Seeking the Ultimate Seeker + This Sunday!
God's commitment to seek us is much greater than our attempts to seek him.
“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’” (Luke 19:5).
God’s commitment to seek us might surprise us, but he clearly shows us this in Jesus.
Zacchaeus was a tax collector, despised by many for exploiting the people for personal gain. When he heard that Jesus, a Jewish teacher, was passing through the area, something within him stirred. We don’t know exactly what he knew about Jesus, but Luke 19:3 tells us, “he was seeking to see who Jesus was.”
What happened next, he likely never expected. Jesus sees Zacchaeus, who has climbed into a tree because of the crowd, and says, “Hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” Praise God, Jesus makes Himself available to those who seek Him! Jesus’s directness toward Zacchaeus is striking. A man culturally despised for exploiting his own people climbs a tree just to get a glimpse—and Jesus stops, looks up, and calls him by name. In a crowd full of people, Jesus singles him out and says, “I must stay at your house today. What a surprising turn of events!
Well, friends, this is the God we serve. He does not hide or take a different route to avoid the sinner. Rather, he stops everything he is doing to be with the despised outcast, the needy sinner, the seeker longing for hope. His commitment to seek us is much greater than our attempts to seek him. We see that clearly displayed when Jesus goes to the cross soon after this encounter. Today, however you enter the day, we can rest assured that Jesus came to “seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).
THIS SUNDAY AT IMMANUEL
MORNING SERVICES
Join us this Sunday for worship at 9 a.m. or 10:45 a.m. as pastor Vince Greenwald continues our summer series on prayer. All are welcome! Catch up on previous sermons on our YouTube Channel.
SUNDAY CLASSES IN SADLER HALL
Studying the Bible Together, led by Dr. Tom Cox, studying the book of Romans in the blue room at 9 a.m.
The Bible’s Big Story, led by David McLemore, studying the Bible’s storyline centered on Jesus, His grace, and His gospel, meets in the blue room at 10:45 a.m. All are welcome!
ON THE HORIZON - Women’s Conference & Men’s Retreat
SAVE THE DATES - This fall brings two key moments to grow in Christ and community.
Women’s Conference – Nov 7–8 at Immanuel with guest speaker Nancy Guthrie.
Men’s Retreat – Oct 3–4 at Coldstream Christian Camp, led by our very own, Tom Cox! More details coming soon—but go ahead and block off your calendar!
Good news, thank you Lord, thank you Chase!