Be Like Jesus: Loving Hospitality WITNESS (Def) Showing and sharing the good news of Jesus so others see and hear His Way through our lives. BIG IDEA — Loving hospitality is joining Jesus in making room for people to experience the welcome, love and transforming presence of God. Luke 19:1–10 (NLT) 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.” Jesus stops for the overlooked. Luke 19:1–3 (NLT) Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through the town. There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. He was too short to see over the crowd. Luke 19:5 (NLT) 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.’ Jesus uses loving hospitality to: 1. Close the . Luke 19:5 (NLT) I must be a guest in your home today. Romans 5:8 (NLT) But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 2. Express . Luke 19:7 (NLT) When they saw this, they all began to grumble, ‘He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner.’ 3. Open a door of . Luke 19:8 (NLT) “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! What Now? 1. Open your table. 2. Open your home. 3. Open your schedule. 4. Open your attention. Continuing the Conversation 1. Are there people you avoid because of their reputation, beliefs, lifestyle, or personality? What might loving hospitality look like without compromising your convictions? 2. What makes hospitality difficult for you—time, mess, money, introversion, fear, inconvenience, or something else? 3. Think about someone who made you feel genuinely welcome. What did they do that made such an impact?