Single lesson

Jesus Meets Zacchaeus

Luke 19:1–10

Jesus meets Zacchaeus while passing through Jericho. In this lesson, children will follow the story in order, notice each person’s choices, and see what Jesus says about seeking and saving the lost.

6–10 years30 minutes

Before you teach

Luke 19:1–10 tells a short story set as Jesus passes through Jericho. The passage introduces Zacchaeus, shows his effort to see Jesus, records Jesus calling him, includes the crowd’s complaint, and ends with Zacchaeus’s response and Jesus’ words about salvation and his mission.

Learning aim

Students will be able to retell Luke 19:1–10 in order and explain how Zacchaeus responded to Jesus and what Jesus said he came to do.

Welcome: Who wanted to see Jesus?

5 min

Begin by introducing the setting simply: Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. Then introduce Zacchaeus by name and role. Ask children to listen for what Zacchaeus wanted, what stopped him, and what he decided to do next.

Luke 19:1, Luke 19:2, Luke 19:3

Read and explain: Zacchaeus climbs and Jesus calls

8 min

Read verses 1–6 aloud. Explain that Zacchaeus was short, so the crowd blocked his view. He ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus. When Jesus reached the place, he looked up, spoke to Zacchaeus by name, and said he must stay at his house. Zacchaeus came down quickly and received him joyfully.

Luke 19:3, Luke 19:4, Luke 19:5, Luke 19:6

Discuss: Different choices and reactions

6 min

Talk about the different responses in the story. Zacchaeus tried to see Jesus, hurried down, and welcomed him joyfully. The crowd murmured that Jesus had gone to stay with a sinner. Then Zacchaeus spoke to the Lord about giving half his goods to the poor and restoring four times what he had wrongfully exacted.

Luke 19:6, Luke 19:7, Luke 19:8

Make and respond: Story sequence cards

7 min

Children make simple sequence cards for the main moments: Jesus passing through Jericho, Zacchaeus in the tree, Jesus calling him, Zacchaeus welcoming Jesus, the crowd murmuring, and Zacchaeus promising to give and restore. After ordering the cards, invite each child to say one thing this passage shows about Jesus or about Zacchaeus’s response.

Luke 19:1, Luke 19:4, Luke 19:5, Luke 19:7, Luke 19:8

Closing: What Jesus says this story means

4 min

Finish with Jesus’ own explanation. He says salvation has come to this house, and he says the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost. Help children connect the whole story to these words, since they explain why Jesus called Zacchaeus and stayed with him.

Luke 19:9, Luke 19:10

Questions to explore

What did Zacchaeus do when the crowd stopped him from seeing Jesus?

Look closely at the actions in the story: he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus.

Luke 19:3, Luke 19:4

How did Zacchaeus respond when Jesus told him to come down?

The verse gives two clear details about his response: he hurried down and received Jesus joyfully.

Luke 19:5, Luke 19:6

What reason does Jesus give at the end of the story for what he came to do?

Use Jesus’ own words in the final verse, where he explains that the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.

Luke 19:10

Make, think or respond

Zacchaeus Story Sequence Cards

What you’ll need

Plain paper or card
Pencils or markers
Scissors
Bible

Try it together

Read Luke 19:1–10 together and list six main moments from the story.
Have children draw one moment on each card, with a short label from the passage.
Mix the cards up and ask children to place them back in order.
Let each child explain one card and tell what choice or response appears in that part of the story.

Sequencing the cards helps children follow the order of Luke 19:1–10 and notice the choices of Zacchaeus, the crowd, and Jesus.

Adapt for your group

For younger children, reduce the sequence to four cards and let them act out only safe motions such as running, climbing, looking up, and welcoming.
For older or stronger readers, ask them to match each card with the exact verse number and explain how Luke 19:9–10 helps interpret the whole story.

An optional closing prayer

You may pray: “Lord Jesus, thank you that you saw Zacchaeus and spoke to him. Please help us listen to your words, welcome you with joy, and learn from what you came to do. Amen.”

Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic

Luke 19

¹ He entered and was passing through Jericho.

² There was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.

³ He was trying to see who Jesus was, and couldn’t because of the crowd, because he was short.

⁴ He ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was going to pass that way.

⁵ When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”

⁶ He hurried, came down, and received him joyfully.

⁷ When they saw it, they all murmured, saying, “He has gone in to lodge with a man who is a sinner.”

⁸ Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor. If I have wrongfully exacted anything of anyone, I restore four times as much.”

⁹ Jesus said to him, “Today, salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham.

¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.”

World English Bible Classic. Public domain.