From Fascination to Transformation
I’ll never forget a phrase Pastor Jay used last year. He said he wanted the children’s and youth ministries to spark in young people “a fascination with Jesus.” That really struck me. To be fascinated is to be irresistibly drawn in, to be intensely captivated and compelled to know more.
In Luke 19, Zacchaeus shows us his own fascination with Jesus. As a Jewish tax collector working for the Romans, he was despised by his own people; an outcast, treated with as much contempt as any leper or criminal. Yet his desire to see Jesus was stronger than his shame.
When Jesus arrived in his town, he ran ahead of the crowds, climbed a tree to get above the mayhem, setting aside what others might think, just to catch a glimpse. His longing was more than curiosity. Scripture says, “he wanted to see who Jesus was,” possibly even intrigued by Jesus’ own reputation of reaching out to the disenfranchised, the excluded, and the sinners.
Zacchaeus was not merely a short guy in a tree though; he became the one who was seen by Jesus and valued. The invitation to dinner and friendship he received is a beautiful reminder that God cares deeply for each of us, even if we feel like an outcast .
We, too, long to see who Jesus really is, not as a distant figure but as the Savior who notices us, esteems us, and even wants to spend time with us. Jesus meets us in our own “trees,” even if we’re barely hanging on like that poster-kitten that says Hang in There.
As a fascination with Jesus begins to grow for some, barriers can get in the way. They may not have to outrun a crowd or shimmy up a tree, but they may feel isolated or judged, angry or traumatized. Like Jesus, we can open our hearts to those around us who don’t know how to get closer to Him.
The beautiful truth is that Jesus’ approach is relational and transformative. He met people where they were and often began with something as ordinary as a meal. Zacchaeus went from admiring Jesus at a distance to being transformed at the table with Him. The same is true today. Some people aren’t ready to head to a church altar or even a Bible study, but they’re ready for a table. Our invitation, like Jesus’, is to make room for them - see past their shortcomings, answer questions, listen, and offer connection.
A meal together is a bridge; a place of transition, and that can lead to transformation. That transformation may not start with a sermon but with a shared meal, a simple conversation, and the presence of Jesus who always welcomes those told they don’t belong. And when people encounter that kind of grace, whether at an altar or even over tacos, they can’t help but be drawn in.
Just like Zacchaeus, fascination grows into surrender, and surrender leads to transformation. That is the power of being captivated by Jesus.
Reflection Questions:
• What “hindrances” tend to keep you from staying fascinated with Jesus, and how can you push past them?
• Who in your life might not be ready for the altar but could be welcomed to your table?
• How has Jesus met you in unexpected places, like He met Zacchaeus in a tree, and what did that reveal about His heart for you?
