Resetting My Relationship With God

[Music] one of my favorite times of the year is the holidays I love when Thanksgiving starts all the way through Christmas there's something about that time because there's lots of parties there's lots of eating there's lots of festivities in fun and the truth is well let me say it again there's lots of eating and well there's lots of eating a matter of fact as the holidays go on my clothes begin to change maybe you guys can relate to that my sweaters I'm gonna wear more and more sweaters and darker sweaters why is that because I'm picking up five pounds I'm picking up ten past but I got to tell you something there's this thought in my mind that I know is in a lot of other people's mind that when we get to January we're gonna have a reset when we get to January we're gonna go back to the gym and we're gonna work all this weight off there's something about the thought of a reset well that happened this year and I was really excited I got on a really good regimented you know workout program and started losing that weight and man I was feeling good about myself and and then well then this quarantine came we hit March and then we went into April and and all the pounds that we lost somehow they found us how many know exactly what I'm talking about and the reality is is that I'm excited about in my life I need a reset well I need to reset physically how about you but maybe it's not just a reset physically maybe as as all of our country is reengagement is we are emerging from quarantine maybe maybe we need more than a reset just physically maybe there's a reset in our relationships maybe we've not tended to some relationships the way that we've needed attend to that maybe it's a reset in your faith maybe you've been asking yourself questions that you've really never asked before because you've had a lot of time alone you've had a lot of time thinking and you've had a lot of time reflecting on your life maybe it's a reset in your finances you've experienced what so many of experience around the globe you've experienced some financial straits that you never thought you would be in even months and months ago and now you're you're challenged with some economic situation some financial situation and you you really do need you need a reset well I believe that is negative and it's painful and as hard as this time has been for so many people so many of us in so many areas I also believe it's given us an opportunity to press the reset button I remember as a kid I had a game that I loved and it was it was a game that I play with my brother and and and and there was a button that you could push the reset and it was the game would start all over again wouldn't it be wonderful if we could push a reset button well I believe that we can in so many areas of our lives wouldn't it be great wouldn't it be great for all of us if we could have a fresh reset and even a restart in our relationship with God you know us starting afresh with God is based upon our perception of God when I say God do you what do you think about God now if your view of God is that God is up there and he's really kind of mad at you and he's ticked off and he's out to get you and that's where a lot of people are and you don't want a fresh start in God matter of fact you want to run and get away from God but that's not what the picture of the Bible when I opened my Bible that that's not the picture that I see if God what I look in the Gospels of Matthew Mark Luke and John and I see how Jesus acted it and how he loved people and how he forgave people and how he gave people life matter of fact a theme verse for this talk and over the next month is gonna be found in John chapter 10 matter of fact it is the mission statement of Jesus it is the statement that both identifies the enemy's strategy in our lives and we do have an enemy we have an antagonist someone that's against us but we also have a protagonist someone who is for us in John chapter 10 listen to the words of Jesus this is so powerful Jesus says this he says the thief that's our enemy that's your enemy that's my enemy the thief does not come except to steal what's to steal from us steal our dreams and steal our hopes and he and it wants to kill us and he also wants to destroy he wants to destroy our purpose but jesus said I have come this is so powerful you need to see this whatever your view of God is whatever you've thought about God in the past jesus said I have come that you may have life but he didn't just stop right there and that you may have life more abundantly I mean that this is so powerful if we really believe this if we really believe that that God is not out to get us but he's out to bless us that he's out to help us then he wants to forgive us and cleanse us and give us new life I believe there will be a whole real paradigm change a reframing of our relationship with God I believe that we will push a reset button now one of the greatest examples in all of the Bible it's actually found in the gospel where where somebody started a relationship with God it's a story that I remember as a kid in Sunday school I remember singing in a song I'm not gonna sing the song for you about our member singing the song about a man named Zacchaeus it's a very powerful story in the gospel matter of fact it's found in the Gospel of Luke chapter 19 where Jesus comes into a town he comes into a town called Jericho and the town is abuzz with so much excitement because you know wherever Jesus went in the Gospels when we read about him in Matthew and in mark and Luke and John and I mean I mean wherever Jesus went there was always a buzz of people the crowds would would gather around Jesus because just the Magnificent power that was on his life and the attractive nature and quality to his life in his teaching and and how he helped people well once again Jesus was coming into this town called Jericho and and he's he making his way through the street there's this amazing encounter that he has with this man named Zacchaeus who is the kiyose well he's a wealthy government official he's from the top rung of the Eco economic ladder but there's a reason why by the way there's a reason why it was wealthy and it wasn't because it wasn't because he was a good man it wasn't because he earned it the right way he sees the kiyose was he was a Jewish man but he worked for the Roman government listen to what the Bible says in Luke chapter 19 verse 2 I love this store it's so powerful here's what the scripture says now behold there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector and he was rich so we see here Zacchaeus is a he's a man of prominence interestingly enough the names that kiss actually means pure and righteous but he was anything but pure and righteous no the truth is he was he was well he was he was in a corrupt man he was he was a man that stole from his own people and here's how it worked you see as a Jewish man working for the Roman government he would charge taxes he would charge people let's say it was a 5% tax he would actually double that and charge more than that and he would well he would he would take the off of that and he would put it in his pocket so he would give to the Roman government the taxes that were due for the Jewish people and that's why tax collectors were so hated in the days of Jesus but he wasn't just a tax collector he was the chief tax collector in other words he was the one that all the other ones worked for so he was skimming it off the top and he was putting in his pocket so the Jewish people all hated tax collectors and specifically a man like Zacchaeus because he was he was the top he was over all the rest of them well so he he was he was not look favorably upon at all by the Jewish people well Luke chapter 19 verse 2 we noticed that Zacchaeus he's not only wealthy and he's not only successful by the world's standards but but but he knew that something he knew that something was missing on the inside how do you know that pastors yeah I'll tell you why look at verse 3 so here's Jericho Jesus is coming through and the crowds are around watch what's the kiyose to us and verse 3 it says and he sought to see who Jesus was but he could not because of the crowd for he was a he was short of stature even people today if they're honest if they're honest they would they would admit that they have recollected in their own life they have reconsidered in their own life they have re-examined in their own life that possessions alone don't satisfy that success alone doesn't satisfy and there is so many of you that you've achieved a lot and you've built great things in and I'll say this very respectfully but but now you've seen your world rocked and you've seen things changed and you've got to re-examine things and you've got to realize that that life does not consist in the abundance of things but it consists in relationship relationship with God and relationship with others it consists with peace on the inside and so there's something missing and Zacchaeus is like and I believe this quarantine time it'sit'sit's helped all of us to re-examine our motives to re-examine what really is important so Zacchaeus would be considered a seeker he was seeking out Jesus he was seeking up because he knew that was something on the inside of him that was missing today I want to talk to you about three steps to a reset with God and and wherever you are in your relationship with God maybe there was a time when there was a vibrancy in your relationship with God or maybe you're a seeker and and and and you've been tuning into this program you've been watching us at church of the King for a while and and you're new to this whole thing and even when I talk about the New Testament like you know where is that where there's an Old Testament and there's a New Testament and I'm so honored that you're listening to me and I hope that even over these last few months that there's been a there's been a gentle awakening in your soul where you realize that there is something more I want to talk to you about three steps to a reset with God number one Zacchaeus went on what I would call a reconnaissance trip in other words he was searching out if you understand anything about the military when they go on reconnaissance trips they they send units into whether it's enemy territories whatever why to spy it out to check it out he was so kiyose was well he was on a reconnaissance trip notice it doesn't read that Zacchaeus just wants to see Jesus no he wants to see who Jesus was he was intrigued by the man named Jesus he was intrigued by the crowds that follow Jesus why there was something missing in his heart and he knew it he was drawn to this man perhaps that's how some of you are feeling today drawn to Jesus I remember before I was a Christian oh I knew there was a God I knew God existed III mean I grew up in a Christian home and my parents I mean they would talk about Jesus all the time I knew God was up there but I wasn't sure who he was and how he related to my life matter of fact I was a freshman at Tulane University and and right before I gave my heart to Christ which was right to the halfway point of my freshman year I remember I was I was I was searching it out I was I was even reading different books and I was on a search I was on a reconnaissance mission just like Zacchaeus maybe that's where you are reading books and searching and maybe even searching different world religions and watching different programs and and and you're interested you're interest you say pastor why is that well tell you why because God designs you that way did you know that God created you more than just your body you are more than just your body you're more also than just your mind and your intellect but you have a deep part of who you are some would call it a soul someone called a spiritual side and there's a thirst and there's a quest on the inside of you and God designed you that way the book of Ecclesiastes chapter 3 verse 11 says this that God has actually put eternity in their hearts except that no one can find out the work that God does from the beginning of the end otherwise there's there's there's eternity there's a there's a spiritual vacuum that's in your heart and you and I try to fill it with so many things but only God can maybe you're familiar with the name Blaise Pascal it was a brilliant man and hundreds of years ago in any and he said a statement and it's a very powerful statement here's what he said there is a god-shaped vacuum on the inside of each one of us that no created thing can fill but only the creator himself I remember before coming to Christ meant all the pursuit that I was on all the things that I tried to do to to fill a need that only God could fill only Christ could fill maybe that's where you are you are on a reconnaissance trip you're searching and you are seeking well that's where the kiyose was he was he was seeking and he was he was searching but but he had two problems number one his first problem in this context was that he was well he was physically short and there was crowds and he couldn't see for the crowds he was trying and he was I could just imagine he was just kind of jumping up and down the problem was he wasn't from New Orleans and if he was he would have known at Mardi Gras parades you can have a ladder and have a condo on top of a ladder ok I'm just joking but the reality is is that he couldn't see over the crowd and so he was he was he was in a challenge he so he had a number one he had a physical challenge but more than that he had a spiritual problem see the spiritual problem was is that is that before you come to Christ you and I we were born with a fallen nature and the Bible calls that a sinful nature all of us you don't have to teach somebody how to be selfish we have a fallen nature and before we come to Christ our sin actually separates us from God so number one the kids was separated from Jesus because of his physical stature he couldn't see above the crowds but also his spiritual condition he was separated from God I love the scripture because it's so clear in to delineate where we are with God prior to Christ and then after we come to Christ the Bible says in Isaiah chapter 59 verse 2 it says your iniquity another word for sin in the Bible your sin has separated you from God so Zacchaeus was not a believer at that time so he had a physical challenge but he also does spiritual challenge I remember what it was like right before I came to Christ I remember the hopelessness of my heart I had a spiritual problem was it just an emotional problem it wasn't just a mental problem but it's a spiritual problem I love Luke chapter 19 verse 4 where the scripture goes on and it talks about Zacchaeus it says so he ran ahead and he climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him to see Jesus for he was going to pass that way now I want you to think about Zacchaeus again he's a resourceful man he obviously had some level of ingenuity and resourcefulness to him some level of leadership in his life to be in that position and it was interesting he was a little short guy he was short and and so I thought you know I'm just gonna take off running I'm gonna run as fast again which i think is a little bit humorous you got this real wealthy guy running down the street I mean can you imagine whatever I'm gonna trust me everybody knew who he was he heard his man he's just taken off running down the street but where's he going well he's going somewhere there's a destination he's going somewhere it's funny to me when you begin to think about this that really that that it it's an evidence of his hunger he's running down the street think about that he ran ahead and then he finally gets somewhere he gets to a sycamore tree I want you think about this he's a wealthy prominent influential man think about this and yes he was short in stature he couldn't see Jesus he didn't want to miss out and so he actually shimmies up a tree think about this by the way i've been to israel and i it's a very common tree a sycamore tree and you know how those trees will grow and they'll they'll kind of cover the they'll grow and they'll they'll arch over a kind of like an oak tree today you can even see that in debt in Uptown New Orleans those oak trees where those those branches will grow over st. Charles Avenue well in a very similar way these sycamore trees will grow up and they'll they'll grow like this so here it is this wealthy influential shorter man climbs up a tree can you imagine what everybody's thinking what is that guy doing well the reality is the kiyose wasn't gonna let anybody keep him back from Jesus anymore he was gonna allow his friends how many times we've allowed our friends he wasn't gonna allow public opinion how many times have we allowed the opinions of others to keep us back from God he wasn't gonna allow his reputation how many times we allow our reputation what others think of us what others think about us how many times have we allowed that to keep us back from God no no no there was a line in the sand for Zacchaeus and he was gonna run and he was gonna climb up that tree and he would listen he didn't care what anybody thought about it he was gonna see Jesus number one the first thing that I see about this that said kiss recognized even though he had affluence even though he had great influence he recognized the need question do you recognize your need forgot maybe this quarantine has awakened the reality in your life that your life does not consist in the abundance of things that you possess that there's a spiritual side to you that is empty and that is hungry number two the second thing that I see is is the reaching out look at verse five and we see it appears that kiyose is the one reaching out to Jesus now watch this there's a shift here this is so powerful the reality is it wasn't Zacchaeus reaching out to Jesus it was actually Jesus reaching out to him watch and when Jesus and verse five and when Jesus came to the place he looked up so he's in the road he looks up and he sees Zacchaeus and he said to him Zacchaeus make haste and come down for today I must stay at your house Jesus takes note he takes note of Zacchaeus although we're not told why he stops he looks up he looks up and he calls as a kiss by name question how does he know his name I don't know that he's ever had any interaction with him prior to that moment the Bible doesn't tell us that one of the disciples don't tell us they don't tell us that but he knew his name and said Zacchaeus come down from that tree and he says today today I must stay at your house this is how it happens Jesus makes the first move I want you to hear me we may think that we're the one reaching out to God even that you think man you know I just ran into this program or I'm watching this thing you know and I'm like you know and I'm just connected through technology and well the reality is is that Jesus has been reaching out to you for a long time think about that aunt that used to pray for you all the time think about that mom or that grandma or that grandfather when you were a little boy or a little girl and and when when your neighbor kept inviting you to Vacation Bible School and your neighbor kept inviting you to that youth camp or your friend the reality is is that we thought we were reaching out to God he was really reaching out to us Zacchaeus thought he was reaching up to see Jesus but the truth is this was a this was in God's providence that means God's plan it was the perfect moment Jesus was actually reaching out to him I think back in my life how many people pray for me before I became a believer I think about in my life how many people pray for me before I trusted Christ as my savior my mom praying for it my dad praying for me people in the church that I attended as a kid when I didn't know Christ as a teenager how many people that were praying for me what was that it was God reaching out to me through their prayers through their love through their kindness oh yes he is God's reaching out to you today because he loves you he cares about you it's interesting Jesus gives the second part of the command he says I must stay at your house think about that for a moment why is the kiyose why the must the Pharisees I wrote this down the Pharisees and the religious leaders would say Jesus should never enter Zacchaeus his house no way I mean he was the worst of the sinners by Jesus inviting himself to dinner this is the only instance by the way the only instance in the four Gospels where we read of Jesus inviting himself to someone's home for a meal the only place and why his house they were aghast that's a kiyose surely somebody else surely somebody some holy persons house not so kiyose the reality is is that Jesus comes for those that are not well he comes for the hurting he comes for the empty he comes for the broken he comes for the down-and-out and he comes for the up and up he comes for those that are spiritually impoverished it begins to move into their lives and he he begins to arrange certain circumstances and scenarios why because because he loved and and he's doing everything he can everything to arrange circumstances to arrange situations to come to your house well the Bible says that Jesus actually invites himself over now I'll say this that's an interesting thing I I you know I I mean I mean it's even it's even somewhat presumptuous when a friend invites a man what do you have it I mean even if somebody's your friend think about that and they invite themselves over for dinner that's a stretch but because of the rapport but what if it's a total stranger well that's what Jesus does why because he has a plan for circus he's a purpose for Zacchaeus and he was pressing in because this was the moment that Jesus knew Zacchaeus was gonna change watch this look at the response so number one the reconnaissance Zacchaeus was on a search he's on a search just like many of you you're on a search but the reality is is that you you've you've your life has been filled with so many things some good some bad but it's never satisfied you you've been drinking from a fountain that's never satisfied you number two you've been reaching out but the reality is you begin to see the narrative even of your own life that even though you thought you were reaching up God was actually the one reaching back to you through that invite through that email through that online program through that TV program through being invited to Sunday School as a kid or Vacation Bible School or a youth group God has been reaching out to you for years look at this last and final point here this is so powerful look at the response the kiyose doesn't waste any time getting down from that tree look at verse 6 so he made haste and came down and he received him joyfully Jesus had jump and Zacchaeus jumped he comes down right away and welcomes Jesus joyfully into his home but verse 7 all the crowd begins the matter why because Jesus is going to that well to that unrighteous person so by the way don't let anybody ever tell you that you've got to be righteous to come to the gospel to come to Christ you don't come to Christ with all of your good to Jesus with all of your bad Jesus didn't come to make bad people good he came to make dead people alive and we bring all of our bad all of our junk that's the gospel the gospel of Jesus Christ is that is that we come just as we are life death barrel of Christ in the resurrection of Christ that Jesus did on the cross for us what we couldn't do for ourselves I remember that lie in my line in my life when I was 19 I thought well if I just changed myself and then I'll pretty I'll present myself the gun you don't present yourself to God you come to Christ just as you are all the people in verse 7 they began to mutter why because this is a corrupt man this is an immoral man this is an ungodly man and Jesus Jesus is going to his house but Jesus had a plan and Jesus has a plan and he has a plan for your life watch what happens in verse 8 watch that watch because God is working God's working in Zacchaeus is hard man this is so powerful look at verse 8 behold lord over dinner with Jesus I think we can safely conclude by this response you'll see in a moment the Zacchaeus becomes a Christian he yields his heart to Christ and when he yields us heart to Christ everything changes it changes there's a substantial change in his life I've had people tell me for years well you know what at rug Christian oh no no no no when you when you listen when you truly surrender to Christ there's a change doesn't mean you're perfect of course not it doesn't mean all your problems go away of course not but something changes on the inside I'll tell you what happens you become born-again the Holy Spirit of God comes to live in your heart and you want to you listen there's a new want to there's a it's not ought to there's a new want to you want to do the right thing you want and watch what happens as the kids this is so powerful look at verse 8 behold Lord watch this he calls him Lord Lord is the sword master he recognizes the lordship of Jesus in his life the whole Lord half of my possessions I will now give to the poor and if I have defrauded anyone of it think I will give back four times as much Jesus has gone right to his heart oh this is so powerful I wrote this down he was fully sold out to Christ Jesus changed his heart and now he wants to demonstrate that changed through through his repentance repentance repentance repentance means I'm going one way boom I turn and I go the other way I was ripping people off now I'm gonna be generous above all things I was angry I was mean now I'm gonna be kind what it is there's a there's a substantive change and the heart of a man or a woman that meets Christ he says I'm gonna give back there's a reset there's there's a change it happens there's a he goes listen in it's voluntary by the way Jesus listen he didn't tell him to do it it was it was it was hard it was it was a heart revolution is what it was so powerful Sakhi is is a different man after he meets Jesus after he encounters Jesus he gets half of his possessions to the poor he makes restitution four times is powerful I'm not telling you to do anything I'm not telling but I'll tell you this when you truly meet Christ you'll want to go and say you're sorry you'll want to go do whatever you can within your power to make things so I remember after I became a Christian I I mean I was such a rotten person and I still struggle at times with all my flesh we all do but I knew when I met Jesus and I want to do whatever I could do to make it right with old broken relationships with my attitude towards my parents with things that I knew that weren't right and see this is the mission of Jesus he loves you he cares about you and he's seeking you see see the message started with Zacchaeus being the seeker but the true seeker is not a person it's God himself he's seeking you look what the Bible says in verse 10 this is so beautiful this is how it's an ends for the Son of man has come to seek and to save that which was lost Zacchaeus was lost and God found him and we were lost and I was lost for thirty years ago and God found me I thought I was searching well the reality is is that he was the one that was seeking me he was convicting me and drawing me in inviting me and doing everything listen there was so many things when I look back oh man God God was in a good way God was pursuing me and he's pursuing you because he loves you and he cares about you and he doesn't listen he doesn't want you living in torment he doesn't want you living in an emptiness and sorrow sure we experience pains in life but there is a life and there's a joy and there's a cleansing that comes to the believer when they trust Christ as our Savior and maybe that's where you are today maybe you've never come to the moment where you've truly put your faith in Christ or you've said yes to Jesus what you said Jesus come into my life forgive me of my sin cleanse me make me new matter of fact I'm gonna ask you right where you are would you bow your head with me right where you are if you do not know Christ if you're not sure about your relationship with God I'm gonna pray for you in a matter of fact I'm gonna pray a prayer and I'm gonna pray it's called a a prayer of salvation and these words even though I'm saying those words let these words be your words because this is a moment the Bible says whoever calls upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ shall be saved I can't save you Church of the King can't save you but Jesus can he is the one that saves he's come to seek and to save that which is lost but you pray this with me say dear Jesus I come here today a sinner in need of a savior say they say Jesus I repent of my sin I let go of my past and I turn to you I turn to the cross forgive me of my sin make me new amen amen let me encourage you you don't have to be afraid to be real with God he wants to work in your life so open up to him his plans for you are good and if you made the decision to follow Jesus Christ today please text decision 2022 to 5 8 to 7 or let one of your online hosts know we want to be able to connect with you and give you the steps to grow in your relationship with Christ in order to help you experience that reset button in your life in just a moment pastor Danny and Missy are gonna give you three important steps to do just that god bless

Channel: Church of the King

Views: 843

Rating: 5 out of 5

Keywords: christian, christianity, pastor steve, pastor steve robinson, steve robinson, church of the king, church, god, jesus, non-denominational, joy-filled, reset

Id: Bm0DLHkYtnE

Length: 33min 59sec (2039 seconds)

Published: Sun May 24 2020