I Must Come to Your House

Zacchaeus gave away half of everything he owned and called it joy, not sacrifice.

Speaker: Caleb Culver
Date: August 16, 2026

Pastor Caleb Culver shares a powerful word on Zacchaeus’ encounter with Jesus. We weren’t created just to be loved by God, but to belong to one another. When we let Jesus find us, we realize what we give up is nothing compared to what we gain.

Here's a 5-day devotional guide based on this sermon:

Day 1: The Courage to Be Seen

Luke 19:1–4 | Psalm 27:8

Zacchaeus was too short to see over the crowd, so he ran ahead and climbed a tree, willing to look foolish in front of the very people who already despised him. His desperation to see Jesus outweighed his need to protect his image. David wrote something similar centuries earlier: “Your face, LORD, do I seek.” Real encounter with God rarely happens from a safe distance. It requires the same willingness Zacchaeus had—to be inconvenienced, exposed, and possibly embarrassed for the sake of getting close to Jesus.

Day 2: Called by Name

Luke 19:5–6 | Isaiah 43:1

Before Zacchaeus said a single word, Jesus looked up into that tree and spoke his name. Of the many people Jesus encountered in the Gospels, very few are named individually, which makes this moment stand out. God has always been in the business of calling people by name rather than by category. Isaiah records the same promise: “I have called you by name, you are mine.” Being known by God was never about earning it. It was always about being found.

Day 3: The Master Behind the Money

Matthew 6:24 | Ecclesiastes 5:10

Zacchaeus had spent his career serving money as a master, extracting wealth however he could and calling it success. Jesus said plainly that no one can serve two masters—God and money included. The writer of Ecclesiastes noticed the same trap centuries earlier: Whoever loves money never has enough of it. Money is not neutral. It either serves you, or it becomes the thing you serve, quietly shaping every decision you make.

Day 4: The Cost That Isn’t a Loss

Matthew 13:44 | Mark 10:21–22

Jesus told a story about a man who found treasure so valuable that he sold everything he owned, not with reluctance but with joy. Zacchaeus lived that parable out in real time, giving away half of his wealth the moment he recognized who was sitting at his table. Compare that to the rich young ruler, who walked away sad when Jesus asked him to do the very same thing. The difference was never the size of the sacrifice. It was whether each man had actually found the treasure worth it.

Day 5: Salvation Has Come to This House

Luke 19:8–10 | 2 Corinthians 5:17

Jesus did not just forgive Zacchaeus privately. He declared, in front of the very people who despised him, that salvation had come to his house. That declaration changed everything about how Zacchaeus would live, give, and be remembered. Paul later wrote that anyone in Christ is a new creation, the old life gone and a new one begun. Whatever old master used to define you, Jesus is still in the business of walking into your house and rewriting the story.