Discussion Guide for Zacchaeus

In order to do this lesson as a family, set aside 15-20 minutes and grab a Bible, whether that's looking at the biblical text with older kids, or at the Spark Story Bible that we use for younger kids.  And while it's obviously not the same as going to church, I'd encourage you to think about ways to help make your home a worshipful space: light a candle, say a prayer, sing a hymn or a Chapel song, or maybe take a moment of silence and some deep breaths.  Everything listed below is meant to be optional -- you can pick and choose what will work best with your family.

Opening Your Time Together:

  • Checking In - If your family is anything like mine, we're all still trying to grapple with this rapidly changing reality as best we can, but we aren't necessarily intentional about talking through how we're feeling.  So take some time before you begin to ask your kids where they're at.  How are they feeling?  Is there anything that they're worried about?  What are some things that they are really missing right now?  Remind them that you love them and that you're there for them no matter what during this time.  Brainstorm ways you can recreate things they're missing; we're committing to a video chat with one other family per day and trying to do 20 minutes of family yoga watching an online instructional (don't ask how well that's doing with a 2.5 year old). 
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  • Opening Prayer - God, it feels really strange to not be able to go to church today, but we know that you are still here with us.  Worshiping in homes was something that the early church did, so we're just doing the same thing that they practiced many years ago.  We come to you today with a lot on our minds and on our hearts (you can ask for kids to share out loud, or just keep going) - and we know that you hold all of those things with us.  We ask for your love to surround us and our city, and we ask that you be in our discussion today.  Amen.

  • Opening Hymn - Be Thou My Vision - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMmKreUK9Po - the link is to an organ instrumental of this song.  You'll get to see an organist in action, but you can also sing along via the verses below:
    • Verse 1 - Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; naught be all else to me save that Thou art.  Thou my best thought, by day or by night; waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
    • Verse 2 - Be Thou my wisdom, and Thou my true Word.  I ever with Thee, and Thou with me, Lord.  Thou my soul's shelter, and thou my high tower; raise thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
    • Verse 2 - Riches I heed not, nor vain, empty praise.  Thou my inheritance, now and always: thou and thou only, first in my heart, High King of Heaven, my treasure thou art.
    • Verse 4 - High King of Heaven, my victory won, may I reach heaven's joys, O bright heav'n's Sun!   Heart of my own heart, whatever befall - still be my vision, O Ruler of all.

  • Opening Chapel Song - Doxology - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUco1i7fEns - the link is to a piano version, which is exactly what we play at the start of Chapel each Sunday.  See if your kids remember the hand motions that go along with this hymn - they might be able to teach you too!

Reading the Bible:

  • Open up to the passage, whether in the Bible or the Spark Bible.  Ask your kids if they are familiar with this passage and, if so, what they remember.  
  • Read the passage together.  Bible - Luke 19:1-10,  ​Spark Bible - pages 400 to 405
  • (Optional) You can also practice something called lectio divina, which basically means you read through the passage once, asking kids to listen for a word or phrase that jumps out at them.  After reading, everyone shares their answers and then you read the passage again, listening for new insights!

Discussing the Passage:

  • For Younger Kids 
  • ​Zacchaeus had to climb a tree to see Jesus because he was too short to see over the crowds.  Have you ever not been able to see something because you were too short?  How did that feel?
  • People thought Zacchaeus was mean because he was a tax collector, meaning he took other people's money... but after talking to Jesus, he decided to give all of the money back!  What do you think Jesus told him to help change his mind?
  • If you were going to give money away like Zacchaeus, who would you give it to and why?

  • For Older Kids 
  • ​If you were Jesus, what would you have said to Zacchaeus about his tax collecting/taking extra money?  How do you think Jesus convinced him to do the right thing? 
  • Do you think it's possible for people to completely change their behavior?  Can you remember a time when something you learned had a big impact on how you either thought or acted?
  • What are some big changes that you think should happen in our world today?  How might we convince others to make those changes - or, more importantly, how can we as a family make those changes?

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Closing Your Time Together:
  • Closing Prayer - God, we're grateful for this chance to be able to learn and listen with each other.  We're grateful for the strength that we have in each other and in you.  But we also are worried for our city and our world, and worried for the people that we love.  And so we lift up prayers to you now, that you would watch over and protect us.  Help heal anyone who may have the COVID-19 virus, and help us all keep it from spreading further.  We pray for the doctors and nurses who are treating people.  We pray for our government leaders that they would make decisions that would help people stay safe.  And we lift up other prayers to you now:  (Ask your kids to pray, and offer your own prayers too).  God, we know you hear all our prayers - and we raise them all in Jesus' name.  Amen.

  • Closing Hymn - God, Be The Love (O Christ, Surround Me) - https://hymnary.org/media/fetch/150420 - I couldn't find a clean version of this, but you may be able to find a few of choirs singing it.  Regardless, this is our Chapel closing song this month and thought it was fitting.  
    • Verse 1 - God, be the love to search and keep me.  God, be the prayer to move my voice.  God, be the strength to now uphold me.  O Christ, surround me.  O Christ, surround me.