Transformative Presence: Embracing Hospitality and Connection

Devotional

Day 1: Jesus Sees and Seeks the One

Jesus always notices the individual, even in a crowd, and seeks out those who are curious, hidden, or on the margins. Zacchaeus, though wealthy and despised, was seen by Jesus not for his status or reputation but for his hunger and longing. In a world where many feel overlooked or isolated, Jesus models a love that looks up into the trees of our lives, inviting us to see and reach out to those who are searching for hope and belonging. Will we, as his followers, look beyond the crowd to see the one who needs to be seen? [07:36]

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: Who is the “one in the tree” in your life—someone overlooked or avoided—whom you can intentionally see and reach out to this week?

Day 2: The Table Is Where Ordinary Becomes Radical

Meals in Jesus’ day marked who was in and who was out, but Jesus used the table to welcome the outsider and make space for transformation. Ordinary hospitality—inviting someone to your table, your home, or your life—can become a radical act of love and inclusion when done in Jesus’ name. The table is messy, but it’s also where hearts are opened, stories are shared, and lives are changed. Who might Jesus be asking you to welcome, even if it feels uncomfortable or inconvenient? [15:23]

Romans 12:13 (ESV)
Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Reflection: Who could you invite to your table or into your life this week, making space for honest conversation and belonging, even if it feels a bit messy or out of your comfort zone?

Day 3: Set the Temperature—Carry Jesus’ Presence

Jesus doesn’t just reflect the atmosphere of a room; he transforms it. When you carry his presence, you can shift the spiritual climate from anxiety to peace, from despair to hope, from division to unity. Like a thermostat, you are called not just to mirror the environment but to set it, bringing the non-anxious, joyful, and loving presence of Christ wherever you go—whether at home, work, or in your community. [20:26]

Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV)
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Reflection: Where is God calling you to be a thermostat this week—intentionally shifting the atmosphere with his love and presence rather than just reflecting what’s already there?

Day 4: Transformation Begins with Belonging

Belonging comes before believing and becoming; Jesus welcomed Zacchaeus before any change took place, and it was that welcome that led to repentance and transformation. You don’t have to have your life in order before you open the door to Jesus—he comes in, brings belonging, and then transformation follows. The story of Zacchaeus reminds us that Jesus writes new stories for us, moving us from shame and hiding to freedom and purpose. [22:58]

James 2:17 (ESV)
So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to let Jesus in—welcoming him before you feel “ready”—and trust him to bring the transformation you long for?

Day 5: Make Room for Difference—Open the Chair

Jesus’ table included people from every background, belief, and story—even those who disagreed or were considered outsiders. In a divided world, his followers are called to make room for difference, to keep an “empty chair” in their hearts and at their tables for those who are curious, cautious, or even opposed. True community is built not by excluding those who are different, but by welcoming them and trusting Jesus to do the work of change. [28:47]

Ephesians 2:19 (ESV)
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.

Reflection: Who is someone different from you—perhaps someone you disagree with or find difficult—whom you can make space for this week, inviting them to belong and trusting Jesus with the rest?

Sermon Summary

The living, breathing Word of God is not just for Sundays—it is meant to sustain and transform us every day. When we immerse ourselves in Scripture, we open ourselves to the Spirit’s voice, both individually and as a community. Yet, many of us struggle to engage with the Word outside of church gatherings. There is grace for that struggle, and a prayer for renewed passion is always available. The difference that daily time in the Word makes is tangible, not just for us but for those around us.

Reflecting on the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19, we see that Jesus is not looking for perfection but for presence. Life around the table is messy—awkward conversations, unspoken rules, and unexpected guests—but Jesus steps into our mess, not waiting for us to tidy up first. He invites himself into our lives, just as we are, and transforms us from the inside out. The encounter with Zacchaeus shows that Jesus sees beyond the surface—beyond wealth, reputation, or shame—to the hunger and curiosity within. He stops for the one, even on his way to the cross, and calls us to do the same: to see the “one in the tree,” the person on the margins, curious but cautious, longing for connection.

Hospitality is at the heart of Jesus’ ministry. Meals in his day marked who was in and who was out, but in his kingdom, the table is radically inclusive. Jesus’ method was simple: he sought and saved the lost over a meal. The ordinary act of sharing food becomes a supernatural moment of transformation when Jesus is present. We are called to carry his presence into our homes, workplaces, and communities, setting the spiritual temperature wherever we go. Like thermostats, not thermometers, we are to shift atmospheres from anxiety to peace, from despair to joy.

Transformation begins with belonging. Zacchaeus was welcomed first, and then his life changed—he became generous, honest, and free. Jesus rewrites our stories, moving us from hiding to standing tall, from exclusion to restoration. The challenge is to look beyond our own tables and see those who are still up in the trees, half-hidden and waiting to be seen. Revival won’t just happen in church services but around our tables, in our homes, and in our everyday interactions. Let’s keep an open chair in our hearts and at our tables, making room for the unexpected guest, trusting that Jesus will bring the change.

Key Takeaways

1. Presence Over Perfection Jesus is not waiting for us to have our lives perfectly in order before he draws near. He steps into our mess, inviting himself into our homes and hearts just as we are. The transformation he brings starts with his presence, not our performance, and the welcome always comes before the housework. [11:04]
2. See the One in the Tree It’s easy to focus on the crowd and miss the individual who is curious but cautious, longing for connection yet hiding on the margins. Jesus models a way of seeing that seeks out the “one in the tree”—the overlooked, the avoided, the outsider. We are called to have eyes that look up and out, not just in, and to pray for the ability to see as Jesus sees. [07:36]
3. The Table as a Place of Transformation Meals in Jesus’ ministry were not just about food but about radical inclusion and covenant. The ordinary act of sharing a table becomes a place where the supernatural happens—where hearts are changed, relationships are restored, and new stories begin. Who we invite to our tables can be a powerful act of faith and hospitality. [15:23]
4. Set the Spiritual Temperature We are called to be thermostats, not thermometers—carrying the presence of Jesus to shift the atmosphere wherever we go. Whether in our homes, workplaces, or communities, we can bring peace, joy, and hope into anxious and divided spaces. This is not just about behavior change but about story change, as we allow Jesus to rewrite our narratives and those of others. [20:26]
5. Belonging Precedes Becoming Transformation in the kingdom of God follows the order of belonging, believing, and then becoming. Zacchaeus was welcomed first, and his repentance and generosity followed. We are challenged to make room at our tables and in our hearts for those who are different, trusting that as people experience belonging, Jesus will do the work of transformation. [23:31]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:10] - The Power of God’s Word in Daily Life
[02:30] - Messiness of the Table and Presence Over Perfection
[04:45] - Reading the Story of Zacchaeus
[05:37] - Jesus Sees the One in the Tree
[07:36] - Zacchaeus: The Outsider’s Hunger
[11:04] - Jesus Invites Himself In: No Need to Tidy Up
[13:00] - The Radical Nature of Jesus’ Table
[15:23] - Alpha, Testimonies, and the Power of Conversation
[16:38] - Loving Our Neighbors in a Lonely City
[18:30] - The Table Slows Us Down for Connection
[20:26] - Setting the Spiritual Temperature
[21:49] - Transformation: From Taker to Giver
[22:58] - Jesus Rewrites Our Stories
[24:57] - Revival Around Our Tables
[26:09] - The Challenge of Unity at Jesus’ Table
[28:47] - Keeping an Open Chair: Making Room for Others

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Luke 19:1-10 (ESV) — 1 He entered Jericho and was passing through.
2 And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich.
3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature.
4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way.
5 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.”
6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully.
7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.”
8 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.”
9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Observation Questions

What actions did Zacchaeus take to see Jesus, and how did Jesus respond to him? (Luke 19:3-5)
How did the crowd react when Jesus chose to stay at Zacchaeus’ house? (Luke 19:7)
What changes did Zacchaeus make after his encounter with Jesus? (Luke 19:8)
According to the sermon, what does Jesus value more: a perfect life or a present, open heart? [[11:04]]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Zacchaeus was so eager to see Jesus, even to the point of climbing a tree? What does this say about spiritual hunger? [[07:36]]
The crowd grumbled about Jesus eating with Zacchaeus. What does this reveal about their understanding of who belongs at God’s table? [[15:23]]
The sermon says, “Belonging comes first, then the believing and then the becoming.” How does this order challenge the way we often think about spiritual growth and transformation? [[20:26]]
Jesus invited himself into Zacchaeus’ messy life without waiting for him to clean up first. What does this teach us about how Jesus approaches us and how we should approach others? [[11:04]]

Application Questions

The sermon talked about the struggle to engage with God’s Word outside of Sundays. What are some real obstacles you face in reading the Bible during the week? Is there a small, practical step you could take to make Scripture a more regular part of your daily life? [[02:30]]
Jesus saw Zacchaeus “in the tree”—someone on the margins, curious but cautious. Who is someone in your life right now who might be “up in a tree,” looking in from a distance? What would it look like for you to notice and reach out to them this week? [[07:36]]
The table in Jesus’ ministry was a place of radical inclusion. Is there someone you could invite into your home, your lunch break, or your circle who might not expect to be included? What holds you back from doing this? [[15:23]]
The sermon challenged us to be thermostats, not thermometers—to set the spiritual temperature rather than just reflect it. Where in your life (work, home, friendships) do you sense God calling you to bring peace, joy, or hope? What’s one way you could do that this week? [[20:26]]
Zacchaeus’ transformation started with being welcomed. Is there a group, person, or type of person you find hard to welcome? What would it look like to make room for them at your “table”—literally or figuratively? [[23:31]]
The sermon mentioned keeping an “open chair” in our hearts and at our tables for the unexpected guest. What is one practical way you can create space for someone new or different in your life this month? [[28:47]]
If Jesus sat at your table this week, what change do you think he would invite you into? Is there an area of your life where you sense him calling you to step out of hiding and into transformation? [[23:31]]

Sermon Clips

Even if you have half hidden today, hiding behind the branches, maybe it's already on his kingdom map, and he sees you, he knows you, he loves you, and he invites himself into relationship with you. And in the same way that Jesus sees Zacchaeus in the tree, I believe Jesus wants us to be people that see the one in the tree. See the one in the tree. [00:06:09] (26 seconds) #SeeTheOneInTheTree

But on his way to his greatest mission and purpose, what happens? He stops for one. He was doing pretty well financially. But actually, if you think about it from being at the top of the tree, top of the pecking order, so to speak, it can feel pretty lonely at the top of the tree. Good view. Bad company. But Jesus doesn't just see the outside, the expensive robe, the wealth, the job title and the reputation, which of course we know for Zacchaeus was horrendous. He sees the hunger. He sees, he knows, he loves. [00:07:04] (47 seconds) #BeyondTheOutside

Jesus doesn't just see Zacchaeus from a distance, he invites himself close, from the tree actually to the table. Now a quick confession, I'm not brilliant with surprise guests, I'm not actually great with surprises full stop, I'm realising more and more as I get older I struggle with flexibility. I like a plan, I like to know what's happening. So when I say Lord have your way, I have this strange anxiety that appears at the same time because I want to have it my way. [00:10:42] (29 seconds) #EmbraceTheUnexpected

Each of every one of us, wherever we are, whether it's in our own home or we go into another space, we get to set the temperature as a people of his presence. We can set the temperature. Once Jesus is at the table, the whole atmosphere shifts. The food doesn't change, but the temperature does. And Jesus steps into Zacchaeus' home, the whole spiritual climate flips from greed and shame to joy and repentance. [00:19:51] (28 seconds) #CarryNonAnxiousPresence

You notice the order, the welcome comes first, then the housework follows. The welcome comes first and the housework follows. And then in Jesus' presence, the transformation comes. Some of you may be waiting to feel ready to commit or have all the answers before you can make that decision. But Jesus doesn't wait for you to get your house in order. He just says, open the door, belong with me, and I'll do the rest. [00:23:18] (28 seconds) #RevivalStartsAtTheTable

Revival won't just break out on Sundays, it'll break out around your tables. It'll break out in the cafes, in the pubs, in the workplaces, in the sports clubs, in the dance clubs. Do you know, for many people in London, the first sermon they will ever hear will not be in a church, it will be... at your dining table. [00:25:19] (24 seconds) #TableOfUnlikelyFriends

The church won't survive with a come and see mentality, we have to have a go and tell mandate. And while the church can't save anyone, it can serve everyone. So who's that one person, that Zacchaeus in your life this week that you've given up on that Jesus is asking you once again to have eyes to see? Pray the prayer, open the eyes of my heart Lord to see as you see the person I struggle with, the person I ignore, the person I may even if I'm honest hate, and turn that hate to love, to welcome and to trust that as they belong in your presence Jesus that you will change their hearts and their minds. [00:25:54] (45 seconds) #KeepAnEmptyChair

But Jesus' table is different, church, because around his table, actually, if you think about his own disciples, he had tax collectors, he had zealots, he had the most dysfunctional life group you can imagine. Pharisees and sinners sat side by side, people who by every measure should never have been in the same room, and they were, because he was at the centre. And that's the challenge for us. Are we going to be people who only eat with those who think like us, look like us, sound like us, vote like us? Are we going to leave space for the Zacchaeuses in our world, the one up the tree half hidden, curious but cautious, waiting for someone to say you belong here? [00:27:47] (50 seconds) #OpenHeartsOpenTables

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