A Lost Sinner Sought And Saved

A LOST SINNER SOUGHT AND SAVED

Luke 19:1-10

Good News Christian Fellowship

BUCAS, Daraga Albay

March 11, 2007

Introduction

It is always of great rejoicing for our souls to read about the conversion of a sinner by God’s omnipotent grace. It is always encouraging knowing lost sinners have been found and got saved. It is especially profitable to read and study the stories of God’s converting grace given to us in the pages of Holy Scripture. We should read them often and study them with care, asking God the Holy Spirit to teach us the wonders of his grace.

In Luke 19:1-10, we read the story of Zacchaeus’ conversion by the Lord Jesus. Before approaching Jerusalem in His last trip to it, Jesus entered and passed through Jericho, where He was surrounded by "an innumerable multitude of people"

Now let’s read Luke 19:1-10

Let’s read the story together. Our blessed Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, never changes. What he did for Zacchaeus he still does for sinners today. The title of my message is — A LOST SINNER SOUGHT AND SAVED.

For us to get the whole picture of the story or its context let’s go back first to chapter 18:18-45.

In verses 18-25 we read about the rich young ruler who refused to bow to Christ. He thought that goodness was a man’s achievement. He place himself, rather than God, at the center of his life. As he walked away from the Master, we read in verses 24-26. — “And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God

.” Then, in verse 26, the disciples asked, “Who then can be saved?”

Then, our Savior said, in verse 27, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”

Beginning right there, he proceeds to demonstrate the fact that he is that God with whom alone salvation is possible. Only with God is entrance to the Kingdom possible for the rich or the poor (v.27). He and he alone is able to save unto the uttermost all who come to God by him, for he is himself God the Son, God who came to seek and to save that which was lost.

The disciples then began to question the benefits of doing good works (v.28). Jesus emphasizes that entrance into the kingdom was by the grace of God (vv.29-30)

In verse 30 he tells us that the salvation he brings is “in the world to come life everlasting.”

In verses 31-33 he tells us how this salvation, this life everlasting comes to our poor souls, by his death upon the cursed tree as the sinner’s Substitute.

In verses 35-43 he shows us that the sure result of his finished work of redemption is the salvation of sinners by omnipotent grace, giving sight and salvation to the blind man as he approached Jericho.

The spiritual lessons in this passage (Luke 19:1-10) are many. Let me direct your attention to just a few of them.

Christ Entered Jericho (v. 1)

Please be reminded brethren that our text for today is one of the records of events that is significant tuning point in Jesus’ ministry. Luke records events which took place in Samaria and gives extensive teaching on the journey before Jesus and His disciples arrived at destination. Most of the events are recorded by Luke alone (Luke 9:51-15;32)

Now, Christ passing through Jericho is not of an accident. It is not accepting out of chance. It is not out of second thoughts. But it is something of Jesus’ determination to entered Jericho to accomplish the will of God. We read in John 4:34, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent me, and to accomplish His work.”

Fulfilling God’s will—providing and proclaiming salvation (even to the Gentiles!)—was our Lord’s primary purpose and calling.

." The holy Jesus made it his business to go about doing good. As the sun in the firmament is continually spreading his benign, quickening, and cheering influences over the natural; so the Son of righteousness arose with healing under his wings, and was daily and hourly diffusing his gracious influences over the moral world” (George Whitefield)

The Man who was Rich (v.2)

“Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief among the publican, and he was rich.”

The Publican was a Jews who collected taxes from fellow Jews for the Roman Empire. They made their living by charging an extra amount. Some of them made more than a living. . The difference between, what the publican collected and between what he was due to pay to the government, went to his private pocket. They were considered traitors who became wealthy by collaborating with Roman authorities at the expense of their own people.