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Index
Topic: Do you know what salvation means?
Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham.” Luke 19:8-9.
The purpose of the lesson is to show that, in order to receive salvation in Jesus, we need to recognize and confess our sins, repent and abandon what does not please God.
Note: The teachers should read Luke 19:1 to 10 when preparing this lesson.
Introduction
This month we will answer a very important question: “Do you know what Salvation means?”
In each class we will learn a little more about salvation in Jesus. But let’s start our class by thinking: “Is there something in your life that you know is not pleasing to God? Would you be willing to admit it, ask for forgiveness and stop doing it?” Today we are going to meet Zacchaeus. He really wanted to meet Jesus, but that encounter showed that it was not enough to just see Him from afar. Something needed to change in his life. And that’s what we’re going to see today.
Development
The Lord Jesus walked long distances, traveling from place to place to proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven. One day, Jesus entered Jericho, followed by a large crowd. A man named Zacchaeus lived in that city; he was a chief tax collector and a wealthy man. Tax collectors gathered taxes for the Roman Empire, and Zacchaeus held an important social position among them.
When he heard that Jesus was passing by, Zacchaeus wanted to see Him. But there was a problem: he was short, and the crowd blocked his view of Jesus. So, Zacchaeus ran ahead and climbed a tree to see Him. He did not care what people might think seeing an official up in a tree. Yet, something unexpected happened. As Jesus passed by, He stopped, looked up, and said, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.” (Luke 19:5b).
What a surprise for Zacchaeus! Jesus knew him—He knew his name and how he lived. Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and joyfully welcomed Jesus into his home. Upon seeing this, people began to complain because Jesus had entered the house of a man they considered a sinner. But something wonderful happened inside that house. Zacchaeus stood up and said, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.” (Luke 19:8).
Zacchaeus acknowledged that he had sinned. Before Jesus, he did not try to justify his actions or hide what he had done. He demonstrated his repentance through a concrete decision: he was willing to make amends for the harm he had caused. Then Jesus declared: “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:9b-10. Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus. But Jesus wanted to do something much greater: to save him.
This story leads us to a deeper understanding of what salvation means. Salvation means moving beyond knowing Jesus from a distance to having a personal experience with Him. But perhaps you are thinking: “But I was raised in the church. I attend Sunday school, I know the worship songs, and I know the Word of God. Is this teaching for me, too?” Yes. We all need to recognize when we do something that does not please God.
When we admit that we have sinned, we do not need to hide our mistake. We can confess it to the Lord, ask for forgiveness, and repent. And there is an important difference here between getting caught and repenting. Sometimes, a teenager does something wrong and only admits it because their parents found out. They delete a conversation so no one sees it. They hide what they are watching from their parents. They lie about where they have been. They speak with their friends in a manner they wouldn’t speak in front of their parents. When someone finds out, then the fear of the consequences also comes.
But repentance is different. Repentance happens when we admit before God: “This is wrong. I have sinned. I do not want to keep living this way.” Zacchaeus could have welcomed Jesus into his home, been happy, and gone on living just as he had before. But that is not what happened. His encounter with Jesus brought about change; it created an awareness of sin.
You are an adolescent. You are already aware of your actions. Your salvation cannot depend on your parents being by your side to tell you what is right or wrong. You already know how to make choices before God, and you are already aware of sin. You already know that sin separates us from the Lord and causes us to lose fellowship with Him.
Today, Jesus gives us the opportunity to repent. He sends His Holy Spirit so that we may recognize sin, repent, and seek the Lord’s forgiveness. The Word says: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxieties. And see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24).
Perhaps this needs to be your prayer today: “Lord, show me what is in me that does not please You. Search my heart.” And when the Lord reveals it, do not hide it. Do not try to justify it. Do as Zacchaeus did: confess to Him. The Word of God teaches us: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:8-9). Hallelujah!
When we admit and confess our sins, we find in the Lord forgiveness and purification. But Zacchaeus teaches us something else, too: repentance does not stop at just mere words. He did not only say, “I was wrong.” He also decided to change.
If I recognize that a conversation is drawing me away from God, I need to step away from it. If I realize I am lying to my parents, I need to stop lying. If there is content on my phone that does not please God, I need to give it up. If I have been rude to someone, I will ask for forgiveness. If I am secretly doing something I know I shouldn’t, I need to decide: “I do not want to go on like this.” That is repentance: acknowledging sin and changing direction.
Conclusion
Zacchaeus recognized his sin, repented and decided to change his ways. And Jesus declared: “Today salvation has come to this house…” Luke 19:9b. This month we will still learn a lot about the question: “Do you know what Salvation means?” But today we learned something fundamental: it does not work to desire to have salvation and, at the same time, choose to remain in sin.
If the Holy Spirit is showing you something in you or that you are doing that doesn’t please God, don’t hide it. Don’t justify. Don’t continue. Confess it to the Lord. Ask for His forgiveness. Repent. And make the decision to abandon anything that separates you from God. Jesus came to seek and save what was lost.
Suggested Praises: I’ve come before you to confess; Oh come seek the Lord.
Question for Adolescents
ReRead the 1 John, chapter 1, verse 9, and answer: What should we do when we realize that we have sinned? Answer: We should confess our sins to the Lord, ask for forgiveness and repent, choosing to abandon what does not please God. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9.ad
