7 Reasons To Reach The Lost For Christ

7 REASONS TO REACH THE LOST FOR CHRIST

Reading: Luke 19:1-10

Luk 19:1 Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town.

Luk 19:2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was one of the most influential Jews in the Roman tax-collecting business, and he had become very rich.

Luk 19:3 He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowds.

Luk 19:4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree beside the road, so he could watch from there.

Luk 19:5 When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. "Zacchaeus!" he said. "Quick, come down! For I must be a guest in your home today."

Luk 19:6 Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy.

Luk 19:7 But the crowds were displeased. "He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner," they grumbled.

Luk 19:8 Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have overcharged people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!"

Luk 19:9 Jesus responded, "Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a son of Abraham.

Luk 19:10 And I, the Son of Man, have come to seek and save those like him who are lost."

Jericho was a very wealthy and a very important town. It lay in the Jordan valley and commanded both the approach to Jerusalem and the crossings of the river which gave access to the lands east of the Jordan. It had a great palm forest and world-famous balsam groves which perfumed the air for miles around. Its gardens of roses were known far and wide. Men called it "The City of Palms." Josephus called it "a divine region," "the fattest in Palestine." The Romans carried its dates and balsam to world-wide trade and fame.

All this combined to make Jericho one of the greatest taxation centers in Palestine. We have already looked at the taxes which the tax-collectors collected and the wealth they rapaciously acquired (Lk 5:27-32). Zacchaeus was a man who had reached the top of his profession; but he was the most hated man in the district.

Here is the first reason why we should go and reach the lost for Christ.

1. PEOPLE ARE HURTING AND INCOMPLETE INSIDE WITHOUT CHRIST

Luk 19:1 Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town.

Luk 19:2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was one of the most influential Jews in the Roman tax-collecting business, and he had become very rich.

Zacchaeus was wealthy but he was unhappy. Inevitably he was lonely, for he had chosen a way that made him an outcast. He had heard of this Jesus who welcomed tax-collectors and sinners, and he wondered if he would have any word for him. Despised and hated by men, Zacchaeus was reaching after the love of God.

Zacchaeus was like many other people around us. Smiling in the outside but hurting and crying in the inside. All the wealth, power and luxury cannot mend the broken heart cause by rejections and inadequacy

• He might be a successful businessman but still the people ridicule him for being a short man

• He might be a rich man but still people hate him, curse him, ridicule him and even branded him sinner and outcast due to the nature of his job

• He might be influential and he had many servants who obey him because of his position and money and yet his heart is hungry for the real and genuine love and affection of his fellow human being.

• He might have all the luxury that the world can offer but still he is empty, lonely, insecure and miserable

• He might give some of his money for charity but without Christ in his heart everything are but useless, his heart remain hungry and starving and his soul still lost

Here is the second reason why we should reach the lost for Christ

2. PEOPLE CANNOT REACH OUT GOD BY THEIR OWN EFFORT

Luk 19:3 He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowds.

Luk 19:4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree beside the road, so he could watch from there.

Zacchaeus determined to see Jesus, and would let nothing stop him. For Zacchaeus to mingle with the crowd at all was a courageous thing to do, for many a man would take the chance to get a nudge, or kick, or push at the little tax-collector. It was an opportunity not to be missed. Zacchaeus would be black and blue with bruises that day. He could not see--the crowd took an ill delight in making sure of that.