Week 32: Repentant heart - Zacchaeus

Week 32: Repentant heart - Zacchaeus

From Pardon the Mess with Scarlet Hiltibidal - Christian Motherhood, Biblical Parenting, Raising Christian Kids by Scarlet Hiltibidal and Christian Parenting

April 13, 2026 · 9 min

About this episode

This episode discusses the story of Zacchaeus and the importance of repentance in the Christian faith.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9 ) Zacchaeus was a very rich and corrupt tax collector who was disliked by the Jewish people. One day, Jesus was passing through town and Zacchaeus decided he wanted to see him! But as you may know, Zacchaeus was a “wee little man,” so he had to climb a tree to get a good view. Much to everyone’s surprise and dismay, Jesus pointed him out, spoke to him, and invited himself over. At that moment, Zacchaeus’s heart changed. He felt guilty, but he also acted on his guilt and repented. He vowed to give half his possessions to the poor and to pay back four times the amount to anyone he had cheated. This wasn’t just a small apology—it was a complete turnaround; salvation came to his house and his faith was real because it moved him to action. We all have a barrier to genuinely meeting and following Jesus. For Zacchaeus, it was his corrupt values and his size . But Jesus broke through those barriers, and when he did, Zacchaeus repented. For our kids, those barriers might be life situations, friends, or even distractions . But no barrier is too big for Christ to…

People in this episode

Host: Courtney DeFeo

Topics covered

  • repentance
  • faith
  • Christian values
  • parenting
  • spiritual growth

Keywords

  • Zacchaeus
  • repentance
  • Christian parenting
  • faith
  • forgiveness

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: 1 John 1:9

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