Seek and save the losts

Pastor Rene's Bible studies

The Gospel of Luke-- Chap 19:1-10

Seek and save the losts

Luke 19:1 (NIV) Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a `sinner.'"

8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."

9 Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

The events of the end of Chap 18 and the beginning of Chapter 19 took place in Jericho. In the first, a poor man became a follower of Jesus; in the second, a rich man did.

Not all the conversion are recorded in Gospel but something extraordinary is recorded of Zaccheus' conversion.

I Who Zaccheus was:

a) V. 2. Chief of collector: often tax collector came to Christ but He was the chief.

Christ came even to save the chief of sinners. (Paul…)

b) He was rich: collect % of other tax collectors…

Remember Jesus just stated how hard it is for rich people to enter into the kingdom of God…

Here is a story of a lost rich man who was found by Jesus not as the prodigal son who was reduced to extreme poverty.

II How He came in Christ's way.

He had a great curiosity to see Jesus having heard great talk of him.

Every man has this sense of curiosity in his nature.

(we should cultivate it in reaching people for God)

He was little and the crowd was big. Jesus was not carried on men's shoulders (as the pope in a procession). He was lost in a crowd…
He forgot his pride as a chief of tax collector and climbed in a sycamore tree. Those who sincerely desire Jesus will find a way to go through difficulties or opposition.

III The call Jesus gave Him.

Jericho was a city of the priests in Jesus time and Jesus chose to pass over their houses and announced his intention of lodging at Zaccheus' house.

Although Zaccheus was very curious to see Jesus, it was Jesus, not the chief tax collector, who took the initiative to seek and to save.

Christ invited himself. Christ outdid his expectations-- He saw him in the tree and walked to him. Christ called him by name, he knows his chosen by name.

2Tim 2:19 (NIV) Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."

Remember Nathanael-- "How do you know me?"

"Hurry up and come down". I must stay in your house today.

Now humble Fellowship (A call to respond)

Respond: "Behold I stand at the door and knocks."

IV--The accusation:
"They all murmured"

"He has gone to be the guest of a sinner…". Were they not themselves sinful men?

They looked upon Zaccheus as a sinner above all others in Jericho. He was unworthy--He didn't deserve this honor that Jesus may stay at his home. Were there not more important people worthy of Jesus's visit? No!

People in general hated Zaccheus

People continues in their loveless way! (Watch out for ourselves.)

People always look at the mistakes--the past failures.

Christ knows the heart and mind of people now and what the future will be.

God allows room for repentance.

Was there any danger for Jesus to be contaminated by a sinner? No! Only hope of doing good to a sinner.

For us? Is there any danger to be contaminated by a sinner? It depends of the state of our heart and of our motives…

If you are a true christian, pure, filled with the love of God, there is no danger…prayer equips, holiness protects you, love empowers you-- for ministry to the lost.

V the proofs of His true conversion.

He declared his determination.

He stood before witnesses who could hear him. He made his confession with his mouth, from his heart with solemnity to God as a vow.
It was not as an apology to the murmuring crowd but it was addressed to his divine guest, who, he felt, understood him…

Notice that the good he vows to do to others, it is as unto God that he is doing it. (That's how we can forgive others, endure injustice, acknowledge our fault in a conflict (when it is as unto Jesus we are doing it).

a)--Zaccheus laid up treasure for himself and resolves now that for the future he will be all for God, and do good to others with it.

Not later, when I die, But Now.

Very large proportion of his belongings and estate.

b)--He was conscious that he got some by unlawful means. He promised to make restitution. "I will pay back four times".

Ex22: 1,4,7,9--Restitution that a thief was to make…comp. (Lev 6:1--6; Numb 5:7)

Some become honest only when they get caught, they can't help it.

Restitution is important: giving half his estate cannot atone for the wrong he has done. God hates robbery for offering. It is hypocrisy to give that which is not our own.

Christians must pay their debts.

His good works was the evidence of the sincerity of his faith and repentance.

(Not his emotions only (chong sheng pai))

John the Baptist--Fruits of Repentance

Four times plus half of my possession proves that he cannot have been dishonest.

Christ's approbation of His conversion.

Today salvation has come to this house. (Soteria)

Converted (SAVED) from sins, from guilt, from the power of them.

a)He will be a blessing to his house.

He is a son of Abraham. (Remember the words Jesus had with the Jews in John 8)

John 8:39 (NIV) "Abraham is our father," they answered. "If you were Abraham's children," said Jesus, "then you would do the things Abraham did. 40 As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. 41 You are doing the things your own father does." "We are not illegitimate children," they protested. "The only Father we have is God himself."

When Jesus consider someone as Abraham's seed, he refers to his faith… not to his nationality. (see…)

Gala 3:9 (NIV) So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

Gala 3:29 (NIV) If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Zaccheus could have been a faithful follower of Abraham in his life and faith. But because of his Job and position, he may have been regarded as a treator for the Romans, as an unfair man, as a publican…

Like Abraham, he will teach his household and bring a blessing to his family

"He that is greedy of gain troubles his own house, and brings a curse upon it." Hab2:9

He that is charitable to the poor does a kindness to his own house. Ps102:3

Acts 16:31

Luke 19:10 (NIV) For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

b) Christ declared his purpose:

Thist was a rebuke to Pharisees who would limit the redeemed.

"It is like Jesus saying: "You Pharisees you do not want me, but these ones you despised, they welcome me."

Someone suggested that this publican who prayed in the temple,striking his breast saying, God be merciful to me a sinner, could have been Zaccheus who Jesus portrayed.

Mark 10:45 (NIV) For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Luke 9:56 (KJS) For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save [them]. And they went to another village.

Luke 19:10 (NIV) For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

John 3:17 (NIV) For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Gala 1:4 (NIV) who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

Isai 53:5 (NIV) But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
1Joh 3:5 (NIV) But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin.

1Joh 3:8 (NIV) He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work.

1Pet 2:24 (NIV) He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

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