Called By Love
Week 1: Transformed By Grace: a Stewardship Sermon Series
Scripture
19 He entered Jericho and was passing through it. 2 A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax-collector and was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.’ 6 So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. 7 All who saw it began to grumble and said, ‘He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.’ 8 Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.’ 9 Then Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.’
Called by Love
Think back with me to our discussion from this past spring:
We explored what we believe as Christians and, more specifically, as United Methodists. Central to our belief is the concept of God’s grace—a foundational piece of Christian doctrine and particularly important in the United Methodist Tradition. As Christians, we recognize God’s unearned grace throughout our lives. Within the Wesleyan tradition, though, we take it even further. We believe God’s grace isn’t a one-time gift but an ongoing force that actively shapes and molds us through every stage of our faith journey.
God’s grace is present from our very first breath, working within us even before we recognize it. It appears in moments of belief, reconciliation, forgiveness, and healing, transforming us into the people God created us to be. Grace drives us to grow in love and faith, striving for Christian perfection—not worldly perfection, but the ability to love and serve God and others with open hearts.
Grace isn’t just about purifying us; it’s about transforming how we live, how we see the world, and how we use what we’ve been given. God’s grace doesn’t just make us recipients of divine favor; it calls us to become agents of grace, living it out in our everyday lives.
And this brings us to the topic of stewardship: how we use the gifts we have for God’s glory, whether those are financial resources, time, talents, or other blessings.
Stewardship, particularly when it involves money, can be an uncomfortable topic.
But what if we reframed it as an extension of grace?
Instead of seeing stewardship as a chore or duty, we might see it as a natural response to God’s incredible generosity. As agents of grace, we are called to reflect that grace not only spiritually but also in how we manage our material resources. Stewardship isn’t just about finances; it’s about how we use all that God has entrusted to us for the good of God’s Kingdom.
This idea of grace shaping every area of our lives—including our approach to our possessions—reminds us of the incarnational nature of the church. Just as we spoke in our last series about this incarnational nature, we are called to embody God’s grace through how we steward what we have, individually and as a community. Stewardship affects our personal lives as we consider how to use what we have for God’s work, and it impacts our communal lives as we come together to serve and uplift our communities.
The Christian life, shaped by grace, doesn’t happen in isolation. We are who we are because of our experiences with God’s grace—grace that leads, justifies, restores, sanctifies, and transforms. No matter where we are on that journey, we are invited to reflect on how God’s grace calls us to be wise and faithful stewards of all that we have.
A powerful example of grace transforming a life is found in the story of Zacchaeus before us today. At first glance, Zacchaeus seems like an unlikely candidate for grace. As a “chief tax collector,” he was both influential and despised. Tax collectors in ancient Rome were infamous for corruption, squeezing out more than required and keeping the excess. Zacchaeus had likely enriched himself at the expense of his fellow Jews, making him a villain in their eyes.
The crowd in Jericho would have seen him as a traitor, someone who had chosen personal gain over dedication to his people. The label “rich” wasn’t just a fact; it was a criticism of his character, a sign of his dishonesty.
But it’s precisely this man, Zacchaeus, whom Jesus singles out.
When Jesus calls Zacchaeus by name and invites himself to his house, the crowd is shocked. How could Jesus—a respected rabbi—associate with someone they saw as unworthy? Yet this is the heart of grace. God’s grace doesn’t abide by our ideas of who is worthy or unworthy; it reaches out to all, even those we might judge as “undeserving.” Zacchaeus’ encounter with Jesus shows that no one is beyond grace’s reach or the transformation it brings.
We don’t know why Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus. Maybe he was curious, maybe he’d heard of this rabbi who spoke of love and forgiveness. What we do know is that Zacchaeus’ effort to see Jesus—climbing a tree for a better view—didn’t go unnoticed. Jesus calls to him directly:
“Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today” (Luke 19:5b, NRSV).
Here, we see grace in action. Jesus doesn’t wait for Zacchaeus to apologize or change his ways; he meets him where he is, offering relationship and acceptance first. This is grace—seeking us out before we’ve earned it or even understand it.
Zacchaeus’ response is immediate. He welcomes Jesus gladly, and the encounter transforms him. In verse 8, Zacchaeus publicly declares that he will give half his wealth to the poor and pay back fourfold anyone he’s cheated. This is radical repentance. Zacchaeus doesn’t merely apologize; he takes concrete actions to make things right. His transformation isn’t only internal; it shows in his willingness to use his wealth for justice and reconciliation.
This is what grace does—it transforms not only our hearts but extends also to our actions. Zacchaeus goes from living for self-interest to being an agent of God’s grace. His wealth, once a tool for exploitation, becomes a tool for healing and justice. This is the essence of stewardship—using what we have not for personal gain or glory, but for God’s glory and by extension the well-being of others.
When we talk about stewardship, money is often front and center, and it’s certainly an important aspect. But stewardship is about so much more. It involves our time, abilities, relationships, and resources. The United Methodist Church defines stewardship as “the devout investment or use of money, time, and ability.”
Stewardship is recognizing that the very nature or life is a gift from God, meant to be used for God’s kingdom and for the care of all creation. This includes caring for ourselves in ways that don’t harm others and using our resources mindfully to uplift those around us.
Like Zacchaeus, we’re called to let grace shape every area of our lives—our finances, time, talents, and relationships. Stewardship is holistic; it’s about aligning every part of ourselves with God’s purpose. As we continue through this series, I invite you to reflect on how God’s grace is working within you.
How is God calling you, by name, to be an agent of grace in your community, in this church, and in your daily life?
Stewardship isn’t just about donating money to the church, though that is part of it. It’s about leading a life that reflects God’s grace in all that we do. Zacchaeus’ story shows that it’s never too late for grace to transform us. Wherever we are on our journey, God’s grace is working within us, calling us to repentance, reconciliation, and a renewed sense of stewardship.
As we reflect on this, may we each ask,
“Lord, how are you calling me to be an agent of your grace?” Amen!