you actively listened to someone? How did that impact your relationship with them?