MADE FOR MORE: We go after the one
Overview
One of the most powerful things we see in the life of Jesus is His ability to notice people whom others ignored. In Luke 19, Jesus is walking through Jericho when He spots Zacchaeus, a man who had a reputation no one wanted to be associated with. Zacchaeus was a tax collector—someone labeled as corrupt, dishonest, and undeserving of friendship. Yet while the crowd avoided him, Jesus stopped, looked up into the tree where he was hiding, and called him by name. Jesus didn’t just acknowledge Zacchaeus from a distance; He invited Himself into his home. That single encounter changed Zacchaeus’s life forever.
This moment reminds us of the heart of the gospel: God doesn’t wait for us to get everything right before He comes near. Instead, He takes the first step toward us. Jesus models what it looks like to pursue “the one” — the person who feels unseen, overlooked, or far from God. His mission was clear: “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).
At Journey Young Adults, we carry that same mission. We don’t just gather for ourselves, sing songs we like, or build a community that only benefits us. We exist for the people who aren’t here yet — the classmate who feels alone, the coworker who wonders if God cares, the friend who hasn’t stepped foot into church because they don’t think they’d belong. Our calling is to notice, to pursue, and to go after them.
Jesus illustrated this again in Matthew 18, describing a shepherd who leaves ninety-nine sheep to search for the one that wandered off. That kind of love doesn’t make sense to the world, but it reflects the heart of God. He doesn’t write people off; He goes after them. And when we follow Him, we take on that same burden.
This week, as we talk and pray together, let’s ask ourselves: Who is the “one” God has placed in front of me? Who might feel far, but needs someone to see them, call them by name, and invite them closer to Jesus? Our gatherings aren’t the finish line — they’re the starting point to live out the mission of Christ every day.
Read
Luke 19:1-10 NIV – Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Matthew 18:12-14 NIV – “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.
Discuss
Why do you think Zacchaeus climbed the tree?
What does that tell us about how badly he wanted to see Jesus? Have you ever taken extra steps—big or small—because you were curious about faith or searching for something more?How did Jesus treat Zacchaeus differently than everyone else did?
What impact do you think that had on Zacchaeus? Can you think of a time when someone noticed you or treated you differently than you expected, and it made a big difference?Who might be your “one” right now?
Someone in your life who feels far from God or disconnected. What makes them come to mind, and what might it look like for you to move toward them the way Jesus moved toward Zacchaeus?Why do you think we sometimes ignore or avoid “the one”?
Is it fear, inconvenience, or maybe judgment? How have you seen those reasons play out in your own life?How does it feel knowing Jesus came looking for you?
When you think about the moments He’s pursued you—even when you weren’t looking for Him—how does that change the way you see His love?What makes you nervous about going after the one?
Is it fear of rejection, not knowing what to say, or worrying about how people might see you? What do you think helps push past those nerves?How can we live this out in real places—on campus, at work, or in our friend groups?
What are some practical and natural ways to “notice the one” in those environments?Who are you praying for to come to Jesus right now?
How can we as a group encourage each other to keep praying and keep pursuing those people?
Call to Action
Identify one person to invite or serve this week.
Pray daily for that person by name.
Take one bold step toward them (message, coffee, invitation).
