Zaccheus

Computer Workshop using the Awesome Bible Stories software

Sunday Software's Awesome Bible Stories software is now available free-of-charge to the supporting members of Rotation.org for use in their teaching ministries in Sunday School and home use by their church families. Learn more.

Summary of Lesson Activities:

Uses the Awesome Bible Stories software (Sunday Software).

A different version of this lesson can be found at the end of this post. That different lesson version of the Zaccheus story was written as part of my 12 lessons about the Kingdom of God. It is posted over in the Parables forum.

Scripture Reference:

Luke 19:1-10

Leader Preparation:

• Read the scripture ahead of time.
• Download the software.
• Explore the program.

Presentation

Opening - Welcome and Lesson Introduction:

We're going to be using the Zaccheus story found in Awesome Bible Stories software. See note above about how to get a free copy of it.

1. Begin by asking your kids "what they have done to try and follow Jesus". Make a list for all to see. You may need to stoke it a bit.
2. Draw a tall vertical arrow on the board. List Jesus on the top, the words, "nothing" on the bottom. Then invite students one by one to step up and write their name somewhere along the vertical line that represents "how hard they are trying to learn from and follow Jesus."
3. Say as you Draw: Today, we are going to learn the story of a short little man who climbed a tree to find Jesus. Draw branches on your vertical arrow, and little stick figures next to each person's name to represent them in the tree.
4. And then, TELL THEM the POINT you want them to take away at the end of the lesson (don't save it til the end!)

"There are things we can do to see Jesus more clearly, and follow him more nearly (day by day), --like coming to Sunday School. And there are things we can do to fall out of the tree or let the crowd get in the way of seeing and spending time with Jesus."

...You'll follow up on "those things" in the software and afterward.

Dig - Main Content and Reflection:

Dive into the software: (and don't forget to go with them!)

1. Open up the Awesome Bible Stories software and turn on the Zaccheus story. Explain what parts you want them in what order. Write them on the board too.

2. View the Story and its butterfly notes within the story.

3. STOP at the when all the butterflies appear at the end of the story. We'll go through those together (if you wish).

Details about going through the story...
The Zaccheus story will pause at certain key points and a butterfly will fly around the screen. Click on it to open a narrated study note. It may take you a number of tries to click the butterfly just so. Its not supposed to be too easy, its supposed to be fun.

At the END of the Zaccheus story youll see several colored butterflies, each one of which reveals a study note to ponder. These are more reflection oriented and would be good to do as a class together.

4. After working through the story, take the Zapping Zaccheus quiz challenge. Zap the wrong answers to score.

5. Play the "How Do You Measure Up" game. This is a reflection activity which computes a score on how well you are living up to the Christian life. When more than one student is at the computer, have each take the test, then right down their score.

6. After they have received their "score". Click the onscreen button to reveal all the measure-up test questions for further discussion with the class.

Closing:
Have each student pick one thing off the "measure up" list they want to improve on. Go around the circle in a prayer asking each person to share that one thing. Start with your own to give them an example. Conclude the prayer by praying that we all find the strength to climb the tree and welcome Jesus into our lives and homes.

This lesson should take about 35-40 minutes and can easily stretch from 1st Graders through High Schoolers in the hands of an awesome teacher. Younger children may need help with the notes and clicking the butterflies.

Story and Teaching Commentary from Neil:

I love teaching Zaccheus because:

a) He is short like our kids.
b) He climbed a tree to see Jesus.
c) Sunday School is a tree!

Stuck in the middle of Zaccheus story is the story of the Rich Young Man. It can seem like an "interruption" but don't cut it out or diminish it. In a way, the young man is facing the same decision that Zaccheus "the rich OLD Man" is facing => Will you let theGospel change you?

What was the difference between the young rich man and the old rich man? Great question for discussion there!

Zaccheus wanted to see Jesus. He wanted his life to be blessed. That's the transformative point in the story: We need to climb trees... to make the effort. And when we do, Jesus looks at us and calls us to change. The question is, Will We?

Now interestingly, and perhaps controversially, I DON'T think Zaccheus was a bad guy. The CROWD seems to think he is, but how often is the CROWD right in a Jesus story!!

The crowd has shunned this child of Abraham because of his job collecting taxes for the government. Say what you will about the Romans, but they were the govt and did provide govt services, such as building roads and keeping the peace. And we know that Jesus thinks we need to 'render unto Caesar' so let's move on.

The crowd assumes Zaccheus is a cheat, and Zaccheus asks them to prove it. Nobody steps forward... except Jesus. CAN YOU FOOL JESUS? No. Jesus confirms Zaccheus' heart by giving his blessing on the man's household.

Maybe this is what Matthew 5:8 is telling us: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Zaccheus saw Jesus that day. (If you have time, help the kids memorize Matthew 5:8.)

Now about the Invitation:

"TODAY, SALVATION HAS COME TO THIS MAN'S HOUSE." Why? Because he is looking for the Christ, wants to be with Jesus, and knows the true value of his wealth and reputation.

The "salvation" here could be interpreted as ACCEPTANCE. Acceptance by God, accepted by your community which has rejected you. Acceptance of yourself a sinner.

The word "house" has a double meaning:

1) "House" in the Old Testament is often used to mean "family" as in "lineage". And Jesus is an OT kinda guy. (Remember the line where God promises to build David a house?)

2) It is JESUS who is coming to the man's house. Jesus is saying JESUS = SALVATION. Jesus is revealing WHO he is to those who want to listen.

The importance of these two points is this: Zaccheus thinks he is inviting Jesus to HIS house, when in fact, it is JESUS who is doing the inviting of Zaccheus into HIS house... the family of salvation. But Zach has to want be looking for it and want it. That's what happens when you go to church, you begin to see, and then you receive Jesus' invitation to faith, and then you need to respond.

More Life Application:

1) Zaccheus was LOOKING for Jesus. And he made the extra effort to get up a tree so his view wouldn't be blocked.

Ladies and Gentleman, that's what Sunday School is: A TREE.

People let "crowded" schedules and other people's priorities obscure their view. Zaccheus climbed above it, and Jesus took notice. Zaccheus put himself in a position to have his life changed. How are YOU doing that?

2) In my lesson, we'll also pick up on the STATURE of Zaccheus. (The details of Zach's shortness and tree climbing is no accident. It is inspired.) How short was he? In Jesus' eyes, he was TALL. So our final question to the kids is this: "How do YOU measure up in the eyes of Jesus?" What can you improve on? After Jesus left Jericho, Zaccheus had some work to do.

Written by Neil MacQueen

The following post was copied from our Writing Team's Lesson Set on the Story of Jesus and Zaccheus in Jericho.

This "geography" addition to the Writing Team's software lesson set was created for home follow-up and those wanting to explore the geography of Jericho a little more. Everyone can read the Zaccheus Bible Background for more details about Jericho.

Especially for At-Home Follow-up

A Google Earth Tour of Ancient and Modern Jericho

https://earth.google.com/web/search/ancient+Jericho

Attached to this post are several reference maps we've created using Google Earth.

Modern Jericho is much bigger than it was in Zaccheus' day, in part due to modern agricultural methods and the presence of Palestinian refugee camps on its borders. As you can see by the linked Google map and images below, Jericho in the time of Zaccheus and Jesus was also much bigger than it was in the Old Testament time of Joshua (circa 1400 B.C.). That means "ancient Jericho was already in ruins when Jesus and Zaccheus would have seen it. Read more about Jericho in our Zaccheus Bible Background.

Things to look for and discuss in the Google Earth map:

Look for "Tel Jericho" the brown hills at the southern tip of the Ein Al Sutan refugee camp marked on Google Earth. "Tel" is the Hebrew word for "mound or hill." (In Arabic it is spelled "Tal.") For reference, look at the map marker for the cable car tourist attraction which goes over the ruins. Click the "streetview" icon and click the road that goes by the ruins to see what the ruins of Jericho look like today (also pictured below). Question: What "lesson" or meaning do you think Jesus and Zaccheus would have taken away from a visit to these ruins?

Look for the "Wadi Kelt" (also spelled "Qelt") and otherwise known as the River Prat which comes out of the Judean highlands and crosses Jericho. This area of Jericho is the historic agricultural part of Jericho and town center. Many springs dot the area. It is very likely that wealthy Zaccheus lived in this "green" area. The Jewish royal family had winter palaces up in the hills above the Wadi. By the time of Jesus, the Romans had appointed a governor to rule the region around Jerusalem. One of them was named Pilate, and it is very likely Zaccheus -who also worked for the Romans, had met him. Question: How do you think Zaccheus reacted to news of Jesus' death at the hands of his boss, Pontius Pilate?

Look for the site of Jesus Baptism on the Jordan River. Notice how close it is to Jericho. Read Luke 3:1-22 which describes John baptizing people there, including tax collectors and Jesus! Question: Zaccheus had no doubt heard about John baptizing Jews in the Jordan River (including tax collectors). Do you think Zaccheus was one of them? Why or why not?

Zoom out and look at various points along the Road to Jericho/Jerusalem. Click the "person walking" icon to highlight the road then click points on the road to go to the "Road View" for close up views of what the journey looks like today. This was the road Jesus walked after vising with Zaccheus, and the dangerous road on which the parable of the "Good Samaritan" is set. Question: How many people do you think Jesus encountered along this road and what do you think he might have said to them? What road in your area would you be most likely to encounter Jesus walking today?

Other Points of Interest: The Dead Sea and various "trade routes" that place Jericho at the center of economic activity in that region both now and in biblical times.

Click to enlarge:

Above: Tel Jericho, the ruins of "ancient" Jericho from Joshua's time.

The Luke 19 story of Jesus and Zaccheus in Jericho is one of the terrific presentations found in the SunScool Bible App for Kids.

Depending on the age-level you select when starting the app, the Zaccheus story will be found in different places in the app's menu and titled differently.

• Levels 1 and 2: "Zaccheus, found in the "More Miracles" menu.
• Level 3: Jesus meets a man in Jericho, found in the More Miracles" menu.
• Level 4: C2-1: About Sin (Jesus and Zaccheus), found in the "Sayings of Jesus" menu.

The App is free, ecumenical, and can be downloaded for use on tablets, smartphones, Windows, and Mac!    Get the download link and look up the story you need in our Outline of all 170+ stories in SunScool. That page also includes app helps.