What i wrote as an idea/template for my first sermon.

This was the guide that i had wrote for my first sermon. I ended up not really needing to look at it a whole lot, and no i did not read it word for word. soo i hope you enjoy it.





Good Morning,
MY name is Jeff and i would like to thank you for the opurtiniuty to speak with you today.
I would like to start by sharing a bit about my self. I have been married for 3 1/2 year. I have been with my wife for 9 years. I have been a full out follower of Christ for 3 years now. My journey to Jesus was a long drawn out experience with many, many twist and turns. I went through a few stages where i was interested in God which was followed by stages where i would go around trying to prove to christians that he didnt exist. I got into music and bands like Marlyn Manson, Tool Bands that Celebrated their hatred/ unbelief of God. I even went as far as looking in the satanic church, i tried to find the santanic bible "thank GOD i failed at that.... Even though i went down these roads from time to time I now notice that God always had a little reminder of himself standing by, Stuff like my first roomate Eddie, who at the time was in a christian metal band. He turned me on to many Heavy metal band that were christian and had very powerful messages, My Grandma and aunts who always reasured me that Jesus loved me even if i didnt love him, And most recently my wife. Who for 5 years never pressured me with her beliefs but showed me The love of Christ by simply loving me. Shes probaly about to cry now. But These little glimps that God put in my life slowly just kept adding up. Until one day about 3 or 4 years ago we were out partying with some friends and ended up at a tattoo parlor, we had been drinking for most of the day and were probaly not in the best mindset at the time. While watching my frineds get tattoos i told my wife that i wanted to get my nipples peirced, at first she didnt want me to because i had been drinking but i made a deal with her that i would go to church once a month if she would let me. She accepted i got my peircings and i went to church for a few months then one day i stumbled across one of the CD's That My old roomate had showed me. It had this one catchy song called Pitiful. There is a verse on this song that hit me like a freight train. "I know as they hammered those nails in to your beautiful hands your eyes they tried to search for mine, but i look away. And there it was....... i saw what had been going on for all those years, he was there holding out his hands just waiting for me to look his way. With that we started going every sunday, you know i was reading the bible every night just taking in everything i could, i mean i was hungry for his words. But i was still just learning, i hadn't changed my ways. i was still partying a lot, smoking a pack of cigerettes a day, drinking almost everyother night. But then this one night... we had an ice storm and since my wife was out of town i had decided to go stay with a friend and party since we didnt have to work the next day. That night every thing, i mean everything came together and hit me like a freight train from heaven. After everyone had left the party and my friend had went to bed i was left by my self flipping through channels on TV. Now sometimes ill be flipping through channels and ill zone out and stop on some of the weirdest things. On this night i zoned out and stopped on the Passion Of the Christ. as i sat there i started watching as they were lashing Jesus with those whips and all i could hear in my head was "he did that for you" Now here i was a sinner, a drunk, a liar, theif, porn addicted fool. and all i can hear is this voice in my head saying I love you.

Now i want to take you to Luke 19:1

Jesus and Zacchaeus
1 Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town.
2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich.
3 1 Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town.
2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich.
3 He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd.
4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way.
5 When Jesus came 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.”
6 Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy.
7 But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled.
8 Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “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!”
9 Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham.
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”


Now Zacchaeus was not just a tax collector, he was the Cheif tax collector and he was very rich.. He had several people that went out and pretty much strong armed people out of their money. In the time of roman ocupation the romans appointed Tax collectors in the community and would charge them with collecting a certain amount that was to be turned over to the empire, and in return the romans allowed the Tax collectors to collect and keep any amount over what was required to be handed over.
Since we see that Zacchaeus was wealthy that means that he was good at taxing. Now these guys could tax just about any thing they wanted. since you walked through that door this morning, he could charge you an open door tax and then stand outside and tax you again for leaving. The sky was the limit for these guys. as you can imagine Zacchaeus was probaly not liked very well.


Just a side note. as i was studing for this lesson i came a cross one bit of information that stated that Even though a tax collector was Jewish, because of his profession he was denied access to the temple. Even if he bleived and worshiped the lord he was not allowed to worship at the temple.

verses
1-4
I can imagine being like Zacchaeus hearing the stories that this jesus charecter had been preforming, and here he his coming to my town.walking down my street!! I think i would want to catch a glimpse also. As jesus neared Zacchaeus being a short guy hops up this sycamore tree. Hes very intrested in Jesus, he wants to know what all the fuss is about. He is all out just seeking just wanting to maybe catch a glimpse he feels in his heart that something is specail about this guy when
"Zacchaeus" Hurry up get down from that tree IM COMING TO YOUR HOUSE TONIGHT"
Zacchaeus jumps down and not only takes him but........ takes Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy.
Notice what jesus didnt say? He didnt say go home clean up, hide the beer cans , the magizines, go vaccum the carpet, do the dishes.. NO Jesus Didn't tell him to go undo the bad things he had done.
My mom sent me a Quote over face book the other day. A true friend dosent care how dirty your house is. They only care about you..
Jesus wanted him just as he was, an imperfect, lost sinner.
Boy that really angered the people around them. Here is this guy the worst of the worst, he was riping them off and helping the romans probaly one of most dreaded men in town, And jesus is going to crash at his place tonight?
verse7

Jesus does something here. I think Zaccheaus has that moment where in his heart he hears"i love you"
Zachaeus realizes who jesus is. and what he has done. being a jew he knows the law of moses and follows it to the letter.
Ex 22:1
22 "If a man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it, he must pay back five head of cattle for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.
NIV
verse 8-9-10
For the son of man has come to SEEK and SAVE those who are lost.


As they hammered those nails in to your beautiful hands your eyes they tried to search for mine. but i look away. That night in the middle of an ice storm My saviours eyes were seeking me through a tv screen. I heard That voice inside me and my heart dropped , he did that for you.....my eyes started watering up and at that very moment my wife calls my cell phone. And here i am, crying not nowing whats happening to me i was so sad yet i felt so at peace i got up and went out to the garage so i wouldnt wake my friends. and all of a sudden like a stack of weights fell on my shoulders i fell to my knees and in the middle of this garage knelt down on my knees my face on the freezing concrete floor, and my wife guiding me through the process i came to christ.


He found me that night not because he couldn't have in the past but i was like Zacheaus i was ready to take jesus to my house.


close prayer