Opening

Climbing, watching, walking, or dining…this directional game is a bit like “Simon says.” Demonstrate for children several mimed activities. Call off directions and have them act out what is happening. For example, if you say “climbing”, children act as though they are climbing a tree. “Watching” could be covering your eyes to look out for something. Pick up the pace as you go. With older kids, or for it to be more challenging, try to mix up the directions or add more directions, and let students who miss one sit out. Explain that all of these elements are parts of the story today.

Bible Story

➢ Follow along with me as I read Luke 19: 1-6 “When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him ‘ Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.’ So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.”
➢ Following means responding to someone’s call and accepting to do what they ask you to do.
➢ From this story, we can identify with this man named Zacchaeus who had desired to see who Jesus was because he had heard of him. When he heard
that Jesus was passing by in Jericho, he was determined to see Him but because of his height he couldn’t. So he climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus.
➢ When Jesus saw Zacchaeus on the top of the tree, he told him to come down. Immediately Zacchaeus accepted and welcomed Jesus in his house.
➢ From this story we can identify that Zacchaeus was determined to see Jesus and that he didn’t hesitate but accepted to follow Jesus immediately. He welcomed Jesus at his house and the Bible teaches us that he received salvation in his house that day (Luke 19:10). Salvation in this story signifies change that we as Christians experience when we decide to follow Jesus Christ.
➢ Jesus loved all kinds of people, and was often associated with those that others did not like so much. He changed lives by this love, and transformed how people felt and behaved. Jesus offered mercy and forgiveness, and because of that we should demonstrate unconditional love to one another.
➢ From the story of the call of the first disciples in Mark 1:16-18, Simon and his brother Andrew also experienced change when they accepted to follow
Jesus.
➢ As Christians, we should be ready to respond to the call of Christ in our lives. We can relate with this from the story of Zacchaeus that we have just read that he immediately responded by coming down from the sycamore tree. This shows obedience, a virtue we should have as Christians.
● As children of God we should emulate / follow the example of Zacchaeus by responding in obedience to the call of Jesus. We should therefore, be ready to follow Jesus because He will lead us and guide us, for He is the good shepherd.

Questions

1. In what city was Jesus passing by? Jericho
2. Who did Jesus call down from the sycamore tree? Zacchaeus
3. How did Zacchaeus respond when Jesus called him? He responded in obedience by coming down.
4. As children of God what are we expected to do in order to follow Jesus just like Zacchaeus? We should respond to the call of Christ in obedience.
5. What will you do as a person in order to accept the call of Jesus? Let the children answer randomly but generally the answers should align to response in obedience.