REBEL WITH A CAUSE June 12, 2011 B. Sin doesn’t STOP Jesus! REBELS ARE EVERYWHERE…NOT JUST 1950’S When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. "Zacchaeus!" he said. "Quick, come down! For I must be a guest in your home today." LUK 19:5 Zacchaeus quickly MOVIES… climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. 6 But the crowds were  #1 MOVIE IN AMERICA… XMEN---NEVER AGAIN displeased. "He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner," they grumbled. 7 Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I CLIP have overcharged people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!" 8

1. A rebel CHALLENGES THE RULES HE TELLS US TO REBEL!

A. Rules of CULTURE. Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Please give me a drink." with such despicable people - even eating with them! So Jesus used this illustration: The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to "If you had one hundred sheep, and one of them strayed away and was lost in the Jesus, "You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?" John wilderness, wouldn't you leave the ninety-nine others to go and search for the lost one 4 until you found it? And then you would joyfully carry it home on your shoulders. When you arrived, you would call together your friends and neighbors to rejoice with you B. Rules of CONDUCT because your lost sheep was found. In the same way, heaven will be happier over one lost sinner who returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and But I say, if you are angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call haven't strayed away! someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the high council. And if "Or suppose a woman has ten valuable silver coins and loses one. Won't she light a you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell. MAT 5:22 lamp and look in every corner of the house and sweep every nook and cranny until she finds it? And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors to rejoice with But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already her because she has found her lost coin. In the same way, there is joy in the presence committed adultery with her in his heart. MAT 5:28 of God's angels when even one sinner repents." LUK 15:1 -10

NONE OF US ARE GOOD ENOUGH….WE ALL NEED GOD’S Jesus chose the WRONG crowd for the RIGHT reasons! GRACE! He wanted to bring them CLOSER to God!

But I say…If you are slapped on the right cheek, turn the other, too. MAT 5:39 WILL YOU BE A REBEL? WHAT’S YOUR CAUSE? But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! MAT 5:44  SELFISH….OTHERS FOCUSED? Steve Saint—End of the Spear-movie  RUNNING AWAY OR RUNNING TO?

2. A rebel CHOOSES THE WRONG CROWD RICH MULLINS VIDEO

That night Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to be his dinner guests, along with his CLOSING: I’m Waiting on God--- fellow tax collectors and many other notorious sinners. MAR 2:15 Greenlight Illustration—have you ever been in a hurry--stuck in Why did Jesus choose the wrong crowd? traffic—car in front does not move---Move lady—it’s doesn’t get A. Sin doesn’t SURPRISE Jesus! any greener----I wonder if that is what God is thinking!

As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and Pharisees brought a woman they had caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. "Teacher," they said to Jesus, "this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?" … Then Jesus stood up again and said to her, "Where are your accusers? Didn't even one of them condemn you?" No sir. Neither Do I…go and sin no more! JOH 8:3-11