Seen, Called, and Changed: The Transformative Encounters of Jesus

Written By View Church

Pastor Victoria Sowell

What does it really mean to walk in the way of Jesus? Not just to believe in Him, or even talk about Him, but to let His way become our way? That question sits at the heart of three powerful encounters in Scripture, each one showing how Jesus interacted with people in a way that changed everything. Click the link above for the full message.

The thread that runs through these three stories is unmistakable: Jesus sees. He speaks the truth. And He offers a new life. He doesn’t rush past the broken, the shamed, or the unseen. He stops. He calls them. And He offers change—not just a surface-level fix, but a whole new direction.

Let’s take a deeper look into each encounter. Each one is personal. Each one is for us.

He Sees the Overlooked: Zacchaeus and the Gift of Being Seen

Zacchaeus was a tax collector. That meant he was wealthy, but hated. A traitor to his own people, seen as someone who used his position for personal gain. Yet when Jesus walked through Jericho, it wasn’t the crowd that captured His attention—it was the man in the tree.

Climbing Just to See

Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus. Maybe it was curiosity, maybe conviction, maybe something deeper he couldn’t even name. Because he was short, he climbed a sycamore-fig tree to get a better view. And Jesus, seeing him, stopped.

“Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” (Luke 19:5, NIV)

There’s something deeply personal about being called by name. Especially when you expect to be ignored. Jesus didn’t just see a man in a tree. He saw a heart that was searching.

A Slower Pace, A Deeper Gaze

What stands out is how Jesus slows down. He’s interruptible. In fact, in all the Gospels, there’s no mention of Jesus running. He moved at a pace that allowed Him to actually see people. In a crowd full of needs, He noticed one person—and gave him dignity and presence.

And that’s when change began.

Zacchaeus welcomed Jesus gladly. He stood up and declared he would give half of his possessions to the poor and repay anyone he cheated four times over. That’s what happens when someone truly sees you—not just your past, but your potential.

“Today salvation has come to this house… For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:9-10, NIV)

The Mirror Held Up

Zacchaeus’ story isn’t just his. It’s ours.

  • We are Zacchaeus—curious, desperate, maybe climbing for a better view.

  • We are the crowd—skeptical when grace reaches someone we’ve written off.

  • And we are invited to be like Jesus—seeing people who are easy to miss.

Ask yourself: Who do you tend to overlook? Who do you rush past that God may be calling you to walk toward?

He Calls Out Truth in Love: The Woman Caught in Adultery

If there’s one story that captures the tension between judgment and grace, it’s this one.

A woman is dragged into the temple courts, caught in adultery. The religious leaders weren’t interested in justice—they wanted to trap Jesus. Her shame was their tool.

Truth Without Stones

Instead of engaging in the spectacle, Jesus stooped down and began writing on the ground. When they pushed for a response, He gave it:

“Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8:7, NIV)

One by one, they walked away. The older ones first. And when only the woman remained, Jesus straightened up and asked:

“Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
“No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:10-11, NIV)

The Tension We Often Avoid

This is the way of Jesus. Not ignoring sin, but not defining people by it either. He did not excuse her actions, but He also didn’t shame her. He pointed her toward a new way—freedom from sin, not freedom to keep doing what led her there.

Repentance is about change. Not perfection, but direction.

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh…” (Galatians 5:13, NIV)

What Will We Choose?

What happens next in her life? We don’t know. The story leaves us wondering if she accepted Jesus’ invitation to change.

And that’s the point. Every moment with Jesus gives us a choice:

  • Will we go back to what we’ve always done?

  • Or will we leave the life of sin and step into transformation?

It’s not enough to be forgiven—we’re also called to change.

He Offers a New Way Forward: The Lame Man at the Pool

The third encounter takes place at a pool in Bethesda, known for its healing waters. A man had been there for 38 years. Paralyzed. Waiting. Hoping. Stuck.

Jesus saw him lying there and learned he had been in that condition for a long time.

“Do you want to get well?” (John 5:6, NIV)

The Question Beneath the Surface

At first, the question seems strange. Who wouldn’t want to be healed? But Jesus is asking something deeper: Have you settled into this identity? Have you given up?

The man’s reply wasn’t even a yes—it was a list of reasons why he couldn’t get well. Excuses that probably felt like truth.

But Jesus didn’t ask about the pool. He didn’t dig into how the man got there. He didn’t even engage the excuses.

“Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” (John 5:8, NIV)

And just like that, the man was healed.

Take Up Your Mat

There’s something powerful in the instruction to pick up the mat. It’s a call to leave behind the old patterns—the identity formed around brokenness, the comfort of the familiar pain.

Jesus doesn’t just heal. He activates.

  • He calls us to do what seems impossible.

  • He invites us to participate in our healing.

  • He challenges our excuses and asks if we’re ready to move forward.

Where are you stuck right now? What story are you still lying on?

The Way of Jesus: Seen. Called. Changed.

In all three stories, the same pattern emerges:

  1. Jesus sees people others walk past.

  2. He speaks truth with compassion, never avoiding hard conversations.

  3. He offers new life—not just survival, but transformation.

And that’s the invitation for each of us. Whether we’re hiding in a tree, dragged into shame, or stuck by a pool, Jesus stops. He sees. He calls us forward.

What Can We Do With This?

Here are some next steps to help you live this out:

1. Slow Down and See

Who are the people in your life that you pass by or avoid? Maybe it’s time to notice them. To see them fully, without judgment.

2. Speak Truth in Love

Don’t be afraid of hard conversations. Truth matters—but when it’s wrapped in grace, it brings freedom instead of shame.

3. Look Inward Often

Are there areas in your life where you’ve settled for less? Are you making excuses or waiting on something that Jesus is already offering?

4. Choose to Move

It’s not enough to hear truth. Pick up your mat. Leave the sin. Step into new life. The way of Jesus is not passive. It’s active, freeing, and life-giving.

Further Reading

  • “How Jesus Sees Us” by Greg Laurie | Harvest Ministries

  • “The Transforming Power of Being Seen” by John Ortberg | Christianity Today

Other Links

View Church https://viewchurch.co
Next

The Invitation to Abide: Finding Real Life in Jesus