Jesus comes to seek and save the lost. What do we learn about God the Father that He sent His Son to do this? What an amazing God we serve who cares for us so much that Jesus died for us on the cross to pay for our sins. We could not pay the price, so He did it for us. We could not find our way back to God, so He seeks us out to rescue us. No wonder Jesus is called the Good Shepherd.
Will You Respond to Jesus’ call as He Seeks You?
Desperation has a way of humbling people. God was at work in the heart of Zacchaeus, and he began to realize his desperation for God. Because of his own sinfulness Zacchaeus was rejected by his community, but not by Jesus who came to seek and save the lost.
Although Zacchaeus had made a mess out of his life, he was not beyond the reach of the Savior. When he turned in desperation to Jesus, He was there to rescue him. Jesus does the same for us.
The good news is that our Lord has come to seek and save “rejects” of all types. Perhaps you feel like a reject today. You may be successful by the world’s standards but are empty inside. Do you hear Jesus calling you? He may be calling you to faith, or to a deeper relationship with Him.
Desperation can put things in perspective. What is life all about? God has more for you! Will you give up your will for God’s will for your life? May the Lord give you the strength and courage to follow Him wherever He leads you.
The Lord Saves Us to Transform our Lives so We can Help Others
Luke 19:8 Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!” 9 Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” [1]
Can you imagine if you were a person who received money back from Zacchaeus, the hated tax collector, after his transformation? What did he say to people? How did that affect them? Did he tell them about his encounter with Jesus and how that changed his life? Did Zacchaeus lead people to Jesus? The text does not say.
I do know that the Lord begins to transform our lives as we begin to see others around us in a new way. God begins to open our eyes so we can be His arms, feet, and mouth. All this is possible because Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. It always begins with God’s action in our life.
Take time today to give thanks to the Lord for seeking and saving you! Then take another step and ask the Lord, “What would you like me to do today as your saved child of God?” To hear more about how Jesus comes to seek and save the lost, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/seeking-the-lord-changes-my-life-zacchaeus
[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Lk 19:8–10). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.