Embracing Disruptive Goodness: A Call to Transformation
Summary
This morning, we explored what it means to be truly connected to God, to each other, and to the world, and how such connection inevitably leads to being forever changed. At the heart of this transformation is the disruptive goodness of God—a goodness that cannot be managed, domesticated, or controlled, but instead upends our routines, our self-sufficiency, and our carefully constructed lives. We considered the story of Zacchaeus, a man who was not seeking transformation, but simply a glimpse of Jesus. Yet, Jesus, embodying God’s disruptive goodness, sought Zacchaeus out, called him by name, and invited himself into his life. This encounter did not leave Zacchaeus unchanged; it compelled him to radically reorder his priorities, make restitution, and embrace a new identity as a true son of Abraham.
We reflected on how easy it is to settle for “little” religious routines—small prayers, minor acts of goodness—while keeping God at arm’s length, only inviting Him in when we feel the need for a spiritual boost. But God’s desire is not to be a supplement to our lives; He wants to transform us completely, to change us “into fire”—to fill us with His holiness, goodness, and life in a way that burns away all that is not aligned with Him. This is not a self-improvement project, but a surrender project. It is not about fitting God into our lives, but allowing our lives to be reshaped to fit into God’s purposes.
Zacchaeus’ story challenges us to examine the ways we may be complicit in systems of oppression, or how we use our resources and strengths for our own benefit rather than for God’s purposes. Yet, the good news is that Jesus comes looking for us, even when we are hiding, even when we are not seeking Him. He calls us by name, offers us costly grace, and invites us to respond—not by coercion, but by willing surrender. True connection to God means nothing is left untouched; everything is in play for transformation. Jesus takes upon Himself our sin, our failures, and our brokenness, and in exchange, offers us the chance to be forever changed by His disruptive goodness. The invitation is open: will we allow ourselves to be found, and say yes to being totally changed into fire?
Key Takeaways
- God’s goodness is disruptive, not comfortable. When we truly connect with God, His goodness unsettles our routines, our self-reliance, and our desire to stay in control. Rather than seeking a manageable, “little” faith, we are invited into the wild, extravagant goodness of God that calls us to surrender and transformation, not just improvement. [03:31]
- Transformation is not about self-improvement, but surrender. The call to be “changed into fire” is not a matter of working harder or doing more religious things, but of yielding our lives to God’s management. This means letting go of our attempts to fit God into our plans and instead allowing Him to reshape us for His purposes, even when it is costly or uncomfortable. [08:21]
- Jesus seeks us out, even when we are hiding or indifferent. Like Zacchaeus, we may find ourselves up in a tree—hiding, observing from a distance, or simply uninterested in real change. Yet Jesus knows exactly where we are, calls us by name, and invites Himself into our lives. He does not coerce, but waits for our willing response to His costly grace. [17:36]
- True repentance involves costly restitution and reordering of life. Zacchaeus’ encounter with Jesus led him to make right the wrongs he had done, even at great personal expense. Genuine connection to God compels us to address the ways we have harmed others, to seek reconciliation, and to reorder our priorities around God’s kingdom, not our own comfort or gain. [20:58]
- Jesus bears our sin and shame to set us free for transformation. In seeking out Zacchaeus, Jesus absorbs the animosity and shame that belonged to him, just as He would soon bear the sin and brokenness of the world on the cross. Our salvation is not about our search for God, but about God’s relentless pursuit of us, offering us grace that disrupts, heals, and forever changes us. [25:44]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[01:17] - Three Strands: Connection, Change, and Disruptive Goodness
[02:32] - The Story of Abba Joseph: Changed Into Fire
[03:31] - Our “Little” Religious Routines
[04:34] - Who’s in Charge of Change?
[05:37] - Jesus as the Disruptive Goodness of God
[06:59] - God’s Goal: Heaven in Us
[08:21] - Surrender, Not Self-Improvement
[09:56] - Zacchaeus: The Oppressor in Jericho
[11:01] - The Crowd and Zacchaeus’ Isolation
[12:36] - Zacchaeus’ Encounter with Jesus
[14:19] - The Scandal of Grace
[15:17] - Finding Ourselves in Zacchaeus’ Story
[17:36] - Jesus Calls Us by Name
[18:40] - Costly Grace and True Repentance
[20:58] - Restitution and Reordering Life
[22:59] - Welcomed as a Child of Abraham
[23:54] - Jesus Bears Our Sin and Shame
[25:44] - The Son of Man Seeks and Saves the Lost
[27:58] - Will You Allow Yourself to Be Found?
[29:04] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
Small Group Bible Study Guide: Changed Into Fire – The Disruptive Goodness of God
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### Bible Reading
Luke 19:1-10 (ESV)
He entered Jericho and was passing through. And there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. And 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.” So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
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### Observation Questions
1. What actions did Zacchaeus take to see Jesus, and what does this show about his intentions or expectations? (Luke 19:3-4)
2. How did Jesus respond to Zacchaeus when he saw him in the tree? What was surprising about Jesus’ invitation? (Luke 19:5)
3. What was the reaction of the crowd when Jesus chose to stay at Zacchaeus’ house? Why do you think they responded this way? (Luke 19:7)
4. After his encounter with Jesus, what specific changes did Zacchaeus commit to make in his life? (Luke 19:8)
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### Interpretation Questions
1. The sermon describes God’s goodness as “disruptive” rather than comfortable. In what ways did Jesus’ actions disrupt both Zacchaeus’ life and the expectations of the crowd? [14:19]
2. Zacchaeus was not seeking transformation, just a glimpse of Jesus. What does this suggest about how God initiates change in our lives, even when we aren’t looking for it? [12:36]
3. The sermon says, “Transformation is not about self-improvement, but surrender.” How does Zacchaeus’ response to Jesus illustrate the difference between these two approaches? [08:21]
4. Jesus calls Zacchaeus by name and invites himself into his life. What does this tell us about the nature of God’s pursuit of people, even those who are hiding or indifferent? [17:36]
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### Application Questions
1. The sermon challenges us to examine our “little” religious routines. Are there areas in your spiritual life where you tend to keep God at arm’s length, only inviting Him in when you need a boost? What would it look like to invite God into every part of your life, not just the convenient parts? [03:31]
2. Zacchaeus’ story raises questions about complicity in systems of oppression and how we use our resources. Are there ways you use your strengths, resources, or influence mainly for your own benefit? What is one step you could take to use what you have for God’s purposes this week? [16:20]
3. The sermon says, “True repentance involves costly restitution and reordering of life.” Is there a relationship or situation where you need to make things right, even if it’s uncomfortable or costly? What would a first step look like? [20:58]
4. Jesus seeks us out, even when we are hiding or not looking for Him. Can you think of a time when God pursued you, even when you weren’t seeking Him? How did you respond? [17:36]
5. The idea of being “changed into fire” means letting God burn away what isn’t aligned with Him. Is there something in your life—an attitude, habit, or priority—that you sense God wants to change? What would it mean to surrender that to Him? [05:37]
6. The crowd grumbled when Jesus showed grace to Zacchaeus. Are there people or groups you find it hard to imagine God welcoming or transforming? How might God be inviting you to see them differently? [19:59]
7. The sermon ends with the question, “Will you allow yourself to be found?” What might it look like for you to say “yes” to God’s disruptive goodness this week? Is there a specific area where you need to stop hiding and let God in? [27:58]
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Closing Prayer Suggestion:
Invite the group to pray for courage to surrender to God’s disruptive goodness, for willingness to make things right where needed, and for open hearts to be “changed into fire” for God’s purposes.
Devotional
Day 1: God's Disruptive Goodness Seeks and Transforms Us
God’s goodness is not tame or manageable; it is wild, extravagant, and disruptively loving. When God connects with us, He does not simply offer a gentle nudge or a little help to get us over life’s hurdles. Instead, He seeks to upend our self-managed lives, calling us out of our routines and into a life that is thoroughly and forever changed by His presence. This disruptive goodness is not meant to be controlled or fit into our plans; it is meant to transform us from the inside out, burning away all that is not aligned with His goodness and love. [03:31]
James 1:17 (ESV)
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
Reflection: Where in your life have you tried to manage or contain God’s goodness, and what would it look like to invite His disruptive love to transform you today?
Day 2: Jesus Seeks the Lost and Calls Us by Name
Jesus is the embodiment of God’s disruptive goodness, seeking out those who are lost, hiding, or even complicit in wrongdoing. Like Zacchaeus, who climbed a tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus but ended up being found and called by name, we are pursued by Jesus even when we are not actively seeking Him. He knows exactly where we are—whether we are hiding in shame, pride, or indifference—and He calls us personally, inviting Himself into our lives with costly grace and unexpected love. [17:36]
Luke 19:1-10 (ESV)
He entered Jericho and was passing through. And there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. And 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.” So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Reflection: What “tree” have you climbed to hide or keep your distance from Jesus, and how might you respond to His personal invitation to come down and be found by Him today?
Day 3: Surrender, Not Self-Improvement, Is the Path to Transformation
Connecting to God is not about self-improvement or fitting God into our lives on our terms; it is about surrendering our lives to be reshaped by God’s purposes. True transformation comes not from our own efforts or religious routines, but from allowing God to take the lead, to “change us into fire,” and to make us ready to serve Him and others. This surrender is a daily choice to let go of control and let God’s goodness disrupt and reorder our priorities, habits, and desires. [08:21]
Romans 12:1-2 (ESV)
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are still trying to fit God into your plans, and what would it look like to surrender that area fully to Him today?
Day 4: Costly Grace Leads to Restitution and Reconciliation
When we are found by Jesus and receive His costly grace, it leads us to make right the wrongs we have done, even when it is difficult or costly. Like Zacchaeus, who pledged to give half his possessions to the poor and repay those he had cheated fourfold, we are called to take concrete steps toward restitution and reconciliation. This process may require humility, sacrifice, and ongoing effort, but it is a necessary part of being forever changed and living as members of God’s family. [20:58]
Micah 6:8 (ESV)
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
Reflection: Is there someone you need to make things right with—through apology, restitution, or a change in behavior—and what first step can you take today toward reconciliation?
Day 5: Jesus Bears Our Sin and Invites Us Into New Life
Jesus not only seeks us out but also bears the weight of our sin, shame, and brokenness, transferring it onto Himself so that we might be set free. Just as He took on Zacchaeus’ sin and the animosity of the crowd, Jesus went to the cross—His own “tree”—to exhaust the power of sin and death for all of us. The good news is not about our search for God, but about God’s relentless pursuit of us, offering us new life and calling us to be totally changed by His love. [26:44]
1 Peter 2:24 (ESV)
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
Reflection: In what ways do you need to let go of guilt, shame, or self-condemnation and receive the healing and freedom Jesus offers you through His sacrifice today?
Quotes
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