Sunhills Community Church > Sermons > Why Christmas? The Ransom

When you were growing up, why did you think we celebrate Christmas? What would you say now?
What part(s) of Christmas take the most of your time, energy, focus, and investment? What does this say about the ‘functional why’ of your Christmas?
Through Jesus’ encounter with Zacchaeus he stated ‘why’ he came (Lk 19:10; for similar statements see: Mark 2:17; 10:45). How would you summarize this emphasis in a way that is relevant to your life (not just the trite ‘churchy’ answer)?
How would you retell the story of this encounter? Which parts of the story do you most enjoy? Find most intriguing?
What do you learn about Jesus from this incident?
What do you learn about Zacchaeus from this incident?
What do you learn about money from this incident (compare the surrounding context, particularly the story of Jesus and the Rich Ruler in Luke 18:18-30)?
In what ways was Zacchaeus ‘lost’ (v10) before this? How did Jesus’ seeking and saving change that?
Move from the encounter between Jesus and Zacchaeus to your own encounter with Jesus: When were your first steps of ‘wanting to see Jesus’ (v2)? When were you first aware of Jesus’ seeking and pursuing of you (v5, 10)? Where were you when Jesus found you? How did Jesus get you to join Him? What did meeting Jesus change in your life?
How can the ‘why’ of Christmas (Lk 19:10) be formed into your focus and life through the next few weeks?