{"id":2979,"date":"2025-08-19T21:24:29","date_gmt":"2025-08-20T02:24:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mydestinychurch.com\/sermons\/?p=2979"},"modified":"2025-09-16T20:39:52","modified_gmt":"2025-09-17T01:39:52","slug":"zacchaeus-the-tree-climber","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/mydestinychurch.com\/sermons\/2025\/08\/19\/zacchaeus-the-tree-climber\/","title":{"rendered":"Zacchaeus the Tree Climber"},"content":{"rendered":"<!--powerpress_player--><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_3539\"><!--[if lt IE 9]><script>document.createElement('audio');<\/script><![endif]-->\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-2979-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"http:\/\/mydestinychurch.com\/sermons\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025-08-17.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"http:\/\/mydestinychurch.com\/sermons\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025-08-17.mp3\">http:\/\/mydestinychurch.com\/sermons\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025-08-17.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div><p class=\"powerpress_links powerpress_links_mp3\">Podcast: <a href=\"http:\/\/mydestinychurch.com\/sermons\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025-08-17.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_d\" title=\"Download\" rel=\"nofollow\" download=\"2025-08-17.mp3\">Download<\/a> (Duration: 27:10 &#8212; 24.9MB)<\/p>\n<p>August 17, 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Luke 19:1-2<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Luke 19:3-5<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Luke 19:6-7<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Luke 19:8-9<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@DestinyChurchJoplin\"><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe class='youtube-player' type='text\/html' width='640' height='360' src='https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/f8WgHyK8SKE?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;autohide=2&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;wmode=transparent' allowfullscreen='true' style='border:0;'><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<p>Your story does not have to end the way it began. God is the story changer. Through His grace, He can take broken, unwanted, and overlooked people and make them brand new.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udcd6 Key Points<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li><strong>God Can Rewrite Your Story<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>No matter your past\u2014whether addiction, depression, poverty, or broken relationships\u2014God brings blessing, freedom, and transformation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The gospel isn\u2019t about making good people better; it\u2019s about making broken people new.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Zacchaeus: The Unwanted and Unclean<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Chief tax collector, seen as a traitor and thief by his own people.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Climbed the ladder of success by stepping on others, only to find emptiness and loneliness at the top.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Like Zacchaeus, many today discover that worldly success cannot fill the void inside.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lonely at the Top vs. Fulfilled in Christ<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>There are two \u201ccrash-out\u201d moments:\n<ul>\n<li>Hitting rock bottom.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reaching the top, only to feel empty.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>True wealth is found in relationships, family, and living for God\u2019s purpose.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Climbing the Tree<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus, but the crowd blocked his view.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Many today still can\u2019t see Jesus because of the \u201ccrowd\u201d\u2014Christians or churches that push people away.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>As the Church, we must always make room for those who are not here yet.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Invitation of Grace<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Jesus saw Zacchaeus, called him by name, and invited Himself to his house.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Grace finds us where we are, even when others reject us.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Encounters with Jesus aren\u2019t limited to the church building\u2014He meets us in everyday life.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>A Changed Heart<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Zacchaeus responded with repentance and generosity:\n<ul>\n<li>Giving half of his wealth to the poor.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Restoring fourfold what he had stolen.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Transformation is seen in actions\u2014repentance leads to reconciliation and blessing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>From Traitor to Son<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>The crowd called him a sinner, a thief, and a traitor.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jesus called him <strong>\u201cSon.\u201d<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In Christ, labels are erased, and our true identity is restored.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\ude4c Takeaway<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If God could change Zacchaeus\u2014the most despised man in Jericho\u2014He can change your story too. Grace sees you, calls you by name, and invites you into a brand-new life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udd11 Key Quote from Pastor Gene<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYour story\u2019s beginning is not your story\u2019s ending. God is the story changer.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<!--powerpress_player--><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_3541\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-2979-3\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"http:\/\/mydestinychurch.com\/sermons\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025-08-17.mp3?_=3\" \/><a href=\"http:\/\/mydestinychurch.com\/sermons\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025-08-17.mp3\">http:\/\/mydestinychurch.com\/sermons\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025-08-17.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div><p class=\"powerpress_links powerpress_links_mp3\">Podcast: <a href=\"http:\/\/mydestinychurch.com\/sermons\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025-08-17.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_d\" title=\"Download\" rel=\"nofollow\" download=\"2025-08-17.mp3\">Download<\/a> (Duration: 27:10 &#8212; 24.9MB)<\/p><p>http:\/\/mydestinychurch.com\/sermons\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025-08-17.mp3 Podcast: Download (Duration: 27:10 &#8212; 24.9MB) August 17, 2025<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2976,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":""},"categories":[889],"tags":[150,893,600,268,891,136,426,40,892,890,117,572,573],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mydestinychurch.com\/sermons\/wp-content\/uploads\/Stories-of-Change-sermon-title.jpg?fit=1920%2C1080","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5z53F-M3","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/mydestinychurch.com\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2979"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/mydestinychurch.com\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/mydestinychurch.com\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mydestinychurch.com\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mydestinychurch.com\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2979"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/mydestinychurch.com\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2979\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2982,"href":"http:\/\/mydestinychurch.com\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2979\/revisions\/2982"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mydestinychurch.com\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2976"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/mydestinychurch.com\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2979"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mydestinychurch.com\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2979"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mydestinychurch.com\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2979"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}