Seeking Out the Lost
This morning our men began chapter 19 in Luke's gospel. It was the very familiar story of Zacchaeus. I am sure many of us know the story of the "wee little man who climbed up in the Sycamore tree." However, the question for all of us is, "Do we live out the principles Jesus showed us by what He did?"
Jesus went to Jericho on the way to the Cross. He did not have to go that way to Jerusalem, but he told Zacchaeus, "I must stay at your house." He went there to seek out the "seeker", the chief tax collector, Zacchaeus. It was necessary because the Father sent him, and He was always obedient. He called him out of the tree, and the crowd murmured, because they would never have had anything to do with this rich man who worked for Rome, and took money for himself by false accusation. Jesus was happy to eat with him, and even Zacchaeus joyfully received Jesus into his home.
After the meal, Zacchaeus was saved. He was radically changed. He was giving away money, and making restitution. He was calling Jesus Lord, instead of his money. He was ready to make an honest living from that day forward, because Jesus sought Him, and He trusted Christ. Jesus told his disciples and us that He came to seek and to save that which was lost. We are to be about the same business. We are not to just say, "Y'all come to church." We are to go out and seek out those who need Jesus. We are to seek the ones no one else would want, because Jesus came for all of the people in the world.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Nehemiah 12-13 and Esther 1.
Jesus went to Jericho on the way to the Cross. He did not have to go that way to Jerusalem, but he told Zacchaeus, "I must stay at your house." He went there to seek out the "seeker", the chief tax collector, Zacchaeus. It was necessary because the Father sent him, and He was always obedient. He called him out of the tree, and the crowd murmured, because they would never have had anything to do with this rich man who worked for Rome, and took money for himself by false accusation. Jesus was happy to eat with him, and even Zacchaeus joyfully received Jesus into his home.
After the meal, Zacchaeus was saved. He was radically changed. He was giving away money, and making restitution. He was calling Jesus Lord, instead of his money. He was ready to make an honest living from that day forward, because Jesus sought Him, and He trusted Christ. Jesus told his disciples and us that He came to seek and to save that which was lost. We are to be about the same business. We are not to just say, "Y'all come to church." We are to go out and seek out those who need Jesus. We are to seek the ones no one else would want, because Jesus came for all of the people in the world.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Nehemiah 12-13 and Esther 1.